Open Thread - Thursday Weekend Menu
How They Do It In Chicago
31
Oct

Saturday Morning Open Thread

by John Cole

Sort of been out of the loop for the last 24 hours. Sitting in the airport now, waiting for my plane to board.

Open Thread | 9:44 am |

63 Responses to “Saturday Morning Open Thread”

  1. 1
    October 31st, 2009 at 9:51 am Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    At the risk of belaboring the obvious, can I just say that John Boehner is a fucking moron?

    http://my.earthlink.net/articl.....1-33390148

  2. 2
    October 31st, 2009 at 9:54 am Reply to this comment

    Genine

    @burnspbesq

    Sure! Such a thing can never be said too much. :-D

    And have a safe trip home, John.

  3. 3
    October 31st, 2009 at 9:56 am Reply to this comment

    Pasquinade

    Right Wing Falsely Asserts Right Wing Boogeymen Bill Ayers And Jeremiah Wright Visited The White House

    http://thinkprogress.org/2009/.....heck-fail/

    DRUDGE EPIC FAIL: Headline Says Ayers, Wright White House Guests

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/.....use-Guests

  4. 4
    October 31st, 2009 at 9:58 am Reply to this comment

    aimai

    I imagine John is sitting in that airport refreshing his iphone picture of Lilly, over and over again.

    aimai

  5. 5
    October 31st, 2009 at 9:59 am Reply to this comment

    dmsilev

    Prediction: Your dog will be very happy to see you. Your cat won’t care.

    -dms

  6. 6
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:01 am Reply to this comment

    Comrade Darkness

    May the Great Sully guide your flight safely home.

  7. 7
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:04 am Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    Why is it that some people (apparently including my wife) can’t internalize a simple truth about cats, i.e., if you feed them, they own you.

    There have been two strays (who look like they must be from the same litter) hanging around by our front door for the last week. I got home from work at midnight on Wednesday to find them chowing down on a plate of dry cat food.

    And yet the spousal unit persists in saying “No, we’re not adopting them.”

    Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure.

    Going out to see if the little buggers are getting any less people-shy.

    In my mind, they already have names: Laettner and Hurley.

  8. 8
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:05 am Reply to this comment

    MikeJ

    @Pasquinade: The White House leaked the story of Ayers and Wright to discredit anybody who points out that George Soros and Louis Farrakhan had hot gay sex in the Lincoln bedroom.

  9. 9
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:06 am Reply to this comment

    kay

    @Pasquinade:

    It’s amazing, because the White House anticipated the “error”, and released a clarifying paragraph with the records.

    It’s just blatant, knowing misinformation. Amazing.

    I used to believe the trick was to get ahead of the lie, but not even that matters, because the White House did that, here. They’ll just tell it anyway, and hope it takes off.

  10. 10
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:09 am Reply to this comment

    Skepticat

    Safe home. Any chance you can walk through the front door at home with a video camera running? Lily’s joy ought to be a thing to see, and Tunch will be happy to see you, no matter what his outward demeanor. And we’re looking forward to more pics of them, this drought has been painful.

  11. 11
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:13 am Reply to this comment

    AhabTRuler

    It’s just blatant, knowing misinformation.

    Was there ever any doubt?

  12. 12
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:14 am Reply to this comment

    WereBear

    Augh! Poor John! I want a videocam of HIS face when he sees his pets again.

    Ya can’t help missing them.

  13. 13
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:18 am Reply to this comment

    Demo Woman

    John should arrive home in time to put Lily in her halloween costume.

  14. 14
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:20 am Reply to this comment

    GReynoldsCT00

    We’ve missed you John, safe travels…and enjoy your happy dog

  15. 15
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:21 am Reply to this comment

    GReynoldsCT00

    @Demo Woman:

    speaking of, do we get another picture of John, hidden behind a mask this year?

  16. 16
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:22 am Reply to this comment

    GregB

    White House logs also indicate visits by Fidel Castro, Louis Farrakhan, the ghosts of Pol Pot, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Michael Bolton.

    -G

  17. 17
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:22 am Reply to this comment

    geg6

    Safe trip, John. And I’m adding my voice to those begging for a Lily pic. She’ll be over the moon when she sees you. Tunch, however, will probably be showing you a lot of his rather large back.

  18. 18
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:25 am Reply to this comment

    General Winfield Stuck

    @GReynoldsCT00:

    speaking of, do we get another picture of John, hidden behind a mask this year?

    Why yes, you most certainly do.

  19. 19
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:27 am Reply to this comment

    HRA

    @burnspbesq:

    Never any doubt about Boehner. @

    1422831”>Pasquinade

    :

    Any moment now my lawyer cousin will be sending me an email quoting Drudge and whoever else is being an A-H.
    The truth is I wish it would all stop.

