In Texas, Lampson v. Olson was sort of "snakes on a plane crash into Biden-Palin debate"ish

Last night, I attended a debate between Nick Lampson, currently serving Congressional District 22 in the House of Representatives, and Pete Olson, who would like that job.

It was quite an event.

I forget how arrogant, and well, mouthy, Republicans can be in this district. Unfortunately, last night, that translated to disrespectful disruption of the debate.

I forget how traditionally traditional Republican politicians and candidates can be in this district. Unfortunately, that translated into Olson sounding like a boilerplate angry Rove-bot.

Or, perhaps that's fortunate, since I admit I hope Nick Lampson wins.

Lampson and I have our differences of opinion on more than a couple of topics, but at the end of the day, I do believe he's an effective leader who does sincerely do his best to represent the interests of his constituents.

That's so rare it's practically classic.

That is an entirely different thing from traditional, which has assumed such a negative connotation, thanks to Republican co-opting of the term, largely as a euphemism for something contrary to civil rights and liberties, or for something bigoted.

Because let's be honest: more than a couple of Republican policies and positions stem from classism or racism.

Olson appears to be no exception.

He's all about not letting "them" get a leg up on "us": keep "them" out of our country; don't give "them" any handouts, especially health care; keep "us" over there to keep "them" in line; and don't let "them" have the right to choice over their own bodies and most especially don't let "them" have any rights, such as to marriage.

He spends a lot of time differentiating "Democrats" from "Republicans," which must be really hard to do with Nick Lampson, who is the maverick John McCain wishes he was, if crossing the aisle and voting against party is how Webster's is defining maverick these days.

It also must be really hard to do if your health care plan sounds suspiciously like the insurance exchange Obama proposes, as Olson's plan does.

So what's a young, inexperienced aspiring Republican candidate to do?

Follow the Republican debate four-point plan.

McCain Oopsapalooza Tour 12: 0 for 3 Presidential Debate Edition

Pretty is as pretty does. Oops.

McCain-Palin on a Woman's Right to Choose: There is No Right to Choose

McCain has taken a hard-line anti-choice stance. He believes Roe v. Wade should be overturned. There doesn't even appear to be room to consider the scare-quoted life or health of the mother in his position.

Palin has said, in 2006 and again in 2008, that she'd oppose abortion even if her own daughter was raped. That is, her anti-abortion stance includes NO exception for women pregnant through rape or incest. To make it perfectly clear: Palin would force all pregnant women to carry to term with the SOLE exception being endangerment of the woman's life. This position is so extreme, only 24% of the public believes it should be so.

Most Americans (76% of us) say that women should have access to abortions if they're pregnant due to rape or incest.

I think the majority of Americans recognize that it's a huge intrusion by total strangers into what should be a discussion between a woman and her doctor.

And then, there's this:

Help put these ads by Women Against McCain-Palin up in key swing states with a donation, here.

Cynematic is pro-child, pro-family, and pro-choice. She tries not to live *your* life for you. She blogs at P i l l o w b o o k.

Presidential Debate: Does McCain Think Palin's Son Has Autism?

Has Senator McCain simply forgotten that Calculus Algebra Trig has Down Syndrome?  During the third debate, it certainly appeared so.  Or maybe McCain just thinks that autism and Down Syndrome are the same thing.

And again with the autism:

WTF?

McCain Oopsapalooza Tour 11 Along the River DeNial: Special "I'm Rubber, You're Glue" Edition

(Previous Oopsapaloozas here.)

Big words from the angry little man at the Fake Talk Express:

“When are you going to take the gloves off and just go at him?” a supporter asked the GOP nominee, leading the nearly 1,000 supporters in the crowd to leap to their feet and cheer.

“How bout Tuesday night,” McCain said, alluding to the next Presidential debate.

McCain threatened to Bring. It.

But It must've still been in Cindy's purse, or Palin's beehive. Or somewhere. It didn't get brung.

All bark on the stump speech, no bite in the debate I guess. McCain couldn't seem to muster the wherewithal to deliver his sleazy innuendoes to Obama, face to face.

Interesting. And just about every poll on the planet said that Obama was the clear winner--more worthy of trust, more likeable, more knowledgeable, more likely to fix the economy, more likely to care about middle class voters. Oops.

Part III: Live-Blogging the Jeff Merkley v. Gordon Smith Debate in Oregon.

Q to Gordon Smith re: his business Smith Frozen Foods, and illegal workers - does he support a guest-worker program, securing borders?

