ROFLMAO!

I love this voice. You are a genius.

Ha! Bwak:
Point -- and apostrophe -- not only well-taken but better placed.
Thank you.

I'd like to add that the voice of this character reminds me of the voice of the character in the Prologue to your novel (first version) that I love so much. Perfect pitch.

"...So it behooves you to marshall your base, whatever it takes."

This is the main point.

I have felt that Obama has wasted much too much time ths far trying in vain to court the right, whom has from day one not one single ounce of respect nor help-in-store for any one of THIS president's many well-deserving priorities, even those they might personally agree with, or could even be politically popular.

Indeed, Mr. President--it behooves you to marshall, adhere to, keep promises with, follow--your base. End wars, stop DADT, and help to create jobs for the unemployed.

Why, I DO declare, Miss Stilli. This here is one *wonderful* comeback, mah deah.

In this hypothetical situation, why not send them the account info Wendy? They know everything they want to know about "Susan" already, eh?
(In answer to your whereabout question -- I've been in stitches so thought I would try to share the other, better kind.)

Wonderful response, Stilli -- loved that you did so by "letter."
Thanks for playing.

" Susan" would like to respond to the following points "Someone..." made:
1) Someone" was obviously annoyed with "Susan" and it showed. Never mind. Susan will give Someone a pass on the repeated denigrating characterizations of Susan's intelligence, maturity and degree of political savvy -- her suggestion, for example, that Susan thought Obama was running for "dictator" etc.. Hey -- Susan has tried to explain to Someone before that it is not so much what Obama has accomplished or not accomplished that is the source of her disappointment in him; rather, it is the fact that he has serially failed to TRY for issues he knows would benefit all of us, rather than just his Wall Street base ..... Someone and Susan are friends, but they simply don't agree on what expectations of a president are reasonable and which are not. But what are friends for if not to give their honest opinions to, and occasionally about each other?
2) Even as impoverished as she is, Susan believes that gas should cost $5 a gallon, or more -- whatever it takes to create a demand for alternative energy development before our oceans, lakes and rivers are polluted beyond reclamation. Susan thinks that Someone should be thinking about this issue more personally than she does; after all, where is the protected water source that will keep her grandchildren alive and well, if the oceans, lakes and rivers cannot support human use?
3) Susan believes that the people on the Gulf and elsewhere who would lose their nuts and bolts jobs in the oil industry are the very people who could be hired to build, run and maintain windmill farms and solar panel collection centers...without endangering their lives to collect a paycheck, and without watching the desecration of the land, water and creatures they love. She's willing to bet -- because she knows the people of the Gulf -- that as desperate as they are, today, they themselves are not just concerned about today; rather, they want to be part of a world in which economic opportunity for themselves, and for their children and their children's children, does not depend on continuing to risk total chaos and carnage of their environment.
4) Susan doesn't think Obama has jobs up his sleeve that he is purposely withholding, nor does she believe the private sector is silly. On the contrary, she thinks: a) that it is Obama who needs to do the math on war versus job creation, so that jobs can be created that do not require throwing people to throw themselves into the war machine to have a job; and, b) far from thinking the private sector silly, Susan thinks it's downright dangerous -- because she is not a child, but a realist, even a cynic, she has no illusions about human nature left unchecked, and corporate "persons," unregulated, will and do run rampant.
5) Unlike OBama, Susan has never imagined that the Republicans, or even some of his own Democrats, to play along with Obama's dream of bipartisanship, everyone working for the common good.And she clearly doesn't think Obama was clairvoyant, or he would have seen, in advance, that that dog wouldn't hunt.
Susan doesn't want miracles, or a pony; she just wants the man she supported, worked for and voted for to attempt to do the job he was elected to do.

PS to Someone: maybe she should avoid using a dialect that isn't part of her experience or at least current experience --- not even redneck southerners say "I suspicion," nor does anyone, anymore, say "little ol'" anything.

Daer Mr. President, Sir, Boss, Hero, Genius, Savior, and O YOU LOVELY MAN!

Since one of us (stillidealistic) couldn't pack enough insults and condescension to wwstaebler into her letter, we are now collaborating to make wwstaebler look even more stupid and pathetic!

Not only does that patheric idiot ("She's one of those who have been hit the hardest by the economic downturn...) think you're a "dictator," she actually expected you to stand up for the principles you mouthed endlessly during your campaign!

