Breaking news email from CNN:
President Obama's speech formally accepting the Democratic presidential nomination will be moved indoors due to "severe weather" forecast for Thursday in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Democratic National Convention Committee announced today
Obama's major address, seen as the highlight of this week's convention, was originally planned to take place at Bank of America Stadium, which can seat nearly 74,000 people. Instead, the speech will be delivered in the Time Warner Cable Arena, site of the rest of the week's events in downtown Charlotte, which seats up to 20,000."
Here's Rush Limbaugh yesterday:
The Democrats had buses for students all across North Carolina, and even members of black churches in neighboring South Carolina have been arranged. They're having to bus people in there to fill up the 74,000-seat stadium, and I don't think they're anywhere near it. They're obviously nowhere near it. So now they're going to move it inside (that's the latest), and use "severe weather" as their explanation....
I have a headline. I have a headline if anybody wants to use it on Thursday night. If they move the speech, if they move Thursday night's proceedings from outdoors to indoors, the headline is: You Didn't Fill That! And then show a picture of Panther Stadium/Bank of America Stadium. You Didn't Fill That!
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190 comments:
This is a legitimate concern. There's a 40% chance of thunderstorms Thursday night. I wouldn't want anyone struck by lightning, even a Democrat.
There are chances for afternoon thunderstorms every single day in every single southern city beginning in June and ending in October. Imagine, for a moment, that this was a scheduled SEC football game. We play outside in the south. In the afternoons.
Poor planning.
Who could have guessed?
As one flower to another, I have to congratulate Petunia on the call at 5:58 in the Liveblogging Day One thread where she called the change of venue due to 'weather'.
The Storm Prediction Center does not have Charlotte in a SLGT RSK, however.
So the term 'severe weather' is not apt. Lightning danger, perhaps, but if you schedule outdoors in September in the south, this is a concern. It's like meeting in Tampa -- sometimes there are hurricanes.
Wow!
Still, as Tyrone Slothrop says, it's legit, even if it coincides with Limbaugh's cleverness.
There's a lot of "these might be the last national conventions" talk on both sides, too. $100m for a convention that speaks mostly to wonks and the base?
I'd like to see the BofA booking contract. The Obama campaign might have saved serious money with this change of venue.
It is a pickle. If they'd originally planned indoor with a an outdoor option in case of good weather, they wouldn't have bused in all the people and not filled the stadium.
So plan for outdoor and then throw all those people under the bus they rode in on if we have to do indoor.
That's a shame. I hope they have enough room for the greek columns.
The backdrop for most Republican speakers at their convention was wispy, heavenly clouds against a blue sky.
I Love this Drudge headline about the Democrat's convention and Harry Reid.
"REUTERS PHOTO DEPICTS HARRY IN HELLFIRE..."
I'm disappointed. I would have enjoyed the spectacle of an empty suit talking to empty chairs.
We'll watch for wapo columns ascribing this to the will of god.
Dennis Miller on Twitter:
Dennis Miller Show @DennisDMZ
Dems move it inside. GOP should rent Bank of America Stadium for the night, put the empty chair on stage, fill it with silent Republicans.
Ann, your Obama-hating is making you uglier by the day.
Will you acknowledge if it does rain on the day of his speech? I would guess not.
I've never planned major events like this, but isn't Obama speaking tomorrow night? Is it normal to make the call a day in advance? If so, nothing to see here.
I loved those afternoon storms when I lived in Florida and Louisiana. The skies would darken, the air would grow taut and crisp, a wind would whip things around, then, as if a bucket overturned, the rain would come down hard. It would be over, usually, within half an hour. Sometimes there would be lightning.
I live in San Francisco now. I miss the afternoon rainstorms. Lightning is rare, every year or two, and mostly at night.
LOL
Dennis Miller is so f-ing great!
It just rained a little, right here in Paradise Hills, though it was supposed to be clear skies and 90+ degrees all week.
It is Bush's fault.
Holy Shit! The University of Tennessee is hosting the University of Georgia in a football game this saturday. They are going to hold it outdoors!! In a football stadium!! With no cover and with a 50% chance of thunderstorms.
Gosh. What will happen?
Sorry: Tenn. vs Georgia State
The forecast is --- what the forecast is every single night from about May/June through October in the South.
Concerts don't get cancelled. Football games don't get cancelled. And you'd think that they'd have issues because about 42,000 people fewer won't be able to see the speech.
...unless they couldn't come close to filling that stadium --- which isn't even that large.
Rich Karlgaard (Forbes guy) has a nice riff on a Sunday NYT article that slams Obama. Just slams him.
Karlgaard's piece is good to read. But the real surprise is the NYT story. Boy that's just a brutal article from the paper of record.
Jodi Kantor is my new favorite journalist.
Wow.
It all started when Obama cut the successful DC voucher program that made it possible for low income blacks to escape failing DC schools. As pay-back to the corrupt Teacher's Union, it was one of the first things Obama did as a new president.
Obama's entire presidency has been about giving our money to his donors and cronies, corrupt legislation that benefits his cronies and donors, all while an unprofessional hack media play suck-up and cover up.
Payback.
Schadenfreude.
Karma.
Cause and Effect.
Today the universe makes sense.
(eeek vouchers! scary scary vouchers. We can't have vouchers. That's such a scary word. We must keep corrupt status quo! *whine*)
Ann, your Obama-hating is making you uglier by the day.
If that's "hate" to you, Jay, you must have been curled in a fetal position screaming for mommy during the Bush years.
The Spinal Tap President!
By November, will he be giving speeches to a few people at the VFW, where people just happened by for the potato salad?
We got a little drizzle right now in freaking L.A. Spread the weather.
Tell me it wouldn't be awesome if lightning flashed and thunder roared when Obama was introduced. The Greek columns were a perfect symbol for Dem policy, but this man transcends all man-made symbols. Only God could run his light show.
Has Obama lost confidence in his destiny? Is he in crisis? We need to pull together and create that lifeline of love between God and his instrument.
