Obama’s whole political platform is built around finding common ground that all Americans can feel good about moving toward. In a less attractive package this has been called “baby splitting” and even “triangulation.” But that we now see Obama embracing the competing ideals of gun control and gun rights, of church and state separation and federal funding for churches’ charitable works is the whole point. It’s not either/or. It’s both/and. Together. Forward.
Will they please quit calling themselves "Fair and Balanced" now? Isn't there some sort of law about truth in advertising?
I often wonder about people like this.
I mean, do they really think this way? If they do, I can only imagine the brain strain they must endure when attempting to secure Velcro shoes to their feet.
Well, I think most Idahoans how are peeved with how our state controls booze realize that as bad as it is here in Idaho; it's a lot worse in some other states (I feel your pain Utahns). At least in Idaho it's easy to get good microbrews from nearly any store and wine is easily accessible. Hell, we at least have wine shops, a lot of states require you to purchase wine and higher alcohol content beer from state run liquor stores. Idaho is also one of only 35 states that allow you to buy wine online (thank God for wine.com) and have it shipped to you.
Pennsylvania, being one of the aforementioned states with extreme booze control is going to try out some wine kiosks in supermarkets. You know, so you can buy a wine to go with that dinner you're planning -- a novel idea indeed.
The idea as a whole is really, really disturbing. One, you'll have to only choose from a selection of about a dozen labels (so this would include your white, red, sparkling wine and dessert wine), and two you have to register with the state to be eligible to even buy the wine from these kiosks.
Vending-machine idea appalls wine crowd
HARRISBURG - For many, the future of buying wine in Pennsylvania could soon look something like this: your arm on a biometric sensor that will determine whether you're old enough - and sober enough - to get your favorite bottle from a machine.
Called a "wine kiosk," it's the latest concept being pushed by the state-run Liquor Control Board as a way to reduce hassles for consumers.
The kiosks - looking like large refrigerators with opaque glass built into a wood frame - would be placed in about 100 supermarkets across the state to finally make it possible to buy wine and food in the same place in Pennsylvania.
[...]
The machines would carry about a dozen different wines and hold up to 500 bottles, and the opaque windows would prevent minors from viewing the bottles (ed. note: wtf?).
To use the machines, customers would have to register at the supermarket with the help of a Liquor Control Board employee. The registration would include providing fingerprints and a valid credit card, and allowing an infrared arm scan.
After that, users could go to any machine and place their arm and hand on a sensor. Once their identity was verified and the machine determined they were not intoxicated, the glass would clear and they could make their selection, which would arrive in a sealed package.
The kiosks would not be staffed, but Liquor Control Board employees at a remote location would track purchases, according to the summary.
Purchasing histories could be monitored to weed out potential problem drinkers. And special identification numbers etched on the bottles would make it possible to trace them back to the buyer.
While we continue to push for fairer booze laws in Idaho, thank your lucky stars that you don't have to register with the state to buy wine at your local supermarket... yet.
I'm mean, I'd act surprised, but I'd be lying.
Wonkette (oh how I miss the wit of Ana Marie Cox):
Cindy McCain Continues To Steal Easily Googlable Recipes
A few months ago, John McCain’s second and current wife, “Trollop” Cindy, was caught stealing recipes from the Food Network and publishing them as her own material, a simple lapse of ethics that you’re supposed to learn, and master, at age four. To atone for this, Cindy fired a hapless intern. But the problem was systemic! Cindy has contributed another recipe, to Parents magazine. This recipe for Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies was, of course, directly cribbed from Hershey’s website. Th-that’s not ch-change we-ee can b-believe in. In fact, it’s copyright infringement!
Oy. Just in case you forgot, here was the first time she (an intern) got busted stealing recipes from The Food Network.
I think one of the reasons that this case is pretty fascinating to me is that there are many perspectives to this one story:
I'm sure I'll have some additional thoughts on some of these perspectives as the days wear on -- whisperings would dictate there is still more to come of this.
Then we can get back to important things like beer, food and tunes.
We have a presidential nominee, finally.
These are other tidbits of information, that as a Barack Obama supporter I was surprised to hear about:
*As you can tell, I didn't get to watch the speeches from Obama and Clinton with any Democrats -- my company wasn't exactly friendlies.
