Althouse: "Politics is the art of being all things to all people. And of all the versions of the Obamas we’ve been treated to over the last 8 years..."

October 19, 2016

"Politics is the art of being all things to all people. And of all the versions of the Obamas we’ve been treated to over the last 8 years..."

"... our favorite by far is going to have to be the 'IDGAF I’m Outta Here' version of the Obamas."

167 comments:

Sebastian said...: Except they'll never be outta here. They'll be in our faces for a long time. Count on it.; 10/19/16, 9:55 AM
Once written, twice... said...: He has had the most dignified presidency of the last century.; 10/19/16, 9:55 AM
CJinPA said...: Except I can't shake the feeling Michelle Obama is planning a political career of her own. She likes the sound of her voice.

Spouse sharing/swapping power is somewhat common in Latin America. Maybe it's part of America's enlightened future.; 10/19/16, 9:56 AM
Jaq said...: He obviously don't give a fuck about America, or he could have spared us Hillary. But I guess those 40 meetings with that guy who sent agitators to Trump rallies, and co-ordinated vote fraud is nothing. Did we ever get to hear those Blogo tapes? I wonder why not... No I don't.; 10/19/16, 9:56 AM
MadisonMan said...: That dress does look pretty good on her. Expensive dresses usually do look pretty good.; 10/19/16, 9:57 AM
Jaq said...: Way more dignified than Eisenhower!; 10/19/16, 9:58 AM
CJinPA said...: He has had the most dignified presidency of the last century.

And the First Lady has shown "grace." You're supposed to say that too. It's a thing.; 10/19/16, 9:58 AM
Rick said...: Couldn't they make it a touch thicker so you can't see her underwear?; 10/19/16, 9:59 AM
TA said...: The Obamas are rich, and they're gonna be a whole lot richer, and they're going to live rich. Michelle requires it.; 10/19/16, 10:01 AM
Nonapod said...: Strictly in terms of image, the Obama's always appeared very Hollywood to me. A glamorous couple. I totally get their appeal to the vacuous, superficial type of person that writes and consumes these sorts of love letter articles.; 10/19/16, 10:01 AM
Jaq said...: Why was he using Hillary's private email and lying about it? The Clinton slimy ethics get stink on whoever gets near them.; 10/19/16, 10:05 AM
Rumpletweezer said...: He's lazy and disinterested. He won't do anything that looks like organized work. He'll shoot his mouth off now and then.; 10/19/16, 10:05 AM
Jaq said...: Whoever associates with the Clintons garners stink?; 10/19/16, 10:07 AM
Achilles said...: Blogger Once written, twice... said...
"He has had the most dignified presidency of the last century."

Saying this just makes you a stupid asshole.; 10/19/16, 10:09 AM
Jaq said...: Holy crap Althouse don't read the latest drop on Bill! Groped her and humped her like a dog to climax. Would it not be nice if it were not completely believable!

I can see the headline now 'Trump wedding guest an utter perv!'; 10/19/16, 10:13 AM
CWJ said...: Yep. Excellent dress. He looked pretty sharp as well. Meaningless, but fair's fair.; 10/19/16, 10:15 AM
Jaq said...: Knocked on her door for several minutes trying to talk his way in. Sounds consensual to me!; 10/19/16, 10:18 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: The comments over at the link are hilarious. Yes. M.O. looks pretty nice in that dress (for a change) but the slavering fanboy comments are funny.; 10/19/16, 10:19 AM
rhhardin said...: There's the dress and there's her, and they don't appear as one thing. You can look at the one or the other but not both at once.

A more traditional dress does much better.; 10/19/16, 10:22 AM
traditionalguy said...: The Obamas are indeed great noble and beautiful Destroyers of the USA. So we honor them, as Stalin's most loyal Fellow-Communists honored Uncle Joe on their way to the Gulag and the firing squads. What great people they are. We are so proud.

Will the mind control spells never lift?; 10/19/16, 10:23 AM
MacMacConnell said...: The ACORN presidency, I love all the racial healing during his tenure and his strict adherence to the law. Democrat ex-presidents lack class, they just don't know how to STFU.; 10/19/16, 10:24 AM
Achilles said...: Obama was a bigger liar than bill because he lied about important things. if you like your plan/doctor you can keep them.

Obama was a bigger douchebag on the world stage than bush because everyone in the world hates him and us now. They at least respected Bush.

Obama oversaw the first downgrade of our credit rating.

Obama took a relatively peaceful Iraq, relative to Chicago, and created ISIS. Now there is a permanent sex slave market for captured females.

Obama added over 9 trillion to the debt. Unprecedented. He also destroyed the regular order for federal budget formation and gave us continuing resolutions with help from the douchebag GOPe.

Obama purposely worsened race relations between blacks and whites.

Obama sent the IRS after his political opponents.

Obama turned the DOJ and FBI into political arms of the democrat party.

If Obama was a republican he would have been properly covered by the media and run out of office after what he did to pass Obamacare much less the rest of his bullshit.; 10/19/16, 10:25 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Eh - Michelle and the celebrity cult look like they walked out of Hunger Games set.; 10/19/16, 10:27 AM
MadisonMan said...: Because I was curious, I looked it up.

$12K for the dress. Of course, she gets to wear it for free -- what great publicity for Atelier Versace. I wonder how many orders occurred because of this?; 10/19/16, 10:27 AM
Once written, twice... said...: We are now in the Ann fully plays her Hillbillies phase of the blog.; 10/19/16, 10:31 AM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Achilles said...
Blogger Once written, twice... said...
"He has had the most dignified presidency of the last century."

Saying this just makes you a stupid asshole.
10/19/16, 10:09 AM

Geez, Achilles, Althouse might read this! What else does she do but shit post?

Not that you're wrong...; 10/19/16, 10:31 AM
Jaq said...: We are now to the point where Once covers her eyes and ignores that the biggest Hillbilly is married to her heroine.; 10/19/16, 10:34 AM
JPS said...: Once written, twice...,

Yeah, Calvin Coolidge had nothing on this guy.; 10/19/16, 10:43 AM
Real American said...: he never did give a fuck, which was a huge part of the problem.; 10/19/16, 10:54 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Once written, twice... said...He has had the most dignified presidency of the last century.

To pick just one example: frequent White House guest Al Sharpton exemplifies nothing if not dignity, Once. Well said. A lovely man with lovely friends who used the power of the Government in lovely ways.; 10/19/16, 10:56 AM
Eleanor said...: I'm not surprised the dress has a lot of drag queen appeal. It comes in their size.; 10/19/16, 10:56 AM
CJinPA said...: We are now in the Ann fully plays her Hillbillies phase of the blog.

