The Chimes at Midnight
Monday, October 16, 2006
"Only a Boarder in Romney's New Order"...
Have you ever noticed that when some movement conservative hack wants to really wallow in hysteria, they usually do it in a religious pulpit with two golden spotlights on the Cross of Jesus dead center behind them?
Such was the case with the Viceroy yesterday who took time out of his allegedly busy schedule to harangue the troops at the Tremont Street Temple on the evils of secularism, gay marriage and indeed rationality.
At one point Mitt piously bleated:
"Every child deserves a mother and a father."
He has said this before, now what Humble Elias wants to know is, will Mitt be running for President on a dissolve-all-divorces platform?
If every child DESERVES a mother AND a father then clearly the feds will have to intervene and clean up all these failed marriages.
And start raising the dead or else begin drafting new fathers and mothers to replace the untimely deceased.
Otherwise, this was all part of "Justice Sunday" a nation-wide transparently partisan appropriation of churchs all over America for the purposes of keeping the GOP in power now and forever amen.
Churches these days don't seem to make any effort to disguise their naked partisan power base do they?
Can't see as that is something the founding father's would approve of.
Nope...not at all.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
For a guy who allegedly hates the United Nations
Jeff Jacoby sure is quick to praise the World Health Organization's decision to loosen some restrictions on the use of DDT.
I mean, this is the same W.H.O. that keeps trying to put the conquest of disease on a socialized basis and continually promotes a non-biblical notion of contraception.
Ahhhh but Jeff has become a stodgy old liberal in his dotage, his obnoxious smirk has degenerated into a churning sea of kindly wattles and jiggly jowls.
Well W.H.O. knows, maybe Jeff will start looking kindly on the teaching of natural selection in the public schools....maybe he'll concede public schools right to exist.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Big Patrick-Murray Rally this Sunday on Boston Common
Everyone is hereby encouraged to attend.
That would be this Sunday, October 15, on the Boston Common (at the bandstand near Tremont St.) at 2:30PM.
I think what we want here is for the local news media to report on the sheer daunting size of the crowd that will come to see the Patrick-Murray ticket.
Remember, size matters.
Brian McGrory's Nice Girl
Ah good old Brian, since Mike Barnicle left the scene he has been my very meat, couldn't have the Chimes at Midnight without him.
Today he comes that close to endorsing Kerry Healey at the last minute though he opts to toss her a few fresh bouquets and leave it at that.
According to Brian, the angry scolding image we have of Kerry Healey runs at odds with her actual nature as a nice sweet suburban preppie with an eye for the occasional snazzy convertible.
Awww...ain't dat sweet, Brian's trying to sweeten up Healey's image.
The tone of the piece seems to be "Gee if only Kerry Healey would act nicer, I could buy into her tangled image as a moderate Republican and openly join her fan club."
This is no less than hilarious that dour miserable woman who seems to be threatening the Commonwealth with all manner of dire consequences if we dare vote for her opponent is pretty much the real Kerry Healey.
Based on what Humble Elias has heard from various interested acquaintances, Lt. Governor Healey brings a rather disdainful sarcastic attitude to her much ballyhooed meetings with local elected officials. That "Your my hero Christy" sneer of hers is well known to school committee members and mayors from Peru to Bourne.
Clearly, the Lieutenant Governor has picked up a few of Romney's nasty viceregal habits.
The choice seems clear, more stunt driven governance animated by a nasty disdainful spirit, or a vitally needed change in priorities...something that may avert the Commonwealth's side into economic impotence and political limbo.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Mark Warner drops out of the '08 Presidential Sweeps
the details can be found hyar:
Well...what happened? The guy was shit hot six months ago and angling hard for the "Moderate Southern Democract" slot in the New Hampshire Primary.
I suppose this is good news for John Kerry and Senator Clinton, but does anyone out there believe his "I wanna spend more time with my family" routine?
Hell, Bill Clinton got in back in '92 just get out of the house!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Good Lord Mitt just can't wait to flee Massachusetts
can't he?
His statement in the above link noting that it would've been "smarter" to stay in Michigan if he'd contemplated running for President just drips with contempt for Massachusetts and the now trademark Romney-esque egomania.
