"completely lost it" is most apt.

... which all happened just after the Democrat and moderator started attacking his children and where they go to school. Nice. Democrats: Trying to get political points by attacking children!

Lost his cushy job, you mean?

Yes, because Repubs have shown themselves to be such excelolent protectors of children lately. Do you ever think before you type? You might want to give it a try.

Anyway, Santorum the Killer Fruit (he gets the Brylcreem wholesale) has been scheduled for this breakdown for quite some time. I wonder how many of these guys will come out of the closet after the Bushies sail off into the toxic sunset.

Attacking? You mean questioning. As opposed to Repubs who gain political points by ignoring child molesters. Just so we're straight on your bullshit.

I live in the Philly area and Santorum was on a local politics show called "Live at Issue." At the end of the show the host asked him about the "weird socialization" quote from his book. He tried explaining it and then kept digging himself deeper and deeper. Finally he just stopped talking and gave up. He slouched front and then raised his left hand. it looked as if he was conceding the election right there. it was amazing. I can't wait for this guy to be gone.

Watching Santorum lose (assuming it happens) will be one of the joys of November 7. He truly is one of the quintessential modern Republicans.

Umm, doesn't the issue of whether Santorum actually lives in the state he purports to represent have some relevance, A.H.? If the charge is a sore spot with him, perhaps it should be...

Was it just me, or did Casey also seem like a total asshole during that exchange too? I can't tell if it's his nature, or if he saw Santorum losing it and decided to goad him into making a fool of himself.

Whatever. Even if Casey is a jerk, Congress will be a better place without Senator Man-on-dog.

Perhaps the WMDs that Santorum claimed to have found in Iraq have destroyed his brain?

a guy who's completely lost it.

Did he ever really have it?

I kept expecting a SNL laugh track. Bizarre.

Democrats: Trying to get political points by attacking children!

Reminds me of the fake attack ad from Head of State with Chris Rock,

"Mays Gilliam, he's for cancer!"

Democrats: Trying to get political points by attacking children!

And it is oh=-so-noble for Publicans to use them as human shields against embarassing questions, a la Reynolds?

Next?

How can old Ricky stay sane, with all those dogs on the loose??

Democrats: Trying to get political points by attacking children!

Republicans: Trying to get their jollies by mounting children in the Capitol!

Arrgh! Ye scurvy butt pirate Mark Foley has absconded from treatment and taken a sloop with twenty like-minded souls on a cruise into the dark waters of debauchery and madness...avast and be a-fearin' him raising his flag in your harbor!

Next thing you know, Santorum will be jumping over couches.

Shut up! Cut his mic!

More televised wingnut breakdowns, please. I'll get the popcorn.

More YouTube please !

"The future is here. It's just not evenly distributed yet." - William Gibson

That is why he is Rick Sanitorium

Conservative Republican't's slogan:

We are not pedophiles.

Moderate Republican't's slogan:

We are not murderers.

Tricky Rick is losing it alright. My favorite was where his opponent hit him with quotes from Spectre!

*play the James Bond theme here*

American Hawk is the best kind of troll. He'll defend the lowest of the low! This is why the Republican Party is now a laughing stock. Keep up the good work, Hawk.

He's like that Republican flake who debated Hillary. I swear he could hardly restrain himself from actually hitting her.

They both acted like children. I sort of empathized with Santorum being exasperated with these types of questions, but his unhinged response squandered any empathy I felt. It also looked terrible.

Geez, Casey's a dick. I mean, Santorum's gotta go, but couldn't they find anyone better?

This shouldn't surprise anyone. The guys crazy.

You know, I watched the whole debate, and I think that Santorum was pretty effective. Of course, since I'm a strong supporter of man on dog relationships, I just can't support Santorum.

I love the smell of desperation in the morning. It smells like... that frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex.

http://www.spreadingsantorum.com/

And I thought Jim Talent got a wee bit hysterical in his debate with Claire McCaskill a couple of nights ago - why Santorum made Talent look, well, Senatorial by comparison.

Why are they so close together? Couldn't they afford to move the camera back?

Gawd, it's American whoops I mean Commie Hawk.

Hey, Commie Hawk, which furrin country are you a fugitive from?

YOu should go home and finish that prison sentence.

We have enough fascists here. We don't need furrin nazi fascists pretending to be American nazi fascists.

I just loved Casey's comment

"Don't be a desperate candidate, Rick."

Too anti-fascist nazi funny for words.

I live in the Philly area and Santorum was on a local politics show called "Live at Issue." At the end of the show the host asked him about the "weird socialization" quote from his book. He tried explaining it and then kept digging himself deeper and deeper. Finally he just stopped talking and gave up. He slouched front and then raised his left hand. it looked as if he was conceding the election right there. it was amazing. I can't wait for this guy to be gone.

He is the very face of evil to me. He's a pretty decent looking guy, but such a hatred and blackness in his soul.

Chilling.

Sick Rantmoron.

The GOP is unhinged lately. From the top down. Yow.

I just wish the election was this Tuesday.

The GOP is unhinged lately. From the top down. Yow.
Posted by: Sparko on October 13, 2006 at 4:55 PM | PERMALINK

And we control all the nukes.

WHHEEEEEEEEE!

November 7th can't come fast enough

"He's a pretty decent looking guy..."

Sure, if you're looking for a Pee-wee Herman type to pretend to date for Grandma's sake, while you're really going out with the motorcycle dude.

All I know for sure is that ol' Rick is two "eyes" short of a Sanitorium.

Let us not forget that this is a man who brought a 20 week old fetus home for his older children to cuddle: ah, think of the future therapy bills! Sanitorium keeps a photo of the fetus on his soon-to-be vacated Senate office wall. He is a whackadoodle ansd I can't wait to bid him Adieu!

"a PeeWee Herman type"

Does Rick still go to the movie theaters alone?

Yeah, that creeped me out too, Beth. That was enough for reasonable people to send him packing.

I don't know. He seems like the model, modern American to me.

Ever notice that Santorum speaks with clenched teeth? That's kind of dangerous for someone who also speaks with forked tongue.

I hate Santorum, but he came off nowhere near as poorly as the write-up suggested. Casey was unimpressive too, particularly in his response to Santorum's tirade. Casey had a chance to "rise above" Santorum after he lowered his stature, and instead seemed to let Santorum take him down a little during his own descent.

When you only get 60 seconds to answer a question, it's pretty hard not to come off looking bad. Especially when the moderators waste everyone's time by asking stupid-ass questions.

