October 28, 2004

• THURSDAY WHATEVER

  Glimmers of Hope

  In the midst of this very stressful last few days for us all, wondering if the last few damn voters are going to make it to the polls to save us from a dark future, a moment of Zen comes, as they would say on the Jon Stewart show. If you didn’t catch the “debate” between Stewart and hosts Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala on their show Crossfire a few weeks ago, clips of it can be found all over the internet and I’ll include some links here to the video and the transcript. Needless to say, our man who walks on water in my book anyway more than held up his end of the tussle. It’s been my observation that most of the rightwing talk show hosts like Bill O’Reilly for example, debate by simply interrupting and shouting down opponents – like those arrogant SUV owners who always pull into a parking place and manage to take up two so you can’t get your little fuel economy car into the space next to the one they’re supposed to be in. For those of us little folks, to hear someone use simple wit and intelligence and humor in a discussion and WIN is heavenly. Here’s a tiny bit of the transcript that I enjoyed:
  CARLSON: You had John Kerry on your show and you sniff his throne and you’re accusing us of partisan hackery?
  STEWART: Absolutely.
  CARLSON: You’ve got to be kidding me. He comes on and you…
  (CROSSTALK)
  STEWART: You’re on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls.
  (LAUGHTER)
  STEWART: What is wrong with you?
  (APPLAUSE) CARLSON: Well, I’m just saying, there’s no reason for you — when you have this marvelous opportunity not to be the guy’s butt boy, to go ahead and be his butt boy. Come on. It’s embarrassing.
  STEWART: I was absolutely his butt boy. I was so far — you would not believe what he ate two weeks ago.
  (LAUGHTER)
  (CROSSTALK)
  STEWART: You know, the interesting thing I have is, you have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably.
  CARLSON: You need to get a job at a journalism school, I think.
  STEWART: You need to go to one.
  The thing that I want to say is, when you have people on for just knee-jerk, reactionary talk…
  CARLSON: Wait. I thought you were going to be funny. Come on. Be funny.
  STEWART: No. No. I’m not going to be your monkey.
  So wherever you are, when you’re feeling low or hopeless or fearful or sad or just plain freaked out today, just say to yourself “No. I’m not going to be your monkey,” and I guarantee you’ll get your parking space.
  

  ---

  Deep Thought: “You know what would be the most terrifying thing that could ever happen to a flea? Getting caught inside a watch somehow. You don’t even care, do you. “
  Today I am grateful for: Monkey Mind
  Guess the Movie: “Lunch is for wimps. ” Answer: Wall Street, 1987. Winner: mjh.
  Polls Today: Kerry 260/Bush 254. EVP: “Today’s harvest is 39 polls in 18 states. In most states the winner didn’t change, but we have motion in two key states. The most recent poll in Ohio, Zogby’s tracking poll, puts Kerry a tad ahead there, 46% to 45%, well within the margin of error. Other Ohio polls are mixed. Rasmussen’s tracking poll puts Bush 4% ahead but the LA Times poll puts Kerry 4% ahead. Let’s call Ohio a tie. Which way it goes will almost assuredly depend on the turnout Tuesday, especially among younger voters. Could OSU elect the next president? It is not out of the question.

  The other state where we have a change is Michigan. According to the latest poll there (Zogby’s tracking poll) Bush and Kerry are tied at 47% each. However, two other polls (Rasmussen and Mitchell Research put Kerry ahead by 6% and 1%, respectively). All in all, by gaining Ohio and having Michigan be tied, Kerry makes a net gain and now leads in the electoral college, but neither candidate has the required 270 electoral votes it takes to win.”
  End of Day: 8:41 pm.
  + = Finally got my car through the Jiffy Lube.
  - = I think they ripped me off.

  • 10:26 am
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