Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
…and this is a pharyngula stage embryo.
• a longer profile of yours truly
• my calendar
• Nature Network
• RichardDawkins Network
• facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter
• Atheist Nexus
• the Pharyngula chat room
(#pharyngula on irc.synirc.net)
Religion is the fashionable substitute for belief.
[Oscar Wilde]
Evolution of Hormone Signaling
No genes were lost in the making of this whale
The burden of bearing a massive penis
Regulatory evolution of the Hox1 gene
Stay abreast of your favorite bloggers' latest and greatest via e-mail, via a daily digest.
« I get email | Main | This is how we will lose »
Category: Open Thread • Politics
Posted on: September 3, 2008 10:55 PM, by PZ Myers
OK, I see people are talking about it anyway in other threads, so here you go: say what you think of Palin's speech at the RNC. I caught a few minutes of it, and found it unbearable…so I won't be contributing. When I heard her declare that Obama doesn't want to find new energy sources and wanted to surrender in Iraq when we were on the verge of winning, I gave up.
Find more posts in: 
Politics
Comments
Posted by: LB | September 3, 2008 11:04 PM
Lies about Obama's tax plan.
Lies about Obama's energy plan.
Lies about the Bridge to Nowhere.
What are they cheering so much at? It's a completely robotic speech that was clearly not written by her. She is merely reading Rove's talking points.
Posted by: TSC | September 3, 2008 11:04 PM
Oh, she is soooo fucking insane I'm going to puke. And we thought Bush was bad...
Posted by: Anon | September 3, 2008 11:05 PM
Cheney in a dress.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:05 PM
She (of all people) just mentioned that the Presidency shouldn't be a learning experience. Ummm, pot meet kettle...
Overall, I find her speech rather childish.
Posted by: Derik N | September 3, 2008 11:05 PM
No, I think she makes Chaney look charming and personable
Posted by: Quiet Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:07 PM
Hey, Palin should be shown some respect for her accomplishments.
That being said, I'd totally do her doggie in toilet stall.
What are they cheering so much at? It's a completely robotic speech that was clearly not written by her.
Um, because the audience is robots, too?
Posted by: Rev.Enki | September 3, 2008 11:08 PM
Ugly. Mocking. The speech was written before she was picked, and they said they had to rewrite it to make it less "masculine". These are nasty people, and they've prepared a speech for her which she has delivered in a way that is competent, if barely.
Anyway, Pick Flick!
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:08 PM
"Robotic" is _exactly_ what I was thinking when she started her blather.
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:10 PM
Cheney in a dress.
Oh, thanks for that image. :-P
Wait... Palin and Cheney are both hunters... Have they ever been seen at a party together?
Oh no!!!! :-o
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:10 PM
I'd totally bone Cindy McCain.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:12 PM
I'm old enough to ride that ride.
Posted by: Kel | September 3, 2008 11:12 PM
The term "throwing a hot dog down a hallway" comes to mind.Posted by: Darth Wader | September 3, 2008 11:12 PM
I had to turn it off, I felt that my eyes and ears were going to start hemorrhaging.
The use of Palin talking in battle should be a war crime.
Posted by: Joel | September 3, 2008 11:15 PM
Ya have to love an intelligent discussion.
Posted by: Ancient Brit | September 3, 2008 11:15 PM
I'm not listening to her per se, but I can hear her voice from the living room TV, where my better half is watching her deliver (as it were). It almost sounds as though she's giving a speech at a beauty contest - something about the intonation. If I hear the phrase "...and world peace!" that will clinch it.
I have this pet theory that the GOP are trying to lose this election.
It may be that their collective fingers have been burned too much as they are forced to continue holding on to GW. As they stand, I can't see anyone on the GOP side really wanting to inherit the current problems facing the US.
Much better to let the Dems have at it, watch them get burned, and then step forward in four years and claim the high ground using that old standby, the 20/20 vision that hindsight confers.
What better way to lose than have the current ticket?
I did wonder if Palin might possibly step down, citing her daughter's suicidal state of mind caused by unfair targeting by the media in general (and bloggers in particular). But I suspect she wants to make more history than she already has...
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:16 PM
I'd totally bone Cindy McCain.
Now, now. We must be civil.
I wouldn't just take Palin in the stall. I'd tie her hands to the toilet seat, and wrap TP around her eyes as a blindfold.