If I remember correctly, there was this big New Hampshire debate on January 22, 2004, where Wesley Clark didn't get a single substantive question for the entire hour. He was asked twice about his party affiliation, about Michael Moore, and a bunch of completely irrelevant crap that had nothing to do with being president.

Sombody in my nabe has a Santorum bumper sticker (you know, cuz it's Pennsy plates) with the one-word exclamation "Rick!"

This person whited out the first letter :)

Bob

You guys scare me. I am a Liberal, and I think Santorum was more informed on the real issues about how to increase the number of special FORCES as well as some of the details about what visitor from Iran.

If we expect to win the moderates and independents over, were going to have to do a much better job of knowing what we are talking about, than what Casey displayed. It was embarassing as a Democrat.

I even knew the details on the challenges facing the US on increasing special forces. We better get our act together if we expect to earn the power back.

You guys better start waking up an start seeing things straight. If you guys are this lost, thinking Santorum lost this debate, nobody is going to demand better from our leadership.

Wake up guys!

Buckethead,

Beggars can't be choosers. As a constituent of Santorum's, I would have preferred somebody pro-choice.

hiLiberal,

Thanks so much for your utterly sincere concern.

Isn't it sanitarium, not sanitorium?

It's Planned Planetarium.

Rick Santorum has made some really screwy statements and he was in lock step with Bushie, who's poll numbers are in the toilet.

So why isn't Lieberman getting a well deserved axe too?

Losserman has said some whoopers, he should be toast.

It's Planned Planetarium.

Bwa!

Hey, this is awesome. Well, it's creepy and weird that he is a Senator. But, it's a great video.

I was going to post it on my friend's MySpace page. It so happens that his song on that page is Europe's The Final Countdown. Someone has got to synch the video up with that song. It works. It is actually really funny as Rick gets more angry the song can blare "the final countdown". I have not the skill nor the software to do this. But, maybe someone else does.

Rick could be made an internet laughing stock, with either this idea or something better...

If you guys are this lost, thinking Santorum lost this debate, nobody is going to demand better from our leadership

Yeah, well. I tend to not want the one who's so enraged he's got slobber flying from his lips as my representative in government.

That's a choice?

Both of them look like total bozos to me.

And one of them is going to be in the US Senate.

No wonder our country is in such dire straits.

sigh

I wonder how much Santorum's campaign paid "hiLiberal" to come up with that shit.

Wow. I'm no Santorum fan, but Casey really got his butt handed to him.

Wow isn't it nice how democrats treat clinton like he is some conquering hero for doing the exact same thing. But Rick Santorum is a nut. You just can't keep doing the liberal thing and think you can have everything both ways. Ever think Clinton and Santorum might just be sick of all the accusing on both sides and just might think it is time to wake up and stop blaming everyone else. So of course the way it works is they are both nuts or both heroes. Both did the exact same thing.

Yeah, well. I tend to not want the one who's so enraged he's got slobber flying from his lips as my representative in government.

I want the guy who knows what he is talking about, not pretending. Dont get me wrong, I think Santorum is and ASSHAT for trying to shove that old WMD story down our throat...again. I dont like his stance on much of anything. But he DID know what he was talking about when it came to the details, Casey didnt.

The thing is, all the hate radio shows will use this debate to prove their point.....that Democrats dont have a position, they just complain and spout talking points. Casey gave them a fine example of that. If he is going to talk about ramping up our Special Forces, he better know what he is talking about.

Just go to Grims Hall to learn how to have honest discourse with Marines and Soldiers about what is requirred to ramp up our Special Forces and different divisions in the military.

Casey had several shots at embarrassing Santorum and missed it. For one, he could have said that while we havent been attacked at home (yet) we have trained a whole new generation of terrorists and terrorist sympathizers who can move around the world to practice what they have learned in Iraq.

We could have refrained from giving them that training camp and prevented the number of Muslim hearts and minds that are being lost as a result of our actions in Iraq....but instead we got ZIP.

I wonder how much Santorum's campaign paid "hiLiberal" to come up with that shit.

Don't even try that with me. I spend every morning on the radio here in Honolulu arguing with idiot Senator Fred Hemmings about the Iraq mess and correcting their campaign of disinformation.

Its probably a whole lot more effort than you make sitting here in this liberal echo chamber cheerleading that poor performance by a Democrat. I am SERIOUSLY concerned for our party. We need more leadership and elevated dialouge on these matters that can turn the minds of the moderates and Joe six packs across this country.

Were not going to switch anyones opinion buy pretending to know what were talking about.

I love a good concern troll.

I'm actually jealous that Casey gets to run against Santorum; what could possibly be more fun for a political candidate?

Richard Rhodes: "Ever think Clinton and Santorum might just be sick of all the accusing on both sides and just might think it is time to wake up and stop blaming everyone else. So of course the way it works is they are both nuts or both heroes. Both did the exact same thing."

I'm going to give you a Mulligan for this nonsense, because you've obviously sprained your brain.

Suffice to say -- for now -- that during his twelve years in office, Senator Rick Santorum has been one of the more devoted practicioners on Capitol Hill in the art of defamatory politics, and President Bill Clinton served as one of his foremost targets.

The video trails behind the audio on UTube for me, so I watched most of this with no sound. Try it, it is just hilarious.

hiLiberal: "You guys scare me. I am a Liberal, and I think Santorum was more informed on the real issues ..."

Ah-HA! You thought you were so smart that you could fool everyone here with your act, didn't you?

Well, my little right-wing rube, no real liberal would ever -- EVER!! -- capitalize the first letter of "liberal" as though it were a proper noun!

You are hereby found guilty of political identity fraud, and are sentenced to attend the next five Joan Baez concerts that are held within a five-hundred mile radius of your home, where you will enthusiastically join the audience as Joan leads you all in a rendition of "Amazing Grace".

I love a good concern troll.

Cute Ed. I don't know what to be more disturbed by, your utter lack of ability to respond intelligently, or by your lack of maturity with your pathetic attempt to make a new kid on the block feel like an outsider in order to make himself feel bigger?

A troll?? Are you serious?? Did you think you earned some kind of cyber hi-5 in your mind with that remark? Give me a break!

hiLiberal:

Cute Ed. I don't know what to be more disturbed by, your utter lack of ability to respond intelligently, or by your lack of maturity with your pathetic attempt to make a new kid on the block feel like an outsider in order to make himself feel bigger?

I don't much care for the "handle" you are using to post with, but I do think you need to understand this about the people who post on Kevin Drum's blog: they are a seething, hateful mass of liberals who would just as soon tear the flesh off the bones of a human being than they would recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Do not be troubled--you won't be the new kid on the block for very long. I was the new kid once and now I'm an old hand on this cattleman's ranch.

