Permanent link to MTA daily media news

I am not a Republican, and I am not a racist.  I will be voting for Cynthia McKinney for president.  So don’t threaten me with your post-partisan, post-racial, manipulative, coercive hate mail.

You Can Run, But You Can’t Hyde! (by garychapelhill at The Confluence)
Do you ever get the feeling that the whole world is upside down?

Upside-down White House

Gallup: Obama Leads By Six Points (Political Wire)
The first Gallup tracking poll based entirely on post-Democratic convention attitudes shows Sen. Barack Obama maintaining a six percentage point lead over Sen. John McCain, 49% to 43%. “Comparing Obama’s current 49% support with the 45% he received immediately before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Denver last week suggests he received a 4-point bounce out of the convention, fairly typical of past convention bounces.”

AP: McCain raised at least $47M in Aug. (On Politics, USA Today)
John McCain’s presidential campaign collected at least $47 million in contributions in August, the Republican senator’s biggest monthly haul so far, the Associated Press reports. The wire service says it got that news from “two campaign officials” who talked about it “on the condition of anonymity because the numbers had not been officially tallied.” In July, Democrat Barack Obama’s campaign raised $50 million. The AP said his campaign would not comment on its August fundraising. Neither campaign is required to give its August financial reports to the Federal Election Commission until Sept. 20.

McCain Hires GOP Operative Who Helped Smear Him in South Carolina in 2000 (by Jake Tapper at Political Punch, ABC News)
Former officials of Sen. John McCain’s 2000 campaign expressed shock and disbelief Monday to learn than the GOP presidential nominee had hired South Carolina political consultant Tucker Eskew. Eskew, along with Warren Tompkins and Neal Rhodes, were key members of then-Gov. George W. Bush’s South Carolina team during the 2000 primaries. McCain and his team long held Bush, Tompkins, Rhodes and Eskew responsible for the various smears against McCain and his family in the Palmetto state during that contentious contest. Eskew was brought on board the McCain campaign, it was announced Monday, to help prepare Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for her role as McCain running mate.

Dems Shouldn’t Underestimate Palin (by Joe Trippi)
McCain said of this pick “I have found the right partner to help me stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities, who put power over principle, and put their interests before your needs…I found someone with an outstanding reputation for standing up to special interests and entrenched bureaucracies; someone who has fought against corruption and the failed policies of the past.” The McCain campaign plans on making an assault on Barack Obama’s strength as a change agent. And challenge, what the McCain campaign will describe as, Obama’s weak or non-existent attacks on corruption within the Democratic party and other institutions throughout his career…

The McCain campaign intends to claim that “more of the same” in Washington means Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and will make the argument that if you want to “shake things up” then McCain and his reform minded running mate from Alaska will get the job done.

Palin on Ron Paul: “Right On!’ (by John Nichols at Unconventional Coverage, The Nation)
In a February interview with MTV, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin lavished praise on maverick Republican presidential contender Ron Paul… “He’s a good guy,” she continued. “He’s so independent. He’s independent of the party machine. I’m like, ‘Right on, so am I.’” Conveniently, Paul — who refuses to endorse McCain — will be holding an outside-the-convention “Rally for the Republic,” which is expected to draw thousands of his ardent supporters to the Target Center in Minneapolis on Tuesday. Perhaps Palin will join them. Or is she now with the party machine?
Does John Nichols really think this kind of snarkiness will help the Democrats?  I predict that choosing Palin will bring back into the fold some of the more conservative groups within the Republican Party that have resisted John McCain.

The Rovian Touch: Breaking News (by anna shane at Alegre’s Corner)
ABC has reported that Sarah Palin is so independent she once belonged to The Alaskan Independence Party, whose motto is Alaska First.  This is so pro-state’s rights it’s considered secessionist by some, and that was in their platform.  They don’t like the federal government telling them what to do with their land and their wildlife. Of course this is exactly the thing to bring aboard any faltering Libertarians… Although she left that party in 1996, more than ten years ago, when she was 32, it sure makes her look like a maverick.  Her problem with the Republican party is corruption? Now who’s that going to hurt her with?

Palin Revs Up Christian Conservatives (Political Wire)
The selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain’s running mate “has electrified conservative activists, providing a boost of energy to the GOP nominee-in-waiting from a key constituency that had been previously had been lukewarm — at best — about him,” according to Politico.

