Perspective on Perception

If the grace of God miraculously operates, it probably operates through the subliminal door. William James (1842–1910), The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902).

Porcupine is fascinated by subtlety, if not a practitioner of it. One interesting example of this can be found in Barack Obama’s ‘infomercial’ broadcast on television last night.

First, Porcupine would like to take a moment in a brief sidebar to give credit where it is due. This was first commented on by David Kravits, proprietor of the wildly liberal Blue Mass Group, where Porcupine is a frequent critic and curmudgeon. The fact that a liberal, nay, a PROGRESSIVE, blog is the firs place this is noted is a tribute to BMG’s fair-mindedness. Deluded, but fair-minded.

Here is an image of Sen. Obama from an ‘establishing shot’ at the beginning of the half-hour:




Here is an image from Mike Huckabee’s infamous ‘floating cross’ television commercial:

As David notes, the similarities are striking. Indeed, it appears to be a subtle, subliminal retort to all the dopey ‘Obama is a Muslim’ emails floating about, refuting without acknowledging.

Obama’s media use has been remarkable, going all the way back to his ‘1984’ commercial, with an energetic Progressive tossing a sledgehammer into a giant screen of Hillary Clinton addressing a slack-jawed crowd of grey proles, who immediately rise to frolic in the sunshine and vote for Obama.

This past weekend, a local columnist ‘Digital Grind’ wrote an interesting piece about playing an Xbox game, driving along in a virtual red Corvette – and having an Obama billboard on the side of the ‘road’. The rest of his column (HERE) explored the web presence of the candidates (Obama is a notorious spammer) but the issue of subliminal advertising had been raised. Indeed, Porcupine had a similar experience playing a ‘match three’ game which he enjoys (but is too cheap to purchase) on-line – during one of the mandatory ‘commercials’ that pop up in return for free play, there was an ad for – Vote NO on Question One!

These digital billboards may be the future of political campaigning – omnipresent and unavoidable. But the subtle and subliminal character of these intrusions give rise to concern that logic and issues may be even further decrease in policial discourse in favor of the cult of personality, which has a great deal to do with campaigning but little to do with actual governing.

Obama is in many ways a perfect candidate for the beach head of subliminal campaigning – a tabula rasa, an enigma, a Rorschach, upon which ones hopes and convictions can be projected. It is to be hoped that there is more than mere cunning inside that empty suit.

I TOLD You I was Sick~

Earlier today, the Instapundit Glenn Reynolds had a poll up about Sen. McCain's determination to hold a meeting with his rival Sen. Obama and Congressional leadership to agree upon a financial package. The question was - McCain's Campaign Suspension is:

Brilliant and patriotic, OR A Dumb stunt, OR Both, OR I'm voting "present" on this one.

After laughing heartily, Porcupine voted - Both. It was totally high stakes, totally unexpected, and yet it was just about the only maneuver that would get that crowd (Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Boehner, Bush, etc.) into the same room on an informal basis. McCain had been saying darkly for days that there WAS no consensus, that there would BE no action, yet the financial markets would flounder without quick action. So he tried to force the situation by endangering what the Democrats wanted more than anything else - the Presidential debate in Mississippi where they presumed that Obama would wipe up the floor with him.

Going in a two o'clock, the Democrats engaged in a little histrionic eyerolling. Of COURSE there was an agreement in principle, of course legislation would pass - within hours! This was just McCain showboating, and while they would humor him, it really was poor form to try to make Congress look divided when everything was decided. Barney Frank went so far as to compare McCain to the late comedian Andy Kaufman, singing the Mighty Mouse song, "HERE I cooome to save the DAaaay..."

Early leaks sneered at McCain for sitting there like a lump and barely speaking, when HE was the one who instigated the meeting in the first place. But by four pm, the picture had changed.

The Senate Democrats, the President, Sec. Paulsen and Bernanke were all on the same page. The House members of Financial Services had apparently been well briefed by their Senate counterparts - the only thing to do was to add more 'constituent' protection in addition to properly punishing the Evil Korprorations. Free mortgage bailouts for all! In fact, Speaker Pelosi had begun to ruminate about getting rid of those credit card balances for the little people as well. And then the House Republicans spiked the entire deal, and it all fell apart.

It's interesting - Anyone who thinks that McCain has 'voted with' Bush by voting with the Republican leadership has been shown just how much control Bush has over Congress. McCain has served in Congress for decades, and knows people like Mike Pence and Boehnor who are adamantly opposed to the bailout. Both say they were never consulted about the bill, but were expected by the Senate and the President to just rubber stamp what was put in front of them. John McCain has actually performed a real service by making these people sit down together, sooner rather than later, and get Frank and Dodd to stop swanning around claiming the problem is solved just because THEY know what they want.

Once again, Obama has voted 'Present' by not knowing the temper of the Congress due to his lack of legislative experience and Congressional connections, and his insistence that trading rhetoric is more important than trading - and listening to - ideas and perspectives. Like the old joke about the tombstone that reads, "I TOLD You I was Sick!" , McCain sounded a necessary alarm and exposed a problem the cognoscenti though nonexistent.