BLOGS: New West, 43rd State Blues, Red State Rebels, Daily Kos (a must see from Al Rodgers)
How do you really feel about those pesky laws Dirk?
via Think Progress
Pesky-laws-Kempthorne, lets-outlaw-gravity-Sali, public-restroom-sex-Craig... You stay classy Idaho.
We'll, he does have a couple months left, so who knows what else he'll do.
Larry Craig Taps His Way Into Webb GI Bill Debate
Mostly avoiding the political spotlight since his brush up with both the law and the bathroom stall, Sen. Larry Craig quietly created presidential campaign ripples on Tuesday by interjecting himself into the debate over a popular veterans education measure.
The Idaho Republican, who was famously made a pariah in his own party after allegedly soliciting sex in the Minneapolis airport men's room, announced that he would offer an amendment to the forthcoming Iraq war supplemental that would strip the legislation of Sen. Jim Webb's GI Bill.
The move reflects a somewhat marked change for Craig, who has generally demurred from high-profile battles since his toe-tapping episode. Indeed, Webb's bill is, at this point in time, perhaps one of the most pitched legislative disagreements between the likely Democratic and Republican presidential candidates.
The bill is, for all intents and purposes, a non-controversial measure offering veterans who have served three years educational benefits equal to the highest tuition rates of in-state public universities. Updating an antiquated system that was implemented during World War II, Webb's legislation took more than a year to craft and currently has 57 co-sponsors.
There are, however, Republicans with objections.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, working with Sen. John McCain, recently introduced competing legislation that modestly increases the monthly education benefits for active-duty and reserve personnel, adds incentives to stay in the army, and allows officers to transfer education benefits to their children. But veterans under their measure would have to serve 12 years before garnering the maximum, $2,000 a month, benefit
It has never ceased to amaze me that Republicans will always clamor to say that they support the troops, but when it comes to actually doing so, they'll fight tooth and nail against it. So while Larry Craig has no problem giving Halliburton $45 dollars for a 12 pack of pop, he thinks that realistically funding the GI Bill is a bit too much to ask. I'll also note that the funding for the proposed changes to the GI Bill will come from a half percent raise in taxes to those who gross over one million dollars a year.
Being a veteran I thought that the GI Bill was a little outdated, so I was glad to hear that Sen. Webb is proposing some drastic and much needed changes. I've always thought that it'd be nice to be able to transfer some of my GI Bill benefits to whomever, children, nieces or nephews, I mean essentially, it is my money -- I did earn it. But according to Sen. McCain and his associates; I'd have to be a commissioned officer and spend 12 years in the service to be afforded that privilege -- even then it only allows the transfer to their children.
Of course, leave it to Republicans to do everything they can to derail positive change for the average working American.
In light of Popkey's politically humorous column on Ron Paul's stealth campaign (the comments after the story are just filled with awesomeness) in Idaho, I thought I'd share tidbits of two conversations I've had with Ron Paul supporters over the last week.
Now, I'm not saying that these are representative of Paul himself, or with his supporters as a whole, but it does show the type of people that his campaign attracts.
RE: Ron Paul's position that the Department of Public Education be eliminated.
Me: "I don't disagree with all of Paul's positions, but I just can't wrap my head around some of his more fringe ideas".
Paul Supporter: "Like what?"
"Like dismantling the Dept. of Public Education, I'm not saying that it doesn't need some help, but getting rid of it won't solve any education problems."
"Well, who should pay for the schools?"
"Everyone."
"Why should people without kids have to pay taxes for schools."
"Well, I don't have kids, but I gladly pay taxes for a public education system because it's in my best interest to have an educated society around me when I'm in my older years. An educated society is better for everyone, just look at the countries where the populace isn't educated."
"Well, I just don't think an educated society is important."
This is where I went back to watching Obama's victory speech in North Carolina. Saying that we "don't need an educated society" sets off my little red argument light that any further conversation would be futile at best, and nauseating at worst.
Here was the next one, this conversation was over dinner with a couple my wife and I know very well, needless to say, I was surprised to hear this.