General:

I want you liberals to listen to what your uncle Norman has to say about a man who has made a difference. A man who has stood with his President and made the world safer.

I want to speak to you about a man who has a family, a job, a good life who risks it all to serve the American people.

That man? Richard John Santorum.

Let us take a stroll down memory lane. The time? 1986. The greatest President ever, Ronald Reagan, wields power over a nation enthralled by his genius and his charisma. Mere liberals snort and hide in the shadows when the sunlight that was Reagan would shine down.

In 1986, Santorum received a law degree from the Dickinson School of Law, was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar, and began practicing law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

That's correct, liberals: Rick Santorum knows the law and you don't.

While working at the law firm of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, he represented the World Wrestling Federation, arguing that professional wrestling should be exempt from federal steroid regulations because it was not a sport.

The man was ahead of his time! What say you, liberals? The man realized that steroids were a problem in sports and worked to solve the issue long before anyone knew who Barry Bonds was. In point of fact, Rick Santorum easily saved the lives of tens of millions of professional baseball players. Do liberals thank him? Of course not--they post snide comments on blog threads and try to tear down this mountain of a man.

In July 2005, Santorum's Director of Communication, Robert Traynham, confirmed speculation that he was gay, describing himself as an "out gay man" who strongly supported Santorum, "a man of principle, he is a man who sticks up for what he believes in." Santorum responded that it is upsetting that those who are opposed to him would target the private lives of his staff, in attempts to gain ground with his opponents. He stated that Traynham "is widely respected and admired on Capitol Hill" and "continues to have [his] full support and confidence."

Well if the gays support Rick Santorum, the rest of the country can't be far behind.

Vote for Rick Santorum, you damned liberals, you.

He's a man of principles in a world where terrorists want to kill you, your family, your dog and the horse you rode in on.

Well well well, look whose popped back out from the shadows, our good friend Norman Rogers! Why hello Norman old chap, perhaps now we will get some effort with the troll work again now that you have returned, quite frankly the quality of the opposition has severely dropped off. Where once you were just another example of a walking set of talking points (granted strung into sentences and paragraphs unlike so many of your brethren here) among many these days you represent a shining star of intellect from the conservative voices that have been here of late. Let me guess, the election brought you out of hiding again, that your precious GOP is looking at being hit with their own tsunami in just over three weeks and losing control of the House, Senate and many governorships including Ohio's.

Seeing you Norman passing out condemnations of hatred running rampant in the ranks of the regulars here is yet again your famous sense of projection at work. It was one of your more memorable traits after all, along with your naked contempt for all things not approved by your way of thinking. Indeed, one could argue you represent the intellectual wing of the modern conservative wing as opposed to classical conservatives/Republicans like John McLaughlin and W.F. Buckley. It is too bad though you so rarely have anything of substance to contribute to the conversation instead of simply pouring your derision and contempt for the "liberals" here and throughout the world.

Now, as to the Santorum meltdown, given the degree of strain he must be going through given the fall from grace he is suffering, and looking to be capped off with his defeat (someone that only a few years ago was being touted as a possible Presidential contender) next month this is unsurprising to me, the man always struck me as someone that bends, twists, and eventually folds under pressure. It is no wonder the poor man is losing it, especially given his morality crusades over the years and now being in the party that had a leadership that covered up for a sexual predator in their ranks because of the money he could raise and the seat he represented in maintaining control of the House. Especially given his many tirades regarding gay people and his unhealthy fixation on male gay sex, particularly anal sex which of course got his name synonymous with a byproduct of said act. Suddenly his party is wrapped up with gays in the public mind and he has nowhere to go with his vile use of tactical bigotry/hatred to win elections with. No wonder he lost it.

This may start to be becoming a common feature in the GOP over the next three weeks. When next to no to no Dem Congressional seat is in trouble while dozens of GOP ones appear to be, when there are more races than the GOP has money to handle (which given their resources speaks volumes for the real conditions on the ground for them whatever they say publicly) and a massive anti-incumbency mood in the electorate, is it any wonder so many GOPers that were used to the easy ride on the backs of character assassination cannot gain traction this time out, like poor Rick Santorum? While there are still three weeks to go, this election is starting to firm up against the GOP, and it is likely that those that make up their minds at the last minute will only add to this tidal wave given their tendency to break against incumbents and/or the perceived losing side when election day dawns.

Well said, Scotian.
I also loved the "Norman Rogers" troll appearance right above, as well as Alice/Al/AH posing as a concern troll and gaffer "hiLiberal." Kevin has some trolls, but damn it all, they are flakier and funnier than on other blogs. This site reads like The Onion many days. Just like Santorum's book.

Hastert's Gay roomate! (tm--a new idiom for great surprise I am pitching), the trolls were funny today.

hiLiberal:

Well, I don't know quite if you're a concern troll or not, so I'll do like Donald did and give you a mulligan to try to explain this to you once.

If you don't get it; if you attempt to argue with me -- then forget it, you're done, back into the box with you along with Thomas1 and mhr and all the rest of the "more Democrat than thou" crowd.

Nothing more pathetic than that lowliest of trolls, the concern troll ...

Focus: This election isn't going to be won by fighting over Joe Sixpack. Whether you're Kos or Karl Rove, Kevin Drum or Andrew Sullivan -- the one article of faith you have this year is that we have an extremely polarized electorate, with a percentage of true undecideds (as opposed to self-identified "undecideds" with clear partisan voting patterns) is miniscule. Well below 10% and getting lower every day. Plus, it's an off-year election.

So do you know what that means? That means we motivate our base and discourage theirs. Politics ain't beanbag -- and this is how the game is played this year. Democrats have spent way too much time since the Clinton era agonizing over how much to keep their frothin' lefties in the closet as it is -- this is the one sort of election where that kind of concern is completely unwarranted. The only people who will be voting this year will be partisans of one degree or another.

So if a clip of Rick Santorum shows up on YouTube spluttering and frothing and commanding his challenger to look into the camera, and in the seven seconds or so of that clip he looks like a complete unhinged boob, guess what: THAT FUCKING ROCKS !

It *doesn't matter* if Santorum is quoted out of context (heh, tell that one to Howard Dean). It *doesn't matter* if Casey's response was equally lame. Those few video bites of forensic insanity will serve to cheer Democrats and Democrat-supporters and make Santorum-leaners go "who gave this inmate a weekend pass?"

And the only people who will be desperately arguing what Rick Santorum *really meant* will be his partisan supporters.

