There are some questions I've been grappling with lately and have been unable to answer for myself. Because you, my faithful readers, are by and large some of the smartest people around (you read Little Merry Sunshine, afterall), I'm tossing these things out to you in hopes that maybe you can help answer my questions.
1. Is it just me or does the fact that former President George W. Bush is out there shilling for Haiti relief leave a bitter taste when looking at it through the lens of how he mishandled New Orleans after Katrina? Don't get me wrong, I think relief for Haiti is an important cause, but is George W. "You're doing a heck of a job, Brownie!" Bush really the best spokesperson?
2. Why didn't Scott Lee Cohen's opponents in the Democratic primary last week bring any of these facts about his prostitute-loving, woman-beating, tax-cheating, child-support-skipping past to light? And why did the Tribune and Sun-Times wait until the day after the election to publish their stories? These are the kinds of stories that the good folks who voted for him (I wasn't one because something about him just rubbed me wrong and it turns out I was right.), might have appreciated knowing the day before the election. They were evidently so easy to find that they hit the papers within hours after his victory and we're now stuck with him, unless he removes himself from the ballot. If any members of the media or one of his opponents had brought this to light prior to Wednesday (say maybe Monday?), we might not be in this mess now. UPDATE: Capitol Fax is reporting that Cohen may be withdrawing from the race at 7:30pm. Update #2 7:17pm: Cohen is out.
3. Why is it that in spite of the fact that I wear socks 2 at a time, whenever I put socks in the wash, I'm always one short when I fold clothes? And why is it that on the rare occasion when I toss in an odd number of socks, the odd sock is never lost and I always get the same number of socks out of the dryer that I put in?
4. Why do the pro-life folks champion women for making the choice to not have an abortion when all they want to do is take that choice away?
I think that's all for today. If anyone has these answers, I'd sure appreciate it.
Showing posts with label Questions I'd Like Answered. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Questions I'd Like Answered. Show all posts
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Dan Savage Asks A Great Question
Dan Savage makes an excellent point in The Slog (the blog of The Stranger) and one that deserves an answer from NBC. For the record, if I can stay awake, I'm planning to watch SNL too.
Palin on SNL
posted by Dan Savage on October 18 at 13:31 PM
Why didn’t NBC insist on Palin sitting down for a real, substantive interview—or, better still, calling a full press conference—as a condition of Palin appearing on SNL tonight? Candidates don’t go on Letterman, Leno, SNL, The Daily Show, et al, to take a break from the campaign trail. Comedy programs are stops on the campaign trail. Palin is running from the press, refusing to answer any questions, lying her ass off on the stump, and attacking the people who could call her on those lies—reporters, news anchors, cable news networks—at her rallies. So why the fuck should NBC allow Palin to reap the political rewards of an appearance on SNL if Palin isn’t willing (or able) to answer questions from NBC news reporters?
NBC’s negotiations should with the McCain/Palin campaign should have gone like this:
MCCAIN CAMP: “We want Palin to go on SNL, and show Americans that she’s got a sense of humor about herself.”
NBC: “Of course you do, and we’d love to have her on the show—after she grants an open-ended, no-preconditions interview to Brian Williams.”
Yes, yes: the news and entertainment divisions at NBC are separate entities—blah blah blah—it would be an unprecedented development for the news and entertainment divisions to work together on this, to stand together, and use their combined power and influence to hold Palin accountable. But Palin’s refusal to answer questions or hold press conferences is also unprecedented. Extraordinary times, extraordinary measures.
Allowing Palin to appear on SNL while she stonewalls and attacks the media is a betrayal of NBC’s news division and of NBC’s viewers by NBC’s entertainment division—but, um, I’ll watch SNL tonight, of course.
Palin on SNL
posted by Dan Savage on October 18 at 13:31 PM
Why didn’t NBC insist on Palin sitting down for a real, substantive interview—or, better still, calling a full press conference—as a condition of Palin appearing on SNL tonight? Candidates don’t go on Letterman, Leno, SNL, The Daily Show, et al, to take a break from the campaign trail. Comedy programs are stops on the campaign trail. Palin is running from the press, refusing to answer any questions, lying her ass off on the stump, and attacking the people who could call her on those lies—reporters, news anchors, cable news networks—at her rallies. So why the fuck should NBC allow Palin to reap the political rewards of an appearance on SNL if Palin isn’t willing (or able) to answer questions from NBC news reporters?
NBC’s negotiations should with the McCain/Palin campaign should have gone like this:
MCCAIN CAMP: “We want Palin to go on SNL, and show Americans that she’s got a sense of humor about herself.”
NBC: “Of course you do, and we’d love to have her on the show—after she grants an open-ended, no-preconditions interview to Brian Williams.”