Not that it was necessary or anything....

Who Am I?

I am under 45 years old.

I love the outdoors.

I hunt.

I am a Republican reformer.

I have taken on the Republican Party establishment.

I have many children.

I have a spot on the national ticket as Vice President with less than two years in the governor's office.

Have you ever heard of me before now?

I am Theodore Roosevelt.



Note: Porcupine only wishes this was original, but received it in a circulating email and decided it deserved some additional exposure - kudos to the author, whomever it may be.

Honors in the Alternative Universe

Porcupine enjoys a good celebration, and this one was special. Porcupine attended the First Annual Lincoln Reagan Dinner, of the Massachusetts Republican Party, at the Westin Hotel.


As you can see, the crowd was big – well over 600 people, all turning out to honor a favorite son – Gov. Mitt Romney. The evening began in fine patriotic form with Gov. Romney’s granddaughter leading the crowd in a salute to the flag, but even before that, Gov. Romney made his way to the various tables thanking those who came – when he reached Porcupine, he laughed and said, “YOU again!” Porcupine is unsure if that is a compliment, or if Romney regards Porcupine as a sort of political town drunk. Porcupine has decided to hope for the best.

Before dinner, comedian Lenny Clarke performed briefly – he is instantly recognizable, and is best known for his role as Uncle Ted on the television show, ‘Rescue Me!’ He proceeded to tell some highly incorrect and borderline regrettable jokes. The mildest was a suggestion that we station border agents at the Mexican border and hand illegal immigrants packs of cigarettes because “there ain’t no sanctuary cities for smokers!” After Mr. Clark, Chair Torkildson recognized the various dignitaries in attendance and dinner was served.

After dinner, Republican National Committee Man Ron Kaufman took the stage. Kaufman was a campaign companion on Gov. Romney’s trek for office, and has grown almost as close to him as he is to another Presidential candidate he one worked for – George Herbert Walker Bush. Kaufman introduced a homemade videotape, shot by ‘41’ with the help of his granddaughter Gigi, in his home in Maine congratulating Romney on a fine campaign and wishing him a bright future. It isn’t often that you get to see amateur home movies shot by former Presidents. Next, Kaufman introduced a video tribute from one of Romney’s opponents – nominee John McCain. McCain called Romney a leader in the Republican Party, and a fierce and honorable competitor and adversary. “You may have noticed that we turn to Mitt for help in getting out our message on talk shows and in speeches – it’s hard enough defining your own point of view, but Gov. Romney is someone I can rely on and depend on.” After that, there was a 15 minute montage of the entire campaign – announcement, victory, ‘the speech’ about faith, election returns, and his withdrawal in favor of Sen. McCain – all brilliantly condensed by Michael Kolowich.

Next was Big Red – the Honorable William Weld himself. “It’s always a privilege to be with somebody who will eventually be President of the United States….and no, I DON’T mean Ron Kaufman!” Weld outlined some the Governor’s accomplishments, and praised his hard work and integrity. Weld and chqairman Torkildson presented Romney with the first Lincoln-Reagan Award.

Romney took the stage. Mitt thanked us all for coming and for working so hard for our Party. He then said, “You’ve all probably heard me tell this story (Porcupine had not), but this happened to me back in 1994. I was at a Boy Scout Court of Honor in a small VFW, and the Scoutmaster spoke about the troop’s colors. He explained that they had bought their flag, and had sent it to Washington, asking that it be flown over the Capitol. That was done, and later, when a space shuttle mission was going up, they asked if the flag could also go into space. After some persuasion, NASA agreed, and the entire troop gathered together to watch their flag take off, and they were bursting with pride – until the shuttle exploded as they watched. Later, the Scoutmaster tried to find out of there was anything left of the flag in the debris – he called over and over, but there was nothing. At last, he read about a flag washing up as part of the wreckage, and asked NASA if it was theirs, and NASA conformed that it was. The flag was unharmed. And right now, he said, that flag is right next to Mr. Romney. I held up one end of the flag, which had been embroidered across the edge with the word ‘Challenger’, and touching it, it was like electricity shooting up my arm, the thought of the courage and patriotism behind that flag.”

An emotional Romney continued, “That is why we will remain the greatest nation on earth – because of that deep, wide river of patriotism that runs through our people and our lives.” He humbly thanked his family, the assembled guests, and the Massachusetts Republican Party for the honor they did him.

Bill Weld is right once again – eventually, Mitt Romney will be President of the United States, and it was a pleasure to take part in a night which honors the man and his contributions to Massachusetts and the nation.

A Boy Will Always Need His Mother....

Porcupine lost his own mother when she was 64, and cannot imagine a richer experience than to have a wonderful mother throughout an entire life. A very happy Mother's Day to Roberta McCain!

DANGER (to Open Government) WILL ROBINSON!

Point of Information - the Republican Members chose not to submit amendments this years, both as a protest to the system, and as a recognition of current fiscal crisis.

And now, for tonight's Top Ten List....

M & M '08?

Many months ago (November of 2006, as it happens), Porcupine was talking with the redoubtable Massachusetts National Committee Man Ron Kaufman about the 2008 race.

