Anyone who said I justified this attack is an idiot. Yes, I said it, an idiot. I do not and did not justify it, I think anyone involved should be punished. I am merely saying that for it to become the national cause of two men - Drudge and Limbaugh - who have serious racial issues is sad and predictable. And for it to become any kind of racial issue is ridiculous. But predictable.

Back to our regularly scheduled coopting of this thread by deeply dishonest and/or crazy people.

K. Trout, you're quite passionate but poor at reading:

"Joan falsely said that one of the kids ACTIVELY stepped in to restrain the attacker(s) in front of a crowd (who in this case happened to be in the majority (i.e. black) like the assailant) that sad idly by." [sic]

Can someone show me where I said that? Most of your other posts are close to that level of uninformed, but not quite as fact-free.

The extent to which people want to deny the role racism is playing in the smearing of Obama is really sad. As many of you -- paulpsd7 and Amity, with whom I still (affectionately) disagree -- can remember, I used to be the Salon house racist, with all my questions about Obama and all my reservations about the pro-Obama folks calling the Clintons racist. I stupidly expect that people who take the time to post here might take the time to read my easily accessible writing on this topic. Yes, I'm silly, when it comes to thinking people don't want to write about topics on which they're totally uninformed. That's what I was taught by my parents, but sadly that's not a widely held point of view (in any generation, not targeting anyone in particular.)

But my sincere thanks to people who read and think and add value here, there are a lot of you. You just don't stir up the controversy like the ignorant trolls do.

bernbart, diable4 was...kidding.

Thanks for the defense on my use of tragedy. I do remember my Shakespeare (sort of).

Yes, I wish Pelosi/Hoyer hadn't used the loaded term unAmerican, but they were talking about the intolerant assholes who were shouting down congresspeople and other constituents - NOT anyone who opposes the Dems' healthcare reform plans. This is the distinction the right continues, deliberately, to ignore. Except the damaged folks who genuinely don't have the faculties to understand the distinction. Not mentioning names, but, yeah, they're out tonight.

Wow, aburkett, that's a cold ass (and utterly unsupported) point of view. But thanks for sharing.

Excuse me Phylmom, but did you read the post? I made that very point.

I really can't believe the people who are saying Dan White killed Milk and Moscone merely over a personal grudge. The other person on his kill list was Willie Brown -- gay guy, white transracial mayor and black guy. Just a grudge. Check.

teresa, I think I read in some thread you were coming to visit, please let me know, you're a hero on these threads.

Even if tomorrow is crazy -- and my calendar says it's chock full of meetings, plus it is, in fact, my birthday, although this year I'm not taking the day off -- I will be sure to post, however briefly, so we have a Friday night meeting place.

Can someone please tell myvoice where I was when Hillary Clinton was being savaged?

I continue to be amazed that people don't feel they have any basic need to know their facts before they attack someone publicly. Weird.

Where to start? Wherever, it's Friday night.

papabotts, yes, join in. I like the way folks here try to make room for new people, even if Friday nights are hard to break into.

teresa, you are a true Libra -- as a late Virgo I always tried to say I was on the cusp, but I'm not. And you share a birthday with Bruce Springsteen -- who turns SIXTY on Wednesday, for those who care.

It is a big month for birthdays on Facebook and Twitter, which is interesting (Virgos dominate communications?) but while I had 2 today on Facebook, I had 10 on Sunday...meaning please?

It is true, I was in meetings much of the day, and I wasn't going to post but...I remembered I had obligations! Plus I love this Friday night thread.

More tomorrow, and thank you all.

dwg, I'll clean up the glasses, thanks for the party!

Yes, tangerine, every time I think Readerreader has a point, or is operating from a place of intellectual and political integrity, I remember he is flacking for Sarah Palin, Grifter. Can't even imagine what she's accumulating from her Asia trip...

Uncle Fester, you're indefatigable and...smarter than most other folk here. Thank you for fighting away.

rnostbakken, you're adorable and devoted, but kind of snotty. I wasn't saying Obama got the idea from me, but great minds think alike.

And given that I recall you spent a lot of time savaging Hillary and Bill Clinton, and me, it must have been hard for you to see Obama be so a) magnanimous b) self-interested and smart. There are a lot of folks like you who had to swallow a lot of dirt to accept the Clinton-Obama alliance, even though it was in the best interest of the party and it was so predictable.

I think the best thing I did on TV all year was say, in a calm voice: Calm down, Hillary won't destroy the party; she won't destroy Obama, she won't run against him, she won't start an insurrection. Oh, and: The president will support Obama; the president will support him emphatically and charismatically!

Fun year, but it's particularly fun to be right. The only thing that would be more fun would be for the frothing Obamabots who savaged me to admit they were wrong, but that ain't gonna happen because that kind of pathology can't back down.