I figure that they're telling the truth, but in a way that sounds good. Here's how I'd say it...
The speech was moved from a 74,000-seat stadium to a 20,000-seat arena because the organizers can tell which way the wind is blowing.
What will be funny is if the weather is clear during his indoor speech, there will be some news outlets that will show overhead shots of the empty stadium on a split screen.
Also, saw an article about the homeless people being displaced from the "down-market" hotels (some rented for $200/week) because the rates went to $150/night during the convention. That would have to be an issue for all those people who they planned to bus in - how many of them could afford to stay overnight, assuming that they could even get a room. It must be hard to come up with a stadium full of Obama supporters who are within busing distance. Someone must have caught on to the visual implications of a bunch of Obama "hope 'n changers" having to sleep overnight in an open stadium.
Thus the advice to gather with other supporters in front of TVs to watch, and the promise of access to future appearances.
Thunder and lightning are scary and dangerous.
(Though what is the tarp crew thinking? Imagine being the field-maintenance manager: "Guys, everyone in the stadium, including all of those big, bad players, and especially the umps, is scared. Jim, you go out in the tractor; the rest of you guys roll out the tarp. It'll all be OK.")
Why, thank you, rosebud at 10:01! :)
I still can't get over the DNC theme:
“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
Seriously?
“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
Yeah, you'd think they could at least get through a day without making millions of Americans look at the TV and say, "Fuck you!"
Who writes their stuff?!?
"We got a little drizzle right now in freaking L.A."
What part, Bagoh? I used to call LA home.
y Retread said...
Ann, your Obama-hating is making you uglier by the day.
Awwww, did someone make fun of your Sort of a God President?
The Soviet Union was always having trouble with bad weather and five year plans.
Thunder and lightning are scary and dangerous.
Technically, that was a balk.
This is what you get when you don't yet have the power to jail the unappreciative.
"“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
OK, but if you don't pay any dues, we should kick your ass out.
Safety is a legitimate reason to move the event.
It's convenient, but legitimate.
Who'll Stop The Rain?
Well, he couldn't stop the oceans either, but hey.
They're trucking in kettle drums.
Ann, your Obama-hating is making you uglier by the day.
Anything less than adoration of our Dear Leader is hate.
The pro-Obama commenters are starting to sound like wounded dogs who are withdrawing and whining and seems ready to bite any hand that comes close to telling the truth involving their Great One.
Delusions die hard.
Again, Althouse does not hate anyone, but she does have to pander to her 90/10 flock. It's an unwritten rule. :)
Speaking of insignificant minutiae, Dems have already broken the Rep convention tweet record! Full disclosure ~ opened a twitter acct. (4) years ago which I have never used.
btw, as cons will tell 'ya, it's all part of god's plan or some such nonsense. Good thing Althouse isn't religious, unlike her flock ...
Baby steps folks - even filling 20,000 seats is a step up from speaking from somebody's driveway and not being able to fill the street in front of their house.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2143321/Obama-makes-speech-couples-GARAGE--hosts-vote-him.html
Well we're movin' on down, to a bandbox,
From a huge space that's open to the sky,
Well we're movin' on down, to a bandbox,
Couldn't fill the big space, we fell shy-eye-eye-eye.
"What part, Bagoh? I used to call LA home.
Playa del Rey is raining lightly. I fearless just stood in the front yard and gave a speech to a flock of crows. They were clearly impressed. Important work can't be pushed aside by weather.
New DNC motto:
'I Aborted That.'
Pogo said...
"I still can't get over the DNC theme:
“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
Seriously?"
Yes, seriously.
That explains "Julia."
and the lefty-troll rage: if we all belong to the Government, then all the things we worked for, earned, took care of - they get.
Like an unwanted brother-in-law overstaying his welcome, but armed with the state's police and taxing powers.
You think you are a free man, but in their world, you're just their serf.
Just ask "Julia."
Would now be a good time to channel a little Ellen Barkin (though of course change the wording to match the Party of Pro Baby killing), or would that be considered insensitive?
http://nation.foxnews.com/ellen-barkin/2012/08/28/ellen-barkin-hopes-hurricane-kills-every-pro-life-xenophobic-gay-bashing-sob-rnc
Lamebrain shiloh is crowing about Dems out-tweeting Pubbies.
Tweets are for twits, you twat.
It reflects Obama's entire presidency. Over promise (filling the stadium) and underdeliver (not filling the stadium).
Come one Obama could not fill the stadium? What about all the excited young people!!!
IN 2008, I saw Obama buttons everywhere, everyone was talking about how excited they were.
Now I hear excuses and rationalizations from Obama voters. "We have to vote for Obama or Romney will get credit when the recovery finally comes." or "Obama needs more time to turn things around, four years is not enough" or "Obama will be able to fix things once he has a new mandate..."
Sad.
Even if it doesn't rain, it will be so warm and humid, they're probably afraid some people will take their clothes off. It was a dumb idea to begin with.
Are the networks giving them extra time to cover Biden's speech?
"Anything less than adoration of our Dear Leader is hate."
Racist hate, don'tcha mean?
I said "twits" were insignificant minutiae!
Should I call ricpic some childish names?
They wanted to stage a photo op of Obama addressing the token heterosexual white males on the convention floor all in one place but they couldn't find a phone booth.
The reason for the photo op? To show that Godbama even loves the hopelessly benighted.
Playa del Rey is raining lightly
Good friend lives in Playa. I used to live in Culver City.
“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
That is a sincerely weird statement.
The Dems are so considerate that they don't want people to get rained on because they just care so much for people whereas the Republicans went on and held their convention despite the hurricane because they didn't even care if people were drowning in New Orleans according to the liberal media message though one of them got fired for saying it publicly via an inadvertent open mike.
Ironically, if they'd accepted from the get go that Obama no longer has the personal appeal to fill a 74,000 seat venue, the DNC could have saved themselves the embarrassment of pretending for months that there's something in Charlotte called Panthers Stadium.
