RussKC's blog

Geraldine Ferraro has recently been in the spotlight for saying some controversial things about Barack Obama. Apparently, Geraldine thinks that Barack's ethnicity (African-American) has given him an advantage over an equally-qualified candidate of a different ethnicity (European-American). Geraldine seems to be basing this on the fact that she sees herself also as an "ethnicity" - the "ethnicity of (white) females".

Here's one of the things Geraldine has said, which she sees as support for her position:

---
"I was talking about historic candidacies and what I started off by saying (was that) if you go back to 1984 and look at my historic candidacy, which I had just talked about all these things, in 1984 if my name was Gerard Ferraro instead of Geraldine Ferraro, I would have never been chosen as a vice presidential candidate," Ferraro said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "It had nothing to do with my qualification."
---

Now it is widely accepted that her use of the name "Gerard" is meant to imply an African-American man's name. Geraldine seems to be saying here, "It was novelty enough for a (white) woman to be the vice-Presidential candidate. A black man would have been over the top."

So back in 1984, Geraldine was of the opinion that a woman would be much more acceptable to the voting public than a black man (but all in all, neither women nor blacks are *truly* acceptable, she's saying). She seems to still hold that opinion to this day, considering how she is rigorously defending herself.

I get the feeling that Geraldine thinks that Hillary would be a good President, in spite of the fact that she's a woman. But a black man? - STILL not as good as a (white) woman.

It seems that Geraldine has bought into the idea of the "talking dog": it's not what the dog says ... it's the fact that the dog speaks at all which amazes people. Geraldine thinks that (white) women in politics are like talking dogs: they are novelties meant to be marveled at. She thinks that black men are also like talking dogs when it comes to politics ... except the black "talking dog" men are not as articulate as the (white) "talking dog" women.

Geraldine thinks that both black men and (white) women are Political Oddities. It's just that the black men are MORE odd.

Geraldine says that she was "chosen" to run as VP in 1984 because of her inherent female-ness: "It had nothing to do with my qualification." She says that a black man would not even be considered - by her own Party, the Democrats - much less "chosen". I think that Geraldine belongs to a different Democratic Party than the one I'm a member of.

Geraldine needs to use her own twisted logic to see that Barack is actually the BETTER candidate: 1984 "proved" that a (white) female candidate ensures that the ticket loses. Maybe putting a black man on the ticket will produce better results.

The Claim: In order to keep Democrats from damaging their own image, they should take advice that Republicans offer.

The Intent: Tries to make the Republicans look like "concerned helpers". Since the Republicans had been in control of Congress for 14 years, and have been in the White House for 6 1/2 years, they are "experienced".

The Debunking: Every time the Democrats do something which the Republicans suggest, the Democrats are thanked by being called "flip-floppers", or "not true to their convictions", or "weak".

The Truth: This is a Trojan Horse tactic: The Republicans appear to be giving the Democrats a gift, free of charge, with no strings attached. However, when the gift is accepted, the Republicans transform this gift into a device to be used against Democrats.

The Response: "Thanks, but no thanks. We're fine. Why should we take advice from you, who have done NOTHING right for the past 6 1/2 years?"

The Claim: If we leave Iraq before the job is done, then the terrorists will follow us home.

The Intent: Tricks the Average Joe into thinking "the terrorists" are in Iraq (and have always been there). And it provides the excuse to keep the military (and Blackwater/KBR/Halliburton) there forever.

The Debunking: We are much more vulnerable on the Mainland right now, because the military and National Guard is otherwise occupied overseas. Right now is the more opportune time for "the terrorists" to do an "end-around", if they were so inclined. Obviously, they're not so inclined.

The Truth: Sadly, this Talking Point is probably a self-fulfilling prophesy. When we DO pull out, there will be so many Middle Easterners enraged at the U.S.'s nation-building audacity, and so anti-U.S. because their friends and family have been killed/injured ... that there will likely be attacks attempted on us at home.

The Response: "Your powers of prediction suck. Why should we believe you this time? You're just trying to scare the general population. You're ruining the military. Pull out now before you do more damage."

And you will be able to pick up Sam's podcast here:

http://download10.rbn.com/airam/airam/download/archive/2007/04/aass05270...

The Claim: The Far-Left Democrats are Angry

The Intent: Tries to get people to say, "Well, I'm angry, but I'm not far-left. Therefore I'm wrong to be angry."

The Debunking: Lots of people are angry, including people in the center.

The Truth: Comments by the far-right, like "The facts are clear: if you vote for the Democrats, the Terrorists win and America loses" ... statements like these are meant to get EVERYONE angry. Those on the right-wing are angry at the Dems for helping the terrorists, and everyone else is angry that Democrats are being called traitors".

I wish!

"Pilot Season" was hilarious! I had no idea, when watching it, that Sam was "Max" ... the star of the show.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424697/

Speaking of "stars" here are some other stars in "Pilot Season": Sarah Silverman, H. Jon Benjamin, Andy Dick, David Cross, and Ross Brockley. That was my first exposure to Sarah Silverman, and I completely fell in love with her.

I caught Pilot Season twice on Trio. I still have yet to see its predecessor, "Who's the Caboose?"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179526/

I want more Sam Seder! Air America management are fools for moving Sam to one day a week. Sam is the best that AA has right now. Sam could cogently and deftly tear apart the latest talking points and show at least three ways how each was wrong. Sam was especially good at showing how seeming-innocuous comments were toxically lethal.

It must have killed Sam to find out that Lionel was replacing him. You remember when Sam would sign off the Majority Report with "If you live in New York, turn on your computer"? Well that's because Lionel was broadcast on NYC at 10 PM, instead of Air America's Mike Malloy. Lionel is an acquired taste and is definitely not as politically adept as Sam is.