RE: the raid on the FLDS compound in Texas (we got here after a discussion on limited government).
Paul Supporter: "Do you think the government should be allowed to raid those people's homes for doing what they believe in?"
Me: "Um, yeah, they were raping little boys and girls."
"Why are you concerned with that?"
"Um, they were raping little boys and girls."
"Yeah, but how does that affect you? You're only concerned because the media tells you to be concerned. Why should you care if it doesn't impact your daily like?"
All political conversation ended right there.
While it is his choice to do so, he'll have a lot of angry Idaho Democrats on his back if he decides to back Clinton. He has to know that a Hillary nomination will hurt local Democrats down-ticket, and a Obama nomination will increase Idaho Dem's chances in state races.
...And after Obama's 79% to 17% pounding of the Clinton camp back in February -- there shouldn't really be any question.
KBCI is reporting that Roark, Chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party said he "probably would announce his decision on May 20, the day of the Oregon primary election". Dare I ask why an Idaho Superdelegate is waiting until Oregon's primary to either make a decision or announce it? Just doesn't make any sense to me.
MEDIA: Idaho Statesman, KBCI
I mean, really. It's been over for the last 3 months, can we finally get to beating George Bush's 3rd term?
Hillary has canceled all of her appearances for Wed. so maybe something is up. We'll have to see in the morning.
I'll also note that it is somewhat amusing that John McCain can only win about 75% of the vote even when he isn't running against anyone.
It's the same way with Democrats everywhere now. Seldom in American politics has the same
side of a single party split into such distinct and acrimonious factions. As virtually identical as the two candidates are in their political positions, there is no longer any common cause left between Hillary lovers and Obama supporters. There is only a culture war of epic proportions, featuring some of the most unlikely and absurd combatants in the history of impassioned conflict. Ordinary suburban Americans, people who consider Tina Fey biting satire and whose only "fighting" experience has usually been against trans fats or hair loss, can now be seen running through the streets, screaming war calls like Maoist guerrillas in the jungles of Nepal.
Watch the Indiana and North Carolina primary returns with Obama supporters at Legends Pub and Grill in Boise, tonight at 5:30.
Everything you wanted to know about the Democratic Presidential primaries condensed to match the attention span of the average American.
I hear there is going to be a caravan of Ron Paul supporters from eastern Idaho coming to The College of Idaho in Caldwell this Friday.
I liked this from a story about Paul's Idaho visit:
The congressman from Texas is considered an extreme long shot to win the republican presidential nomination - however he has gained significant momentum in southern Idaho over the past year.
Last weekend Paul’s supporters opened a campaign office in Twin Falls.
They may be a scraggly bunch, but they're persistent. I'm sure when Paul canceled his appearance in Twin Falls, tens of men could be heard crying out from their mother's basements.
I've got to say that the fact that Cindy McCain lifted recipes from the Food Network website and claimed them as her own made me chuckle just a little bit. For some reason I'm doubting that Cindy McCain knows the difference between a spatula and a wisk.
And the fact that she stole a recipe from Rachel Ray and claimed it for her own makes me laugh out loud.
It really does amaze me that these people have no idea how the 'tubes work -- you'd think they would have learned by know.
Wherein a leader in the Conservative movement endorses sex with robots.
There was a wtf Letter to the Editor in the Idaho Statesman this morning that I just didn't really understand.
War casualty counts
Why did you devote so much space in March 21 paper to war casualties - 4,000 in four years. There are 2,000 boys aboard the Arizona at the bottom of Pearl Harbor; 4,500 deaths in one month establishing a beach head at Normandy counting UK, Canada, and USA; 7,300 Americans and 20,000 Japanese died at Iwo Jima in 35 days. Hitler declared he would bury us and we believed him. The radical Arabs say they will annihilate us and you say "No, they wouldn't do that." Wake up.
DARROLD RYKER, Meridian
I guess this guy's point is that a single life lost doesn't matter unless it is a part of 10,000 lives lost. I bet the families and friends of those individuals who gave all would beg to differ.