It was a badly kept secret that Romney was considering a run, but Kaufman had an interesting insight. "For the last eight years, we've had the vigorous young man with the wise older counselor to guide him (referring to Bush and Cheney). But what about the brave sage, with the energetic and intelligent younger man to aid him and learn from him? THAT would work for eight years as well!"

Of course, Romney's campaign took off in a way that was totally unanticipated, making an obscure Northeastern governor from the wrong party into a national political figure, making him a viable candidate for the nomination itself. But it's interesting that somebody as politically astute as Kaufman may have had this image in mind all along.

And really - can you even imagine a similar photograph of Clinton and Obama?

Now THAT'S Funny!

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R.I.P., W.F.B. (j.) - 1925 - 2008

Porcupine is proud to own an original hardback copy of 'God and Man at Yale'. The thesis of the book is that liberal faculty is busy inculcating students with liberal doctrines, often making at least a public agreement with a progressive point of view a prerequisite for a good grade, while abandoning the true mission of the University, which is classical and rigorous education. The book may seem a well worn theme, until you pause to consider that it was written in 1951.

William F. Buckley, Jr., Gentleman of Connecticut has passed away. There will be many news stories about him. Porcupine especially like the phrase in the Associated Press obituary - 'reptilian languor' - for Buckley's unique and often satirized style (really, it's so apt that Porcupine suspects the AP of having had this written for a while). William F. Buckley was the George Saunders of conservatism - silkily spoken, impeccably presented, and utterly addicted to the last word.

Buckley lived to debate - the livelier and more intelligent his opponents, the better - and he single handedly invented the public affairs debate show with 'Firing Line', the PBS fig leaf of conservatism from 1965 to 1999. Buckley pulled the plug on the show himself, announcing that he wished to give a competitor a chance in a new millennium. Eyes cast down, doodling on his pad, twisting further and further in his chair, Buckley would listen to his opponent - until that mistake, that inopportune word. Then, the eyebrow raised, the hooded eyes lit up, and the devastating rebuttal would begin in the odd drawl that was his speech.

Much will be written about his life and his ideas for a little while. He was a mass of odd contradictions - he angrily quit a job at the magazine American Mercury (before going on to found The National Review) because he felt it was anti-Semitic; yet he had no problem saying that southern states were right to reject the Federal government and uphold Jim Crow laws based on state's rights and white majority rule. He urged the Republican Party to purge itself of John Birch Society members as he thought them conspiracy obsessed loons; yet he was one of the few intellectuals to defend the basic premise of Sen. Joe McCarthy's investigations into communist tendencies. When your heard Buckley SAY it, it all sounded logical at the time.

He was a brilliant rhetorician. He helped Goldwater and Reagan begin their political careers. When he began publishing The National Review, intellectual discourse was primarily David Susskind liberalism, a sort of New Deal hangover. He provided a Right Brain to go with the Left, and a balance in the arena of ideas. Porcupine greatly admired his debating and writing skills (non-fiction only - his spy novels were dreadful). Before Goldwater, there was Bill Buckley - the beginning of the modern Conservative movement. It is a shame to see so much wit and style leave the public square.

Its Five Year Mission...To Explore New Worlds....

What began like this - an unprecedented and classy act of setting aside a campaign voluntarily to give the party's nominee a clear field - was perceived as being REALLY this, by cartoonist Paul Szep -


But, with the Associated Press stories today (this one from the Boston Herald, but the same story appears in the Cape Cod Times and dozens of other papers today) it appears that the media's love affair with John McCain is over, and they have discovered his penchant for salty language and his irascible temper.

What a pity there isn't a cool voice - respected, if a little technical, but of demonstrated loyalty and with efficient analytical skills, to act as a counterweight to the Captain. A team like this one -



Passion and Intellect. Foreign Affairs and Economy. McCain and Romney, 2008.

It Is Meet and Right So To Do

In Porcupine's office, there hangs a framed original Harper's Weekly cartoon - similar to this one - with the branch that the desperate Republican elephant is clinging to labeled "Massachusetts". You see, in 1856, the fledgling Republican Party was kept alive by the strong abolitionist vote in Massachusetts. To campaign in the Congressional races here in Worcester, Taunton, New Bedford, and other Massachusetts communities, a young Illinois attorney came, with quite a reputation for speechifying. His name was Abraham Lincoln.

Two years ago, Porcupine wrote THIS post, to try to explain his admiration and devotion to the memory of perhaps the most tortured and brilliant man to occupy the Presidency. His humble beginnings, his work ethic, his natural ability to communicate - all of these qualites speak powerfully to the current polarized political climate, and it is appropriate to consider how we choose our Presidents, and how we value the Office. As Porcupine wrote back then, "As we go into another election year, and begin the wailing about the quality and timbre of those who put themselves forward, please consider this. Would we, as a nation, state or district, allow a person with clinical depression to serve as our elected representative? Would we narrow our focus to the flaw, and fail to see the person that the flaw has strengthened? Worse, would we elect a person who was ugly, with a thin reedy voice?"

