This made me laugh.

Deep Thought (in the manner of Atrios)

If Sarah Palin is an expert on foreign affairs by dint of Alaska's proximity to Russia... does Barack Obama (who lives just across the lake from Canada!) pass that same absurd not-at-all-absurd test? Not to mention Joe Biden -- there's nothing but the Atlantic Ocean between him and half of Europe.

There's something distinctly unsettling about the fact that The View asks tougher questions than the Associated Press.

Update: The whole rape-kit issue is pretty insane, and I hope it continues to gain traction, but in light of McCain's rough appearance on The View this afternoon, it's funny to note this TPM post from a few hours before the Gibson interview:

I get the sense that maybe the subject is so charged that people don't want to bring it up. But I'm wondering if Charlie Gibson might be able to raise the matter during the Barbara Walters style interview he's doing today with Gov. Palin up in Alaska.

I'd imagine Josh Marshall meant it sarcastically, but if The View has too many more episodes like this afternoon's, the phrase "Barbara-Walters-style interview" could end up acquiring a whole new meaning.

This is pretty funny:

Apparently, the Republicans couldn't find very many African American supporters to show on the Big Screen Of Triumph, when introducing McCain (see 6:45, 7:02)... so they simply put up stock photos of black people. You know, riding bicycles and appreciating their moms and stuff.

This is pretty gosh darn well done:



(Via Kos.)

A smorgasbord! (And my first post in months!)

Two Comments on Palin
Wonkette, during Palin's speech at the convention: "This is really incredible. We need a new, meaner word for 'vapid lightweight.'"
The Jed Report (via AMERICAblog), following the revelation that Palin's headed back to Alaska for a "timeout": "Forget whether or not Sarah Palin is ready to be president. She's not even ready to be a candidate for vice president!"

One Funny Audio Clip
The voicemail John McCain left for Sandra Sarah Palin ("What are you, the fucking Postmaster General?").

Three Daily Show Highlights
The Daily Show was absolutely on fire last week (the Republican National Convention is like Christmas for those guys), but here are several pieces worth highlighting:

• A great segment on the sexism inherent in criticizing Sarah Palin, who is A Lady (the single best segment of the week):
  
  
  
• A piece on the Palins and the difference between choice and Choice (good, but not as great as the sexism one above):
  
  
  
• And finally, this piece on "small-town values." (This last segment comes from Friday's convention wrap-up, and if you have the time, you really ought to watch the entire thing; it's terrific.)
  

This is pretty old, but I just stumbled across it in my bookmarks, and it's awesome enough that it's worth posting now.

Former chief White House speechwriter Michael Gerson (Washington Post, July 9, 2008):

Many social problems seem complex beyond hope. But dramatic progress against hunger is not. There are many explanations why this effort has not been undertaken -- but there are no good excuses.

Current chief White House speechwriter Marc Thiessen (Washington Post, July 7, 2008):

With the passing of Sen. Jesse Helms, the media have demonstrated one final time that they never fully understood the power or impact of this great man. ... President Bush had it right when he said on Friday that "from Central America to Central Europe and beyond, people remember: In the dark days when the forces of tyranny seemed on the rise, Jesse Helms took their side." This is the Jesse Helms that Miroslav Medvid remembers. Unfortunately, it was not the Jesse Helms written about this weekend.

That's change we can believe in!

I'm not sure what's worse about this: that it's on Obama's own website, or that it's in a section that refers to Michael Smerconish as an "expert."


(Via Wonkette.)

The Onion:

Man Who Used Stick To Roll Ball Into Hole In Ground Praised For His Courage

SAN DIEGO—A man who used several different bent sticks to hit a ball to an area comprised of very short grass surrounding a hole in the ground was praised for his courage Monday after he used a somewhat smaller stick to gently roll the ball into the aforementioned hole in fewer attempts than his competitors. "What guts, what confidence," ESPN commentator Scott Van Pelt said of the man, who was evidently unable to carry his sticks himself, employing someone else to hold the sticks and manipulate the flag sticking out of the hole in the ground while he rolled the ball into it. "You have to be so brave, so self-assured, so strong mentally to [roll a ball into a hole in the ground]. Amazing." The man in question apparently hurt his knee during this activity.

Andy Cobb is an American hero.



(Via Wonkette.)

Thank you, New York Times:

Mr. McCain has been a champion of public financing of campaign [sic] throughout his career.

Except for sometimes, of course.