who i'm voting for, and why.

In less than two days, we will wake up knowing who will occupy the Oval Office for the next four years. Hopefully. More importantly, crucial Congressional and Senate races are also taking place. So when we go to the polls on Tuesday, let's not forget those other races.

For those of you in Indiana, here are the much-anticipated fourth-estate.org endorsements:

President

That's a no-brainer to anybody who knows me. When George W. Bush came into office four years ago, I told myself I would give him an opportunity to earn my vote in 2k4. Thus far, he has not. Senator Kerry brings a better plan for re-engaging the world community with the U.S. He has a better handle on the issues. He understands the nonsense of widening the chasm between liberals and conservatives. He may not be the best candidate, but we need a change.

Bush's presidency is frought with a phony war that is becoming a catastrophe, rising deficits, stupid tax cuts, compromised civil liberties, and an overall fear-mongering tone.

It's time for change.

My endorsement: John Kerry

Indiana Governor

This is truly a tough call. joe Kernan, the incumbent, has only been governor for a little over a year (succeeding Frank O'Bannon when he died unexpectedly). Kernan became the reluctant candidate, since he had previously bowed out of the race. His Repbublican opponent, Mitch Daniels, has deep ties to both Indiana (as former CEO of Eli Lilly) and the president (as Bush's budget director). He has deep pockets, too. He earned over $27 million in 2001.

Kernan carries a lot of baggage. The state fell into a deficit after having a $2 billion surplus. It happened on his watch and nobody's happy about that.

Daniels, though a seemingly genuine and sincere man, has that feel of being a "hired gun" by Bushies to extend Dubya's reach. For a guy like me, that's a problem. While he's had the occasional good idea, he also has his own skeletons (as overplayed by anti-Mitch ads).

To a certain degree, I believe change is good. But I'm just not ready to pull the lever for Mitch Daniels. So Joe Kernan is going to get my vote, but he'll have to earn it next time.

My endorsement: Joe Kernan (tepidly)

Senate

Former Indiana Governor Evan Bayh has just served his first term as a senator. The moderate Democrat is a darling in the Hoosier state and is quickly getting some looks on the national level. While I disagreed with his position on the Iraq war, I applaud him for voting no on the gay marriage amendment.

His opponent, Marvin Scott, is a respected Butler University professor, but that's all I know of him. Hell, Richard Lugar didn't even endorse him!

Evan Bayh has represented his constituents well, and I see no reason to change course now.

My endorsement: Evan Bayh

Congress

In every election when I've lived in Indiana, Julia Carson has gotten my vote. The four-term Democrat has been a true, liberal voice in the House and I've always appreciated her for that.

However, her health caused her to miss many votes; a fact not lost on her challenger, Andy Horning.

She also blew off local debates in this election year. I've never liked elected officials blowing off an opportunity to face the opposition.

Being that her recent behavior has made me unenthused, I went to Andy Horning's Web site to get a read on him. Right on cue, he's playing that "my opponent is a scary liberal" card. And then I read his "newspaper" on the Web site.

I simply cannot vote for a man so elementary in his thinking.

And oh yeah, Julia Carson is FOR Daylight Savings Time! That alone gets my vote.

My endorsement: Julia Carson...barely.

Wow. This if the first time I've gone for a clean-sweep with Democrats. Usually I sprinkle in a Republican or Libertarian. Not this year, I guess.

Nov. 2nd is election day. Vote.

agreeing to disagree.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling canceled a scheduled upcoming appearance with President Bush, citing his ankle injury as the reason. He also went on to apologize for publicly endorsing Bush in an interview he gave on Thursday.

"While I am a Bush supporter, and I did vote for him with an absentee ballot, speaking as I did the other day was wrong. While I hope to see him re-elected, it's not my place, nor the time for me to offer up my political opinions unsolicited," Schilling stated in an e-mail posted to a message board.

So this is what it's come to? People apologizing for stating their political views? How sad.

I have no problem with any person wearing their views on their sleeve. Unlike many on the right, I do believe all Americans -- yes, even those in "liberal Hollywood" -- are not over-stepping their bounds when they speak out. Ditto goes for Curt Schilling.