I've just never understood the argument coming from the "right" that the media should not discuss war casualties. I guess I was kind of taken aback when Bryan Fischer of the Idaho Values Alliance scolded the Idaho Statesman for daring to report American soldier causalities -- the sheer disrespect hits ya kind of hard. But then with the Bush administration not even allowing photos of flag-draped coffins as they make their final return to American soil -- I guess I'm not all that surprised.
To me (to frame this the way they do) it seems like the most unpatriotic thing you could possibly do is to deny a fallen American soldier his or her due respect in the public square.
My favorite candidate in my favorite magazine.
Rolling Stone's endorsement of Barack Obama by Jann Wenner.
An excellent piece from Tim Dickinson on the inside mechanics of the people powered Obama campaign.
One of my favorite writers, Matt Taibbi on Hillary Clinton.
Bryan Fischer of the Idaho Values Alliance thinks that American soldiers who die in combat shouldn't be recognized:
In a speech to the Naval War College in 2005, he indicated that al Qaida knows they cannot defeat the U.S. militarily, and so are relying on the old media to wear down the will of the American people by keeping the casualty count constantly in front of the public. The Idaho Statesman is dutifully doing its part by publishing updated casualty counts on a weekly basis.
I wonder how the parents of those who have served and given their life in Iraq feel about this. Perhaps we should put up large walls around our Veterans cemeteries so that no one can be reminded that freedom isn't free, eh Bryan?
Not only should casualty counts be listed on the front page of every newspaper, but the beginning of every news cast should have the name and a picture of those who gave their life while in uniform. But I guess to Bryan Fisher in death they're just pesky dead soldiers not deserving of any recognition.
This morning in the Idaho Statesman there is a story about Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd’s daughter and two tickets she has received for underage drinking. The common theme in the comments section at the Statesman site is to either forgive her for her “mistake” or advocating harsher punishment.
One commenter even wanted to make underage drinking a felony – yes, making the vast majority of our teens felons for experimenting with a socially acceptable intoxicant is a brilliant solution.
What’s to forgive?
I will also note that high school senior RoAnne de Weerd is the chair of Meridian's Anti-Drug Coalition and also serves on America's Promise National Youth Partnership Team plus a couple of other anti-booze/drugs groups. I think that it's pretty clear she should resign those positions. Of course, drinking while telling others it's evil is kind of an American pastime. This is also the second time she has been ticketed for underage drinking.
RoAnne de Weerd only did what about 66% of Idaho teens and a great deal of teens around the world do -- drink alcoholic beverages. Only other countries actually educate their youth about alcohol. People wonder why we have so many problems with drinking in this country, the solution doesn’t lie with stricter regulations, it lies with education, understanding and reasoning. The prohibition of people under the age of 21 to drink has only pushed it underground, making it “taboo” and thus making it a special thing to drink. This is what creates binge drinking and addiction – binge drinking and alcoholism being the source of most of the ills caused by alcohol. People don’t kill people drunk driving after only 2-3 beers, they do it after 10 or 14.
Over the last couple of weeks there have been some interesting discussions about this topic on several of the wine and cooking blogs that I regularly read. I’ve wanted to mention something about it here, but haven’t been motivated to until I saw this story.
I find the 21 age requirement and fallacy ridden reasons behind it make for an interesting argument. On one hand the state allows you to get behind the wheel of a 5000lb truck or SUV at 16 and you’re allowed to elect city, state and national leaders at 18 – an awesome responsibility, on both accounts. But on another hand you can’t legally have a glass of wine with your parents at the dinner table. And let’s not even get me started that you can serve and die for your country at 18 (17 with mom and dads permission) and you still can’t sit down with a beer, either in public or at home. The government will train and arm you to go to foreign countries and kill human beings -- one of the most sacred responsibilities known to man. And yet when you return home you can’t have a beer with your dad on your own back patio – is that freedom?
Doesn’t make sense to me. You?
Not allowing people to drink until they are 21 makes it seem like it’s this “big” thing when they are finally allowed to drink. Well, they don’t know it yet, but it’s not a “big” thing, it’s just an enjoyable thing. Here is something that history has proven time and time again – if you make something taboo, you’ll make people curious. And curious people do curious things.
