Pap: Climate change leading to food shortages.

Olbermann with Valerie Plame Wilson on ridding the world of nuclear weapons:

Comcast Newsmakers interviews Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Thom: The Good, the Bad and the Very, Very Ugly.

CNN’s Dana Loesch triumphs over the Toe Sucker and Aqua Buddha to snatch the title of Worst Person in the World.

Wall Street Occupied:

• Sam Seder: Really, the Occupy Wall Street message couldn’t be clearer.
• Alyona’s Tool Time: Michael Bloomberg.
• Olbermann with Matt Taibbi on the evolution of the Occupy Wall Street protests.
• Jon on Occupy Wall Street.
• Young Turks: Pepper spraying cop.
• O’Donnell: Unprovoked brutality on Wall Street.
• Maddow: Why occupy Wall Street?
• Sam Seder: Interviewing the occupiers.
• Aloyna’s Fireside Chat on Occupy Wall Street.
• Thom: News from Wall Street.
• Sam Seder: Media ignore the Occupation but cover Teabagger meeting at Dennys.
• Olbermann: DA investigation of the pepper spraying.
• Thom: Occupy Wall Street—who will win?
• Young Turks: Michael Moore’s street speech.
• Olbermann with Sam Seder on the protests.

Alyona’s Tool Time: Bill-O and his NPR hypocrisy.

Maddow: The French 75.

Mark Fiore: TEMA.

Racism in America:

• Thom: The College Republican’s “race-based” bake sale?.
• Young Turks: Pat Robertson talks racism.
• Herman Cain thinks Black folks are brainwashed.
• Ed with some major Psychotalk from Herman Cain.
• Olbermann with Janeane Garofalo on how “Herb” Caine helps Republicans hide their racism.
• Pap: Teabaggers are still driven by racism.
• Thom: Is racism responsible for infant mortality in the U.S.?
• Racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz. is Worst Person in the World.

Greenman: NASA on Arctic sea ice.

Capitol Hostage Situation:

• Newsy: The Onion tweets fake capitol hostage situation.
• ONN: Video from inside the congressional hostage situation.

Ed with Pap and Joe Madison: At last, Obama fights back.

Olbermann and Markos Moulitsas on Roger Ailes’ attempt at rebranding Fox.

Thom gives Teabaggers a constitutional lesson.

Jon does Bill-O.

Maddow: Unalienable rights are not subject to a vote.

Comcast Newsmakers interviews Peter Goldmark.

The G.O.P. Primary Asylum:

• O’Donnell: GOP Debate gives comedians material
• Ann Telnaes: Newt proposes pro-market health care.
• Young Turks: God, the Bible, evolution and Newt.
• Read Rick Perry’s lips (via Slog):
• Young Turks: Rick Perry backs off Immigrant stance.
• Ann Telnaes: The GOP balloon ride .
• Stephen on Rick’s lousy debate performance.
• Stephen: Perry’s heartless gaffe and education for immigrants.
• Young Turks: Christie presidency unlikely for 2012.
• Alyona’s Happy Hour: Is Christie too fat?
• Ed and Pap: Is Chris Christie healthy enough to run for president?
• Newsy: Is Chris Christie too fat to be Prez?
• Sharpton: Inside Governor Chris Christie’s uncouth bullying tactics.
• Bachmann babbles something about Obama and the Arab spring.
• Ed with some major psychotalk from Michele Bachmann.
• Actual Audio: Santorum gets all frothy over gay soldiers.
• Jon and Larry Wilmore on Herman Cain’s surprise Florida straw poll win.
• Newsy: Rudy thinks about it.
• Maddow: Former McCain Palin staffers discourage a Palin 2012 run.
• O’Donnell: Is Palin on thin ice with FAUX News?
• The Oddest Couple:

White House: West Wing Week.

Thom with more Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

O’Donnell: Lynch-mob Republicans can’t get enough of the ‘death penalty’ and misery of others.

Rep. Allen West (R-FL) beats a couple of other kooks for title of Worst Person in the World.

Thom: Time for a revolution?

Pap: Time for Democrats to fight.

Stephen ingests Karl Rove’s PAC fundraising secrets.

Greenman: The 2011 Arctic ice minimum.

ONN: Who is/are the worst liars in D.C.?

Thom: Even more Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

So what we have here is Rob McKenna participating in the multi-state lawsuit, now fully aware that the goal of the lawsuit is to strike down the entire law.

