Bob Barr, writing in The Los Angeles Times, states that he wrote the Defense of Marriage Act and is now calling for its repeal.
This is not the first time I’ve noted that Barr has changed his views for the better. Last June he admitted he was wrong in his support for the drug war.
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After two consecutive long holiday weekends, many of us can use a laugh before getting back to work full time on Monday. Daniel Kurtzman has compiled a list The 25 Funniest Political Quotes of 2008:
1. “I can see Russia from my house!” –Tina Fey, impersonating Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live (Watch video1)
2. On undecided voters: “I look at these people and can’t quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention? To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of sh*t with bits of broken glass in it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.” —David Sedaris2
3. “This campaign needed the common touch of a working man. After all, it began so long ago with the heralded arrival of a man known to Oprah Winfrey as ‘The One.’ Being a friend and colleague of Barack, I just called him ‘That One.'” –John McCain, in his comedy routine3 at the Al Smith Dinner
4. “Even in this room full of proud Manhattan Democrats. I can’t shake that feeling that some people here are pulling for me … I’m delighted to see you here tonight, Hillary.” –John McCain, at the Al Smith Dinner
5. “Who is Barack Obama? Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by my father Jor-El to save the Planet Earth. Many of you know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. What you may not know is Barack is actually Swahili for ‘That One.’ And I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn’t think I’d ever run for president. If I had to name my greatest strength, I guess it would be my humility. Greatest weakness, it’s possible that I’m a little too awesome.” –Barack Obama, in his comedy routine4 at the Al Smith Dinner
6. “He looks like a guy who’s backed over his own mailbox … He looks like the guy at the supermarket who is confused by the automatic doors … He looks like the guy who picks up his TV remote when the phone rings … He looks like the guy at the movies whose wife has to repeat everything.” –David Letterman (Read more of Letterman’s jabs at Old Man McCain5)
7. “After a quick meet-and-greet with King Abdullah, Obama was off to Israel, where he made a quick stop at the manger in Bethlehem where he was born.” –Jon Stewart, on Barack Obama’s Middle East trip
8. “This doesn’t smell right. This is not the way a tested hero behaves. Somebody’s putting something in his Metamucil.” –David Letterman, on John McCain suspending his campaign and canceling his appearance on the “Late Show”6
9. “McCain suspended his campaign, said the debate had to be canceled, he went to Washington, screwed up the deal, and then un-suspended his campaign and flew to the debate even though there wasn’t a deal. Usually when a 72-year-old man acts this way, this is when the kids start calling nursing homes.” –Bill Maher
10. On taking sides in the election: “If you, out of nowhere, are going to grab a woman out of the woods and make her your vice presidential candidate, what can I do? [Sarah Palin] is like Jodie Foster in the movie ‘Nell.’ They just found her, and she was speaking her own special language. Have you noticed how [Palin’s] rallies have begun to take on the characteristics of the last days of the Weimar Republic? In Florida, she asked ‘Who is Barack Obama?’ Hey, lady, we just met YOU five f**ing weeks ago.” –Jon Stewart
(more…)
The memorial for Majel Barrett Roddenberry was held on Sunday. TrekMovie.com has a full report.
Before Hillary Clinton was picked to be Secretary of State, both Bill Richardson and John Kerry were discussed as possible picks for the job. Of the two, only Bill Richardson wound up being offered a cabinet position after the Secretary of State spot was filled. With Bill Richardson’s nomination to be Secretary of Commerce being withdrawn, a columnist for The Kansas City Star suggests that John Kerry might be a good replacement:
With Bill Richardson declining to submit to the nominations process for commerce secretary, how about John Kerry for that job?
He wanted secretary of state, and reportedly was devastated with Barack Obama turned to Hillary Clinton.
He’s a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, and familiar with the issues.
You’d think Obama owes Kerry something, since it was Kerry’s selection of Obama to give the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention that vaulted Obama onto the national stage.
And, the chances of the Democrats losing a Senate seat from Massachusetts are almost nil.
Kerry for commerce. It seems like a natural.
Kerry would certainly be an excellent consideration for the post. Back in 2004 I felt that the Kerry campaign was making a mistake in not bringing up this aspect of Kerry’s experience, along with his strong history of support for small business.
While Kerry would be an excellent choice, I wonder if he would be interested. My bet is that he’d be happier in his new post as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Plus with Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, I also feel safer having Kerry in the Senate, along with many who are already wary of Clinton in the White House, to limit the damage Hillary Clinton might do.
Sunday was a good day for Al Franken as the state election board told CNN they were prepared to certify that Franken has won the recount for the Senate seat by a margin of 255 votes. Sunday was also a good day for Tim Kaine, who has been picked to head the DNC.
In addition to Norm Coleman, who is still expected to challenge the loss of his Senate seat in the courts, Sunday was also a bad day for Bill Richardson, who has withdrawn his nomination to be Secretary of Commerce as a grand jury investigates donors who won a lucrative state contract.