The man spent six million large of his own ill-gotten money to become governor of a state he treats with open disdain.
My Ghod why do we put up with it?
Honestly, truth squads from Massachusetts should dog his every step up in New Hampshire during the 2008 Primary season. He has not given us anything resembling respect or good governance in his one term in office so Humble Elias doesn't see why we shoulf give the Viceroy a moment's peace.
It must be an election year...
because Senator John McCain is squealing his freeper bona-fides like a stuck pig.
Honestly, what ISN'T Bill Clinton's fault for these a-holes?
John McCain would blame his migraines on Bill Clinton...no doubt if he stubs his senatorial toe on the way to the bathroom in the morning McCain curses Bill Clinton all the way to the mirror.
His wife must have learned to block it all out long ago.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Apocalypse Delayed (Maybe...)
Jane's Defense Weekly reports that North Korea's recent nuclear test might have been a one-kiloton dud.
If this is true, then there is still time for a diplomatic solution to the problem. North Korea has lost some de-facto face with this damp squib of a nuclear blast, this gives us a chance to fill the void with timely proposal or two.
Allowing North Korea to build & deploy nuler weapons is a blow to US prestige and set back to the reliability of our security gurantees in the region.
To do nothing but squawk threats (which is what our current policy towards North Korea amounts to) is to invite other regional actors to dicker with Peking or Pyongyang on their own.
That isn't good for us believe me.
Alas at this point, it would take a Kissinger or a Marshall to whomp together a regional non-proliferation policy and the necessary domestic and international coalition to give it teeth.
All we have to work with is that hopeless toady Condoleeza Rice...so lets not get our hopes up shall we?
Monday, October 09, 2006
"BOOM!"
Goes North Korea who stages a grand entrance into the exclusive Nuclear Club complete with 12 kiloton mushroom cloud.
Good God Bush and his cabal have had six long years to develop a policy to avoid this day and yet North Korea's acquisition of nuclear weapons arrived with the assurance of an unloved season.
Meanwhile Don Rumsfeld and that whole crowd are in a onanistic frenzy to invade Iran because they might develop nuclear weapons down the line.
Ah but North Korea doesn't have oil and does abut the PRC...The whole thing is so complicated for the President's third cowboy mentality, Iran is intellectually easier to digest so Tehran is next.
Meanwhile the far eastern chessboard has been neatly overturned...wingnuts and hardliners are no doubt muttering about Japan's need to take charge of her own defense. Bad nuclear karma has a way of rippling across borders in strange and unpredictable ways.
And still the Navy sails for Iran...
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Jeff Jacoby has a good one today
Like the rest of us, he is sore amazed at the Amish of Pennsylvania's willingness to forgive the perpetrator of last week's school massacre.
He then rattles on that the good example set by the plain people of Lancaster County PA doesn't necessarily exempt him from loathing and hating the murderer in this case.
Well, fair enough, the Amish set very rarified standards for themselves the rest of us are prone to wishing after a very rough brand of justice in these instances.
Y'know come to think of it, hate is a big theme in Jeff Jacoby's writing, ever notice that?
He is usually either exempting himself or others from the accusation of hatefulness, giving himself permission to hate or else compiling long intricate lists of hateful liberals to be excoriated. No doubt should Deval Patrick win this December, Jeff will find some pretext for our nominee for Governor to top that annual list.
Clearly it's topic to which Jacoby has given much thought of a disordered nature. The worst of Jeff Jacoby's writing is essentially smugly pontifical in nature, the right facts, the right emotions the right actions yield god's will in the form of the right outcome. Do it is just weird to read his latest sermon on "when it's okay to hate" as justified by Jeff Jacoby Esq.
Friday, October 06, 2006
American Athens...
now links to this, the Little Blog that Cried.
Welcome welcome, everyone should go there sensible things are therein written.
Denny Hastert is stayin' on...
at least for now.
In an ugly strategic sense, this is very good news indeed.
It means that Speaker Hastert otherwise a fat crook who allegedly coddles pederasts, will become the poster boy for the GOP nigh these next four weeks.