The Perils Of The Experience Argument (by Big Tent Democrat at TalkLeft)
John Kerry [Sunday] morning: “…Barack Obama has been in the United States Senate. . . . [Palin]‘s been a governor for, what, the two years now, Barack Obama and the four years [in the Senate]? But, moreover, Barack Obama has traveled abroad.”… So Kerry’s argument is Palin is unqualified because (1) She has been a Governor for 2 years, (2) was not a Washington politician (assuming the House of Representatives would have been acceptable) and (3) did not take a trip abroad like Obama did this summer. Whereas Obama IS qualified because (1) He has been a Senator in Washington, DC for 4 years (as opposed to 2) and (2) he traveled abroad this summer. This is NOT the argument Obama wants.

GOP V.P. nominee has more experience than DEM Pres. nominee (by John: south of Melrose at Liberal Rapture)
Seriously, the DEMS should be embarrassed, except they are too stupid and delusional to feel shame and embarrassment at their asinine anointment of the BRAT from Chicago. Check out the comparrison between the GOP V.P. nominee and the DEM Prez. nominee. here

Palin’s Authenticity Is The Obama/Biden Ticket Threat! (by NancyA at No Quarter)
William Kristol at The Blog in The Weekly Standard, we are fortunate to be able to read an e-mail he received from Newt Gringich. Newt said to share it widely. This is what Newt had to say: “…In one sudden moment Friday, John McCain fundamentally changed American politics in a manner that transcends issues and details. The great threat to the Obama-Biden ticket can be captured in one word: authenticity.”
Is she authentic?  I have no idea.  But is she MORE authentic than what John: south of Melrose calls the arugula left?  See below for his opinion.

McCain Attracts Biggest Crowd Yet (Political Wire)
Jonathan Martin notes that Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin drew a crowd of 17,000 to his rally in Missouri. “Yes, yes, it’s just about a routine crowd for Obama. But there is perhaps no better indicator of how Palin is helping McCain close the enthusiasm gap than the number of people showing up the past two days in Pennsylvania and Missouri.”

Identity politics and the case for Palin (by John: south of Melrose at Liberal Rapture)
Mrs. Palin lives in a REAL union household. Damn right, that appeals to this liberal. While Obama caved to Exelon, Mrs. Palin took on her own party’s corruption in Alaska. Damn right, that appeals to this liberal. Obama let poor people freeze in his district, while pal Rezko made millions. There is nothing “liberal” about this. As a feminist, the fact that McCain’s campaign has an equal pay for equal work policy and Obama’s does not matters to me. And, damn right, as a liberal, shattering the glass ceiling the DNC refused to break appeals to me.

Obama has never appealed based on policy. He appealed to liberal guilt, delusion and based on his self created persona. If women decide to look past policy differences and vote for a female vice president based solely on her gender – it should not surprise Obama. Arugulas have exploited identity politics for a very long time, after all.

The Power of Narratives (by myiq2xu at The Confluence)
[O]n Friday, when John McCain announced the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential nominee, what did Obamanation immediately do?  They attacked her on issues that reinforce the narratives. They criticized her for being from a small town in a sparsely populated states, which was a two-fer because it reinforced the “regular people” narrative for her and the “elitist” narrative for the Democrats.  They picked on the fact that she is a working mother (”regular people” and “Democrats are hypocrites”) and launched misogynistic attacks on her (hypocrites)

Then to top it off, they started a wankfest dubbed “Troopergate” where they accused her of acting inappropriately to get her abusive ex-brother-in-law fired from his job as a state trooper.  The message that the non-Koolaid drinking public will hear is that Sarah Palin will protect them, and that Democrats don’t care about victims.

Cindy McCain Touts Palin’s Experience: The PTA and Proximity To Russia (by Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars)
Good God, the Republican Party takes the second highest office in the land very seriously, don’t they?  First, they play the experience standard with Obama and then seem surprised that we would question it with the choice of the political neophyte Sarah Palin.  She has LOTS of executive experience, Cindy McCain would like you to know.  After all, she was President of the PTA…and then mayor and then governor.  My gosh, what more do you need?… But then Cindy really goes off the deep end and channels that deep thinker, FOX & Friends Steve Doocy, and touts Alaska’s physical proximity to Russia as evidence that she understands the world scene.
Go ahead and mock, Nicole, because every single time you denigrate either Cindy McCain or Sarah Palin, Hillary supporters are reminded of how Hillary was denigrated.  (Not by you or anyone else at Crooks and Liars, but still…)  And every time you talk about experience, voters are reminded of Barack Obama’s lack of same. Click through to watch the video.

Barack May Want to Tell His Friends to Stop Bugging (by Larry Johnson)
When the November election rolls around here is what will resonate for voters weighing the differences between Palin and Obama–Sarah Palin fought the corrupt elements of their party and her husband resigned a profitable job to avoid the perception that he was getting favors for his company by sleeping with the Governor while Barack Obama aligned himself with demonstrably corrupt politicians and businessmen (Rezko anyone?) in order to get ahead. And his wife? She jumped on the Chicago gravy train too. How can Obama call himself the new politics if he represents the Chicago machine?

