President Barack Obama Delivers DNC Speech In Familiar Style

The crowd applauds Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Thursday, September 6. Image Credit: CNN/Zoran Milich

President Barack Obama Delivers DNC Speech In Familiar Style

This live blog effort needs to be read just as one would read a Twitter feed … from the bottom up, in order to grab the full effect of the speech given to us by our President, Barack Obama.

The speech was reviewed with MSNBC saying, “If you are Barack Obama, how do you top Barack Obama?” Sadly, once one has experienced Barack Obama, his speaking style, his cadence, his over-reaching promises, and etc. … one does not have anything to look forward to. Barack Obama is a robot … a talking robot … a TALKBOT.

What one will be exposed here in this live Tweet-By-Tweet blog is what subjects the TALKBOT was programmed with and in what order. Again, read from the bottom up and see how this programmed speech could have been the weakest speech that Barack Obama has ever given – it is because there is a record of failure.

An A student who turned in a C paper as summed up by Charles Krauthammer.

Stephanie Gwinn @nomorechange9s

‘Stunned’ Krauthammer Hammers Obama: ‘One of the Emptiest Speeches I Have Ever Heard On a National Stage’patdollard.com/2012/09/krauth…

END

The prayer was the best of everything that was spoken from the podium (to be updated at the bottom of the post when available).

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 1m
BHO is now just a END OF PROGRAM talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 2m
BHO is now just a FIXED ON THE DISTANT HORIZON talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 3m
BHO is now just a IF YOU BELIEVE talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 3m
BHO is now just a HOPE FOR VOTE talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 4m
BHO is now just a WOUNDED WARRIOR GIVES ME HOPE talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 4m
BHO is now just a WALTER REED HOSPITAL STORY talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 6m
BHO is now just a I’M HOPEFUL B’CAUSE OF YOU talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 7m
BHO is now just a EMOTIONAL STRINGS talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 7m
BHO is now just a I’M THE PRESIDENT talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 8m
BHO is now just a MAKE A DIFFERENCE/VOTING RIGHTS talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 9m
BHO is now just a DREAM ACT talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 10m
BHO is now just a IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 10m
BHO is now just a KENNEDY THEME talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 11m
BHO is now just a SOCIAL PANDERING talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 12m
BHO is now just a CRONY-CAPITOLISM talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 12m
BHO is now just a OPPORTUNITY talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 13m
BHO is now just a CITIZENSHIP? talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 14m
BHO is now just a REPUBLICAN BAD AIR/WATER/HEALTH talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 15m
BHO is now just a OBACARE talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 16m
BHO is now just a OBAMATH NOT WORKING talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 17m
BHO is now just a OBAMATH talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 17m
BHO is now just a TAXES & REFORM talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 19m
BHO is now just a MAKE MORE PROMISES talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 19m
BHO is now just a CHOICE (fail/non-fail) talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 21m
BHO is now just a INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 21m
BHO is now just a DOODLER-IN-CHIEF talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 22m
BHO is now just a PEACE/MILITARY ACTION talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 23m
BHO is now just a RETRAINING EDUCATION talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 24m
BHO is now just a EDU-GRANT talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 24m
BHO is now just a TEACHER talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 25m
BHO is now just a GREEN talking TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Hugh Hewitt @hughhewitt 26m
“We are offering a better path…wind, solar…” #Solyndra #tcot #Hewitt
Retweeted by Edmund Jenks

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 27m
BHO is nothing but a wind-up TALKBOT #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity #DNC2012

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 28m
Is it just me or does BHO seem really, really programmatic – he’s a robot … a talkbot @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 29m
BHO is no lying Big Dog Clinton #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 30m
BHO – Flat, Flat, Flat, Flat, Flat, Flat, Flat, Flat, #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh @seanhannity

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 32m
Obama: How about 5 or 6 stimulus plans and print money like it’s going out of style #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 32m
Obama: How about 5 or 6 stimulus plans and print money like it’s going out of style

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 34m
I’m not votin’ for him but BHO really seems less convincing now that he has a RECORD #tcot #tlot #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward @rushlimbaugh

Edmund Jenks @TheEDJE 35m
Is it just me or does BHO seem really, really programmatic – he’s a robot … a talkbot #tcot #tlot #p2 #ocra #nrcc #gop #forward

BEGIN

Cardinal Dolan @CardinalDolan
I look forward to praying at the DNC tonight. As I did at the RNC, I go as a pastor. Not to endorse any party, platform, or candidate.

This excerpted and edited from ABC News -

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York and a leading Catholic-American voice opposing abortion and President Obama’s health care reform law, inserted what some saw as an anti-abortion remark into his benediction Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention.

“Thus do we praise you for the gift of life. Grant us to defend it. Life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected,” Dolan said in prayer delivered immediately following President Obama’s address accepting his party’s nomination.

Dolan offered a similar benediction at the Republican National Convention last week in Tampa, Fla. Following his prayer there, he gave an interview saying he was non-partisan and would be glad to offer a benediction at the DNC this week in Charlotte, N.C. Democrats then extended an invitation.

In Tampa, he called life an “inalienable gift” and prayed for God’s “benediction upon those yet to be born and on those who are about to see you at the end of this life.”

The Catholic Church has long opposed Democratic Party platform planks that promote keeping abortion legal. More recently, the church assailed the administration over an Affordable Care Act provision that would require religious institutions to provide employees with contraception.

Lastly – FACT CHECKING President Barack Obama’s Speech>>

NBC ‘Rock Center’ GOP Debate From Tampa Bay Tweet-By-Tweet

Mitt Romney with former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. Romney’s “Charlie Crist” problem is this: Romney’s chief campaign strategist and several of his most senior campaign staff were Charlie Crist’s top political advisers — the same ones who crafted Crist’s moderate, ignore-the-tea-party strategy epitomized by Crist’s famous “hug” of President Barack Obama. That strategy led Crist, once the most popular Republican governor in the nation, to defeat. Caption & Image Credit: NewsMax

NBC ‘Rock Center’ GOP Debate From Tampa Bay Tweet-By-Tweet

With barely enough time to soak in the resounding and unexpected win in the South Carolina primary by former insider turned outsider, Newt Gingrich, NBC News Rock Center with Brian Williams is conducting the first of two televised GOP field debates before the Florida primary.