I try to imagine a healthy motivation for someone to regularly troll an online comments section. Does it make the person feel good momentarily, followed by the shame of such an emotionally unhealthy endeavor? Do they wish they spent their time in a more fulfilling manner? Do they feel desperate? Gassy? I wonder...then I get bored and look for a new post.; 10/19/16, 11:03 AM
Unknown said...: Personally I prefer presidents and their spouses, who enjoy enormous perks at taxpayer expense in exchange for ostensibly serving our interests, to actually "GAF".; 10/19/16, 11:04 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: I was thinking about it, Professor, and I'm coming around to the view that your emotional responses to politics & news highlight a really dangerous reality--one that the Media (and Left) has skillfully taken advantage of to win influence. You react very strongly against "hatred" and rancor--you don't like when people are angry at one another. Even though you were an eye witness to the sometimes-violent protests against a Republican in your own state you, like most Americans, seem to associate anger & hatred with the Right. Even when a particular culture war battle is instigated, heightened, or expanded by the Left (as most these days are) you still assign blame for the "hate" to the Right and partially on that basis side with the Left. It's almost as though you (all) are more comfortable with oppression as long as it is done with a happy face than you are with someone fighting back if that fighting back is done angrily. The Media coverage, of course, does everything it can to cast things in these terms: even though anti-Trump protestors have repeatedly violently assaulted Trump supporters, etc, the narrative that most American seem to believe is that Trump supporters are hateful, violent & scary while Trump opponents are all about love. The same dynamic worked against the Tea Party (mostly polite, docile older folks who cleaned up after themselves & always got the proper permits, etc) and for the Occupy Wallstreet people. The Media called the Tea Party hatefilled and nice people like Professor Althouse believed it. The IRS agents who suppressed political activity, well, they all wore suits and have such nice smiles, and nice people like Professor Althouse aren't all that outraged by those abuses of government power.

I genuinely do appreciate you sharing your feelings on this stuff Professor and I'm certain that a large number of Americans have similar feelings/emotional reactions.; 10/19/16, 11:07 AM
Once written, twice... said...: I wrote that Ann is trolling her Hillbillies not to troll myself. Instead, I just wanted to point out the obvious.; 10/19/16, 11:11 AM
MacMacConnell said...: HoodlumDoodlum

BRAVO!; 10/19/16, 11:18 AM
Michael K said...: What HoodlumDoodlum said.

Obama sent the IRS after his political opponents.

Obama turned the DOJ and FBI into political arms of the democrat party.

I actually think he just gave them permission. Nixon tried but failed because they are DC residents and federal employees and thus on the left. Bill Clinton filled the DoJ with lefties and Bush II left them there because the Democrat Senate in 2001 would not confirm any of his appointees. Rumsfeld had an empty DoD just before 9/11.

"once written" shows us how the weak witted left loves show and Hollywood type stuff.

"I'm not surprised the dress has a lot of drag queen appeal. It comes in their size."

My first thought in looking at the linked article.; 10/19/16, 11:18 AM
Achilles said...: Blogger Bad Lieutenant said...

"Geez, Achilles, Althouse might read this! What else does she do but shit post?

Not that you're wrong..."

The only things Anne dislikes are telling her what to post about and bad faith posting. Her favorite tag is civility bullshit. She reads this garbage we post. Not like blunt honesty from me is new.; 10/19/16, 11:23 AM
Rosalyn C. said...: The Obamas have really contributed. We've now had a First Lady who has "werked" her butt at a state dinner, a week or so after giving a major speech about how she was shocked to her core that a presidential candidate spoke crudely in a private conversation. Neither of her acts were really my thing, so obviously she's doing it for a different demographic.; 10/19/16, 11:24 AM
damikesc said...: When did they ever give a fuck?

He has had the most dignified presidency of the last century.

Hilarious.

He's 3rd this century, since Bill technically ended on 1/20/01.

That dress does look pretty good on her. Expensive dresses usually do look pretty good.

The expense is for the fabrics that can handle the wear-and-tear of a wookie wearing it.

The comments over at the link are hilarious. Yes. M.O. looks pretty nice in that dress (for a change) but the slavering fanboy comments are funny.

She's awful attractive for a Chewbacca understudy, gotta give her credit.

...if people are going to keep holding her up as anything more than "slightly more manly than Barack", I'm going to keep slicing her down.

Obama took a relatively peaceful Iraq, relative to Chicago, and created ISIS. Now there is a permanent sex slave market for captured females.$12K for the dress. Of course, she gets to wear it for free -- what great publicity for Atelier Versace. I wonder how many orders occurred because of this?

I can't imagine too many NFL linemen wanting to wear dresses, so not many.; 10/19/16, 11:29 AM
Achilles said...: Blogger Once written, twice... said...
"I wrote that Ann is trolling her Hillbillies not to troll myself. Instead, I just wanted to point out the obvious."

For example if Anne had more intelligent and effective leftists to choose from once written would be banned is my guess. Once written is a one trick idiot troll with absolutely no critical thinking skills.

Once Written is an affirmative action hire to keep the leftist POV on the blog. I am thinking about going over to KOS of huffpo to recruit better leftist talent so Anne is free to kick the dumb trolls.. We need more R&B and Cooke types.; 10/19/16, 11:31 AM
lemondog said...: Yep. Excellent dress. He looked pretty sharp as well. Meaningless, but fair's fair.

I'm sure these folks would agree; 10/19/16, 11:34 AM
Meade said...: Most of what HoodlumDoodlum said is inaccurate and unfair and reflects a common misreading and misunderstanding of Ann Althouse's mind.; 10/19/16, 11:34 AM
Sam L. said...: Wow. That dress makes her look good!; 10/19/16, 11:36 AM
Hagar said...: That dress is not so dignified seen from the rear.
Perhaps that can be said about his prsidency too.; 10/19/16, 11:36 AM
Anonymous said...: "Couldn't they make it a touch thicker so you can't see her underwear?"

If you see underwear under that dress it's only your dirty mind. There is no underwear showing.

Achilles is so dumb he doesn't know how ignorant he sounds calling everyone else stupid when he posts one stupid comment after another. I think he's more interesting when he talks about revolution and killing all the baaaaaaad liberals.; 10/19/16, 11:39 AM
Fabi said...: That's hilarious, Once Written! Have you considered writing comedy?; 10/19/16, 11:40 AM
Rick said...: Achilles said...
I am thinking about going over to KOS of huffpo to recruit better leftist talent so Anne is free to kick the dumb trolls.. We need more R&B and Cooke types.

Why not get intelligent non-trolls instead?; 10/19/16, 11:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Hoodlum Doodlum channeling Scott Adams is amusing.; 10/19/16, 11:42 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Meade said...Meade said...
Most of what HoodlumDoodlum said is inaccurate and unfair and reflects a common misreading and misunderstanding of Ann Althouse's mind.

