the ralph and karl show

Of course, right as I get back in to writing on this blog, I come across this article: “Is Personal Blogging Fast-Fading?”.

Andrea, you may be particularly interested in the following paragraph:

To be honest, I don't know anyone using Twitter or Jaiku other than my geek techie friends, but microblogs are quickly gaining momentum beyond early adopters…

:) Hee!

I came across some interesting (well, to me anyway) articles on these internets this morning. Let’s discuss…

Ralph Nader threw me for a loop by accusing Barack Obama of “talking white” and avoiding discussions about poverty and inner city issues.

He wants to show that he is not…another politically threatening African-American politician. He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he’s coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it’s corporate or whether it’s simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up.

First of all, Barack has indeed addressed the poverty issue, many times. Ralph Nader should probably actually listen to the man’s speeches or even take a look at his web site before opening his mouth again, as if he knows whereof he speaks.

Second, as a supporter of Obama, I am offended that Ralph seems to think the only reason I like him is because he is non-threatening and doesn’t address real issues. Like, I can’t handle discussing race relations and the disparity between classes in America. It may offend my delicate, Caucasian sensibilities, you know. Here, pass me that puppy. I’m afraid.

In fact, the opposite is true. The thing that clinched my support for Obama was his speech on race relations in America (the one he made after the now-former minister of his church popped up all over U Tube). I remarked at the time how impressed I was that he did not speak to us as if we’re children, incapable of grasping the concept of and problems we have with race relations here in America and how different races have a fundamental lack of understanding of each other and therefore fail to see their commonalities.

I just do not understand what has happened to Ralph Nader. I still can not discount all of the wonderful and seemingly selfless work he has done for consumers in this country. And I applaud that notion of more than just two parties holding key offices in our government, including President. Since we can’t seem to trust more than a handful of members from either of the Two Big Parties these days, I have of late looked more and more to candidates who may fall outside of the lines (I did work on Dennis Kucinich’s presidential campaign, mind you).

However…Ralph Nader’s actions since 2000 (and yes, I still blame him, in part, for Al Gore losing the election…of course, the fact that the polls in one and possibly two key states were rigged may have played a larger part in that loss, but he didn’t help!) have been far from selfless and I wonder about his motives these days. The problem appears to be that he is turning in to a Politician – and the kind that he has spent his life rallying against, in one form or another. Let’s face it – what he said is not beyond what many news-hungry and publicity-seeking Politicians would say. He said what he needed to say to get headlines. Who cares about the facts? Most Americans only listen to sound bites and read headlines, anyway. There really does not have to be any substance to what anybody says. Even if what is said is not fully true, nobody actually does the research to figure that out, so let’s just go for it. Hell, Dubya’s flunkies ran his entire campaign against John Kerry by this philosophy (remember the Swift Boat crew?).

We are only shocked by this because it was said by Ralph Nader, who seems like he should be above that kind of crap.

Another item which caught my eye this morning (and actually made me laugh out loud) is that Karl Rove actually had the balls to call out the New York Times for supposedly leaking the name of a CIA agent in an article they ran this past weekend.

Come again?

Needless to say, I did not watch the O’Reilly Factor last night, on which Karl Rove was a guest (and aghast, I might add *cue rim shot*). But apparently, here's what happened:

Rove claimed the United States is put at risk when a CIA agent’s identity is leaked. “Look, they put our country at risk when they reveal the details of a program that saved America from attacks.”

Interesting…

I wonder if he ever felt the same about his role in leaking undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame’s identity, purely for political retribution.

Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper: “Karl Rove told me about Valerie Plame’s identity on July 11, 2003. I called him because Ambassador Wilson [Plame’s husband] was in the news that week. I didn’t know Ambassador Wilson even had a wife until I talked to Karl Rove.”

A week prior to publishing his column which outed Plame, Robert Novak spoke with Rove. Novak brought up Plame’s role at the CIA, and Rove confirmed that Plame worked at the CIA: "I heard that too,” said Rove.

Read more in Raw Story.

Ooh…also in Raw Story: ”Group: Allow pot in airports to reduce anxiety. Sounds good to me!

Comments

[Andrea]

That is interesting! I enjoy twittering but I really don't know too many people who are using it either. If I didn't use it, I don't think my blog would ever get updated anymore!