Compound Interest (by Anglachel)
The real impact that Palin can have on the race is the way in which she compounds the effect of the Republican ticket. The huffing and puffing about her qualifications and experience has no effect on the Republican base. If anything, her ability to piss off the SCLM [so called liberal media] is a feature, not a bug. She is a Media Darling to them because the media hates her. She adds an extra exclamation point to the Republican argument with constituencies whose voting preferences decide elections. The focus on women voters, left and right, ignores that she may be a statistically significant draw for blue collar voters, especially those who are already somewhat culturally conservative. This is not so much that she will bring in voters that McCain cannot, as is the case with evangelicals, but that she reinforces his appeal to that constituency, and “seals the deal”.

Where I anticipate her being a “game changer” will be in state and local races, where a slight increase in turnout can change results… The next consideration is for ballot measures and initiatives, such as the anti-Affirmative Action measures in Colorado and Missouri (among other places) and the anti-gay marriage state constitutional amendment in California. Palin now adds an appealing and energetic face to put on the GOTV efforts on the Republican side.

Sexism and the R Word: Nothing Learned Yet (by Pat Racimora at No Quarter)

Doing Karl Rove’s work for him (by zuzu at Shakesville)
Let’s look at how McCain’s selection of Palin fits in to the Rovian playbook. Already, feminists on the left are asking whether McCain thinks that women vote with their vaginas — but that only allows the GOP to turn that back on the Dems and ask why feminists think that Palin was chosen only because she’s a woman. Same with all the “what kind of mother” talk — aren’t Democrats the ones who are supposed to be all for working mothers? Then there’s all the “Governor Barbie,” bimbo, golddigger, VPILF, CUNTRY, etc. crap. Oh, the Republicans will undoubtedly say, look how much the Democrats value women. All that unity business was a steaming pile of bullshit; they don’t value you when the chips are down…

And all those football hooligan fanboys who’ve turned their unleashed ids onto Palin now that Hillary’s out of the race and in the fold? They’re doing Karl Rove’s work for him. And so are the astroturfers and concern trolls. Congratulations! How does it feel to help get McCain elected?

When Human Decency Disappears, What’s Left? (by Divine Democrat at No Quarter)
So, is that what our Democratic party has become… the party of no common decency? Since when did Progressive bloggers turn into a bunch of tabloid journalists? I thought we were the ones who were going to report nothing but the truth? We certainly were great at slamming the “Rethugs” for their dirty tactics and swiftboating, and now this is what the new Progressive wing of the Democratic party wants to become?… I thought that Obama’s supporters have been clamoring for “Change” from the old status quo… the old Washington politics? Obama said, “ We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Is this the change that you seek? The opportunity to destroy the reputation of a teen aged girl?

Dean Democrat Bloggers: the new prudes (by riverdaughter at The Confluence)
I’ve been hearing a lot about how diarists at the Big Orange Cheeto [Daily Kos] and Americablog are digging into Palin’s past.  Like, was her first child conceived out of wedlock?  Was her 5th child really hers or was it her daughter’s?  Is she just covering up for her wayward teen?  Well, it wouldn’t be the first time something like that has happened but teenagers rarely have children with Down’s Syndrome… I thought Dean Democrats were all progressive and enlightened… But this is hardly the point.  Barack Obama is surely a product of a similar situation… No, the point is, it’s none of our damned business… We are electing people, human beings, with feelings and flaws and children who can get hurt in the crossfire.  Let’s not go there people.  Your hypocrisy is showing.

So, has anybody asked whether Todd Palin’s penis is oddly shaped? (by lambert at Corrente)
Because that’s what the Republicans asked about Bill Clinton, back in the day when they were impeaching him over a blowjob. Of course, these are progressives poking into women’s uteruses, and for a good purpose. Alrighty, then.

More scum from the new Democrats (by John: south of Melrose at Liberal Rapture)
Donna Brazile said [Monday] on CNN that she feels it’s fair game to attack Bristol Palin… Brazile is scum.

What’s Wrong with This Story?–WSJ: Obama Says Palin’s Family is “Off Limits” (InsightAnalytical)
So, after lifting nary a finger to express his concern over the misogynist references to Hillary Clinton by the media and his followers, and, indeed, GIVING her the finger, Obama is being “classy” and telling the hounds to lay off Sarah Palin’s daughter. (Funny, I don’t remember any concerns about the Schuster “pimping Chelsea” comments on MSNBC.)