The primary result in South Carolina (Newt – 40% vs Mitt – 28% … a 12% spread) put egg on the faces of many recognizable Republican leadership faces, the most recognizable of which was the 2008 presidential election’s Republican nominee, John McCain, New Jersey Governor Chris Cristie, and past Republican Political Party leader, Hailey Barbour. This potential Republican ‘ruling class’ drubbing may continue in Florida if the most recent polls from Rasmussen are to be believed:

This excerpted and edited from Rasmussen Reports -

2012 Florida Republican Primary
Florida GOP Primary: Gingrich 41%, Romney 32%
Monday, January 23, 2012

Less than two weeks ago, Mitt Romney had a 22-point lead in Florida, but that’s ancient history in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Following his big win in South Carolina on Saturday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich now is on top in Florida by nine.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Sunday evening, finds Gingrich earning 41% of the vote with Romney in second at 32%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum runs third with 11%, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul attracts support from eight percent (8%). Nine percent (9%) remain undecided.(To see survey question wording, click here).
[Reference Here]

Further, the liberal press is having a field day trying to raster and vector their definition of Gingrich to the point that they are dredging up ghosts of the past … by over 40 years – EXAMPLE:

JON MEACHAM in TIME, “Meet Newt Nixon: Forget Reagan. Gingrich’s real political analogue is another angry striver: Richard Nixon”:

“Like Nixon, Gingrich is smart, with a wide-ranging and entrepreneurial mind. Like Nixon, Gingrich is a striver who seems insecure around traditional establishment figures even though he has achieved much more than nearly all of the politicians, editors, and reporters he seems to at once loathe and fear. Like Nixon, Gingrich is fluent in the vernacular of cultural populism, brilliantly casting contemporary American life in terms of an overarching conflict between ‘real’ people and distant ‘elites’ …
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“There is another element of the 2012 story with antecedents in 1968 that is yet to play out. ‘Watching George Romney [the father of Mitt Romney] run for the Presidency,’ said the then Governor of Ohio, James Rhodes, ‘was like watching a duck try to make love to a football.’ I’m not entirely sure what that means, except that it was an undertaking that did not quite work.”
(ht: Mike Allen – Politico Playbook)

With three winners in three primaries, pretzel logic from elites of all stripe pervades the first round of primaries and continues on to Florida. The Republican elite love to claim that Mitt Romney is the most electable candidate for presidential nominee, but this flies in the face of the fact that now, after South Carolina, Mitt has only won 9 of 25 electoral races he has been entered and campaigned in … as per Rush Limbaugh. Further, NewsMax reports that Romney’s advisers in Florida were former Governor Charlie Crist’s GOP defecting political advisers … gotta’ love them ‘moderates’.

Lastly, the vote in South Carolina reflects the fact that Conservative Republicans are tired that no Republican candidate ever takes the Democrat Political Party and it’s supporting power arms in the Mainstream Press, the Courts, and Labor Unions to task … does Romney? – NO … does Santorum? – NO … does Paul – NO … does Gingrich – YES!

Participating in the NBC Rock Center debate event from Tampa Bay, Florida: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

The following audit trail of real-time postings are 140 character (or less) responses and reactions found on Twitter in this and this is a process of reporting termed “Tweet-By-Tweet”!

BEGIN
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TheEDJEEdmund Jenks – IT’S OVER FOR MITT – Romney Campaign Run by Charlie Crist’s Political Aides tinyurl.com/7n97zh3 #tcot #tlot #loser #fldebate #politisite

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – I’m watching the debate tonight (in 15 minutes) over here on.msnbc.com/xZ5IMp

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theblazeTheBlaze.com – VID – Watch and Chat LIVE: Republicans Take the Stage at University of South Florida Debate theblaze.com/stories/join-t… via @theblaze TG

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START OF DEBATE – Rules: 60 seconds/30 seconds

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jdhenchmanJoe Henchman – TiVo tells me that tonight’s Republican debate is actually “Fear Factor: Leeches & Shaved Heads & Tear Gas Part 1″

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Jamie_WeinsteinJamie Weinstein – Gingrich looks tired, no?

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AlexPappasDCAlex Pappas – First question of the night goes to Gingrich on electability

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CommentaryCommentary Magazine – RT @tobincommentary: Is Brian Williams ready to get attacked by Gingrich? #FLDebate

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LibertyLynxR – Another debate? What time? Why? How? And then the State of the Union tomorrow? It’s too much. No one can possibly survive this.

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secuppS.E. Cupp – Brian Williams opens the debate by pointing out that Ron Paul is only candidate not to have won a primary.

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – RT @fivethirtyeight: Gingrich played the Reagan Card a world record 3.26 seconds into the debate.

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TPMTalking Points Memo – Newt saying he “took responsibility” and left Speakership on his own, wasn’t dragged out at all

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – How does Romney connect? With a high-speed LAN! Get it?!?

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EdMorrisseyEdMorrissey – so the debates are now a forum on ads and campaign attacks. Yeah, that’s valuable.

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DLoeschDana Loesch – Romney likely won’t mention Gingrich was cleared. #FLdebate

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hughhewittHugh Hewitt – #hhrs #tcot “The members of his own Congressional team moved to replace him and 88% of Republicans voted to rebuke him” #hhrs

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ToadonaWireL – How long do we spend on electability? Can we talk about REAL issues? #nbcdebate #FLdebate

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secuppS.E. Cupp – Counting down seconds before Ron Paul or Rick Santorum interject to ask if they can play too.

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – RT @philipaklein: Sounds like Romney has read his @tpcarney bit.ly/zL4VZ3

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Finally … Santorum, Paul must be in the on-deck circle

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rightstaceStacey – Mitt -stop Newt-bashing! — how does that help America?

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TPMTalking Points Memo – Romney on Gingrich: An “influence peddler” in Washington

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mattklewisMatt K. Lewis – I kind of miss the applause.

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – Santorum: “Any kind of prediction is going to be wrong” Except for that one.

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CommentaryCommentary Magazine – RT @tobincommentary: Santorum brags about his Pennsylvania victories again. 2006 landslide defeat goes, as always, unmentioned. #FLDebate

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hughhewittHugh Hewitt – RT @fatherz: Ss answer about loss in PA was pretty good. #gop #fldebate #dickmorriss #hhrs #catholic #hhrs

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And finally … Ron Paul

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – Ron Paul: “If you’re looking at the kids these days, I’m a huge winner.” Yeah, the AAYP beats the AARP every day of the week.

