Kristin Wiig is scary good.

I take it back -- you didn't say "African"

my error

He could have mentioned Weimar Germany, perhaps a better-known example, but then he would've been hit with a Godwin's law violation...

Although I think you're unfairly prescribing two constraints (African and 21st Century). And give him a few more seconds.

I've been hearing this "you don't get his sense of humour" baloney for years; I didn't discover Limbaugh last week. (And what's with the "u" in "humour"? What are you, Canadian?) Something can be funny and still be hateful and dangerous. Ann Coulter's '07 line, "I was going to make a joke about John Edwards, but it turns out you can get sent to rehab if you call someone a 'faggot'", is a legitimate joke, even arguably funny (in the wake of the Isaiah Washington - Grey's Anatomy "scandal"), and it doesn't actually say anything about Edwards; what it does is allow the listener to then make the connection for himself, Edwards=effeminate=weak, and furthermore Democrats=weak. This is its power as propaganda, and Limbaugh's and Coulter's (etc.) skill is their ability to get away with these subtle attempts at character assassination by calling them "just jokes".

can be played by Lisa Lampinelli.

This really is fascinating to watch, tho. The analogy with Michael Moore holds only so far as each has been used by each's opposing side as a personification of that side. But Moore's power in the Democratic Party or even in the progressive movement generally has been orders of magnitude less than Limbaugh's with the Republicans and movement Conservatives. Moore never got to determine the agenda the way Limbaugh does, and most Democrats saw him as a fatter and slightly-easier-to-deal-with Abbie Hoffman; never as a real leader.

Oh. My.

or, in other words, what an asshole...

Well, we're really not debating it, since none of us will be at all involved in any pertinent decision. Call it an "exchange of opinions"...

I like juliebird's idea of Roberts making a public statement to the effect that it's good enough for him (thereby admitting that it was his mistake), but why the hell not do it over? What's the downside? The upside is it shuts up a bunch of morons. Do it first thing in the office tomorrow. Repeat the oath to Rahm, with Gibbs watching. Take a couple of pictures. Whole thing takes five minutes. Demonstrates Obama's respect for the Constitution.

Reminds me of that Babylon 5 episode where they're trying to swear in the Alliance President and something keeps on interrupting. Finally, G'Kar says to him...

"Do you want to be President?"

"Yes, I do", he replies.

"Put your hand on the book. Do you promise to do a good job?"

"Yes, I do", he repeats.

"Good." G'Kar declares. "Let's eat!"

STFU

Thanks.

There is a counterbalance, tho, in that the benediction, or whatever the "prayer" at the end is called, will be given by Joseph Lowery.

And Aretha's going to sing.

I always thought it was oak. Do they have aspens in Transylvania?

BTW, I'm having trouble bringing up tears for Weyrich myself, but a couple of the above make me go "eek!"

Is anyone in the GOP leadership weighing the costs of action versus the costs of inaction or are we running on pure dogma here?

No one, apparently; pure dogma.

Next question? (That one was kinda clumsily constructed, wasn't it?)

"Late" Forrest J. Ackerman? This is the first I'd heard, but then it was only a week ago (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/12/forrest-j-ack-1.html)

Wow.

I used to tell people that my two most important influences were Forrest J. Ackerman and (the similarly late) William F. Gaines (MAD).

Not that she'd died, but that she was still alive...

I note the discussion of the legal status of the Fairness Doctrine. But aren't we confusing the "Fairness Doctrine" with the contemporaneous "Equal Time Rule"? As I recall, they were two different things, one a guideline for evaluating a broadcast station's compliance with the "public service" requirement of their license, the other an actual enforceable rule.

Anyone?

Hey, I love weed humor, and I'm 58...

...and my face has finally cleared up.

By the way, a reliable source informs me that Willie's "resources" are typically kept in brick form under the rear seat of his tour bus.

{rimshot}

I hope Beinart is correct about the fading of the culture wars, but I need to drag things out a bit by pointing out who started it.

1. No one I know ever tried to force someone to smoke pot.

2. No one I know ever tried to force someone to have an abortion.

3. No one I know ever tried to force someone to refuse to join the military.

4. No one I know ever tried to force someone to have gay sex (or any kind of sex).

Indeed, the "culture wars" consisted of other people trying to use government power to coerce my (and my friends') behavior, not the other way around.

And that is why I became a refugee from the culture wars...

On weekends, at least.

Speaking of, why didn't the first game start on a Saturday? Then you have the weekend to play, travel Monday...

Or am I in some fantasy world?

Fuckable, yes. Likeable, not so much.

Like I said above, I think it was an alpaca...