If McKenna is successful, Washington state gets credit for the downfall of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Ouch! Like that sooooooo represents our state. But that’s nuttin’.

Just for shits and giggles, I decided to look up the immediate effects should the lawsuit succeed in killing the law—the things that would affect hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Washingtonians.

Here’s what I found:

• Strips small businesses of the 35% tax credit (50% beginning in 2014) provided to make employee coverage more affordable.
• Eliminate for early retirees the temporary re-insurance program (pending the full development of insurance exchanges).
• Eliminate consumer protections and the external review process for appealing insurance company coverage determinations or claims.
• End the prohibition on recissions—that is, insurance companies will, once again, be allowed to drop sick people from coverage.
• End the prohibition on insurance companies denying coverage to children (and, in 2014, everyone) with pre-existing conditions
• Eliminate caps—once again allow insurance companies to place lifetime caps on coverage.
• End prohibition of certain annual coverage limits—some are in effect right now but all such restrictions will be eliminated by 2014.
• Re-open the Medicare part D “donut hole” by eliminating the 50% discount on brand name drugs for those in the donut hole, and put a halt to the gradual elimination of the donut hole by 2020.
• Reinstate co-payments for preventive care and, under medicare, once again allow preventive care to be included in deductibles.
• Eliminate funding for state consumer assistance programs that help folks navigating the health care insurance process.
• Eliminate funding for resources and new screening procedures that reduce fraud and waste in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.
• Eliminate the option for young adults to remain on their parents’ insurance plan until they turn 26.

That is a selection of the tangible benefits that have already fully or partially kicked in under the law.

It will be painful…particularly to our state’s youngest and oldest citizens.

There are many more benefits to come. Some are extremely important, like getting insurance for the estimated 50 million uninsured Americans.

And then there is the fiscal effects, to the tune of quashing the $210 billion in deficit reduction over the next 10 years, and an estimated $1 trillion over the next 20 years.

Shit…with gubernatorial wannabes like McKenna…who needs al Qaeda?

Rob “Cupcake” McKenna has lost control of the multi-state lawsuit against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

McKenna made the unilateral decision to join the lawsuit, against the will of the voters, the Governor, and the state legislature. He then repeatedly reassured us all that the aim of the lawsuit is only to overturn the “individual mandate” while keeping the rest of the law intact:

When Attorney General Rob McKenna signed on to the partisan Republican lawsuit challenging the federal Health Care Reform law, he claimed that he was not trying to overturn or repeal the entire law, only part of it.

In an interview with BJ Shea on KISW, McKenna stated, “We don’t think we can stop this entire bill, we don’t think we can or that we should.”

In a video on his official website, McKenna stated, “There are two provisions that are focused on in this lawsuit. None of the thousands of other provisions in the law are affected because we are just addressing these two provisions. . . . . the individual health insurance mandate. . . .and Medicaid.”

In an interview with KING 5 News, McKenna stated, “We are not challenging the policy, that is not our role.”

McKenna’s official website reads, “This suit will not ‘overturn’ or ‘repeal’ the new health care reform legislation. In fact, this lawsuit will not affect most provisions in this 2,400-page bill.”

Has McKenna been lying to us all along? Or…maybe he just didn’t know what the fuck he was doing by joining the lawsuit. Because the principles of the lawsuit see a larger purpose:

“This health-care law is an affront on Americans’ individual liberty,” said Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who asked the high court to strike down the entire law, not just its mandate that all Americans have health insurance. […]

Bondi’s request to strike down the entire law was at odds with McKenna’s statements when he made Washington state a plaintiff in the case last year.

McKenna, a Republican candidate for governor in 2012, said his goal in joining the lawsuit was not to strike down the entire law, just the provisions he argues are unconstitutional — chiefly the mandate. But the plaintiffs’ legal briefs since then repeatedly have sought to scrap the entire law.

McKenna’s office said he has been overruled on that point by his co-plaintiffs.

So, whether he initially lied or was just too fucking stupid or incurious enough to know what he was signing up for, the one thing we know: McKenna hasn’t been influential enough to convince his fellow AGs to limit the scope to what he promised us.

McKenna should now do the right thing and pull out of the lawsuit.

Please join us tonight for an evening of politics under the influence at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally.

We meet every Tuesday at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00 pm, but a few folks show up earlier for a quiet dinner.

