* Thank God I knew some people from Drinking Liberally, or I would have been bored out of my mind. I do appreciate the earnestness of the people there to debate resolutions, but holy shit did we really need to hand count the public financing resolution? I was there with a pregnant woman; standing in a hot sweaty gym for 4 hours was tough for me; I’m sure that extra 20 minutes of standing wasn’t good for her; and hello, the final four started at 3:00.

* Maybe it was a sense memory from being in a high school gym and later a high school auditorium, maybe it was the people I was with, maybe it’s just the events, but I was just asshole comment after asshole comment about the day’s events. It was like Mystery Science Theater 3000 except with politics.

* Sean Astin gave a good Clinton speech, but got cut off before he was done. It was good to hear him praise Obama but still be solidly in the Clinton camp. The first lady stuff, comparing Hillary positively to Abigail Adams and Elenore Roosevelt was marvelous. I feel bad about yelling, “thank you Frodo!” Especially since he didn’t actually play that part: “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy” would have been better.

* A bit better than 3 to 1 for Obama (I forget the actual count and it isn’t on the website yet, sorry if this is off). This seems fairly typical for Seattle.

* The Clinton subcaucus was a hoot. It was amazing to hear from all the people who are still going for her. A lot of great energy even in 30 second chunks. Also: Comfortable chairs in the auditorium.

* I put my name up for the state convention, and was able to keep under the allocated 30 seconds: My real name and number. There are plenty of under 30’s who support Hillary Clinton, and I’m one glad to be one of them. I’m supporting her because we can have a president who’ll work to make universal healthcare in this country and womens’ rights around the world a reality. My name and number.

* Thank Christ for the timekeepers. Molly, you rule! Janis, thank goodness you were there! It could have been a long ass break out session.

* How the hell long does it take to count the votes for delegate? Seriously, I still don’t know if I’m headed to the next level.

This is the funniest thing ever. PZ Myers just got kicked out of the crazy new creationist movie.

There is a rich, deep kind of irony that must be shared. I’m blogging this from the Apple store in the Mall of America, because I’m too amused to want to wait until I get back to my hotel room.

I went to attend a screening of the creationist propaganda movie, Expelled, a few minutes ago. Well, I tried … but I was Expelled! It was kind of weird — I was standing in line, hadn’t even gotten to the point where I had to sign in and show ID, and a policeman pulled me out of line and told me I could not go in. I asked why, of course, and he said that a producer of the film had specifically instructed him that I was not to be allowed to attend. The officer also told me that if I tried to go in, I would be arrested. I assured him that I wasn’t going to cause any trouble.

Read the whole thing, it gets better.

Damn.

Rep. Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever to serve in Congress, died early Monday after a six-week fight with cancer, his spokeswoman said.

Spokeswoman Lynne Weil said this morning that the 80-year-old Lantos died at Bethesda Naval Medical Center in suburban Maryland. He was surrounded by his wife Annette Lantos, daughters Annette and Katrina, and many of his 18 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

His wife said in a statement that her husband’s life was “defined by courage, optimism, and unwavering dedication to his principles and to his family.”

They sure don’t make enough Representatives like him.

Since becoming chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs a year ago, he has advocated tirelessly for human rights in China, Russia, Burma and Darfur. Late last year, he assailed Yahoo executives for handing over the identity of a Chinese activist, telling them in not quite politically correct fashion: “Morally, you are pygmies.”

I was planning to live blog last night’s Hillary Clinton event, but sadly, I’m not connecting. So this is a mix of the why you should vote for Hillary post I was going to do today anyway, and a report on what you may see on C-SPAN or TVW if you are sad and pathetic (like me, but with cable).

I’m assuming that I’m not very hip, because the only song I’ve recognized so far is by the Dixie Chicks. My second favorite country music. Hey! That Tennessee Twin song is no longer operative, “Free to do what/ To chose this white man over that”. Thanks Democrats! Now don’t fuck it up.

Don’t park on the railroad track. Retard.

Someone said that they’ll need the overflow room, but who knows.

7:48 I’m pretending it’s a live blog. Feel the pretension.

