Obama’s Mayor

This amateur video illustrates a potentially rich vein for Republicans to mine if they decide to take on Barack Obama’s change credentials head-on, especially given the GOP ticket’s penchant for challenging the entrenched interests of its own party.

While we’re at it, here’s the text of Daley’s speech at the DNC.

RNC Scaled Back

Here’s the press release:

McCain 2008 and 2008 Republican National Convention Announce Changes to Convention Program and Hurricane Response Efforts

Monday’s Convention Program Will Only Include Required Proceedings, McCain Campaign Takes Steps to Aid Affected Delegations

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – At the recommendation of Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican National Convention announced substantial changes to the convention’s program and actions being taken to help with Hurricane Gustav relief efforts. On Monday, all program activities beyond the official business that must be conducted in accordance with party rules will be cancelled. Among the other actions announced today are the formation of the Affected States Working Group, the establishment of an Affected States Information Center, and the chartering of a DC-9 to transport affected delegates.

Rick Davis, campaign manager for McCain 2008, announced that the upcoming Republican National Nominating Convention is making serious revisions to the convention program and surrounding activities. Davis said, “We are deeply concerned about the safety and welfare of the residents of the Gulf State region. Our top priority is to assist those who will be affected by Hurricane Gustav. This is not a time for politics or celebration; it is a time for us to come together as Americans and assist the residents of the Gulf States.”

Goodbye Denver, Hello St. Paul

“It did go well,” David Carr writes in the New York Times, “give or take a chronic shortage of cabs, complaints from protesters about penning in free speech, and a memorable exit from Invesco Field that resembled the panicked abandonment of a very large ship. (‘Yes we can,’ shouted people over protesting police officers as they pushed down fences to escape.)”

Carr also notes that The Daily Show has put up a billboard near the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport that says “Welcome, Rich White Oligarchs.”

Blocking Barack’s Block

NBC5 reports on Hyde Park neighbors of Barack Obama frustrated by ramped-up security.

Here’s the letter sent out last week to congregants of the K.A.M. Isaiah Israel across the street from Obama’s home:

August 28, 2008

Dear Fellow Congregant

Now that our neighbor Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for President, the Secret Service has implemented new security measures around his home that will affect access to the synagogue. Although the Secret Service has tried to heed Senator Obama’s request that his neighbors not be unduly inconvenienced, the impact will still be significant.

Obamagery

Please keep the hate mail to yourselves, Obamaphiles, and show a sense of humor. The campaign’s iconography has been so successful that it lends itself to this sort of thing – in this case, parody is indeed a form of flattery.

This one has been making the conservative rounds.

Mystery Convention Theater

Once again, Steve and Tim talk back to the TV.

*

TIM: “This year’s election is one of the most critical in our history.”

Has any politician ever said otherwise? “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for some straight talk: this election won’t make any difference. I’m not even voting, and I’m running for president!” Maybe during that string of pre-Lincoln nobodies in the mid-19th C. (Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan).

STEVE: What’s funny is the election that didn’t figure to be “critical” turned out to be the most critical of all: 2000. Everything today flows from that one.

*

TIM: [Re: Daschle] “I recently was fortunate to meet with Pres. Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan. He couldn’t pay his staff’s salaries. He couldn’t even pay to keep the lights on. No, he didn’t have much money. He barely had enough to survive. But when he came out on stage and he was ready to play, people came alive.”

*

TIM: “Chain of Fools:” Inspired choice, but I think I heard the original. “Five” (vs. “for eight long years / I thought you were my man”).

STEVE: I think they thought they were hearing “Change, Change, Change . . . “

*

TIM: “I’m Bill Clinton, and I am reporting for boo-tay!”

Illinois Hugs It Out In Denver

Justin Kaufmann of WBEZ captured this extraordinary moment at the Illinois delegation breakfast this morning.

Hailing Hillary

“Fantastic. Could not have been better. Hillary Rodham Clinton laid out the case to vote for Barack Obama better than he does himself,” Lynn Sweet writes.

“She offered the electrifying fight that the limpid Obama has not – setting off paranoia among Democrats that they had chosen the wrong nominee or that Obama had chosen the wrong vice president,” Maureen Dowd writes.

And most stunning, this from Kos: “But rising to the occasion, Hillary Clinton was perfect. I’m quite convinced she would’ve been our nominee had she voted against Bush war in Iraq, and she would’ve been a great nominee.”

You mean you wouldn’t have made her out to be a sleazy racist bitch had she not voted the same way Joe Biden did on the war?

Mystery Convention Theater

In which Steve and Tim talk back to the TV.

TIM: They didn’t even bother airing Jimmy Carter’s film about the state of New Orleans on the third anniversary of Katrina. The ex-president in prime time documenting this horror is less newsworthy than Pat Buchanan repeating what he’s been saying every day for weeks?

STEVE: I saw Junior speaking on a couple channels. He’s really good. I wish he were running!

TIM: “In our family he’s known as ‘Uncle Teddy.’And in Emil Jones’s family he’s known as… But I kid!”

*

TIM: Odd – “Still the One” was Clinton’s (er,”Stanton’s”) campaign theme in Primary Colors.

STEVE: The Bob Seger song or the Shania Twain song?

TIM: C’mon, it’s Orleans! Michael Berube said another of their tunes (“Dance with Me”) is the ultimate paradoxical tune because it’s impossible to dance to!

*

TIM: I’m programming a macro that types “booooooorrrrrrring” with one keystroke.

Heart of Stone

“Michelle Obama To Stress Bedrock Values.”

A) Will wear white sheet to reassure voters.
B) Will announce endorsement of John McCain to reassure voters.
C) Will call for foot-powered cars.

Contributing: Tim Willette