Gordon:  "I support guest worker programs.  For everyone.  Mexican, Japanese, English.  You've heard of my company.   I'm proud of my company.  Everyone's worried about jobs, we're employing 400 people.  Is that bad?  No, that's good!  (Page out of Rumsfeld's book with the self Q&A, /eyeroll) We've never been fined by, uh, the, uh, INS, b/c all our workers *were* documented, if someone comes up questionable, we give them time to rectify it ow terminated.  DEQ has said REPEATEDLY we have good enviro record.  As one of largest taxpayers in Yumatilla County, there's a fragile economy in rural OR.  We need more factories, not less.  (Sounds almost like he's threatening to yank the company if he can't have his way and employ people -- illegally -- at pennies an hour.  Nice, fella.  Nice.)

Jeff:  "Gordon, misconstruing my record.  Wrote article 2 months before war saying send in diplomats not bombs.  Stood up to praise troops but this is the wrong war.  You knew about speech but you choose to mislead our citizens.  Shame.  On immigration:  INS, in 1986, reported most of your workers were illegal.  When company was under your direct control.  Recent reports show these practices continue.  Shouldn't continue, certainly not from member of Senate."  (big guns coming out now.  GO! JEFF!)

Politics, Racism, and "That One"

During the Democratic National Convention, I was amazed at the diversity I saw.  People of all colors, cultures and religions came together for one purpose.  The hope of making our country better, of making a difference in the world.  I flew home on a haze of hope and comfort that we were headed in the right direction. 

Oh, how I wish I could get that feeling back.

During last night's debate, McCain, jabbed his finger across his chest and referred to Senator Barack Obama as "that one." 

My immediate reaction was to think "How disrespectful!"  I assumed John McCain was attempting to dehumanize the more human candidate by referring to him as a nameless "it."  My mind didn't jump to race until I was driving home from my debate watch party.

Race is a touchy subject for me.  I'm about as white as a white girl can get.  (I don't think I get any ethnic points for having a nice tan.)  I'm from the south, Louisiana originally, where my family has lived for several hundred years.  We all know the baggage that accompanies that heritage. 

Now I live in Southeastern Virginia, about 30 miles north of the North Carolina border.  I like to pretend that race is no longer an issue here.  That no one would dream of calling Barack Obama that hateful N word that I refuse to type, or call him "boy", or one of "those people", or "that one".... But while my surrounding neighborhood is pretty brown, a nice mixture of black and white, I can still drive down certain streets and see a Confederate flag flying in one yard while black children play in the yard next door.

Still, I often say and think that people who spew and display hate are an aberration soon to die out.  And then I hear about an incident like one that happened recently in Buchanan County in Virginia.  Apparently the treasurer of the Buchanan County Republican party, Bobby May, who is also a local newspaper columnist, thought that joking about Obama raising taxes to pay for drugs for his inner city voting base and putting Oprah and Ludacris on our currency would be funny.

The Q&A the blogosphere hopes they hear at Obama and McCain Town Hall tonight

I did a quick request on Twitter of what people would ask if they had the chance at tonight's Town Hall. I got some great questions. On the whole, every question had some relation to health or the economy, but all agreed they expected full and detailed answers, no sidesteps--not just responses. If McCain and Obama take a page from Biden's book, it might be an exciting and close debate!

So what questions did the Twitterati pose?

Join us for a MOMocrats presidential debate live blog tonight!!

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The Veep Debate Through the Eyes of Lawyer Mama

Some fabulous MOMocrat, cough*Glennia*cough, had the fabulous idea to host MOMocrats debate watch parties all over the country for the vice presidential debate between Joe "El Dog" Biden and Sara "Pitbull" Palin.  She brilliantly coined a catchy title: "Read My Lipstick: I'm Voting for Obama/Biden" and we were set.

I decided that we needed to have a Read My Lipstick watch party here in Hampton Roads and enlisted the help of my fellow Blue Star Family for Obama members, Vivian and Casey, to co-host.  In a few days, we had a location (see picture), a press release, local politicians, banners, signs, stickers, and lots of interest.

Because BSF4O has recently begun live blogging the debates, we decided we had to make that happen despite being in a bar with no wifi.  An anonymous donor came to our rescue with a wonderful little wireless router outfitted with a broadband card.  Between that, our 80 foot extension cord, my squid, and 4 laptops, we looked like we were ready to host Cheney's next "undisclosed" command and control center.

Setting up before the watch party.