McCain Straight-Talkin’

Apparently Sen. Obama is now also a closet socialist.

Still, that’s a bit of a step down from being a closet-Marxist, as he was previously.

I suppose Americans can be comforted to know his closet-Muslimism is unwavering.

-Elia Isquire

Curious Title

Who else would he blame? Daily Kos?

-Elia Isquire

All the New Yorker Cover Analysis You’ll Ever Need

Slate has a very succinct collection of insights about the controversial cover.

This blurb, I think, sums up my discomfort with it perfectly:

Any satire that can be easily used to further the viewpoint it’s trying to satirize, is, by definition, a failure. The New Yorker cover fails abysmally.

-Elia Isquire

In-Depth Reporting from Time

Thank god we have Mark Halperin to supply us with the relevant facts and analysis during this heady general election.

-Elia Isquire

So Much for That Waning Enthusiasm

Barack Obama has second-best fundraising month of the year in June.

Marc Ambinder offers some perspective.

-Elia Isquire

Just In Case People Start Telling You It Was Worth It…

It’s really wonderful that things in Iraq have taken a turn from “unfathomably terrible” to “really bad.” I mean that sincerely. The Surge, seemingly, has worked. I don’t want to pretend that means all is well in Iraq–or that the massive chaos, ethnic cleansing, and forced migration didn’t impact the Surge’s success–but, at this juncture, it has enough truthiness to it that we might as well bump it up a level into Truth.
That said, if things continue on their tenuously positive trajectory, you’re going to hear conservatives trumpeting on that it was all worth it. Bush is a Trumanesque visionary and all that bullshit.

Well, if one of the ways we judge its “worthiness” is a true democracy in Iraq, don’t hold your breath.

This is a line of thought that deserves greater attention and fleshing-out, so expect me to return to it frequently.

-Elia Isquire

Is Obama Winning or Is McCain Losing?

This was a very interesting piece by Edsall at Huffpo, and one that I can’t really make up my mind over.

First off, I don’t think that Obama’s lead is really 2 or 3 points, as the article claims and operates under. Some polls are that close, but others are not–further, who gives a fuck about national polls at this juncture? In key states, Obama’s faring mighty well.

Still, I was thinking today–before reading this–how his campaign has been sort of devoid of personality and zeal since it went into GE mode. Maybe this is for the best, but I’m worried that they’re zapping some of the passion felt back in Iowa to the point that Obama’s going to feel like just another stodgy pol come November.

-Elia Isquire

I’m With De Zengotita

Concerning the New Yorker cover.

Buy his book, too.

-Elia Isquire

Slow News Day…

I ain’t got much to say about what’s been on the internets today.

McCain had a bad week, Obama did OK.

So, in the interest of conflict, I guess I can complain about Mark Halperin*, and link to FOX News.

Yawn.

*I can always complain about Mark Halperin.

-Elia Isquire

NYTimes Magazine Limbaugh Piece

It’s a good piece, and I recommend it.

But you probably want to know this sort of stuff beforehand–or at least take it into consideration, afterwards.

Now, this doesn’t invalidate the article or render it a complete “puff piece,” but this is stuff I’d certainly like to know when evaluating something about a figure as controversial as Limbaugh. I figured my reader(s) would feel the same way.

-Elia Isquire