And I'd whisper, "Ok, my little pet, tonight's safe word is 'Down's Syndrome'."
And Cindy McCain would be there with the cat o' nine tails.
Yeah... yeah... I'd be down with that little convention.
Posted by: Norman Doering | September 3, 2008 11:17 PM
It's just ended here.
Typical Republican pseudo-reality. No talk about the issues that really trouble many people here, extreme pro-life, abstinence-only sex education, creationism. Lots of shots of the family, including the several of the Downs Syndrome child.
One effect of our current abortion policies is that Downs Syndrome has gotten way down because those fetuses are aborted. They'll play that up eventually.
I agree with LB, it was not entirely written by her.
Posted by: Will | September 3, 2008 11:20 PM
1. We all know how false her speech really is, and how much she lied.
2. Americans are stupid
3.???
4. McCain Wins
Posted by: Jason | September 3, 2008 11:20 PM
Just to be fair, Obama's speeches are mostly written by speechwriters as well - given the thousands of criticisms to choose from, let's try to focus on the ones that are actually on target!
Posted by: Brain Hertz | September 3, 2008 11:20 PM
I barely made it through the introductory applause. That was just... embarrassing. I mean, I expect the delegates to give a rapturous welcome and everything, but after a while it just came across as if they were just desperately trying to compensate for something.
By the way, are they allowing Palin out of her cage for a press conference or press questions in any other venue yet?
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:20 PM
Ya have to love an intelligent discussion.
Nonsense. Discussions evolve naturally.
(RIMSHOT)
Thank you!
Besides, what the hell is there to discuss intelligently with Palin. The whole thing is a train wreck.
Anyway, the fantasy sequence ended. Larry Craig blundered in and spoiled the whole mood.
(RIMSHOT)
Hey-yo!
Posted by: NickG | September 3, 2008 11:22 PM
OMG. They are playing a song now about 'Raising McCain'. Country music is bad enough, but.... aiiigh.... my eyes are bleeding and both my tympanic membranes have ruptured.
The entire thing was almost completely devoid of substance. Its going to take at least three showers to wash that off of me.
Posted by: Darth Wader | September 3, 2008 11:22 PM
I don't want to a-er-youthanist (though I am in favor of euthanasia especially anyone at the RNC) but is there anyone there under 90? When most of the delegate say "I support that young fella McCain" your really not looking like an exciting energetic party, your looking like my grandma's tea party.
Posted by: PZ Myers | September 3, 2008 11:24 PM
People, the misogyny and inappropriate sexual fantasies are pissing me off, and are telling me that maybe I should just close this thread. Talk about her lies. Talk about her incompetence. But her appearance and her gender should be off limits.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:24 PM
Palin doesn't strike me as a stall slut, but I can totally see McSindy in tight, black leather w/ flail in tow.
Posted by: Norman Doering | September 3, 2008 11:25 PM
The commentators on the cable channel have declared it a triumph? How? In what reality? It was the same as all the others?
Posted by: Jyotsana | September 3, 2008 11:27 PM
I could only stomach about ten minutes of it before I had to turn it off. I tried to make it more palatable by providing my own MST3K-style running commentary, but in the end my disgust was too overwhelming.
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:28 PM
But her appearance and her gender should be off limits.
All right, I'm sorry. I'm in a nasty mood over all this. November is going to be a cluster-frak no matteer who wins.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:29 PM
Forgive me PZ; 'twas just too easy, as her speech was so vapid. I'll quell my lust.
Posted by: Stephen Couchman | September 3, 2008 11:29 PM
I haven't seen the speech yet. I have to psyche myself up to endure the stupid, and if PZ, who debates creationists, had to tune out, I'm nowhere near psyched enough.
I do want to take this opportunity to wave something under everyone's nose, Palin-wise. This is an open letter that one of Palin's old small-town adversaries wrote to be forwarded around by email. It's gotten out onto the web at large (sorry, Anne, but once it's out, it's out), and is worth a read.
A note to all by Anne Kilkenny
Let's coin a new one: Executive Experience My Ass.
Posted by: Isherwood | September 3, 2008 11:29 PM
Ancient Brit mentioned beauty contest speeches. I told my wife she sounded like she was addressing a class of schoolchildren. It occurred to me that the cumulative intellect of the religious right isn't much of a departure from that.
Posted by: Screechy Monkey | September 3, 2008 11:29 PM
Way to stay classy, folks.