Would now be a good time to channel a little Ellen Barkin (though of course change the wording to match the Party of Pro Baby killing), or would that be considered insensitive?
Like Mel Gibson, Ellen Barking lets alcohol interfere with her brain/mouth/fingertips connection.
(I left the typo in.)
That belongs video is all kinds of weird. What's weirder? Apparently, Obama's people have such a weak hold on the convention that an unvetted, not approved video made it in to be played to the entire country.
That's just sloppy.
I say it was legit. Something so large needs a full two days to plan out.
Today is the Feast Day for the Blessed Mother Teresa, so odd that President Obama and the little nun serving the poor in India both have the Nobel Peace Prize.
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-lecture.html
Are the networks giving them extra time to cover Biden's speech?
How much time do you need to watch an old man whistle "choo, choo!" while he shits himself?
"There are chances for afternoon thunderstorms every single day in every single southern city beginning in June and ending in October."
I thought there were regularly scheduled thunderstorms every single day a 3:07PM in every single southern city from June to October. Seems like it, anyway.
If Rush fills his pants everyday for 3 hours, then I do think that the President can fill a small stadium...they are the same size after all.
Perhaps Obama heard that there was a possibility of lightning, so he remembered Pascal's Wager.
"“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
We all live here together, Toby (yes your name is Toby now), and we all have different jobs around here, but all of our work comes together to make this plantation a nice home for us all. Now you git to your work, and I'll get back to my Julep.
If Rush fills his pants everyday for 3 hours, then I do think that the President can fill a small stadium...they are the same size after all.
-------------
Nowadays, Obama could hold his railles inside a Chuck-E-Cheese and not have to worry about overflow.
They wouldn't be able to fill a stadium
I bet Rush could fill that stadium if he went to speak.
HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA
Messina says @BarackObama's tweet to Clint Eastwood was the campaign staff's idea, not POTUS. #DNC2012
Now if Eastwood was such a "disaster" why would they do that?
Oh, and they're running furiously from "The Government Is the Only Thing That We All Belong To"
Why it is almost as if the Obama campaign hates it when the mask slips, or something.
Get your nose out of Limbaugh's pants, Lindsey!
Wait. Obama's campaign staff took over his Twitter AND failed to vet videos playing at his convention?
... Well, so much for competence.
More like, you couldn't fill that.
Matthew Sablan said...
I bet Rush could fill that stadium if he went to speak.
Easily, without question.
After a lengthy review, the DNC discovered that 50,000 of the people who registered for seats at the B of A Center were in fact dead. This is a persistent problem for Democrats.
I still can't get over the DNC theme:
“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
Well that clearly tells the electorate that the Democrat Party is going left full steam. I'm sure they resonantes will a fair chunk of the electorate since many completely rely on the government. Not sure how that theme resonates elsewhere. I know it repulses me.
Also, the Democrats may want to ask themselves: Why would lightning ever strike a stadium full of Democrats? I'm stumped.
fill a small stadium
Fenway Park is a small stadium (approx 39k)
B of A Stadium (77k) is not ... it's more of a medium-large one.
Beaver Stadium (approx 107k) is a large stadium.
Just checking the scoreboard here...
The most powerful person in the free world doesn't control a video presentation and his own twitter feed.
Sometimes these excuses make me think the President is auditioning to be the youngest child in the family just so these excuses will actually work.
If Rush fills his pants everyday for 3 hours, then I do think that the President can fill a small stadium...they are the same size after all.
Oooh, fat jokes! How clever of you! But next time, call him "Flush Limpballs." That bit of drollery never gets old.
It's a valid excuse but let's not pretend it's the primary reason.
I'd make a joke about the Dems. running from empty chairs, but others have beaten me to it
Obama has not bowed before the one that counts ;)
Wait... Obama IS the one... So, if he is the one, couldn’t he just waive the storm... like he does his care to those who bow before him?
Since Obama was able to stop the rise of the oceans, and get the planet to heal, you'd think that he could at least postpone an afternoon shower.
Seriously, what makes the Dems think Obama is going to win?
He couldn't draw flies to his re-election kickoff and it hasn't gotten any better since then.
Do they think that all of the tens of millions of people that voted for him the first time are going to extremely grudgingly drag themselves to the polling stations and pull the lever for him again?
I hate crowds. I hate parking when there is a crowd. I might go to a small event, or what I think is going to be a small event in a place that's easy to drive to or whatever. I'm not sure I'd go to some huge stadium to see Sarah Palin.
In other words... we all can watch it streaming, better, on the internet or on television so I'm not sure "you couldn't fill that" is all that significant.
A lot of the smaller events aren't televised, so if you want to see your guy you can go.
I've never gone to a political event though. So I'm not going to fuss is someone else doesn't either. Plus I think that the usual set of demonstrators for this and that thing go because they like those events, no matter what they're about. I know people like that too.
Just yesterday Jim Messina of the Obama campaign confirmed that Obama would speak at the BofA stadium, "rain or shine" even when the 40% chance of thunderstorms was already known, so I don't believe this is anything more than what it looks like: a failure of nerve due to fears of poor turn-out.
Our liberal trolls can go on and on about how confident they are that Romney will lose, but I don't believe that either. It's just happy nasty agitprop for their side.
The race is dealocked even though the polls are salted in favor of Obama. Obama can't fill the big venues anymore. Obama is being substantially out-fundraised every month. There is no good news in the pipeline that will help Obama. There is no buzz about his campaign other than a grim determination not to see Romney elected.
If the trolls can make an argument in favor of Obama beyond snark, I'd be curious to hear, but they can't. In my experience, people who can make an argument, do. People who can't, resort to other means.
Ralph L said...
"Even if it doesn't rain, it will be so warm and humid..."
I wouldn’t be surprised if the heat and humidity played a part in the decision. Folks want to look good for the camera and it’s hard to look good when you’re dripping sweat.