Obama vs. his staff (Politico)
Just hours after his campaign issued a first statement Friday ripping the addition of Sarah Palin to the Republican ticket, Barack Obama backed away from that statement — or at least its tone — and said that his own campaign had misrepresented him… Obama disavowed his campaign’s first response, telling journalists that “I think that, uh, you know, campaigns start getting these, uh, hair triggers and, uh, the statement that Joe and I put out reflects our sentiments,” he said… The latest disavowal of his staff’s comments on his behalf or in his name continues a tactic Obama employed repeatedly during his contentious battle with Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.
And it’s exactly what George Bush did, too.  He allowed others to do his dirty work for him, while pretending to be above the fray.  Here’s a difference in the media, though.  They’re reporting Obama’s uh’s and er’s.  They never, ever did that to George Bush.

Misogyny: It’s Not Just For Hillary Anymore. (by madamab at The Confluence)
[R]emember when you tried to fight back against the raging misogyny at these so-called “progressive” media outlets? What was their excuse again? “I’m ready to vote for a woman President. Just not THAT woman. This hatred is brought on by Hillary herself. If she were a man she would have gotten the same reaction from me.” Well, fellow PUMAs, looks like that excuse has gone bye-bye… I’d say the media, both fauxgressive and corporate, have made their agenda very clear, and the Obamans have as well. No woman, no how, shall ever get close to the corridors of American power.

I intend to offend. (by John: south of Melrose at Liberal Rapture)
I just ran into an acquittance at the market. We briefly talked politics. He is a younger guy – and at one point he said “I can’t believe McCain chose that no name bitch.” I have become used to this type of thing after fighting the Clinton Wars of 2008. Without a thought, Obama pods – who were alleged liberals – would throw off the most offensive comments imaginable about Hillary. She’s a cunt…witch…bitch…etc. etc. So I said to the guy – “Yeah, I can’t believe the DNC chose that arrogant spook.” The guy was stunned… I meant to stop that young man cold. And I did. I said sexism is unacceptable. “I am not sexist.” “Then why didn’t you say ‘no name Governor’?”… No answer…

With Friends Like This (by Anglachel)
We are threatened, bullied, lectured and warned that we had better not go vote for some hard-right cultural conservative. Any female public figure who it is imagined we might support is assailed in vile and sexist ways, always seeking to demean, humiliate and cut that bitch down to size… Hillary herself has been very publically lectured, buillied, warned, threatened, and harassed that she had better deliver her voters (And why is the image that I get in my brain when I read this stuff is of a bound, gagged and drugged female form being handed over for gang rape?) to Obama, or else she is ruined, done, over, disgraced, without a political future.

The New Agenda denounces sexist attacks on Gov. Palin (via email)
The New Agenda, a non-partisan women’s rights advocacy group with men and women members nationwide, recognizes the history making selection of Governor Sarah Palin as Senator John McCain’s running mate. As Governor Palin hits the campaign trail, The New Agenda members will serve as watch dogs monitoring news coverage and statements by political pundits, campaign surrogates and other commentators for any sexist bias. “We cannot and will not sit idly by while another qualified candidate goes through what Senator Hillary Clinton had to endure. Issues are fair game. Sexist treatment is no longer fair game,” said Amy Siskind, a co-founder of The New Agenda.

ACTION: Eleanor, Sexism Had EVERYTHING to Do With It (by Alegre)
A friend of mine attended an event in Denver at which Eleanor Clift spoke.  He was floored when she took to the podium and proceeded to inform everyone that sexism had nothing to do with Hillary’s failure to capture the nomination this year.  Well I’ve got news for Eleanor – sexism did in fact play a role in the outcome of this election.  In fact, it had everything to do with it. The Women’s Media Center (WMC) put together an eye opening collection of examples called Sexism Sells But We’re Not Buying It.   Folks, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Click through to watch the video. And click through for contact information to protest Hillary’s treatment by the media.

Newsweek Exclusive: Top Clinton Supporter John Coale Endorses McCain
John Coale, a prominent Washington lawyer, husband of Fox TV host Greta Van Susteren and a supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton, announced today that he was supporting John McCain for president. Coale, who traveled with Sen. Clinton, President Clinton and her family through out the primary season, complained of sexism, and said the Democratic Party is “being taken over by the moveon.org types” in an exclusive interview with Newsweek.com’s Tammy Haddad.

