The View From The Deck - Week Ending 7/11/10

Joe Hagan of New York Magazine describes the John McCain of 2010 as a frustrated, anxious and at times insecure man, engaged in a desperate struggle for his political existence. Really, this was worthy of an article? Most of us have watched his continuous meltdown since he lost the 2008 election.

Rand Paul said tea party activists have been mischaracterized as "right-wing lunatics." No, I'd say for the most part that's a perfect description.

Andrew Napolitano: "Bush and Cheney should have been indicted for torturing, for spying and arresting without warrants." I'm surprised the judge is going to be allowed on Fox after making the statements he did about Bush and Cheney during the interview with Ralph Nader on CSPAN2. Or will he lose his new gig for speaking the truth?

Pyscho Republican Senate candidate from Nevada, Sharron Angle stands by her abhorent position that that abortion should be outlawed universally, even in cases of rape and incest. She insisted that a young girl raped by her father should know that "two wrongs don't make a right. Much good can come from a horrific situation like that," Angle added. "Lemons can be made into lemonade." This is so infuriating my head wants to explode. If Harry Reid can't beat this lunatic, I so fear the thumpers and fundies that want this country ruled by theocracy. And I don't believe for one minute, if there is a God, that he'd want to force further punishment on a victim by making her carry the violaters' child to term. This woman and the people who think like her are sick...sick heartless monsters.

And I close on a lighter note: All right Jimmy Buffett! You pissed off Fox and Fiends and that's good enough for me!!! Rock on!!!

Rand Paul Can't Make Himself Stop Talking, So GOP Does It For Him

Rand Paul was supposed to appear on Meet The Press Sunday, but canceled - only the third guest ever to do so. His handlers claim it's do to exhaustion, but internet rumors claim that the GOP told him to stop talking! As bad as his interview with Rachel Maddow was, he wasn't finished. The next day he went on Good Morning America to cry that he wasn't getting a honeymoon and whined that Obama was un-American in his criticism of BP by putting his boot heel on the throat of BRITISH Petroleum. He added that the President's reaction is "part of this sort of blame game society" where "it's always someone's fault. Maybe sometimes accidents happen." He actually included the recent mining "accident" where 30 miners were killed do to unsafe working conditions as part of his "shit happens" interview on GMA. When will the GOPers learn that when they say something stupid, it's very likely going to be on video?

Back to the nest: So RaPaul slept on TRMS interview and realized what an asshat he made of himself on her show Wednesday night so he did what every foot-in-mouth politician does, run to the womb of safety and shoot the messenger! He went on Laura Ingraham's radio program crying what a mistake he made going on Rachel's show and mama countered with a mild swipe at Rachel exclaiming, "What did you think you were going to get when you go on Rachel Maddow's show, that's the kind of question you're going to get." Seriously? She asked him to clearly state his positions. The nerve! I'm sure Fox News would've asked the important questions that people really want to know of their right wing politicians: Coke or Pepsi? McDonald's or Burger King? Maryanne or Ginger? The fair and balanced network, they report, you decide.

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I have to say that Chris Matthews was a class act in his praise for Rachel after her interview with Rand Paul. He discussed the controversial remarks on the Civil Rights Law and Obama's handling of the Gulf oil spill with Clarence Page and Jonathon Martin.

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So You Think You Can Dance? Rand Paul Does It Better!

Rand Paul won a decisive victory Tuesday night in Kentucky for the right to run in November as the next Republican senator from that state. Unfortunately for him, he blew a tire on his victory lap. He went on NPR radio to discuss how he's "troubled" by certain parts of the Civil Rights Act...no worries, just the one where it says you can not discriminate! Then on the very same evening goes on The Rachel Maddow Show and seemed surprised that she wanted clarification of his stated position. It was also enlightening to find out that he's against The Americans With Disabilities Act! As I was watching TRMS, I thought an episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" broke into the coverage as he spent 20 minutes dancing around Rachel's basic question which was essentially, "What exactly did you mean?" His positions may play very well in Kentucky, but not nationally.

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How do you equate having to serve a black person with having to serve someone carrying a loaded firearm. Um, call me crazy, but it seems to me that you can choose to carry a weapon, you can't change the color of your skin. Congratulations teabaggers, you've found a male Sarah Palin...maybe a bit more polished, but just as clueless. Originally I had pinned that label on Scott Brown, but this guy makes him look like Abraham Lincoln.

One more thing: He also stated that segregation in Boston ended in 1840? Really? Weren't there riots in the mid 70's? Busing issues? One thing I noticed even as a child was that the Red Sox and Celtics were always the whitest team on the field and on the court.  This famous Boston Herald photo looks pretty 1970's to me!