The Truffle

You know, debate fatigue is setting in--especially on the Democratic side. They're just not as pander-prone as their GOP counterparts. Anyhow, tonight, the Dems are debating at Drexel. Like Ted Koppel, Brian Williams seems unable to change his facial expression as he speaks. Barack is asked about his pledge to be more aggressive against La Hill. It's kinda weird that Barack would accuse her of sounding Republican, given his current chumminess with "ex-gay" Donnie McClurkin. Barack is not sounding too inspiring or eloquent. What are these "sharp contrasts" he speaks of? C'mon, dude, what's going on here? I've liked what he's said in the past--definitely. And he's got points about La Hill. La Hill rebuts: "I don't think the Republicans got the message that I'm voting with them." She noted the last GOP debate, which was all "Hillary Hillary Hillary" instead of "Reagan Reagan Reagan." Truth ...

Courtesy of Ann Telnaes.

Take Li'l Ricky Santorum . A press conference was held at 1:30 this afternoon at the Philadelphia Inquirer to announce that it has added former Sen. Rick Santorum to its stable of columnists.... The story in the paper today includes: "Talking about the threat of Islamic terrorism is now Santorum's main occupation, though the Republican sounds laid-back these days. He is pitching a movie idea to Hollywood and laughed off speculation about a political comeback in Pennsylvania." The article explains that he has talked with "Hollywood producer Steve McEveety, who produced the Mel Gibson megahits 'Braveheart' and 'The Passion of the Christ,' on a movie idea that, naturally, has a terrorism element." Yo. Ricky. If Horrorwitz and Pipes won't speak up about MEK, perhaps you should. Right, Ricky? Erm...Ricky? ***cue sound of chirping crickets*** David Sirota notes the irony of a city paper in a Dem-leaning city hiring a disgraced wingnut as ...

Mr. Horowitz and the rest of the maroons behind Islamofascism Awareness Week should be asking a few questions of their right-wing compadres, Daniel Pipes. Specifically, his defense of MEK, a Marxist-Islamofascist terror group. Alternet has more. Alas, it turns out Pipes isn't the only rightie who's enamored of these goons. Can you say "yet another example of right-wing projection"?

Shit, won't the fundies ever quit whining about evolution? Now, they're making a documentary called Expelled! No Intelligence Allowed and are trying to gather horror stories about mean people who believe in evolution. Sheesh! Note to all religious fundies: There is a place where your children can read about deities shaping the world to their little hearts' content. It's called...get ready for it... Sunday school. I bet there are a lot of very nice church ladies who believe in intelligent design and would love a chance to teach it to America's youth.

There's just no nice way to put it. Steve Bates has this bon mot from Texas GOP congresscritter Joe Barton on SCHIP. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig. He's talking about SCHIP. WTF? What is it that makes Texas Republicans act like utter assholes? Something in the water down there? Is there some evil wizard who's got all them under a spell? Not only are GOP congresscritters mean and nasty, but they're utterly clueless as well. That, or they hate their jobs and they want to lose next year so they can go home and make lots of money in the private sector. "Lipstick on a pig." Feh.

Now that Rudy has switched allegiance to the Red Sox, what's next? Will Yosemite Mitt try to one-up "America's Mayor" by showing up at Yankee Stadium for opening day 2008?

From Newsday comes the story of Hafiz Sahin, a Turkish immigrant who chased off a convenience store robber by waving an ax at him. Ms. Safin is petite and slightly built. She wears the traditional Muslim headscarf. In short, she might seem to fit the stereotype of a docile Muslim woman who's seen and not heard. Guess again. Kevin Klein, 49, a family friend who also works at the store, said he was not surprised at Sahin's gumption. "I've seen her roughhouse with a friend," he said. "I knew she was tough." I hate violence, but I gotta love this story. You go, girl!

Have the Senate Dems on the Judiciary Committee come to their senses and realized that, like, torture isn't cool? I know, I know; I've been disappointed before, too. And yes, I call my senators and tell them to vote no on these Bush-kowtowing schmucks. Of course, my senators are Schumer and Clinton, who are pretty liberal. (However, WTF was La Hill thinking when she voted for Kyl-Liberman?) It's those milquetoast Lieberman wannabes who are frustrating. The ones who don't "get" that Bush and company are a. bad people, b. bad for America, and c. NOT friends of the Democrats. The Dianne Feinsteins and Ben Nelsons, in other words. I'm sick of these idiots. Don't get me started on "principled" Republicans who cower at the sight of the Chimp. What part of "country before party" don't these morons understand? As usual, it's up to the Democrats to be big meanies and ask Michael Mukasey the big, big questions about whether he...