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy as far as Humble Elias is concerned, isn't this the guy who preached ad nauseum to the nation about the primacy of personal responsibility?
Why doesn't he take a lesson from his own corpulent self and quit?
Nope no way, too much money and power on the line I guess.
Hastert's defiant decision to stay is another indication that the GOP's all powerful national machine has shot it's bolt. Normally in a scandal like this, Denny would've resigned days ago, hell the handover of power from Bob Livingston to Hastert back in 1999 was accomplished within hours.
The Roves and Norquists who do the strategic planning for the GOP seem to be way off their game this week.
Like I said, couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
"Denny....
yer doin' a heckuva job..."
Bush calls Hastert teacher coach...father?
Considering the undercurrent of animosity and jealousy between Bush 1 and Bush 2, that is an interesting and suggestive statement on the part of the President.
The October Surprise....
That a GOP dominated U.S. Congress coddles accused pedophiles...
That Speaker Hastert may be forced to resign in disgrace for not putting the kibosh on Representative Foley's nasty boy-crazy ways...
That the House Republican Campaign Committee is desperately trying to lay it's hands on Foley's two million dollar campaign war chest.
Yup this isn't quite the media firestorm that Karl Rove and Grover Norquist were hoping to brew up this month is it?
My prediction is, Hastert will resign, possibly before Saturday the way things are going.
The House GOP will then flail around for a full week spouting blood like a harpooned whale and desperately searching for a meme that'll get them out from under.
So let us make hay while the sun shines my friends.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Congress does not need to appropriate money to build an
anti immigrant wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
No...Instead Congress needs quite desperately to build a wall complete with barbed wire and armed guards between Capitol Hill and the congressional pages dormitory.
Shee-it these GOP yaps in Congress can't keep a bunch of teenaged boys safe from the predations of the Chairman of the Exploited Children's Caucus...So how the hell are they supposed to keep America secure from terrorism?
And another thing...As Chair of the Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children how much child porn d'ye thing Representative Mark Foley got his hands on as "evidence" nigh these past eight years?
And Speaker Hastert that corpulent comfortable crook that scold of Presidential extra-marital affairs, covered it all up and kept collecting on those big fundraisers.
Dear Ghod in heaven Humble Elias is really having second thoughts about a nice quite cottage on the shores of the Baja.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Senator Chris Dodd was on Wolf Blitzer's show yesterday
with Senator Lugar, mostly the talked about the Mark Foley Affair in the House (with Lugar looking uncommonly pale and uncomfortable). Senator Dodd also revealed he was giving close scrutiny to the possibility of running for President in 2008.
Hmmmm...Dodd is a good man, but I don't think he has the stature for the office...a few too many parties with Ted Kennedy are rumored. Then again what is the real meaning of stature when the Office of the President is occupied by a crooked sanctimonious numbskull like George Bush?
I think a lot of people in the US Senate are turning over the idea in their heads right now, conditional of course on how well the democrats do in November. If the party takes over the Senate a lot of guys will wanna hang around and make hay of their committee and sub committee chairmanships.
If however the dems can't seal the deal, look for a flood of congressmen and senators to descend about Iowa and New Hampshire come January 2007.
And then...the game will be afoot, again.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
63%...57%?
Whatever the numbers are, the Globe reports a double digit lead for Deval Patrick today.
Well...thats nice, but lets not forget Shannon O'Brien once had a twelve point lead over Mitt Romney. The democratic gubernatorial ticket is not going to achieve victory without a lot of hard work from the top to the bottom.
In particular, I wonder if those polls are accurately reporting Christy Mihos strength, I suspect he has got more than 10% currently in his pocket. And his Crazy Christy's numbers aren't accurate, then everyone's polling position is in doubt.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Predictably...
Globe columnist Brian McGrory has searched and searched and found Deval Patrick wanting.
It is not surprising, Humble Elias would in fact be shocked if McGrory or any of his moderate republican brethren on Morrissey Blvd started banging the pots for Patrick.
This raises however the question of just who Brian et al will be backing (if anyone) in this election?