Tee hee! What a fool!

But stilli and Lis... We don't care about no stinking principles! We're your local cult of personality!

OBAMA! That says it all!

OBAMA! Is he right or is he right?

OBAMA! HURRAH! OBAMA! OBAMA! OBAMA! HURRAH! HURRAH! OBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAOBAMAEEEEEOOOOOEEEEEOOOOEEEE!

Wow! That was a good one!

But stilli and Lis... We have one tiny little request for you, Mr. President, Sir, Boss, Hero, Genius, Savior, and O YOU LOVELY MAN!

It would make it a whole lot easier for your local cult of personality if you actually had a personality!

Because, after all, what kind of person would force Shirley Sherrod to resign over a fabricated racial controversy?

What kind of person would humiliate that honest public servant and kick her out the back door like a bag of trash?

Without even looking at the "evidence! Without even watching the whole video!

So please Mr. President, Sir, Boss, Hero, Genius, Savior, and O YOU LOVELY MAN!

Tell us what kind of person you are!

Because it's really hard for stilli and Lis to be a cult of personality unless we have some kind of recognizable person to be a cult of!

Sincerely,

The mostest devoted devotees of YOU, Mr. President, Sir, Boss, Hero, Genius, Savior, and O YOU LOVELY MAN!

LisB and stillidealistic

Rats; I forgot another thing, Stilli:
This video from the President, asking us to hold him accountable:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/obama-in-surprise-message-to-netroots-consider-what-weve-accomplished.php?ref=fpblg

And I *know* you've been invited to watch, maybe even *did watch*, because I saw you on that TPM-DC comments thread AND on Rotwang's comments thread.

LOL!

When I lived in the South I learned very quickly to avoid a Southern smackdown at all costs. No one knows the beautiful utility of language like a Southerner.

But non-Southerners persist in stereotyping and ghettoizing based entirely on accent.

Sigh.

Do they still say "fiddle dee dee"? Or is that only at Tara? Never mind -- I'll think about it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day.

;)

You meant Scarlett, of course.

Thanks for dropping by, Ruta, and weighing in with your own letter to Obama. I hope others will add their own letters -- we might end up with a political "class action" suit(e) of letters.

When I read Gone With the Wind, I didn't expect to like it. But I did. Have you ever read the book, Lis? If not, check it out. Great summer reading, and I'm not being sarcastic or insincere, fwiw.

I've read it twice.

Sorry for the messy modifer -- as YOU are a woman of letters, your opinion matters to me.;-)

Maybe I'll read it again myself, to help me ride out this stunning Southern heat wave in the Northeast.

...your own letter to Obama

What letter? I was only quoting an unwritten letter from Lis and stilli, thanks to my telepathic connection with the ummah of Obamabots!

And besides, writing a letter to Obama would be just like writing a letter to myself!

HA! I must have missed that post, Ruta. It's grand. Now -- how about a short summary memo to the president? Your list.

I do hope Susan gets favorable replies to all her letters.

STANDING OVATION!!!!!

/snicker

Wendy, this post was simply brilliant. Bravo!

The biggest shame of it all is that Obama is such a cynical, dishonest, unprincipled and uncaring egotist he will never read anything like this and will never care either.

oops

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE7w7KaKbmM

Don't worry. They'll do DADT just before the election. It costs the corporatists nothing, helps only the smallest sliver of the smallest sliver of Americans and is wildly popular with the base. IMO, the only reason it hasn't been done yet is because they're holding it for later - maximum political gain and all. They even upped the ante axing Choi just in time for Netroots ... now there will be a nice dramatic photo-op where Reid gives Choi his ring back.

I fucking hate Democrats. (sorry to those Democrats who don't suck ... your party is a cynical piece of shit).

You will be gettin' a letter from a friend of mine askin' for a refund of her donations to your campaign. See, she apparently thought you were running for dictator, not President, and that you would just waltz into office and presto-change-o, we would have a new America.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/24/hold_me_accountable/index.php#comment-4027030

Great post, Wendy. I'm a Noo Yawka so my letter will be much less genteel (and gentle). Running out for a bit, but I'll be back later.

Mmmmm...read it again, Dij; not so much on the 'absolved' part, IMO. 'Susan' is an idiot, remember? She hasn't the political savvy to get incrementalism. Jobs in pockets, $5 gas, *public optiuon* for Godssake? Republican talking points.