I assume they could pump cool air onto the stage, but I doubt the same could be done for the audience. Soaked audience members still isn’t a good image.
Are they saying lightning is corrupt? republican?
Lightning is not green?
shiloh said...
Again, Althouse does not hate anyone, but she does have to pander to her 90/10 flock. It's an unwritten rule. :)
Speaking of insignificant minutiae, Dems have already broken the Rep convention tweet record! Full disclosure ~ opened a twitter acct. (4) years ago which I have never used.
btw, as cons will tell 'ya, it's all part of god's plan or some such nonsense. Good thing Althouse isn't religious, unlike her flock ...
9/5/12 11:03 AM
Karma will suffice. No need to bother God for this low rent affair. Who would of thunk it that an empty chair couldn't fill the stadium?
As a note on Twitter: Conservatives are much more active on Twitter, and they often engage in "hash tag takeovers" that I find kind of silly, but it tends to throw all sense of balance out of whack when trying to use raw tweet counts, since there is just so much snark coming from the right (especially now that the Twitchy Team is up and running regularly.)
Do they think that all of the tens of millions of people that voted for him the first time are going to extremely grudgingly drag themselves to the polling stations and pull the lever for him again?
If the polls are any indication, its a toss up for him to win. If memory serves, Carter held an edge a month or so before the 80 election. I was actually stunned George W. won re-election although Romney is not neatly as bad a candidate as Kerry was.
Obama was able to survive Rev. Wright and picking the dumbest man in Congress as his VP so that says quite a bit about his resiliency although the economy is going to put him to the test.
Colonel Angus wrote:
Obama was able to survive Rev. Wright and picking the dumbest man in Congress as his VP so that says quite a bit about his resiliency although the economy is going to put him to the test.
It says less about his resiliency than the stupidity of his voters.
Angus: The difference was, in 2008, you would never have seen some of the negative stories that are slowly coming out, like the NYT's piece on how competitive Obama is over trivial things, wasting hours away practicing at bowling and golf. He's lost a lot of the shielding he has had since then as he has been a brutal and down right aggressive politician who has burned a lot of good will with the press corps (and not just Tapper!)
This election is about the Obamas --or- the American People.
Pick.
I'm not sure "you couldn't fill that" is all that significant.
Synova: I'm not one for crowds either and I don't care whether Obama can fill some venue or not.
However, it does matter in terms of gauging Obama's star power to generate enthusiastic crowds and deliver on a promise made by his campaign.
If Obama could fill a 74,000 seat stadium on Thursday it would be a real shot in the arm for Obama voters nationwide. They are desperate to get the 2008 magic back and to build some momentum for the home stretch of the election.
Failing to do so, it's just another Obama disappointment and there have been so many of them.
Do they think that all of the tens of millions of people that voted for him the first time are going to extremely grudgingly drag themselves to the polling stations and pull the lever for him again?
If the polls are any indication, its a toss up for him to win. If memory serves, Carter held an edge a month or so before the 80 election. I was actually stunned George W. won re-election although Romney is not neatly as bad a candidate as Kerry was.
Obama was able to survive Rev. Wright and picking the dumbest man in Congress as his VP so that says quite a bit about his resiliency although the economy is going to put him to the test.
-------------------------
It's all a matter of turnout.
As far as that goes, the signs do not look good at all for Obama.
But we will see.
Do they think that all of the tens of millions of people that voted for him the first time are going to extremely grudgingly drag themselves to the polling stations and pull the lever for him again?
If the polls are any indication, its a toss up for him to win. If memory serves, Carter held an edge a month or so before the 80 election. I was actually stunned George W. won re-election although Romney is not neatly as bad a candidate as Kerry was.
Obama was able to survive Rev. Wright and picking the dumbest man in Congress as his VP so that says quite a bit about his resiliency although the economy is going to put him to the test.
-------------------------
It's all a matter of turnout.
As far as that goes, the signs do not look good at all for Obama.
But we will see.
Gosh, how will they decide which of the 54,000 excess ticket holders won't be let in ?
ver have seen some of the negative stories that are slowly coming out, like the NYT's piece on how competitive Obama is over trivial things, wasting hours away practicing at bowling and golf.
I read that and I have to admit, I didn't see it as the scathing review that I think it was made out to be. In fact, I'll argue his supporters will view it as a positive since it highlights his competiveness and confidence as opposed to his win at all cost arrogance that he truly exhibits.
The problem is the media and 53% of the country saw him along the lines of the second coming at a time the country was in financial and to some extent, political turmoil and went all in at the ballot box. Now four years later he has nothing to show for accomplishments and no direction but for so many people, admitting you were so very wrong is difficult to admit to.
Someone up there is not pleased that He was written out of the Democratic platform. He washed out Mt. Obama, downsized his coronation.
Milbank's god is a bit miffed, yes?
Brennan said...
Just checking the scoreboard here...
The most powerful person in the free world doesn't control a video presentation and his own twitter feed.
Given that the guy can't make a speech on the state of the economy without saying "headwinds" or "the deficit I inherited" (note: he was in the Congress that ran up the deficit) are you surprised?
Bob Ellison said (@9/5/12 10:05 AM):
"...There's a lot of "these might be the last national conventions" talk on both sides, too. $100m for a convention that speaks mostly to wonks and the base?"
CGI has progressed to the point where live conventions - even live people - are unnecessary. With the requisite technology and the minimum needed technical staff,anything can be created. Someone like James Cameron could be hired by a political party (or Super PAC) to CGI any venue, any scene, any personality, any speech (cue the music!) in order to deliver the message.
No more issues with: weather, lighting or sound, odd appearances (hair, makeup, clothing, facial irregularities, weight, shape), poor speechifying (weird voices, umms and ahhs, odd mannerisms like Paul Ryan's throat-clearings). Most of all, no need for live delegates and their quirky appearances and behaviors.
With CGI, everything about the "message" could be professionally managed. Heck, even the news outlets could be CGI'd. No need for nasty Fox or MSNBC pundits or "collaborators".