Inaccurate I'll have to cede to you, Meade, but "unfair" you should probably explain.
Hey, at least I'm common; that's something.
YT: Common People (Shatner); 10/19/16, 11:45 AM
Sydney said...: She always looks a bit uncomfortable in her First Lady clothes to me. As if someone else were choosing them and they aren't really to her taste. Same with the hair styles. I thought she looked very good before she became First Lady. The sheath dresses become her, in primary colors/solids, with a professional short hair cut. The past 8 years have not been kind.; 10/19/16, 11:46 AM
Anonymous said...: Rick, you and Achilles are the real expert, but sort of dumb trolls in my estimation. I'm just a commenter who trolls occasionally.

Achilles should learn the correct spelling of Ann Althouse's name, that would make him look less dumb.; 10/19/16, 11:46 AM
Anonymous said...: Michelle looks completely at ease in her lovely evening gowns. How interesting you think she looks uncomfortable. Maybe it's just you thinking she isn't fit to wear such dresses?; 10/19/16, 11:49 AM
SukieTawdry said...: Michelle often shines in formal wear (you should not be able to see her underwear through the gown, however). Her other choices in wardrobe have not been quite so adroit. She seems to struggle with whatever image (ingenue? supermodel? junior sophisticate? girl next store? suburban housewife?) she's trying to project at any given moment. The one image I think she's seldom been successful in projecting (wardrobe wise) is First Lady of the United States.

The Obamas I'm sure will try to remain prominent and in public view, but if they think Hillary Clinton is going to let them bask in her spotlight, they'll have another think coming. I believe the two couples frankly despise each other and all the accolades the Obamas have been laying down on the campaign trail are just so much bullshit.

It's odd, there were times the Obama administration made me nostalgic for the Clinton years. I wonder if the reverse will be true.; 10/19/16, 11:52 AM
Achilles said...: Blogger Meade said...
"Most of what HoodlumDoodlum said is inaccurate and unfair and reflects a common misreading and misunderstanding of Ann Althouse's mind."

I would love to see an honest discussion about how Ann has been thinking and how it has led to the topics and posts she has made. Understanding the paradigm of others is one of my favorite things. I like to guess and contrast it with how the subject perceives themselves. I wish people would do it to me but I am resigned to the lack of critical thinking skills and self honesty in society.

As of now I think Ann likes to avoid conflict. She is willing to put up with democrat shenanigans because she knows the press hides their garbage and everything seems peaceful and happy. Females generally like to set up horizontal power structures in society and greatly prefer consensus to conflict. Anne perceives consensus with the democrats because the media reports it that way. Romney didn't rock any boats and was also attractive. Double win. Trump is upsetting the powers that be and even though those powers are awful conflict is worse than justice. He has the additional drawback of being the high school prom king on steroids who pushed everyone around and treated the girls poorly. Not as bad as bill and Hillary but consensus is the most important goal. Especially less than a year from retirement.; 10/19/16, 11:53 AM
Anonymous said...: Althouse should play her commenters more often. Some of them are the epitome of deplorables, baskets of them in fact. I don't know how she can stand them and isn't embarrased to have them as regular commenters in her blog's comments sections. Ugh.; 10/19/16, 11:55 AM
Michael K said...: "I'm just a commenter who trolls occasionally."

We know, Inga.; 10/19/16, 11:58 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Am I wrong, though, Meade? Say I'm wrong about Prof. Althouse - fine, you're the expert, I'll defer.

Am I wrong about other "nice people," other centrists, other middle of the road CoExist "love beats hate" modern Americans, though? People less sophisticated & less interested in following politics than Prof. Althouse--people who've made the Kardasians & other reality TV stars (like Trump!) famous & wealthy?

Example: The issue of illegal immigration. On the one hand you've got Media reports showing smiling young foreign kids in fresh clothes happily attending school and talking about how much they love being in America. On the other hand you've got low angle close up shots, ominously framed, of angry older shabbily-dressed white guys marching & chanting "Dey Took Our Jobs!" combined with selective interview where one or two of them make a casual racial/racist remark. One side = love, the other side = hate. The law, the actual consequences of the policy, the human impact on the non-immigrants & their communities, etc...all ignored. Not only ignored, of course--the people who express care about that "side" are shouted down, called racists, denied platforms, etc, and the nice people just cluck their tongues & shake their heads & talk about how nice it will be when all those regressive haters finally die off.

People like Professor Althouse talk about emotion, empathy, and compassion and correctly point out the role those play in decisionmaking in a democracy. That's important to keep in mind, sure. My point, Meade, is that most of the people who talk about those things have a pretty one-sided idea of empathy, compassion, and even love. That, combined with the fact that those things do play such a large part in how popular opinion is formed (and thus how laws & policies get passed & enforced) strikes me as dangerous.; 10/19/16, 11:58 AM
Achilles said...: Blogger Unknown said...
"Rick, you and Achilles are the real expert, but sort of dumb trolls in my estimation. I'm just a commenter who trolls occasionally.

Achilles should learn the correct spelling of Ann Althouse's name, that would make him look less dumb."

Case in point. Unknown doesn't make any attempt to think WHY Anne pops up sometimes. She throws out the only thing her poorly trained mind can come up with. The iPhone keyboard app drops Anne sometimes and it is a pain to select it and fix it. I recognize this in people's posts and I understand that they are probably having the same issues I do.

I haven't seen anything from this unknown that a 6th grader couldn't produce. I think there are smart people on the left as I mentioned above. This person just isn't one of them.; 10/19/16, 12:00 PM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: Politics is the art of being at least 51% of all things to at least 51% of all voters.; 10/19/16, 12:03 PM
Achilles said...: "I don't know how she can stand them and isn't embarrased to have them as regular commenters in her blog's comments sections. Ugh."

This is the epitome of the stupid judgmental idiot. No effort to understand or reason. Just pure blind ignorant judgement.

This is how we have politicians like Hillary Clinton in power. People like this can't even tell you why laws should be applied equally to everyone and why having elites that are above the law is a bad thing. She would happily flush her soul down a toilet for the right person.; 10/19/16, 12:07 PM
Titus said...: She looks fabulous, get over it pubes.

They are also a fabulous looking couple too-now start whining.

You are a bunch of pussy boy whiners.; 10/19/16, 12:07 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Titus said...She looks fabulous, get over it pubes.

The Obamas are attractive people; they're a good looking couple & have a good looking family. Lots of the praise of Michelle (as a fashion icon, etc) was overblown, but even given that she's a nice looking woman who often dresses nicely.