Hey, hey, hey kgb... it's all good except that last remark. Just unnecessary to go there bud.

I hear you. Just disagree a little. I'm done trying to be nice. Doesn't suit me. If this is the game folks want to play ... fine. Let's play.

As between Emanuel, Geithner and Summers I've been trying to decide which one is the Scarecrow, which one the Tin Man, and which one the Cowardly Lion.

My latest take on that:

Emanuel is The Cowardly Lion. He is a coward in that he coddles his financial industry backers, and has for many years now, while demonstrating his "toughness" on those who are most vulnerable, whose voices are not being heard in Washington today. He is in this sense a gutless wonder, a classic bully. He is also a top candidate for the scarecrow, showing little or no sense of the consequences for his and his boss' future effectiveness and eventual legacy of his highly successful efforts to de-activate his party's base.

Geither is the Tin Man. If he has a heart, that is, if he has any sense of the suffering he turns a blind eye to, it does not come through.

And Summers, Summers is the Scarecrow. Interesting to award him this role, as a former Harvard president. If he realizes that his ability to implement economic policy will be seriously eroded if the House goes Republican he gives no hint of that.

As for me I would walk through fire for Nancy Pelosi. I am giving as much as I can to whomever she asks me to give me money to and I will join with her and fight, fight, fight until the last votes are in in November to keep her Speaker of the House.

She is by far the most committed progressive--by that in the current context I mean a person who visibly and through her actions demonstrates that she gets it, that she cares and will put everything on the line to try to help those suffering the most in our society--occupying a position of great power in our country today.

She has what Summers, Geithner and Emanuel so lamentably lack--brains, a heart, a courage.

Well, it's hardly classy to poke fun at Wendy with simpering, disrespectful south baiting. That was unnecessary, I think. Hurtful.

I can understand that other folks here found that anything but classy. When you start like that it isn't much of a leap to "you suck" or "fuck you."

I give Oleeb credit for calling out someone that mostly agreed with his take there. I think we can all agree that Wendy has shown forbearance, humor, and gentle restraint in the face of some hostile ridicule.

Maybe take this to another blog, folks. Like DC. This kind of stuff plays better over there then it does in the Cafe.

Heh. Among the more difficult things I ever tried to track down on vinyl (found it on picture disc EP with "Sweet Transvestite" on the B side ... AWESOME).

Dunno what to tell you about the "can't we all just get along" thing. Whatever. Don't take the internets *too* seriously.

LoL

Well said.

I shall retire to my litterbox in da closet.

I'm not sayin ya have to be nice okay? Just civil is all. You can go after a person all day long and quite harshly and still not go there. That's all I'm sayin. Argue till the cows come home, but just keep it civil.

I strongly disagree with Stilli too, but for all our disagreements (which are many and often... and almost always on this topic)neither of us fires those kinds of salvos (certainly not that I can recall). This is just my viewpoint of course and you're free to ignore it or disagree, etc., but vigorous, even extreme disagreement can happen and people can engage one another full force and remain civil. Once you hurl basic insults then it necessarily ends civil exchange and degenerates into something a great deal closer to hate in rapid fashion.

You can convey your thoughts very well without that kinda stuff. Isee ya do it all the time and often with a razor sharp wit and sense of humor. I don't like being in a position of school marm which this feels a bit like, but I appreciate your voice and also that of stilli and others with whom I disagree and just would like to appeal to your sense of restraint as well as to the same sense in others. My apologies for the sermonizing. It is done with nothing but the friendliest of intentions. I will now endeth the preaching, beg your forgiveness for it once again and may "The Force" be with you!

But please don't retire to a litterbox anywhere. You're good people.

Consider all these addition line items added, Wendy, and thank you for your more comprehensive perspective.

Wendy, thanks for getting that I was "playing" as in-artful as it was! BTW, the "I suspicion" was drawn from a friend from Kentucky (Kentucky is still part of the south isn't it?) whose voice I drew on in my mind as I wrote, since I have never actually "heard" my friend Susan's.

My "letter" was not meant as a smackdown, southern or otherwise, merely another point of view, but playing on your original idea. I thought it was kinda cute, myself, but that's just me.