She did a good job. Obviously most people here won't like it, but Pharyngulites aren't the target audience.
Posted by: Luke | September 3, 2008 11:30 PM
"Here are all my beautiful kids. But they're OFF LIMITS."
Posted by: snoozebar | September 3, 2008 11:30 PM
WTF is up with the rape comments. Seriously.
She did a nice job, actually. Better than expected. She's very personable onstage, but it was very little policy and mostly attacks. Which I think worked for her well.
I'm curious to see how she does in a press conference, though. She said some things (like Barack and tax increases and the Bridge to Nowhere) that sounded nice but'll be hard to defend.
McCain looks really, really old next to her.
Posted by: ihateaphids | September 3, 2008 11:31 PM
i love how she's kept saying that the decision to keep her daughter's illegitimate larvae was "Bristol's decision" yet she is anti-choice??? If she had her way there would be NO decision, as the government would be the decider.
I'm all for pro-abortion. Mandatory. Control the surplus population and such.
Posted by: Jenny | September 3, 2008 11:31 PM
I clicked expecting to be sickened by Palin's performance. Now I'm sickened by people whose first? only? response is to degrade her, and women in general, by objectifying her as a sex object. I can't even think how to respond properly to this. What is wrong with you? Why is the visceral response to a woman you don't like to rape her, even just in fantasy? I'm going now.
I just reloaded. Thank you, PZ. Still going now, though, to read something that strikes home less before bedtime.
Posted by: darek | September 3, 2008 11:33 PM
It indeed was unbearable to watch - but my relief for the night after watching the end of Giuliani speak and Palin's ridiculous 'speech', was to watch the last half segment of the Daily Show. For those of you who missed, I strongly recommend to watch to at least get rid of the anger accumulated by the RNC.
Posted by: ChrisC | September 3, 2008 11:33 PM
Had I sat down a week ago, and tried to write that speech using standard republican talking points and Rush Limbaugh esq rhetoric, entirely without touching on policy or anything meaningful, I'm positive it would have been, word for word, 80% identical...and 100% identical in spirit. Man she's a tool...
What has McCain become? And to think that eight years ago I considered him a credible politian. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Posted by: Doug | September 3, 2008 11:33 PM
All of the Republican talking points from Fox News and Rush Limbaugh condensed into one speech.
Did anyone notice the lack of an American flag lapel pin on McCain? I guess that means McCain hates America.
Posted by: Christopher | September 3, 2008 11:33 PM
Hi! I read you guys all the time, but this is the first time I've chimed in. From the speech:
So, basically, we're all gonna get tortured for the next four years, but every once in a while John McCain will give us a thumbs up and say, "It'll all be over soon!"
Posted by: catskill | September 3, 2008 11:34 PM
I support Obama but I have to admit Palin gave a strong speech. The whole McCain campaign hinged on this going well, and it seems the battle will go on. Of course we all knew that even if the speech was terrible pundits would still say it was great. I was impressed by the delivery, although it was obvious she was playing loose with the facts. I can only hope that Biden wipes the floor with her during the debates.
p.s. - How can you be against the bridge to nowhere yet keep all the money? And how can you spend millions building a road that dead ends on the bridge site and claim to be against it?
Posted by: Richbank | September 3, 2008 11:34 PM
Quiet_Desperation, that's disgusting.
Posted by: Norman Doering | September 3, 2008 11:35 PM
Luke wrote:
Once you put those kids out there the media is going to get curious -- and that shot of the real young girl licking her hand and then stroking the hair of the Downs baby, that's going to register on America's psyche.
Posted by: Jaded Skeptic | September 3, 2008 11:35 PM
It is hard to listen to her. She actually bragged about the bridge to nowhere. The bridge she campaigned to have built, then later turned on when it became inconvenient (though she kept as much of the money as she could). And then bragging about vetoing, including slashing out funding to support pregnant teens. Yeah she got rid of a lot of "waste" from the budget. I am surprised that she didn't go into her many tense tete-a-tete with Putin on the Bering Strait.
Posted by: scooter | September 3, 2008 11:35 PM
NEWSFLASH: All of the oil from the North Slope of Alaska would only satisfy 6 months of consumption by the US at current rates.
She threatened to fire the town librarian for not removing books from the collection, the town revolted, she backed down.
She mentioned the word 'God' once and Jesus not at all in the entire rambling non-sequitor speech, a little bit cheesy, but nicely displayed.