    Have a safe trip home, John.

  20. 20
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:30 am Reply to this comment

    GReynoldsCT00

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    that’s so classic…

  21. 21
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:37 am Reply to this comment

    SiubhanDuinne

    John, I want to know precisely how many times you phoned your brother to check up on Lily. I’m guessing close to 30 all told.

  22. 22
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:37 am Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    Laettner was very friendly this morning.

    http://img.photobucket.com/alb.....1oct09.jpg

    Hurley still mostly hangs out in the bushes.

  23. 23
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:39 am Reply to this comment

    donovong

    Well, let’s all hope that your pilots know when to land and that they know the difference between the runway and the taxiway. Also.

  24. 24
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:42 am Reply to this comment

    valdivia

    @burnspbesq:

    Laettner is a cutie!

  25. 25
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:46 am Reply to this comment

    gbear

    @Demo Woman:

    John should arrive home in time to put Lily in her halloween costume.

    Shhh!! The dogsitters were going to dress Lily up as a surprise. You’ll ruin everything.

    WaPo has picked 10 finalists for their columnist competition. Wonkette is on top of it. I’m buying a car this morning so I’m too distracted to care.

  26. 26
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:48 am Reply to this comment

    SiubhanDuinne

    @burnspbesq: Aww, what a sweeeeeeet face! But I hate to have you blaming your wife for the fact that the esq family now own two new cats. I mean, she only put out food for them. She didn’t, you know, give them names or anything.

  27. 27
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:52 am Reply to this comment

    SiubhanDuinne

    @gbear: What kind of car? Murrican or furrin? New or used?

  28. 28
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:53 am Reply to this comment

    Jay C

    When I read this post I thought you meant you had been stuck in the airport for 24 hours, and thus (most assuredly) “out of the loop”. Say it ain’t so, John…..

    @burnspsesq: I agree: “John Boehner is a fucking moron” – simple truth as it is – can’t be repeated too often.

    @Pasquinade: As much as one hopes Drudge’s “epic fails” might eventually become realized by the public, these latest unfortunate examples will no doubt be quickly forgotten until the next outrage-du-jour; and the “fact” that “Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright” were guests at the WH will be accepted by the simpleminded right-wing as on a par with President Bush’s “greeting the war dead at Dover AFB”: i.e. absolute truths “suppressed” by the “liberal media”.

  29. 29
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:55 am Reply to this comment

    AhabTRuler

    @SiubhanDuinne: Huh, I always thought it was the Burns family? Pretty sure it’s to the esq. family, unless everyone has a JD (including the new kittys: Laettner went to Columbia, but Hurley attended CUNY-Queens College, the hippy).

  30. 30
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:56 am Reply to this comment

    Skepticat

    @WereBear: Nah, I hate to see a grown man cry.

    @burnspbesq: Yup, you’ve got two beautiful new cats.

  31. 31
    October 31st, 2009 at 10:59 am Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    @AhabTRuler:

    Hurley also has an LL.M. in Tax from NYU.

  32. 32
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:04 am Reply to this comment

    GReynoldsCT00

    @donovong:

    and that they don’t overshoot the entire state because they are yakking with a flight attendant…and on the wrong frequency

  33. 33
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:04 am Reply to this comment

    Violet

    @Demo Woman:

    John should arrive home in time to put Lily in her halloween costume.

    LOL. What’s her costume? I see her as Superdog.

  34. 34
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:04 am Reply to this comment

    SiubhanDuinne

    @AhabTRuler: Well, I’ve never been formally introduced, so I went with the safe choice. But from here on out, it’s Laettner Burns and Hurley Burns.

  35. 35
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:04 am Reply to this comment

    AhabTRuler

    Hurley also has an LL.M. in Tax from NYU.

    Always looks good on the CV.

  36. 36
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:04 am Reply to this comment

    GReynoldsCT00

    @burnspbesq:

    what a sweetie kitteh! you must let him keep you

  37. 37
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:06 am Reply to this comment

    AhabTRuler

    it’s Laettner Burns and Hurley Burns.

    of Burns & Burns, LLC. Do you have a problem? Give us a call!

  38. 38
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:07 am Reply to this comment

    gogol's wife

    @burnspbesq:
    I know that facial expression from the three cats (then kittens) we adopted from our backyard. “I love you . . . I don’t trust you . . . I love you . . . I don’t trust you.” It never quite goes away.

  39. 39
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:09 am Reply to this comment

    valdivia

    wow. So what do you think this means for Owens?

  40. 40
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:12 am Reply to this comment

    The Grand Panjandrum

    Watertown Daily Times House seat:

    Dede Scozzafava, the Republican and Independence parties candidate, announced Saturday that she is suspending her campaign for the 23rd Congressional District and releasing all her supporters.