Many forget that EVERYONE has a voice around here, not just those who agree with us. Just as you have the right to speak your piece (or is it peace?), which you did in a funny and out-of-the-ordinary fashion, I have the right to offer a contrary view. Never did I suggest that you not complain, nor would I, something the other Wendy missed!

For every Wendy, or oleeb, or other Wendy, or blue veg, or blow, and others, who speak their minds in opposition to the president, there is a Stilli or a lis, or a whywait and others who hold a different view, and are entitled to speak theirs, as well.

If all you folks in the opposition wing of the party here at TPM are doing is posting to speak to each other, then maybe a heads up that we in the other wing are not welcome on your posts, would be in order. If, on the other hand you are posting in order to have an across the board dialog, then please don't expect us to shut up. I don't expect y'all to avoid my posts because you disagree with me, and I won't avoid yours.

I admit that all of this back and forth is redundant, and not accomplishing much. I am probably not going to change your mind and get you to see him the way I do, and you are probably not going to change my mind and get me to see him the way you do. We just flat out disagree, and probably always will. So, we can either stop doing posts about Obama, or we can expect to continue on the way we are. We will continue to post our ideas, you will continue to post yours.

Would you really rather have it any other way? Do you really want me to go away, or keep silent when I disagree with you? Because I know I don't want you to go away or keep silent when you disagree with me.

Please remember, that politics is not cut and dried, there is just one way to look at it. It is subjective, and views are largely based on life experiences, which run all across the board. I am JUST as frustrated that y'all are so hard on our pres, as you are that you don't think I am hard enough. But ultimately we all want close to the same things in the end. We just have differing tolerance levels for how we get there. I happen to believe mine are more earth based than yours are, and you believe just the opposite. How we meld that to get where we want to be, when we face opponents who are united in their hatred of us, is the trick. And I'm afraid they will run off with the spoils of victory while we quibble, but that terrifies many of y'all less than it does me, since many of those same y'alls think we already have a repub in the White House...

I'm still having problems understanding how the rebubs think he's a socialist, and the far left thinks he's a repub...

oleeb, are you an economist? And if not, can you please cite a credible source that says we are, right now, in the midst of a full blown depression? I do pay attention to economics because our livelihood is greatly dependent on how well the economy is going, and although some think we are in for a double dip, and some don't, I have not heard anyone on CNBC or Bloomberg say we are in a depression.

Apology accepted! :-) I wondered what the heck you were talking about!

Thank you, Destor. So glad you enjoyed it. Care to add to the "to do" list?

To Oleeb and Dijamo:

I respect both of you more than I can say. So I thank you both for your favorable comments. Especially from you, Dij, as I was a total asshat to you when I first arrived. We seem to have come full circle and that makes me genuinely glad.

Now -- what items do you think must be added to the list?

Here, here, American Dreamer. I will grieve if Nancy Pelosi is not Speaker any longer. She has been an inspiration -- hardworking, tough talking if soft-spoken, and always gentle, but relentless in her determination.
Love the Oz analogies -- very insightful and apt.

If that is an attack, we don't have nearly the same definition...

I am one of the gentlest people on these boards and I get fuck you? Assshat? What's wrong with you people?

I am aware of it, dij, and no where at anytime did I suggest that anyone should not criticize the president.

My beef has been primarily with tone, and viciousness, and sometime I offer alternative ways at looking at things, rather than 24/7 Obama wrong!

I have as much right to state my opinions as anyone else, and calling me names won't make me stop. And it won't make me call you names back...not my style.

Thanks, backatcha. I meant retire from this discussion.

stilli, you wrote: "Many forget that EVERYONE has a voice around here, not just those who agree with us."

I agree and think nastiness that is personal and directed towards fellow denizens who don't agree with us is unfortunate.

Some of those who think some of us are too hard on this President emphasize a similar point, writ large, that the President has to be the President of all the people, not just those with views often articulated here.

I agree with that as well--but my interpretation of how that principle should apply is that the President has to be the President of all the people--including the unemployed, under-employed and the discouraged who have stopped looking for work. Right now those people do not have a friend in the White House, much to my astonishment and dismay. I don't understand is why this President, who I continue to want to believe has humane instincts, has exerted himself so little on behalf of these evidently forgotten Americans.

I had thought that one of the reasons we have a Democratic party is so that, when the voters choose to put them in power, these otherwise forgotten Americans will have some chance of not being forgotten.