When I was in the Army and in training at Fort Bliss in El Paso we were allowed to drink on base at 18 because they didn’t want soldiers going to Ciudad Juárez to drink (I call this being realistic). To me it wasn’t a big deal; I had done my fair share of weekend boozing by then, I’d lived on my own, I had what they called in the Army; “life experience”. I just wanted to focus on the Army and my task at hand and it paid off in dividends for me. However for the young soldiers who’d never been exposed to alcohol, well they went bat shit crazy with it – which invariably led to disciplinary problems. I’m sure you can take this same example and apply it to colleges across the country. There is nothing more degenerate than a sheltered kid who is finally beyond the grasp of their overbearing parents.
People think that if they shelter their children from alcohol and not teach them about it, that they won’t ever drink. Mom and dad do it, the media talks about it, their friends talk about it, and frankly it is a part of our society. And if parents they think their precious little snowflakes aren’t going to throw down at a kegger when mommy and daddy aren’t looking – well, they’re crazy.
One thing I’ve never understood about a great deal of Americans is their fascination with punishment over preventive education. Not only is it more cost effective to educate instead of punish but it makes logical sense. You can’t tell kids that no, alcohol is bad, bad, bad, but then turn around and drink yourself. They’re only going to wonder what you’re trying to hide from them -- thus experiment on their own, which in turn leads them to not experiment responsibly in a controlled environment.
We don’t teach our kids how to drive without allowing them to physically drive so why would we do it any different with alcohol? Granted this is something that should be the parents’ responsibility; I’m not advocating a booze class as an elective for your senior year. Parents should have the right to allow their children to drink in their homes and be allowed to teach the negatives and positives of alcoholic beverages. And frankly, once a kid turns 18 and the government treats them as an adult in both privilege and punishment; they should be able to drink as well.
MEDIA: NYtimes
BLOGS: Left Side of the Moon on de Weerd
And I thought we had it bad.
Utah changes already-complicated liquor laws
Adjusts size of shot, bans orders of sidecar if it’s in your mixed drinkSALT LAKE CITY - Bar patrons in Utah, which has some of the nation's strictest liquor laws, will soon be able to get 50 percent tipsier off one cocktail. Be warned, though: no more "sidecars."
The amount of liquor allowed in the standard cocktail will increase from 1 ounce to 1.5 ounces after the Legislature approved the first major changes in years to the state's liquor laws. That's the standard used in most other states and countries.
Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman has said he wants the change so Utah won't appear so strange to the rest of the world. Utah is the only state to limit the amount of liquor allowed in a standard shot, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
[...]
Utah will become the only state to ban wine coolers and flavored malt beverages from grocery stores. Instead, they will be sold only in state liquor stores.
"I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that these alcopops are directed to our kids. It is a gateway drug," said Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab.
Restrictions on wine coolers were almost guaranteed after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said last month that it supported doing so. Sixty percent of the state's residents are Mormon, but 80 percent to 90 percent of lawmakers are.
[...]
Residents can take comfort that at least one liquor law won't change: Doubles will remain illegal.
Um, you didn't win the nomination last night, just in case Mark Penn told you that you did.
I congratulate Senator McCain on winning his party's nomination, and I look forward to a spirited and substantive debate with him.
Oh, and also, I think it's interesting to compare her new campaign chant; "Yes She Can", to Senator Obama's "Yes We Can". If you've been reading here for a while you know how I feel about "Me" and "We", and which side "Me" is normally attributed to.
I think I am beginning to dislike Hillary so much right now (I didn't before) because she thinks that this presidency is owed, to her. Franky, she's unoriginal, unimaginative and uninspiring. 24 or 28 years of the Clinton's and Bush's is pretty tough to sallow, that is not change, that is the status quo.
The ability to "bring needed change" beat "experience" as the most important quality in a candidate by a 16-point margin in Ohio and by 17 points in Texas, 44-27 percent.
Um, then, why didn't you vote that way Texas and Ohio? I guess that's kinda like Conservatives saying they value fiscal responsibility then voting Republican anyway.
I don't think a McCain vs. Clinton Presidential campaign will bode well for the Democratic Party. Here's to hoping that Senator Obama can still pull this off. If she wins the nomination by winning both the pledged delegates and the superdelegates, then I'll most likely vote for her, begrudgingly. I'll also be thanking the Idaho Legislature for deciding that I'm a grown enough man that I can now drink on election day.
