First Door on the Left

I saw this posted on a couple of weblogs this evening. I thought it was a joke. It isn’t. This is actually the official logo of the 2008 Republican National Convention.

2008 RNC logo

If you want, you can click on it to view a larger version.

Try not to laugh.

Oh, okay… laugh. Can you believe they actually paid somebody to come up with this atrocity? What were they thinking? Have you ever seen anything quite so ridiculous?

C’mon… even you Republicans have to admit that this is funny.

George W. Bush gave a speech in Lancaster, Pennsylvania yesterday. He wrote the speech himself. Let me amend that… I hope he wrote the speech himself. If a professional speech writer wrote this drivel, I hope Mr. Bush has the presence of mind to fire him/her post haste.

Here is some of what the President of the Republican Party of the United States of America had to say yesterday in Lancaster, Pennsylvania…

My job is a decision-making job. And as a result, I make a lot of decisions. And it’s important for me to have an opportunity to speak to you and others who would be listening about the basis on which I have made decisions, to explain the philosophy behind some of the decisions I have made. And so I’m looking forward to your questions, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to come and share them with you…

Expansion of this business has provided people new opportunity employments — new employment opportunities here in Lancaster County. You know, when you give a man more money in his pocket — in this case, a woman more money in her pocket to expand a business, it — they build new buildings. And when somebody builds a new building somebody has got to come and build the building. And when the building expanded it prevented [sic] additional opportunities for people to work. Tax cuts matter. I’m going to spend some time talking about it. I want to thank you for giving us a chance to come and use you all as an example — and also the hall works…

I am constantly amazed that our country produces people — decent, honorable people who are willing to serve…

Secondly, it’s important to delegate. There’s a lot of action in Washington, D.C., believe me, and I’ve got a lot of decisions to make. And so I delegate to good people. I always tell Condi Rice, I want to remind you, Madam Secretary, who has the Ph.D. and who was the C student. And I want to remind you who the advisor is and who the President is. I got a lot of Ph.D.-types and smart people around me who come into the Oval Office and say, Mr. President, here’s what’s on my mind. And I listen carefully to their advice. But having gathered the device [sic], I decide, you know, I say, this is what we’re going to do. And it’s “yes, sir, Mr. President.” And then we get after it, implement policy.

So now I’ll be glad to answer some questions from you if you got any. If not, I can keep on blowing hot air until the time — until the time runs out.

You can read the whole speech if you are so inclined or if you believe you can stomach it. Remind yourself as you read that this is the leader of the free world who is speaking. (The link to the speech, as published by the White House, is in the opening paragraph of this post.)

Amazing, isn’t it?

I am sure the rabid righties will be all over Senator Obama for this one. Symbolism is very important to them, since they have so little else on which to hang their beliefs…

Obama Stops Wearing Flag Pin

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he doesn’t wear an American flag lapel pin because it has become a substitute for “true patriotism” since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Asked about it Wednesday in an interview with KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Illinois senator said he stopped wearing the pin shortly after the attacks and instead hoped to show his patriotism by explaining his ideas to citizens.

“The truth is that right after 9/11 I had a pin,” Obama said. “Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security.

“I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest,” he said in the interview. “Instead, I’m going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testament to my patriotism.”

On Thursday, his campaign issued a statement: “We all revere the flag, but Senator Obama believes that being a patriot is about more than a symbol. It’s about fighting for our veterans when they get home and speaking honestly with the American people about this disastrous war.”

Update: I was right. You can follow the indignation this has caused throughout the rabid right wing blogosphere, starting here.

Further reading: “What’s on a Lapel?”

I still say he should refuse to leave the Senate unless David Vitter also resigns, but the judge makes a good point…

Judge denies Craig’s request to withdraw guilty plea

A judge in Minnesota has turned down U.S. Sen. Larry Craig’s effort to withdraw his Aug. 1 guilty plea, saying that his claim that he didn’t know what he was doing when he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct was “illogical.”

In his ruling, issued this afternoon, Judge Charles Porter Jr. shot down the Idaho Republican’s main arguments that he made a mistake when he pleaded guilty to charges in connection with a men’s room sex sting, and that he pleaded guilty under pressure of a newspaper investigation into his background, and that his plea was not intelligently made.

Craig, a Republican, who was arrested June 11, had six weeks to make a decision that he would plead guilty to the charges that arose after he approached an undercover officer in the men’s room of the Minneapolis airport, the judge wrote.

“The defendant argues he pled in haste to prevent the allegation in this case from being publicized, thus doing damage to his political reputation. This pressure was entirely perceived by the defendant and was not a result of any action by the police, the prosecutor, or the court.”

The judge also scolded Craig for his argument that his plea was “not intelligently made.”

“The Defendant, a career politician with a college education, is of, at least, above-average intelligence. He knew what he was saying, reading, and signing,” Porter wrote.

I’m not sure about the above-average intelligence part. The man is a Republican. But the rest of what the judge said is correct.

Update: Mr. Craig says he is staying…

Craig vows to stay despite court loss

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig defiantly vowed to serve out his term in office on Thursday despite losing a court attempt to rescind his guilty plea in a men’s room sex sting.

“I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively,” Craig said in a written statement certain to disappoint fellow Republicans who have long urged him to step down.

Craig had earlier announced he would resign his seat by Sept. 30, but had wavered when he went to court in hopes of withdrawing his plea.

The third-term lawmaker issued his statement not long after Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter relayed word he has selected a replacement for Craig in the event of a resignation.

“He is ready to act should we receive a letter of resignation,” said Jon Hanian, Otter’s spokesman in Boise, in what seemed like a calculated signal that home-state Republicans want Craig to surrender the seat he has held for 17 years.

In his statement, Craig said he will not run for a new term next year.

But in the meantime, he said: “I will continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee — something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate.”