Can’t make it tonight? The Tri-Cities chapter of Drinking liberally meets every Tuesday night. Tonight the Bellingham Chapter also meets at 7:00pm. Tomorrow night at 7:00pm, the Burien chapter meets. And next Monday, the Olympia and the South Bellevue chapters of Drinking Liberally meet at 7:00 pm.

With 225 chapters of Living Liberally, including thirteen in Washington state and six more in Oregon, chances are good there is one near you.

There is another statewide poll result released by King 5 today. This one is for the 2012 Attorney General race between King Council members Bob Ferguson (D) and Reagan Dunn (R). Like the gubernatorial poll I wrote about earlier, 523 registered voters expressed a preference.

A total of 388 had a preference, of which 207 (39%) went for Ferguson and 181 (34%) went for Dunn. Some 27% had no preference—hardly surprising since both politicians are mostly known in King County. The normalized percentages are 53.4% for Ferguson and 46.6% for Dunn. But the poll has a very small effective sample size.

The Monte Carlo analysis of a million simulated elections finds Ferguson winning 825,042 times to Dunn’s 165,625 victories.

If an election was to be held today, we would expect Ferguson to win with an 83.3% probability. Of course, the polling results are not “significant” by traditional criteria.

I suspect that this poll is biased in favor of Ferguson. My reason is that the largest share of undecideds probably come from outside of King County, where there is low name recognition for both candidates. Therefore, what we see is likely dominated by Democratic-leaning preferences within King County. A small countervailing bias might arise from the better name recognition outside of King County for Reagan Dunn, on account of his late Mother, Rep. Jennifer Dunn (R). Still, Ferguson gets a few points advantage out of the poll at this stage of the election season.

The contrast between this race and the gubernatorial race is interesting. At first glance, it might seem concerning that Ferguson (D) leads Dunn (R) for Attorney General in the same poll that finds current Attorney General Rob McKenna (R) leading Rep. Jay Inslee (D) for the Governor’s race. Rather than spelling doom for Inslee, I think this just shows that McKenna has much better name recognition statewide, and even within King County. The position of Attorney General can be high-profile, and McKenna has certainly not been bashful about taking advantage of it to raise his profile. And while Inslee has been very popular in the 1st CD (winning by double digits in every one of his last six reelection bids), he hasn’t nearly the name recognition outside of his district.

In sum, Inslee is a little better off than today’s poll suggests, and Ferguson is a little worse off than today’s poll suggests. Both races are probably closer to 50%-50%.

Update: As Richard Pope points out in the comment thread, the numbers in the post didn’t match the headline. The headline is correct. I screwed up typing Inslee’s number into a database, and the error spread from there. All fixed now.

A new poll is about to be released in the Washington gubernatorial race between Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA-01) and state Attorney General Rob McKenna. The poll surveyed 532 registered voters and was conducted on behalf of KING 5 by Survey USA. KING 5‘s Robert Mak gives a brief overview of the results.

0f the 532 surveyed, 404 436 had an opinion: 170 202 (32 38%) supported Inslee and 234 (44%) supported McKenna. The undecided group made up 24.1 18%. I did my typical Monte Carlo analysis using a million simulated elections at the observed percentages. Inslee “won” 11,474 136,028 times and McKenna “won” 987,293 856,218 times.

The results suggest that, if the election was held today, McKenna would win with a 98.9 86.3% probability. Note that since McKenna’s probability of winning is less than 95%, the lead is not considered “significant” by traditional statistical reasoning.

It is, of course, too early to panic over this poll, particularly with 24 18% undecided. Nevertheless, this poll puts McKenna in the lead. Last week a poll from Strategies 360, a Democratic consulting firm, showed a similar lead for McKenna, 46% to 39%. I generally ignore polls from partisan consultants or polls commissioned by campaigns, but the similarity in results is noteworthy. The previous “real” poll for this race was from Survey USA in late June and showed Inslee with a small, non-significant lead over McKenna, 47% to 44% (my analysis is here).

Mac points out for today’s poll:

McKenna’s early lead can be attributed in part to his strength in the Puget Sound area. In King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, he’s even with Inslee at 41% each, which is significant for a Republican candidate. As expected, McKenna picks up votes in more conservative eastern Washington with a 59%-25% advantage.

Inslee has, apparently, lost ground to McKenna on both fronts: in June he was up 49% to 42% in Seattle and McKenna was up 51% to 41% in eastern Washington.

This race is being touted as the hottest Governor’s race in the country, and the best G.O.P. gubernatorial pick-up opportunity in the nation. It’s certainly living up to the hype!