The modern-era national Republican approach is to wish them well, or perhaps not, but remind them, and all the rest of us who might prefer not to be troubled, they are on their own. No, thanks. I don't think that outlook gets either the disenfranchised, or our country, anywhere helpful.

We can see matters differently in some respects and respect one another. I have great respect, as well as affection, for you, stilli.

GWTW = Gone with the wind? Just guessing...

Good work, Wendy. You and Dijamo have what seems to me to be that unfathomable knack of finding the relevant link that either substantiates your own point, or refutes the point of the person to whom you are replying.
It's a gift, as far as my opinion is concerned. Too many dead brain cells for me to learn that skill, as I was not naturally given that gift....but I am awed by it, truly.

Exactly right, American Dreamer. You must be southern?

Okay, well, I "thought" you got me. I wasn't trying to "have at you." I was using your template to express an opposing view, and obviously not as cutely as was my intent.

We disagree, no doubt about that. But that does not change my admiration for you, or others here with whom I cannot reach consensus, or cause me to be less empathetic to your plight. There is no doubt that you have suffered through this crisis, and I have not even come close. It is one of the injustices of our system that I most dislike.

I still contend that the vast majority of us want the same things, but disagree mostly on both how to get there, and whether or not the President is "with us."

As long as anyone does posts on this subject, we should expect that those with differing views will make those views known, as it should be. Much is made of the "echo chamber," but when it is NOT an echo chamber, someone comes unglued.

You made a point. I made an opposing point. Why that turned into a shit fire of name-calling is beyond me.

Fuck you, stilli!

(I'M JOKING!)

Northern Virginia since 2002. Does that count? Some Virginians not from these parts of the Commonwealth seem not to think so. Many of us are relatively recent arrivals from parts other than the South, it is true.

More to the point: I know that you are!

said the vacuum...

Thank you, Dreamer, and I you, as well.

I am as frustrated as anyone that more is not being done for those whose lives have been trashed in this economic disaster. It makes no sense to me whatsoever that all Americans are not screaming bloody murder that the people who caused this mess are going on about their merry little lives while so many suffer.

My son is one of those who is about to lose his house, even though he and his wife are poster children for the program to help those who have done everything right, but are still unable to keep the house they could afford when they bought it. The President came up with the program, but the banks are dragging their feet. So do I blame the President? How can I?

Can the President be blamed because congress doesn't want to extend unemployment benefits? Can the President be blamed because getting out of Iraq and Afpakistan isn't as easy as packing up and saying bye-bye?

I have often referred to the running of this country as a big ol' spider web...whatever you do in one part of it, effects things over on the other side, that you may not even notice at first. Many changes cannot be just DONE and it's done. You have to look into what the effects will be in other places, then you have to figure out how to get a bunch of people who have developed an irrational hatred of ANYTHING you want, even if it is something they wanted before you wanted it.

This President has, by far, a much more difficult job than any before him, just because of the times in which we live. Yet many seem to think he should be able to do things the way they have been done in the past, or in ways they only dream of, but have no basis in today's reality.

Some have decided he is a malevolent liar and opportunist who will do whatever is best for him and screw the country...

I just can't buy any of it, and I will defend him whenever and wherever I can, if I think he is being unfairly shat upon. I expect to take heat for it, and I do. My choice. It would be easier to just keep my mouth shut. But then I wouldn't be me.

It's hard to think you can't read your 'letter' and understand that it treats Wendy's alter-ego Susan as naive, foolish, and unrealistic about politics and the President's powers. The tone most resembles passive-aggressive, IMO. It might look different to you today than it did last night, but playful wouldn't be a good way to describe it.
Wendy *was* a class act, choosing to answer you as though you were playing; she did you a great service, and along the way answered each and every one of your charges of 'Susan's* political idiocy. Really.

I get it, man. Far from being offensive, your comment is rather flattering. As you note, this isn't how I always (or even usually) present an argument. I'm making an intentional point ... not losing control.

In my opinion what Stilli did here tries to tear down someone on a deeply personal level. I disagree the "salvo" is somehow less offensive because it was wrapped in passive-aggressive bullshit instead of honestly just coming out and saying "fuck you". It's a totally different issue from why I'm doing what I'm doing, but as long as were assessing these things ... it's something to think about.

I have a different objective. It shouldn't take forever, just for a bit. Again, thanks for the attempted intervention. I hear you and generally agree. Don't take it as a sign of disrespect if I ignore the admonishment occasionally over the next couple of weeks.