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FlapGregory Flap Cole – Ron Paul hammers Gingrich on not being re-elected to Speakership = Newt did not have the votes and he didn’t! Ron Paul for historian

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craig_crawfordCraig Crawford – Brian Williams told debate crowd they can’t react, should have handed out gags with NBC logo

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IngrahamAngleLaura Ingraham – Tepid Qs from Rock Left.

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GaltsGirlMichelle Ray -@PWKennedy Everyone should snort beer during GOP debates. It’s the only thing that makes them tolerable.

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mattklewisMatt K. Lewis – Romney pivots from talking about his taxes to talking about the American people’s taxes. Nice segue.

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brooksbaynebrooks bayne – romney is proud of paying lotsa taxes. weirdo.

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – Romney: “I don’t a dollar more taxes than I owe” Good line.

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DonIrvineDonIrvine – What kind of a question was that? He’s wealthy and pays taxes.

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hughhewittHugh Hewitt – Second tax return question. #hhrs

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ToadonaWireL – So far, we have had 23 minutes of fail #FLdebate NBC Brian Williams sucks

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – RT @daveweigel: Romney tax returns to reveal that he constantly makes, loses $10,000 bets to people. #FLdebate

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secuppS.E. Cupp – Mitt on attacks on his wealth: Yes, I was surprised to see Republicans pick up the weapons of the left.

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GPollowitzGreg Pollowitz – Romney should say, “my tax return will show I paid what I owed, unlike Geithner, Sharpton, Daschle, Rangel…”

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politicalmathPoliticalMath – RT @JonahNRO: Brian! Not so loud! You’ll wake the audience.

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SooperMexicanel SOOPer – this debate is so dull without an audience it won’t matter who wins it. #FLDebate #hhrs

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michaelemlongmichaelemlong – bit.ly/yvkMq7 Gingrich Super PAC Head: Romney Is a Medicare Fraudster but Will It Matter? #tcot #tcot_talk #teaparty #sgp #right #gop

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CommentaryCommentary Magazine – RT @tobincommentary: Romney talks about creating jobs in his career and not apologizing for free enterprise. His best argument. #FLDebate

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DonIrvineDonIrvine – I don’t think this debate is going to change anyone’s mind, but it should stop the bleeding for Romney. #FLdebate

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brooksbaynebrooks bayne – no newt axes! #fldebate

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CommentaryCommentary Magazine – RT @alanagoodman: Romney backs Gingrich into a corner on his claim to work as an historian for Freddie Mac #FLdebate

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jdhenchmanJoe Henchman – Gingrich on his Freddie deal: “I offered strategic advice, largely based on my knowledge of history, including the history of Washington”

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CommentaryCommentary Magazine – RT @tobincommentary: Romney reminds Gingrich he said he was paid as a historian. Says historian don’t get paid that kind of money. #FLDebate

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craig_crawfordCraig Crawford – One-Percenter Smackdown: Bain vs. Freddie Mac

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Crawford is an idiot … Freddie MAC is a one-percent that was funded by the taxpayer and ended up killing our economy, and it is still there screwing the American people

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EdMorrisseyEdMorrisse – “Ill say this in Florida” I don’t think Medicare Part D is terribly unpopular there. #FLDebate

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mattklewisMatt K. Lewis – Gingrich says he is proud to have advocated Medicare Part D.

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BREAK

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Read The Rest @ Politisite>>

MSNBC's Programming Double Down - Up With Chris Hayes, Weekends

UP with Chris Hayes - ctrl-click image here to see a 9 minute and 14 second opinion piece conducted by Chris on Solyndra entitled - Why the Solyndra failure isn’t a “scandal”. Image Credit: thepoliticalcarnival.net



Here, at MAXINE, we are prone to fall asleep with the TV on. It is a habit groomed from a life with frequent travel and a desire to keep up with information that might be developing during the night ... if we happen to wake up. In the early ninties we had live reports from Gulf War I on CNN. The growth of Cable TV and Gulf War II just cemented this habit not to mention that once this process was embraced, every hotel room around the world was comfortable with the same type of background noise as a home bedroom no matter the outside ambient difference.

This morning, however, was a little different - Oh, to be rudely woken up to the sound of the voice of new TV opinion show host, Chris Hayes - a self-described Communitarian & Egalitarian ... read this as 60's radical socialist, as he puts forward his unchallenged logic followed by a cast of talking-heads that would make an echo chamber shatter was too much for a half-awake, personal-freedom focused 4:30am PT brain could take.

This penchant for some Cable TV "News" stations to construct a monolith of liberal talk shows with hosts who have a progressive agenda (examples - CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 and Fareed Zakaria GPS - Global Public Square and author of "The Post-American World", MSNBC's Morning Joe ... that's pretty much it for this outlet) is not new, but most, at least try to bring a shadow of an alternative balance of opinion with the dais that joins the host in a discussion ... even if it is to only give another point of view the grace of being mentioned. Do not expect this on "UP, with Chris Hayes".

This excerpted and edited from The Huffington Post -

Chris Hayes, the Washington editor for "The Nation" and a longtime contributor to MSNBC, is getting a weekend morning show. Hayes made the news official on Twitter on Monday, and MSNBC released its official announcement shortly after.

The show starts on September 17. It will air on Saturdays from 7-9 AM and on Sundays from 8-10 AM. Alex Witt, MSNBC's regular weekend anchor, will see her show pushed back on both days. The launch of the show marks another attempt by MSNBC to successfully program weekends—something it has not been known for in the past.
[Reference Here]

The round table of talking-heads included:

Reihan Salam, Columnist - The Daily.com / National Review Online - Salam is an unorthodox conservative. He has written that he intends to "pump ideas into the bloodstream" of American conservatism." ... read this as a person who has very little problem with a big, bigger, biggest government approach and will consider looking into, and discussing changes in the Constitution. He advocates policies that strengthen traditional family structure but has supported gay marriage for years.

Anne-Marie Slaughter, Princeton University International Affaires Professor - Former Director of Policy Planning for the United States Department of State in the Obama Administration from 2009-2011 (more on her POV below having to do with the petition by the Palestine Authority to become a recognized state by the United Nations).

Liliana Segura, Columnist - The Nation - this, from the About on her blog - I'm an independent journalist and editor with a focus on social justice, prisons & harsh sentencing.