Sure, I don't think he should wear a Dubya button while on the hill at Fenway; but his occupation is quite a bit different than that of a musician. Musicians are afforded a certain level of flakiness not found in too many other professions. Well, outside of Starbucks, that is.

Even movie stars don't have that latitude, no matter how liberal or conservative they are.

So go ahead, Curt Schilling, and endorse Bush all you want. While I completely disagree with you on this one, it doesn't mean I like or respect you any less.

I just wonder how many conservatives can do the same with the likes of the Dixie Chicks, Bruce Springsteen, et al.

It's time to let people speak their minds and agree that it's okay to disagree.

how to blow an election in six easy steps:

Many Bush supporters are dumbfounded as to how such a well-oiled machine has suddenly lost a gear or two on the last lap of this race. It comes as no surprise to me. See, Karl Rove mapped out a sure-fire way to blow this election in six easy steps.

Here they are:

1. “Mission Accomplished”



On May 1, 2003, President Bush did something no other sitting president had ever done (not even the ones who actually saw combat!): he co-piloted a fighter jet to land on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln where a red, white and blue banner declared “Mission Accomplished” in Iraq.

Less than 150 U.S. soldiers had lost their lives in Iraq at the time Bush made the bold gesture.

As of the time I write this, 1,111 American soldiers and 68 British troops have been killed in Iraq along with an estimated 100,000 civilians.

2. The Debate Debacle



If any good came of this year’s presidential debates, it’s that Bush was exposed – AGAIN – for being the thoughtless, bumbling, shortsighted, unprepared, grimacing dolt of a president most of us already knew.

The mere fact that his handlers regarded it a success that he was able to keep up with Kerry by the third debate is more telling than anything else.

As near as I can tell from Dubya’s own words, being president is “hard work.” He reminded us of that 11 fucking times in the first debate.

And then he pouted. And pouted. And pouted.

Joke all you like about it, Mr. President, but you came off looking like the unprepared frat boy you are.

“Goodbye, cushy lead . . . “

3. When in doubt . . . call ‘em a liberal!

It’s sort of funny, really. For the past 20 years, the easiest and cheapest shot a Republican can take is to “expose” a Democrat’s liberal record.

It’s laughable, because most people are moderate. And, according to the uber-righties who sit at the foot of King Cheney’s throne know, if you are not all the way to the right then you must be squashed like a grape!

Unless you’re his gay daughter. Then you must leave her alone.

Busting out “the L word” is truly a gasping effort from a stumbling campaign. Hate to break it to you, all you narrow minded uber-righties (which makes up only a small percentage of conservatives), people are moderate. Yeah, they want lower taxes, but they don’t mind if the gay couple next door is married in the eyes of the law. And oh yeah, it’s the Democrats – not the Republicans – who are fighting the battle to protect privacy and civil liberties.

It’s 2004. Have we not yet realized that it doesn’t have to be a mono-culture? Isn’t it time to put away the “all liberals are evil” silliness?

4. Halliburton, and other delights

In the wake of the phony war in Iraq, Halliburton – right on schedule – was awarded no-bid contracts to rebuild the nation we just bombed. Remember where Dick Cheney worked before the Supreme Court appointed him Vice President? Yep, Halliburton.

The Republican Party isn’t even trying to hide their tracks anymore.

Just today, the FBI announced it’s probing the contracts.

You mean to tell me Dubya and Co. made sure their friends were taken care of? Get out of here!

5. Switch enemies mid-stream

After 9/11, Osama Bin Laden was Public Enemy #1. By the next State of the Union address, Saddam Hussein was elevated to the “axis of evil.” Huh? What?

Suddenly, Iraq (not Osama) was the prime target. Since then, we did capture Saddam. But the man who bombed the United States remains at large. And new enemies are gaining in popularity by the day (Zarqawi).

So let me get this straight: Osama kills 3,000 Americans and we go after the Fredo of the Middle East? Yeah, that makes sense.

6. When in doubt, make shit up!

Make no mistake, Bush wanted this war. But it’s not like he would mislead the American public into garnering support. Or is it?