Lynne Spears, mother of Britney, is writing a parenting book. Religious publisher Thomas Nelson said it will publish "Pop Culture Mom: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World," by Lynne Spears. Nelson spokesman Curt Harding said the book, to be out next spring, will be about Lynne Spears' raising three children and will have a religious element. There's a religious element to teenage girls dressing in push-up bras for soft-core photos in rock magazines? Who knew? From the comments section (blame the commenter for the caps/typos): PARENTING BOOK?? AND HER OWN CHILD IS BUCK WILD, BABY PLEASE!!! THAT BOOK IS A DAY LATE, IF SHE WAS ANY KIND OF MOTHER BRIT WOUDLNT BE SO OUT OF CONTROL THATS THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND What kind of dolt thought this was a good idea? Answer: the same kinds of people who think Broadway belters like Ethel Merman were tailor-made for disco.

There I was, trying to get this month's horrible Radar cover out of my mind, when Andrew Sullivan alerted his readership to the latest intersection of hardcore porn and stomach-turning bad taste. Make sure you have an empty stomach when you click this link. Jee-zus. What's next? "Debbie Does Darfur"?

It's Family, fronted by the inimitable Roger Chapman. One of those bands that really shoulda been more famous.

When it seems that life has become like a giant, stinky swamp of depression and bad news, never fear. There's always something to smile about. The Ethel Merman Disco Album is now out on CD.

Well, this is wild. In a rare shift in party affiliation, the entire membership of the all-Republican governing body in Lyndhurst will switch from Republican to Democrat tomorrow. Nearly 60% of Lyndhurst’s Republican County Committee will become Democrats too. The party realignment, first reported in PoliticsNJ.com last summer, is far greater in scope than speculated. It represents, perhaps, the most massive shift in Party affiliation of elected and Party officials in a single community in one day. “It’s safe to say something like this certainly doesn’t happen in politics everyday,” said Lyndhurst Mayor Richard DiLascio. Lyndhurst has long been considered a swing town in general elections over the last twenty years. Not anymore, it isn't.

Below, France's pre-eminent ye-ye girl, and a talented songwriter to boot. Yes, it's Francoise Hardy, singing "Ce Petit Couer."

Sad news from the Nation of Wingnutia. Jonah Goldberg's oft-ridiculed and still-unpublished manifesto on liberal fascism has been pushed back yet again --to January 8, 2008. Notes Roger Ailes : It now comes out on Elvis Presley's birthdate, (and will probably die on the toilet much soon than did the King). Ha! Obviously, Mommy's money is keeping Doughy Pantload afloat financially and he feels no need to rush this thing. Durig the course of the book's publication, he's been especially creative with subtitles, throwing in names like Hegel, Hillary Clinton, Mussolini, and Whole Foods. Wait a sec. WHOLE FOODS?!?!? Anyway, this week the working title for the book is: Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning. Awwwwwwww. Why can't he stick Hillary's name in there, like he did in the first place? Or at least throw in Barack Obama. I mean, Obama's middle name is Hussein, after all. Which mea...

Via The Crone Speaks comes news of the kazillionth retiring Republican. From NYT : Representative David L. Hobson, a nine-term Republican from Ohio, announced Sunday that he plans to retire. He is the 12th member of his party in the House to do so since the beginning of the year. “I wanted to go out on top,” said Mr. Hobson, 71. "Go out on top"? Is this code for "get out of town before another GOP sex scandal hits the papers"? Sorry for making assumptions. I guess I've just got a dirty mind.

Now, it's Larry Craig complaining about Mitt. "He not only threw me under his campaign bus, he backed up and ran over me again," Craig told NBC's Matt Lauer in an interview taped Sunday set to air later this week on the "Today" show. Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, called Craig's behavior "disgraceful" and urged the senator to resign when news of the arrest broke in August. Craig was Romney's Senate liaison before resigning from the campaign. Romney spokesman Kevin Madden defended the presidential candidate's response. "Gov. Romney simply believes that a public office is a public trust," Madden said. "He believes when a public official enters a guilty plea, they have broken that public trust and should step aside for the sake of their constituents." At least Craig didn't resign, change his mind, and storm over to the Romney campaign headquarters demanding his old job back. This has been another install...

And check his facts while he's at it. Pat Buchanan was spitting nails over President Gore's Nobel Peace Prize win. (Per Badtux , that's what I'm going to start calling the guy.) Specifically, he ranted about "Swedish socialists" trying to gain political points. Or something. There's just one problem. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Norway, not Sweden. The committee that awards the prize is appointed by the Norwegian parliament. Oops.

Oh my. "The folks don't have a say-so anymore. They're being force-fed—music, yeah, but every other darn thing too. I supported George W. I'm not exactly a liberal. But I know how that Texas thing works, who those oil folks are and what they wanted in Iraq... I'm a born-again Christian too, but the longer I live, the more afraid I get of some of these religious groups that have so much influence on the Republicans and want to tell us how to live our lives.... "This is America. We're proud. We're not afraid of a bunch of terrorists. But this government is all about terror alerts and scaring us at airports. We're changing the Constitution out of fear. We spend all our time looking up each other's dresses. Fear's the only issue the Republican Party has. Vote for them, or the terrorists will win. That's not what Reagan was about. I hate to think about our soldiers over in Iraq fighting for a country that's slipping away." Via E Plu...