And you know what? FUCK THEM.

End of story.

Bob

I think the large-ell in hiLiberal is a diving line, and he or she is from Hawaii.

Just guessing.

Hey Bob - How's it going? I was ready to go to bed because nobody wants to play.:(

Hi Globe ...

Had too much coffee before bed, so ... what's new?

Bob

Raging about Peak Oil over at my place.

I had a quad-shot to get through a chapet of inferential stats and am not feeling sleepy yet myself.

Globe:

Have another long and philosophical post (ducking from flying rotten tomatoes) on libertarianism in that thread, if you're interested, since that was such a good discussion the other night ...

Bob

Send it to me - I'll put it up.

Globe:

Hey, you know -- you could probably tell me the code word (in email, of course) that I have to enter which I can't see in text format and I could register on and post at your place.

Thanks for putting up my Iran response, btw.

Bob

Well - Joy (the "subversive one") just called from the QuikTrip and is coming by. Night-shift lab people. This is normal for her to pop in at 1:00 am.

Globe:

Well you can read it here and tell me if I'm not doing anything besides talking out of my hat (or other convenient orifice) on the thread, of course :)

Bob

It changes every response. If it was standard I would most certainly let you in on the secret.

Globe:

Hey ... did you ever get your cast off?

What happened to your arm, btw?

Bob

I was playiong soccer with my son. He and his friends were a man short. I took a tumble on the pitch.

Pale Rider gave me no end of grief ("Tumble on the pitch?" What were we doing? Playing cricket with the Prince of Wales?)

It's all healed up, but still rather weak. I'm working on strengthening with one of those squishy balls.

Post it. I'll paste it!

Globe:

Ouch. You break it or just strain it? If a break, compound or simple fracture?

I've busted my arm a few times, so I can easily relate.

Bob

Joy says hi.

She is here with a six-pack of beer and sporting a new rock.

Globe:

Well, it's on the other thread; you could just highlight it and post it from your clipboard :)

(He says, lazily :)

Bob

Simple hairline.

I had a compound on a knee once - another soccer injury.

I obviously did not grow up exclusively in America. How many 43 year old American women play soccer?

Globe:

Well, it's on the other thread; you could just highlight it and post it from your clipboard :)

(He says, lazily :)

Bob

Oh, umm, Joy ! Tell her congrats on the rock :) Engagement, I guess? Who's the lucky fella -- and importantly, does he have any military experience? :)

Bob

Will do. I'm going to go before I get beer dumped on my head. I have exactly one female friend, and she is as ornery and obstreperous as I am. And she is in my house. Yikes!

Check out the Peak Oil and Friday's "Idiot of the Day" posts when you get a chance.

I sure will, Globe. Nice chatting.

G'night, kids.

Bob

He is an active duty Lt. Colonel trauma surgeon.

This is Joy - Thanks for your good wishes! We will ride heard as a trio soon!

Globe:

:)

Why am I somehow not surprised?

Lt. Colonel, though -- that's pretty studly.

Bob

The response to prof. rat, or the first one - where you mentioned my stance on diabetes?

This is Joy again - He is pretty studly. But so am I.

I was thinking of the one to prof. rat.

You seemed to respond inferentially to the other one, by making affirmative reference to those concerns (and I share them, believe me. Public health is no joke -- the NYT had a huge and scarily informative series on diabetes a few months ago).

Bob

A woman with ... brass eggs :)

Bob

Or maybe brass ovaries. Somehow, brass eggs sounds more analogous, even though you don't say guys have brass sperm :)

Bob

We will take care of that right now, and then go annoy the self-important Art Student neighbors that I hate.

Tom had an Anatomy midterm this morning and they were totally F'd up and obnoxious last night. Now that they are recovering...Payback is a bitch. And we are two.

Jesus, we're using poor Kevin's blog like a goodamn IM ...

Somebody's gonna come along and thwack us for off-topic spam, I'll just bet :)

Heh. Let 'em try :)

Bob

Oh man ... be nice to the poor art students :(

How do you expect them to develop any Artistic Soul if they don't get f'ed up and obnoxious every, umm, other weekend or so?

ROTFL !

Bob

It is up. Talk to you tomorrow, I'm sure.

Take care, guys ...

Bob

just reading these exchanges, and i want to support hiLiberal for his intellectual honesty. That other person who said "politics ain't beanbag" may be an astute analyst of "red-meat" campaign season, but , sorry, i just hate it when simple-minded partisan knee-jerk bullshit dominates the convo. ("BUSH EVIL, DEMS GOOD")from either party.

so, yeah, i, too, didn't see santorum look *that* bad, nor casey *that* good. some of you seem to see things because you WANT them to be there.

i should say that i despise bush and most of the gop, and will--as i always almost always have--vote dem. (the exception was in high school in no. va. when i cast my first vote for the dad of a good friend of mine, a man who happened to be a rep. MotH [House member], and still is.)

but i also was highly critical of some clinton moves--esp. military ones, so i will likely never work for a candidate or party, heh.

so kudos to you, hiLib, and i don't think you're a troll at all, and i sure as hell ain't one either, lol.

i may get flamed by the one-noters after posting this, but that's cool, and anyhow i prolly won't be returning to this dumbass echo-chamber anyhow (linked on it from wonkette), as i prefer a more independent take on reality. (yes, wonkette is highly partisan, but damn they got some good gags, lol!)

so to those who like or need to be "validated" by hearing others say how right, er, correct you are: enjoy your kool-aid-drenched circle-jerk!

I pity PA. Niether of these guys is worth a damn.

hiLibs: just reading these exchanges, and i want to support hiLiberal for his intellectual honesty.

So newcomer, hiLibs, wants to support newcomer, hiLiberal, eh? How meaningful!

so to those who like or need to be "validated" by hearing others say how right, er, correct you are: enjoy your kool-aid-drenched circle-jerk!

How hypocritical!

But can one person actually make a circle with two handles? Don't think so. But a jerk can definitely jerk-off all over himself.

i prolly won't be returning to this dumbass echo-chamber anyhow (linked on it from wonkette), as i prefer a more independent take on reality.

Yeah, except for your twin handles, you're independent, as you say, from reality. One example: You'll be back. You're reading this right now, seething with anger.

But you can't respond because that would reveal your dishonesty and purpose. Please don't kick your cat.

rmck1:

Jesus, we're using poor Kevin's blog like a goodamn IM ... Somebody's gonna come along and thwack us for off-topic spam, I'll just bet :) Heh. Let 'em try :)

Right, because simply acknowledging rude and ridiculous behavior exonerates it, even as it justifies a smug fuck-you to anyone who dares mention it.