Over what should I get, Titus?; 10/19/16, 12:09 PM
Anonymous said...: Hahahahahahahah, oh please. Achilles, your mind is a wonder, or a horror more aptly stated, well trained by the alt right, yes. Intelligent, insightful? No. You are so mired down by conspiracy theories and misinformation and unreasonable hatred of liberals, that your disordered mind would probably shatter if it ever had to see things and people as they truly are. That you are comforatable voicing your extremist insurrectionist rhetoric on Althouse says more about you than you seem to to realize. The world isn't divided into good and baaaaaad people based on their political ideology.; 10/19/16, 12:11 PM
MayBee said...: I think it's gross to fall in love with the image of politicians.

Similarly, there is nobody in politics who gets to an "IDGAF about my image" stage.; 10/19/16, 12:12 PM
MayBee said...: After all the fawning over Michelle's beauty, I have heard zero fawning over Melania Trump's beauty.

Which is fine, but it makes clear the fawning was never about Michelle's beauty.; 10/19/16, 12:13 PM
Anonymous said...: And Achilles, I do understand why Ann "pops off" as you so arrogantly put it (remember this is HER blog, not yours). She finally comes to a level in which she becomes so disgusted with things she reads from her regular commenters that she decides to write exactly what is on her mind, knowing it's going to be a kick in the balls to many of her regulars commenters. Good for her.; 10/19/16, 12:17 PM
Meade said...: "Am I wrong about other "nice people," other centrists, other middle of the road CoExist "love beats hate" modern Americans, though?"

Maybe not.; 10/19/16, 12:25 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: She looks fabulous, get over it pubes.

Yes. She does look pretty nice in that dress, although the rear view seems less than dignified. While she looks good, great and bad on various occasions the media trying to push her down our throats as some sort of fashion goddess is what has caused the resistance to M.O. as an icon. We have eyes.

Michelle has some body issues (don't we all) that make wearing some types of clothing difficult. You work with what you have. However, she has made some very regrettable fashion choices in the past (really? wearing Grandma's sweater and lame?). I agree with Syndey that M.O. looks best in jewel tones, blacks, whites, solids in bright colors that really complement her complexion and sheaths that feature her excellent arms. Her color palette is a Winter. She looks good in those colors.

Also...please....no bangs.; 10/19/16, 12:28 PM
Howard said...: MayBee: Because Melania looks like a transvestite.; 10/19/16, 12:28 PM
Howard said...: Meade : pretending to know what his wife thinks... that's the definition of housebroken; 10/19/16, 12:29 PM
Unknown said...: I find Hoodlum Doodlum's comments and Meade's pushback interesting. Clearly Meade hard to read this blog and not wonder about Althouse's motivation for certain posts.

If I had to guess, when she writes things like the recent "lovely Obama" post it is one of two things:

1. She reacts emotionally but also recognizes the manipulation so that she can resist it, but just puts the emotion out there because it stirs up controversy and makes the blog more interesting

Or

2. She doesn't really feel that way but most people in her social orbit do and she is reminding us that this is how politics works.

I think it's mostly #1 but that's just a hunch.; 10/19/16, 12:32 PM
Anonymous said...: She's the First Lady, media covers her as they cover all First Ladies. It doesn't seem to sit well with with you folks though, does it? I wonder why.; 10/19/16, 12:32 PM
Unknown said...: Sorry that should have been : "Clearly Meade knows better than any of us readers..."; 10/19/16, 12:33 PM
Achilles said...: Blogger Unknown said...
"And Achilles, I do understand why Ann "pops off" as you so arrogantly put it (remember this is HER blog, not yours). She finally comes to a level in which she becomes so disgusted with things she reads from her regular commenters that she decides to write exactly what is on her mind, knowing it's going to be a kick in the balls to many of her regulars commenters. Good for her."

You don't seem to even understand this is almost pure projection. Ann isn't as dumb as you are.

Your other post was a stream of consciousness posted in anger.

You are boring.; 10/19/16, 12:35 PM
Achilles said...: "Am I wrong about other "nice people," other centrists, other middle of the road CoExist "love beats hate" modern Americans, though?"

It's not about being middle of the political spectrum. It is about not caring about politics. Many people see politics as an intrusion on their lives and just want to be left alone.; 10/19/16, 12:40 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Meade said..."Am I wrong about other "nice people," other centrists, other middle of the road CoExist "love beats hate" modern Americans, though?"

Maybe not.

I am counting that as a full endorsement. New slogan "HoodlumDoodlum: Maybe Not Wrong"

I'm still not sure in what else my earlier comment was "unfair," but I am content to generalize to a standard, average centrist voter if that makes everyone feel better. Hypothetical groups can't fight back, so that's a plus.; 10/19/16, 12:42 PM
Michael K said...: Blogger Howard said...
MayBee: Because Melania looks like a transvestite.

Pretty funny when most people not Democrats think that about Michelle. She is big !

I wonder what her show size is ?

A friend of mine, before he was an airline captain, used to fly as FO with a transvestite captain. He/she looked like Michelle.

6 foot 3 with size 13 shoes.; 10/19/16, 12:43 PM
Anonymous said...: Achilles you are boring, dumb, tedious and an extremist, not mentioning rude to Ann Althouse. Why do you even comment here? Maybe you like asserting your odd world view here thinking you have a an audience that will buy into your alt right dreck.; 10/19/16, 12:43 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Achilles said...Many people see politics as an intrusion on their lives and just want to be left alone.

I'm not sure that distinction holds up much now, though. I, myself, both follow politics and just want to be left alone. My impression is that a vast number of Americans don't follow politics but don't really "just want to be left alone;" they're happy to have Government/the State do things for them (Life of Julia style) and in that sense welcome the "intrusion."; 10/19/16, 12:46 PM
Fabi said...: Titus calling other commenters "pussy boy whiners" -- the irony, it burns.; 10/19/16, 12:46 PM
Sydney said...: Some Unknown said How interesting you think she looks uncomfortable. Maybe it's just you thinking she isn't fit to wear such dresses?

Pfft. That's an incredibly stupid leap in logic. The gown looks OK, her hairstyle doesn't become her, though. And she doesn't look comfortable in it to my eyes.; 10/19/16, 12:49 PM
Lyle Smith said...: Prettiest First Lady ever, probably.; 10/19/16, 12:50 PM
Achilles said...: General Cartwright just plead guilty and is going to jail for mishandling/leaking classified material once.