7:53 Namedrop Goldy all you want, but for the slot I’m at I’m seeing a lot of saggy reporter/camera crew asses. Local press access sucks balls. And can I just say that for a group of people obsessed with what Hillary wears, the press sure are a jeans crowd. Shit, you’re seeing the next president of The United States (God willing and a lot of hard work to make it happen). Ever hear of real pants? Maybe a belt? Men, it’s called a tie. Says the blogger.

I need stilts.

8:00 According to my program, we’re starting now. I doubt it.

Anyway, I just saw a hand made sign “Hillary Clinton is paving the road for our future” held up by some adorable kids. Fake reporter rookie mistake # 1: No camera. Damn.

8:07 A lady from the Trib just pulled up next to me. I’m going to copy from her notes. “Do you make a living blogging?” How quaint. On the other hand, I bet I say “fuck” more than her. Goldy will be glad to know that the other, “real” reporters tend to be Mac people.

Now I’ve got “My Home Town” by Girl Trouble stuck in my head, God this post is super indulgent.

8:15 Kids are filling the stage, and speaking of kids, oh right, why you should support her: She has been a consistent advocate of children and families for decades. From turning the Children’s Defense Council into the powerhouse it is now, to her work for education in Arkansas, the most important issue to me, healthcare for everyone, and when that failed getting S-CHIP passed. She’s willing to get to work for us all. I’d provide links, but, you know.

8:44My program says Hill starts 14 minutes ago. I have to wake up in the morning. Fuck (see).

8:47 Niki Sullivan, the lady from the Trib, has left me with her computer. I’m such a gent, I’m not fucking with the Trib’s blog; Yet; The night is young-ish. According to the Trib website, a Lawyer admits one-night stand with Federal Way judge. I applied for the Federal Way Fire Department once. This is actually more self-indulgent than Goldy telling us what he had at the Montlake Alehouse. I win!

8:52She’s 15 minutes away, according to the announcement. So 30 minutes until she gets here. I need a private jet.

9:04One of the volunteers said 7,000 people are here. Not bad for after 9:00 on short notice when I have to wake up in the morning.

9:07 Crowd is chanting “Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!” They are excited, and I’d like to address what Goldy said earlier about down ticket. Of course it’s tough to judge by a candidate’s most excited supporters how much that candidate can excite people generally. But both here and at the Super Tuesday event, the crowd was totally riled up, and I think she can infuse that into the public in general. Also, there will be a better turn out machine by and large, and something tells me that Obama’s cult of personality will have more ticket splitters than the person running on Democratic ideals.

9:17 Fire Alarm, but nobody’s evacuating. Awesome. “Ladies and gentlemen, there is no Fire Emergency.”

9:20 Garry Locke and Ron Sims:

Locke:
A note from the coffee shop next to where I work this morning: All of these are my notes and should not be considered complete or accurate. God knows people talk faster than I can type. Locke was his usual. Not particularly inspiring, but not as bad as that one year after the State of the Union.

It’s amazing how many people are here on such short notice.
It’s high time we had a president who works for working families, people on Social Security and Vets; they need our help and that’s what Hillary Clinton will do for America.
This is about the future of our country.
Democrats all want change, but the challenge is who can deliver that change? Who has the experience to deliver that change? Who has the experience delivering that change? Hillary Clinton.

Sims:
Ron is great! I can’t believe that a call and response for caucusing: “Where you going to be on Saturday? When are you going to be there?” actually worked. But he’s definitely riling up the crowd. “5000 people here tonight, get used to saying ‘Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!'” God love Ron Sims (sorry Will).

9:29 Please welcome Congressman Jay Inslee:

I want to get one thing off my chest: Some people say America isn’t ready to elect a woman president, well if we can elect the single most incompetent man in the country, we’re ready to elect a woman.”
America’s destiny to provide for clean energy, we can do for clean energy what we did for space during the Apolo project.
We have one candidate running for president of the United States who truely wants universal healthcare.

National press got here, I can’t see shit.

9:33 Hillary!
Ron is leading them in a chant: “Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!”

