Obama Pardoning Turkey

President Barack Obama is being targeted by some on the right for being soft on crime after pardoning a Turkey yesterday.  While this was the first pardon of his short presidency some worry that it sets a dangerous precedent.  How after all, they wonder, will he stand up to terrorists when he can’t even take down common poultry.

Sarah Palin shows how it should be done.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.

Even though Clinton and Obama stayed practically tied in every measurement in the end there is a clear winner. I have truthfully said this whole time that I would fully support any of our top 3 for president and I think that most Democrats feel the same way. So even though I threw my support behind Obama a while back, today is the first day that we can say that Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Hold on to your pants, now its going to really get interesting.  Watch these two give their speeches last night.  Obama gives a great speech and I think Hillary does as well.  Some may have wanted something different from her but I think her supporters are all happy.  I know I am.

[youtube width="500" height="394"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=dtL-1V3OZ0c[/youtube]

[youtube width="500" height="394"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=T8-Bkbre_7A[/youtube]

William ~ WWJV4.com

Sleater-Kinney Song Stuck in my head

[youtube width="250" height="197"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNpKjmNaJpQ[/youtube]

Could do worse. Sleater-Kinney is/was an amazing band that has been broken up now for the past two years. This weekend I was listening to some of their stuff and now this song is stuck in my head. Normally listening to it over and over again gets it out but that hasn’t worked. So I’m trying to spread the joy and maybe that will help.

Everything Else You Need Know, So Sit Down and Shut Up

• Obama Quits his Church. I’m disappointed that Obama would quit the church where he was married and where his daughters were baptized for political expediency.
• 5 Most Badass Presidents of All Time. I found this while reading 6 Most Badass Stunts Ever Pulled in the Name of Science. Read them both their awesome. (h/t Skepchick).
• Blog carnival for progressive Christians, read more at Fetch me my Axe. We wholly support progressive religions, Christian or otherwise, so looking forward to reading some good posts.
• Catholicism, leading the fight for equality for women.
• More “progress” in Iraq. Sunnis have withdrawn from the Iraqi government AGAIN after Maliki rejected their entire list of nominated ministers.
• We all like to give Congress a hard time but Crooks and Liars points out one thing they have done perfectly right, Social Security. So I’m joining them in giving Pelosi a nice big round of applause for keeping the Republicans from killing an important program.
• Really with the popular vote totals so close can we stop talking about them and focus on the only thing that actually counts, delegate count. Isn’t this like trying to argue who won the super bowl based on rushing yards and not the final score?

Video of the Day

Robert F. Kennedy: 80% of Republicans Are Just Uninformed Democrats.
[youtube width="500" height="394"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd6P8obJmjo[/youtube]

I know I always say this but todays RSS Roundup is really short. Thanks for putting up with me.

Obama Gets Specific on What Change Is

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPmbc2lAnpU[/youtube]

From FireDogLake Change is …

• a tax code that rewards work instead of wealth
• a health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants it
• an energy policy that doesn’t rely on buddying up to the Saudi Royal Family and then begging them for oil
• giving every child a world-class education
• ending a war that we never should’ve started

The Little Thats Left

• American prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay have allegedly been abused and tortured at the behest of the Chinese government.  Wow, I knew that we flew prisoners to other countries to be tortured but I never thought that we would fall so low as to be one of those countries for someone else.  And for China no less.  I have no words.
• Myanmar is turning away US aid for cyclone victims.

The Video of the Day

I have been saying all along with my McCain vs. McCain series that there are two John McCain’s.  I would have thought that the vast differences between beliefs and positions of the two would have made it obvious.  Well, finally the media is starting to wake up to this fact.  Thanks Crooks and Liars

[youtube width="500" height="394"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkVY9OrVNKQ[/youtube]

For more on the Two McCain’s revelation:

• McCain vs McCain: Economy
• McCain vs McCain: Katrina
• McCain vs McCain: Border Security

Thats it for today, told you it was a short one.  Hope you all have a great day and I’ll try to get out a real story later this afternoon.  Depends on how well the coding goes.

William ~ WWJV4.com

Obama Rally draws 70,000+ in Portland

[youtube width="250" height="197"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ4XsemlDP4[/youtube]

Alright, I know that there are more important things going on in the world than just another campaign rally. It feels like the primary has been going on for years and the last thing people want to read about is some random rally in Portland. Just kidding! 70,000 PEOPLE! Seriously have we ever had such an amazing and exciting time to be a Democrat. Wow. (h/t Crooks and Liars)

McCain has a Serious Lobbyist Issue

[youtube width="250" height="197"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=LPMsMaJONTo[/youtube]

After running on his “record” as being “anti-lobbyist” and promising to “clean up” Washington John McCain is developing a real lobbyist problem. A problem in that his campaign is run, staffed, and financed almost entirely by lobbyists. Worse than that several high ranking lobbyists in his campaign have been linked to horrible causes. For more read this from The Carpetbagger Report.