Today, the Middlesex Club stood proudly by as legislation was introduced to create a Lincoln BiCentennial Commission, to celebrate President Lincoln's two-hundreth birthday on February 12, 2009. Founded in 1867, the Middlesex Club holds an annual tribute to Lincoln, most recently its 140th, making it the longest continuous Lincoln memorial society in the nation. Porcupine is honored to have such distinguished Lincoln admirers as fellow Massachusetts Republicans John DeJong and Dan Winslow, and the Club plans events for the BiCentennial Year.

Click HERE to learn more about the coming bicentennial - and let us all reflect upon our most brilliant President. It is meet and right so to do.

As Maine Goes, So Goes the Nation!

Mainers vote - about 73% of voters cast a ballot in 2004, compared with 64% nationally. Maine has the oldest median age in the nation, is 96% white, and as any visitor knows, over 12% of the state is below the poverty line in a high cost-of-living state.

Today, amid an ice storm and slush, they held their Republican Presidential Caucus to send 18 delegates to the convention this fall. Both popular moderate Republican Senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, spoke on behalf of John McCain.

They had a good crowd. According to the Associated Press, "Kim Pettengill, who has been a party activist for more than three decades, said Saturday's was the largest Kennebec County caucus turnout since 1980, the year Ronald Reagan won his first GOP nomination for president. Party Executive Director Julie O'Brien said other counties reported similarly heavy turnouts. In coastal Damariscotta, O'Brien said she counted about 400 people packing the meeting at the Great Salt Bay School, and local organizers said it was the biggest turnout they had seen."

To put this in perspective, Porcupine met Sen. McCain there at a rally for candidate Chan Woodcock in 2006, and 25 people was considered a big event.

But, at the end of the day, the caucus went to Romney, whose son Tagg attended the caucuses. The vote tallied Romney with 53 percent of the vote, John McCain trailing with 21 percent, Ron Paul was third with 19 percent, and Mike Huckabee had 5 percent. Undecided votes accounted for 2 percent.

A couple of observations - Huckabee blew it big-time by not campaigning here. Maine is Oklahoma with pine trees. The tiny town where Porcupine has his summer burrow has only 2,400 people - about the same size as the town of West Tisbury here in Massachusetts - but four competing Baptist churches. Also, all the flap about Romney not being backed by more Republican Governors - if both popular Senators personally spoke on caucus day for McCain, how influential are these endorsements, anyway?

Mainers are concerned about the economy - with good reason - and illegal immigration across their largely unpatrolled border. The 9/11 terrorists began their flight at the Bangor International Airport, flying in from Canada and proceeding to Logan Airport in Boston. Porcupine believes it was Romney's stance on these issues that proved so appealing, and wonders if this vote is a harbinger of next Tuesday.

Tired Old Script

Nowhere has it been more apparent that mainstream reporters are cliche clinging, almost pre-programmed in their coverage of stories, than in the coverage of the primary races.

Recently on Media Nation, Porcupine was debating a Boston Globe article by Jeff Jacoby, called "What Would Reagan Say?" , which implied that Romney's Michigan pledge to reinvent the car industry (something his Dad actually did with the introduction of the compact car) was anti-Reagan pandering.

Well, I'm more of a Goldwater Republican myself, but as to what would Reagan say, per Mr. Jacoby? Reagan would say he bailed out Chrysler.

Reporters like to follow a well-worn rut when doing political reporting. Romney has more delegates, more first place finishes, and more campaign funds than any other candidate and yet the Punditocracy keeps syaing he'll have to drop out. Because he isn't following their script. Of course, the front loaded primaries weren't on their script either, and that is what is driving events. The reporters sound like Paul Harvey talking about what was, not is or will be.

Why was all the media attendion on South Carolina, with 31 delegates, instead of Nevada with 34? Because that's how the old script was written. I'm sorry that reporters loathe Mitt Romney (Why? He's always been unfailingly polite with them...) but media can't shape public opinion any more just like unions can't deliver membership as voters any more either. Actual voters are choosing Mitt Romney - he's gotten more votes than any other candiate, too. In fact, in Nevada, he got more votes by himself that all the Democratic candidates put together!

McCain cannot win without independents to prop up his numbers in open primaries. In the closed primaries coming up, Mitt Romney will secure the nomination. Florida will be the beginning.

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Last year on this date, a little after 5 p.m., Porcupine was standing outside the wrought iron gates of the Massachusetts State House, and snapped this picture of Gov. Mitt and Ann Romney as they paused for the traditional 19 gun salute for the departing Governor.

The central doors of the State House are only opened for a current President, a head of State, and a departing Governor. The Long Walk is usually very festive, and this was no exception. Gov. Romney had just completed the exchange of traditional symbols of power, giving them to Gov.-Elect Deval Patrick - The Pewter Key, a ceremonial key to the lock on the Governor's office door; The Gavel, made from wood from the U.S.S. Constitution; The Butler Bible, given to the Commonwealth by Gov. Benjamin F. Butler when he departed office in 1884; and the Massachusetts General Statutes, a two-volume set of the state's General Statutes dating back to 1860, in which each Governor leaves a note to his successor inscribed in the volumes.

