Morning Jolt
. . . with Jim Geraghty
March 24, 2010
In This Issue . . .
1. VP to BHO: BFD! OTOH, HCR FUBAR, USA SOL
2. They Have No Idea How Most Folks Feel, Do They?
3. Stupak Seeks Assessor to Determine Value of Newly-Obtained Deed to Brooklyn Bridge
4. Addenda
Good Morning,
Here's today's Jolt!
Enjoy,
Jim
1. VP to BHO: BFD! OTOH, HCR FUBAR, USA SOL
The New York Times puts it gently: "At the end of his introduction of the president, Mr. Biden, who is known for ad-libbing to the point of getting him in a little trouble, turned to Mr. Obama, embraced him and elaborated on the historic nature of the day. 'Mr. President, this is a big . . . deal," he said, adding an adjective between the big and the deal that begins with 'f.'"
It's not that this is the first time we've heard the F-word from a vice president; we remember the tale of Cheney urging Sen. Patrick Leahy to do something anatomically difficult. It's just at moments like this, in a just and decent world, every member of the mainstream media would turn to the camera and remorsefully acknowledge, "Sarah Palin, I'm sorry I ever suggested you were too stupid, too uncouth, and too unpolished to serve as vice president." Ben Smith calls this "the mother of all Biden moments," but is this really that far away from urging a paralyzed man to stand up, or casually remarking during a swine-flu outbreak that everyone should avoid airplanes, or commenting on the sexual allure of women from Ukraine. (To be fair to Biden, truth is a defense.) We all say stupid things sometimes, but who drops the F-bomb, ten inches from a hot mike, while embracing the president in front of a room full of people and live television cameras? This guy has the impulse control of a kindergartener after a binge on candy corn and Slurpees.
Sistah Toldjah repeats a good line from Brit Hume: "Joe Biden buys three shoes at a time, two to wear and one to put in his mouth."
AllahPundit, writing at Hot Air: "History made twice over: The Democrats finally realize their socialist dream and Greasy Joe drops what may now be the most famous political F-bomb in American history. Try as I might to be outrageously outraged, I can only laugh -- partly at the constipated look on The One's face as he says it and partly at the idea that this was Biden's whispered piece of wisdom to the president at the moment of liberal nirvana. Imagine a drunken uncle offering something that stupid as a toast at a wedding, say, then multiply it by a million. That's what you're watching here. Give him this, though: He's right. Gibbs knows it, we know it, and once the public realizes that this trainwreck is going to bleed us dry, everyone else will know it too. A very, very big f***ing deal indeed. Exit question: Weren't these Jefferson's exact words after watching Washington sign the Constitution?"
Left Coast Rebel: "Joe Biden wouldn't be qualified to scrape the horse dung off the bottom of the boots of any of the Founders."
Greg Pollowitz, running NRO's The Feed: "Biden. Is. Awesome. But check out the expression on Pres. Obama's face. A little bit of, 'I can't believe I picked this guy to be V.P.'?"
The Biden pick was actually a rather revealing moment for Obama. Most analysts crossed Biden off the list early on, figuring that the Delaware Senator's mouth represented a more dangerous ticking time-bomb than anything in the Die Hard movies, and that at any given moment, he could comment about the Indians at 7-11 or mock Obama for needing a teleprompter or what have you and suddenly put three swing states out of reach. But Obama picked him, and some Obami contended that Obama knew something that the rest of us didn't, that some sort of strength from Biden would ensure he amounted to more than mere impeachment insurance. And . . . here we are, with Biden living up to most of his detractors' wildest fantasies.
2. They Have No Idea How Most Folks Feel, Do They?
We know Democrats are not good at introspection -- every failure triggers another round of 'We're too nice and sophisticated! Our opponents are more ruthless and appeal to the simple-minded electorate!' -- but you would think they might ask themselves a few nagging questions at times like this. Like: Why did Obama's much-touted rhetorical skills fail him from last summer until now? If Obamacare is such a good idea, why couldn't they get the Olympia Snowes and Mike Castles to sign on? Why did they have to twist arms until John Boccieri looked like Stretch Armstrong? And why did 34 House Democrats flee from this legislation in terror like it's the smoke monster on Lost?
And if this thing continues to poll as divisively as cilantro, is it really such a good idea to go around laughing it up, high-fiving, and acting like this is the All Good Things and No Bad Things Act of 2010? Isn't that just antagonizing an already fired-up and furious chunk of the electorate?
Matt Continetti, writing at that other conservative magazine: "What I don't understand is the media compliance in the massive White House spin operation now underway. Yes, the health bill signing is a historic achievement -- the realization of a liberal dream that also puts us one step closer to national insolvency. And perhaps it is better for the Democrats to have something to run on in the fall rather than nothing. Even so, reading the accolades, you get the impression that the Democrats have just averted electoral disaster and the Republicans have committed a catastrophic political error in opposing a flawed and expensive big-government bill."
Ace of Spades: "John McCain said that he was emotionally angry to see the Democrats giggling like schoolgirls over their 'victory.' Seeing Nancy Pelosi cackle with glee was too much for me; I had to turn her speech off. This is pretty obvious, I guess, but the video and pictures of Pelosi cackling like a witch must run with virtually every conservative ad in the fall. Among the best cuts is her asking 'How do you like our 220?' I think many people have a two-word answer to that. She followed it up, giggling, saying 'No money changed hands.' It was an attempt to be lighthearted about betting on the outcome of the vote, but it highlighted the fact that a lot of money has changed hands here. That image just gets people where they live. It's not an intellectual thing -- it's just an emotional reaction to someone who just [you know what he said] you over and then cavorts joyously about it on television, dancing on your grave."
I think each successive touchdown dance in the world of politics makes it tougher for the other side to later take the high road and be gracious to the losing side. I know that if the Republicans retake the House, I'll be asking a lot of snide liberals a saltier version of how they like those teabags.
3. Stupak Seeks Assessor to Determine Value of Newly-Obtained Deed to Brooklyn Bridge
Ah, Bart Stupak. You could have been a hero. But in the end, you compromised on something you swore, early and often, that you would never compromise on, and you trusted a president who's done wonders for my mantra that all of his statements have expiration dates. Maybe Obama will eventually sign that executive order, but I'll bet he relishes watching you twist in the wind until he gets to it.
The Washington Times finds Stupak insisting that the Planned Parenthood clinics in his district don't perform abortions. Of course, both list "abortion referral services" on their websites. This guy's gone from Braveheart to Mr. Magoo in about 72 hours.
Michelle Malkin compares him to Charlie Brown and the football: "Sorry to overdose on Charlie Brown references, but those were the first things that came to mind when I read about Bart Stupak's 'deal' with President Obama that exposed Stupak as such a giant sucker that the Tootsie Pops people are considering suing him for copyright infringement . . . really, why would Obama stick to any such executive order and anger what's left of his base for a gullible member of congress who is going to be voted out of office in less than eight months?"
At Red State, Moe Lane is mean, but accurate: "Now, it's like this. It's one thing to be a prostitute. It's another thing to be a cheap prostitute. It's yet a third thing to be a cheap prostitute who accepts Monopoly money. But to be a cheap prostitute who gets stiffed on your Monopoly money? That takes skill."
4. Addenda
You know, Ted Deutch, maybe someone on your campaign should have returned my phone call. Because to me, it's a big ******* deal. |
