FOX = Racist, Misogynistic "News"

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First [in this latest go-round] there was the "terrorist fist jab" courtesy E.D. Hill now being replaced, according to reports, by Laura Ingraham...what? E.D. wasn't coded enough?

In response to Imus' bringing up the incident with Chris Wallace this morning, Wallace's clipped "well, she apologized" begged the question. WTF is Fox News up to?

Quick on the well-rounded heels of that bit of catapulting Rethug slime tactics was the screen text calling Michelle "Obama's baby mama." An insulting derogatory demeaning term for a successful woman who has lived the American dream of going to the highest levels based on hard work, intelligence, dedication, and strong integrity.

Not a wealth-inheriting fortunate son or daughter riding on the laurels of daddy's power and/or wealth.

Let's be blunt. These attacks on Michelle and Barack Obama and their strong marriage and family are attacks on all our families, on all families who are working daily to make better lives for their children and the larger community that is America.

Which pretty much fits in the pattern of the Rethuglican pro-Fatcat, anti-Family Agenda.

Sure, they tout family values...during election season...but then they go back to business as usual...tearing down families with their personal deeds and their legislative agenda.

These misogynistic tactics may be business as usual for a propaganda network where exploitation of women and pushing the lowest sleaze as "entertainment" tabloids with "news" to create the media equivalent of something I'd use to line the bottom of the cat litter box.

FOX "News" and Roger Ailes ['cause you know this stuff doesn't just pop out of the mouths or keyboards of the hired help] and Rupert Murdoch all owe Barack and Michelle Obama—and all of us—an apology.

A real apology this time. One that's coupled with "we get it." Even if "we get it" means they at long last understand we are not going to take this crap any more.

It is racist. It is misogynistic. It is anti-family. It is anti-American. It is anti-democracy.

"I Voted"

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Prairie Country had an election yesterday—not to worry, no presidential races on the ballot. Yes, the presidential primary season is truly over. We were voting for City Commissioners, County Commissioners, School Board, Park Board. And a primary at the state level, but no cross-overs allowed, so that doesn't indicate a whole lot. Oh, yes, and whether we can smoke in bars.

Some results gave me pause, so let's talk about 'em a bit, because even small elections can be microcosms of the macro-election coming this fall.

Women incumbents were voted out of City Commission seats in both Fargo and West Fargo, one, the largest city, and the other, among the the fastest-growing cities in North Dakota [sidebar to Chris Matthews: Tweety, you came to North Dakota and you didn't call? You didn't write? I'm not feelin' the luv... and you looked so gosh-darned cute in that black cowboy hat. What's the metaphor, Chris?]. We are now back to business as usual in both cities—greying white males with boosterism and sports arenas in their hearts and guts. Chalk up one in each city for the Fatcats.

Was there a Hillary Factor? Unquestionably both were targeted by the business [bar and restaurant owners] crowd. Will there be a backlash against women candidates after Hillary's campaign—the law of unintended consequences coming into play? I don't know, but it's something I'm chewing over.

The pro-smoking crowd lost bigtime and this morning their spokesman predicted they'll need to gear up statewide in the future against a likely campaign by those awful charities with their nasty mortality statistics and campaign dollars. Chalk up one for Families and better, proactive health management. Wait a sec. Management, isn't that a bigbiz kinda thing? They should be happy about that.

Across the river in Minnesnowta over the weekend, Al Franken won the Democrats' endorsement to run against former Democrat-turned-Republican-turned Opportunist...nah, that's not right...Opportunist-Democrat turned Republican [yeah, that fits] Norm Coleman.

Don't know what Minnesota's Republican Governor Tim Paw-plenty was doing over the weekend [*cough* McCainiacism *cough*]...sure wasn't showin' up for his job. In the true spirit o'Katrina, it took until Monday morning for P'lenty to do a fly-over in the North Country/Hubbard County after the force-3 tornado blew through Friday morning. Heckuva job, Timmie. Guess he wants to show his chops for that veep slot on the McCain ticket.

Now we turn to the General. Come November there will be clear choices. You might find a few here on the distinctions between Republicans and Democrats.

Or, in the weeks to come, expect to be flooded with screed. That Obama woman, she's too proud, she's not proud enough, she's...why, she's...

"Yes"? The strong mother of a loving family, a wife who truly cares about her husband and his campaign and his causes which are all our causes.

Or, that wacky Cindy...was she proud stealing drugs from the charity she was working for? Proud that she could buy herself a political rising star? Proud that she could be holier than thou in the best tradition of hypocritical Republicans? Think anybody will ask her?

Or, in the state elections, like Minnesota, will it be about how racy Franken's writings were back in the day? Or how racy Coleman's little woman's poses were back in the Washington Post?

Or could we maybe—with the help of a shamed press corps that will no longer allow themselves to be used for political, partisan propagandizing—talk about the real policy differences that separate us, and work for and vote for the candidates at all levels of government who will work to restore the "US" in USA.

Nah, I'm not holdin' my breath, either.

Brace yourselves, America, it's gonna be an epic battle.
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Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, just sayin'.

Fatcats or Families?

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The general election season ratchets up this week as Barack Obama begins a two-week tour in North Carolina, focused on the economy. And MSNBC's reporting that John McCain is focused on the economy, too--his own, as he intensifies his fundraising.

With gas prices already pickin' up speed past $4 a gallon, all Bush can talk is the BigOil party line: more oil, dig for more oil, Continental Shelf, what-me-worry?

Higher oil prices are driving up the cost of everything from baby's disposable diapers to the food on the table to the plastic we store it in.

And John McCain's answer is [paraphrased] my lobbyists tell me that it's good for America to keep sucking the money out of the pockets of ordinary Americans so we can subsidize the multimillionaires and their yachts and Hamptons hideaways.

On Election Day, ordinary Americans get the say, each and every one of us, with how we cast our votes. So what do you think? Who shall it be?

Fatcats? Or families?