Ezra Klien, Columinst - The Washington Post - In February 2007 Klein created a Google Groups forum called "JournoList" for discussing politics and the news media. The forum's membership was controlled by Klein and limited to "several hundred left-leaning bloggers, political reporters, magazine writers, policy wonks and academics."Posts within JournoList were intended only to be made and read by its members. Klein defended the forum saying that it "[ensures] that folks feel safe giving off-the-cuff analysis and instant reactions". JournoList member, and Time magazine columnist, Joe Klein added that the off-the-record nature of the forum was necessary because “candor is essential and can only be guaranteed by keeping these conversations private”.

Topics Covered:

Topic - The Politics Of Tax Raises - about 3 segments - Not one comment about the possibility that the size and scope of Federal Government ... ANY government ... might be too large and out of control on how it manages its charter and the spending of tax monies collected.

Topic - Killed By The State - at least 2 segments - A pure anti-death penalty discussion that surrounded the execution of Troy Davis. They lamented that this execution may not be a game-changer for the death penalty but they wanted it to become part of a growing conversation about ensuring that innocent people aren't killed or die in prison. A good question is - Why have a justice system with 12 jurors and several automatic judicial reviews and retrials before a sentence is carried out if there is no final justice ... the justice of a sentence carried out?

Topic - GOP 2012 - 1 segment focused on Perry's statement on immigration and heart. Actual citizenship of the United States did not seem to have any weight in this conversation at all. Further, it was stated and the view was shared by all sitting around the table that they were surprised that some in the audience of Conservatives would actually BOO soldiers in the military when some in the crowd gave a less than accepting response to a YouTube question about upholding the elimination of Don't Ask Don't Tell if they became President. None of these folks ever came to the conclusion that the Conservatives in the audience were booing the policy ... not the solider.

Topic - The State Of Palestine - Change in contributors - Anne-Marie Slaughter plus via remote, Diana Buttu The Dubai Initiative, Harvard University. Highlight - the former Obama State Department official, Slaughter, stated that the Palestine leadership had every right to ask the UN for a ruling on a declaration of Statehood / the Obama Administration has not been able to bring the parties to the table - the UN should not take the petition for a vote but use it to get the parties back to the negotiation table. - 1 segment

Topic - Israel & The GOP ... Word Cloud which had Israel as the largest word - derided as identity politics and as the only international relations topic covered in the debate, Reihan brings on the historic point of the previous Republican debates on the Panama Canal during the end of the Carter era ... Slaughter smiles with glee at the comparison and dilution of the topic through the linkage. - 1 segment

Topic - Update (a short segment on corrections in statements made on a previous show - this probably could at least be an hour of a show in itself if they actually understood what the definition of counterpoint was).

Topic - "Now We Know", subtitle - What We Do Know Now We Didn't Know A Week Ago - Highlights snark points about anything non-liberal like the Koch Brothers new increased ranking in the list of America's richest people ... right, no mention of the fact that George Soros also had an increase in ranking and broke into the top 10 for the first time since he has been on this list. Coming in at No. 7, Soros had a fortune of $22 billion after adding $7.8 billion to his net worth thanks to investments in gold and related securities as well as equities. Soros switched to cash in the spring, allowing him to preserve his gains and miss market turmoil caused by the sovereign debt crisis in Europe.

END ... thank, God.

One more note in fairness - Fox News has a round table hour that replaced Glenn Beck called "The Five". This show has at least one committed Democrat liberal on the dais at all times.

Also - do not confuse political opinion shows that are headed by a single personality like Glenn Beck (who now has moved on from Fox News to internet subscription streaming with GBTV.com), Chris Matthews, Rachael Maddow, Bill O'Reilley, Sean Hannity, Larry O'Donnell, and the like because these are pure personality driven, subject exploration shows with some of these programs making it a point to interview people from all different points of view regardless of the POV of the personality.

Question: Why was the bedroom TV on MSNBC (BSLSD - self-explanatory) at all?

Answer: Must have rolled over on the remote and reset the channel.


(Article first published as MSNBC's Doubling Down - Up With Chris Hayes, Weekends at Technorati)

FEAR FACTOR ... Not Just Another Reality TV Show

Although the peacock logo for the NBC television network was meant to be multi-colored, for one week each year it definitely “goes green!” For the second year NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content in a variety of platforms. NBC and NBC.com celebrated their talent in “The More You Know” PSA campaign. Using famous NBC regulars, they produced green-themed storylines in several of their daytime and primetime shows. Image Credit: cassiekleinsmith.files.wordpress.com

FEAR FACTOR ... Not Just Another Reality TV Show

FUTURE EARTH: Journey To The End Of The World ... with Lester Holt, on MSNBC

The title of this posting and the title of the NBC special program has to do with multinational corporation, General Electric, and it's attempts at using their extensive media arm NBC Universal and related properties (Bravo, CNBC, 13th Street, Sci-Fi Channel, Hallmark Channel, Universal Channel, DivaTV, KidsCo, MSNBC, mun2, NBC, NBC Universal Television Distribution, Universal Television Distribution, NBCU Cable Affiliate Support, NBCU Marketplace, Oxygen Pay Per View/VOD, Sci Fi, Telemundo, Universal Pictures, Universal Production Studios, Universal Studios Home Video, Universal Studios Theme Parks: Featured Attraction, Universal Studios Theme Parks: Hollywood, Universal Studios Theme Parks: Japan, Universal Studios Theme Parks: Mediterranea, Universal Studios Theme Parks: Orlando, Universal Studios Theme Parks: Tickets, Universal Television, USA Network, The Weather Channel) to manipulate, massage, and coerce public opinion to be acceptable to Government mandated Green policies that would take Billions of taxpayer dollars through Cap and Trade carbon emissions laws and transfer them to Green projects General Electric believes their company would be the beneficiary of.

For its part, NBC News correspondent, Lester Holt, disclosed in a two minute "ad" that aired during the Sunday Today program, NBC's version of what appeared to be Al Gore's speculation filled, junk science based, Oscar Awarded movie ... "An Inconvenient Truth", which claims that our planet is headed for disaster and that our oceans will rise up 20 plus feet in the very near (tens of years) future.

The real inconvenient truth is that our population is being subjected to coercion, and corruption by a multinational corporation that wants YOUR money to prop it up!

Case In Point: Ad from NBC's Sunday Today for NBC News program (2:25 min.)