It depends on the question of what’s most important, doesn’t it? (by lambert at Corrente)
There really is no point arguing that McCain is a force for evil, Republicans suck, McCain is a Republican and sucks too, Roe Roe Roe Roe Roe, et cetera. Again, the preamble to the D platform: “A great nation now demands that its leaders abandon the politics of partisan division …” Meaning that, according to the Ds and Obama, a McCain choice is just as legitimate as an Obama choice. Now, you may not believe that, but Obama and his party do.

Breaking: Top Hillary Backer Defects to McCain (by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
Mr. Coale has my complete sympathy. I continue to have internal debates about where I find myself headed when I vote in November. How can I abandon the platform of the Democratic party? How can I vote for a proponent of the Iraq War? But then I worry about Obama’s utter lack of qualifications and his lack of knowledge. And I am extremely worried about the fate of the Democratic party if it becomes controlled by the crooked Chicago machine. I see that the only way to stop the Democratic party from being lost to crooks is to defeat its icon. Further, he hits on a key major concern: That the Moveon.org types ARE taking over the party. As we have all learned — the hard way — “Moveon types” have zero tolerance for any dissenting viewpoints, and demand complete loyalty. They are as far from core Democratic party values of diversity and tolerance as the old Soviet Union.

Wolfson Sold on Obama (Political Wire)
Howard Wolfson admits that during the Democratic primary, he and other Clinton aides “scoffed” at Sen. Barack Obama’s large arena rallies “mostly because we were not capable of producing them.” But at Invesco Field in Denver, Wolfson saw something new. “No one in recent history had attempted this kind of a political conversation with 75,000 people. Barack Obama pulled it off. For 18 months, I listened to Obama on television, sometimes intently, often just barely — background noise to a running series of conference calls and meetings and e-mails. In person, my attention undivided, I saw something of what so many others had seen for so long.”
Wolfson’s sold on the Hillary and Bill speech material that Obama stole for HIS speech.  Trouble is, we have no idea what Obama will actually do if he gets to be president.  He says one thing and then says another.  He tells each audience what he thinks it wants to hear.

Global Gloom (by Stirling Newberry at The Agonist)
The problem here is that the progressive and Democratic spheres have embraced – the supply side economics of Reaganism… The activist class, including the vast majority of so-called progressive bloggers, have joined in this… [They praised] a speech that was lifted, almost entirely, from the Rahm-Schumer “The Plan” for the economy: massive subsidies for the middle class and ex-urban class, tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts, and little in the way of fundamental restructuring. Having supported a massive military adventure over seas – and Obama voted for every spending bill that came down, and every expansion of domestic spying once in final form – and supported Supply Side Economics attempted this time around to produce inflation and recession, the Democratic Party has committed itself, and committed Americans, to another Crooked Deal.

Strike a blow against the DNC: Support Ed O’Reilly in MA (by riverdaughter at The Confluence)
Support downticket Democrats, except for the high profile idiots who sold us out. That is, find a downticket Dem who would be a new face in Congress and work your ass off for that person. Support all of the Dems in fact except for people like John Kerry. For the September 16 primary in Massachusetts, pull out all of the stops for Ed O’Reilly. Even if Ed doesn’t win, we want a showing that will give Kerry the willies. If you protect your numbers in Congress, and they will need extra help now that the evangelical base is mobilized, you will increase the number of progressives to the point where McCain/Palin will have to negotiate and can’t ram anything through.

Oh, That Joe! (No. 5 in a Series) — Biden: Now is the Moment for me ‘as a US Senator Running for President’ to Put Aside Politics (by Jake Tapper and Matt Jaffe at Political Punch, ABC News)
At a Scranton, Penn., Italian festival [Monday] afternoon, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del. standing on the side of a black Suburban, took the microphone to address the downtown crowd and explain why Hurricane Gustav precluded his campaigning today. “I will be back, I’ll be back to campaign in earnest,” Biden said, “but today is not the moment for me to campaign. Today is the moment for me as a United States senator running for president to put aside the national politics and focus on what’s happening down there” in the Gulf Coast.

Biden: Palin’s good-looking (Political Ticker, CNN)
From CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt “…Joe Biden says there are obvious differences between himself and fellow vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, but they’re not just on policy. She’s good-looking.”
He apparently meant it as a joke. But it’s no joke, Senator Biden.

Obama camp denies report Biden said Israel will have to reconcile to nuclear Iran (Haaretz)
U.S. vice presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden’s press secretary vehemently denied on Monday a report that the Democratic candidate had said that Israel would have to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran. According to an unsourced report by Army Radio, the senator made the remarks to senior Israeli officials behind closed doors, adding that he opposed “opening an additional military and diplomatic front.”…  In response, Senator Biden’s press secretary David Wade released a statement saying “This is a lie peddled by partisan opponents of Senators Obama and Biden and we will not tolerate anyone questioning Senator Biden’s 35-year record of standing up for the security of Israel.” 

