Image via Wikipedia Just when I had lost all hope in the McCain campaign, the Republican party and the entire southern and midwestern United States, I saw this video: I used to be a Republican, and in many ways I still like what Zombie John McCain has to say moreso than Barack Obama — especially when it comes to dealing with Iraq and Afghanistan — but I was appalled at the behavior by many of his supporters, campaign workers and his running mate. I knew John McCain was better than this, and I'd always hoped his supporters would be too. I firmly believe the Democratic party has become the Big Tent party, as it seems many on the right are intent on excluding minorities and non-Christians. Hell, not even all Christians are welcome. Try being Catholic and walking into a GOP meeting in the south. Anyway, it's heartening to see that not all McCain supporters are like this. I was glad to find this video on the same day I got two e-mails from different people containing as vile anti-Obama language as I've ever heard. Here are some excerpts: He has no real identity. He is half-white, which he rejects. The rest of him is mostly Arab, ...

I've got this coffee mug in my cupboard, it's beautiful in its gaudiness. A bright, American flag wraps around it, providing a backdrop to an over-sized cutout of George W. Bush and the words he spoke at his inauguration. I bought it on the same trip to DC in 2002 when an old friend of mine posed in front of a life-like picture of George I and George II. I was a proud Republican then. Funny how it can all change. Of course I was influenced by my parents, who had always voted Republican -- even in the Bob Dole debacle of 1996. They scoffed at me when, enamored with idea of kicking the system in the nuts, I voted for Ralph Nader in 2000. But as the Bush administration's time in office dragged on, and the religious right began to hijack the party, I found myself tearing up my Republican card. I felt the party was leaving me in search of greener pastures in the sanctuaries of mega churches, but that didn't mean my beliefs ever changed. For example: I support the war in Iraq and think the surge was a great success. I believe we need to stay the course there ...

I've been MIA the last several days. I've been dealing with the passing of my grandmother. She was 79 and suffered from Parkinsons. It wasn't a huge shock that her time had finally come, but tough to deal with nonetheless. I'd like to share with you the eulogy I gave at the funeral. ---- Reflecting back on memories of my grandmother, one thing really stood out: As a child I knew and loved her very much, but I don't think I ever really knew a whole lot about her outside of what I could cull from our brief visits a couple times each year. I don't know if it was just me being a kid, letting her concentrate on me rather than me on her, or if it was just that she was a fairly private person. It wasn't until I was in college and had to do an assignment for a journalism class that I decided to talk to her, to interview her and really find out who she was. We spent hours on the phone, and for the first time we just talked about her. Among other things, she told me about how she used to ride the streetcars to Briggs Stadium ...

Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife It's been a trend for years, perhaps starting with W., perhaps even earlier with Dan Quayle, but whatever the case, why have we become comfortable with -- nay proud of -- the fact that we are all becoming a real-life Idiocracy? If you're wondering how we got this close to Vice President Sarah Palin, it's because of the all-out attack on intellect. In the few days since the debate, I've heard nothing but praise for Sarah Palin's shrewdness, blithely side-stepping questions she didn't want to answer, sticking to her guns (and the outline in front of her) so as not to get herself into any hairy situations. Really, she didn't do anything but duck and dodge, proving once again that she doesn't have what it takes, and that many Americans aren't smart enough to recognize it. Why should it be OK that much of what she says doesn't make any sense? Why should it be OK when she says that it doesn't matter whether Global Warming is a natural phenomenon or man-made? Wouldn't it be easier to solve the problem if we knew the cause? By refusing to answer questions during the debate about changes in the bankruptcy laws ...

Image via WikipediaI'm having an angry day today. I imagine this is what Lewis Black feels like each morning when he gets out of bed. Everything that I've heard or read in the news today makes me want to twist someone's head off then celebrate with a cigarette and a glass of bourbon. Speaking of having a smoke, I started screaming at the radio this morning when I heard a story on NPR about supposed do-gooders in San Francisco trying to ban pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS from selling cigarettes. As a former smoker, I know what a nasty habit it is, but I also think that until smoking cigarettes is illegal (and that day is coming, I promise you) we shouldn't be regulating where you can buy or use them. The market should determine such things. If people want smoke-free restaurants and bars, then the market will create a niche for that. You should absolutely not legislate choices people make for their own bodies. I worked at a restaurant that had a smoking section. Often the section sat empty while people waited at the door for tables in non. It didn't take long for the managers to realize they could make more ...

You might be in for a surprise this Sunday at church. A handful of pastors around the country plan to participate in the Pulpit Initiative, endorsing candidates in front of their congregations Sept. 28. This, of course, is in violation of laws governing tax-exempt organizations. If you claim such a status, as most churches do, you are not allowed to explicitly involve yourselves in politics. Of course the Alliance Defense Fund is egging the IRS on, daring the agency to come after the preachers who participate this Sunday. They're convinced — with the help of a conservative, John Roberts-led Supreme Court — that they can strike the 1954 law down. That's a pretty ambitious and arrogant position. I came across this story while listening to NPR last night, and one of the preachers they interviewed said he didn't think it was right for the government to involve themselves in religion. "They shouldn't be looking over our shoulders, telling us what to say to our flocks," he said. "It's not right that the government wants to meddle in the affairs of our churches." If that's true, why then is it all right for religious leaders to meddle in the affairs of our government? Isn't it obvious ...

Thursday — After a late night returning the rental car — we put 2,500 miles on it in the past week — we made it to our hotel in midtown. It was at this point, again, we realized we can never be rich. We don't want to have to dress like we're rich, they all look like idiots. Kristin doesn't want to wear gigantic sunglasses, horribly ugly, uncomfortable shoes. I don't want to have to unbutton my shirts halfway down my chest so everyone can see my gold chains. Neither of us want to pay more than $30 for a pair of blue jeans. Of course I do, are you insane?! It's hard to find a good pair of jeans for less than $50! So yeah, we were at a pretty swank hotel. Lots and lots of people with money, which meant that in addition to the rich retirees and trust-fund kids, there was a ton of Eurotrash as well. It wasn't pretty. I took a quick trip up to Columbia University in the morning while the wife slept in. I wanted to get a hat and some pictures. Unfortunately, because it took forever — and three trains — to get ...