This just does not seem right. Full disclosure should be expected from a large company like General Electric. What really makes this situation worse, is that the company has not run its business responsibly, which places it into a situation of desperation. To receive large amounts of Government money in the form of Green contracts looks to be the only strategy of revival for this once proud sponsor of Ronald Reagan when he hosted television programs in the early fifties (before he became a politician).

Case In Point: O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo

This excerpted and edited from NewsBusters -

O'Reilly Claims 'Corruption': GE Using CNBC, MSNBC to Promote Cap-and-Trade for Financial Gain
By Jeff Poor - April 23, 2009 - 21:11 ET

It has been something that there have been rumblings about, but no one has really put the x's and o's together entirely - that General Electric (NYSE:GE) is using its media arm, NBC Universal to promote President Barack Obama's so-called progressive agenda for its own financial gain.
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O'Reilly outlined how Obama has gotten support from the NBC networks both pre-election and post-election.

"Will General Electric get paid for supporting President Obama - that is the subject of this evening's Talking Points Memo," O'Reilly said. "As everybody knows, GE, which owns NBC has been very aggressive in helping Barack Obama - first supporting the president in the election and now attacking his critics."
----
Certain on-air CNBC personalities had been outspoken in criticizing Obama's economic policies. However, that has changed somewhat and according to O'Reilly, CNBC Chicago Mercantile Exchange reporter Rick Santelli - the inspiration for the recent Tax Day tea party protests - had said he had been sent to a "reeducation camp."

"There is also emerging evidence that GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt and NBC News chief Jeff Zucker told CNBC personnel to stop criticizing Obama's economic policies," O'Reilly said. "Now, that would be a major breach of journalistic ethics.
----
O'Reilly played a clip from MSNBC' "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on April 16, when Janeane Garofalo, in a hateful tirade, called Tax Day tea party protest participants "nothing but a bunch of teabagging rednecks."
----
"That's no surprise, as also this week Forbes magazine labeled Immelt one of the worst-performing CEOs in the country."

O'Reilly also played the exchange between his producer Jesse Watters and Jeffrey Immelt at the April 22 shareholders' meeting, where he questioned the ethics of MSNBC. But, according to O'Reilly there is reason to believe the slant of MSNBC is allowed because GE stands to profit if Obama is successful in instituting his priorities, specifically cap-and-trade.

"Now, most CEOs would have stopped NBC's corruption a long time ago, but Immelt may be looking for a major payoff," O'Reilly said. "According to reporting by the Washington Examiner, GE is heavily lobbying the Obama administration for bailout money. The company is also pushing for the proposed cap-and-trade program. Apparently GE has set up a joint venture it hopes would manage billions of dollars in cap-and-trade transactions should that corporate carbon tax pass Congress."

NBC has been actively promoting green issues and this revelation by O'Reilly happens to fall during the NBC Universal networks "Green is Universal" week.

"Now think about this ladies and gentlemen - a failing corporation, General Electric might reap billions of dollars if the Feds OK the carbon deal," O'Reilly said. "By the way, GE is already getting taxpayer bailout money for its financial unit. So it's not a stretch to assume Immelt would want to help President Obama as much as possible."

According to O'Reilly, the level of corruption is so big, it stands to make Watergate look small.

"This is obviously a major story - when a powerful corporation, which controls a major part of the American media, may be using its power and the airwaves to influence politics, in order to make money from government contracts," O'Reilly said. "That kind of corruption would make Watergate look small. We hope it is not true."
Reference Here>>

We, at MAXINE, think Bill O'Reilly is on to something, this Non-Reality television program is just another naked shake-down perpetrated by a major media arm of a hurting and failing consumer products company that is suffering from mismanagement.

Do not submit to the FEAR FACTOR of these tactics ... they are intended to have you agree with the transfer of Billions of your dollars to this corporation's bottom line.

The Misery News Network – MSNBC

Image Credit: msnbc.com

The Misery News Network – MSNBC

In the nineteen-nineties when Bill Clinton was president, many people began to tune out from CNN, the 24 hour cable news network, when the reporting “loop” from the channel ran stories that appeared to be unbalanced and favorable to the daily goings on of the Clinton Administration, and Bill Clinton. This observation became so universal that the nickname of CNN was the Clinton News Network.

CNN Logo - Image Credit: Depauw.edu

After catching another edition of the daily morning political news and discussion program on MSNBC, Morning Joe, it is becoming clearer what MSNBC should change its name to when the rumored separation between software giant, Microsoft, and the National Broadcasting Corporation, removes its association from “MS”NBC.

Just in time for Carter’s Second Term, the Democrat Party will be able to trot out the MNN, the Misery News Network.

This is a place where in today’s broadcast, the performance artists pontiffs rantings are not really news to analyze or understand as it relates to the insights on the background of Barack Obama, the suicide rates of military personal in Iraq requires exhaustive review, Scott McClellan, former press secretary to the Bush Adminstration, is hailed as a hero for his recently released book that political consultant, Dick Morris recently characterized as a tome for money that really adds insights to … nothing (paraphrased … “we already know all of this information about public relations efforts on behalf of the Iraq war effort – executive administration’s do this – what was the purpose of the “Gettysburg Address” for example?”), and health care (a Government fixed health care system) is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed in this next election cycle. This just in … a crane collapses in New York City, thank-you, broadcast producers, for the cut-away.

My Box is The Most Viralist Video! - I got lots of nice emails after last night MSNBC named my video the "Most Viralist Video." Thanks to MSNBC... and thanks for the emails!! Caption and Image Credit: myboxinabox.typepad.com

We see the second coming of the Misery Index and the perfect messenger of this broader attitudinal “groundswell” – The MNN. The cable news outlet for the decidedly liberal General Electric corporate broadcast property of the NBC network (featuring Jeffery Immelt, CEO/Who does business with the mullahs in IRAN, Keith Olberman, Sportscaster turned Political Pundit/”Reporter”, Chris Matthews, Political Pundit who gets a strange feeling in his leg when he thinks of Barack Obama – HIS WORDS, cipher Mika Brzezinski, Boston plagiarist, Mike Barnacle), and the voice for Carter’s Second Term.

All Hail To The MNN!