All the News you Need to Know

• The Legislatures in Tennessee are trying to push through a bill to teach the glories of the Bible in public schools. I think that learning about the history of all religions is a good idea, focusing entirely on “the greatest and most popular book in history” in order to teach students “our culture and our highest and best values” isn’t.
• I hadn’t heard this bit of craziness but apparently there is this thing going around about the world ending in 2012 because thats when the Mayan calender ends. Spoiler alert! The world isn’t going to end and here is a good explanation why.
• Four of the Philadelphia police officers were fired after the videotaped beating of three suspects. Several others were demoted and/or suspended. Only four?
• I don’t watch Fox News so I hadn’t heard this but apparently there is a silly smear campaign that Barack Obama is the most liberal Democratic Senator. Sadly this isn’t true.
• Emergency contraception has been approved for over the counter sale in Canada. While here in America the religious right is trying to ban all birth control. * Sigh *
• The Alliance Defense Fund is looking for pastors to knowingly break the law that prevents churches from engaging directly in partisan politics. The goal being to sue to have the rules removed so that they can make the transition into a full blown theocracy easier.

Video of the Day

[youtube width="500" height="394"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPWFupNHhs[/youtube]

h/t Eschaton

Have a wonderful day
William ~ WWJV4.com

In what must be a concerted effort to prove me wrong the morons over at NRO have written what has to be one of the most ignorant and dangerous things I have read in a long time. It would be hard to overstate how completely moronic some right wingers are. Whats sad is that there are millions of Americans who have their heads so far up their asses that shit like this makes sense to them.

The Soviet Union never killed 3,000 Americans in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania by crashing jets into skyscrapers. The definition of a “serious threat” is different today than it was a generation ago.

Jim Geraghty @ NRO

There are only two ways to read this statement. First is that ‘serious threat’ means much less than it did a generation ago. This would imply that Americans are cowards now and would go against Republicans strategy of scaring people into voting Republican. The other possible meaning is that we are under a greater threat now than before. This fits more in context and sounds scarier. I’m pretty sure that this is what he was meaning.

If anyone reading this honestly believes that terrorists could present the kind of threat that the Soviet Union presented during the cold war then you seriously need to educate yourself. In the terrorists wildest wettest dreams they could not come within miles of being the ‘serious threat’ that the Soviet Union presented. Dumbasses.

Here is a little history lesson. The Cuban Missile Crisis arguably took the world closer than any other event in history to a thermonuclear world war III. Whats more, the crisis was resolved through diplomacy that if applied to the same “standards” as the right wingers are using against Obama would be considered worse than appeasement.

Thanks for reading. Sorry for any offensive language. Read more at Newshoggers. If you are reading that piece differently please let me know.

William ~ WWJV4.com

Rape Charges Dismissed Because Victim Not A Virgin

Melanie Ross, a rape victim from Georgia, had her case dismissed in large part because of her past sexual history. Against federal and state law the trial judge ordered Ross to disclose her entire personal history under the premise that prior sexual conduct is proof of consent. Because as we all know only virgins can be raped!! Read the rest here before I start swearing. This story pisses me off.

Bush Travels to Israel to Celebrate 60 Year Anniversary

[youtube width="250" height="197"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=XmUad6JOFcQ[/youtube]

Somehow he finds time to make a false and misleading political attack against Obama. Playing monkey see monkey doo McCain and Leiberman follow the leader. Of course they are playing dumb now (if playing is the right word) on their attempted Nazi smear. Joe Bidens excellent statements on Hardball are the video of the day below.

Everything Else You Need To Know

• Following up on the Marietta bar owner who is selling racist Obama: Curious George T-Shirts. Turns out that the company that owns the Curious George image is rather unhappy about the usage of their property ans is considering suing his racist ass. (h/t Melissa McEwen @ Shakesville)
• Congress passed the Farm Bill with a veto proof majority.  Of course no bill is perfect but this bill should be better than nothing.  I’m not up to speed on this bill so if I get time I’ll post more on it when I am better educated.  Comments on this are more than welcome.
• Republicans in Congress blocked passage of the Iraq funding bill due to its inclusion of measures to help pay for the war and to increase veterans benefits.  Both issues that Republicans oppose.
• Republicans also apparently hate first responders.
• UC Berkeley is going to court over their Understanding Evolution web site because they had the gall to say the truth. Specifically the truth that “some religious beliefs explicitly contradict science”. In crazy world saying the truth is a violation of the separation of church and state. (h/t Richard Dawkins)
• Obama sent out a flyer titled “Faith, Hope, Change” to voters in Kentucky in an effort to gain support among evangelicals. I think its a good move and its about time liberals stood up to the popular misconception that only Republicans can be Christians.
• Eric Zorn has listed 8 reasons why Obama should destroy my dreams of a unity ticket. Some of them are pretty good. Damn you and your logical arguments. (h/t Logan @ Loganotron)