Porcupine watched as Gov. Romney left the State House, giving a friendly wave to the reporters standing up on the balcony. By today, that cordiality might be tempered somewhat - at a recent party, Porcupine was talking with a Romney campaign operative from California, Dan Centrinello, who said he had never in his RNC work all across the nation seen such a vindictive and misleading media corps as that in Boston. But really, much of that is due to their complete and utter disbelief that Gov. Romney might triumph where Sen. John Kerry failed; here in the Bluest State, how can our random speck of Red be a national success?


Exactly one year later, Mitt and Ann Romney are at the Iowa caucuses, with New Hampshire early next week. Gold or Silver, as the Governor likes to put it, it has been an amazing effort by a formerly obscure Governor from a population-losing, doctrinaire New England state.

For Porcupine, the hard work will make Romney's inauguration in one MORE year and a few weeks all the more enjoyable.

The Second Face of Janus - 2008

Below are Porcupine's Predictions for the year 2008.

As the Roman God looks into the future, here are some predictions for 2007. First, like last year, these are predictions from last year that Porcupine still believes will come to pass.

Justice John Paul Stevens will die this year, giving Bush his third choice for the Court.

Fidel Casto will die, and Congress will seize the opportunity to normalize relations with Cuba.

While for 2007, they netted Porcupine a score of Zero, Porcupine believes it it a matter of - not yet....

Here are the others in no particular order:

Gov. Deval Patrick will file his second budget as Governor with a heavy reliance on gambling revenues to justify expansions in local aid, making it clear that without a casino bill, local aid will be cut. Speaker Sal DiMasi will retaliate with a House budget that guts all of the Governor's pricey new initiatives like biotech and the housing funding, and will make it clear that the Legislature will not spend money that it does not and may never have. It will fall to Senate President Therese Murray to make peace, telling the Governor that you can't write a budget with pie-in-the-sky revenue forecasts, and telling DiMasi that money can be found in a reasonable way. Her brokering of the situation catapults her into power, setting her up to become the Billy Bulger of the 21st century.

The House will lose its leader as Speaker Sal DiMasi will not finish out the Session in his current position. The battle ro replace him will be between John Rogers and Gene O'flaherty at first, but it is Ron Mariano who will emerge as the next Speaker.

Governor Mitt Romney will win the Republican nomination for President, and Sen. Hillary Clinton will win the Democratic nomination. Gov. Romney will be elected the 44th President of the United States.

Casino gambling will not be legalized in Massachusetts by the Legislature, but the Wampanoags will push ahead with their Middleboro casino plan after the Federal Government places their land in trust; it will be profitable enough to begin with poker and roulette, as they will not have to pay the state and the tribe will begin to lobby for the legalization of slots in 2009, supported by Suffolk Downs and other racetracks, who also want slot machine gambling.

Yarmouth will become the first town to vote to leave the Cape Cod Commission, with at least one other town joining the quest for special legislation. The charm offensive of the new director, Paul Niedzwicki, will not be enough to convince the towns that the Commission is worth the trouble or taxes any longer.

Barnstable's Charter Commission will recomment that Barnstable become the first city on Cape Cod, with a Plan E 'strong manager-weak mayor' government. This charter will be narrowly defeated, due mainly to disapproval of seeking city status, and the Charter Commission will continue its work into 2009.

Long time County Commissioner Mary LeClair will be replaced with a Democrat, the first crack in the long time Republican domination of county government. Controversial District Attorney Michael O'Keefe will be re-elected handily.

The Cape Wind wind farm project will receive the go-ahead from the Minerals Management Services, and Sen. O'Leary's ocean zoning bill will not pass in this Session, and its obstructionism will become moot. The Cashman project in Buzards Bay in the marine sanctuary will not be approved, however.

Porcupine had an average score of 48% for 2007 predictions - not bad, considering two out of ten were zero. But he can do better!

See you New Year's Eve, 2008, to see how accurate these are!

Fox News Gets It Dead Wrong!

Glories, like glow-worms, afar off shine bright, But look’d too near have neither heat nor light.
John Webster (1580?–1634)

The last debate before the Iowa Caucuses! The horserace is on in earnest, the bets are being laid, and the Punditocracy was slavering over who would attack who - Mitt on Huck? Fred on Rudy? Alan Keyes on....just EVERYBODY??? (They were right about that). They strapped themselves in, giddy as children, to watch the GOP carnage.