Joanie Vennochi is a no brainer, she is all about swift and shallow running emotion, so look for her to come out for Healey at the first mild criticism of the Lt. Governor from Citizen Patrick. Joanie will get all indignant and cry for sisterhood united...it'll be hilarious to read believe me.
Scot Lehigh...is making ponderous measured and the usual objective noises now...but give him a few weeks to find the right moderate GOP strawman (or woman) to back. I'm gonna go out on a limb and predict Lehigh will mark out for Crazy Christy...but that is a bit of mirthful speculation on my part.
Coming back to Brian McGrory, he fell for Romney's bullshit completely in 2002, so why shouldn't he fall for Kerry Healey's nonsense in 2006?
You see how it works with these people? "May the best moderate republican doofus win" or to put it more crudely, "we need a GOP camp follower to fix the problems created by sixteen years of republican dilettante rule."
Whether Deval wins or not, don't look for that cherished myth to fade away as far as the local punditariat is concerned.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
I finally saw Crazy Christy's "controversial" animated TV advert last night...
I liked it, from a stylistic perspective of course, reminded Humble Elias of Bill Plympton's hand-drawn cartoons.
I suspect Mihos might realize a bounce in his polls between this ad and his aggressive debate performance. However to "seal the deal" in any other possible debates he seriously needs to stop shouting and use his "indoor voice".
For the moment though, he is eating into Healey's numbers and over the short term that is a good thing. If Mihos really starts to surge though, he'll start poaching on our cohorts and that might just might make this a tight three way race.
But a lot of factors have to break his way for that to happen.
New England has elected three independent governors in the last thirty years...so don't fool yourselves it could happen here.
Nonetheless, this is the twenty first century it is nigh impossible to govern without the support of a mass political party. A lot of noise can be made and some things accomplished but without an organized base and an experienced cadre of political appointees the so-called "independent" governor usually founders.
Christy Mihos as Governor would end up being a louder more ineffectual version of Romney, count on it.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Oh geez....MORE good news...
The god-damn Sumner is now crumbling away.
The conventional wisdom dictates, that this sort of situation plays to the advantages of the GOP with their lofty claims to managerial supercompetance.
Humble Elias wonder though, does anyone out there really trust a pipsqueak like Kerry Healey to tough out a heartbreaker like that?
What exactly has she done nigh these past four years to suggest that she has any managerial ability at all?
So far as I can see, her sole contribution to Big Dig oversight has been to make sure with her own lily white hands that the Viceroy has his orange safety vest on straight.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Citizen Jasper White?
The gubernatorial debate last night took a question from an "ordinary citizen" of the Commonwealth, a chef named Jasper White.
Is this the same Jasper White who rented office space to the Romney-Healey campaign in 2002? And kept a huge "Romney Healey in 2002" sign glowering over Route 2 for months the election?
Or do I have my facts wrong?
If so then trust Fox25 News and the Boston Herald to pick out GOP footsoldier out of a Commonwealth of some six million.
Monday, September 25, 2006
The Mermaid who would be Governor...
Apropos of tonight's gubernatorial debate on Fox25, who knew Kerry Healey was such a fervent pal of commercial fishermen in Massachusetts?
I'm sure she is regular dock rat down in Gloucester and New Bedford, recites "Rollicky Bill, the Sailor" from memory and gets so darned choked up whenever they play "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" on the radio.
Yup...an old salt is our Lieutenant Governor.
Which is ironic because to look at her, you'd think she got seasick watching "Waterworld" on widescreen...but nope, per her debate performance tonight she is officially a old timey sailor of the ocean deep.
My ghod have you ever heard such rubbish in your life?
If asphalt spreaders were on anyone's electoral radar screen, Kerry Healey would've clumped into the studio in those five inch leather boots claiming she'd fought against excessive federal regulation of aspahlat spreaders all her life from the time she was a wee barbie at Harvard.
Big Debate Tonight
Humble Elias doubts it'll be a decisive encounter between Kerry-n-Deval owing to the presence of Crazy Christy and the Green-Rainbow candidate on the stage. But I'd watch whoever FOX 25 drafts to moderate, the Fox organization is hardly one given over to journalist objectivity and it's well known Rupert Murdoch is anxious to export the rightical chic style of the cable news outfit to the local affiliates.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Kerry Healey, your friendly neighborhood ne'er do well...
