Romney "Smashes" Obama In First Debate

WASHINGTON - U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney arrived back from the future today and announced that he had won his first debate against Barack Obama - scheduled for this Wednesday - in what he said the press called "smashing" fashion.

"It was the zingers," Romney said. "I totally zinged him."

He added that he might not even go to Wednesday debate, since he had already won so decisively.

What Ann Romney Did NOT Say

Regarding the previous post on Ann Romney saying she worries about Mitt's "mental well-being" if he should win the presidency, I think it needs a closer look.

Here's the exchange (and it's on video):

Asked what her primary worry would be should her husband succeed in defeating President Obama on Nov. 6, Mrs. Romney replied, "You know, I think my biggest concern, obviously, would just be for his mental well-being." 

"I have all the confidence in the world in his ability, in his decisiveness and his leadership skills, in his understanding of the economy, in his understanding of what's missing right now in the economy - you know, pieces that are missing to get this jumpstarted," she continued. "So for me I think it would just be the emotional part of it."

She doesn't say "But he can handle it." She doesn't even imply it. 

She starts with her worry about whether Mitt can withstand the pressures of being president, which have to be tremendous, then adds what things he would be good at—and finishes by reiterating that she worries about his mental/emotional ability to handle the pressure.

How do you NOT say "But he can do it" - unless you actually worry that he can't? I mean, that just seemed like candor. It is difficult to take anything from that answer except that Ann Romney is herself worried that her husband may not be able to take the pressure of being president.

She's his wife. She knows this guy. If she's worried - shouldn't the rest of us be?

Update: To put a finer point on it, look at her own construct: "I have all the confidence in the world" about that other stuff, but...

[Lightly edited for clarity.]

• Crossposted over here.

Ann Romney Kills Mitt's Campaign 100% Dead [update]

I can hardly believe this just happened:

Ann Romney's biggest concern if her husband becomes president would be his ability to maintain his "mental well-being," she said in an interview Thursday with KTVN in Reno, Nev. 

Asked what her primary worry would be should her husband succeed in defeating President Obama on Nov. 6, Mrs. Romney replied, "You know, I think my biggest concern, obviously, would just be for his mental well-being." 

"I have all the confidence in the world in his ability, in his decisiveness and his leadership skills, in his understanding of the economy, in his understanding of what's missing right now in the economy - you know, pieces that are missing to get this jumpstarted," she continued. "So for me I think it would just be the emotional part of it."

How...what do...oh holy dogs in Uranus.

Mitt Romney's wife just said she doesn't know if Mitt can mentally/emotionally handle being president.

Hold on: I've gotta stand back and say that again:

Mitt Romney's wife just said she doesn't know if Mitt can mentally/emotionally handle being president.

His wife. The person he's been married to for thirty-plus years, who knows him better than any other human on Earth—someone who has seen him in trying times—says she's not sure Mitt can handle being president. Like being president of the U.S. (nukes!) might make him emotionally unstable.

Holy shit.

(Interview is toward end of video.)

KTVN Channel 2 - Reno Tahoe News Weather, Video -

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Update: Please see next post.

Thousands Line Up Days in Advance For Free Health Care

Breaking hearts, one day in Modern Republican Utopia at a time:

What is that line up there outside the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, just across the way from the Coliseum, for? Phineas and Ferb on Ice? Extra USC football tickets? No, but it does involve children and the University of Southern California. 

See, volunteers from the schools of medicine and dentistry at USC, partnered with the organization Care Harbor, are currently giving free health and dental care to people who come to the L.A. arena. It started yesterday and will continue through Sunday. 

Oh, the line-sitters? They aren't waiting to get in to see a doctor or a dentist. No, that only began Thusday. That line is from Monday, when they started handing out wristbands so that nearly 5000 people without insurance could get that lump checked or that cavity filled.

Mitt Romney wants more of this. No, really - Mitt Romney wants more of this. Roll that around the old noggin for while. And then toss this in:

One last thing: the reason people lined up so early? That's obvious. Because the clinic only had so much time and so many volunteers. And people, sick people, hurting people, dying people, were turned away.

More here. And here. And more Romney here.

Mitt Romney Can Gargle With Rhino Piss, Part a Million

Paragraphs to Live By: Message to Modern Republicans

This is what you get. This is the natural culmination of having steadily moved your end of the political spectrum away from facts and towards faith, away from thinking and towards ideology, away from public interest and towards self-interest, away from a pluralistic understanding that those who disagree must nonetheless work together to govern, and towards the idea of winning by any means necessary...and if you can't, making sure the other guys lose.

If it doesn't say it all—it says a big chunk of it.

Found here.

Butcherbird Gives Me a Short Concert

Back in June I posted photos and video of a friendly grey butcherbird who came to the veranda several times—obviously hoping for a feed. (Which he of course got.)

Is this the same one? Don't know. But as I was working at my desk by the veranda window just now a butcher bird out of the blue landed on the veranda railing, and went through a fantastic variety of butcher bird calls. They have a really broad repertoire of trills and chirps and whistles—he even makes what sounds like a chimpanzee sound at one point.



I love how he cocks his head as he spots me trying to sneak out the screen door before he flies off.

I've got some old steak thawing. Hopefully he'll be back.

Scott Brown's Not American—Look at Him!

I have no idea how Scott "Look at Me All Naked For Conservative Family Values!" Brown gets way with acting like he's American!

Does he even look like George Washington Carver? Huh? Huh?

I rest my case!

Background here.

• Real American image from here.

• Asshole.

Bonus: Dear Scott Brown: Do you know what Native Americans look like?

Photo Post: City Water

The buildings across the way, through a glass of water. (Click on pics to enlarge.)

* * * * * 

Bedroom, bed, blankets, window looking west, through a glass of water:

"I'm Paul Ryan and Jesus Hates You"

Brought to You by Christians For More Hating Poor People and Stuff

I actually right now want to punch this smarmy little shit in the face. I'm glad I can't, but still. I want to.

"And so, this is what Mitt and I are talking about when we’re worried about more and more people becoming net dependent upon the government than upon themselves."

This piece of shit apparently believes he occupies some elevated moral position which entitles him to talk down to people who have gone through hard times and need a little help. I am so sick of these horrible bastards. They create and/or support policies that CREATE MORE POOR PEOPLE and then pretend to wonder why so many people need help. Just awful, horrible, broken humans. They don't deserve a single American vote.

Taibbi: SEC "Settlement" Settles Squat

Sec "settles" with company after 7-yr investigation: no fine, no penalty, no sanction, no admission of wrongdoing m.prnewswire.com/news-releases/…
— Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) September 18, 2012

NCO Group Announces Settlement With the SEC:

Wow:

Without admitting or denying any wrongdoing, the Company has consented to the entry of an administrative order directing it to cease and desist from committing or causing violations of certain non-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws relating to financial reporting and internal control requirements, now and in the future.