But this debate was being hosted by Iowa PBS and the venerable Des Moines Register, and the single questioner was editor Carolyn Washburn, not some familiar Beltway type who could be disposed of with the usual 15 second bio. Ms. Washburn had other ideas. "By the time I get on stage, I will have spent between one and four to five hours with most of the candidates,'' she said. "I got to look them in the eye and get a sense of who they are.'' David Yepsen, the Register's veteran political columnist, said that the candidates should expect a grilling by Washburn. "She asks tough questions and pointed questions,'' he said. "She doesn't mess around. She's really being diligent about this.''As Carolyn Washburn began her questoning, she said, "We'll dig in on issues that need more clarification. Iraq or illegal immigration may come up because, of course, everything is interreoleated, but we're not going to spend concentrated time on those" (as opposed to CNN, which devoted the entire first half of the SnowHoax Debate to the single issue of illegal immigration). Here are some of the 'dull' questions that were asked -

The Comptroller General of the United States said that the US faces a tsunami of debt that is a great threat to our national security. Does you agree that our country's financial situation creates a national security risk, and why or why not? (As it happens, this was the first question, and it caused Porcupine to sit up in his green leather chair a litle bit.)

What sacrifices would you ask Americans to make for debt reduction?

What about the relationship between international trade and human rights violations?

What segment of taxpayers - poor, middle class, wealthy or corporate - are paying more than their fair share under the current system?

What specific changes would you make to NAFTA?

Do you think it's more important for the next President to be a fiscal conservative or a socail conservative?

What government program is vital enough that you would be willing to run a defecit in order to sustain it?

What educational standards does the U.S. need to adopt or improve to compete in the global economy, what will you do to moveus to those standards, and what's your timetable?

A TRANSCRIPT of the debate is here, and a link to video at Iowa PBS is HERE.

Aah, but where were the FIREWORKS? Fred Barnes said the debate was dull and groused that it was all 'just stuff they had heard before'. WHERE? In what alternative debate universe? Mort Kondrake called Ms. Washburn 'Nurse Ratched' for having the temerity to actually enforce time limits. Porcupine wonered if this was a Fox phenomonon, and checked in with the others - Blitzer on CNN and MSNBC's Nora O'Donnell (not a relation to Larry O'Donnell, surely?) were also calling the debate dull and bland. The 'top tier' candidates didn't get to 'engage' one another one on one. The scrupulous inclusion of all candidates was such a drag! And the subjects - HOW can they compete with Bible Boy, or Stars and Bars, or Sanctuary Mansions? WHERE is the sound bite?

How insulting to the populace that the 24/7 mainstream television media universally decried the only debate with substance as not worthy of attention. They only want sizzle, and don't care about steak, and expect the rest of us to subsist on a diet of cotton candy, too, to make the headlines more shocking for the well-coiffed newsreaders that have replaced reporters on television.

Ath the end of coverage, Brit Hume sniffed that he didn't see how there would be any 'lead' for the news, as it was all so serious. He seemed to think that was a bad thing.

Reaction Run Amok

"I used to laugh and dismiss this talk about how we were — that there was a liberal bias in the mainstream media. But I have to say in the four years I’ve been at Fox, I’ve come to believe that there is a bias.”
Chris Wallace, Interview on Politico.com, Dec. 10, 2007

Porcupine has been laid very low with a variant of the virus which actually closed the Chatham schools, and can do little but fret, make demands, drink liquids and look at the television. Nevertheless, on Sunday, he witnessed the most virulent and frightening display of hate speech he has ever seen on a national news broadcast, made all the more disturbing in that the transgressor was given free rein, and was only mildly contradicted. Of course, he IS a big television editor.

Last Sunday, the McLaughlin Group took up The Speech. On the McLaughlin Group web site, the segment is called 'The Latter-Day Saint'. With his usual gusto, John McLaughlin began the discussion by saying, "Okay, Mitt and Jesus".

MR. ROMNEY: (From videotape.) There is one fundamental question which I'm often asked: What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Question: Does this acceptance of the divinity of Jesus Christ hit the issue of Mormonism head-on?

MR. O'DONNELL: No. There's a big problem. Look, I'm not a Mormon, but I do play one on TV....

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Are you a Christian? (Actually, Porcupine learned from his later interview on Hugh Hewitt that Mr. O'Donnell is a classic lapsed Boston Cafeteria Catholic).

MR. O'DONNELL: -- On Big Love, the HBO series (O'Donnell has a recurring role on the show as a shyster lawyer, taking his scriptwriting skills honed on The West Wing and using them in service of his bigotry), that has been a real headache for Romney. Here’s the problem. He dare not discuss his religion. And he fools people like Pat Buchanan who should know better. This was the worst speech, the worst political speech of my lifetime, because this man stood there and said to you, this is the faith of my fathers. And you, and none of these commentators who liked this speech, realize that the faith of his father is a racist faith. As of 1978, it was an officially racist faith. And for political convenience, in 1978, it switched, and it said okay, black people can be in this Church. He believes, if he believes the faith of his fathers, that black people are black, because in Heaven, they turned away from God. In this demented, Scientology-like notion of what was going on in Heaven before the Creation of the Earth, and the Garden of Eden is in Minnesota....

Pat Buchanan: Are you saying that his Mormonism disqualifies him from being president of the United States?

LO’D: I’m saying he’s got to answer…when he was 30 years old…

PB: He does not have to answer..

LO’D: …and he firmly believed in the faith of his fathers that black people are inferior, when did he change his mind? Did the religion have to tell him to change his mind? And when he talks about the faith of his father, how about the faith of his great-grandfather, who had five wives?