Thank you so much, this is so amazing, I’m so happy to be here
There are so many people, I hope everybody can hear me back there
“Are you ready to pick a president?” – “YES!”
We need you to go out and caucus for me

this sounds a bit dumb, but the crowd was quite excited. Then she went on to thank Sims, Locke and Inslee, Owen, Reardon, all super volunteers. Said she’s “thrilled to have Norm Dicks, announced today.” Your superstar Senators! Frankly I’ll take that over what Obama announced Monday and Gregoire today, and that would be true even if he hadn’t included the chair of Democrats for Bush. Anyway to the meat and potatoes:

It means a lot being here, Washington has done an enormous amount to put us on the right track to fight global warming and clean energy. Washington is proving that we are “the innovation nation” We need people across the country who understand the stakes: There is no guarantee we will remain the great nation we have been, or will spark the kind of zeal that sets our sights high about what each of us can do.

I won the youth vote in MASS and CA.

This is obviously cherry picking but I hope it does something to put the dumbass idea out there, that she’s only good for people over 50, to rest. She’ll be a hell of a president for those of us under 30.

So much work to be done to repair the damage we’ll inherit from President Bush. I see an America that’s once again on fire: the Apolo’s Fire. Jay gave me a long list of companies making the future. Can we really switch gears? We are Americans, and there isn’t anything we can’t do. It’s already happening in WA.

She listed a bunch of companies, I hadn’t heard of a lot of them, and type too slowly.

I’m not asking you to take a leap of faith, I’m asking you to join with me so that the future is there for our children and our grand children. Some people think of the next election; I prefer to think of the next generation. As I look at the future I see some big goals: Build a strong prosperous middle class- it is the backbone of the American economy, and it is at risk. We’ve got to make it clear that the Federal Government will get back on the side of ordinary Americans instead of just the wealthy and well connected. We have to set our priorities about what we’re going to invest in. An investment manager who I represent in New York shouldn’t have a lower tax rate than a nurse or a teacher. That is not right in America.

This is the kind of frame that other, downticket Dems can work their message into, as opposed to some nebulous idea of change that every Republican will also be running on if Obama gets it. I’m so glad that there’s moral outrage about what’s happening to the middle class; it’s outrageous.

We know we need to be fiscally responsible. Bush squandered the surplus on the war in Iraq and tax cuts for the wealthy. It’s time to bring back our men, women, and money in Iraq. We borrow money from China to buy oil from the Saudis. The greatest hope for new jobs is in clean, renewable energy. I want a strategic energy fund that would be the equivalent of the space race. It will be funded with money we give in tax give aways for ExxonMobil. We need to put that money in Washington creating energy jobs. We need energy efficiency.

We need to invest in infrastructure. Within 2 years we had a bridge collapse and levies collapse in the middle of the country. We need to train people for the green collar jobs. We need to end George W. Bush’s war on science {Biggest applause line– Carl}. We know what he’s done denying Global Warming, and vetoing stem cell research. I will have Congress send me the stem cell bill, and I will sign it.

It’s horrible that anyone has to run on science is neat, but there you go.

Universal Healthcare. This is the public passion of my life. I have seen what happens when we deny healthcare. People get sick, they stay sick, and they die. In America. This is immoral. It’s time to say no more. Not in America. Healthcare is a right! I have staked my campaign on making it clear that I will do everything to bring universal healthcare.

My plan is simple: If you are happy with what you have, nothing changes. If you have no insurance, or the insurance company won’t pay, you will have options.

There are people with no insurance and with insurance that isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. I will open up the Congressional health plan, I think it’s time it’s made available to every single American. We will limit the amount you have to pay for a small percentage of your income. There aren’t enough people in the system now to control cost and quality. We will guarantee that no insurance company can deny you coverage for preexisting conditions. Cover prevention, it will help keep people well: This is a core value worth fighting for. Universal healthcare is achivable, and we aren’t leaving out anybody. We’re going to have everybody covered.

Oh hell yes!

I will end the unfunded mandate known as No Child Left Behind!

Is that a subtile attack on Ted Kennedy? No? Probably not, but still.

Let’s make college affordable again! Student loan companies are practicing preditory lending, but in America it should be an investment when you go to college. Pell grants should be indexed to the cost of higher education.