Good grief! I wasn't mocking her! I took her template and ran with it. WW may be a fine southern lady in real life, but she doesn't normally speak the way Susan did... I played off her portrayal of Susan's exaggerated southern drawl.

I wasn't necessarily endeavoring to make a comment that would be seen as "classy," just a playful one, but "lacks class?" Aren't we callin' it just a bit close, today?

I'm not trying to fight with you or have the last word. I'm trying to explain myself, and clearly failing. Sometimes that happens. Regardless of my failure, I am in a good mood.

So here's my idea: Let's blame anna.

So, not true...KGB. I wasn't trying to tear down anyone. I was playing with Wendy's exaggerated southern personna letter. I have a pretty long history here on TPM, and tearing people down is not part of that history.

It would have been easy to just make my case in regular language, as it would have been easy for Wendy to make her point in regular language. She took her point and presented in a cute, and novel way, and I responded in kind. My bad...do I need to sit in the corner, or what?

When I find that I have offended someone, I apologize.

So I am very sorry, Still. However, I found your response and the resulting subthread thoughtless and hurtful. Do please keep in mind, that I also attempted todefend you, even though I didn't agree.

That said, I really am done here.

I'm not laughing, Wendy, but that so many of us chose to object to some of the crap here serves to allow you to be more sanguine, at least that's been my experience with help I've received from Cafe denizens who choose to *read the words people write* and assess them in, hopefully, critical but fair ways. I think you got plenty of *able assists* here today.
I, for one, and many others, evidently, have had it up to our eyeballs with bogus charges about our roles critiquing many or any, for that matter, Presidential inadequacies. ;-)

They do, and thanks for pointing that out.

Wendy, Loved your letter. Seems things got off-track again, and here we are, WAY at the bottom of the page and your letter is barely being discussed. So let me just highlight these few paragraphs, because they say it all for me:

I am aware, Sir, that the list may hit some hot buttons for you. Getting rid of Geithner and Summers, while hiring Elizabeth Warren and re-instating Glass--Steagall will be.... embarrassing. While closing Gitmo, withdrawing from both Iraq and Afghanistan immediately and cutting back on the defense budget by at least 50% will .... set the Right crazy and perhaps, in consequence, put you in increased personal danger. (I do worry about that, Sir, but you did, after all, sign up for the job and the risk that goes with it. So, in for a penny, in for a pound, eh?)

Moving along: it is also necessary that you shut down off-shore drilling completely, despite the oil industry's hue and cry. Never mind - with all the money you've just saved from warmongering and oil despoliation enabling, a similar amount of money can be invested in job stimulus, green energies and renewed infrastructure... It's OK if you start small by doing something small for the little people; for example, Sir, how about caps on medical insurance policy rates that go into effect, right now?

I know.... I really do know, Sir - that implementing this list will be REALLY HARD. But you knew this job would be difficult when you signed up for it. Just as you expect us to be realists, so we expect you to get real: the Republicans, Sir, aren't buying into your bipartisan approach and the result is that we are buying the farm. And that is going to have an impact on you in 2012. You need to trust me in this, Sir -- in the end implementing the line items on this list will be a major time and angst saver for you. Your base will be appeased and therefore supportive of you when you will, in fact, really need their support, in 2012. Because, no matter your wooing of them, Sir, the Right and the confused will not be there for you in 2012. So it behooves you to marshall your base, whatever it takes.

I want to add, too, that I do love Stilli's optimism and loyalty, and thought her letter was, in fact, clever--if a might condescending. It certainly didn't require the entire shift from your clever letter to the usual caterwauling. That is getting so very tiresome. . .

I did get many assists today, Wendy, and I appreciate each and every one. Maybe that doesn't show properly, as I tend to get tongue-tied and awkward when I receive a gift I don't expect. That doesn't mean, however, that I failed to notice; it only means that replying sincerely, thankfully, in real time, still sometimes eludes me.

Grow up.

It would have been even easier to write your very own letter to Obama telling him all the reasons why he rocks ... using the exact same motif and style.

Sit wherever you want. That's not the point. Notice, I get where Oleeb is coming from with his criticism of my response. And acknowledge it. He's right. But I did it on purpose.

You pretend as if you don't see what the hell anyone is talking about. Whatever.