Wasn't there some of this in Orwell's "Ninteen Eighty-four"? Not the CGI stuff but the management of the message and the instrumentalities used for its creation and dissemination?
And why stop with conventions? Why not go all the way and apply the CGI approach to everyday political stumping? No need to make the folks go to the candidates! The candidates can go to the voters via electronic means.
Gosh, based on data derived from census documents and other means, the CGI techs can ensure that each voter sees exactly what they want to see in the candidates. Imagine! Obama and Romney and everyone else would have a couple of hundred million different looks, sounds and messages!
Political Utopia! Just look out for the Winston Smith's of the world.
"I bet Rush could fill that stadium if he went to speak."
Well, he still is the titular head of the Rep party ...
Priebus
>
>
>
Will McAvoy ACN
you can't air a guy yelling at a chair he's pretending is POTUS for 12 minutes then complain about the other guy's class.
Too funny! Almost as funny as Limbaugh filling a stadium. dittoheads are fine w/turning on the radio ~ fillin' a stadium, not so much as that would require them to get out of a chair!
Nate Silver has Obama at 76.3% chance of winning. Isn't he going to have an egg on his face after the Romney landslide!
Obama won't be speaking in the 74,000-seat stadium."
Ahh, if only the Democrats were into performing mass weddings,...
The best opera I ever saw was with a lightening storm behind it, and that was my favorite part. Taos. Incredible. Otherworldly. Preternatural. That's a word I got from Anne Rice.
The Magic Flute, which has magic in it, the magic on stage was completely outstaged by the magic happening all around and behind it. Most of what I remember is the profusion of flowers at the entrance and the electrical storm with its changing colors occurring in the distance. Whatever happened on stage was not that interesting to me.
Plus I packed the wrong shoes. Casual cordovan loafers that didn't go with a jacket. Everyone said they were fine, nothing wrong at all, they actually did go, plus I was young and could get away with shit like that, get over it, so I did.
It's the only opera I ever saw.
"Seriously, what makes the Dems think Obama is going to win?"
Perhaps it's the polls that show the two candidates as close. As long as it's close, there's a possibility.
Perhaps it's less thinking he will win but hoping he will win, (or that Romney will lose).
"He couldn't draw flies to his re-election kickoff and it hasn't gotten any better since then."
Perhaps he preferred to draw supporters and voters rather than flies.
"Do they think that all of the tens of millions of people that voted for him the first time are going to extremely grudgingly drag themselves to the polling stations and pull the lever for him again?"
Not only will "tens of millions of people that voted for him the first time" go to the polling stations and vote for him again, buy many of them will not at all be grudging, or have to "drag" themselves there, but will be ardent in their support and will eager to get to the polls.
Me? I didn't vote for him the first time, and he's been worse than I expected, so I certainly won't vote for him this time! (I'm not voting for the Ken doll, either.)
Michael said...
There are chances for afternoon thunderstorms every single day ... We play outside in the south. In the afternoons. "
What's your address and I'll mail the lightning rod right away.
I know you were just trying to be cute and clever but that was a really silly comment.
Lessee, the Republicans cancelled a day of their convention due to the threat of a hurricane.
The Demos cancelled a day of their convention because they didn't have the money.
The Republicans had no trouble filling their chosen venue for their nominee's acceptance speech.
The Demos can't fill their venue by giving seats away.
Tell me again how they're going to win.
Speaking of insignificant minutiae, Dems have already broken the Rep convention tweet record!
Might be better if they had more voters, but the graveyards are always open on election day.
Whoever (whomever?)wins, we're fucked.
Michael said...
"With no cover and with a 50% chance of thunderstorms. Gosh. What will happen?"
With any luck some southern nitwit will hold up his hand to catch the lightning.
garage mahal said...
Nate Silver has Obama at 76.3% chance of winning. Isn't he going to have an egg on his face after the Romney landslide!
Only if he goes by the Gray Lady polls.
They skew to the Demos by 10, y'know.
With any luck some southern nitwit will hold up his hand to catch the lightning.
I see a certain amount of bigotry is still acceptable in Democrat circles.
Christopher in MA said...
"But next time, call him "Flush Limpballs." That bit of drollery never gets old."
True but I prefer calling him "the drugster".
You would think that someone who had the ability to control the rising of the oceans could make it not rain for one day.
I must have too much time on my hands but I can't help myself! What if we took the same approach to voting that companies still take in regards to their employees' annual selection of healthcare benefits?
Let me explain. For years, starting around late October, early November, the companies I worked for published the health care options and costs for the following year. Employees were encouraged to sign-up for (vote for!) their preferred options. But because the sign-up period extended over a number of weeks, employees were empowered to review their selections and change their minds if they wished.
Perhaps we could eliminate all polls by simply making the 60 days prior to November 6 the voting equivalent of "open enrollment"!
Every morning, the votes registered for each candidate through the prior day would be reported (have to takes steps to ensure accuracy in reporting!). If a voter wanted to change their votes, based on latest events or news, they could do so. No limit on the number of times a person could change their votes.
And on the evening of November 6, the system would be locked and the final votes counted!
An entire class of workers (pollsters) might be negatively impacted but a new class of political workers (CGI Messengers) would be created. Stimulate the economy! And peoples' paranoia!
Exciting!!
Whoever (whomever?)wins, we're fucked
Just think of all the judges Romney will appoint, not to mention SCOTUS, which will shape the country for a generation. I'll probably vote for Jill Stein, but I hope Obama does win. Does any liberal still think there would have been no difference between Gore and Bush?
Robert Cook, who occasionally posted at the old 538.com before Nate left for the NYT's.
Still as negative as ever lol. Why do you post at political blogs? Indeed, as the world will end at some point in time and there's no need for continuous updates.
Dude, I want to party w/you!
Happy trails ...
Christopher in MA said...
"But next time, call him "Flush Limpballs." That bit of drollery never gets old."
True but I prefer calling him "the drugster".
