It was a rainy night here in last night in DC -- a night to put your gear on.
- I am finding the apologetics for Dominique Strauss-Kahn from the likes of Bernard Henri-Levy and the laughable Ben Stein to be appalling. The notion that men of a certain class and position are not rapists or sexual predators is so preposterous on its face. The whole thing smacks of sexism, racism, classism -- it's just ugly to the core. And the French public, of which 57% thinks DSK is the victim of some kind of plot, should be ashamed. I am particularly amused at the outrage over DSK being handcuffed and denied bail -- here is a guy who 1) has been arrested for a serious and violent crime; and 2) is a flight risk to the Nth degree -- nabbed by the police just as he was about to fly (first class of course) back to his homeland, a country that we know has no scruples about sheltering sexual predators, provided they have the right cache. Look for the wholesale villification of this uppity African, Muslim chambermaid in the coming weeks -- why she acts as though it would not have been an honor to be taken against her will by one of the best sorts of people.
- On a lighter note, the wholesale implosion of Newt Gingrich in one week of candidacy for the presidency is one of the funniest things I've ever seen in politics. The guy is even a worse candidate than I imagined he would be. Can you imagine what a disaster he would be if he ever somehow managed to win the office? I am intrigued, as well, by the notion that he and his wife #3 managed to run up debts to Tiffany's in the $250,000 to $500,000 range. That ought to really bolster his credentials as a fiscal conservative.
Must do some work.
What's going on with all of you?
The most hopeful thing I've seen all week is that Obama handily defeats Gingrich among Georgia Voters.. Dim though they be, even Georgians know Newt is way past his 'sell-by' date.
People who died..
Posted by: MR Bill | May 19, 2011 at 09:08 AM
Does anybody else take a strange kind of pride in America after reading those poll numbers from France? I mean, they just allow this sort of behavior, but New York City cops? They just arrested his ass. Good.
Also, this was the likely socialist candidate in France? WTF?
Posted by: Corvus | May 19, 2011 at 09:15 AM
the UC regents say that unless there is a tax increase, they will have to raise tuition by 32%.
Posted by: kathy a. | May 19, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Corvus, lots of elites are protected in lots of ways in both countries. WHile the French elite has rallied around DSK simultaneously denying and excusing his behavior, the elites in this country are doing the exact same thing on the Bush-Cheney era warcrimes. It's a bug of most human systems. Elites protect their own.
Posted by: Joe S | May 19, 2011 at 11:12 AM
SC--Oh my. That must be Stanley? You weren't overstating the babe-magnet description. This must be his when are we heading out? expression.
Posted by: nancy | May 19, 2011 at 01:05 PM
nancy,
That is indeed Stanley. I should have noted that on the post. I get all insular sometimes.
I believe that was his "why would you try to put that stupid fucking hat on me, the best dog in the world?"
He is a lovely creature. He is suffering a bit because I have been gone on 18 of the last 30 nights -- like all dogs, he likes his routines and hates uncertainty.
His enthusiasm for going out never wanes. You would think each time was a totally new experience.
Posted by: Sir Charles | May 19, 2011 at 03:09 PM
Quote of the day:
"It is a flag we’ve planted that we will protect and defend. We have a plan. It’s called Medicare."
-Nancy Pelosi
Sure, she's in a safe district and all that, but I don't see how any Democrat, anywhere, loses votes by taking this sort of stand.
Posted by: low-tech cyclist | May 19, 2011 at 03:16 PM
stanley is quite the handsome fellow. dignified in the face of the unthinkable, a stupid hat, but forgiving since he gets to take a walk with his best human.
l-tc, great quote and a good linked story.
Posted by: kathy a. | May 19, 2011 at 03:36 PM
You would think each time was a totally new experience.
When you live in the moment, it is.
Posted by: oddjob | May 19, 2011 at 04:31 PM
I don't see how any Democrat, anywhere, loses votes by taking this sort of stand.
Me neither.
Posted by: oddjob | May 19, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Pelosi has both sound instincts and good principles. She's a very good leader even if she isn't always the most artful speaker.
Posted by: Sir Charles | May 19, 2011 at 04:38 PM
If only Pelosi wasn't DLC and insular. Although, being the leader of the House actually has pulled her to the left as she's had to put her vote where her mouth was.
Prior to the last few years, I would've said to primary her.
