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"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
September 14, 2008
Rick Perlstein Pokes Through The Sludge
Rick Perlstein reviews a memoir by Terry McAuliffe—Bill Clinton's golfing buddy, former chairman of the Democratic party, and friend to billionaires everywhere—here.
It's even more horrifying than you'd assume. Given the people who run the party, it's amazing there are any elected Democratic officials anywhere in America.
MORE: It turns out McAuliffe may run for Governor of Virginia in 2009. Any Virginians reading this might look into the two Democrats already in the race, Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds. I don't know anything about them, but it would be hard for them to be worse than McAuliffe unless they plan to reinstitute feudalism.
—Jonathan Schwarz
Posted at September 14, 2008 03:44 PMBut -- but -- if we vote for the lesser evil things will work out --
Oh, fuck it, I can't even snark this shit anymore. I'm going to go listen to some death metal.
Posted by: No One of Consequence at September 14, 2008 05:58 PMBetter Democrats? Hell, we just need richer ones.
Posted by: bobbyp at September 14, 2008 07:17 PMso basically the democrats went from corporate stooges with a debt to debt-free corporate slaves under mcauliffe? what a cobag!
Posted by: almostinfamous at September 14, 2008 11:18 PMI have thought for some time now that local races, such as for county comissioners and D.A.'s and sundry municipal offices, are the only ones in which we can "make a difference" and even there of course, it may be a questionable proposition.
Guess it's ironic that it's precisely those contests that generate the least turnout...
Posted by: Jonathan Versen at September 15, 2008 12:42 AMNOoC: Who'd you listen to?
Posted by: StO at September 15, 2008 02:06 AMShorter McAuliffe: if you can't beat them, join them.
Longer McAuliffe: the only way to fight the power is to be the power; if you want to defeat GOP cronyism, we need better Dem cronyism.
I was reminded of a distasteful story I recently read in the New Granta Book Of American Short Stories by Matthew Klam, called 'Issues I dealt with in therapy'. A boring and vaguely nasty story about boring and vaguely nasty Democrat elitists like McAuliffe at a wedding for one of them. I'd recommend it if you have absolutely nothing to do, or feel you deserve some punishment.
Posted by: Glenn Condell at September 15, 2008 03:14 AMYou're just jealous that King Juan Carlos is his occasional hunting partner and you're not.
Posted by: eatbees at September 15, 2008 06:51 AMStO: I was going to try to dig up something "serious" on the web (I have a crappy music collection that I need to improve) but ended up just pulling up Dethklok. I needed the laugh, anyway.
I'm so fucking tough
I'm so fucking tough
That's right
I'm so fucking tough
I'm so fucking tough
That's right
You're an ugly man
You're as dumb as sand
Your mom's fucking fat
Your mom blew a rat
You are a mistake
You have sex with cake
Glorious.
Posted by: No One of Consequence at September 15, 2008 08:09 AM@ NOoC, i recommend last.fm
Posted by: almostinfamous at September 15, 2008 08:29 AMLet me throw in the Republican response before someone else does: And just WHAT do you have against feudalism?!?
Posted by: Toby at September 15, 2008 08:37 AMThis is from 18 months ago, why did you link to it right now?
Posted by: Cryptic Ned at September 15, 2008 06:04 PMThis is from 18 months ago, why did you link to it right now?
The zeitgeist?
Posted by: Rob Weaver at September 15, 2008 10:02 PM