Saturday, again, and Siggy and Fritz have failed to wake PJ. My dogs also slept late because the sky didn’t even begin to lighten until nearly 7 a.m. However, Clifford the cat is not so easily lulled into a late morning. He was on the job and, with his usual directness, jumped on me and took a stroll. Now they are all fed.

Lately the wingnuts, who are neither as straight forward or handsome as Cliff, have been letting us know that they are the only true patriots. Sarah is happy to be visiting the pro-American parts of the country and Congressmember Michele Bachmann, who undoubtedly represents one of those happy areas, wants the press to investigate her colleagues who lean left, for their unamerican activities. I think we’ve done this before and I don’t remember it being much fun. But at least it led to adding a new word to the dictionary: Mccarthyism.

And, the Rethugs are reminding us why the thug part of that word is so descriptive with their ACORN accusations that, far from protecting democracy, are designed to thwart it.

Can’t blame PJ for putting off waking to all this.

Have a good one!

This has been a long damn week. I’m glad it’s just about over.

OK, I was up too late to be even slightly coherent this morning, but a quick review of last night’s debate tells me that Obama “won” by the largest margins yet. So let’s vote already and get this over with.

Here it is, the night we’ve been waiting for, for what seems like years now – the final presidential debate of 2008. Tonight’s debate takes place at 9:00 PM Eastern time from the campus of Hofstra University. I can’t imagine how tonight’s ceremonies can actually change anybody’s mind, barring something really odd happening. Like maybe McCain flipping out and having his cheek lump explode, or Obama saying, “yeah, you know what, I am a fuckin’ Arab terrorist, and I’m still a better candidate than this pathetic, crazy old half dead miserable son-of-a-bitch you dumbass Republicans nominated.”

But that would be both interesting and fun to watch, and if we’ve learned anything from the first two debates, it’s that there’ll be none of that.

At any rate, much like a train wreck, I just won’t be able to look away. For those of you who feel the same way, the Debate Chat Room will be open for the festivities. Hope to see you all there.

So, I was reading this story last night which says, in part,

…pundits and media commentators are scratching their heads over the lack of direction – indeed, the near schizophrenic judgment – of the McCain campaign.

Well, what’s to scratch your head over? McCain is unbalanced, suffering from both PTSD and an Oedipus complex. Add to that the fact that he was pretty much an asshole to begin with, and it isn’t particularly surprising that both he and his campaign are (to quote Little Feat) “off their rockers, acting crazy.”

The only surprising thing is that the media managed to carry water for McCain for so long. I suppose that as long as he was just crazy old grampa from crazy old Arizona with the rich trophy wife, it was enough slop down his barbecue, and chuckle along with his “maverick” behavior. Now poor crazy John is out there for all to see, and it aint pretty.

I only wish I could believe that he won’t actually get appointed to the Presidency. I know the polls are looking pretty good right now, but the margins in the swing states are still more than within stealable margins. It’s just hard to forget that they have voter suppression in the works on multiple fronts, and there are always those electronic voting machines in their favor, too.

Let’s just hope McCain continues to implode over the next three weeks.

I used to think it was kind of dumb to have Columbus Day be a holiday, what with him not actually discovering anything, and all the stories they told us in school (like that everybody but brave Columbus thought the world was flat back then and whatnot) being bullshit. But, when you think about it, it’s kind of perfect.

The Columbus’ marketing department sells us the story that Columbus was was a discoverer, adventurer, visionary – even hero. In reality, he was a mass-murderer, rapist, and greedy miser out to make himself rich while claiming to be a good Christian.

If that’s not a fitting symbol for what this country has become, I don’t know what is. Besides, a day off is a day off.

It’s economy day on Press the Meat today, with NJ Gov Jon Corzine, and McCain lackey and former Bush Budget Director Rob Portman. Then, at the roundtable, it’s CNBC economic “expert” (and former Goldman Sachs analyst) Erin Burnett, conservative chowderhead Paul Gigot, CNBC’s John Harwood and (get ready to take a drink, Vernon) Ted Koppel.