Obama: Address to the U.N.:

Ann Telnaes: The dangers of privatizing Social Security.

Pap: Trade deals are killing American jobs.

Thom: How Republicans are trying to steal elections.

Capital Punishment:

• Ann Telnaes: The problem with capital punishment….
• Thom: Have the psychopaths taken over America?

Mark Fiore: SolyndraGatePocalypse.

Young Turks are going to Current TV.

Something to make Puddybud’s head implode: Al Gore welcomes Cenk and the Young Turks to Current TV:

New co-chair of “Rick Perry’s Florida Presidency 5 campaign leadership team” is Worst Person in the World.

Ed with some psychotalk from a poor impoverished Republican.

Sam Seder: First hand account of “Occupy Wall Street”.

Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

• Thom and Lt. Dan Choi on repeal of DADT.
• Jay Inslee on repeal of DADT.
• Lawrence O’Donnell and Dan Savage on DADT
• Maddow: The end of DADT (Part I).
• Maddow: The end of DADT (Part II).
• Young Turks: No sex in military says Rick Santorum.

Obama: The American Inventions act.

Actual Audio: James Carville wants Obama to fire somebody.

Pap and Ed: The truly evil nature of FAUX News.

Jon interviewed by Rolling Stone.

The G.O.P. Primary Asylum:

• Liberal Viewer: Are Republicans pro-Life or pro-death
• David Lettermann mocks the GOP debate.
• GOP 2012: A lot of reasons not to elect ’em
• Sam Seder: Candidates silent as debate audience boos gay soldier.
• David Schuster on anti-intellectualism in the G.O.P. primary.
• Newsy: Covering the crowd’s booing a gay soldier.
• Michele Bachmann chooses HPV:
• Young Turks: Michele Bachmann & dangerous food
• Alyona’s Tool Time: Michele Bachmann, “The banks are getting killed.”
• David Shuster and comedian Andy Borowitz on Bachmann’s Tonight Show appearance.
• Pap: Michele Bachmann’s warped world view.
• Young Turks: underinformed voters love Perry.
• Aloyna: Perry Chokes.
• Sam: God tells Rick Perry to kiss AIG ass.
• Young Turks: Rick Perry’s Armageddon.
• Rick Perry’s Texas Miracle:
• Tweety: What Texas miracle?
• Young Turks: Perry’s secession lie.
• Newsy: Romney and Perry trade blows
• Mitt-pocrisy on the American Jobs Act.
• Alyona’s Tool Time: Middle-Class Mitt.
• Sharpton: Mitt’s personal investments…
• Young Turks: No sex in military says Rick Santorum.
• Sam Seder: Rick Santorums all over Google.
• Alyona’s Tool Time: Santorum’s Google problem.
• Comedy Central talks to Gary Johnson (he’s running for President).

White House: West Wing Week.

David Schuster with Comedian Jamie Kilstein on Tea Party untruths.

American Family Association breaks into Worst Person in the World.

Thom: The Good, the Bad, and the Very, Very Ugly.

Newsy: Political ads on Twitter.

Oh Nos! Class Warfare!

• Ed and Pap: It’s not class warfare…it’s class genocide!
• Olbermann and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm on class warfare.
• Stephen: The Buffet rule and Obama’s class warfare.
• Ann Telnaes: Class warfare, GOP style.
• Pap: The class warfare that needs to happen.

Thom: More Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

Stephen: Obama wasted no time emarassing US at the UN.

Pap: The hatred coming from the Teabaggers.

Thom: Republicans are taking more hostages, are you next?

Alyona’s Happy Hour: Bristol Palin bar fight.

Obama on No Child Left Behind.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

It’s time for more Republican kkkraaaaazzzzy! Tonight’s debate is brought to you by the odd team of Google and FAUX News.

The livestream can be found here.

I’ll liveblog as I have the chance and inclination…provided the dry heaving doesn’t turn into actual vomiting.

5:58: Okay…I’m getting a little more psyched. I’m curious to learn whose death will bring on raucous cheers from the audience, this time.

6:00: Gary Johnson is allowed to participate!?!

6:07: Bachmann wants everyone to keep every single dollar that they earn. Does she even know where her salary comes from?

6:08: Santorum said something, but I was writing the above comment. It sounded really icky anyway.

6:15: “And that dog don’t hunt”, Herman Cain channels Bill Clinton.