Also, very cute dog.
Posted by: Crissa | May 19, 2011 at 05:53 PM
Crissa,
I've never thought of Pelosi as being DLC.
Maybe in S.F. she was not seen as of the left, but certainly here in DC she is.
Posted by: Sir Charles | May 19, 2011 at 05:57 PM
The sexual predation thing is pretty strange. I don't know anything about France particularly so I can't give any opinion on why they react as they do but I recall that their attitude towards the immense firestorm puffed up over Clinton's consensual sexual indiscretions was also treated as strange by many europeans. This I do think is quite a bit different as it is an assault. Perhaps the French are a bit too skeptical and think that no normal man would assault a woman, proposition yes but assault no.
Perhaps they have just entirely written off the credibility of US jurisprudence due to the plethora of lies and half truths that have gushed from our hallowed soil for low these many years. Perhaps they are paying more attention to our political landscape than we are? On the one hand you have the case of the Siegleman (sp?) prosecution for a non-crime, and on the other you have that execrable snake Cheney more or less admitting to having committed war crimes and walking away without so much as a tap on the shoulder. So one wonders...
Good dog! Nice of you to tolerate that hat. SC you should have switched to Macro mode for that snap. Not well focused. Stanley of course as mentioned above lives entirely in the moment and so, indeed, every walk is a walk on the wild side.
One has to almost wonder if this is not some kind of Rovian theater all scripted to portray beautiful Sarah as the only possible savior of the republican ideal. A press primary before the actual voting primaries? How quaint and business like. And how very appropriate to the ideals which the pugs aspire to. It would make good sense to get it off the ground at this early time. That way Faux news can pound the drum of talking points relentlessly and at the same time pay their candidate obscene amounts of money for vomiting lies about everything thinkable.
From here it looks rather pathetic. To much of the outside world the US looks more and more like a carnival con game - toss your nickle on the plate win a Teddy Bear!
Pass the bottle.
Posted by: Krubozumo Nyankoye | May 19, 2011 at 11:02 PM
Pelosi DLC? Really?
Michael O'Hare has a good takedown of the Levy nonsense. As my husband inelegantly (but accurately) described the mindset: "I'm the alpha male in the baboon troop! I can f--- anybody I want!" I hear David Brooks was peddling the same crap. The notion that wealth/power=must be a better sort of person has been around for centuries, and has never made any sense. Apparently the upper crust is especially outraged that DSK had to spend some time in Riker's (hence the title of your post); I guess the judge didn't understand that that's only for poor minorities. Reminds me of an old L&O episode: a rich guy was accused of murder, and tried to flee to the Caribbean. He was caught and brought back to his arraignment, and the judge says, "So Mr. so-and-so likes islands? I've got one for him: Riker's." He didn't think it was funny either.
My dogs are the same way. The only thing better than a walk is a longer walk.
Posted by: beckya57 | May 19, 2011 at 11:09 PM
The French attitudes on sex and class may be appalling, but I still want their health care system.
Posted by: beckya57 | May 19, 2011 at 11:10 PM
I still want their health care system.
Amen.
And then there is the food and wine thing...
Posted by: MR Bill | May 20, 2011 at 09:00 AM
One and a Half Mitts:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/group-launches-early-ad-against-romney/?hp
Posted by: Paula B | May 20, 2011 at 09:07 AM
For those of us preparing to be raptured tomorrow - some practical tips
Posted by: jeanne marie | May 20, 2011 at 01:40 PM
KN,
I think that France may also condone sexual harrassment and coercion more than the U.S. -- not something that is to their credit, even if I am a big fan of both their food and their health care system. Despite being to the left of the U.S. in a good many things, France is also a place with a very insular elite -- one that transcends partisan divisions in many respects -- and I suspect that there is a certain rallying around your own kjind phenomenon here.
becky,
I like your husband's take on this. Brooks is a fool who would like to think that women find a prestigious degree and a large paycheck to be irresistible.
jm,
Now I have to decide whether to bother filling in my time for the last couple of days.
Posted by: Sir Charles | May 20, 2011 at 02:20 PM
OT: where is Minstrel Boy? I really miss his posts.
Posted by: Satchel | May 20, 2011 at 05:02 PM
Satchel,
He's AWOL. We'd love to hear from him.
Posted by: Sir Charles | May 20, 2011 at 05:37 PM