When we get back into the White House we’re going to have to clean house from top to bottom. I have an old fashoned idea: how about appointing qualified people again? How do we restore moral authority and leadership? Start ending the war in Iraq. We need to begin withdrawing troops within 60 days. We couldn’t do it immediately because there is no Bush plan, and we’ve got to do this in the right way. A lot of Iraqis stood up for us, and we’ve got to figure out what to do for them.

The era of cowboy diplomacy is over. We must lead with our values. As we bring our sons and daughters home, we must take care of them. I will be a commander in chief who understands that we have the greatest military in the world that has done everything they have been asked to do. Thousands are coming home and they don’t know what happened. They don’t have a physical wound.

Cynara distracted me, I don’t know what Hillary said for a while. She’s awesome, but she smells like an ashtray. How’s that for self-indulgent? Bye Cynara, back to the conclusion of the speech.

We have issues where we can find common ground, but we also need a president who can stand our ground. We don’t want to be unified for the sake of unity; we need to be unified for progress and for our kids and for hard working middle class Americans. We can do this together.

Caucuses are different from a primary. My theory about democracy is that everybody should participate. Stand up for me for a couple hours on Saturday, I will stand up for you and together we will change our country and make history.

Having seen Bill, Hill, and Obama live, let me tell you she was the best from a crowd riled up standpoint. 12 hours later, and I’m still thrilled.

Fun game: What one is Carl?

The legislative session starts on the 14th. It’s a short session so that the legislators can campaign for re-election. No major budget decisions. Nothing that hasn’t already gained some traction. So you can limit your expectations. But I won’t; here is what I’d like to see from our legislators:

* A cap and trade system for global warming gases. With our state’s biggest city (and several of our smaller ones) meeting Kyoto already, we ought to be able to make a cap and trade system with some real teeth. It’s my understanding that states can get into the European system if we meet their standards. This should be our goal. We can lead the country and get set up with a new commodity. Good for the environment and good for the local economy if we can make it happen.

* Income tax. Yeah, I know, a state supreme court decision in the 30’s says we can’t have one. We can have up to a 1% income tax, so here’s my proposal: A 1/2% flat tax for incomes between $30,000 and $60,000 and 1% for incomes over $60,000. We take whatever income we get from that tax and reduce the regressive state sales tax by that much.

* The article Lee linked to the other day had a suggestion for a law that will be tough to get through even this legislature, but is worth a shot:

When mothers abandon their unwanted newborns—which happens with alarming frequency—they must decide whether to leave an infant in a Dumpster, where the child is likely to die, or in a public place, where the child’s likelihood of survival is higher but so are the chances that the mother will be seen by witnesses, arrested, and prosecuted. The pandemic of abandoned newborns in the 1990s spawned a popular movement to declare emergency rooms and other medical facilities “safe havens” where mothers could abandon newborns without risking arrest. In 2002, the Washington State Legislature passed such a law.

A law that encourages people to call 911 when someone is overdosing would be grounded in the same impulse: It’s better to save lives than to prosecute every crime. But saving the lives of newborn babies is an easy sell and saving the lives of drug users is not.

But a life is a life to Senator Kline, who introduced legislation that would provide amnesty to people who call 911 to report an overdose. The bill, first introduced in 2005 and reintroduced in 2007 (remaining active in the 2008 session), states, “A person shall not be charged, subject to civil forfeiture, or otherwise prosecuted for a [drug offense] if… the person reported the drug overdose to law enforcement or summoned medical assistance at the time it was witnessed….”

Even the far from perfect law by Senator Kline would be a step in the right direction.

* Marriage Equity. Actually passing it does two things: First it gives gay couples the same recognition as the rest of us. As I told my evangelical cousin at Christmas, “what, do you want them living in sin?” But it also does something nice politically. It gets the issue off the table. Gay people aren’t going to drop the issue until they get full marriage equity, and the evangelical community isn’t going to drop the issue until gay people are all stoned to death, but having the end point puts the issue out of the minds of the rest of voters. So yeah, in the short term there may be some political fall out, but in the longer term it lets us not engage the crazies on the state level.

Anyway, there are a few from me, but I’d love to know what you want.

Flotsam Media have their pre-playoff power rankings, and they sure said a lot about the Seahawks.