Yes, yes: the news and entertainment divisions at NBC are separate entities—blah blah blah—it would be an unprecedented development for the news and entertainment divisions to work together on this, to stand together, and use their combined power and influence to hold Palin accountable. But Palin’s refusal to answer questions or hold press conferences is also unprecedented. Extraordinary times, extraordinary measures.
Allowing Palin to appear on SNL while she stonewalls and attacks the media is a betrayal of NBC’s news division and of NBC’s viewers by NBC’s entertainment division—but, um, I’ll watch SNL tonight, of course.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Random Election Related Thoughts & Questions
These are some random thoughts and questions I've had over the last few days. I have no answers for any of them, so please feel free to discuss them in the comments.
They are not meant to be funny in any way.
1. If Sarah Palin is found guilty of the charges against her that she, her family, or staff violated Alaska's ethical or state personnel rules in pressuring the Public Safety Commissioner to fire her ex-brother-in-law, will she be impeached as Governor? And if so, is she even eligible to be the VP?
2. Why is it bad for Barack Obama to be a "rock star" or "celebrity," but it's okay for Sarah Palin?
3. Isn't asking someone to be your VP after only meeting them once (and on the other side, accepting the offer), kind of like sleeping with someone on the first date? Fun in the moment, but usually something you wish you hadn't done the next morning?
4. Why do Republicans have such a disdain for community service unless it's military service?
5. Given that none of the GOP speakers wore flag pins at the Convention, does the fact that I recently bought new knickers with the Stars & Stripes on them make me more patriotic than them?
6. If you can't keep your daughter from having sex with "abstinence only" education, why must it be the law of the land?
7. Why is it sexist to ask questions about a woman's job qualifications?
8. How does drilling for oil in the Gulf or in ANWAR help make us less dependent on oil?
9. I've noticed that John McCain has proudly sucked off the tit of the Federal Government since 1954 when he enrolled at Annapolis. Today, as a US Senator, he has health care insurance that is quite literally the best money can buy, yet he continues to say that if Obama's health care plan (which says that everyone would have access to the same health care as Senators) were enacted, we'd have bureaucrats deciding our medical fates. Why is the Senate's health care plan good enough for John McCain, but not the rest of us?
10. Why is it a bad idea to do simple things to conserve like keeping our tires properly inflated, keeping our cars in good repair, turning off unnecessary lights, etc.?
11. If Sarah's got nothing to hide, why won't she do interviews or give press conferences?
12. Why does the McCain campaign assume that I would vote for him because I've got a uterus just like his VP?
13. How exactly did Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), who grew up in Atlanta, NOT know that the word "uppity" when used to describe people of African-American descent is ALWAYS pejorative?
14. Remember when Wal-Mart was all about "made in America" and "buy American"? I noticed that they recently dumped their red, white and blue logo with the big star for an orange asterisk. Are they no longer proud to be American?
They are not meant to be funny in any way.
1. If Sarah Palin is found guilty of the charges against her that she, her family, or staff violated Alaska's ethical or state personnel rules in pressuring the Public Safety Commissioner to fire her ex-brother-in-law, will she be impeached as Governor? And if so, is she even eligible to be the VP?
2. Why is it bad for Barack Obama to be a "rock star" or "celebrity," but it's okay for Sarah Palin?
3. Isn't asking someone to be your VP after only meeting them once (and on the other side, accepting the offer), kind of like sleeping with someone on the first date? Fun in the moment, but usually something you wish you hadn't done the next morning?
4. Why do Republicans have such a disdain for community service unless it's military service?
5. Given that none of the GOP speakers wore flag pins at the Convention, does the fact that I recently bought new knickers with the Stars & Stripes on them make me more patriotic than them?
6. If you can't keep your daughter from having sex with "abstinence only" education, why must it be the law of the land?
7. Why is it sexist to ask questions about a woman's job qualifications?
8. How does drilling for oil in the Gulf or in ANWAR help make us less dependent on oil?
9. I've noticed that John McCain has proudly sucked off the tit of the Federal Government since 1954 when he enrolled at Annapolis. Today, as a US Senator, he has health care insurance that is quite literally the best money can buy, yet he continues to say that if Obama's health care plan (which says that everyone would have access to the same health care as Senators) were enacted, we'd have bureaucrats deciding our medical fates. Why is the Senate's health care plan good enough for John McCain, but not the rest of us?
10. Why is it a bad idea to do simple things to conserve like keeping our tires properly inflated, keeping our cars in good repair, turning off unnecessary lights, etc.?
11. If Sarah's got nothing to hide, why won't she do interviews or give press conferences?
12. Why does the McCain campaign assume that I would vote for him because I've got a uterus just like his VP?
13. How exactly did Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), who grew up in Atlanta, NOT know that the word "uppity" when used to describe people of African-American descent is ALWAYS pejorative?
14. Remember when Wal-Mart was all about "made in America" and "buy American"? I noticed that they recently dumped their red, white and blue logo with the big star for an orange asterisk. Are they no longer proud to be American?
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