PB: Well, look. My great-grandfather had slaves. And I don’t believe in slavery. (Buchanan also went to to note that Baptist Churches actively condoned slavery, and cited scripture to support for their position, but he was hard to hear under O'Donnell's rant. Eleanor Clift just looked like a deer gazing at headlights, and spoke briefly, only when spoken to.)

Larry O'Donell is the Senior Political Analyst at MSNBC. But his shouting and screaming over others actually frightened and shut up John McLaughlin, no mean feat. How can anyone think that he can cover this race with any kind of objectivity? Imagine for a moment if he began to shout about Joe Lieberman in 2000 that his kind were responsible for the crucifxion of Christ by denying him, and Lieberman would be taking money from the usury of his coreligionists. Would he still be on the air, let alone remain the person who edits the stories of others?

This was no 'off-day' for Larry O'Donnell - he went out of his way to reiterate is views in an interview on the Hugh Hewitt radio show HERE.

Hewitt persistantly asks a question that has also occured to Porcupine. If Romney is reponsible for racism of Mormons, than why isn't Kerry or Kennedy responsible for sexism against women? Why isn't Sen. Clinton responsible for the vote her church took to reaffirm a decision to bar gays from the clergy in 2004? This is O'Donnell's disingenuous response:

HH: Then I assume you are condemning Biden and Leahy and Kennedy and Kerry for being part of a sexist organization which they haven’t condemned?

LO’D: No. They’ve got the same flexible relationship to it that I do. You know Kennedy. You know Teddy’s in favor of abortion rights, he’s for…

HH: Well, no, he hasn’t come out and condemned the Church. We should be demanding they condemn the Church.

LO’D: No, no, no. They all have to live, you know, they live with this very uncomfortable…the Catholic…Democratic liberal politicians who are Catholic, and you know there are many coming out of the Northeast, Italian Irish Catholics, they have an extremely uncomfortable relationship with the Church, and they’re kind of always ducking, because there’s always that possibility that a Cardinal somewhere will call them on the abortion issue, as one did during John Kerry’s run for the presidency, with John Kerry. And you know, there’s a bob and weave that all Catholic politicians who are pro-choice are doing all the time. But that…

HH: But shouldn’t they have to stand up and defend what they believe, and condemn, or at least leave the Church of which they are a part?

LO’D: No, Catholicism, as I told you, is extremely flexible, and the Church doesn’t say you have to leave. Rudy Giuliani doesn’t leave…Rudy Giuliani, there was a time, you know, in Catholicism, in the 50’s, for example, in the kind of pre-divorce explosion in the United States, where if a Catholic got divorced, it was considered automatic excommunication. Now all the guys we’ve mentioned, with the exception of Mario Cuomo, have been divorced. And they continue to consider themselves Catholic. The Catholic Church doesn’t say they’re not Catholic. It’s, you know, there’s a 21st Century version of Catholicism. There’s a late 20th Century version of American Catholicism that allows for all sorts of things that were not allowed, and not believed in the first half of this century, including, by the way, the notion, prior to 1950, that if you weren’t a Catholic, you would not go to Heaven. That was a universal… "

So we non-Catholics were all going to Hell, but O'Donnell is concerned about past racism. But hey - those guys are liberals, so no questions need be asked.

It should be noted that there actually IS no 'late 20th century version' of the Roman Catholic Church, except in the 'flexible' imagination of Larry O'Donell. Oh, and the Chruch is anti-gay, too, but that's 'flexible' as well.

Imus was fired for less, but the punditocracy will continue to protect its own, while claiming that MSNBC and CNN (host of the Debate of the Plants) are bastions of cool headed unbiased reporting.

SnowHoax Litmus Test

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As we all know, litmus paper turns RED when exposed to acid conditions, and BLUE when exposed to alkaline conditions. As an acidic personality, Porcupine was always vaguely pleased with the Redness of his litmus. But in the wake of the CNN Snowman Hoax debate (hereafter referred to as the ‘SnowHoax’), another Red-Blue divide is emerging – those deeply involved in bare knuckles politics are turning red, and those with more moderate interests are turning blue.

For example – Porcupine rarely disagrees with his Beloved, as Beloved is generally smarter about most things. But in discussing the SnowHoax, the dialogue went like this.

Porcupine: I love the Internet! Before, this kind of stuff would stay buried forever! I bet the Globe NEVER acknowledges it! (Porcupine was right about that). The cheating Dems were caught almost immediately! In fact, Anderson Cooper can’t claim not to know, because he CITED a Politico story to gouge Rudy during the debate, and Politico had a story up exposing the General as a plant at 9:53 – BEFORE the debate was even OVER. They didn’t have the Clinton connection, but had his involvement with ‘Veterans for Kerry’ while he was still asking the question!

Beloved: That’s what turns me off about this stuff. The Democrats trying to cheat…

Porcupine: But no – I mean, it’s sort of their JOB to cheat – it’s CNN’s job to act as gatekeeper and they totally blew it - they’re either complicit or idiots…

Beloved: NO! It is NOBODY’S job to cheat! THAT is what is wrong with this state! You have become so much a part of the political culture here that you think cheating or misrepresenting could EVER be acceptable! No matter who the head of the Massachusetts Democratic Party is, the true head will always be James Michael Curley – a corrupt mayor and governor but a brilliant and lying politician. THAT is what lies at the heart of political culture here.