Over at Faze the Nation, Bush buddy Bobby Schieffer drags li’l Lindsey Graham out of his closet, plus there’s Colorado Gov Bill Ritter, Richmond Mayor Doug Wilder, some cracker from Florida named Adam Putnam, and Henry Kissinger protege C. Fred Bergsten, Director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

On Fux News Sunday, Weaselface Wallace hosts Grampy McCain’s campaign manager Rick Davis, his counterpart in the Obama campaign, David Axelrod, MN Gov Tim “nothing wrong with that bridge” Pawlenty, and PA Gov Ed Rendell. Plus there’ll be the usual fuxheads.

At the Goebbels network, George Snufalufagus has former Clinton Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, plus the man who saved us from being burdened with an Al Gore Presidency, James Baker. Then it’s the ever entertaining Barney Frank, and the ever annoying Roy Blunt, on to debate the “political fallout of the economic crisis.” On the “Roundtable,” it’s the WaPost’s Dan “got no” Balz, the NY Times’ Paul Krugman, Cokie “the hag” Roberts and George :jerk: Will.

CNN’s Late Emission is hosted by former U-Boat Commander Wold Blitzer. What more information do you need?

Later, on 60 Minutes, Armen Keteyian (I thought he was a sports guy) reports on the FBI undercover agent who infiltrated the Gambino family. Lesley Stahl reports on “weaponry so advanced that it spots the enemy and destroys it from nearly two miles above the battlefield” (makes you proud to be an American, don’t it?), which was used last year in “the fight for Sadr City.” And Morley Safer goes to Tuscany, Italy to drink wine. Nice work if you can get it.

And I get to stay up late tonight and watch all the HBO and Showtime stuff that I usually have to record and watch later, because, in honor of that great human being Chris Columbus, I don’t have to go to work tomorrow.

Have a good Sunday, y’all. And if you go to see The Express, bring a box of hankies with you.

PJ is obviously enjoying a late morning, though how his dogs are allowing this I do not know. Mine would never allow such a thing. They start early waking me up and if that doesn’t work, the cats join in. It is not possible to sleep with a dog pawing you and a cat using you as a runway. Better to get up and feed them than to try to pretend you are sleeping.

I’m sure McCain would like to sleep late today. That’s got to be better than waking up to a day of defending Sarah after the Troopergate report found she had abused her powers. She did this by allowing Todd to use her office to promote his personal vendetta against her brother in law. The Palins do seem to have problems keeping their personal and political lives separate.

What really struck me was McInane telling the crazies that Obama is a decent man of whom they need not be afraid. I guess today he can just say, “Don’t believe anything I say. I’m just trying to win n election.”

PJ, you’d better feed those dogs!

Have a good one, everyone.

Today’s the day we’ve all been waiting for (OK, well, maybe it’s just me) – the nationwide premiere of “The Express.” I’ve mentioned it before and won’t bore you all again with it, except to say that the movie is about the first black man to win the Heisman Trophy, and the release seems rather well timed.

With any luck, in less than a month we’ll see the first black man (even if he is more “mocha latte” than black) elected President of the United States.

Granted, it should have happened a lot sooner. It took white folks in this country about 95 years after the end of slavery to be sufficiently unintimidated enough to “allow” a black guy to be recognized as the best college football player in the country. And it’s taken another 57 years to bring us to the point where we might just be able to elect one president.

In fact – if we can be honest here – the only way in hell that Barack Obama won’t win in November will be if racism wins instead. I know Obama isn’t the perfect liberal, but let’s face facts here. McCain is a dangerous moron who’ll more than likely drop dead before his term is up, leaving us with an even bigger (and more dangerous) idiot in Sarah Palin. All at a time when this country is more fucked up in every way imaginable than it has ever been. I don’t know if Obama can fix things (I don’t know if anybodycan), but you’d have to be a bigot (or a damn fool) to think that John McCain can.

It’s just too bad Obama didn’t go to SU. It would’ve made for a better movie. They could’ve called it “Obama/Biden – the Boys from Syracuse.”

I’ve been sitting here waiting for inspiration to hit, but it hasn’t. Maybe tomorrow.

UPDATE: OK, here’s some inspiration.