Bush said Iraq was an imminent threat to the U.S. because it:

Had Weapons of Mass Destruction
Had Ties to Al Qaeda
Was involved in bombing us on 9/11

Since the topple of Baghdad, since “mission accomplished,” since Nick Berg, Daniel Pearl, and too many other names to list here were beheaded, coalition troops have:

NOT found WMD
NOT found ties to Al Qaeda
NOT found evidence of a link between Iraq and 9/11

In short, Bush is batting 0-for-3.

He lied.

He engineered intelligence to get his war and people were killed as a result.

Lots of blood on your hands, Mr. President.

The question should not be Why is this race tied? It should be: Why isn’t John Kerry kicking his ass?

Good question.

I suppose we’ll see how it plays out on Tuesday.

screw you, swing states!

All three of you who read my blogs know that I live in Indiana. While there is a hotly contested gubernatorial race, the Hoosier State of Mind is hardly a swing state in the presidential election. The polls open at 6 a.m. and might as well be declared for Bush at 6:05 a.m. Not since Kennedy has Indiana been painted blue on Election Day. I used to be disappointed, knowing that my vote doesn't really matter in the upcoming election. Until I visited the swing states.

I spent a weekend in Michigan back in September and was in Las Vegas last weekend. I feel for those poor people.

You can't go 10 minutes on television before the barrage of political ads ensues. Kerry ad. Bush ad. Anti-Kerry ad. Anti-Bush ad. Local Democrat ad. Local GOP ad. Local anti-GOP ad. Local anti-Democrat at.

...and REPEAT!

It is a nonstop assault on the senses, leaving me feeling nothing but sorry for the residents of swing states.

When I was in Nevada, I was treated to some of the worst ads I've ever seen. Not 'worst' in the sense that they were vicious; 'worst' in the sense that they were utterly laughable. I honestly thought it was an SNL satire skit when I first saw it.

This particular ad, complete with heavy-voiced narration, chastised the incumbent for being in favor of creating a nuclear waste zone in Nevada, "allowing nuclear waste to be driven on our highways (cue: semis on highway), past our schools (cue: images of children), and in our BACK YARDS!!!"

I fell out of my chair I was laughing so hard.

It's painfully clear that the swing states are treated to a dumbing-down of political ads.

Then I got to thinking...SCREW THE SWING STATES!

It's their own fault for not making up their minds sooner! They've had months -- MONTHS -- to make up their minds. So what do they do? Sit on the fence, right up to Election Day. How on earth anybody can't make up their mind at this point is beyond me. If you're still an undecided voter, you're either an attention-whore, or too stupid to be allowed to vote.

So I've changed my opinion; I no longer feel sympathy for swing staters. You made your bed, now lie in it.

I guess that makes me a flip-flopper, eh?

beware the boston red sox.

If ever a lesson from sports carries over into the political arena, it's the lesson of the Boston Red Sox.

Here's a team that's always behind the 8-ball. They seemingly build a good nucleus and surround it with potent talent to finally unseat the big, bad New York Yankees. Then along come the playoffs and the Sox turn into The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.

Until this year.

The Red Sox pulled off one of the most miraculous comebacks in sports history to win the World Series; turning back 86 years of history.

So what does that have to do with politics?

Four years ago, the Democrats assembled a well-meaning team of do-gooders around Al Gore to win the White House. But when push came to shove, Gore and co. were outgunned, outmanned, and under-funded. In the end, they lost.

Fast forward to 2004. After a mid-term election in which the Democrats, once again, couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat, the Democrats seemed poised to march to defeat on Nov. 2nd.

Then along come three debates, pitting the president with the deepest of pockets against a senator from Massachusetts.

A knock-out punch delivered by Bush in the debates would've sent Kerry packing, no doubt. Instead, Kerry -- just like those Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth of Game 4 -- stared down elimination and fought back. And he fought, and fought, and fought.

While Kerry himself didn't land a knock-out punch, he did sting Dubya early and often. Kerry's performance evened out a race that was quickly running away from him. Kerry's once foundering and aimless campaign found new focus and is charging toward Nov. 2nd.

