From the Austin Marathon

Keep saying, "dammit...wish I could've gone..."

And also: there is a whole lot of personality going on in that photo. Haha.

Edited to note: And basically that photo is a visual summary of my hourly firefox refreshes. In that order, L-R.

 Nice photo!

I was hoping for a pic of the three of you together on the last thread!

hope you're having a great time, Al.  can't wait to read all your dispatches back to us- just don't forget your new laptop in a bar! ;)

and love that picture.  despite being a bit peeved at Kos lately, that pic contains 3 of the men i most admire from this campaign season, and aside from Obama, 3 most influential on me personally during that time as well.

so that picture is what real power looks like.  who'd a thunk it?!

Thanks for the updates on this event; this is exciting stuff for everyone who is involved or follows the community.

It's cool that you meet, face to face, he who is known as poblano... in Texas.

looks a bit, oh, "tired" in the picture..very droopy eyed. Whadya guys do to him?

Sitting in the hall waiting for Markos to debate the DLC sith Harold Ford....interesting.....to say the least.

What a Team! Great picture, with the subtitle: My 3 Favorite Bookmarks!

So exciting to have you all in the same place - that's what I call Real Power!  hang on tight to that laptop - we can't wait to read all your reports.

Nate Silver seems to be doing a Zoolander pose. I think I see a cigeratte in your hand, Al.

Markos seems to not be following you and Nates dress code.

Anyway, yay for awesome threesomes. And I mean that in a nonsexual way, obviously. lol

Harold Ford is from Tennessee, not Kentucky.

Why is he possessed of Buddha-like calm?

This could be why:

If Obama wins, Republicans are screwed in more ways than they can possibly imagine. Or then again, perhaps they can--and they're petrified to the core.  If so, we should expect them to pull out all the stops to create the ugliest election we've seen in our lifetimes.

Why is this one election such a big deal?  Many, including myself, believe that we are in the midst of a realignment year not unlike 1896 or 1932; under this scenario, Democratic victory this year would help bring about 30+ years of Democratic dominance until the next realignment.  Yet that would be true regardless of this election's victor, due to changing voting patterns especially among youth.

No, this election in particular, if it goes against the GOP, spells utter disaster for them until and unless they utterly remake themselves as a party. For the election of an African-American candidate is doom to the current incarnation of Republican politics.

The short version:  Republicans have two (2) platform planks:  Racism, and hatred of the New Deal.  They have used the former to undermine the latter.

When Obama becomes president, the former plank is gone.  Vaporized.  Detonated.

The Republicans are frantically trying to keep racism viable as a political tool by making Latinos the new hate objects, but that's actually worse for them as Latinos are an even bigger -- and growing -- voter bloc.

If it wasn't for their corporate press buddies propping them up, they'd have died off thirty years ago.  But even with the GOP/Media Complex on their side, they're still in trouble -- because the corporate media is losing eyeballs and ears to people like Al Giordano.

Al,

You, Markos, and Nate represent the Trinity to me:

The Field, Kos, & Poblano

(And I can say that since I have lots of vowels in my name.)

Hope you are enjoying yourself and having fun with the new Mac laptop. Will be interested in hearing all the Netroots scoop. 

I read that story too, and nothing, nothing, would make me happier to see the GOP go into hibernation for decades.  In VA, the choice is a republican majority or roads.  I hope most people choose roads before no one can afford to travel because of failing infrastructure or cost.  The GOP here in VA are determined not to raise taxes or give Kaine a legislative victory after allowing Mark Warner to do so. The fact that Warner will crush Gilmore in the senate race just makes me joyful.

Hi Al,

Looking good! Hope your threesome and others at Netroots Nation have a chance to talk about what we can do to help convince the general electorate of Obama's foreign policy chops.  It is beyond me why McCain is still polling higher with respect to foreign policy when he still talks about Czechoslovakia, confuses the Sunni with the Shia, and sings songs about "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran."  And today McCain is hitting Obama with a pretty effective ad in my opinion:

http://thepage.time.com/2008/07/18/bam-pow-zap/

Foreign policy is the main reason I'm supporting Obama - finally a voice of reason and pragmatism in this realm, a chance to get the world behind us again, and with a solid strategy to back it up - yet this story does not seem to be getting out there.

Please oh please let the Obama campaign come up with an excellent ad to start people questioning McCain's supposed foreign policy street-cred.  Wesley Clark had started doing a pretty good job of that before he stuck his foot in his mouth.

KD

Here is an anecdote from Leutisha Stills (aka The Christian Progressive Liberal) at Jack and Jill:

Markos came over and was introduced to me. He even gave me a hug. I told him I did CBC Monitor Report Card and did he know that Harold Ford was rated “Derelict” as a Congressman? That the concerns he had about housing, credit, finance, economy - he’d actually helped to vote legislation in that caused it?

“These are good points to have made,” Kos said.

”But, why did you allow him to lie like that?” I asked.

“You coming to the big tent party tonight?” Kos asked. I smiled, thanked him and walked off.

Her conclusion:

I’m so disappointed in what was not a debate, but a bullshyt love fest between two people whose purpose was to highlight their differences and debate why one position was better than the other. We didn’t get that.

Did you see the Team Obama response to the McSame ad?

"While Barack Obama wants to change American foreign policy to wind down the war in Iraq and address the grave threat posed by a resurgent al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan, John McCain offers this patently misleading negative ad. Given his calls for a civil campaign, it’s disappointing that Senator McCain has slipped so easily into the same, tired campaign tactics that have become so familiar to the American people,” said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton."

I thought McSame's ad was terrible.  More of the same that will likely backfire, except on the 30% that will vote McInsane no matter what.  Perhaps you might want to review some of Al's posts about overcoming "Chicken Little" tendencies?

The last electoral vote analysis of polling I saw had Obama getting 310 EVs, which would be a dominating win.  He'll need to dominate, so it's up to us not to get complacent, but sure seems to be looking good so far.  And Obama seems to be just now finding his stride in handling Panama John.

Well, on that memorable bar crawl, I certainly hope that you guys made it to Headliners East....

If not, you need to go before you leave town!

Needs to punch up his material and get to the point.  His stuff is too wordy and, well, thoughtful.  We are dealing with opponents who are the opposite of thoughtful and literate and need sharper sound-bites.

Like:

"President Bush seems to be adopting all of Obama's foreign policy positions, does McCain disagree with the White House too?"

LOL  Wow, you guys are going to be beat after all of this!!  You're going to need a vacation.  Markos should come up to Norman, Oklahoma next year!  Hey, Austin is our biggest rival and I am sure that the community here and David Boren would greet you with open arms!  Can you mention that to Markos?  ;-)

Al, have a beer and a cigarette for us lurkers!!  As a lurker, I would have loved to been present at the Lurkers Caucus.  Of course, I wouldn't have said anything.  :-)

Anyway, have fun for us old farts that stayed home.

Al, you had to make a point by having that cigarette in your hand, didn't you ?

@Allan - I agree that Burton's reply is wordy and seems like whining. There ain't going to be any civil campaign from the repugs despite what the old guy says.

amk

I have to vote, you Al, as overall the most comfortable in his skin...

I've been on-line less more than on these last couple of weeks and I've found it to be helpful in that I get to talk to more non-political junkies.  My assessment is that a lot more Repbublicans than the polls show are really sick and tired...hopefully, it will translate into votes for Obama or non-votes for McCain.........

Keep us posted Boss.

So nice to see your shining smiling face!

I had a fantastic time in Austin, mostly because I was able to finally put a face to people that I've long read on the tubes.  Keep up the great work.  paz