The Last National Debate By A Clinton Ends In Whimper

Opening shot of the last democrat party presidential primary debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (MAXINE) - via photo from computerscreen of MSNBC Video

The Last National Debate By A Clinton Ends In Whimper

Whining and whimpering her way through the questions posed by NBC’s Brian Williams and Tim Russert, Hillary Clinton played the victim card throughout the the ninety minute debate held on MSNBC. This may very well be the last appearance in a national political debate for political office by any Clinton (Bill or Hillary).

“I have a great deal of respect for Senator Obama, but we have differences, and in the last several days, some of those differences in tactics and choices that Senator Obama’s campaign has made ... have been very disturbing to me,” she said at the outset of the debate.

But the real whining started at the answer on the second subject question posed in the debate and both were first directed to Hillary Clinton. She pointed out through a question … why is it, that in these debates, I always get asked the questions first? - “I seem to get the first question, all the time!” she said.

As President, Hillary, you would always get the first question!

On a question from Tim Russert about providing financial disclosure and tax return documents before this next Tuesday’s Ohio and Texas primaries, she responded (paraphrased), “I will try but Tim, I am little busy right now, I barely have time to sleep.”

You know, Tim ... Hillary Clinton at the last democrat primary debate (Ohio). Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (MAXINE) - via photo from computerscreen of MSNBC Video

About the debate, this from Vodkapundit’s Steven Green posted up at Pajamas Media –

Final Face-Off: Clinton, Obama Spar in Ohio
by Stephen Green - Vodkapundit - 2-27-2008

During the lead-up to Saturday’s debate in Texas, all the pundits agreed that Hillary Clinton needed to come out swinging. But she played nice instead. So the big question before the Ohio debate was: Which Hillary Clinton would we see? Conciliatory Clinton or Pillory Hillary? Now, as any honestly greedy person will tell you, the answer to most either/or questions is… Both!

And that’s what we got in tonight’s debate — both Hillary Clintons.

Clinton was at great pains to make sure we knew where she and Barack Obama agreed. On NAFTA, on the need to get out of Iraq, on the necessity for universal health care… Clinton always made sure we understood exactly where she was in sync with the ever-more-popular junior senator from Illinois.

Clinton was also at great pains to make sure we knew where she disagreed with Obama. More often than not, their disagreements were over the minutia of policy details. Ann Althouse called the debate “an annoying combination of wonky and angry.” She got that right.

The debate opened with 16 minutes of discussion over whose mandatory health care plan was the most mandatory, and whose was slightly less intrusive. That part of the debate went on so long, in fact, that moderator Brian Williams even joked about it near the end. And what did we learn? That Clinton cares very deeply whether or not anyone, anywhere, might somehow be able to escape the clutches of HillaryCare. We also learned that Obama cares only very slightly less.

On NAFTA the candidates are agreed: Free trade sucks. Although Obama was quick enough to provide a little shout-out to American workers’ productivity, a smart move in blue-collar Ohio. In fact, that line could be seen as poaching on yet another of Clinton’s core constituencies. It could be seen that way because that’s exactly what Obama was doing. Neither candidate would be cornered into threatening to cut off NAFTA inside of six months, but both promised to “reexamine” or “renegotiate” the treaty. The fact that the original agreement took years, not months, to negotiate was left unmentioned. That NAFTA then took a determined President Clinton and a lot of willing Republican Senators to get ratified was left unmentioned, too.

The two candidates also disagreed on… well, mostly they disagreed on who would make the best president. Tonight’s telling detail was the Man Who Wasn’t There. Both candidates agreed that George Bush was terrible, awful, etc. But the name left virtually unmentioned was John McCain. One of these two potential nominees will almost certainly be squaring off against McCain next fall. Was their failure to frame themselves against him a sign of confidence or weakness?

If I had to summarize the debate with some clever sounding phrase, I’d call it the “Chinese Food Debate.” An hour later, I remember there being a lot of stuff on the table, but all I feel is empty inside.

My favorite Clinton-leaning blog, TalkLeft, summarized the debate like so:

NBC stinks. Tim Russert stinks. Brian Williams stinks. Keith Olbermann stinks. Chris Matthews stinks. Who won the debate? No one. Who lost? Everyone. [I guess facts DO matter, when it is "your girl" getting the short end of the media glow]

So who really won? My gut tells me that nobody won — which counts as a win for Obama. If you really want to know who won, don’t look at tomorrow’s poll numbers. Instead, wait until the weekend. If by then, Clinton is still sinking in Ohio, then chalk up one very big win for Obama. If Hillary holds steady, then score it as a minor win — again, for Obama. Clinton had too much to do tonight, and too little time to do it in. And with too little sympathy, I think, in middle America for her efforts.

Clinton was at great pains to separate herself from her husband’s trade legacy. She was at great pains to separate herself from her Iraq War vote. She was at great pains to draw distinctions between herself and Obama. Mostly what came across was, Hillary Clinton was in great pain.

Twin losses in Texas and Ohio next week might just put her out of her misery — but don’t count on it. The Clinton we saw tonight might not have fought well, but she certainly showed that, at long last, she’s willing to fight.
Reference Here>>

Hillary Clinton explains universal healthcare to Barack Obama. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (MAXINE) - via photo from computerscreen of MSNBC Video

In order for the debate to be deemed a Chinese food debate … there would first have to be some food … any food.

No entitlements discussion (where was Social Security and Medi-Care?), no real immigration discussion, no discussion on the fact that there are six Supreme Court justices past the age of 68.

Did anyone notice Barack Obama’s answer on how he would handle a hypothetical, but plausible situation where Russia’s Vladimir Putin builds up his armies and decides to station them in Serbia … “As president, what would you do?”, queried Tim Russert.

“Well, first, I would contact the international community, many of whom have recognized Kosovo … “

When do the citizens of the United States get to hear a debate, and vote for the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?!

I do not know about the rest of you, but we, at MAXINE, are tired of watching discussions between politicians & potential leaders who believe they are doing the best job they can at running for Student Body President.

On this issue alone (Russia’s build-up), the sound of “President John McCain” is beginning to have a nice ring to it!

Entire Debate Here>>

Somebody Tell "Morning Joe" About The Memo

HULU website "Browse Page" -Image Credit: Press Kit provided by HULU website

Somebody Tell "Morning Joe" About The Memo

Somebody tell the really bad replacement broadcast for the Don Imus Show, cable simulcast timeslot aired on MSNBC - Morning Joe, that they need to quit hammering on FOX News Channel and the FOX broadcast personalities. While you are at it, teach Keith Olberman to read as well.