So who's going to win? Who knows. I'm honestly not even sure we'll know next Wednesday.

One of three things will happen:

1. Bush will win, pure and simple. He'll pull off another electoral college victory, only without the aid of the U.S. Supreme Court.
2. The pollsters will be left looking like morons when the "likely voter" turns out to be all those newly-registered and young voters who were unreachable and unrepresented in every poll, delivering a decisive victory for Kerry.
3. 2000 redux, only uglier.

I have a sinking fear that 3 is the most likely outcome. Florida is still a mess, and there are so many charges of voter tampering and voter fraud around the country that litigation is sure to follow.

The polls close about four and a half days from now.

Either way, this is Game 7. Can the Massachusetts senator pull off a comeback worthy of his hometown Boston Red Sox?

'liberal media elite' my ass!

Don't believe there's a vast right wing conspiracy? Well, check out what the people who claim to love the Constitution (they love it so much, they want to change it to exclude the rights of many Americans!) are doing. From the AP . . .

Sinclair Axes Journalist Critical of Film

By Kasey Jones

BALTIMORE (AP) - Sinclair Broadcast fired its Washington bureau chief, saying he revealed company business when he discussed its upcoming program on a documentary critical of John Kerry's anti-Vietnam War activities.

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. (SBGI) said in a statement late Monday that it fired reporter Jon Leiberman and that "we are disappointed that Jon's political views caused him to violate company policy and speak to the press about company business."

In his initial remarks, published Monday by The (Baltimore) Sun, Leiberman called the Sinclair show "biased political propaganda, with clear intentions to sway this election."

Leiberman said he was fired Monday by Joseph DeFeo, Sinclair's vice president for news, and escorted out of the company's headquarters in Hunt Valley, Md.

"I was told I violated company policy by divulging information from a staff meeting" to The Sun, Leiberman said late Monday. Read more . . .

--------------------------------
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is happening in America. A man just got fired for stating his views, which were contrary to the views of the fuckers at Sinclair who are too busy sucking Dubya's dick to care about the principles of real journalism.

They're not even hiding it anymore. The irony is they call the media the "liberal elite?" Give me a fucking break. Sinclair owns 62 stations around the country. THey have more clout in more markets than NBC, ABC or CBS. Why? Because, unlike the networks, all Sinclair stations are FORCED to show this "documentary" about John Kerry. Network affiliates have the choice to broadcast or not broadcast programming. Sinclair stations don't have that luxury.

There is your "media elite!" And it sure as hell isn't a "liberal media bias!"

Americanas -- all Americans -- should be outraged at the blatant disregard for free speech exhibited by the top brass at Sinclair. They have sent a clear message: you have the right to free speech, providing you don't disagree with us.

A man got fired today because of his opinions.

Keep saying that until you get the danger of it.

Sinclair Broadcast Group

the debate bounce.

Last evening brought a merciful and hum-drum close to what initially set out to be a feisty and spirited series of debates. While most major news outlets are calling the debates in Kerry's favor, it doesn't seem to matter a great deal. Well, at least not to backers of either candidate.

Because John Kerry was unable to land the knock-out punch on the president, I believe it's more of an advantage to Dubya. It seems ridiculous to me, really, that Kerry didn't take him out when he had the opportunity. But what happened was Bush came out looking like a champion simply for not repeating his sulky and ignorant performance in the first debate. The Massachusetts senator never waivered and remained steadfast in his message, his rhetoric, his mannerisms; even his subjective facts. Bush was erratic and outgunned in the first debate, cranky and pugnacious in the second debate, and demure whilst lobbing tired invective in the final debate.

So why did Kerry win, in the eyes of the media? I don't know. But at least the Bush campaign has finally begun to believe in the numbers; quite an accomplishment for a group of people who believe America is stronger, safer, and more secure than four years ago in the face of unemployment, rising costs and a botched war. I suppose they were bound to come around eventually.

What I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around is how a halfwitted, inarticulate, bullheaded, jump-the-gun, paper cowboy, egomaniacal, uber-conservative nut has been able to garner so much support in the first place. But that's another story for another time.

