John Edwards' and John McCain: Why Does McCain's Affairs Get A Free Pass?

This article makes a great point: why does Senator John McCain get a free pass on all of his affairs and antics with women and Miss Buffalo Chip, and Senator John Edwards gets damned?

See:

Now, we get to the most relevant question - if John Edwards' political career is done, why isn't John McCain's? John McCain had a well-documented affair on his first wife, with his current wife. He has admitted in the books he has written about his life that he ran around with several different women while still married to his first wife. And don't forget that he left her for a younger, richer woman - multi-millionaire Cindy Hensley who is now Cindy McCain - after she had been severely hurt in a car accident.

So, why are McCain's actions any more excusable than Edwards'? Because it was thirty years ago? Does that wash it away? Will we be fine with Edwards running for office again in a couple of years because then it will all be in the past? What is the statute of limitations on an affair?

Speaker Pelosi's $10K DNC Convention Package Upsets Some Bundlers

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has sent out a DNC Convention fundraising plan
with a $10,000 price tag that has some bundlers upset.

Sent from my iPhone

Harry Denton Lays Down On The Filmore, Literally

Harry arrives at the Balboa Cafe

From San Francisco Scene / SF Politics

If you'd have told me that I'd end my evening into very early morning trying to convince the legendary Harry Denton not to lay down in the middle of the intersection of Filmore and Greenwich after what he admits was a drunken bender, I'd have said you were nuts.

Well, you weren't. What I saw was the embodiment of Old San Francisco in action. Harry Denton's a throwback to the days of a bar called "Henry Africa" and Herb Caen and the Three Martini lunch, and Carol Doda. Denton is fun, San Francisco style. But what I now understand that to mean is a kind of ultimate freedom we don't see today. And when we do see it, we just don't know what to do.

Ok. This is what happened.

I decided to visit the Balboa Cafe in San Francisco, really because I'm used to the place and thought that the Olympics would be on television and I could watch the games with a crowd that may be yelling "Go USA" or something like that. But I forgot that it's Saturday night and the only time one may release such a cheer was in watching someone else neck in public.

So when I arrived, the Balboa -- partially owned by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom -- was boringly crowded. People in clicks. Scores of lovely women. The Olympics were on TV. Chatter and laughter, but the same familar din one hears on a Saturday night at that place. Nothing special.

Enter Harry Denton.

Harry Denton is a true San Francisco legend. The man the San Francisco Chronicle calls one of the city's most visible bon vivants, and a promoter and owner of several successful establishments, from Harry Denton's Southside Bar which was on Folsom street in the 80s, to Harry Denton's Bar and Grill on Stuart Street, and Harry Denton's Rouge and Harry Denton's The Starlight Club atop the St. Francis Hotel. Harry has established himself as a celebrity long ago. He has a list of fans -- including me -- and a fierce following of people. I think Harry also senses that San Francisco's become a little boring.

So, Harry walks into the Balboa with a couple I've never seen before, goes around to the side bar area and during greeting us all -- I'd just seen him at the REAF Benefit called "Help Is On The Way" the last Sunday -- "I'm really fucked up." Harry had a lot to drink, and was blowing off steam after a reunion of people associated with the late bar Henry Africa. I was happy to see Harry because he's really a nice person who is always ready with a smile or a quick wit, and he's got an eye for the ladies, even though he's Gay, which is great for me because he points a straight bachelor like me in the right direction.

Anyway, I told my friend Lance, one of the bartenders that all we needed to complete the circle of famous San Francisco night crawlers was Johnny Love. Well, the person I've known since 1990 walked in just five brief minutes after I said that. It turned out that Johnny, Harry, and my friend Rick were all at the Henry Africa reunion, and had got a table outside.



I was invited to join them.

We were all outside and Harry was in rare form. He was well aware of his condition, saying "I need to blow off steam." He did. Harry made fun of the lot of us and just in general was a total riot, occassionally tossing beer bottles to the ground, which refused to shatter -- I'm not making this up -- less they ruin the sprit of the proceedings.

At that point, it was clear something strangely, weirdly magical was happening, at least to me.

Johnny Love sitting On Harry Denton's Lap

After a time, not too long, it was time for all to leave the Balboa. We'd went inside for a bit just before closing and then had a devil of a time getting Harry out, but we did. Then weirdness set in. Johnny walked off with his girlfriend, but without telling Harry or Rick he was going to return. Harry insisted on waiting for Johnny, but eventually realized he wasn't coming back after a long episode of waiting and trying to keep Harry from falling.

Since the numberr were reduced to me, and Harry and Rick, I wound up with the task I assumed which was keeping Harry upright. That was tough. At that point Harry decided that he wanted attention. He said so: "I want attention", and proceeded to try and lay in the middle of the intersection of Filmore and Greenwich. I successfully stopped him from the act, and as he was nearly hit by a car -- but I did this solo.

In getting Harry back to the sidewalk I was livid with the onlookers, many who had taken time to talk to him and give him pats on the back, but would only look at Harry rather than come out and help me with him. At that point, seeing them as part of the shallow and spineless masses that let events like Columbine happen and allow people to be mugged and attacked before their eyes, I collectively gave them my finger.

I was pissed.

Getting Harry into a limousine was a chore, and I did not succeed at the time, but then Harry elected to try a second stint at laying down on the Filmore. Only this time he insisted and while I grabbed his arm, he fought me off, and as I talked to him about how the police may show up ("I don't care"), Harry laid right down on Filmore.