-----------------
Supporters of President Choom truly have no sense of irony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOF8QmRBVng
You would think that someone who had the ability to control the rising of the oceans could make it not rain for one day.
Nate Silver has Obama at 76.3% chance of winning. Isn't he going to have an egg on his face after the Romney landslide!
----------------
Nah, that's not the way it works, you just "adjust" your percentages at the last minute by looking at leaked exit polls, they same way polling firms do.
That way you're always "right".
Have y'all considered the possibility that, even after removing God from their platform, some Dems actually believe in God? And enough of them are frightened of lightning when standing close while Obama speaks?
. I'll probably vote for Jill Stein, but I hope Obama does win.
Er, if you hope Obama wins, it stands to reason you'd vote for him and not some obscure Green (communist) Party candidate?
Christopher in MA said...
"But next time, call him "Flush Limpballs." That bit of drollery never gets old."
True but I prefer calling him "the drugster".
Excellent. So you won't mind if I prefer calling your Chocolate Jesus "the crackhead in chief."
Childish name calling is the order of the day at Althouse.
No biggie ...
Folks want to look good for the camera and it’s hard to look good when you’re dripping sweat.
Especially in HD, when every drop of sweat is very apparent. Imagine what it would do to makeup!
No one was thinking ahead when they announced the possibility that the stadium would be used. Why juice up expectations for a crowd like that?
Everybody's wondering how the Demos can top Inspector Callahan's presentation.
Let Choom speak to the empty stadium.
That will cause plenty of talk.
garage mahal said...
Whoever (whomever?)wins, we're fucked
Just think of all the judges Romney will appoint, not to mention SCOTUS, which will shape the country for a generation.
Lessee, 3 guys better than Kennedy, Ginsburg, and Breyer, as well as a good replacement for Scalia.
Works for me.
shiloh said...
Robert Cook, who occasionally posted at the old 538.com before Nate left for the NYT's.
Still as negative as ever lol. Why do you post at political blogs?
Now there's a rhetorical question.
shiloh said...
Childish name calling is the order of the day at Althouse.
Mittens?
Question:
SPImmortal said...
Seriously, what makes the Dems think Obama is going to win?
Answer:
garage mahal said...
Nate Silver has Obama at 76.3% chance of winning.
They actually believe this Silver silliness.
Lindsey Meadows,
True but I prefer calling him "the drugster".
Because making fun of recovering addicts never gets old either, does it?
garage mahal said...
Whoever (whomever?)wins, we're fucked
Just think of all the judges Romney will appoint, not to mention SCOTUS, which will shape the country for a generation. I'll probably vote for Jill Stein, but I hope Obama does win. Does any liberal still think there would have been no difference between Gore and Bush?
9/5/12 12:42 PM
Fear not. There is no chance the democrats will win back their filibuster proof senate if Romney wins or if Obama gets reelected that he will actually get to appoint any Supreme Court judge. The court doesn't have to have nine judges, it just can't have more than nine. Judging by whom you are going to vote for (Stein) you just advised everyone here that you don't expect Obama to win. All you are doing by voting for Stein is wishing for your fantasy. But please do so, its your right and you would be doing the country a favor.
"This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow, and our planet began to heal."
After this claim I would have thought the One capable of redirecting a simple thunderstorm.
Fear not. There is no chance the democrats will win back their filibuster proof senate if Romney wins or if Obama gets reelected that he will actually get to appoint any Supreme Court judge. The court doesn't have to have nine judges, it just can't have more than nine. Judging by whom you are going to vote for (Stein) you just advised everyone here that you don't expect Obama to win. All you are doing by voting for Stein is wishing for your fantasy. But please do so, its your right and you would be doing the country a favor.
---------------------
Actually the court has no set number of judges. That's a flaw in the constitution that that douche Roosevelt tried to leverage in his court packing schemes.
"Why juice up expectations for a crowd like that?"
Exactly. It looks better to have a line out the door of a high school gym, than a 95% full NFL stadium. That's something that entertainers have known, probably for centuries.
Judging by whom you are going to vote for (Stein) you just advised everyone here that you don't expect Obama to win.
Quite the opposite. I expect Obama to win so my vote doesn't mean a whole lot.
WHERE'S MY OBAMA MONEY?! lol. I wonder if that stupid bitch will make a return appearance, or if she's been totally disillusioned these past few years.
Althouse, knowing that you voted for the BOob in 2008, I tend to read your commentary within close proximity to a salt shaker, but today I want to give credit where it's due. Your live-blogging of the DNC last evening and everything since has been a delight, for me as a conservative, to read. In the midst of the sea of BS this week portends, I'm enjoying your--what seems for you to be mild amazement at the Hypocracy on Parade at the DNC--and comes across as devastatingly funny precisely because it is so circumspect. I am reminded of the slowly awakening Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" saying, "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!" Good on ya.
Inspired by a comment off Malkin:
If Choom was supposed to be able to heal the planet and stop the oceans from rising, how come he can't stop a thunderstorm Thursday night?
Bob Ellison said (10:05 AM)...I'd like to see the BofA booking contract. The Obama campaign might have saved serious money with this change of venue.
Bob, you'll never see that contract because the democrats will simply fail to pay, regardless of contract. They do it all the time.
Obama costs businesses every time he shows up to grace them with his presence.
"You Didn't Fill That!"
Electile dysfunction, or perhaps size doesn't matter.
Oh, this is rich... WCNC Charlotte chief meteorologist is puzzled because he says the weather Thursday is predicted to be the best weather of the week, with only a small chance of rain.
http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/05/best-weather-of-the-entire-week-local-meteorologist-puzzled-by-obama-speech-move/
"“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
I'm pretty sure that slogan was stolen from an old war movie. It sounded better in German, though.
If Rush fills his pants everyday for 3 hours, then I do think that the President can fill a small stadium...they are the same size after all.
Sure...if Michelle attends, he's halfway there.
Michelle Dulak Thomson said...