6:24: Nice…America’s least popular Governor (Scott) wishes the candidates good luck.

6:25: Rick Perry on Social Security: I didn’t really mean to eliminate Social Security…its just that we should allow people to be in other programs just like they are already doing in almost every state!

6:32: Why does Herman Cain hate Richard Nixon?!?

6:34: Newt brings back the Contract on America™!

6:41: Huh…did you know that Michele Bachmann is the mother of 5 biological children and foster mother of 23 children?

6:42: Huntsman one-ups two-ups Bachmann. He has 7 biological children.

6:44: The Great Wall of Bachmann

6:46: And…The Great Wall of Newt

6:48: And The Great Wall of Mitt

6:51: Chris Wallace just said, “Senator Santorum…no need to butt in!”

6:52: The Great Wall of Santorum. Eeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww!

6:54: Someone should tell Ron Paul that the term “data bank” hasn’t been used since 1979.

Please join us for an evening of politics under the influence at tonight’s Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally.

We meet every Tuesday at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00 pm, but a few folks show up earlier for dinner.

Can’t make it tonight? The Tri-Cities chapter of Drinking liberally meets every Tuesday night. And the Everett chapter of Drinking Liberally meets at the Buzz Inn in Snohomish next Monday at 7:00 pm.

With 228 chapters of Living Liberally, including thirteen in Washington state and six more in Oregon, chances are good there is something near you.

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and the Very, Very Ugly.

Olbermann with Ali Soufan on misinformation about success of torture & waterboarding.

President Obama marks the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Stephen: Michael Moore admits he’s a bigot….

The Republican Primary Asylum:

• Colbert celebrates Ron Paul gaining the coveted ‘shit faced vote’ (via TalkingPointsMemo).
• Young Turks: Nicknames for GOP candidates.
• Red State Update: Recapping the CNN Teabagger debate.
• Young Turks: Michele Bachmann’s vaccine problem.
• Young Turks: Huntsman calls Perry treasonous.
• David Schuster and comedian Lizz Winstead on Michele Bachmann’s dubious HPV vaccination claim.
• Olbermann on Bachmann’s bizarre claim about HPV vaccine.
• Sam Seder: Not just Ron Paul…all conservatives say “let ’em die.
• Ed and Pap: Perry and Bachmann — The fringe frauds
• Young Turks: Ron Paul’s DEAD UNINSURED former campaign manager.
• Mark Fiore: Sarah and Michele fillin’ in.
• Thom: Let the uninsured die!
• The Donald had dinner with “Jim” Perry.
• Sam Seder: Conservative secret fears.
• Susie tackles Michele Bachmann.
• Jon on The Teabagger Debate (via Political Wire).
• Olbermann with Alan Grayson: Letting the uninsured die.
• Red State Update: Rick Perry and the rise of the Red State Jackiebaggers
• Sam Seder on The debate.

Roy Zimmerman: My Conservative Girlfriend:

Stephen on FEMA’s waffle house index.

David Schuster and comedian Katie Halper on the revelations in Joe McGinniss’ book about Sarah Palin.

Sam Seder: The future of Libya.

Jon: Obama’s Solyndra scandal.

Thom: More Good, Bad and Very, Very Ugly.

Ann Telnaes: The GOP base.

Anthropogenic Climate Change:

• The last hour of Al Gore’s 24 hours. (h/t Artistdogboy)
• David Mitchell’s Soapbox: Burden of Proof.
• Greenman: Energy efficiency (Part II).

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and the Very, Very Ugly.

Pap: Chamber of Commerce at odds with reality.

Ann Telnaes: GOP bathroom reading.

The PA Plan:

• Sam Seder on PA GOP electoral college plot.
• Young Turks: Republicans fighting electoral college.
• David Schuster and Ian Millhiser on GOP attempts to manipulate electoral college

ONN: Landmark civil rights act made racism slightly less overt.

Glenn Beck is BACK…as Worst Person in the World.

Thom: If you don’t have a job, you’re not free.

Pap: America’s income disparity explained.

Liberal Viewer: California ending the death penalty?

White House: West Wing Week.

The American Jobs Act:

• Jon: The plan.
• Thom: Lunatic Florida Gov. will turn down jobs monies.
• Alyona: Pass the jobs bill? Dream on!
• Ed and Pap: Soulless Republicans will never sign onto jobs bill
• Ann Telnaes: The only job the GOP cares about.
• Stephen: Paul Krugman explains how the government can create jobs

Young Turks: Panic!