Lieutenant Governor Barbie, who has never missed a meal and never made good in any position of trust and responsibility in her life, now proposes to become a rough tough crimefighter, or so her new commercials would have it.
Not fer nothing but, the crime rate has gone up in the Commonwealth nigh these last four years even as the Romney-Healey admin has stiffed cities and towns of local aid thus making it that much more difficult to hire new police officers.
As it is right now, there seems to be a heinous shooting every weekend somewhere in the state...don't really see Kerry Healey proposes much to combat the current spike in violent crime.
Mostly she seems to wanna spend money on restricting the use of cel-phones among teenagers.
If thats yer idea of being a rough tough crimefigher then there is your candidate.
Friday, September 22, 2006
One this you can say about Kerry Healey
(AKA "Lieutenant Governor Barbie")she is not gonna go quietly.
We are a mere three days into the campaign and she is already demanding Phil Johnston's resignation. By the time we get to Halloween she'll no doubt be screeching for the cancellation of the election on grounds of fairness.
Good ghod who in their right minds wants to listen to this amateur ne'er do well carrying on and on for four long years?
Friday Quote Blogging:
"I was a Liberal because everyone else was. The people chased the conservative candidate half a mile and threw him into a pond full of duckweed. People took politics seriously in those days. They used to begin to store up rotten eggs weeks before an election."
George Orwell Coming Up for Air 1939
Thursday, September 21, 2006
NECN election night coverage notes...
Jim Braude is a smarmy git in extremis. He does however a gift for doggedly trying to put words in the mouth of his interviewee. He must've spent some ten minutes of precious congressionally regulated airtime on Tuesday trying get state democratic chairman Johnston to disavow negative advertising by independent PACs.
Meanwhile, poor old Jane "Jingle Money" Swift hasn't quite burned off the weight has she? Otherwise the former acting governor is a delight and a phenomenon, she STILL alibis for Kerry Healey, who is otherwise known as the little painted hussy who helped run Jane Swift out of office.
Jane was dense and petty but she has a bovine loyalty to those who abused and betrayed her.
How about that Joe Malone huh? Seven million bucks his cronies allegedly pocketed out of the treasurer's office and still he can't afford rogaine!
Honestly, Joe looks like an aging Dick Tracy antagonist..."Hammerhead" perhaps.
Joe buddy, listen to me, just shave it all off like Warren Tolman...the whole Il Duce look never gets old!
Humble Elias gives NECN credit for trying though, in these days of total vertical and horizontal integration it's hard to find any air time for Massachusetts pols both active & inactive. For that much, we should be grateful.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Meanwhile, lets hit the ground running today...
at least in respect of fundraising. Use the handy link provided and look for the "Contribute" button on the right hand side of the page.
Patrick Uber Alles...?
Big Pat romped to victory last night carrying every county in Massachusetts and racking up nigh on 50% of the vote.
Yee-haw!
Not bad for a kid from the wrong side of the tracks in Chicago.
Meanwhile, as predictable as an unloved season, Joanie Vennochi bitterly grouses about the democrats "drinking the kool-aid" last night.
This is pretty damn ironic given the fact that Joanie, Scot Lehigh, Brian McGrory et al have been swilling down Mitt Romney's kool-aid with gusto for four years now and been yelling for more up until quite recently.
How much you wanna bet Joanie wrote today's column over a month ago? If it is one thing that comes very easy to the allegedly liberal Boston Globe's current op-ediots, it is writing those ghastly "death of liberalism" pieces.
Steve Stark used to churn them out in his sleep quite literally.
If Humble Elias had to guess, I'd say that Joanie Vennochi will go all "rawk on sister-woman" for Kerry Healey come October. She'll sudden remember that they are both women and should stand in solidarity or some such egomaniacal drivel like that.
It'll be sick and sad to see, also hilarious as well.
Neverless as the nominee said last night, it is time for a change.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Chimes at Midnight Endorsement Recap:
In today's Massachusetts democratic primary:
For Governor: Deval Patrick Believe the hype this guy can shake things up and for the better. If not now then when, if not him then who?