As much as I hate to say it. From what I saw of that, Insanitorum won that segment. Casey attacked and then couldn't defend his own behavior. Not having seen the whole thing it is hard to tell. Insanitorun is a nutball in my eyes, but Casey needs to stay on the high road with this guy.

"Don't be a desperate candidate, Rick"

At 50% to 37% for Casey, that's perfectly stated.

Several commentators upthread thought Sanctimonious was far better prepared than Casey on Special Forces. The reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who covered the yell fest, thought they were merely parsing. The Philly Inquirer reporter never even mentioned that part. Must be in the interests of the individual eyes and ears of the repective beholder.

One day prior to the debate, Casey moved up in the polls - Will be very interesting to see the next poll numbers.

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Don't be a desperate spam-troll, jafe.

Interesting thread until Jafe messed it up. The comments illustrate how subjective debate assessments are. It also included some honest assessments by presumably liberals like Jason and HiLiberal.

Overall, I thought the debate video showe two guys arguing about very unimportant stuff, neither looked good, but Santorum seemed the more honest of the two. Casey seemed a little creepy and unlikeable, though Santorum did seem a little desperate. But it is hardly as Kevin described it from his biased eyes.

AIM:

>> Jesus, we're using poor Kevin's blog like a goodamn IM ...
>> Somebody's gonna come along and thwack us for off-topic spam,
>> I'll just bet :) Heh. Let 'em try :)

> Right,

Oh, looky here! Some asshole decided to make my day :)

> because simply acknowledging rude and
> ridiculous behavior exonerates it,

No, Jaffe engaged in rude and ridiculous behavior. The three
of *us* were having a late-nite conversation on a dead thread.

Tell it to Global Citizen and Joyfully
Subversive (heh, you wouldn't dare).

> even as it justifies a smug fuck-you
> to anyone who dares mention it.

Fuck you. And set the smug factor wherever you want :)

Besides which, I can't use AIM.

Bob

Excellent use of white space, jafe. Who wouldn't want to check out, say, numbers 337 and 853?

Does anyone else notice that the trolls seem to be crawling back under their various bridges? Wonder if they think the Repugs will be handing out free rags at midnight. By now they should know that these guys don't do charity (except when it begins at home).

Hm, Bob, you spend a lot of time telling us that the threads you wreck were dead anyway, never seeming to notice the direct correlation between a thread's demise and your overeager, not to say pathetically needy, posting in it.

AIM:

What a pathetic attempt to start an empty argument *that* is.

Why don't you take this billious complaint to Global Citizen. *She* was the one who was glad I was still up because "nobody's around to play." As I said -- you wouldn't dare.

Or maybe it was you posting as "hiLiberal," the concern troll to whom I read the riot act.

Because clearly all you're doing on this thread right now is trolling.

Empty, useless piece of shit that you are.

Bob

AIM:

Yes, but it is just such a joy to watch Bob's mastery in besting an opponent. Some might say he takes delight in slicing and dicing others, but he carefully chooses only those who have it coming -- which is anyone who criticizes Bob. And when he steps up to the plate and confidently predicts a homerun for himself, you can't help but admire how he triumphantly runs all four bases after invariably hitting a foul ball.

It's even more entertaining, after he's called out at the plate, to watch him sputter so cleverly that it was all the ball-girl's fault, repeatedly pointing at her in an effort to redirect's his critic's focus or to instill sufficient pity in her such that she might rush to his rescue.

There's just something heroic about it, you know?

Ahh ... nothing like watching two sock puppets (it's hard not to notice the similarities of rhetorical style) attempt to create a false consensus about a chat I had with somebody who's trying to get me to read and post on her blog.

You know -- that's the part that must really burn your ass the most.

And I take a great delight in it :)

Bob

And with Thomas on the side of the sock puppets -- experts can agree on where the angels reside on *this* one :)

Bob

rmck1: experts can agree on where the angels reside on *this* one :)

Wow! So on your side you've got all your many friends, all your young pals, all your drinking buddies, all your European correspondents, all the blog writers begging for your contributions...AND...all the *experts*...AND...all the *angels* !!!

You're a formidable force, to be sure.

Well, you have to admit -- it's better than three sock puppets and Thomas :)

Bob

That's true! Well, except for the fact that the friends, the pals, the buddies, the Europeans, the blog writers, the experts and the angels are, themselves, your sock puppets.

Uh-huh.

But, you know, since straw men are all you've got ...

Bob

Experts: Any observer who'll bother to read the last half-hour of this thread.

Not that, you know, there's much of a compelling reason to.

Bob

Straw is more than sufficient against imaginary.

I suspect experts have been studying you for years.

Straw *is* imaginary.

Nice attempt at deflection at being caught sock puppeting, btw.

Bob

Well, you're the expert. Wait, I forget, are you an expert also or are they just on your side?

Nice projective identification -- though I won't return the ad-hom favor beyond that simple note.

Who the hell knows what *your* issues are.

Bob

Ask your experts.

What do the angels tell you?

I'm being swarmed by three sock puppets -- who uttered not one word of contradiction that they were sock puppets -- and Thomas.

Any regular who chimes in under their handle might give me a little grief for responding to trolls; after all, to that extent I brought this on myself.

But it's clear what they're going to think of *you* "all" as well.

Bob

You do worry a lot about what people think, don't you? You were bullied as a child, weren't you? If so, I'm very sorry. The damage is apparent, but I think if you put aside your imaginary friends and talked to a real expert in psychological disorders, you may be able to salvage some semblance of a normal life.

Good luck! :)

Frankly, I don't. If I did, I'd get into a lot less hot water from anal-retentive types like yourself with a severe intolerance of personal styles of which you disapprove.

The one with issues, the one in this picture who's incapable of living and letting live, of scrolling messages they happen not to like, of discharging animus at individuals they know virtually nothing about and pretending that their eccentric, malicious and intolerant views represent a consensus of opinion on this blog is you, my friend, not me.

And that's what's up with all your vigorous projective identification.

You need to *somewhere* to stick all that self-loathing so it doesn't just lay inside and torture you.

Bob

Global citizen:/b> " think the large-ell in hiLiberal is a diving line, and he or she is from Hawaii. Just guessing."

If he's from Hawaii, then he/she is an embarrassment to the islands.

Oh -- and let's not leave out the one who's too cowardly to post under their regular handle, because they are perfectly aware of just how dysfunctional this one-troll persecution campaign comes across.