This is a lazy Friday open thread.

Happy war on holiday.

* Mitt Romney gave a speech about freeance and religiosity. And he was introduced by a jackass.

* And, speaking of freedom needing religion, how about those moderate Muslims?

* And speaking of Romney, Goddamn are some of his supporters sensitive.

* And speaking of (is there a pattern here? I’ll stop) GOP whining. It’s bad that Democrats are allowed to ask questions of Republicans. And of Democrats.

* Democrats need not jump to defend the CIA when it obstructs justice.

* Political journalism is tough. But at least it’s easy to find the bias when people take short cuts and make up the news.

* Michelle Malkin and Freepers are delightful people.

Locally:

* It’s nice to know what’s a real emergency.

* The complaint against Dino Rossi was dismissed, but to the Republicans who seem to think that makes him clean, you are an idiot.

* Dino Rossi’s idea man is having trouble reading the Constitution.

This is an open thread

As to Goldy’s post this morning, I have not had sex with Larry Craig, but on the other hand, anonymous bathroom sex isn’t my thing.

* It’s so rare that you get a statement that converges so much of the bullshit that’s been going around into one delightful package.

* Bill O’Reilly has a new book out for kids. And if you’re having trouble reading the tiny tiny font, Keith Olbermann channels Fiorello LaGuardia and reads the comics for you.

* Y’all probably heard that Hillary Clinton’s Rochester, NH campaign office was taken hostage last week. What you might have missed is the freeper reaction.

* So, naming a bear Muhammad is a grave offense? Geez.

* Is Obama a Muslim version of the Manchurian Candidate? Well the fact that he’s a Christian, and that’s insane might lead you to a solid no. But for one of the nation’s most important newspapers, it’s still an open question.

* But the biggest bullshit is the fact that you don’t know what’s going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Locally:

* A local crazy man got to open the Republican debate.

* Doc Hastings sure doesn’t like poor children.

* Faith and Freedom need money.

* Did anyone on this blog mention the special session was bullshit?

This is an open thread

Talking to several people at Drinking Liberally yesterday, there’s a real question of where the local netroots should be headed. A lot of people are glad that the netroots got involved in the Burner-Tom primary (moreso than I was, as I was still undecided if leaning). And there is some discussion of primary challengers to entrenched Democrats in the legislature who aren’t pulling their weight.

Many Seattle Democrats and other Democrats in safe seats aren’t doing their part. It’s not just about liberal issues; most of the caucus from safe seats votes correctly most of the time. But too much of the leadership is coming from some more suburban swing districts. I’m not sure, for instance, why the impeachment resolution had to come from a suburban first term Democrat. I’m not sure why the leader on drug policy reform is a suburban first term Democrat. I’d like the safe Democrats to do more of this, and if they aren’t willing, I’d like to see them replaced.

That said, I’m not as convinced about the netroots’ ability to turn a primary as some people. We’ve still got a fairly small audience, and while we can raise some money, we aren’t enough on our own. We can maybe influence some media, but we’re still only writing to a small number of voters. We’ll also almost certainly be more divided than in a general election contest, as some people will inevitably take the side of the incumbents who got elected for a reason, and more bloggers will stay out.

Finally, there’s the question of who to primary. Ultimately, it would be the choice of whoever is willing to run. But given the problems above, we couldn’t support it if all the deadwood got challenged at the same time. Some will be better candidates, and some will run against worse incumbents.

Not too much bullshit this week, or if there was, I was too busy celebrating Thanksgiving to notice.

* Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving as much as the President.

* And I hope you also enjoyed your make employees get up at 4:00, or earlier day.

* Our Saudi allies sure are, um, what’s the word after shittastic?

Locally:

* Michael Medved is a crazy man.

* Lou Guzzo has some ideas about race.

* Some say the Tri-City Herald’s editorials are unhelpful.

This is an open thread

This may be a bit of a Hillary Clinton centric post. If you don’t like it get your own spot on HA and have a repetitive shtick. Then it can focus on your favorite presidential candidate. Or whatever, I’ve tried to support all of the Democrats against bullshit, but this week has been mostly directed at Clinton (because she’s winning and because she’s a woman, I suspect).