What the memo said is that NBC Universal (parent company of MSNBC) and News Corporation (parent company of FOX News) are now business partners in a new service venture to debut on the internet and compete with YouTube and Google Video.

The memo is in the form of a formal press release announcing Hulu.

HULU LOGO - Image Credit: Press Kit provided by HULU website

This excerpted from the HULU Press Release –

HULU DEBUTS VIA PRIVATE BETA AND ON DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS
AOL, COMCAST, MSN, MYSPACE AND YAHOO!

COMPANY ANNOUNCES MAJOR LICENSING DEALS WITH METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC. AND SONY PICTURES TELEVISION

PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS MAKES STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN
NEWS CORPORATION/NBC UNIVERSAL ONLINE VIDEO JOINT VENTURE

LOS ANGELES, October 29, 2007 – Hulu today announced the beta launch of its online video service, offering viewers a vast selection of streaming, on-demand, premium programming on a free, ad-supported basis. Hulu content includes full-length current and archived television programming as well as clips and an initial selection of feature films.
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"Consumers are clearly interested in easily accessing a broad spectrum of programming," said Peter Chernin, president and chief operating officer, News Corporation. "As a single source of free, on-demand programming from some of the most popular studios and online networks, Hulu helps consumers quickly and easily find and enjoy the premium content they are looking for."

“NBC Universal is excited to give consumers the flexibility to enjoy our most popular shows online when, where and how they want,” said Jeff Zucker, president and chief executive officer, NBC Universal. “Hulu’s clean and crisp destination site, broad distribution network, and embeddable video player make for a powerful combination and will provide substantial reach to consumers online.”
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“Hulu is bringing together a wide array of premium content that will engage audiences and meet their rapidly growing demand for quality online video,” said Jonathan M. Nelson, chief executive officer of Providence. “We are pleased to partner with News Corporation, NBC Universal and Jason and his talented team to support Hulu’s growth.”

Dedicated to providing users with an enhanced online video experience, Hulu.com offers an elegant interface that makes content the central focus. At the same time, innovative features allow users to enjoy, share, and embed videos in new and exciting ways. The beta period will give users an opportunity to test the service and provide valuable feedback which will help to shape the Hulu service.

To sign up for the private beta, users can go to http://www.hulu.com.
Reference Here>>

We, at MAXINE, plead with the management and talent of both News Corporation and NBC Universal to bury the hatchet on negative and competitive rhetoric in the name of business partnership.

Your efforts are now linked in a family of entertainment based companies and we hope that you show this partnership spirit in your broadcast content now and in the future.

Truth is, over the course of this last month, the Morning Joe broadcast wouldn’t have much to say outside of what they read directly (into the camera) from major newspapers if it weren’t for the existence of Media Matters created gossip and News Corporation success, so this request will probably strike them as out-of-bounds. All we are really asking, we suppose, is that Morning Joe just read the papers.

And this from the HULU website -

Hulu's ambitious and never-ending mission is to help you find and enjoy the world's premium content when, where and how you want it. We hope to provide you with the web's most comprehensive selection of premium programming across all genres and formats – television shows, feature films, clips, and more. Additionally, we want to give you more choices of when and where you can enjoy your favorite programming, while creating innovative experiences that let you watch and participate in online video in new and exciting ways.

We realize not everyone will have access to the Hulu.com beta on day one, so we've taken some screenshots to give you a sneak peak at the Hulu.com experience.
Reference Here>>

With this announcement of HULU, Morning Joe and FOX are friends, sort of … THAT is “what we learned today!”

Dario Franchitti Survives to “Fly” Another Day - UPDATED ... Dario "Flys" Again!

Andretti Green Racing driver #27 Dario Franchitti celebrates after taking the pole with a speed and time of 218.308 and 32.9810. Image Credit: ERIC SEALS/DFP

Dario Franchitti Survives to “Fly” Another Day

The IndyCar race at Michigan International Speedway was very exciting, close (to close), and virtually unwatched due to a rain delay that pushed the original start time and broadcast outlet off a good four hours (broadcast station from ESPN2 to ESPN Classic which not all standard cable providers carry).

There is no agreement between IndyCar and the MIS to stage another race there and this maybe just fine with Dario Franchitti.

In the late stages of the race, Dan Weldon managed to creep up the track and tangle his tires with Franchitti’s Canadian Club sponsored Andretti Green Racing machine sending him and the car on a wild airborne twisting flip that had the car land upside down. He walked away unscathed! Amazing!

This YouTube video starts at lap 141, moments later Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti interlock wheels and Dario goes airborne, bounces off the cars of Scott Dixon and AJ Foyt IV. Note how close Dario's sidepod gets to the helmet of Dixon and the tire marks on AJ IV's helmet.

This morning, on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, Dario wasn’t as lucky.

Contessa Brewer, while reading (and not understanding) the news, managed to mangle Dario’s last name during the full three hour telecast (again, virtually unwatched after the firing of Don Imus from this timeslot). She persisted in pronouncing Dario’s last name Fran-Chet-tea as opposed to Fran-Key-tea.

It is not as if Dario Franchitti’s name, and how it is pronounced, is not well known … he only won this year’s Indianapolis 500 race and he is part of a Hollywood “Power Couple” in that he is married to Ashley Judd and has been for a few years now.

This situation says more about the clueless-ness of the reporter than the fame of the race car driver.


We, at MAXINE, are happy - all that happened yesterday is that Dario Franchitti lost only one point in his series points lead over rival Scott Dixon … further, we can only hope that Contessa Brewer will soon be catapulted by MSNBC for her lack of attention to detail (trust us on this – it isn’t the first time she showed she could not read and understand) and NOT be around to fly another day.

Excerpts from Autoweek -

The Last IndyCar Race at Michigan Wasn’t Pretty
Tony Kanaan held off Marco Andretti for the win.
By CURT CAVIN - Autoweek - This article was last updated on: 08/06/07, 09:33 et

IndyCar said goodbye—at least for now—to Michigan International Speedway, and no one shed a tear.

Not the drivers who crashed out of the rain-delayed Firestone Indy 400, not the team owners who saw their cars damaged, not the Indy Racing League officials who held their breath through the carnage and not the promoter who hosted one of the smallest crowds of the season.

“I’m in no hurry to come back at this moment,” Dario Franchitti said.

Franchitti survived one of the nastiest accidents in recent memory when his car got turned sideways by Dan Wheldon on lap 144 and vaulted into the air, an estimated 20 feet at its peak.