Bob

And think of how this started: I had a pleasant chat with Global Citizen and Joyfully Subversive last night when nobody else was around and this just really *burned your ass*.

What the hell is *that* about?

Bob

THE EXPERTS ADVISE ANGELIC BOB:

AIM: Right, because simply acknowledging rude and ridiculous behavior exonerates it, even as it justifies a smug fuck-you to anyone who dares mention it.

Hehe. Okay, I deserved that. It was a bit rude and inconsiderate; sorry. In my defense, I was a little jacked on caffeine, as I mentioned. Jittery and lonesome, I imposed on Globe for her company . . . so don't blame her!

And I didn't mean my "Let 'em try" to sound like a "fuck you," honest. I was just showboating for the ladies :)

Hope you enjoy the blog.

Bob

What a sockpuppeting buffoon you are.

Bob

And that's not Thomas1, because Thomas1 uses ; ) for his smiley emoticon, not :).

Sheesh, how pathetic is it to sock puppet *that* guy, eh? :)

Bob

And that remark wasn't rude or inconsiderate at all.

It actually proved to be quite prophetic.

What are people doing on this blog who equate a friendly late-night chat on an inactive thread (initiated by Globe, btw, so, again, take it up with her -- please :) which took up less space than one average Chinese character post, with some sort of insufferable spam?

If they're *that* intolerant, what are they doing posting with liberals?

Aside, of course, from trolling.

Bob

"The one with issues, the one in this picture who's incapable of living and letting live, of scrolling messages they happen not to like, of discharging animus at individuals they know virtually nothing about and pretending that their eccentric, malicious and intolerant views represent a consensus of opinion on this blog is you, my friend, not me."

Posted by: rmck1 on October 14, 2006 at 7:28 PM

Which is why I have no problems with the Trolletariat's representation here. Once one knows who they are from their works then one knows to simply scroll past with at most a quick skim to see whether they have changed tunes yet. This is one of the things that most surprises me about many people online, why they find it hard to simply scroll past those voices which have shown themselves to be dishonest, poorly informed, or only interested in attacking something with never anything constructive in their words. I also prefer these folks to show up instead of being banned because they show themselves for what they truly are no matter how much they protest otherwise, project it upon those they disagree with, and/or create sock puppets to "agree" with their assessments of who is the "real" culprit. Indeed, it is that need for the validation that tends to most out the one actually in the wrong on this point, that they feel they do not have the credibility to let their own words alone stand to be evaluated by others.

I also find this amusing whenever I see one of these folks making a big deal out of caring for the opinions of others. Anyone that claims they do not care at all for the opinions of others would feel little to no need to leave their own opinion, let alone continually do so and reaffirm it. We all care whether our opinions are seen as credible to others, at least all of us more interested in real debate/discourse/disagreement than in simply working to advance a particular political agenda through any means necessary. Indeed, it is a necessary prerequisite for those that are intellectually honest regardless of what their particular belief/philosophy is. One cannot have meaningful dialogue without such respect. Which is of course why one of the prime functions of the Trolletariat is to try and prevent such. I see it as fighting back when we do not let them succeed and we talk around them for the most part with the periodic shredding of their claims to illustrate that they are being ignored for lack of substance and not because their arguments are so strong/good.

Indeed, watching the meltdown in the Trolletariat as of late has been most enjoyable, much in the same vein as is the Santorum meltdown. After all, especially for a politician a few seconds of completely out of control frothing can brand and burn them for life no matter what they were seen as before. Just ask Howard Dean about his so called Dean Scream moment about the truth in that, and he was just making sure he was overheard in a very noisy room of supporters. There is some degree of pathos though in watching what I watched in this thread though Bob, the smackdown you laid on the trolls was just embarrassingly easy for you to do, no challenge whatsoever. The idea that anyone other than the Trolletariat could not see exactly what was going on there is clearly ludicrous, but that didn't stop the Trolletariat from trying did it?

Anyways, thanks for the amusement, and for making the point I quoted above, especially the latter. It really does go to the heart of one of the most significant differences between the Trolletariat and all the rest of us of all political persuasions. I thank you for that.

Scotian:

Thanks for the support. While I agree generally with your assessment of the Trollitariat, I do think there's something going here a little different from the person or persons on this blog who've been acting of late as what I call my persecution trolls. Sadly enough, I have reason to suspect that they're normally regular posters, very much on the left and in the mainstream of discussions under their normal handles -- but who just find something about my posting style to viscerally loathe.

Now I'm not going to get into some belabored self-defense; I've posted here for nearly a year and the regulars know who I am -- besides, anything I say to that effect the persecution trolls would only regard as more vain puffery. They think that blowing my own horn and assuming imaginary support from people are part of my intolerable failings.

While I certainly agree with you that the whole reason people post on a blog to begin with is that they're interested in and respectful of the opinions of others -- I do think it's important to have a self-esteem not slavishly devoted to other people's approval. The persecution trolls attempt to make me sound like some kind of Britney Spears fan -- my tongue firmly up the ass of Blog Consensus Opinion. In truth, of course, I'm only rebutting their charges that I have *no* support here and that *their* views represent consensus opinion. Thus they attempt to turn a dialectic antithesis into a straw man -- which is, of course, garden-variety rhetorically dishonest trollery.

I think you can especially relate, Scotian, because you also have something of an "eccentric" posting style. You post long -- very long -- and I recall when I first came on here at one point I took you to task for it. You responded quite respectfully, and in a few exchanges we had ironed out comity -- and I've never breathed a word about that trait of yours since, nor would I. You get plenty of props for your posts and have every right to express yourself in the way you see fit. Plus, if I don't like your posts, I can scroll them. I totally agree that that this is the answer to 98% of the objections people raise here to commentators they don't like, trolls or otherwise.

Finally, though I strongly endorse Kevin's laissez-faire approach to moderation, I would make an exception to banning for only two cases: 1) Someone whose behavior is consistenly disruptive -- who not merely attempts to derail every thread they're on, but who spoofs, sock suppets, posts stuff from sources without attribution, spams pages and pages of googled text. When Thomas is "off his meds," he qualifies. And also 2) a cadre of hardcore anti-semites who show up here occasionally (who believe the Jews were behind 9/11 among other equally loathesome things) -- and only because I do recognize hate speech and "fighting words" as exceptions to the First Amendment.