Video of the Day

Joe Biden, who says that Bush’s smear against Obama was Bullshit, appears on Hardball to discuss the subject more.  Its worth watching until the end because as always Biden does an excellent job of pointing out the many errors in this attack.

[youtube width="500" height="394"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=0IJWp9kAEUU[/youtube]

John Edwards Is Endorsing Obama

[youtube width="250" height="197"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzkAjd3xQ7w[/youtube]

It was really just a matter of time before Edwards endorsed someone and I honestly think that had Clinton been in the lead it would have been her. All in all Edwards gives a great speech that I strongly recommend everyone watch. (h/t Shakesville)

Keith Olbermann Special Comment

I’ll admit I never watch Olbermann anymore for a lack of time but his special comments are so good that I always make sure to catch them after words. This one is just as good. (h/t Pandagon)

[youtube width="240" height="189"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i66ydWERdc[/youtube]

[youtube width="240" height="189"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ylITNTv_sk[/youtube]

The Rest of The News

• I can’t remember if I mentioned this yesterday or not but Travis Childers (D) 8 point win in MS-1 (an R+10 district) is HUGE. America is finally waking up to how badly the Republicans have screwed our nation. Come November no Republican seat is going to be safe.
• ACLU wins case against Florida school that was trying to limit free speech by forbidding rainbows. The principal apparently believes that since rainbows cause the gayness he was somehow saving teenagers souls or something. This is the same state that released a teacher for wizardry so really at this point nothing could surprise me coming out of Florida.
• Fox and Joe Leiberman apparently feel that John Hagee is a stand up guy for throwing aside his religous convictions for political purposes. Good thing John Hagee doesn’t have the moral fortitude to stand up for the beliefs that he was selling to his followers. Oh and that he’s not black.
• Democrats are now trusted more on all 10 issues that Rasmussen Reports tracks. No surprise since Republicans have run the country into the ground. (h/t DemfromCT @ Daily Kos)
• Since the Republicans can’t run on any of the issues guess what they are hoping will pull them through? Fear Mongering and pandering to ignorant people. Bush is warning that the Dem’s plan to pull out of Iraq could mean disaster. Sigh.

Video of the Day

No Video today since I posted 3 above and the John Edwards speech is pretty long. If your going to watch anything today thats the thing to watch. Instead I am going to leave you with this picture. Read the sign and if you can’t spot what is wrong with it then read about the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Today I am not backing off of those positions, nor am I ever going to suggest that any candidate should bow to pressure to drop out of the race. Hillary has earned the right to campaign and pursue the presidency all the way to the convention if that is her choice. If the blogs or media or whoever has a problem with that so what.

However I have been gradually convinced that despite Hillary’s many many positives Obama is the better candidate to receive the parties nomination. This decision isn’t based upon policies or experience as I still feel that Clinton wins in those categories. Instead its based upon something much simpler but vastly more important. Character.

I’m not necessarily talking about personal character as I still strongly feel that both candidates have impeccably strong characters. Instead I am referring to the character of their campaigns and how they affect the progressive movement. I have always felt that no movement can ever be about one single battle and the decision has to be not who can be elected but who can help build the progressive movement. Obama’s campaign is the clear winner by that criteria.

It also does not help that in order to sell the myth of “electability” Clinton consistently works to ostracize parts of the Democratic party. 4 or 8 years in the White House will not be enough time to fix the damage caused by George Bush. So to achieve the long term comprehensive success the progressive movement needs to fix this nation we need to bring liberals, progressives, and moderates together. Sorry Hillary but statements like this are exactly what we don’t need.

“I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on,” she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article “that found how Sen. Obama’s support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me”

(h/t Bloggernista)

So today, for these reasons and many others, I am formally announcing my support for Barack Obama. At this point we will be moving on and focusing on the general election against serial flip-flopper John McCain. I wish Hillary Clinton the best of luck and will always support her as she will no doubt continue fighting for the progressive ideals she has devoted her life to.

William ~ WWJV4.com