Jon on NY’s 9th District.

Sam Seder: FBI investigating Scott Walker?

Thom: Republicans unfazed by 15% of all Americans now poor.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

Like a little boy running to his mommy, Rob McKenna is whining, “No fair!” over the fact that he is prevented from raising money during the legislative session. And Jay Inslee isn’t:

We have state rules that we have to follow. We have a fundraising freeze from 30 days before the (legislative) session, through the session, we have to spend a lot more resources in building our contributor list and raising money than a non-state candidate, who doesn’t face what we face under the law, but might want to follow to show they follow spirit the law,”

…McKenna’s spokesbaby, Randy Pepple, sobbed in a semi-incoherent run-on sentence. The PI adds some context:

As a state elected official, McKenna, like state legislators, is barred from seeking campaign funds during any legislative session. The Legislature will return in January for a 60-day session.

Yeah…sure, Rob. Inslee is going to voluntarily abstain from fundraising during the state legislative session. You know, just like Dino Rossi did against Gregoire:

Rossi made up serious financial ground during this year’s legislative session, when Gregoire was not allowed to raise money.

(Of course, the legislative session being in session will do nothing to prevent the Koch Brothers’ and friends from funneling money into the race.)

But, whatever. There is nothing stopping McKenna from raising funds during the legislative session. All he has to do is quit his job. You know, pull a Palin. Then he can raise funds just like Rossi did and Inslee will do. (And as a bonus, McKenna can engage in pathetic whining to his heart’s content…full-time, if necessary!)

But short of McKenna resigning, I can imagine one “remedy” in which Inslee might voluntary give up his fundraising during the state’s legislative session: If McKenna spends weekdays working out of an office in Washington D.C., and commuting back to Washington state on weekends….

Please join us for an evening of politics under the influence at tonight’s Seattle Chapter of Drinking liberally.

We meet every Tuesday at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00 pm, but a few folks show up earlier for dinner.

Can’t make it tonight? There are a bunch of nearby meetings. The Tri-Cities chapter of Drinking liberally meets every Tuesday night. Drinking Liberally Bellingham also meets tonight beginning at 7:00pm. Drinking Liberally Tacoma meets this Thursday, 7:00pm at the Hub Restaurant. The brand new Woodinville chapter of Drinking Liberally meets next Monday at 7:00 pm. Also next Monday, the Olympia chapter of Drinking Liberally meets at 7:00pm.

With 227 chapters of Living Liberally, including thirteen in Washington state and six more in Oregon, chances are excellent there’s one near you.

A couple of months ago, State Auditor Brian Sonntag made the “difficult” decision to not jump into the gubernatorial race. At the time I wrote:

Sonntag is nominally a Democrat, with a track record that includes things like endorsing Republican King County Executive candidate Susan Hutchison, snuggling spooning blowing Tim Eyman, and participating in Teabagger events.

We can only hope that the buzz about a potential Sonntag gubernatorial bid has encouraged some talented people to think about running for the open Auditor seat. And with any luck, they’ll still run, but now against Sonntag. Otherwise, I’m afraid, Sonntag will maintain his grip on the State Auditor’s office…well, until it’s pried out of his cold, dead hands.

Sonntag remains amongst the living. But, apparently, he came up short on a self-performance audit. Today he announced his intention to retire from the position, leaving another statewide open seat—the fourth.

So let’s all follow Dwight Pelz’s lead and thank Brian and wish him well:

“Brian Sonntag’s 35 year record of public service goes nearly unmatched in Washington State. He has been a true state leader, an advocate for the people of Washington, and an independent voice in the Democratic Party. On his retirement from the auditor’s office, we wish him our heartfelt thanks and congratulations.”

I have no idea who will run for the open position. Perhaps Susan DelBene? DelBene has an MBA from the University of Washington. The former tech-sector CEO and Microsoft corporate VP ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Dave Reichert in 2010. She is currently director for the Washington State Department of Revenue. DelBene’s resume looks quite good for the position.

Republicans just don’t bother to put up candidates for the position anymore.

[S]tate GOP spokesman Josh Amato said Monday: “We liked what Brian was doing. We weren’t working on taking him out of office.”

With the office open, however, Republicans expect to have qualified candidates willing to run, Amato said.