Again, thanks for the props. I'm sure they just sickened the persecution trolls, and that, I can't help admitting, tickles me greatly :)

Bob

When I first came here the thing that caught my attention and kept me here was the tendency of the commentators to have some really insightful and useful comments to most of the posts KD put up, whether those voices were in strong agreement or disagreement with his post. I also very much liked the lack of limitation of wordage unlike so many haloscan comment blogs, which given my style of writing is certainly understandable. I stayed here all these years because I enjoyed being able to write out my thoughts completely and that they were clearly thought provoking to at least some other people, which for me is all that I hope for when I do these things. My own sense of self respect/esteem/identity is not based primarily in what others think, but only a fool tries to live life without considering how they are seen by others, we all have to live together.

I had forgotten that little hassle over my writing style from your early days here, I tend to not take such things to heart, especially if they are resolved reasonably which from what I can recall (admitted not much, as I said I tend to not remember minor things like that) was the case. One of my own goals in my day to day life as well as online is to practice what I preach to the best of my ability, and on balance I think I do a good job, or so those around me appear to think. Even those that think I am a bit nuts will tend to concede I am pretty consistent about it. :) I give support where I think it necessary, both to those I tend to think make good arguments and those I don't tend to have much agreement with at all. I just recently felt compelled to disagree with Stefan about Yancey being a troll, not exactly something I wanted to do but something which I felt I had to do since while I think he is wrong headed in a lot of ways I do get the sense that he is a real person speaking for himself and not acting as some sort of agent/operative for a political concern/agenda. I try to call things as I see them, and by practicing what I preach I hope to convince others of the merits of my beliefs. After all, the best kind of leadership is by example. Anyone can speak the words, it is how you put them into day to day use which really shows whether you actually believe in them.

As to your persecution trolls(nice description btw) who they really are I have no idea whether they are regulars miffed with you or something else entirely. I have noticed them though over the past while, and I do have to admit they seem awfully petty, petulant, and juvenile in their tone and nature. I only chimed in for the reason I stated and the quote you provided giving me an excellent example of something I consider important. That being one of the most important distinctions between the Trolletariat and the rest of us. Still though if my support has been helpful to you I'm glad, you do provide quite a useful voice/opinions here IMHO and I would not want to see it disappear. Incidentally, do you remember when I used to get regular criticisms from some about my wordiness and I'd tell them that if they didn't like it no one was forcing them to read it and that until the blog owner said something I felt free to continue and they really couldn't say much after that? Well, not without looking even dumber than they already did for taking me to task over length instead of content that is. I think part of this is from growing up in a day when essay writing was still a significant part of schooling, something I fear has been greatly reduced in this short attention span society we have been developing the last few decades.

Well, have a good evening Bob I doubt I will be online for too much longer. Thanks for the walk down memory lane, as I said I had forgotten your initial difficulty with me for as you said you never mention it and when you do disagree with me you do so on content which is fair game in my view, as it should be.

Some mediation may be called for. It is not reasonable to assume that "Bob" is either universally respected nor universally reviled.

"Bob" is correct in that people who find him intolerable do not represent a concensus, as demonstrated by the posters who write that they value his contributions . . .

The "trolls" are correct in that a number of other people find "Bob" quite annoying, as demonstrated by the posters who have criticised him . . .

So we shall leave it that "Bob's" contributions are ambrosia to some, pig feces to others. All arbitration is binding.

American Arbitration Association:

Boy, you really don't know how to lose an argument gracefully, do you. The problem with your little Hegelian synthesis here is that you are doubtless the same one and only asshole who wrote the sock puppet posts above. Same stupid "clever" handle. Same stupid handle-referential email address style.

You're as easy to tell as the fake Thomas posts in this thread.

So no -- the only opinion you "represent" here is your own. And since you seem to have a considerable experience with the stuff I've posted over the months, doubtless you're also a regular, "slumming," as it were, with a bunch of trollish pseudonyms.

If you had any guts at all you'd have it out with me under your regular handle. You don't like me? Well fuck you -- I think you're a malodorous piece of human filth. You lack courage, you gratuitously psychologize, you sock puppet to generate pseudo-approval of your hate-filled attacks, you degrade and derail threads with your presence for the sake of generating what you believe are a few cheap yuks.

In sort, there is little excuse for your behavior. Least of all mine in rebuttal.

Take a hike.

Bob

Okay -- point taken. It took me until the last fake Thomas post to notice the unThomaslike emoticon. I smacked my head (in a manner of speaking) when I saw how obvious that little clue was.

You wrested a concession from me.

Savor it well.

Bob

Bob:

Bob, the smackdown you laid on the trolls was just embarrassingly easy for you to do, no challenge whatsoever.

As it succinctly captures the discourse in question, I'd like to second this insightful observation. If anything, this understates the dazzling deftness of your direct dispatch, daringly devoted to discreet demolition.

Eruditely and economically, you employed a mere twenty-one posts and several thousand words to brush the toothless troll aside like he was a speck of disarmed dust. Embarrassingly easy! No challenge whatsoever!

Sybil the Persecution Troll:

Don't you get bored of this?

Whether it took 10 words or 10,000 -- you were eviscerated. You attacked me for having the gall to have a friendly chat.

Which makes you an asshole by independent confirmation.

Now go away.

Bob

You attacked me for having the gall to have a friendly chat.

With fewer than two dozen words accurately describing your behaviour, you were criticised, not attacked. Not until your "fuck you, asshole" reply did an attack--still being launched--take place.

Your "criticism" was entirely disingenuous.

It received a "fuck you" because no other response was warranted.

A friendly chat, instigated by a well-respected poster here and joined by her friend, is "rude and ridiculous behavior"?

How *else* would one respond to something that transparent? Or just flat-out intolerant and assholish. You behave like a troll, expect to get smacked like a troll.

Oh, and launch away. You won't win this round, either.

Bob

I win it every time you open your mouth..:)

So you're admitting then, that your only purpose here is to "launch an attack," eh.

Well there's your agenda right there. Nothing to do with the blog or my place in it. Nothing to do with anything remotely like a substantive issue that might engage other readers here.

You know, as much as I'm tempted to hang around, this might be good time to just bail from this thread and leave you hanging with your ass over a rail.

You've tried everything: spoofing me, "rmck1 WATCH," attempting to pin sock puppets on me, now you're sock puppeting yourself.

Did it ever occur to you that you just might be out of ammo?

You can't win with a purely personal attack devoid of a substantive issue.

Bob

Right. Here come the kiddie insults :)

Bob

So you're admitting then, that your only purpose here is to "launch an attack," eh.

Huh? You might try reading that again. The "attack" took place in your reply to my criticism. In truth, you had launched it preemptively during your 'bring it on' moment while you were still coffee-klatching. And you haven't quit attacking since then. And you won't.

It wasn't criticism -- it was an attack, albeit framed in passive-aggressive language.