Quote of the Day (Political Wire)
“One doesn’t anticipate that one’s private conversation will be surreptitiously taped by some right-wing nutcase. But that’s the nature of what we’re dealing with.” — Former DNC chief Don Fowler, quoted by ABC News, on having his unfortunate comments about the hurricane secretly taped.
Instead of taking responsibility for your tastelessness, blame the messenger.  Good idea.  That way, you don’t have to change your noxious behavior.

AP issues talking points over Fournier (Michael Calderone at Politico)
In July, I reported that Fournier had discussions with the McCain campaign in late 2006 — while not at the AP — about taking a senior level communications job with the campaign. Fournier spoke with Mark Salter, Rick Davis, John Weaver and other campaign staffers, but did not take the job. He returned to the AP in March 2007. So with the blogosphere enraged over Fournier, FishbowlDC writes … that Ellen Hale, the AP’s vice president for corporate communications, has e-mailed talking points to managers on how to deal with questions about the wire’s D.C. bureau chief.
Click through to read the memo.  In the instance that so enraged the Obama campaign, Fournier was writing a clearly labeled opinion piece.  So think about that, friends. Obama and MoveOn are trying to stop the legitimate expression of opinion.

Politico editors are push-overs (County Fair , Media Matters for America)
Apparently if Republicans write enough angry letters about a Politico piece, Politico will print the letters and make them the lead item on its website. (Who knew?) That’s exactly what Politico just did. After it published a tough Saturday column by Jim Vandehei and John Harris suggesting McCain’s VP pick was an act of desperation, on Sunday the duo returned and turned over all kinds of Politico real estate to angry Republican readers, reprinting letter after letter after letter explaining why Palin was a fantastic choice.  It looks to us like a classic example of Beltway journalists being so easily spooked by conservative critics.

Report: Some in media cheered, clapped for Obama (Poynter)
Andy Barr reports that several members of the media were seen cheering and clapping for Barack Obama as he accepted the Democratic nomination. || Sun-Times (item #2): WGN-TV anchor Allison Payne was seen cheering and clapping. || John Koblin: Who was sitting where in the press box.
Allison Payne is an African American.

Who Was Sitting Where in the Invesco Field Press Box?
Even the populist Democratic National Convention had a seating chart, and therefore a social hierarchy. According to the DNC’s rubric, the Washington Post was deserving of the better seat than the Times, and Jezebel and Glamour deserve a closer seat than The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Mother Jones, and Portfolio.

Getting stupider (by lambert at Corrente)
If possible. Seated on the throne, I turned to Frank Rich: “STOP the presses! This election isn’t about the Clintons after all. It isn’t about the Acropolis columns erected at Invesco Field. It isn’t about who is Paris Hilton and who is Hanoi Hilton. (Though it may yet be about who is Sarah Palin.) After a weeklong orgy of inane manufactured melodrama labeled ‘convention coverage’ on television, Barack Obama descended in classic deus ex machina fashion — yes, that’s Greek too — to set the record straight.” Uh, Frank? If I may call you Frank? “Deus ex machina” isn’t Greek. It’s Latin. Right there in the lead.

Labor Day Kicks off GOP Convention, But Unions Back Democrats (Capital Eye)
Labor Day isn’t just the unofficial end of summer. It’s supposed to be a day to give American workers a break from all they do during the year. This year it also happens to be the first day of the Republican National Convention, an interesting choice given that when unions do give money to federal lawmakers, they heavily favor Democrats. And when they don’t make contributions directly, they’re still spending big bucks to sway elections in the favor of Democratic candidates.

Back in the U.S.S.R.: Massive police raids on suspected protestors in Minneapolis (by Glenn Greenwald at Unclaimed Territory, Salon)
Protesters here in Minneapolis have been targeted by a series of highly intimidating, sweeping police raids across the city, involving teams of 25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn, entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and forcing them to lay on the floor, while law enforcement officers searched the homes, seizing computers, journals, and political pamphlets… Targeting people with automatic-weapons-carrying SWAT teams and mass raids in their homes, who are suspected of nothing more than planning dissident political protests at a political convention and who have engaged in no illegal activity whatsoever, is about as redolent of the worst tactics of a police state as can be imagined.
Click through to watch videos.