For Lieutenant Governor: Tim Murray An experienced politician and an able individual. moving from Mayor of Worcester to the Lt. Governor's office is a natural step for Murray. Humble Elias looks to Murray to be an authentic voice for the perpetually embattled cities and towns of the Commonwealth.
For Secretary of State: William Galvin. You may not like Billy personally and certainly like Humble Elias you may not accord with all his political views but he never ran out on the party and voted for Nader did he? This is more than Galvin's challenger Jon Bonifaz can say.
Thay we must engage in an honest dialogue with the greens and other independent progressives is a given, but that does give Jon Bonifaz leave to parachute into the democratic primary and start himself up at the top of the political food chain.
Moreoever Billy has sown himself a good corporate steward and has kept the paper ballot here in the Commonwealth. He is heartily endorsed for re-nomination.
For State Senate: 4th Middlesex: Robert Havern III Bob is faced by one Joanne Gonsalves a Bonfiaz style challenger in today's primary. Humble Elias urges all democratic voters in our district to stick by Bob Havern today, he is experienced and a work-horse not a show horse. He is also backing Patrick if that moves anyone out there.
Anyway go vote, my precinct booked 49 ballots total by 7:41am EST.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Former Massachusetts Governor Ed King has passed away
So reads Boston.com.
In earlier times I was wont to speak harshly about the former governor, most because of his switch to the GOP in 1985. However my Uncles used to run into him all the time and as a person he was good folks with no low habits.
My thoughts are with his family today.
For Governor in the Massachusetts Democratic Primary...
The Chimes at Midnight heartily endorses the candidacy of Deval Patrick.
Humble Elias comes to this decision after long reflection, as he has said to his friends many times over the last several months everyone he likes is "either dead or out of the game".
However all facetiousness aside, the state is misgoverned, mismanaged and suffers from a dearth of talent at all levels.
The great and abiding need here is for a change, the candidate who best embodies that diresome necessity is Deval Patrick. He is articulate, he is passionate, he proposes new policies to thwart our current stagnation and he wants to lead.
This is not to degrade Misters Gabrieli and Reilly they are able men, if either is nominated Humble Elias will bang the pots loudly on their behalf, but are they the change-agents we need?
This endorsement though, does come with a few helpful warnings; the fall campaign will doubtlessly go the gutter route very quickly cheered on by the usual a-holes in the local media. Citizen Patrick will have to generate some tough and honest answers to the coming attacks in the areas of taxes, "illegal immigration" and gay marriage. He cannot take anything for granted least of all the willingness of Kerry Healey's cabal to play by the Marquis of Queensbury rules.
But as far as the Chimes at Midnight is concerned, I can vote for the other guys or I can vote one last time to overthrow destiny?
The choice therefore this time is simple:
Deval Patrick for Governor!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Note to the Laity:
There will be an official "Chimes at Midnight" endorsement in the democratic gubernatorial primary tomorrow.
On the last Sunday before a
democratic gubernatorial primary that may well decide the fate of Massachusetts for years to come, Joanie Vennochi takes time out to confirm she really is a rudderless spiteful yap.
On the subject of Kerry Healey's anti-Gabrieli adverts Joanie has this to say: "Shortly before primary day, Kerry Healey launched a silly & dishonest attack ad at Chris Gabrieli..."
Silly and dishonest?
Woo hoo dig Madame Retaliation down on Morrissey Boulevard!
Good grief where was this anger and outrage when the Swift Boats Vets went gunning for John Kerry??
As I recall, Joanie spent that whole month in a delirious spin alternately squealing that Kerry was both wimp and bully.
Yipes.
What can we learn from this?
Only that Joan Vennochi is a tedious unreliable hack in extremis. Sure she is angry today but odds are whoever we nominate on Tuesday won't meet her very high and inexplicable personal standards and she'll be sniping mightily at the democrats by Halloween.
Well...she hasn't burned any bridges to Mihos yet, so maybe we will get lucky and Joanie will mark out hard for Crazy Christy.
As long as she forgets about us, the only thing worse than having Joanie against you is having Joanie on your side.