Here’s an idea that will add some zest to the race: Republicans should draft Tim “Biggest Lie of My Life” Eyman. Tim should grow the fuck up and compete for a real job. He can then stop his continuous begging for (and occasional theft of) money from his supporters. And he can give up his whoring ways, “servicing” rich donors like Michael Dunmire and Kemper Freeman, Jr. Eyman can go all respectable on us.

On the other hand…maybe Republicans can repeat their 2004 strategy: putting Will Baker on the ballot for State Auditor.

Yee Haw! The first ever “Tea Party Presidential Debate” is starting on CNN, staring Wolf Blitzer!?!

So break out your pitchforks and anti-Obama Nazi-inspired signs and cheer along to the crazy!

5:05 (PDT): I may add some comments as the debate progresses. But, really, is there any point? My hunch is that the sheer crazy will be stand-alone entertaining.

5:11: Did Newt Gingrich REALLY just suggest that the teabagger battle against the government is really like the War on Terror?!? So…Newt believes the U.S. government is like al Qaeda?

5:14: Perry says that nobody has the “courage to fix [Social Security].” I think a former Texas Governor might disagree with that. Of course, Americans rejected that attempt.

5:16: Mitt’s decided he’ll take over asking questions for the debate.

5:18: Ron Paul claims that Social Security IS broke. I guess it depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.

5:21: Newt Gingrich favors scaring the American people because “Obama frightens them every day.” In other words, “Obama is a scary black man.”

5:23: Rick Santorum, “I came out in 1994….”

PROMOTED COMMENT Via Michael: Huntsman goes for the non-existent righty grunge vote with a Curt Cobain reference! [Darryl: Yeah…that was really awkward.]

5:37: Rick Perry just claimed the stimulus created ZERO jobs!?! That is provably false.

5:39: Bachmann, “I said, ‘Don’t raise the debt ceiling….Don’t give the President a $2.5T blank check.” Somebody should point out to Michele that there was no blank check…the $2.5T was already spent.

5:41: Mittster recycles his pay-phone/cell phone quarter-jamming line.

5:43: Mitt sure knows a lot about Texas Economics. Mitt on Perry’s job growth record, “If your dealt 4 aces, it doesn’t necessary make you a great poker player.” Yeah…like Mitt hasn’t been dealt 4 aces in his life….

5:45: Perry wants to kick all the trial lawyers out. He might need to pass a constitutional amendment first….

5:46: Perry has a strong record of cutting taxes in Texas. Sure…and then filling in the missing revenue from Obama’s stimulus funds.

5:54: Wolf Blitzer misquotes Perry. Perry did not suggest Bernanke be “tried for treason” he suggested that “printing more money” would be treasonous. Sheesh!

6:03: Mitt briefly turned liberal, as he criticizes the “fair tax” for being too regressive.

6:06: Man…Bachmann sure goes off the deep end on HPV vaccine discussion.

6:09: Rick Perry is insulted by the suggestion he can be bribed for $5000. Right…it takes a hell of a lot more money than that!

6:18: Ron Paul: The churches will pay for the heath care costs of the uninsured!

6:28: Santorum and Newt are having a love fest between them this debate.

6:30: Wow…Perry may have just lost the entire bunch of teabaggers with his affirmation in support for out-of-state tuition for undocumented residents.

6:32: Huntsman says Perry’s statement on securing the border is treasonous. What the fuck debate is he listening to? I’m not judging the merits of Perry’s statement, but it sure the hell didn’t approach treason!

6:34: Huntsman is babbling nearly as badly as Bachmann tonight. Is he fucking stoned?!?

6:43: Huntsman: More American “shine” will liberate the oppressed women of Afghanistan.

6:49: The “what would you bring to the White House” question was a complete waste of time. Wait…the whole debate doesn’t really qualify as a great use of time. About as “valuable” as watching a typical sitcom.

Conclusion:

I used to think that Huntsman was the least crazy of the bunch. Now I think he has a drug problem.

Perry worked very hard to come off as a moderate. I guess his days as a shit-kickin’ Texan are over. Huh…that strategy seems vaguely familiar….

Mitt began the debate all worked up and then quickly faded to just another right-wing talking point machine.

Michele…Oh, those eyes and their crazy hypnotic spinning!

Newt still demands he be called, “Mr. Speaker.”

Herman Cain…slogan city. And he closes the debate by, essentially, saying that Americans are lacking in humor.

Santorum…eeewwwww, YUCK!

Paul…the same unelectable, semi-babbling person who isn’t afraid to call it like he sees it.