"Because making fun of recovering addicts never gets old either, does it?"
you left out the adjective "hypocritical" and besides, sending the help to do the buying is soooo...well it just isn't done. Lordy.
Limbaugh's con cottage industry is 100% childish/vicious/nonsensical/sexist/racist name calling, so criticizing someone accurately calling him a narcissistic, race baiting, immoral, hypocritical blowhard ... on a good day is somewhat amusing.
Irony notwithstanding.
From David Brooks' latest,
"Given the country’s immediate economic and fiscal problems, [Obama's Climate Policy] seems obtuse to me."
It's amazing how well it works when you insert any of the planks of the DNC platform.
First, EMD, that's funny. I wonder what Ron Washington would've said if they'd called a balk when they resumed play.
Secondly, I'm surprised anybody on the right really wants to make a big deal about this. The Republicans had Romney speak in a ~20K venue, didn't they?
Granted, there's some humor in the back-pedaling, and there's a difference between the incumbent and the challenger, but still...
Quite the opposite. I expect Obama to win so my vote doesn't mean a whole lot.
After the 2000 election I'm surprised anyone holds this sentiment.
I'm still intrigued that you hope Obama wins yet aren't voting for him.
I watched Michelle Obama's speech and didn't think it was that great.
I was interested in her lavender nail polish though.
She has a weird body.
Small tits, nice arms and huge ass.
Rush Limbaugh has a bombastic style that wears poorly on my ears. I've listened to him maybe ten times in the past twenty years.
However, Limbaugh is very sharp when it comes to providing facts, arguments and insights, which is more than our liberal trolls can manage. Hence the necessity for even more name-calling and spite on their part.
shiloh said...
Childish name calling is the order of the day at Althouse.
And then he said...
Limbaugh's con cottage industry is 100% childish/vicious/nonsensical/sexist/racist name calling, so criticizing someone accurately calling him a narcissistic, race baiting, immoral, hypocritical blowhard ... on a good day is somewhat amusing.
Obviously the little animal is into self-parody.
That is a sincerely weird statement.
It's also the entire Democratic platform down to one sentence.
And given the press' OBSESSION with the Republican platform, the lack of any concern over the Democratic platform is probably not a sign of bias. They just haven't gotten to it, right Dems?
Or is taxpayer funded abortion with no limits a "mainstream idea"?
That belongs video is all kinds of weird. What's weirder? Apparently, Obama's people have such a weak hold on the convention that an unvetted, not approved video made it in to be played to the entire country.
It's doubly odd since, according to DWS, Romney was in TOTAL CONTROL of every single aspect of the Republican platform.
wouldn’t be surprised if the heat and humidity played a part in the decision. Folks want to look good for the camera and it’s hard to look good when you’re dripping sweat.
I assume they could pump cool air onto the stage, but I doubt the same could be done for the audience. Soaked audience members still isn’t a good image.
So the South is foreign territory for el Residente?
Come to think of it, moving the venue is a good idea, especially with Clinton speaking, the possibility of lightning strikes probably quadrupled.
Michael said...
There are chances for afternoon thunderstorms every single day in every single southern city beginning in June and ending in October. Imagine, for a moment, that this was a scheduled SEC football game. We play outside in the south. In the afternoons.
If it was an scheduled SEC football game it wouldn't even happen since Charlotte is ACC territory.
Storm season in central NC is winding down about now. Even if there was a storm, they tend to hit between 4 & 7 PM, so an 8PM EDT (or later) speech time should be resonably safe.
They can't fill the stadium. The thunderstorm excuse is bullshit.
"Robert Cook, who occasionally posted at the old 538.com before Nate left for the NYT's."
Nope...you've got the wrong guy. I don't know what 538.com is and I've never posted at the NYTimes site.
The biggest flaw in Nate Silver's method is that NO previous president of either party, even Jimmy Carter, was as big a disaster as Obama has been...and none have even come CLOSE to him in clueless arrogance.
Wisconsin is DEFINITELY going to be in play in November, so every vote will count. Any Wisconsin voter who votes for a third-party candidate while claiming to support either Romney or Obama...yikes.
Garage, I definitely will vote for Jill Stein. Given, however,that the winner will be either Obama or Romney, I'd guess we will be slightly less fucked with Obama.
However, I could be wrong. As I said, Obama was bad enough that I didn't vote for him previously, and he's been worse (by far) than I expected.
I can't believe that any sane person listens to or gives a damn about anything that Rush says.
Therefore, I estimate that about 60% of Althouse readers listen to Rush.
Tweet: "you can't air a guy yelling at a chair he's pretending is POTUS for 12 minutes then complain about the other guy's class."
Shiloh: "Too funny! Almost as funny as Limbaugh filling a stadium. dittoheads are fine w/turning on the radio ~ fillin' a stadium, not so much as that would require them to get out of a chair!"
Yes, describing what Eastwood did as "yelling" for 12 minutes is pretty funny. Mumbling, maybe. Yelling? That's what we heard last night. ROMENY WANTS TO DESTROY THE MIDDLE CLASS AND HANG YOUR VAGINA ON HIS WALL, BWA HA HA HA HA.
All freaking caps, too.
The RC who posted at 538.com had your exact same persona as you have here. hmm, perhaps I have the wrong site. Your style and content is quite distinct.
My mistake ...
Seriously... it wasn't giving a speech and *projecting* with a couple of those guys, it was a full blown hollar, beginning to end.
Maybe the guy who thought Clint "yelled" for 12 minutes was thinking of the union guy in Charlotte who had a tantrum and kicked the chair down some steps.
Playa del Rey is raining lightly
Good friend lives in Playa. I used to live in Culver City.
Don't hate the Playa, hate the game.
...sorry, I had to.
shiloh said...
Robert Cook, who occasionally posted at the old 538.com before Nate left for the NYT's.
Still as negative as ever lol. Why do you post at political blogs?
Wow, one useless troll chiding another on internet etiquette. Now I've seen everything.
