Shallow Thoughts: With friends like these, who needs CNeNemies

By GottaLaff

Today's Shallow Thought:

John King is doing his level best to "chip away" at Obama, and encourage TWPNTOTV!!!* to do the same... yet he has no trouble at all fawning over a video clip of a "very relaxed" former president [sic] Bush.

That was today's Shallow Thought. Thank you for wading in.

*THE WORST POLITICAL NEWS TEAM ON TELEVISION!!! (I will no longer refer to them as "the best", even in jest, even with snarky exclamation points)

Rahm's List

By GottaLaff

Since this story is really truly all we really, truly care about, because MSNBC and CNN tell us we really, truly do (I won't watch Faux), I'll keep you really, truly updated:

We noted yesterday that Rahm Emanuel gave Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich a list of "acceptable" candidates for Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat.

The Chicago Tribune has the list: Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Attorney General Lisa Madigan. All are Democrats.

Missing from the list: Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) -- a.k.a Senate Candidate 5 -- who Blagojevich threatened to name if Obama wasn't willing to give him anything more than "appreciation."

"All are Democrats". There's a shocker.

CNN's ace reporter, whichever thirtysomething, attractive female it was today, was asking the anchorette why it's taking Obama so long to give a detailed account of everything he might know.

The anchorette, whichever thirtysomething, attractive female it was today, raised an eyebrow, looked askance, and dutifully repeated (with a well-rehearsed perceptibly skeptical vocal inflection): But Fitzgerald has already cleared Obama. Then she earnestly assured us that she'd stay on top of this story like nobody's business.

I'm relieved to know that Obama won't get away with anything... anything... as long as we have tenacious journalists like these on the case.

TBPNTOTV!!! President-elect Obama edition

By GottaLaff

TBPNTOTV!!!* has to grapple with a new president!!! Can they cope? Will they crumble? John King is in charge today. Can he handle it? His team: Richard Stengel (of Time Magazine), Jessica Yellin, Gloria Borger, and a dash of Campbell Brown. Let's listen in:

Campbell "No Bias, No Bull (debatable)" Brown is still defending Sarah Palin, making charges of sexism and unfair, untrue stories being spread by Gramm-pa McCain's political operatives. That's so five minutes ago, Campbell. Move on.

Stengel: The Time Magazine with Obama on the cover is selling out... at $25 each. America can reboot itself now. It's historic, so people are collecting these things.

King: Will Obama use caution? Even though Rahm Emanuel says there is ambition, a desire for a new stimulus program, etc.?

Jessica: They will be paced. Obama is deliberate. The pressure and momentum will be to get items done quickly. He'll overturn torture, SCHIP, and stem cell vetoes.

Gloria: They do need a little time, but they've been planning this for 3-4 months. Are you better off using momentum, put all cards out on the table, they're asking... or focusing on the economy and SCHIP, and then waiting... without a big push?

King: Is Obama concerned with all the potential spending? That liberals will then spend, be out of control?

Jessica: Rahm will stand up to those liberals, and he'll say wait your turn. He's been in the White House, will avoid the Clinton transition problems. He knows how to focus a White House. There will be small steps on other key issues, aside from the stimulus.

King: Will Republicans be conciliatory?

Stengel: Yes. There's a spirit of kumbaya in the land right now. Obama will have a relentless bipartisan policy. People want Washington to do something that restores trust in government.

King: Iraq... What if Obama says we need more time and Reid says, they're coming home.

Jessica: They won't block him if he makes a strong case that he can't bring them home right now.

Gloria: Obama's promised, the Dems have promised, the country doesn't support the war, he'll bring them home. He may keep Gates for a year or longer. That will help bring Repubs along, not as if he needs them.

King: But he wants them.

Stengel: Gates may stay on. He's a pragmatist (Obama). America wants pragmatism. He won't likely select a traditional R as Treasury Secretary, but other posts may not matter as much... Environment for example.

Gloria: Obama and his emissaries will disagree publicly with Bush if they neede to. More his surrogates. Bush has been gracious. Obama will put forth his stimulus package.

And the pressing question-o'-the-day: Where is Wolf Blitzer? His daughter got married and he was at the wedding.

*THE BEST POLITICAL NEWS TEAM ON TELEVISION!!!

TBPNTOTV!!! Two days to go edition with extra crispy exclamation points!!!

By GottaLaff

=

TBPNTOTV!!!* (aka TWPNTOTV!!!) is all over this election the way Gramm-pa McCain was all over Anna Nicole Smith. Today's team consists of Gloria Borger, Campbell Brown, and Howie Kurtz. Wowzers! That must mean this election is... important! And what does that mean to us? More exclamation points!!!!!

Wolf Blitzer is so full of questions, his beard hairs are standing on edge! This is it folks!

John King Bash and his Magic Wall are virtually glowing! Campbell Brown is full of (no) bull! And everyone is increasing their income potential by encouraging the sponsors. How? Why, by calling it a close race to increase ratings! That sounds suspiciously socialistic to me.

The whole gang is here! Let's start opining! Then let's start pulling our hair out.

Wolf: Cheney endorsed McCain.

Gloria: I don't think a public endorsement from him is what they were looking for right now. McCain doesn't want him out there.

Howie: When the opposing campaign uses him in an ad, you know he's not helpful.

Brown: He was doing what they'd hoped: Staying out of the limelight.

Howie: There hasn't been an Obama commercial out there that hasn't had a shot of George Bush. [Wolf shows Cheney ad]

Wolf: Irony is, there's no love lost between Cheney and McCain.

Brown: Right. But to act like this endorsement is a surprise is absurd.

Wolf: [shows SNL McCain clip]

Howie: It helps to laugh at himself, but no matter which show, Obama has had an easy time on pop culture shows, McCain has not. The pop culture shows reach different voters than Sunday morning TV.

Brown: In fairness. less has been made of Palin 2012 until recently. Give her credit for going rogue. Until it was clear that it wasn't working, she deferred. Then she took things in her own hands in the way any politician would. The McCain camp slandered her, calling her diva etc.

Gloria: Both sides were right. She strayed and they handled her badly. We don't know the real story about the $150,000 yet.

Wolf: They're keeping Biden under wraps too.

Brown: He's even joking about it.

Howie: We should make an issue out of that, as we did with Palin.

*THE BEST POLITICAL NEWS TEAM ON TELEVISION!!!

CNN: The worst political team on television

By GottaLaff

Remember this post from earlier? You ain't seen nothin' close to "unfair and unbalanced" yet:

Today, CNN announced that it will be hosting a one-hour special this weekend called “Election Countdown: View from the Right,” featuring prominent right-wing pundits. However, it doesn’t appear that there will be a corresponding special featuring progressive voices. From the CNN press release:

On Saturday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. (ET), CNN political contributor and Christian Broadcasting Network senior correspondent David Brody will host the one-hour special Election Countdown: View from the Right. This roundtable discussion will examine the strength of the McCain-Palin ticket, the priorities for conservatives after the election and top issues on voters’ minds, including national security and the economy. Brody will be joined by Amanda Carpenter, national political reporter for Townhall.com; Brian DeBose, editorial writer for The Washington Times; Stephen Hayes, senior writer for The Weekly Standard; and Kevin Madden, Republican strategist and former press secretary for Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

It must be because there are so few Republican spokesmorons on CNN. They have a gnawing urge to fill the void. That was sarcasm, in case it wasn't obvious enough.

TWPNTOTV!!!* (I've held off saying that since I started blogging)

*THE WORST POLITICAL NEWS TEAM ON TELEVISION!!!