Clinton did this at least 500 times.; 10/19/16, 12:52 PM
Fabi said...: Prettiest First Wookie ever, probably.; 10/19/16, 12:54 PM
Tim said...: Prettiest First Lady ever, probably.
Yes, Melania.; 10/19/16, 12:56 PM
Howard said...: Mike K: It's not the size, it's the shape. Michelle is shaped like a classical curvaceous beauty while Melania, the supermodel with all the straight lines and hard angles, conforms to the male homosexual ideal of "female" beauty.; 10/19/16, 1:00 PM
Howard said...: Luv the wookie comment, Fabi. Can always count on the overt racist and repressed homosexual deplorables Pavlovian response.; 10/19/16, 1:03 PM
Anonymous said...: Sydney, I don't think it's a stretch at all, not even close to a leap. Your notion that she seems uncomforatable in those lovely gowns gives it away.; 10/19/16, 1:03 PM
Howard said...: Sydney: agree, the hairstyle detracts. I like her with big hair; 10/19/16, 1:04 PM
Meade said...: "I'm still not sure in what else my earlier comment was "unfair,"...

The part where you asserted: "Even though you were an eye witness to the sometimes-violent protests against a Republican in your own state you, like most Americans, seem to associate anger & hatred with the Right." And also the part where you said: "The Media called the Tea Party hatefilled and nice people like Professor Althouse believed it. The IRS agents who suppressed political activity, well, they all wore suits and have such nice smiles, and nice people like Professor Althouse aren't all that outraged by those abuses of government power."

But keep reading her blog, HooDoo. I freely admit it's taken me years myself to have some understanding of her brilliant, complex, beautiful, playful, and seemingly ever-active mind. Here's a hint: she isn't, as you described her, a "nice person" but she does try to be fair and kind and forgiving to everyone she encounters and I've never witnessed her observing hate and/or love in other people through partisan or ideological lenses.; 10/19/16, 1:05 PM
buwaya said...: Dignity, always dignity -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MhfKRiyvk4

From "Singing in the Rain"; 10/19/16, 1:06 PM
Fabi said...: What race is a Wookie, Howie? Or are you just another bigoted specieist?; 10/19/16, 1:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Melanoma has a Slavic (which are usually goregeous) face that has had one too many plastic surgeries. Her eyes were small, squinty and upturned even before surgery. If she continues she will look like one of those women whose face has been deformed by surgery.

Oh sorry, Melania. That was autocorrect.; 10/19/16, 1:07 PM
Rick said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/19/16, 1:07 PM
Meade said...: @HooDoo: I like your new slogan.; 10/19/16, 1:11 PM
Rick said...: MayBee said...
After all the fawning over Michelle's beauty, I have heard zero fawning over Melania Trump's beauty.

Which is fine, but it makes clear the fawning was never about Michelle's beauty.

Almost everyone who brings it up is either signalling or baiting. For contrast recall how the press othered Ann Romney by focusing on the cost of her clothes. Even if you limit the analysis to recent Republican FLs the contrast is to schoolmarm - dowdy grandmother - crazy. You might initially think there was something about the individuals driving the differing presentations but no:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/09/16/hillary-clinton-style-icon-the-unexpected-inspiration-for-womens-spring-fashion/; 10/19/16, 1:12 PM
buwaya said...: I always thought that Laura Bush was a rather pretty young woman, and aged into considerable beauty, though she has always seemed very modest in style.
There is great charm in modesty.

Age does us all in, even slavic professional beauties, though heck, she's doing very well indeed for 46 years old.

Even Titus succumbs to age, leaving behind a husk of ... what?

Just watching "I, Claudius" again with my wife. It is of course brilliant, and has a lot to say about virtue, its perversion, and perversion, especially, resulting from insecurity and narcissism. There is every sort of personal failure in that thing, the greatest soap opera ever made, and the least sentimental.

Every beauty fades, though virtue persists.; 10/19/16, 1:22 PM
Roughcoat said...: Althouse strikes me as someone with high self-esteem.

Michelle and Barack strike me as people with a highly developed sense of entitlement.; 10/19/16, 1:22 PM
David said...: That is quite a dazzling look on a big beautiful woman. I don't think many people realize how strong and athletic Michelle is. Somewhere on You Tube, there are some some well made videos of her workout routine, done as part of her get moving initiative. She had strength, balance, graceful movement and barely seemed to break a sweat doing difficult exercises. She's not fat. She'[s big. Serena Williams like, I would say; 10/19/16, 1:22 PM
CJinPA said...: I wrote that Ann is trolling her Hillbillies not to troll myself. Instead, I just wanted to point out the obvious.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, friend.; 10/19/16, 1:24 PM
Anonymous said...: Why is that Roughcoat, why do you see them as feeling as if they are entitled? I see them as having high self esteem and I see you folks on the right not liking that one bit.; 10/19/16, 1:25 PM
Anonymous said...: Bravo David! Now there's a real man who appreciates beauty, be it differently expressed than the stereotypical starving model look.; 10/19/16, 1:27 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: There is no reason to give up!

IBD/TIPP TRACKING POLL: Trump Leads Clinton By One Point Going Into Debate. Hmm.

Plus: “By gender, Clinton does much better among women — 47% to 37% — but Trump’s lead among men is just as strong at 47% to 32%. Trump does better among parents (46% to 32%), married women (44% to 41%), lower-class households (53% to 37%), and the religious, among whom Clinton’s support never tops 38%. Among those who express no religion, Clinton handily beats Trump 63% to 16%.”

UPDATE: Rasmussen: “Dead even.”

Permalink • 2:09 pm by Glenn Reynolds •

Nobody knows what the hell is going on.; 10/19/16, 1:30 PM
CJinPA said...: She had strength, balance, graceful movement and barely seemed to break a sweat doing difficult exercises.

Funny, I mentioned earlier the urge for people apply that label to her:

And the First Lady has shown "grace." You're supposed to say that too. It's a thing.

It seems to be applied disproportionately to black women. Not sure what that is. Just something I've noticed.; 10/19/16, 1:30 PM
Anonymous said...: Also, why do I read from rightists that Obama is "lazy"? Another racist dog whistle for for the alt righters.; 10/19/16, 1:30 PM
Fabi said...: Painfully insecure people, such as the Obamas, have very low self esteem. Eternally thin-skinned and relentlessly needy -- two hallmarks of the trait, Unknown Inga.; 10/19/16, 1:30 PM
Anonymous said...: Deeply disturbed people like Fabi see everyone else as insecure with low self esteem.; 10/19/16, 1:34 PM
Anonymous said...: And they also address others by a name of a commenter that seems to have made a mark on them. Good for Inga, wish he/she was here.; 10/19/16, 1:35 PM
damikesc said...: Luv the wookie comment, Fabi. Can always count on the overt racist and repressed homosexual deplorables Pavlovian response.

How is wookie "Racist"? Was Chewbacca black? And was it homosexual? Did he nail dudes?

Michelle is shaped like a classical curvaceous beauty

In the same way an offensive lineman is, sure.; 10/19/16, 1:39 PM
buwaya said...: "Painfully insecure people, such as the Obamas, have very low self esteem. "

Yes, that is my own judgement. The Obama problem comes through even in his memoir. He did, after all, write at least the outline of the thing. Man has daddy issues and his mother was a piece of work.; 10/19/16, 1:40 PM
damikesc said...: She'[s big. Serena Williams like, I would say

Serena Williams is hot.

