Sitting in an empty house, getting ready for the big speech tonight, getting ready for Casey's speech, and even more, Sebelius's speech. And then the bug event. Columns? I still need to see it to believe it, but surely by now Obama's people have heard the grumbling about the columns and have figured something out. But none of that has started yet. Right now we're still outside the building, watching the nutjobs and the weirdos and the commentators.
-There's a woman pulling for McCain in the parking lot, and I think Chris Matthews almost snapped when she tousled his hair.
-Glenn Beck interviewing Bob Barr. yikes.
-A guy in the background of MSNBC with a bullhorn, repeating "9/11 was an inside job" over and over and over while David Gregory pretends not to notice. It's that guy's right to protest. Hell, I truly believe he's got the right to be out there and say whatever he wants. But I also firmly believe it's everyone else's right in that parking lot to take that bullhorn away from him and punch him in the adam's apple. Seriously.
I'm trying to figure out who makes the party look worse, the yahoos with the buttons and shit on the inside of the building or the nutjobs with the bullhorns on the outside. I'm gonna say the latter, but not by some huge stretch.
I think that the press should really be covedring the protests outside of the building. I do. Because they truly are talking about some of the important and overlooked issues (what's up with that Blackwater contract? Remember that telecoms scandal?), but when some idiot with a bullhorn can effectively neutralize a major news outlet for 40 minutes... well, that's kinda awesome. But still, someone shoulda taken him out.
Now they're interviewing will.i.am. Shut.up.
sigh.
i think i need a drink.

40 years ago today: listen to it. Refamiliarize yourself with it. Use it for context. Sure, nothing's been fixed. But at least remember how far we've come. What can I say I'm big on optimism at the moment. I promise it won't hold up long.


Speaking of context, now listen to JFK giving his nomination acceptance speech at the L.A. Coliseum 48 years ago. Of course, you probably won't see these until long after Obama gives his speech, but it's not going to hurt you to listen to these speeches again.