Larry King mocks conservatives for claiming 9/11 was Clinton’s fault. (Think Progress)
Larry King — CNN’s usually mild-mannered and non-confrontational host — took umbrage last night when his guest, conservative radio talker Larry Elder, tried to blame Bill Clinton for 9/11. “It’s Bill’s fault? … George Bush had nothing to do with this, then?” King asked. When Elder and King’s other conservative guest — Ben Stein — persisted in blaming Clinton, King said, “It happened on the Republicans’ watch. … It didn’t happen on Clinton’s watch.” King then began to mock the conservative guests, saying, “I’m totally lost — your history’s better than mine. I’m lost. I thought it was during the Bush administration.”
That’s how it’s done, pundits.  That’s how you stand up to the lies of the right.  But of course we have to ask, why did King give them air time in the first place?

Stalled Progress on Poverty (Center for American Progress)
The U.S. Census Bureau today reported that 12.5 percent of Americans—one in eight—were living in poverty in 2007. The increase since 2006 was not statistically significant, but the figures show that six years after the 2001 recession ended, there were 5.7 million more poor Americans last year than in 2000, when the nation’s poverty rate was 11.3 percent. In light of the economic downturn this year, there is much reason to expect that the numbers for 2008 will be worse.

Bowling alone because the team got downsized (University of California – Los Angeles/University of Michigan)
The pain of downsizing extends far beyond laid off workers and the people who depend on their paychecks, according to a new … study. Even a single involuntary displacement has a lasting impact on a worker’s inclination to volunteer and participate in a whole range of social and community groups and organizations… “What we find is that even just one disruption in employment makes workers significantly less likely to participate in a whole range of social activities — from joining book clubs to participating in the PTA and supporting charities,” said Jennie E. Brand, a UCLA sociologist and the study’s lead author. “After being laid off or downsized, workers are less likely to give back to their community.”
The YOYO (You’re On Your Own) philosophy, passing the risk from the capitalists to the rest of us, has ramifications far beyond the obvious.  The less people participate in the process, the more unscrupulous capitalists can grab for themselves.

Dean Baker:

Did AP Notice the Drop in House Prices?

Illegal Mad Cow Testing: Where are the Free Marketers?

What Long-Running Economic Recovery Did Bush Not Get Credit For?

Explaining Windfalls to Ben Stein

Media Matters for America headlines

• CNN’s Velshi falsely claimed “no oil shed into the Gulf of Mexico” because of Hurricane Katrina

• NRO’s Pollowitz falsely claimed Palin visited troops in Kuwait “a year before” Obama “felt the need to go”

• Offering no evidence, NY Times’ Brooks claimed Palin “pretty progressive on gay and lesbian issues,” “talks about global warming quite a lot”

• Morris flip-flops on whether Palin has enough experience to be McCain’s running mate

• CBS’ Schieffer asserted Palin was “against earmarks” and “bridge to nowhere” without noting her earmark requests, previous reported support for bridge

• AP falsely suggests Palin supports benefits for same-sex partners of state employees

• Forbes.com claimed Palin “oppos[es]” earmarks — but her administration said it requested them this year

• WSJ reported that Palin “highlighted her opposition” to “that bridge to nowhere” — but not her previous reported support for it

• Media affix “maverick” label to Palin as well

• Ignoring McCain attacks on same day, CNN’s Harris called McCain’s congratulatory ad “a nice touch”

• Fox’s Griffin falsely claimed Clark “disparag[ed] McCain’s military service”

• On Today, Lauer asked Noonan about WSJ column on Obama speech, but ignored comparison to “Nuremberg rally”

• Fox News host set up false contrast between Palin and Biden, both of whom have sons going to Iraq

• Print media reported McCain ad congratulating Obama, ignored McCain attacks on the same day

• With morning announcement of Palin pick comes morning sexism on cable news

• CNN’s Castellanos falsely claimed Obama never held a job for four years in his life

Russia Web site owner killed after arrest
The owner of an opposition Internet news site in Russia’s volatile Ingushetia region was shot and killed Sunday after being detained by police.

Egypt: Crackdown On Internet Use Widens
As its blogosphere burgeons, Egypt is finding new ways to crack down on bloggers and other Internet users.

New video game depicts Venezuela mercenary attack
CARACAS (Reuters) – A video game depicting mercenaries storming Venezuela, which has been criticized in the oil-rich South American country as a blueprint for an invasion, will be released by a U.S. company this weekend.

Millions of young Chinese addicted to ‘unhealthy’ Internet games: report
BEIJING (AFP) – Around four million Chinese youngsters are addicted to the Internet, mainly attracted by “unhealthy” online games, state media reported Friday, citing a top legislator.

Soft economy speeds newspaper decline, job cuts
NEW YORK (AP) – The newspaper industry’s downward spiral is accelerating as the weak U.S. economy depresses already-tumbling advertising revenue and forces more rounds of job cuts and other trims.