Michelle, I think, appeared on the Star Wars Holiday Special that Lucas hates so.; 10/19/16, 1:40 PM
Anonymous said...: Keep hope alive Bad L.

Check out the Real Clear Politcs polls.; 10/19/16, 1:41 PM
Roughcoat said...: "I Claudius" was, either intentionally or no, about the English (not necessarily British) aristocracy not the Roman aristocracy of the Early Empire period. I believe this was unintentional on Graves's part -- that he was simply too English and lacking in the literary skills to make his Romans seem anything other than decadent corrupt English schoolboy perverts. They even talk like Englishmen. English writers are always doing this, it's their great flaw. Same goes for the movie "Nicholas and Alexandra" wherein the last Tsar and Tsarina and his family exhibit throughout the reserve and repressed passions and emotions so characteristic of the British upper classes but which were the antithesis of Russian/Slavic aristocrats.; 10/19/16, 1:42 PM
Roughcoat said...: I don't like anyone who feels entitled, no matter their ideological stripe.; 10/19/16, 1:44 PM
CJinPA said...: Also, why do I read from rightists that Obama is "lazy"? Another racist dog whistle for for the alt righters.

The thing about "dog whistles" is that only dogs hear them.

So, if you're hearing a racist dog whistle...; 10/19/16, 1:44 PM
Fabi said...: Such a succinct rejoinder, Inga! An assertion without any proof or argument -- but that's clearly sufficient for those in your "intellectual" circles.; 10/19/16, 1:45 PM
Roughcoat said...: I don't find big women attractive. Same goes for big muscular athletic women. I don't think Michelle or Serena Williams for that matter are at all attractive. I respect Williams's skills as a tennis player but she doesn't do it for me in the looks department. That's just how I roll. Others may roll in different ways. Okay with me. That's what makes for a horserace, as they say. Diversity, ain't it grand.; 10/19/16, 1:49 PM
Big Mike said...: Point of information. In the Era of Obama (and Hillary) the art of politics is not appearing to be all things to all people. It's the art of setting people at each other's throats.; 10/19/16, 1:49 PM
GWash said...: you guys on this blog are super smart !... it's a wonder that you're not too busy running the world with you super intelligence that you still have time to blog here... also your put downs are extra special sauce...nice going !... can't wait read what you folks are going to fix next ...; 10/19/16, 1:51 PM
Anonymous said...: How do you know they feel entitled, Roughcoat? What makes you feel you can see what goes on in their heads?; 10/19/16, 1:52 PM
Anonymous said...: Fabi, you dumbass, you don't see that's exactly what you've done or do every time you post a comment. No self awareness is a sad way to go through life, son.; 10/19/16, 1:53 PM
buwaya said...: " lacking in the literary skills to make his Romans seem anything other than decadent corrupt English schoolboy perverts."

Well, nobody was around to do intimate character studies at the time, and you do have to make them speak English, not Greek and Latin (lingua franca for the upper crust, even then, was apparently Greek).

The decadent corruption is plentiful in the contemporary sources - Suetonius, Tacitus, etc. Graves is sound in a "worst case" lurid interpretation of his sources. We can argue bias, hearsay, poor sourcing even from contemporaries, but there is no resolution of this at this point.

Whatever was wrong and decadent among the English aristocracy in his time, the stuff in "I, Claudius", and Tacitus, and Suetonius, absurdly exceeds any realistic understanding of the toffs of the 20th century.; 10/19/16, 1:56 PM
Roughcoat said...: I mostly disagree with your assessment, buwaya.; 10/19/16, 1:58 PM
Connie said...: "Here's a hint: she isn't, as you described her, a "nice person" but she does try to be fair and kind and forgiving to everyone she encounters and I've never witnessed her observing hate and/or love in other people through partisan or ideological lenses."

I think that is a pretty good compliment.; 10/19/16, 2:04 PM
buwaya said...: "it's a wonder that you're not too busy running the world with you super intelligence"

But we do!; 10/19/16, 2:07 PM
Anonymous said...: "it's a wonder that you're not too busy running the world with you super intelligence"

"But we do!"

OK that was funny.; 10/19/16, 2:08 PM
Anonymous said...: How about those riots in the streets in the Phillipines against the American military presence? Nice, after all the aid they get from the US. Such gratitude.; 10/19/16, 2:11 PM
Fabi said...: Still no proof or argument, Inga! Mere assertion -- it's all about your feelings and confirmation bias.; 10/19/16, 2:13 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Meade said...
Most of what HoodlumDoodlum said is inaccurate and unfair and reflects a common misreading and misunderstanding of Ann Althouse's mind.
10/19/16, 11:34 AM

The obligation is on the misunderstood party, to clarify. Nobody here except the lefty trolls is purposefully mischaracterizing or misunderstanding Ann. If one prefers to play La Mysteriosa, it has a price. And certainly this has no role in communication.

Why would one seek to be unclear? <-- not rhetorical; 10/19/16, 2:15 PM
Roughcoat said...: she isn't, as you described her, a "nice person"

I don't understand what this means -- what it entails in terms of behavior and attitude toward other people.; 10/19/16, 2:15 PM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: buwaya said...
The Obama problem comes through even in his memoir. He did, after all, write at least the outline of the thing.

So you concede he wrote the outline. Now, wouldn't a competent ghost writer have been able to wash away all that insecurity, which you so perceptively perceive, from a mere outline.; 10/19/16, 2:23 PM
buwaya said...: "How about those riots in the streets in the Phillipines against the American military presence?"

They are your old friends, the left.
The same sorts that beat up Trump supporters.

I have known them well, since my university days. Ideologically they were the sort who would have hung out with Mr. Obamas friends, Ayers and Dohrn.; 10/19/16, 2:24 PM
buwaya said...: "So you concede he wrote the outline. Now, wouldn't a competent ghost writer have been able to wash away all that insecurity, which you so perceptively perceive, from a mere outline."