The car, which won the Indianapolis 500, rotated twice before landing on top of that of fellow championship contender Scott Dixon, whose helmet got scuffed by a tire.

Franchitti, who realized immediately what kind of ride he was in for, said the landing was soft. He headed to Dixon to thank him.

“He really saved me,” he said.

The roll bar on Franchitti’s car was sheared off and parts and pieces scattered everywhere. Some of them struck the helmet and car of A.J. Foyt IV; others bounced off Wheldon’s machine.

The incident also collected Tomas Scheckter, Sam Hornish Jr. and Scott Sharp. The situation looked so grim at first that Hornish climbed from his car to assist with Franchitti’s rescue. As it turned out, Hornish was one of 10 people to help put the car back on its wheels.

Then Franchitti, who had led 101 laps, climbed out unharmed. Amazingly, no one else was injured.

“It’s unbelievable,” the Scot said. “The only other time I’ve been upside-down like that was in a DTM testing crash at Hockenheim.

“I certainly don’t want to do that again.”
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Kanaan held off Marco Andretti in the final laps to win by 0.059 second. It was his third win of the season and his 10th overall.
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A crowd estimated at 10,000 watched. For now, none of them will return to MIS for an IndyCar race.
Read All>>

UPDATE Aug. 12, 2007 -

Dario Flys Again ... You Just Can't Keep A Good Man Down

Dario Franchitti takes to the air for the second time in as many weeks!

Excerpted from IndyCar website with contribution from YouTube -

Kanaan wins, Dixon moves to eight points behind Franchitti
By Dave Lewandowski - indycar.com

SPARTA, Ky. – As Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon – locked in a championship duel -- battled for second place through the midsection of the Meijer Indy 300 presented by Coca-Cola and Edy's, Tony Kanaan's No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car was knifing through the twilight air at Kentucky Speedway less than a second ahead.

The lead transferred through pit stop cycles, but Kanaan was never out of the top five.
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But the excitement didn't end for the crowd of more than 56,000 and the ESPN audience. Taking the checkered flag, Franchitti's No. 27 Canadian Club car ran into/over the rear of the No. 55 Panasonic Panther Racing car driven by Kosuke Matsuura just past the finish line and flipped backward – again. Franchitti, who walked away from a frightening crash six days earlier at Michigan International Speedway in which his car flipped several times, also was unscathed in the post-race incident.

"That one was completely my fault; there's no excuse," Franchitti said. "I screwed up twice in the race. I screwed up once coming out of the pits and then after the checkered. I didn't realize it was the checkered. I got the 'Hey, it's a checkered' just as I was hitting him. I'm pretty disgusted right now for that -- for both my mistakes today."

Franchitti, who finished eighth mainly because of a pit lane mistake 20 laps earlier, saw his points lead over Dixon sliced to eight. Kanaan moved to 52 points behind.
Reference Here>>

The British Military - Stiff Upperlip To Jell-O Backbone

Image Credit and Video Link: NBC News

The British Military - Stiff Upperlip To Jell-O Backbone

After watching the U.K. Sailor news conference on TV this morning, I'm left with a tremendous feeling of speechlessness.

What I observed was, at best, a civilian response to a military situation and the world is upside down. As the graphic from NBC News asks - "Where's The Honor?"

I understand the reality of the impression that "fighting back was not an option" but I really do not understand moving beyond Name, Rank, and Serial Number in an act-of-war military scenario.

Come on, just look at these British Military people in Iranian suits ... disgusting!

British sailors and marines waited at the airport in Tehran Thursday before boarding a commercial flight to London. Image Credit: Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

I just can't imagine being photographed this happy under these "captive" military conditions.

This from the MSNBC Website -

MSNBC News Services
Updated: 12 minutes ago

ROYAL MARINE BASE CHIVENOR, England - The 15 British sailors seized by Iran were kept blindfolded, bound and in isolation by their Iranian captors who threatened them with seven years in jail, they told a news conference Friday.

"From the outset, it was very apparent that fighting back was not an option," Capt. Chris Air said of their capture in the northern Gulf on March 23. Air said they were in Iraqi waters when seized by the Iranians.

"They rammed our boats, and trained their heavy machine guns, RPGs, and weapons on us. Another six boats were closing in on us. We realized our efforts to reason with these people were not making any headway, nor were we able to calm some of the individuals," Air said
Reference Here>>

"Nor were we able to calm some of the individuals" - Disgusting.

Again, this sounds like the recounting of an incident amongst civilians ... not a recounting of an incident involving one military hijacking another.

The British Military's only thought provided throughout the interview this morning was -- what do we do to get back home.

In this picture issued by Britain's Ministry of Defence, Royal Marine Captain Chris Air, left, leads 15 British service personnel release by Iran, across the tarmac at London's Heathrow Airport, Thursday April 5, 2007, from the British Airways aircraft which flew them from Tehran. The 15 British sailors and marines returned home after 13 days in captivity. Man in military uniform seen second from left, was part of the party who meet the 15 service personnel on their arrival. Image Credit: AP Photo/Angie Pearce

Well, they achieved their goal of coming home ... with little honor. As a former member of the U.S. Navy, I am ashamed at the level of representation to the country of England that these military personnel showed under fire.

And I am not the only one who shares this POV, this from Col. Jack Jacobs, Military analyst - MSNBC

British sailors’ conduct was a disgrace
Where is honor? Iran hostages’ handshakes, apologies are ‘reprehensible’
COMMENTARY - By Jack Jacobs - Military analyst – MSNBC - Updated: 1 hour, 32 minutes ago

The capture, internment and repatriation of the British sailors and marines can only be described as a shoddy spectacle. From start to finish, the Brits heaped nothing but ignominy on themselves, and one can recall few instances in recent memory in which a group of uniformed service members acted with less professionalism and more dishonor.

From the start, things were destined to end badly. Although the inevitable investigation by the Ministry of Defence will determine the sequence of events that led to the capture, it seems that the boarding party was not following generally accepted practices for such an operation.
Reference Here>>

Col. Jacobs goes on to quote philosopher John Stuart Mill who wrote extensively about theories of liberty. On the duty of the military to any country, Mr. Mill wrote:

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.

The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

With that, Col. Jack Jacobs concluded his thoughts and comments about the recent acts of the British Military in Iran ... and so do we, at MAXINE!

Video Link Here