My initial comment was directed to no one in particular -- borne of the experience of dealing with precisely these sorts of attacks.

You didn't offer a genuine criticism because there was nothing to criticize. If you didn't like the "kaffee klatch," you certainly didn't have to read it. You could've scrolled it like all the Chinese character spam that pops up in the wee hours when nobody else is posting.

Instead, you insulted me.

And you reaped the consequences.

Bob

Oh I've said my piece here.

You'd like a truce -- you call it and I'm there.

Bob

Put down the white flag; it's yellowed with your piss -- and still blood-stained from your past sins.

I never picked up the white flag, Sock Boy.

Thanks, btw, for confirming your hypocrisy regarding who's attempting to lauch the attacks :)

Keep 'em coming, btw. I'll get the popcorn. Your newfound stridency is highly amusing.

In an abstract sort of way, it's kind of fun to watch the wheels come off a bus ...

Bob

Well, *this* war seems to have run its course.

You know, AIM is at least partly right. I responded disproportionately with a vulgarity to a snarky criticism.

But the way I figure it, anybody who considers an entirely friendly and benign few moments' chitchat on a dead thread to be "rude and ridiculous behavior" had it coming to them.

It has nothing to do with me; there's just something really mean-spirited about that.

And leave aside the bogus handles and the sock puppetry, Scotian's right -- it's mean-spiritedness like that which is what fundamentally separates the trolls from the rest of us.

Goodnight.

Bob

Correction: "It really had nothing to do with me" is an overstatement. Of course I was personally insulted.

But I do think the principle is larger than me. People have to be allowed the space to be who they are -- especially when they aren't harming a soul.

If you don't like a silly discussion -- either make a substantive criticism or scroll it.

If you snark -- expect snark in return.

Just don't pretend that passive-aggression is any shield for intent -- or vouchsafe against aggressive-aggression in return.

Better blatant than latent, as they say.

And that is quite enough from me on this subject.

Once again and for the final time -- goodnight.

Bob

Although this is probably a very dead thread, I was appalled and taken aback by the rude behavior of both Global Citizen and Bob. Why they took valuable time away from us being taught by the trools, er trolls, does rhyme with fools, about how Clinton's Penis impacted the Senatorial Debate in Pennsylvania. Or that Senator Reid failed to dot an i or cross a t.

Such a waste.

:)

Um, they both looked like idiots to me. In fact, I'd say Casey came off just as bad, if not worse.

Politics sucks. I need a new hobby.

Yes. The capital L is a separation between hi and liberal. Don't read too much into things as silly as a handle, people.

If he's from Hawaii, then he/she is an embarrassment to the islands.

Oh give me a break!

It's obvious you think too highly of yourself Donald. Why don't offer something substantial to say, if you are able, instead of silly words that amount to nothing more than patting yourself on the head?

so kudos to you, hiLib, and i don't think you're a troll at all, and i sure as hell ain't one either, lol.

Thank you kind sir. I am sorry that you had to take some abuse (quite silly) from those who think I was posting under two handles, when you responded to my comments. I appreciate the recognition for trying to offer an alternative opinion on this debate, as well as expressing my "concern".

I recieved some nice emails from others and I appreciate all of you who have reached out. I am attempting to respond to some of the responses, and in due time i would like to "take that mulligan".

I enjoy being challenged, even from the folks who think they wield some form of power over me and others. I am looking forward to the responses.

Aloha,

Will

Well, I don't know quite if you're a concern troll or not, so I'll do like Donald did and give you a mulligan to try to explain this to you once.

I don't know if I am a "concern troll" or not either? I am concerned, and I do have an opinion that I believe a lot of Americans share for our party. I don't know how that makes you feel as it relates to blogs and this site, but there you have it!

If you don't get it; if you attempt to argue with me -- then forget it, you're done, back into the box with you along with Thomas1 and mhr and all the rest of the "more Democrat than thou" crowd.

Nothing more pathetic than that lowliest of trolls, the concern troll ...

Hemm, where to start with this one? Well, Bob.....I agree that my "concern" may have come across a bit arrogant, and for that I apologize. But you should know that you, nor anyone else from this site has the power to dismiss me, or marginalize me. I yield to no one that power over me. I believe that is the difference between a leader and a follower.

I don't follow your rules, nor do I care about your classifications of people. They mean nothing to me and they hold no power. I hope you will realize that someday.

Focus: This election isn't going to be won by fighting over Joe Sixpack. Whether you're Kos or Karl Rove, Kevin Drum or Andrew Sullivan -- the one article of faith you have this year is that we have an extremely polarized electorate, with a percentage of true undecideds (as opposed to self-identified "undecideds" with clear partisan voting patterns) is miniscule. Well below 10% and getting lower every day. Plus, it's an off-year election.

So do you know what that means? That means we motivate our base and discourage theirs. Politics ain't beanbag -- and this is how the game is played this year. Democrats have spent way too much time since the Clinton era agonizing over how much to keep their frothin' lefties in the closet as it is -- this is the one sort of election where that kind of concern is completely unwarranted. The only people who will be voting this year will be partisans of one degree or another.

I see your point and I understand what you are saying. However, I don't care for your particular brand of politics. Understand that playing politics this way is of no interest to me. I believe we can do better as Americans.

It was Brack Obama who said "Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us -- the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of "anything goes." Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America."

I agree with Barack! I think America longs for a better dialogue. And I want to be apart of helping build that new dialogue.

So if a clip of Rick Santorum shows up on YouTube spluttering and frothing and commanding his challenger to look into the camera, and in the seven seconds or so of that clip he looks like a complete unhinged boob, guess what: THAT FUCKING ROCKS !So if a clip of Rick Santorum shows up on YouTube spluttering and frothing and commanding his challenger to look into the camera, and in the seven seconds or so of that clip he looks like a complete unhinged boob, guess what: THAT FUCKING ROCKS !

It *doesn't matter* if Santorum is quoted out of context (heh, tell that one to Howard Dean). It *doesn't matter* if Casey's response was equally lame. Those few video bites of forensic insanity will serve to cheer Democrats and Democrat-supporters and make Santorum-leaners go "who gave this inmate a weekend pass?"

I see what you mean, you speak from the heart and that is good. But I think somewhere a long the way, you gave up. I am a fighter and I believe in fighting a better fight.

And the only people who will be desperately arguing what Rick Santorum *really meant* will be his partisan supporters.

And you know what? FUCK THEM.

End of story.

Bob

OK, Bob. I see where you are coming from and understand YOUR position. Do you have the courage to see mine?

Will