No, I don't think so. The facts are there and those would have had to come from Obama. It is a looking for dad thing -"Dreams of my Father" - for goodness sake. Thats pretty much the point of it. The ghostwriter added poetry and style.; 10/19/16, 2:27 PM
Anonymous said...: And there you go again Fabi, so sad you have no self awareness. As a matter of fact the vast majority of your comments have a flavor of washerwoman gossiper to them. You rarely comment on the subject matter of the blog post and instead hone in on commenters you think are liberals. You are a very shallow person and I base my insight regarding you on your own commentary.; 10/19/16, 2:27 PM
buwaya said...: "have a flavor of washerwoman gossiper to them. "

As a matter of fact I have known quite a few actual washerwomen.
We did still have them, back home, and every other day one would come by with her tin palangganas. And they do carry the news of the neighborhood, what Mang Baldo was up to on Saturday and so forth. Well worth a listen, often enough, and quite as engrossing as a radio drama.; 10/19/16, 2:32 PM
Fabi said...: "Feelings. Nothing more than feelings. Trying to forget my..."; 10/19/16, 2:32 PM
damikesc said...: How about those riots in the streets in the Phillipines against the American military presence? Nice, after all the aid they get from the US. Such gratitude.

Man, smart diplomacy has been a God-send, hasn't it? People LOVE US all over the world now.; 10/19/16, 2:44 PM
buwaya said...: "Dreams FROM my Father", sorry.

It IS well written, but it is indeed as I described.
Its worth a read, much insight to the man, a limited talent in most things.
But it is a very interesting collection of what amount to arguments against interest, a very well done unreliable narrator, and a deep insecurity.

It reminds me a lot of the early parts of Mein Kampf (also worth a read), but with less actual scholarship evident.; 10/19/16, 2:47 PM
CWJ said...: Roughcoat,

I enjoyed your I Claudius comment, and generally agree concerning the Slavic aristocracy, but chuckled at the notion of Nicholas as slav. Weren't he, George V, and Wilhelm all cousins? I have a photo of George V and him in yachting regalia where the family resemblance is so strong that if it weren't for the clues in the styles of the outfits, one might be hard pressed to tell which was King and which was Tsar. But for a Saxe-Colberg or whatever they all were, I suppose he was as good a slav as was available.; 10/19/16, 2:48 PM
buwaya said...: "Man, smart diplomacy has been a God-send, hasn't it? People LOVE US all over the world now."

In the PI, they still love you.
Personally.
You guys are top of the charts with them.

The US Gov, less so.

Problem is no responsible Phil gov, at this point, can trust US guarantees, without which there is no feasible way to avoid dealing with the Chinese. A weak country that's a close neighbor of a huge powerful one has few options - find a powerful protector from far away, or play ball with the local bully. No powerful protector far away, no options.; 10/19/16, 2:53 PM
buwaya said...: In re Nicholas and Alexandra -
She was German, and he was mostly German, and IIRC they actually mostly spoke English to each other. The Russian court language was French.; 10/19/16, 2:58 PM
Sebastian said...: "no responsible Phil gov, at this point, can trust US guarantees" This is the fundamental destruction O wrought: no one can trust US guarantees now, no one will in the near future, and anyone should calculate the appearance of another O in the future, wrecking whatever the US tried to do previously. American unreliability is his basic legacy.; 10/19/16, 3:05 PM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Blogger Unknown said...
Keep hope alive Bad L.

Check out the Real Clear Politcs polls.
10/19/16, 1:41 PM

LATIMES POLL: ALL TIED UP!
RASMUSSEN: ALL TIED UP!
IBD/TIPP: TRUMP +1...; 10/19/16, 3:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Poll Date Sample MoE
Clinton (D)
Trump (R)
Spread
RCP Average 10/10 - 10/18 -- -- 48.6 42.1 Clinton +6.5
QuinnipiacQuinnipiac 10/17 - 10/18 1007 LV 3.1 50 44 Clinton +6
Economist/YouGovEconomist 10/15 - 10/18 925 RV 3.9 47 43 Clinton +4
FOX NewsFOX News 10/15 - 10/17 912 LV 3.0 49 42 Clinton +7
IBD/TIPPIBD/TIPP 10/13 - 10/18 782 LV 3.6 44 41 Clinton +3
LA Times/USC TrackingLA Times 10/12 - 10/18 3019 LV 4.5 44 44 Tie
BloombergBloomberg 10/14 - 10/17 1006 LV 3.1 50 41 Clinton +9
Reuters/IpsosReuters 10/13 - 10/17 1190 LV 3.3 43 39 Clinton +4
MonmouthMonmouth 10/14 - 10/16 726 LV 3.6 53 41 Clinton +12
CBS NewsCBS News 10/12 - 10/16 1189 LV 3.0 51 40 Clinton +11
NBC News/SMNBC News 10/10 - 10/16 24804 LV 1.0 51 43 Clinton +8
ABC News/Wash PostABC/WP 10/10 - 10/13 740 LV 4.0 50 46 Clinton +4
NBC News/Wall St. JrnlNBC/WSJ 10/10 - 10/13 905 LV 3.3 51 41 Clinton +10

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_clinton-5491.html; 10/19/16, 3:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Wednesday, October 19
Race/Topic (Click to Sort) Poll Results Spread
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Quinnipiac Clinton 47, Trump 40, Johnson 7, Stein 1 Clinton +7
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton Quinnipiac Clinton 50, Trump 44 Clinton +6
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein IBD/TIPP Clinton 40, Trump 41, Johnson 8, Stein 6 Trump +1
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton IBD/TIPP Clinton 44, Trump 41 Clinton +3
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Bloomberg Clinton 47, Trump 38, Johnson 8, Stein 3 Clinton +9
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Economist/YouGov Clinton 42, Trump 38, Johnson 6, Stein 1 Clinton +4
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Reuters/Ipsos Clinton 42, Trump 38, Johnson 6, Stein 2 Clinton +4
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Rasmussen Reports Clinton 42, Trump 42, Johnson 7, Stein 1 Tie
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton LA Times/USC Tracking Clinton 44, Trump 44 Tie
North Carolina: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson SurveyUSA Clinton 46, Trump 44, Johnson 6 Clinton +2
North Carolina: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson Civitas (R) Clinton 45, Trump 43, Johnson 5 Clinton +2
Pennsylvania: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Emerson Clinton 45, Trump 41, Johnson 4, Stein 4 Clinton +4
New Hampshire: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Emerson Clinton 44, Trump 36, Johnson 10, Stein 6 Clinton +8
Missouri: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Emerson Trump 47, Clinton 39, Johnson 5, Stein 2 Trump +8
Arizona: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Arizona Republic Clinton 43, Trump 38, Johnson 7, Stein 4 Clinton +5
Wisconsin: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Monmouth Clinton 47, Trump 40, Johnson 6, Stein 1 Clinton +7
New York: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Siena Clinton 54, Trump 30, Johnson 5, Stein 4 Clinton +24
Kansas: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein KSN News/SurveyUSA Trump 47, Clinton 36, Johnson 7, Stein 2 Trump +11
Utah: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein vs. McMullin Emerson Trump 27, Clinton 24, McMullin 31, Johnson 5, Stein 0 McMullin +4
Vermont: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Vermont Public Radio Clinton 45, Trump 17, Johnson 4, Stein 3 Clinton +28
Pennsylvania Senate - Toomey vs. McGinty