I know the Republicans have been popping boners all day because Kerry referenced Mary Cheney, the VP's gay daughter. Was it a cheap shot? It certainly was a direct and bold statement. Inappropriate? Well, he wasn't criticizing her lifestyle. He wasn't doing anything that John Edwards didn't do; but I still understand the defensive tack taken by the Cheneys. That's what parents are supposed to do. Kerry probably should've holstered that line.

I mostly wish they'd all stop using poor Mary Cheney as a poster child for this litmus test. I honestly can't believe the gay issue is still an issue! Thanks to your righties, it's become one. I digress.

The next 19 days (and beyond, I bet) are going to be rife with typical, cliche rhetoric from the candidates. Polls will continue to show a neck-and-neck race. Electoral-vote.com will change right up to the day of the election. In other words, it's all bullshit.

Pollsters and pundits are trying like hell to predict the outcome without including the real x-factor: newly registered voters.

Nobody can get a bead on what is a "likely voter" in this election, which is why both parties are already digging trenches for a protracted post-Nov. 2 war over votes. If you thought hanging chads in Florida were bad, just wait until Nov. 3.

I'm honestly glad the debates fizzled and ended. But did it have to end on such a pandering, sniveling, pussy-whipped note? What the HELL was up with Bob Schieffer's question about the women? Jesus, Bob, we get it! You're afraid of your wife, but do you have to subject the world to this? I mean absolutely no disrespect to women; but I'm not voting for a first lady.

Tim Russert of NBC News summed it up best last evening; this election is going to come down to a handful of states:

* Ohio
* Pennsylvania
* New Mexico
* Florida
* Wisconsin

Whomever wins those states probably will get the keys to the Oval Office.

Here's to hoping John Kerry's debate bounce continues.

last chance.

You know, I find it equal parts ironic, smug and utterly shallow that The Kennebunkport Cowboy has been parroting lines like "he can run but he cannot hide" about John Kerry's record as a senator.

In tomorrow night's debate, the senator from Massachusetts ought to run that line right up President Smirky's I-got-less-votes-than-Al Gore ass.

Does he really want to bring that knife to the gun fight? Oh yeah, he does. Why? Becuase his base of sycophantic lapdogs eats it up. Why? Because they have taken Karl Rove's dim-bulb approach to leading the nation. By slimming his vocabulary to a few monosyllabic words, by saying things like "they hate us for our freedom," the neocons have successfully pulled off the great swindle of the American body politic. Thanks to a well-crafted, well-funded, well-orchestrated campaign, Dubya can run amok and never be held accountable for anything.

Oh sure, they claim they can get Kerry on his voting record. (He's a flip-flopper)

They claim they can get him on his view that Iraq was the wrong war, wrong place, wrong time. "How can he lead troops?"

They claim he's a tax-and-spender. "He's a *gasp* liberal!"

And the neocon sycophants shovel it in. And shovel it in. And shovel it in.

Why? Because it's easier to choke down bullshit than face the facts of an atrocious four years of George W. Bush.

Jobs are outsourced and they just shrug it off.

The body count grows in Iraq as the insurgency clearly gains a foothold and they just shrug it off.

The deficits and spending are careening out of control as this Republican House, Senate, and Oval Office write the checks and they just shrug it off.

Federal mandates are put in public schools without much funidng, and they just shrug it off.

The world community continues to distrust the U.S. due to the maverick, asshole cowboy brand of foreign policy wielded by this president, and they just shrug it off.

Enough.

Tomorrow night is Kerry's last chance. It's his last chance to take Bush down and make him choke on his own game. Bush is right about one thing; we do know where he stands. He's not a moving target, so it's high time Kerry shines a light on the quicksand that is Bush's record. He's had two chances and put up decent performances, but that's not good enough.

It's time for the blinded-by-the-right neocon sycophants to wake up to reality.

It's time for Senator Kerry to deliver the knock-out punch and put this president in his place -- Crawfordsville, Texas.

If he doesn't, we may have to start getting used to a world where George W. Bush gets his ultimate wish of etching his name in Revelations and takes us to the "end times" he so fervently believes in.