Spokesman-Review Challenges Two-Year AP Cancellation Rule
The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash. — one of several newspapers deciding to drop Associated Press service following the recent AP rate changes — appears to be the first to challenge AP’s requirement that a two-year notice be given. A lawyer for the Spokesman-Review claims that the new rate structure, set to take effect at the beginning of 2009, represents a new contract.

Politico’s off to a great start, but ambition is expensive
“I won’t say it’s a slam-dunk that we’re going to be a success,” says Politico executive editor Jim VandeHei. “The truth is we’re spending a lot of money.” He adds that the company could start turning a profit next year — with a lot of help from the print edition. “We need the newspaper.”

Nokia’s Unlimited Music Service Launching in UK Next Month; Songs Don’t Expire (Paid Content)
Nokia’s ambitious all-you-can-eat mobile music service, Comes With Music, will launch in UK next month, and will then be rolled out in continental Europe and Asia next year… Users buying a Nokia handset will get unlimited music downloads for a year—2.1 million on launch, about quarter on iTunes—and will then have to pay a monthly subscription fee to retain the service. In a rather pleasant surprise, unlike other unlimited music services, if users choose not to buy a new device after a year, they can keep all the tracks they have already downloaded, and they will still play on the user’s computer and handset, which will also still be able to send texts and make calls.

Miss a TV show? Catch it online
A television revolution is underway. The concept of prime time is dying as many networks are putting full-length programs online, allowing you to catch popular shows and old favorites for free over the Internet on your own schedule.

Philips Demoing Net TV – When Will Web TV Work On The Sofa? (Paid Content)
Net TV is essentially a television with an IPTV chip built in. Philips is currently gathering partners for the on-screen portal… Though Net TV also promises access to web pages, like the semi-walled garden approach to video, and while Nintendo Wii is already showing full web pages to those on the sofa, Philips is using CEHTML, a variant of the web language crippled for telly. Evoking parallels with its old CD-i, Sony’s Bravia Internet Video Link and yesteryear’s Microsoft Web TV, Net TV is due out next year.

The Internet makes me feel fat
In the Internet age with its endless playground for reinvention and resources for human understanding, it’s painfully clear just how hung up we are on appearances. 

Ad targeting based on ISP tracking now in doubt
NEW YORK – It sounded like a winning proposition — free money — for Internet access providers. By tracking their subscribers’ personal Web surfing habits, they could help deliver ads targeted to the consumers’ interests, and claim a share of the burgeoning online advertising market dominated by Internet search companies. But those efforts to sniff out consumers’ interests are running into the ditch.

Browser Wars (Economist’s View)
Microsoft’s new browser will have the ability to block Google ads. Google’s answer to this challenge to their business? Release a browser of their own and try to bypass IE altogether:

A New Battle Is Beginning in Branding for the Web
[T]he escalating value of brands in general and trademark holders increasingly trying to assert their rights, especially on the Internet.

Internet Traffic Begins to Bypass the U.S.
The increasing flow of data around the United States may have intelligence, and possibly military, consequences.

Is The US Becoming A Part Of The Internet Backwater? (Mashable)
In the past week we have heard that Comcast is going to be introducing download caps which follows on the heels of Time Warner announcing trial runs of the same idea… While [these companies] are trying to boost their bottom lines by any means possible without improving or advancing Internet connectivity the US is; quite rapidly in some cases, being surpassed by foreign countries.

GM to offer radios with ports for music players
General Motors Corp. says it will offer optional radios with USB ports for personal music players on some of its 2009 models.

Drivers rely on OnStar to evade Hurricane Gustav
DETROIT (AP) – For the most part, the callers were calm, patiently asking for the fastest path out of New Orleans or some other Gulf Coast city as Hurricane Gustav twisted its way to the northwest… [A]dvisers were armed with computerized maps, databases of hotels with vacancies and even locations of Red Cross emergency shelters… All day, callers asked for the closest hotel with vacant rooms. They asked OnStar to find loved ones who were on the road. But most of all, they wanted to get around the clogged Interstate evacuation routes.
How long before cell phones that are able to access the internet take over many of those functions?

Satellite phones make cowboys wildfire sentinels
SILVER CITY, Idaho (AP) – This spring, Nettleton and six other Owyhee County ranchers who make their livelihoods in some of America’s most remote backcountry began carrying satellite telephones provided by the federal Bureau of Land Management and the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security. It’s an effort to turn men whose ranching families have been wedded to this land for more than a century into a high-tech advance guard against devastating wildfires.