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:35 PM
Why is the visceral response to a woman you don't like to rape her, even just in fantasy?
What rape? WTF are you talking about? Do you not know what a "safe word" is? It was BDSM fantasy. Consensual, you savvy? Sheesh. I give up. This election has created an unthink field that has blanketed the entire country until the election.
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:36 PM
It was funny to hear them say Ron Paul got 5 votes earlier, and I think it was Alaska (correct me if I'm wrong).
BTW, in our defense, we never once mentioned rape of those somewhat attractive GOP women (nor do I condone it).
Posted by: SoMG | September 3, 2008 11:37 PM
I agree with PZ about the misogyny and inappropriate sexual fantasies. They don't do us any good.
Having said that, I must confess that I always wanted to bone Dan Quayle.
Posted by: Norman Doering | September 3, 2008 11:38 PM
Luke wrote:
Once you put those kids out there the media is going to get curious -- and that shot of the real young girl licking her hand and then stroking the hair of the Downs baby, that's going to register on America's psyche.
Posted by: BobC | September 3, 2008 11:38 PM
Palin is a creationist and I don't think she would mind if biology teachers taught her magical creation myth. She said nothing about scientific progress in her speech, and I doubt she would be a pro-science president.
I watched her entire speech. I have to admit it was the first political speech I heard in a long time that didn't bore me to death. I was surprised that she invoked Mr. God only once. At the end of her speech she said god-bless-america. Can't much blame her for that because it's practically required to say that in god-soaked America. It's fair to say Palin is not qualified to be vice-president or president, and it's fair to say creationists like her are nuts. However, after watching her speech, I now think she and McCain have an excellent chance of defeating Obama. If they win it will be because of Palin. The average American is going to fall in love with her. I'm voting for Obama of course, but now I think it's going to be a very close race that Obama will lose. I hope I'm wrong.
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:38 PM
Quiet_Desperation, that's disgusting.
Thanks! :-) My many years in the California BDSM scene have served me well.
Posted by: Don Smith, FCD | September 3, 2008 11:38 PM
I heard Dave Letterman last night drawing a very scary picture. Basically how McCain would be the oldest president ever and that much more likely to just not wake up one morning and we are left with President Palin. Yikes!
I hope the voters wake up and avert that tragedy.
Posted by: Jeremy | September 3, 2008 11:38 PM
New Scientist's environment blog has a good article about her;
http://www.newscientist.com/blog/environment/?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=specrt11_head_Beyond%20the%20Palin
Interesting to note that she tried to sue the Department of the Interior for listing polar bears as endangered...
I agree that the sexist comments are disgusting and inappropriate. I guess there are morons everywhere.
Posted by: ihateaphids | September 3, 2008 11:39 PM
p.s. I agree that the sexual references are gross. I kind of want to hit her in the nose. Wanting to punch her in the face is ok. But it's the same level of punchiness I have for Joe Lieberman. or Newt or Bush(es). Please leave gender out of it. There is so much to rag on about this woman and her incompetence that is utterly hilarious that it is totally unnecessary to drop to sexual humor.
Posted by: Diana G | September 3, 2008 11:39 PM
What I want to know is: Why is the media not looking further into the whole daughter-was-already-pregnant-and-actually-gave-birth-to-the-DS-baby-Palin-calls-her-son thing? From what I've seen and read (very little), it seems pretty obvious that it was a cover up. Or was what I read/saw just slander and lies?
Posted by: Ghost of Minnesota | September 3, 2008 11:39 PM
Five days after learning that Sarah Palin exists, I'm officially sick of her.
I don't want to hear her name. I don't want to see her picture. I don't give a crap about her family life. And I already know that her values are the polar opposite of mine.
I just want to see a news headline that does not contain the name "Sarah Palin." I just want to hear people talk about something -- anything -- else. Is that really so much to ask?
Posted by: John C. Randolph | September 3, 2008 11:40 PM
Speech contents: C-
Delivery: B+
She's considerably more charismatic than Biden or McCain, not as good as Obama.
-jcr
Posted by: SoMG | September 3, 2008 11:40 PM
Regarding the argument that they've thrust Palin's kids into the media and are also trying to say they're off limits, isn't Obama doing the same thing?