John Kerry, Wednesday night is your last chance.

john kerry, george bush & janet's tit.

As you probably know by now, Bush TV -- better known as Sinclair Broadcast Group -- is planning to broadcast a documentary chastising Democratic Presidential Nominee John Kerry's anti-war protests after he returned home from Vietnam, preempting programming on all 62 of its affiliates.

"Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal" is a 42-minute documentary about Kerry's war crimes accusations in Vietnam. According to WorldNetDaily, the documentary purports that Kerry's remarks in 1971 were used against U.S. soldiers held captive during the war.


Gonna party like it's 1971! The Sinclair Group is planning to air an anti-Kerry documentary about his anti-war stance after Vietnam.

Sinclair, you may or may not recall, refused to broadcast the 30 April 2004 edition of Nightline, when Koppel and producers broadcast the names and faces of all the U.S. soldiers -- some 500 -- who had been killed in the War on Terror.

The Sinclair Group accused Nightline of being "motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq."

Looks like Sinclair is cracking back with a political agenda of its own and the FCC is none too pleased.

FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps issued a statement today criticizing Sinclair's plan, calling it "proof positive of media consolidation run amok when one owner can use the public airwaves to blanket the country with its political ideology – whether liberal or conservative."

Truth be told, I don't care one bit if they air this documentary about John Kerry. The Sinclair Group has already distinguished itself as being anything but an unbiased player. And it's not like this documentary is going to tell us something we don't already know about John Kerry's past. Of course, it's an attempt to demonize the man who's challenging The Accidental President on 2 November.

I find it most fascinating that, while Michael Moore released a documentary that tears down the Republican sacred cows and their bungled efforts in the War on Terror, the best the Bushies can do is dig 33 years ago to rip open the unhealed wounds of Vietnam. Well, at least, in Kerry's defense, we know where he was during the Vietnam Era. Ask that question of Bush to Karl Rove and you'll get pummeled with a "who farted" glare.

Copps' criticism of the Sinclair Group is correct in its assertion that media conglomerates are becoming more than just idle observers. There was a time when television was an eye on society. Not it's trying to act as a brain.

Ironically, it's the FCC's own fault for such an occurance. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 began the monopolization of broadcast media. Just look at the monster that has become of Clear Channel.

Back to the point of this anti-Kerry documentary: it's going to air. Like it or not, it's going to air. Sen. Kerry, while sugar-coating his anti-war position since the Democratic National Convention/Circle Jerk, he will have to get out in front of this matter on his own. He's been very adept at deflecting Bush's overt criticisms -- from the overplayed "he voted for it before he didn't" horse shit (which Kerry spoke to weeks ago) to the Snidely Whiplash-esque "he's a liberal sneer at the last debate. Of course, Bush is playing to his base with those charges; a base who's standards have been mortgaged by neocon rhetoric.

Senator Kerry and his supporters would be wise to get ready to defend the Sinclair coup. It's going to happen. In fact, the shitstorm has already begun.

Kinda makes you long for Janet Jackson's tit again, doesn't it?

dubya & me: moore depicts the prez as a buffoon.

I finally watched Fahrenheit 9/11 last night. It is, without question, Michael Moore's most ambitious, well-produced, focused, and provocative film to date. I say that not as an ardent supporter or detractor of Moore. I say that because this film doesn't suffer from the same pitfalls as Bowling for Columbine in that it doesn't wander off and become a Michael Moore wankfest.

Let's be straight, though. Fahrenheit 9/11 is a commentary more than anything else. Think of it as a filmed version of a liberal op-ed piece. It takes shots at Democrats. It takes shots at Republicans. It takes shots at the media. It takes shots at the current administration. It takes shots at the Bush family. It takes shots at the Saudis. And most of all, it takes shots at the president.

What I found most interesting was the fact that Bush isn't portrayed as a mastermind, a cunning leader, or a clever man. He's played out as a bumbling halfwit who couldn't pick up a clue even if it had handles. Truth be told, Bush was less of a character in this movie than I expected. He was there mostly for comic relief. Although Moore all but accuses Bush of stealing the 2000 election. I'm not sure any of us have the desire to relive that year, do we?