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/; 10/19/16, 3:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Tuesday, October 18
Race/Topic (Click to Sort) Poll Results Spread
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein FOX News Clinton 45, Trump 39, Johnson 5, Stein 3 Clinton +6
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton FOX News Clinton 49, Trump 42 Clinton +7
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Rasmussen Reports Clinton 42, Trump 41, Johnson 7, Stein 2 Clinton +1
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein NBC News/SM Clinton 46, Trump 40, Johnson 8, Stein 4 Clinton +6
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Boston Globe Clinton 46, Trump 36, Johnson 5, Stein 2 Clinton +10
General Election: Trump vs. Clinton LA Times/USC Tracking Clinton 43, Trump 45 Trump +2
Wisconsin: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein WPR/St. Norbert Clinton 47, Trump 39, Johnson 1, Stein 3 Clinton +8
Oregon: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Oregon Public Broadcasting Clinton 43, Trump 36, Johnson 7, Stein 5 Clinton +7
Colorado: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein Magellan Strategies (R) Clinton 40, Trump 35, Johnson 12, Stein 5 Clinton +5
Nevada: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson Monmouth Clinton 47, Trump 40, Johnson 7 Clinton +7
Texas: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein University of Houston Trump 41, Clinton 38, Johnson 4, Stein 1 Trump +3
New Jersey: Trump vs. Clinton Fairleigh Dickinson Clinton 51, Trump 40 Clinton +11
Massachusetts: Trump vs. Clinton vs. Johnson vs. Stein; 10/19/16, 3:24 PM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: I don't care for the First Lady's eyebrows.

Too severe for my tastes. Makes her look angry like Uncle Leo at the doctor's office after Elaine draws on his face with the Sharpie.

Maybe Ms. Obama is going for what the pooves call fierce.; 10/19/16, 3:25 PM
Roughcoat said...: Nicholas II was a Romanov. He was raised as a Romanov in the tradition and culture of the Romanov dynasty. All the nobles in Europe at the time were of mixed blood ethnically but that's not what mattered. My point: the Tsar did not act English. He certainly did not act like a Hollywood English actor trained in the English theater tradition portraying a character straight out of an English drama of manners. Neither Nicholas nor Alix were reserved as Jayston and Suzman portrayed them. They were both in real life quite passionate and expressive and emotional. Alix was given to emotional extremes that might on occasion cross over into outright hysteria.; 10/19/16, 3:48 PM
Roughcoat said...: And Olivier as Witte and Harry Andrews as the Grand Duke Nicholai were purely dreadful. Too English, in the English theater tradition and style.; 10/19/16, 3:50 PM
Darrell said...: Trump takes 48 States.
If you don't want to be a loser yourself, stay home. Voting for Hillary makes you a loser.; 10/19/16, 4:34 PM
Big Mike said...: @Darrell, only 40.; 10/19/16, 4:36 PM
Achilles said...: "Here's a hint: she isn't, as you described her, a "nice person" but she does try to be fair and kind and forgiving to everyone she encounters and I've never witnessed her observing hate and/or love in other people through partisan or ideological lenses."

So far I am batting 1,000.; 10/19/16, 4:39 PM
buwaya said...: "English theater tradition and style."

Oh well. I actually like the English theater tradition and style, and it works very nicely with the English language I think. My wife way more so, she and my daughter think heaven=London, and are there as often as they can manage.

The objection to "I, Claudius" is I think sort of like the objection to "Julius Caesar", W. Shakespeare, or Shaw's clever "Caesar and Cleopatra" - go get the movie with Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh. It is a work of English literature based on someone else's history.

As for history, facts are facts, as best we can determine them, and we have only so much to go on for things that went on 2000 years ago.; 10/19/16, 4:42 PM
narciso said...: I'm intrigued to take a look at I Claudius, seeing how Graves based on Suetonius, but one has discovered through Josephine Tey for instance, how Shakespeare was basically Tudor propaganda,
and we known that Il Macchia's account of Caterina Sforza was very self serving to his master, the younger Borgia,; 10/19/16, 7:24 PM
narciso said...: another what if scenario is Alexander the 3rd, had not passed early on, he might have lasted till the first world war, and possibly have handled the maelstrom better,; 10/19/16, 7:30 PM
Bob Loblaw said...: He has had the most dignified presidency of the last century.

Of the last eight years, anyway. Compared to other presidents he's pretty much an embarrassment.; 10/19/16, 7:36 PM
buwaya said...: You are missing a lot, by missing I, Claudius, both Robert Graves book and the BBC production. I highly recommend both.
There is a Kindle edition of both volumes available on the Althouse Amazon portal! And the series on CD, very worthwhile.

And my wife and I are just finishing up the last episode as I poke away on my phone. I keep getting struck by lines out of the thing.

And one, spoken by Cladius, seems apt on this night of ill omen -

"Let all the poisons that lurk in the mud hatch out"; 10/19/16, 9:58 PM
BN said...: There's a sitcom in these comments somewhere. I hope R. Graves writes it.

He could call it "I, Coleslaw" perhaps.; 10/19/16, 10:51 PM
BN said...: Also, Meade, you're cute. Keep up the good work.; 10/19/16, 10:56 PM
BN said...: Shout out to Achilles. Perfect moniker. I hope the screenwriter lets you keep it.; 10/19/16, 10:59 PM
BN said...: Tag line: "Let all the poisons in the mud lash out."; 10/19/16, 11:07 PM
BN said...: Or a fairy tale instead of a sitcom maybe? "So Not White" written by Laslo.

Tag line: "You raggin' on my motherfuckin' godmom's gown, white boy? Try fittin' your black underwear ass in this POS fancy silk shit! Sheet!!! You think you got problems, motherfucker?"; 10/19/16, 11:38 PM
narciso said...: I must have seem parts of the series, an interesting footnote, claudius's secretary who the latin version of my handle, was one that paul thanked as a collaborator at the end of romans,
who was promptly put to death, upon nero's accession to the throne, I'll definitely look into it,; 10/20/16, 1:04 AM
buwaya said...: Im thinking Sci Fi horror BN.
Like something of Gregory Benfords.
Of which there should be movies dammit.; 10/20/16, 1:05 AM
buwaya said...: Good catch narciso.
Do get it.; 10/20/16, 1:08 AM
jg said...: she looks pretty good. they look pretty good. she's large / he's slender. is that what we're supposed to care about, though? smacks of royal-family celebrity-worship. which i guess is less psychologically harmful than hatred but probably less productive than disregard.

i guess it could be unifying. patriotic. look at that dress! ain't america grand?; 10/26/16, 11:42 PM