* Andrew Sullivan really doesn’t like Hillary. I happen to prefer the political environment of the 1990’s to that of the Bush era.

* Anyhoo, she’s probably got girl cooties.

OK, not too Clintonie, that’s it.

* Mitt Romney is push polling himself.

* Fox News Porn banned by digg.

* I’m sure we totally have the resources to invade Pakistan.

* The new media laws seem to still be up in the air.

* Last year when the Republicans didn’t pass a budget, it didn’t have any earmarks. So the Republicans are good fiscal stewards.

Locally:

* Goldy touched on this, but Rick Ensey’s wife Diane is giving us pseudonymous bloggers a bad name.

* He also touched on this like two posts ago, but Dave Reichert‘s inability to do basic FEC reporting is the gift that keeps on giving.

* You may have missed it, but I guess there was a tax revolt in King County.

* I hope one day we can figure out what the anti-war protesters want.

I mean honestly what the fuck?

In the genteel world of bridge, disputes are usually handled quietly and rarely involve issues of national policy. But in a fight reminiscent of the brouhaha over an anti-Bush statement by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks in 2003, a team of women who represented the United States at the world bridge championships in Shanghai last month is facing sanctions, including a yearlong ban from competition, for a spur-of-the-moment protest.

At issue is a crudely lettered sign, scribbled on the back of a menu, that was held up at an awards dinner and read, “We did not vote for Bush.”

By e-mail, angry bridge players have accused the women of “treason” and “sedition.”

“This isn’t a free-speech issue,” said Jan Martel, president of the United States Bridge Federation, the nonprofit group that selects teams for international tournaments. “There isn’t any question that private organizations can control the speech of people who represent them.”

Not so, said Danny Kleinman, a professional bridge player, teacher and columnist. “If the U.S.B.F. wants to impose conditions of membership that involve curtailment of free speech, then it cannot claim to represent our country in international competition,” he said by e-mail.

It only gets more insane. These women make their living playing bridge. They are some of the best in the world, and they’re being threatened with a years’ banishment because they held up a menu that said “We did not vote for Bush”? Seriously.

I’m super pissed off that there’s honestly any discussion of people losing their livelihood because they held up a menu that said how they voted. These are mothers and they held up a sign during a victory celebration. While waving American flags and singing the National Anthem.

And by the way, the French team got the American ideal better than our country:

“By trying to address these issues in a nonviolent, nonthreatening and lighthearted manner,” the French team wrote in by e-mail to the federation’s board and others, “you were doing only what women of the world have always tried to do when opposing the folly of men who have lost their perspective of reality.”

Anyway, next up is my expose on Pinochle: what do they do with all the low value cards, anyway?

Seahawks beat the 49ers edition.

* The wingnut welfare squad sure are upset that their publishers cheated them to the New York Times best seller list.

* The scene in The Godfather II where Michael beats up Kate after she tells him she had an abortion is apparently inspirational to crazy people.

* Hillary Clinton is a terrible debater who simultaneously shows too much and not enough emotion. And who was a good debater in real time.

* Those of us who say torture doesn’t work? Alan Dershowitz has the answer for us.

* You need 60 votes to pass anything in the Senate, except when you only need 50.

* I for one don’t miss the old old days of blogs.

* Bush is still our president. Sigh.

Locally:

* Lets not run back to reinstate the I-747 limits quite yet.

* Is there anything about Doc Hastings that isn’t bullshit?

* I think it’s been discussed on this blog once or twice before, but the political class sure knows the meaning of the Prop. 1 failure.

This is an open thread.

Maybe you want to talk about something that isn’t Roads and Transit? Anyway, I miss Do-Nothing-Doc. Sure, he wasn’t investigating Tom DeLay or any other Republican corruption. But at least he wasn’t riding herd on the opposition to basic gay rights:

Representative Doc Hastings of Washington, who led the Republican effort to get a vote on the amendment, said he opposed the overall bill in part because many states already had similar laws and because he viewed it as intrusive. “I do not think it is the place of the federal government to legislate how each and every place of business operates,” Mr. Hastings said.

No: the states, counties, and cities where gay rights aren’t protected are the very places where basic gay civil rights are needed the most.