Posted by: Darth Wader | September 3, 2008 11:41 PM
In a feat of classical conditioning, the GOP has trained Palin to say something stupid every time they ring a bell. Unfortunately, someone at the RNC got a little trigger happy with the bell.
Palin's forgotten children; lightblub, couch, and tractor.
Posted by: scooter | September 3, 2008 11:41 PM
Honestly, with that horrible accent, she isn't go to play that well in the south. She sounds like a Prairie Home Companion skit, it's just an awful whiney terrible sound.
Posted by: Faith Minus | September 3, 2008 11:41 PM
I thought the speech was pretty awful. I actually had to walk out of the room when she was introducing her family, it was pathetic.
I'm curious about her comments regarding Obama's tax increases. Is any of that even true? I know he plans to reverse some of the many tax cuts Bush made in the last 8 years, but I thought that 95% of the population was safe from this.
Posted by: Jared | September 3, 2008 11:41 PM
All I heard was "blah blah blah god blah blah blah good man blah blah blah god." I couldn't really listen to much of it.
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:42 PM
I agree that the sexist comments are disgusting and inappropriate. I guess there are morons everywhere.
No, just folks like me, with dark, non-vanilla senses of humor, who have simply stopped giving a damn anymore. It's all just a vast pile of nonsense.
Posted by: Luke | September 3, 2008 11:42 PM
SoMG: Absolutely, Obama is as guilty as Palin on that.
Posted by: rich (richmanwisco) | September 3, 2008 11:43 PM
joe biden will eat her for lunch (metaphorically speaking, of course) at the first vice presidential debate. but she's such a mental midget, i could probably talk her under the table (again, metaphorically speaking).
that is, if the republicans dare to take the risk.
Posted by: Colugo | September 3, 2008 11:43 PM
Get a load of this comment over at Crooks and Liars:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/03/republican-national-convention-open-thread-for-wednesday-part-2/#comment-874051
"Palin is one angry biotch! That's becoming clear. I'd be afraid of her PMS days - talk about a national security problem."
Along with the S&M / dirty toilet stall fantasies you dopes are playing right into their hands! Think for a moment about how this dynamic plays out for various demographic groups. Go right ahead, call her white trash, a beauty queen, a bad mom, refer to her by her measurements and all of the other things I have seen in the left of center blogosphere in the last few days. Think, stupid. Talk about mobilizing the base.
Posted by: B. Scott Andersen | September 3, 2008 11:44 PM
It was a well-crafted speech. She read it well. I'll eat my hat if she wrote it.
The speech misrepresented the Democratic party platform on taxes, energy, national defense, and several other issues--but that was to be expected. These events aren't about facts and reason; they are about fund raising and motivating people to get off their couch to campaign and vote.
As stated tonight by several commentators, you don't get to this level without knowing how to read a speech. And after the applauds fade she still known nothing of foreign policy, is delusional about domestic energy production potential, and hasn't shown anything in the way of fiscal acumen (unless obtaining large earmarks for your town counts), international trade, banking and finance management, technology (unless you count eBaying the airplane), or public health.
She gives a good speech. OK. What else does she bring to the table? What skills can she provide?
The Republicans have been trying to label Obama with "nada". I think they should go ahead and reserve it for Palin. She's bringing nada to the ticket, or the office if by some disaster they are elected.
Posted by: Krubozumo Nyankoye | September 3, 2008 11:44 PM
To me it is not so important what is happening but that it is
happening at all. How could anyone in good conscience support a republican administration after the last 7+ years? How could anyone with a modicum of reason even countenance the prospect of another 4 years of insane and counterfactual policies given the results we now live with?
There are three issues in this campaign and all of them are global in scope. The world economy, the world economy and the world economy. Fighting wars unless compelled by necessity to do so is ill-advised and always a net loss. Petroleum and other carbon based fuels are a) finite and b) have a net impact on the global environment that is difficult if not impossible to predict, what are the odds that it will be a beneficial impact given the geologic history of the sequestration of carbon? And finally, the source of almost all conflict is and always has been the competition for resources. There is only one solution that makes any sense to me and that is that population must shrink to a size that can be supported by an economy that is based on 95% recycling of commodities and 5% exploitation of new commodities. If we can achieve that, we might, as a species, have enough time to work out how to deal with the last 5%.
Excuse me for not having a citation that speaks to the issue but it is my understanding that not just oil, but across the board, we are depleting resources on a global scale at 30% or more per year than the replacement rate of new discoveries. If so, by 2012 the complexion of global problems will have become considerably more ugly.