My first thought was expressed to Harry "Hey, the police are going to get you." Harry didn't care, and sure enough an SF police cruiser pulled up, and as the officers got out of the car and approached Harry, something nice happened. Other people -- not part of the throng I gave my finger to -- stepped forward to help me get Harry up. The numbers of people -- about 10 -- was great enough to convince the police to get back into their car and continue on their way: they did.

Harry stood up and held his arms skyward as if to say "I did it" and the crowd standing on the Filmore and Greenwich sidewalk erupted into spontaneous applause. It was surreal.

Finally, the crowd broke up and once again I was tasked with having to get Harry into a limo, but this time I had help from guys who used to work for him and saw him. We got Harry into a limo and on his way home.

Whew!!

Harry Denton showed me and the crowd what San Francisco was all about: personal freedom. Laying down on the street was the ultimate act of freedom and fun. Something we used to see in the City when people were less judgemental and information was less fragmented.

Don't get me wrong, I like -- love -- New Media, but there's something missing in today's society. It's this watered-down P.C. culture, and while I love that it's less racially insensitive and more diverse than in the past, it's also less just plain fun. It's like everyone's worried about doing something wrong or being accused of doing so by someone else and certainly not willing to take charge of anything or take action against an injustice.

Enter Harry Denton.

Harry wanted to have old fashioned fun and the people of the city and even the police parted the way and let him. It was glorious.

Media pundits echo McCain misinformation. Is it deliberate?

John McCain and Karl Rove’s experience suggests lies are effective campaign tools. It’s no wonder they and the pundits say Obama lacks experience. They think telling the truth is the modern political equivalent of Don Quixote tilting at windmills...

This week John McCain's campaign hit new lows with their attacks and distortions. McCain and his party attacked Senator Obama by, among other things, ridiculing the idea that keeping your car tires inflated is an effective way to insure fuel efficiency... Over the road truck drivers know this basic truth. In fact, everyone from AAA to NASCAR agreed with Obama. McCain has, of course, reversed his position. But not until the broadcast pundits had a good laugh repeating McCain's misinformation and influencing voters, while taking the GOP money for ads, of course.

Too often the theoretically objective "referees" in the commercial media are spending a lot of time repeating his false attacks and very little time holding him accountable. Of course, they're glad McCain's found a way to raise money so they can sell ads to his campaign, and so it's something of a conflict of interest for them -- do they tell the truth, or do they help keep it looking like a close contest to boost their ratings and ad revenues?

Here's more from McCain disinformation machine, echoed uncritically in the commercial media:

• Earlier this week, the McCain campaign put out an ad saying that Washington is broken. It's gotten a lot of press so far, but it didn't mention that John McCain spent the last 26 years in Washington --
  failing to fix this broken system. He portrays himself as a so-called "maverick" but doesn't want people to know that he has vo ted 95% of the time in support of George Bush's policies.


• Another ad uses scare tactics to claim Barack's tax policy will hurt middle class Americans. Press coverage of the ad repeated McCain's smears, but omitted the fact that Barack's economic plan will cut taxes for 95% of American families. Not to mention that McCain's upper class tax cut plan leaves out more than 100 million middle class families.

The commercial media may not be informing the public very well, but you don't have to sit back and wait for them to start telling the truth about John McCain. This is the era when Snopes and PolitiFact are checking the stories, and Google can steer you to sources other than the broadcast pundits with their vested interest in keeping you watching because they sell ads to the GOP.

John McCain and Karl Rove's experience suggests lies are effective campaign tools. It's no wonder they and the pundits say Obama lacks experience. They think his truth- and reality-based campaign is the modern political equivalent of Don Quixote tilting his lance at windmills.

Watch the video of Barack responding and join thousands of fellow supporters via BarackObama.com to counter the influence of John McCain's deceptive, old-school mud-slinging campaign.

The Obama campaign's new "Action Wire" and the long-standing "Obama Rapid Response" teams are among the grassroots tools for hope-mongers dedicated to pushing back against yellow journalism and other disinformation. They serve as clearinghouses for volunteers who fight smears, spread the truth, push back on misleading media, and take positive action.

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BERNIE MAC DIES AT 50 - DEVELOPING STORY

My Mom called at 6 AM to tell me that Comedian Bernie Mac died at 50 years old. I am very sad to learn this. More soon.

Russia At War With Georgia Friday

While we were watching the gossip farm that is the Edwards / Hunter affair, Russia had the temerity to go and invade Georgia!



I wonder what the hell Putin and Russia are up to. They know that America is an ally of Georgia, and it's as if they're trying to pull us into a fight. But why? Why now? What's to gain from this action?

It's said that Russia must show dominance in the region. My take is that perhaps this is something we need to stay out of officially.

Daily Kos Contributor Ben Bang Applogize To Huff Posts' Sam Stein

On September 27th of 2007, Daily Kos contributor Ben Bang linked to Sam Stein's piece on the then-alledged John Edwards / Rielle Hunter affair and let loose with a string of insults:

...And pretty much right after that, the article ends. What the fuck? How did that shit turn out, Stein? Did you not even take them up on their offer to show you those year old videos that you'd already seen and yet sought to make into some sort of international mystery scandal?

By the way, they probably insisted on being there while you view the videos to make sure that you do not copy them, you no-article-finishing, character-assasinating hack fuck.

After a couple of years of dedicated readership, the Huffington Post's prime spot on my bookmarks toolbar is in serious jeopardy. Apparently I'm not alone. The comments section of the article is brimming with disapproving commentators.

Well, in the wake of Edwards' confession it seems the Daily Kos complainers have some serious back-pedaling to do.

But at the time there was so much partisan bickering they can be excused for a little irrational exhuberance.