Updated
I posted something akin to this over at RSR and decided to repeat it here...
I think the message that Obama brings; hope, ideas, change is very important, even more so than 20+ years of insider beltway experience. I don't think that we should be looking for a President who has the solutions, I think we should be searching for a President who can inspire us to come up with our own solutions.
via Ruhlman
There is a great op-ed in the NY Times today about the influence of giant tax payer subsidized farms vs. the smaller operations trying to grow the good stuff locally.
IF you’ve stood in line at a farmers’ market recently, you know that the local food movement is thriving, to the point that small farmers are having a tough time keeping up with the demand.
But consumers who would like to be able to buy local fruits and vegetables not just at farmers’ markets, but also in the produce aisle of their supermarket, will be dismayed to learn that the federal government works deliberately and forcefully to prevent the local food movement from expanding. And the barriers that the United States Department of Agriculture has put in place will be extended when the farm bill that House and Senate negotiators are working on now goes into effect.
As a small organic vegetable producer in southern Minnesota, I know this because my efforts to expand production to meet regional demand have been severely hampered by the Agriculture Department’s commodity farm program. As I’ve looked into the politics behind those restrictions, I’ve come to understand that this is precisely the outcome that the program’s backers in California and Florida have in mind: they want to snuff out the local competition before it even gets started.
[...]
Ultimately of course, it is the consumer who will pay the greatest price for this — whether it is in the form of higher prices I will have to charge to absorb the government’s fines, or in the form of less access to the kind of fresh, local produce that the country is crying out for.
Farmers need the choice of what to plant on their farms, and consumers need more farms like mine producing high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables to meet increasing demand from local markets — without the federal government actively discouraging them.
I wonder how much of this is a problem here in Idaho, I'd guess that it probably does affect some smaller operations, and maybe more likely in eastern Idaho than the west side of the state.
This is one of those subjects that would be interesting to look into at a later date.
Oh, and yum.
Hi, I hope everything is going well with you. It has been a long time since we last chatted.
It sounds like you are holding up under the stress of running your campaign to be the potential Democratic Party nominee for President. I bet that's a lot of weight to have on your shoulders and I’m sure that it’s pretty stressful, I can’t even imagine. I did hear that you've broken down a couple times, you really got to get that under control. I'm an emotional guy myself, but I don't like the idea of my Commander-in-Chief crying on my TV -- it just doesn't work for me and it makes you look kinda weak. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're weak; it's just the image thingy. The rule of thumb that I live by is to not cry when there are cameras around -- this has always seemed to work for me.
Between me and you -- what doesn’t work is having my wife tell everyone that I cry every time I watch Jerry Maguire – no shit, every time. It’s the “You're my ambassador of quawn” part at the end that gets me. Well, that and “You had me at hello”, that kind of tugs at my heart strings too; don’t tell anyone though.
You can download the committee's letter to Senator Larry Craig here.
The Senate Ethics Committee says Sen. Larry Craig acted improperly in a men's room sex sting. In a letter Wednesday, the ethics panel says Craig's attempt to withdraw his guilty plea in a June arrest at a Minneapolis airport was an effort to evade legal consequences of his own actions. The letter says Craig brought discredit to the Senate. The panel took no further action.
MEDIA: Idaho Statesman, Idaho Press-Tribune, FOXNews.com, MSNBC, Eye On Boise, KTRV, KBCI, Eye On Boise (Craig's response).
BLOGS: Ridenbaugh Press, my DailyKos diary, AMERICAblog, Red State Rebels
Local news channel 2, KBCI had some wonderful in-depth coverage and analysis of Sen. John McCain and why some, particularly in Idaho, view him as not Conservative enough.
Go to plan B: Fear.
This is from a post titled "Romney Clearly Loves America" -- I would have called it, "Romney Sucks at Running Campaigns and the Republican Party is in Complete and Utter Disarray Because the American Public Has Seen Them For What They Are: Crooks", but hey, that's just me.
I gotta admit, this did make me chuckle.
