Thursday Open Thread

Filed in National by on December 2, 2010

Welcome to your Thursday open thread. It’s starting to feel like December, right? Who has their shopping done yet? I know I don’t!

Shots fired in the War on Christmas? Crazy Senator Jim Inhofe is extremely offended that Tulsa, OK is having a holiday parade.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe said Tuesday that he won’t participate in Tulsa’s Holiday Parade of Lights until organizers put “Christ” back in the event’s title.

“Last year, the forces of political correctness removed the word ‘Christmas’ and replaced it with ‘Holiday’ instead,” the Oklahoma Republican said. “I am deeply saddened and disappointed by this change.”

Inhofe, who was Tulsa’s mayor from 1978 to 1984, said he had participated in the parade annually, riding a horse as his children and grandchildren watched.

“I did not do so last year because I’m not going to ride in a Christmas parade that doesn’t recognize Christmas,” he said. “I am hopeful that the good people of Tulsa and the city’s leadership will demand a correction to this shameful attempt to take Christ, the true reason for our celebration, out of the parade’s title. Until the parade is again named the Christmas Parade of Lights, I will not participate.”

I’ve never understood the conservative hyperventilation over “holiday.”. Isn’t there more than one holiday within the month? Why is this so offensive?

Steve Benen catches McCain playing Calvinball with DADT repeal. McCain just can’t be honest, he just doesn’t like LGBT people.

The anti-gay senator started by saying we can’t repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” until the Secretary of Defense says it’s a good idea.

When the Pentagon chief did just that, McCain shifted gears and said repeal should wait for the go-ahead from the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. When the chairman did just that, McCain said he’d take his cues from Colin Powell. When Powell endorsed repeal, McCain said he’d honor the opinions of servicemen and women.

And now that service members are on board with repeal, McCain told NBC News yesterday, “I’m paying attention to the commandant of the Marine Corps.”

Just for good measure he also said this:

McCain also told the Daily Caller that he doesn’t consider the President of the United States or the Secretary of Defense to be “military leaders.” This guy really has lost it.

That’s right, McCain is the only person that speaks for the whole military. It doesn’t matter what any darn survey says.

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Comments (17)

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  1. donviti says:

    I don’t know about you guys, but I’m pretty pumped that Obama was able to cross the aisle back in 2009 to make sure that Cheney, Rummy, and a few other War Crimer’s didn’t get indicted by Spain.

    See, all this talk that Obama and the GOP can’t get along. Here we have proof that when it comes to making sure no one goes to jail over an illegal war, Obama can work to a resolution.

    TOTALLY AWESOME!

    I don’t remember If this was one of his many Campaign promises or not. I’m guessing that he didn’t mention he was going to pressure other country’s into not going after war criminals.

    Oh well, he’s a constitutional lawyer I’m sure he just wanted to move on.

  2. anon says:

    Castle just keeps proving WHY he was unelected. Today, he voted against native americans who have been waiting for decades for money owed them for land.

    Donviti: Obama is committing war crimes himself, he didnt want to have a precedent for his ass going to jail.

  3. anon says:

    “What’s up with the half-white guy?”

    (obscure reference to 2009 Wanda Sykes routine)

    “This is amazing, the First Black President – I know you’re biracial – but the First Black President! You’re proud to be able to say that – The First Black President. That’s unless you screw up. Then it’s going to be, ‘What’s up with the half-white guy, huh? Who voted for the mulatto, what the hell?’”

  4. Polemical says:

    John (Homophobic) McCain is a giant A-hole! He continues with his tired, futile and anachronistic rhetoric. I wish that when he was in that prison camp in Vietnam, in one of those scary little kwanset hut bamboo boxes, that a co-POW of his could’ve saved his life, but refused because the guy was gay.

    “Sorry, John, but as you’ve alluded to on numerous occassions, and after dozens of gay jokes, I don’t think it would be wise for me to save your ass,” said his co-POW.

    Everyone knows that there have been gays and lesbians in the military since WWI or earlier. Why go against the American people, the leaders in the military AND most of the troops? Cuz you’re an old, angry and bitter man who’s blind to reality.

  5. a. price says:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/02/nasa-new-life-arsenic-bacteria_n_791094.html

    NEW LIFE!!!! (in know the bio chem geeks must be wetting themselves.)

  6. MJ says:

    McCain is having a Hanoi Hilton flashback that has warped his mind. Or maybe the melanoma did it. In either case, he’s a huge asshole and I have no problem emailing his office and telling him that. (and I did)

  7. MJ says:

    What a very nice Chanukah present, Bill. Thanks.

  8. You’re quite welcome. Happy Chanukah!

  9. Capt.Willard says:

    Since manly men have gone to sea to pursue manly quests full of danger and all without the gentle comfort a woman’s touch, it has ALWAYS been understood that whatever transpired aboard ship remained there and was never to be spoken of upon reaching dry land.
    But I IMPLORE the MAN on board whatever ship who broke “SINGING” Johnny McCain’s heart to get in touch with him and do whatever is necessary to heal the wounds you’ve obviously inflicted upon this deeply disturbed individual.

  10. anonone says:

    Unemployment inches back up to 9.8%. I wonder how many Democratic Senators and Representatives are looking forward to running with Obama at the top of the ticket in 2012?

  11. anon says:

    It is too soon to tell. This jobs report might be the last really bad one before hiring begins again. Typically the rich don’t start handing crumbs down to the working people until they first have eaten their fill and push back from the table with their hands on their bellies and their pants unbuttoned. There are some indications that is happening.

  12. anonone says:

    I hope you’re right – but the rate of hiring doesn’t seem to be accelerating enough to catch up. 🙁

  13. anon says:

    So let’s get those tax cuts for the rich expired and give them the damn “certainty” they have been whining about.

  14. delacrat says:


    “Tax cuts for rich don’t trickle down”
    Lew Prince – small business owner

    My tax rate doesn’t affect hiring.(emphasis added) If I think I can do more business, I hire more workers. The costs of finding, hiring and paying new employees are business expenses. They’re deducted upfront from our taxable income.”

  15. donviti says:

    can’t wait to see the outcome of this tax thing…

    i’m taking bet’s O caves and nothing expires. Who wants to doubt me?

  16. donviti says:

    And I also figure I would use the space to point to an article on how Obama worked with Republicans to make sure Dick Cheney, Rummy and Addington weren’t indicted by Spain for War Crimes.

    http://thewageslave.com/?p=1549

    I’m loving these Wikileaks. It’s really showing us who Obama really is.

    As each day passes, I’m prouder and prouder I voted for Obama.