  41. 41
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:12 am Reply to this comment

    GReynoldsCT00

    @valdivia:

    wow is right, where’s DougJ?

  42. 42
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:13 am Reply to this comment

    Lavocat

    Those two sentences sound like a mix of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound” and Pink Floyd’s “Waiting For The Worms”.

    That’s the weird earworm I flashed on anyway.

  43. 43
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:15 am Reply to this comment

    tomvox1

    Not sure if any of you are following the NY-23 race but this AM Scozzafava dropped out.

  44. 44
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:17 am Reply to this comment

    tomvox1

    Whoops! Panjandrum must’ve posted this first while I was composing. Apologies.

  45. 45
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:36 am Reply to this comment

    geg6

    Holy crap! Scozzafava dropped out?? Wow. Where’s DougJ? Love to hear his take.

  46. 46
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:37 am Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    Well, Obama is campaigning for Corzine this weekend. Wonder if he can add a stop in the North Country.

  47. 47
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:39 am Reply to this comment

    Hunger Tallest Palin

    WTF Cole, are you in a band or something?

    @dmsilev: His cat will care but since this is a cat Tunch will hurt the one he loves.

    Or at least yack in his shoes.

  48. 48
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:40 am Reply to this comment

    Hunger Tallest Palin

    Why the hell am I in botheration?

  49. 49
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:40 am Reply to this comment

    phoebes-in-santa fe

    @burnspbesq:

    Good for you and your wife feeding the “strays”. I hope you do adopt them. Littermates are so much fun to have around.

    I wish there were more people like you willing to adopt strays.

  50. 50
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:44 am Reply to this comment

    valdivia

    I think this drop out in NY 23 will be clusterfuck. Frist isn’t her name still on the ballot—how many people might be confused on election day and still vote for her? Also we have no idea if the GOP forced her out for fear of actually getting a dem elected to what is supposed to be a safe R seat.

  51. 51
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:47 am Reply to this comment

    Rekster

    @geg6:

    Radical leftist GOP candidate Dede Scozzafava quits

    October 31, 2009 11:00 AM by Michelle Malkin

    How bout that one?

  52. 52
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:47 am Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    Not sure I fully agree with Scott Horton’s take on the implications of HRC’s trip to Pakistan, but he makes some points that are worth thinking about.

    http://www.harpers.org/archive.....c-90006011

  53. 53
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:51 am Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    @Rekster:

    That says more about the GOP than it does about Dede.

    Listened to EJ and Bobo’s weekly thing on NPR yesterday, and Bobo correctly pointed out that Dede’s policy views are almost exactly in the middle of the spectrum of current American political thought.

    But, hey, if the GOP wants to consign itself to permanent irrelevance, I’m down with that.

  54. 54
    October 31st, 2009 at 11:59 am Reply to this comment

    smiley

    @phoebes-in-santa fe:

    Littermates are so much fun to have around.

    Mine just ignore each other, mostly, excep when they’re fighting. One’s a calico, though.

  55. 55
    October 31st, 2009 at 12:05 pm Reply to this comment

    donovong

    @The Grand Panjandrum: This is obviously good news for John McCain(’s running mate, Her Royal Highness Sarah Palin).

  56. 56
    October 31st, 2009 at 12:12 pm Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    A little Saturday morning pick-me-up. The Derek Trucks Band with Susan Tedeschi.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBo_dZAnjoc

  57. 57
    October 31st, 2009 at 12:15 pm Reply to this comment

    Tattoosydney

    Woooooooooo!

  58. 58
    October 31st, 2009 at 12:39 pm Reply to this comment

    Robertdsc-iphone

    Hope the flight home gies smoothly. Give Tunch & Lily extra love from us.

  59. 59
    October 31st, 2009 at 12:39 pm Reply to this comment

    Mark S.

    Has anyone ever dropped out of a race three days before the election? This is weird.

  60. 60
    October 31st, 2009 at 12:40 pm Reply to this comment

    AhabTRuler

    And for those who don’t necessarily want to be picked up on a Saturday morning afternoon.

  61. 61
    October 31st, 2009 at 1:39 pm Reply to this comment

    burnspbesq

    Hurley finally decided to come out for a photo op.

    http://img.photobucket.com/alb.....1oct09.jpg

  62. 62
    October 31st, 2009 at 2:18 pm Reply to this comment

    auntieeminaz

    @burnspbesq: Thank you for the Scott Horton link. His take is always insightful and well worth reading.
    And, yay for the kitties!

  63. 63
    October 31st, 2009 at 3:47 pm Reply to this comment

    Little Macayla's Friend

    @Hunger Tallest Palin:
    WP thinks you might be Al Bundy.
    /plural of shoe