The Alton Weekly Inquirer! 06-19-08
Fri Jun 20, 2008 at 08:19:11 AM PDT
The Alton Weekly Inquirer! News from around the nation, around the world, and up your alley! ("Up my alley?" Up YOURS!)
This won't have the impact of Scotty's book, but it's going to be one hell of a lot more fun: Finally, a book is on the way describing the misadventures, bumbles, and all-around hilarity of the 2006 Katherine Harris U.S. Senate campaign from the inside. Author Jamie Miller served for six months as campaign manager, so was well acquainted with the mercurial Princess:
There is Harris, the thoroughly charming Steel Magnolia; and there is the other Harris that Miller said is more like the Incredible Hulk on a particularly bad day.
I don't know about you, but this is going on my pre-order list as soon as it becomes available. The comedy gold should at least equal that of Liberal Fascism, with far less of the stupidity (from the author, at least). Let's hope Laura Dern reprises her reportedly brilliant work in Recount in the Princess role in the hoped-for movie adaptation of this new book! (via Florida Politics)
Bonus Princess photo--because I know you guys have missed her:
Also in Florida, Chain Gang Charlie continues his "I am not gay" offensive: It seems that the empty suit tanned, fit, and ready Charlie Crist, governor of Florida, is working on his image for the St. John McCain veepstakes:
"Lt. Gov. (Jeff) Kottkamp and I are lucky guys. You're blessed with Cindy and I'm blessed with Carole, and that's a special thing," Crist said during his speech at a Republican Party of Florida fundraiser on Thursday night.
Eeee-yup. The comments section had all sorts of great tidbits, basically stating that the Carole in this story, Carole Rome, is seperated from her husband but still married (!) and that our man Charlie has had a history of dropping "beards" like a rock after they have outlived their usefulness. Meantime a commenter sums up the attitude of many in Florida towards Charlie:
GET BACK TO YOUR OFFICE AND DO SOMETHING YOU OVER-TANNED, HAIR-DYED, LYING, CORPORATE-PUPPET, PHOTO-OPPING ON OUR DIME, PAPER DOLL FREAKING FRAUD!
Couldn't have said it better myself. (via Pensito Review)
Also from the Pensito Review: Sometimes the jokes just write themselves. Q.v.
Charlie also flip-flops on offshore drilling: Taking a cue from Huggy Bear, Charlie has now reversed his long-standing opposition to offshore drilling on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and now says he favors it. Onetime offshore drilling opponent Sen. Mel "cellophane man" Martinez has flip-flopped also, though at least he had the minimal decency to be reluctant about it. On a windy night, one can literally smell the political opportunism wafting up from Florida--or maybe it's just all the sweaty bodies in the dance clubs on South Beach.
Page Six!
This week we feature violin virtuoso Hilary Hahn:
Ms. Hahn performs with orchestras around the world, and is particularly well known for her recent interpretations of the Bach violin concertos. In addition to her concertizing, she finds time to write on one of the most interesting artist blogs I have ever run across. She also was featured recently on the comic strip (and AWIAENCOYS favorite) 9 Chickweed Lane.
Our equal time beefcake is Edward Norton:
Mr. Norton can currently be seen in The Incredible Hulk. His prior roles in American History X and Primal Fear earned him Academy Award nominations, but Nancy says you shouldn't miss him in The Illusionist, Keeping the Faith, and Death to Smoochy. He has also worked in support of environmental causes, affordable housing, and other social activist causes--in other words, he's one of those Hollyweird elites. Heh.
Missouri is going to be rockin' this summer: Sen. Claire McCaskill opened the first training session for Obama volunteers in St. Louis by asking everyone, "are you fired up?" She then went on to tell a story about how she used to go out on Halloween back in 1960, and tell people, "trick or treat for Jack Kennedy." The Q and A session that followed was illuminating:
-Obama will be going to rural parts of Missouri much more than most candidates have. "The margins in rural Missouri are the key to the kingdom. If we get 42 percent and start edging up toward 43 or 44, yee howdy!"
-Obama will haunt the rural areas and red areas. "We're going to go into the belly of the beast in this campaign."
Obama is obviously listening to McCaskill, who won her Senate race by campaigning as hard in the rural areas as the major cities. But she demurred when asked about the possibility of her being on the ticket, saying he didn't talk about the VP selection with anyone, --"well, maybe Michelle, when nobody else is around." (via Show Me Progress)
This week's Floyd R. Turbo Award: The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has passed the House, and is on its way to the Senate. The ENDA would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation with only religious organizations, small businesses and the military exempted--but nonetheless, the shrieking harpies have started up, including FRTA repeat offender Ron Sutterfield:
It will be the perfect tool to harass every Christian organization in the country. Church pastors supposedly would be exempt. This could easily be changed; all other Christian organizations are not exempt. How long do you think it will be after passing before organizations like Focus on the Family will be targeted by homosexual activists?[...]
The ultimate result of the legislation will eventually be the criminalization of the church and the Bible as hate literature. My letter from Rep. Jerry Costello says he supported EDNA as it relates to sexual preference. Sens. Barack Obama and Dick Durbin also. Call them at 1-202-224-3121. God help our country.
Ron Sutterfield
Swansea
Meantime I would argue that ENDA doesn't go far enough--there's no pleasing everyone! But to reach for "criminalization of the church" is sublime Turbo-like hyperbole. Maybe Mr. Sutterfield needs a life.
Your moment of India (the pootie, not the subcontinent):
This is her patented head-smash position for sleeping. She will even do this when she's resting on our laps!
What's the news in your world this week?