Thanks, Wendy. Summers are so busy with family and visitors who want to hit the north woods and get away from the sticky heat, so I'm lucky to find a few hours to think out a blog once a week or so. I "lurk" now and then and comment when the mood hits me, but I'm here in spirit!

I think we would be really naive to believe that many people won't see his Presidency as indicative of 'Black Presidents' for some time, successful or not. It will be iconic for many.
We may not like it, or *we* may not think it matters, but my unofficial polling says it's likely so.

http://law.justia.com/us/codes/title18/18usc871.html

Thanks, Wendy and of course you know the respect is mutual. Just seemed a little incongruous to see someone protesting she doesn't do personal attacks and only objects to unfair hyperbolic criticism of the President the very same day going into attack mode based on a hard-hitting but fair critique of the president.

Susan's letter covers a lot of my frustrations, though I would add other failures like using the DOJ to go after whistleblowers, while letting the Bush Admin and Gonzo go free. Bailing out the companies from the real estate mess, and leaving the homeowners to fend for themselves. I could go on (and on and on).

Pretty spineless, kgb, though your disingenuousness is, I'm sure, quite convincing to those who missed the event.

But what you actually said is if it would save the life of a single pelican you'd gladly slit Obama's throat.

I have no doubt the defenders who rushed in to say Brew had misundersood also felt that a pelican's life is worth more than Obama's anyday. You may get the same response here again within seconds from now.

I have no doubt there are many people here who feel the same.

e.g., see below.

Obama doesn't have any special knowledge of what is going on that justifies his deceptive and dishonest actions. More importantly, he has no particular talent or great insight into any of the problems the nation faces and hasn't made a signle proposal on any subject that might demonstrate he has some sort of ability to be creative and find solutions that go above and beyond the typical boilerplate out of DC. The two hypothoses are not equal. The simplest is that he lied his ass off in the campaign and is now pursuing the course he always intended. Real straightforward and completely plausible.

I'm befuddled about it, too, stilli. I took what you wrote in the spirit in which I believe you wrote it. It didn't occur to me that what I saw as an opposing viewpoint written in like manner between two people who like and respect each other, could be taken as a terrorist attack on a vulnerable victim, or vice-versa or something other than good-natured politics among mature people.

But since I was going through a similar episode with gasket, though very minor in comparison, I figured you were way better off without me at the time.

I'm still trying to go figure. Now I'm giving that up and going to go to bed shortly.

Good night, stilli. Sleep well. Peace. :-)

P.S. You too, Wendy. It was a funny Susan post!

We must have had the same mother then, Wendy. Mine always said "guilty" should have been my middle name - if only she had been thinking clearly at the time. :-)

Nah...me and the fridge are mortal enemies right now! Seriously, thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNkiSLSOMw4&feature=related

The short summary of the movie/book.

And they wanted Prissy to eat the watermelon, but she refused.

Yep, know all about that, but thanks for the vid.

Even still, I don't see the relevance of the video in relation to what I said, but it certainly isn't worth another minute of my life to decipher what anna am, of all people, really does intend.

I was talking about language and how we ghettoize based on language because people were adopting fake Southern accents in their writing. I still think that. No one has convinced me otherwise.

However, I now know I should have said:

When I lived in the South I learned very quickly to avoid a Southern smackdown at all costs. No one knows the beautiful utility of language like a Southerner.

But non-Southerners persist in stereotyping and ghettoizing based entirely on Gone With the Wind.

I didn't realize I should think in non sequiturs.

Clearly it was my mistake, I see now, to start a second paragraph. Totally threw my audience off.

So now I know.

I can't tell you how hard that made me laugh! Had I actually gone to therapy instead of handling it myself, my therapist would have said the same thing! Thanks for the giggle in the middle of this mess.

LOL! It's TPM!

Fascinating questions, Desidero -- maybe. Or maybe Gasket's cut-to-the-chase response is wiser than an effort to earnestly answer your questions. Because, odds are that you are just sayin' (with the apostrophe in the right place.)

sorry for the repeat response, Desidero.
Who wrought those lines? Whomever -- they're really good.

I have fought them, I have wrought them, sadly i could not have bought them
For the buggers aren't for sale
Just stuffed between my ears, junk mail

For if I'd taken passing glance
to fix my words of happenstance
I'd regret how bacchanalia's seen
And "dreams" would strike, replace "cuisine".