Does anyone here think that we should let Palin's sky daddy
make the critical choices for us and whisper them in her ear?
Posted by: SoMG | September 3, 2008 11:45 PM
The real message of Brisol's pregnancy is that even parents who feel dead sure their kids aren't at risk for unplanned pregnancy are often wrong.
Posted by: Kel | September 3, 2008 11:45 PM
It's like any conspiracy narrative. Fully based in anecdotal evidence, a 1 sided prose, it's that kind of presentation that suckers people into believing it; regardless of any truth in the claim.The only way really to satisfy the claim is to show it's true, that's the problems with allegations of cover-ups. Any evidence to the contrary is itself validation. The republican party and Sarah Palin have nothing to answer for, and they shouldn't have to answer every rumour like that. We give credulity to nonsense by seeing every half-baked concept spread and glorified on the internet.
Posted by: ekzept | September 3, 2008 11:46 PM
Personally, I'm going to wait for the Comedy Central assessment of it tomorrow night before I make up MY mind about her .... Hah!
I'm trying to imagine, without hurting myself, what it must be like to think like a person who supports McCain-Palin .... Now, it's not like I find Obama impeccable. I don't like some of the sloppiness he and his team have shown on important issues and matters of science and technology. (At least, however, he ANSWERED the damn Science Debate questions.) But, McCain-Palin are in true, high church fairyland ....
The sad thing is that I have this nauseous feeling they still have a respectable chance of winning.
Posted by: SoMG | September 3, 2008 11:46 PM
Thought for the day: If Bristol changes her plan and marries William Kristol, then her name will become Bristol Kristol.
Posted by: richbank | September 3, 2008 11:46 PM
Just to be clear Quiet_desperation, I have no problem with BDSM, I just find that particular fantasy, especially with that safe word, to be despicable.
Posted by: John C. Randolph | September 3, 2008 11:47 PM
Go right ahead, call her white trash,
That's probably the biggest problem the democrats have had since the Reagan administration. Radiating contempt for the people isn't a winning strategy. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton understood this, Al Gore and John Kerry didn't.
-jcr
Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | September 3, 2008 11:47 PM
Oddly, the DNC con seemed to have far more invocations of god bless this and god bless that, which made me throw up a little in my mouth; but tonight's Anthem/Pledge combo did come close to producing the same effect (the stressed "under gawd", part that is).
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:47 PM
Along with the S&M / dirty toilet stall fantasies you dopes are playing right into their hands!
I can't help it. My head creates bad chemicals sometimes. :-(
Posted by: BobC | September 3, 2008 11:47 PM
In her speech she said nothing that was pro-environment. She said nothing about protecting endangered species. I'm not surprised she doesn't care about the possible extinction of polar bears. I never met a creationist who was interesting in protecting our planet and the life on this planet.
Posted by: Norman Doering | September 3, 2008 11:48 PM
Colugo wrote:
I think they are their hands. Has anyone here ever seen a Quiet_Desperation or «bønez_brigade» here before? Where did they come from?
Posted by: JasonTD | September 3, 2008 11:48 PM
From Quiet Desperation #6,
"That being said, I'd totally do her doggie in toilet stall."
From «bønez_brigade» #10,
"I'd totally bone Cindy McCain."
Is this the type of discussion people who consider themselves to be rationalists have about politics in this day and age?
I discovered this blog through my interest in the creation vs. evolution debate. I am a public school science teacher in Florida. My M.S. is in physics, and I have taught Earth/Space and chemistry as well. I have long appreciated PZ Myers's timely news and commentary on the efforts of creationists and other religious fundamentalists to inject their beliefs into my domain.
That is why it frustrates me to see rationalism tossed so completely out the window by so many here when discussing other ideological topics like politics. So many here display an intolerance of political ideologies that differ from their own that they would condemn in the religious. No doubt that the 13 comments that were posted when I began writing this are going to be just a taste of the venom directed against those evil Republicans that hardly seem human.
Posted by: Luke | September 3, 2008 11:49 PM
How about Bristol's boyfriend, all dressed up in a suit on stage meeting John McCain? HOW uncomfortable did he look? Poor kid...