The most difficult sequences in this movie are the war scenes. Moore indicts mainstream media in the U.S. for not showing the reality of war -- the deaths, the casualties, the destruction. He shows it, dead babies and all. It's difficult and painful to see, but it drives home the point that war -- any war -- should be a last option. And most of all, it should be waged against the people who attacked the U.S. (Osama bin who?).

I'm not sure I'm down with the Bush-is-connected-to-Osama line that Moore purports in Fahrenheit 9/11, but I am behind the notion that the Iraq war was senseless.

To the anti-Moore folks out there who think this is all a ploy to elevate the Democratic party, think again. Moore calls out the DNC leadership for not taking a stand against Bush's policies. Granted, he doesn't give it the same weight as when he goes after the Bush administration, but he's not stroking any DNC egos here.

I don't know that I could say I "enjoyed" this movie because it's such a heavy subject. I do know that I am glad I saw it. Did it change my views? Not really, but I come away feeling sad about the war and the combatants. I feel sad for the Iraqi people. I feel sad for the families of soldiers.

While Michael Moore may be a lightning rod for conservatives and liberals, at least he's offering a different voice than the parroted news on mainstream media outlets.

It's most interesting to me the amount of conservative critics to this film who have never seen it. People always fear something that challenges demagoguery. It happened with The Last Temptation of Christ. It's happening with any criticism of George W. Bush and his war in Iraq.

I recommend Fahrenheit 9/11 to everybody. Will it change the way you vote? I don't know. But what are you afraid of seeing here?

welcome to your fbi file.

During my lunch break I decided to go out and purchase Fahrenheit 9/11 on DVD. By 2:18 p.m. I'm sure to see four white guys in sunglasses following me around in a blue sedan.

I'm teasing. I'm no far from subversive that it's almost embarrassing.


Vast left wing conspiracy? Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 was released on DVD today.

I'm very curious to see this movie. Just as I did with Bowling for Columbine, I shall approach Fahrenheit 9/11 with an equal level of caution, open mind, realization that it's an op-ed movie before it is a factual account. This is not to poison the well; not at all. I'm just very cognizant of Moore's style.

Nevertheless, it should be interesting and provocative. I'll be sure to review, if you care.

Thus far, my favorite staple of recent letters to the editor (in my local paper as well as on television) are from people angered over the mere mention of this movie's DVD release date. People are crying 'foul', as though it's getting unfair treatment. Whatever. I bought my copy of it at Best Buy and I had an easier time finding Bulworth. You think I'm kidding.

Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing this movie.

MichaelMoore.com

Federal Bureau of Investigation

red states vs. blue states.

I may not put much stock in election year polling, but I have to admit that this site is quite interesting. It analyzes polling data across the country to predict the outcome of the Nov. 2 presidential election. According to today's report, Bush is leading Kerry by a relatively comfortable margin, but that could change depending on which direction states like Ohio, Michigan, and other swing states fall.

Again, it's hard to put much stock into this site because this election is going to be unique. One factor that could throw everything is the number of new registered voters. Across the nation, registration is up. Does that mean they all will vote? No. And it certainly doesn't predict which way they will vote. However, this site gives a little hint into the pulse of the nation.

electoral-vote.com

here come da judge.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is an outspoken, staunchly uber-conservative man. His opinions on cases often scare me deeply. This, we all know. But it's that unknown quotient about him that's beginning to scare me even more.

The Harvard Crimson reported a quote Scalia made to his audience at a recent speaking engagement at the prestigious University:

Saying he takes pains to keep his personal views on social issues out of the courtroom, he shared this: "I even take the position that sexual orgies eliminate social tensions and ought to be encouraged."


Here come da judge! It's Friday night and Justice Tony wants to swwwwwing with you, bayyyyyybeeeee!!!!!!!"

I so did not need to read that right after lunch.

madman across the water.

George Bush is hopping mad . . . for looking like an unprepared, contemptible dolt in the debate last night. And he's blaming Kerry.

Ha.

Ha.

Ha.