For BarryD:
Puppet Show
and Spinal Tap
Imagine how much fun some media outlet could have reporting from the stadium if the weather turns out to be perfect tomorrow night.
Jon Stewart, if he had the balls, could stage his show from one of the luxury boxes at the stadium.
Whatever, there's going to be a lot of praying for rain from the Obama entourage tomorrow.
extreme eastwooding - 75,000 empty chairs sitting in the rain.
Crack Emcee wrote:
Obama won't be speaking in the 74,000-seat stadium."
Ahh, if only the Democrats were into performing mass weddings,...
Hey it looks like youre referring to me there.
All I'll say about MJ is that there is functional weirdness and there is life threatening behavior.
There's eccentric and then there's someone acting with a deash wish or engaging in behavior that will kill him/her.
MJ has always been functionally weird. Yes he collected the elephant man bones, but he was also functional and able to put out an album like Thriller. I don't see why Elizabeth Taylor has to disown MJ for functional eccentricity. A lot of creative people are like this, and Elizabeth Taylor probably had some of that herself. They both accept the others quirks because they are both stars.
Where I said there was nothing you could do about it was in reference to his drug use. If there were someone privvy to his using drugs, and they confronted him on it, he would simply paint them out of his life.
That's the problem with drug addicts, They are willful and the last person to realize they need help. Absent kidnapping them and bringing them to a drug clinic against their will what do you propose to do about it?
I think it's a tragic situation but I'm simply saying if he wanted to do those drugs there is nothing anyone could do about it.
That's not an apology for cultism, only a realistic assessment of addicts. And when you're as rich as MJ, he can simply hire his sychophants and isn't for example reliant on others money to keep him well behaved.
There was no helping MJ because he dind't want help and was too successful and rich to be told by outsiders what to do with his life.
Mark said...
Imagine how much fun some media outlet could have reporting from the stadium if the weather turns out to be perfect tomorrow night.
Jon Stewart, if he had the balls, could stage his show from one of the luxury boxes at the stadium.
Whatever, there's going to be a lot of praying for rain from the Obama entourage tomorrow.
Put a few (empty) chairs around a conference table on the stage, and then put 70,000 pissed off unemployed people in the seats. Call it a meeting of the President's Job Council.
The Storm Prediction center day 2 outlook does not have any risk associated with Charlotte. It does note general thunderstorms but when would that not be the case this time of year in the southeast
The Storm Prediction center day 2 outlook does not have any risk associated with Charlotte. It does note general thunderstorms but when would that not be the case this time of year in the southeast
Can someone please help me out, I can't seem to find where the organizers of the DNC want me and the 54,000 people in line behind me to go to watch President Obama speak. Also does anyone know if he will be slow jamming tonight? :)
Thanks Mark!
Anyone quick with PS?
Puppet Show
Spinal Tap and
Barack Obama
It's a simple question.. if you had a #Panthers game, Concert or Soccer match with a 20% chance of storms would you cancel 24hrs prior?
Thats a dam good question.
Gee ... who was the brilliant O-Bot planner who didn't consider the possibility of rain when they scheduled the stadium in the first place?
That's a lot of work for a venue you're going to bail on with less than 50% of a chance of rain ...
Because, you know, it HAS been known to rain in the South during the summer ...
BarryD said...
Thanks Mark!
Anyone quick with PS?
Puppet Show
Spinal Tap and
Barack Obama
The Obama campaign has been saying for quite a while that they're drawing smaller crowds on purpose, so this isn't a new idea...
http://lonelyconservative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/puppet-show.png
A natural politician would stand there in the rain and give his speech. Present is not a natural politician. He relies on gimmicks, fakery, and fawning publicity. None of that can fill all those empty chairs.
creeley23 said...
"However, Limbaugh is very sharp when it comes to providing facts, arguments and insights...."
gasp.
Amartel said...
"He relies on gimmicks, fakery, and fawning publicity. None of that can fill all those empty chairs."
Don't be so hard on Mitten. When he booked Ford Field and only had 650 show up it was the fault of...of ... wait wait, don't tell me.
BO:
"I am big, it's the venues that got small!
I heard Obama was pissed when Axelrod first told him about the venue change, but then Axelrod pulled out his permission slip from Valerie Jarrett, and then Barry was okay with it.
So Barack Hussein Obama lives in fear of Zeus... par for the course... Fear and loathing, loathing and fear... Hatred of anyone who opposes his policies, hatred of anyone who would questions his "facts". Fear of the past. (Hide the transcripts! Fake the birth certificate!) Fear of the truth. Fear of Romney (Would a man who didn't fear his opponent engage in such desperate calumnies?)
Slightly OT, but on topic for the "You didn't..." meme:
President Obama, you didn't write those autobiographies. Someone else wrote them for you!
Do you think for one second that he'd respond, "You're right, without all the people who helped me along the way I could never have written them"? If he did, do you think he'd apologize for the inadvertent "I" in the final clause?
Maybe the reason they can't fill the stadium is that in their world, nobody does anything. They're waiting for someone else to fill that stadium.
“Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To”
Hey wait a minute, don't we all belong to the human race?
Wait, let me check my Predictions for 20212 post...
"At the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama will conclude his nomination acceptance speech with the words 'Klaatu barada nikto,' spurring new questions about teleprompter security and Obama's birth certificate."
Uh oh.
That should read "Predictions for 2012" - Obama's not going to be around THAT long.
Well, a human doesn't have that lifespan...
"The RC who posted at 538.com had your exact same persona as you have here. hmm, perhaps I have the wrong site. Your style and content is quite distinct.
"My mistake ..."
I'm intrigued! Someone with the same name who posts with the same persona and content? Was I cloned at birth and not told?
I've never met another Robert Cook, but there seem to be a lot of them out there, in Google Searches (always others, never me), and in phone directories. Years ago I knew someone who also knew another Robert Cook. I never met the other...perhaps our coming together would have resulted in an explosion that would have excavated an asteroid-sized crater in the landscape!
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