Posted by: dylan | September 3, 2008 11:49 PM
whether u like it or not she did a good job delivering her sppech. just means obama needs to step it up some. nothing like a bit of heated competition to bring out the best in politricks
Posted by: snoozebar | September 3, 2008 11:49 PM
Slate's twitter feed: "I think the Republicans might like Palin better than McCain..."
I dunno how much she'll play to moderates. The earmarks, polar bear hating, creationism, anti-abortionism, and the ethics violations will get played a lot.
Posted by: pcarini | September 3, 2008 11:49 PM
Did anybody else find McCain's "surprise" appearance rather awkward? He got up there and said something like "we made a good choice, huh?" and then doddered around while the crowd obviously wanted to hear something else. Then everybody on stage kind of just wandered off.
Also, what's up w/ the HI governor talking about Palin's family and how they'll band together and pull through the tough times? I find it incredibly tacky that they had to foist the duty of talking about the teen pregnancy issue onto some other person.
As for Palin's talk: meh.
Posted by: BobC | September 3, 2008 11:50 PM
whoops, I meant "interested", not "interesting" in #77.
Posted by: SoMG | September 3, 2008 11:50 PM
(Michael) Palin for President!
Posted by: Glasmann | September 3, 2008 11:50 PM
Ms. Palin - very thin resume. She sounded like a school girl in the speech - formulaic, predictable, and disrespectful of others with clearly more CV than her. She SHOULD get what she deserves, but it does appear however that they (R's) assume that she is an 'intouchable'. The media and pundits will be shamed into not attacking her.
She is a woman, a mother of five - one with challenges, dealing with an unwed daughter's pregnacy. Did you see Juno? Sarah Palin = Allison Janney. Yet on the other hand she is the gun-toting, bible thumping, abstinence only personage for the R-base, and a proxy for Hillary.
Who knows - it might work. I do find it is scary that so many people have 'drunk the kool-aid' so quickly about her. We (America) deserve to get what we allow to happen.
Posted by: Luke | September 3, 2008 11:52 PM
pcarini: Yeah, doddering was the exact word that entered my mind too LOL.
Posted by: Quiet_Desperation | September 3, 2008 11:52 PM
Just to be clear Quiet_desperation, I have no problem with BDSM, I just find that particular fantasy, especially with that safe word, to be despicable.
I know. I'm sorry. I probably have one of the blackest senses of humor of anyone outside of a mental institution, and it does sometimes exhibit a life of it's own.
Please forgive me, folks. I think I need to get away from the election for a bit. It's not doing my misanthropic feelings any good, either. :-(
Posted by: Colugo | September 3, 2008 11:52 PM
If it makes some of you feel better to assume that Palin is a dimwitted robot who can do nothing more than read a teleprompter, good for you. Or you can watch the 2006 Alaska gubernatorial debate. And I suggest that you watch more than just her answer on abortion.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/3/32849/54187
I've already linked to this:
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/09/02/the-case-against-the-case-against-palin.aspx
"What the Republicans missed about Sarah Palin then--and what the Democrats seem poised to miss now--is that she is a true political savant; a candidate with a knack for identifying the key gripes of the populace and packaging herself as the solution. That keen political nose has enabled her to routinely outperform her resume. ...
Sooner or later, the Obama camp will realize that the beauty pageant queen is an enormously talented populist in a year that is ripe for populism. For their own sake, it had better be sooner."
Posted by: Grammar RWA | September 3, 2008 11:55 PM
I didn't watch.
Did Palin mention how she wants women to die instead of receiving life-saving medical care?
Posted by: pcarini | September 3, 2008 11:55 PM
«bønez_brigade» @ 72 says it all... I was actively and irrationally cursing the motherfuckers at the DNC convention through my car radio while driving one afternoon. It was whoever gave the speech about mustard seeds and mountains and got the crowd chanting something about faith moving them. I guess if the dems are going to very vocally pander then the reps don't have to this year.
Luke @ #80
He definitely did look uncomfortable. His choice, of course, not to wear a rubber. Either that or he was never told what one is.
Posted by: Norman Doering | September 3, 2008 11:56 PM
Quiet_Desperation wrote:
No.
Who are you and why did you come here. I've never seen your name on PZ's blog before now.
Posted by: Sal | September 3, 2008 11:57 PM
@19 Jason
Obama wrote his own acceptance speech.
Posted by: JasonTD | September 3, 2008 11:57 PM
Thank you to everyone (else), especially PZ, for proving me wrong. It is bedtime for me now, (high sch