Porcupine: Wow…y’know, you should read Jon Keller’s book, ‘the Bluest State’…

Beloved: I don’t have to. I live here. I could have written it.

Porcupine pondered this, and realized there was a litmus test here – one that tested degree of political involvement. Not liberal or conservative, but in making the appeal, or outside being appealed to.

Here are three responses Porcupine received from journalist acquaintances in response to an indignant email about SnowHoax –

“I did know that a Hillary campaign worker was allowed to ask a question, which is bizarre. I've said before how the YouTube debates ought to be run. Pick six or eight issues. Let people submit videos in whatever category they like. CNN's role should be to make sure they are aimed at all the candidates rather than singling someone out. They could eliminate stuff that's just too offensive or weird, too, I suppose. Then let the community vote on which videos get used. The way CNN's doing it is not citizen media, it's just cheap entertainment.” Test result – Pink, but on the Blue side

“I don't get too worked up about these things, though CNN can and should have done a better job. I can recall the old call-in radio days, when they'd have a political guest on the show and a plant would call. Sometimes it would be pretty funny if the guest or host knew who the caller was, nailing him on air. Made for fun entertainment. ... Please don't vote for Mitt. The country can do better. The only problem: Who else on either side? They're all nuts and/or mediocre.” Test result – Alkaline Blue.

“Wanted: A Pure Questioner, with no interests, no agenda and no point of view, to administer the Sacrament to these Most Pure of Candidates. Good grief. It’s an American political campaign!!!! It’s a made-for-TV event!!!!. It’s publicity!!!! It’s theater!!!! Good thing they don’t have to sweat in the hot sun and take questions in the public square anymore.” Test results – Bright Red.

The interesting thing is that all three of these respondents are politically liberal – their red/blue gradation has more to do with direct involvement in politics and campaigns.

Porcupine is going to try to recapture his commitment to Governance over Gladiatorial Politics – and hopes others will as well. (Unless Porcupine is just trying to lull you into a false sense of complacency…)

YouTube Republic

Well, the snowman was there and said Hi! to Mitt Romney in his helium voice. The Florida Republican YouTube debate was tonight. A CNN transcript is HERE, and YouTube's video recap is HERE.

Porcupine thought the questions were decent enough on the whole, if a little predictable. Why there were no questions of the enviornment, health care or education is a travesty. It was nice to see all the candidates get some time, and Duncan Hunter was a particular beneficiary of the work of Anderson Cooper to give all eight a chance to participate. UPDATE - the mom with toys from China was a union manager; the girl asking about abortion works for the Edwards campaign; and the Log Cabin Questioner is a declared Obama supporter, in ADDITION to the Clinton campaign plant - Porcupine's opinion of the questions and the editing process has just taken an elevator ride to the basement.

Each candidate got their own 30 second YouTube spot as well. Guiliani’s 30 second spot was the very best, using his quirky humor to take credit for 'Decreased Snowfall in New York!'. But the humor blew up in his face when he accused Romney of not merely having a sanctuary city, but a sanctuary mansion by having illegals work on his law. “Wait a minute – if you hire a company to paint your house or put on a roof, do you go out and demand to see the papers of anybody who is a different color or has a different accent than you? THAT is Un-American!”. Later, Fred Thompson chipped in that he was surprised Guiliani would bring up employees, as 'I guess we've ALL hired some people who didn't work out exactly the way we thought they would...', a reference to Bernard Kerik.

McCain was the straight talk guy again. On amnesty to Ron Paul - 'That kind of isolationism brought on WW II'; on torture to Romney - 'I am shocked that you think that kind of tretment could ever be used by Americans' and suggesting that we need to either abide by the Geneva Convention or leave it. Romney said he didn’t think it was wise for a candidate to be too specific, which Porcupine happens to think is a prudent position but a poor debating point.

Mike Huckabee had the best spontaneous jokes of the night, and his appeal is obvious. He personifies compassionate conservatism, and comes across as warm and engaged.

The only real ringer of the night was a YouTube question selected from retired Army general, Brig. Gen. Keith Kerr. After listing his military credentials, he said at the end of his video that he is an openly gay man and wanted to know why gays can't serve in the professional military. It produced discomfort from all the candidates as Anderson Cooper needled them to respond. Later, Politico reported that Kerr was on the Steering Committee of "Veterans for Kerry", and now Nightline reports that he serves on the advisory committee for the Clinton campaign.

Anderson Cooper opened the debate by saying that "All the questions come from you", and that there were 5,000 questions, about 2,000 more than the Democrat debate attracted. CNN represents this as 'The People's Debate'. Based on Cooper's choice to have the Clinton campaign not only be selected to ask the questions, but to be seated in the audience for follow up, Porcupine is curious as to what 'people'they refer to, as Porcupine awaits the use of Karl Rove as a questioner in the next Democrat debate.