I'm not happy about McCain. But as I have pointed out previously, there is a real risk that McCain might do the horrible things that Clinton and Obama promise to do. Those conservatives who think we are better off with a Democrat picking the next two, three, or four Supreme Court justices, as well as hundreds of appellate and district court judges, are kidding themselves. Those who are prepared to risk more 9/11 attacks by electing Barack Husein Obama, and thus putting a Michael Moore approach to foreign policy in play, aren't just kidding themselves--they are endangering all of us.
Ya know if you're going to use the guys middle name to stir a little fear with some nitwits you might as well spell it right. This is of course coming from the guy who thought that Giuliani was still in the running a day after he had dropped out. So, you gotta give him a little leeway I guess.
Large plastic bubbles; I guess they are comfortable to live in.
My experience? I went down to Nampa's Civic Center a little before 7 and was overwhelmed by the amount of people. The line stretched nearly all the way around the building and there was not a parking spot to be had in the area. Yeah, yeah, I know, maybe next time. I decided to to bag it seeing the amount of Obama supporters had already vastly outnumbered their opponents, which is what mattered to me anyway. I really wanted to check out what was going on across the rest of the state and moreover, across the country.
So it should also be noted that Obama won every single county in Idaho, except Lewis County which went to Hillary Clinton. Kudos to the Obama organization in Idaho, they've really done an impressive job of getting out the vote and getting people involved.
Which brings us to the round-up.
Here was the scene at the Civic Center as viewers saw it on KTVB Channel 7.
MEDIA: Eye on Boise (several dispatches), ID Quicktakes (multiple postings from Boise), Idaho Statesman, Idaho Press-Tribune (covering Canyon County), KTVB (w/ videos), two postings from the "cool kids" at the Boise Weekly, KBCI, Idaho State Journal, KTRV, New West Boise (also ran an open thread all evening w/ 141 comments, sheesh!), Dan Popkey on Obama and Idaho.
BLOGS: Ridenbaugh Press, The MountainGoat Report (Nampa), Red State Rebels w/ lot's 'o' pics from Qwest Arena in Boise, Fort Boise, Royal Mounted Valise (pics from Nampa), Left Side of the Moon (live blog), Gary O. Grimm (pics from Qwest), IdahoRocks (commentary from Boundary County caucus)
-- More as I find 'em.
And here is another clip of some Obama and Clinton supporters discussing their candidates (hey, who is that pretty young lady on the right? Seems like I know her...)
Most importantly, there was a huge showing across the state, Idaho Democrats came out in force to support their candidate -- and that is what matters above all else. There is a huge wave of momentum right now in Idaho, let's hope that the Idaho Democratic Party is going to be able to capitalize on it and add some balance to this drastically unbalanced state of ours in the coming years.
I read stuff like this coming from Boise State's Arbiter and I worry about the future.
-- But then I read this, also coming from the Arbiter, and realized that everything is going to be a-ok.
Whew. I was kinda worried there for a sec.
This week they come from Will.i.am and Barack Obama:
"Yes We Can"
Over 13,000 people. Wow Idaho.
MEDIA: KTVB has a complete uncut video of Obama's speech. Idaho Statesman story here.
BLOGS: Alan from IdaBlue has lot's of pics. Julie, the original Red State Rebel has commentary and pics. Ridenbaugh Press has a 360 degree (albeit small) pic from inside the Taco Bell Arena -- here is the high-res version of the pic.
The venue is still yet to be locked down, but word on the street is that doors will open at 6:30 a.m. 7:00 a.m. for those wanting to guarantee themselves a spot.
The rally is set to begin at 9:00 a.m.
Updated info from the Barack Obama website:
Stand for Change with Barack Obama
Boise State University
Taco Bell Arena
1401 Bronco Ln.
Boise, ID 83725Saturday, February 2nd, 2008
Doors open: 7:00 a.m.For security reasons, do not brings bags. No signs or banners permitted.
This event is free and open to the public; however an RSVP is strongly encouraged.
Click here to RSVP.
Ysabel Bilbao from KTVB was just on my TV telling me that according to the Idaho Democratic Party, Barack Obama may not be the only Democratic Presidential candidate coming to Idaho before next week's Super Tuesday.
Interesting.
Now with video:
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