Jimmy Smits (aka Matt Santos) Rally With Obama Tonight in Florida

I knew that Santos was kinda taken from Obama, but of course, O'Donnell gets in the best line about Vinick.

Santos in many ways was modeled on Obama, then just a candidate for U.S. Senate.

"I drew inspiration from him in drawing this character," West Wing writer and producer Eli Attie told the Guardian. "When I had to write, Obama was just appearing on the national scene. He had done a great speech at the (2004) convention and people were beginning to talk about him." Attie called Obama senior strategist David Axelrod and said, "tell me about Barack Obama."

(snip)

Santos on the show was challenging an older Republican from a Western state with a reputation for moderate positions, straight talk, and difficulties courting Christian conservatives. Alan Alda played the fictitious Sen. Arnie Vinick, R-Calif.

Lawrence O’Donnell, a producer and writer for the series told the New York Times that he used McCain as one of the templates for Vinick, though he said, "McCain’s resemblance to the Vinick character was much stronger in 2000 than in 2008."

VIDEO: Anti-IWRC* Palin rally in Philadelphia

By GottaLaff


Raw footage of an anti-IWRC* Palin rally in Philly on October 11:

Hundreds gather to demonstrate against Palin as she arrives for a closed door fundraiser ($25K per plate) at Broad and Walnut. Tourists give the thumbs up, cabbies and busdrivers honk, and even the Flyers' fans join the Obama chanting.

H/t: Palin's No Hillary

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

Alaskan Republicans are getting rattled

By GottaLaff

As you know, I keep track of Alaskan doin's via a few Alaskan bloggers. You're also well aware of the two, count 'em two, anti-IWRC* Palin rallies there. The second one, by the way, drew a crowd of about 1,800 and was the largest in Alaska history. And don't forget the recent court victory.

Now let me share excerpts from a post over at Mudflats:

The second rally was dismissed by McCain-Palin as being a “pro Obama rally and nothing more,” or so said Meg Stapleton. Stapleton, Palin’s mouthpiece, and member of the “Truth Squad” was the subject of several of the scathing signs present at last week’s rally. She is now reviled by many Alaskans for slandering respected public figures who have dared to speak truth to power regarding Palin’s ethics investigation. [...] Well guess what landed in my inbox last night? A plea from the Alaska Republican party! Please enjoy the email in its entirety:

Alaskans Call to Action

3 Ways to Show Your Support for Governor Palin!

Thank you for supporting the McCain-Palin ticket. Right now, we are calling upon all Alaskans to help in three simple ways.

• 1. Sign our petition in support of Governor Palin. Barack Obama’s operatives have attempted to smear and politically damage our Governor. Please print, sign and fax in the petition below to show your support. We need as many signatures as possible to put a stop to this politically motivated injustice.
• 2. Join us for a McCain-Palin Victory 2008 vice presidential “debate watching” party at our Alaska Headquarters tonight, October 2nd, as Governor Palin and Senator Biden debate in St. Louis! The debate starts at 5:00 PM, so the party will start at 4:30 PM at our Anchorage Headquarters (307 East Northern Lights Blvd.). Don’t miss this important and historic opportunity to show your support for our Governor!
• 3. Join us for a McCain-Palin Victory 2008 rally to “Support Governor Palin” this Saturday, October 4th! It will take place at the Anchorage Christian School Gymnasium (6401 E. Northern Lights Blvd, at the corner of Northern Lights and Baxter Rd) at 1:00 PM. All are encouraged to attend.

This is your call to action, and please forward it to friends. Please help us show Alaska’s support for Governor Palin to the nation and world. Thank you.

Petition in Support of Governor Palin:

Please print, sign, and fax to the Alaska Republican Party at (907)276-0425.

We the undersigned voters of Alaska, herby [sic] call for an immediate end to the Obama operative led inquiry in the Alaska Legislature, whose sole purpose has been to smear and politically damage Governor Sarah Palin. The Legislative Council’s Walt Monegan investigation has been hijacked by Obama supporters and as a result no longer has the support of its own committee. We urge our elected officials to stand up and put an immediate end to this political circus that is wasting countless taxpayer dollars and tarnishing the fair reputation of the great state of Alaska.

Print Name: ______________________

Signed:__________________________

No fax machine? You can also drop off your signed petition at one of the following places:

McCain-Palin/Victory 2008 Alaska Headquarters
307 East Northern Lights Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99503

Alaska Republican Party Headquarters
1001 West Fireweed Lane
Anchorage, Alaska 99503

************************************************************************

[...] I’m not sure how many people will show up at the Anchorage Christian School Gymnasium for the Pro-Palin rally, or why they have scheduled it at exactly the same time and day as the Alaska statewide Obama rally, which may break a record again. I also don’t know where these petitions are going to end up, or what they are actuallly asking for. But I am proud of them for providing the high-tech “fax it in” option for those who can’t drive to the Republican Party headquarters to submit them in person. Soon they will have mastered the spell check on their email, and it surely can’t be much longer after that before they master the free online petition.

And as for “tarnishing the reputation of the great state of Alaska”? I think Alaska politicians are doing a fine job of that without the help of “Obama operatives”. I wonder what conservative Republican Wasilla resident and State Senate President Lyda Green will think when she finds out she is an Obama operative? How about right wing radio pundit and columnist Dan Fagan? I wouldn’t want to be in THAT room!

Dee-lish.

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

VIDEO: Anti-Palin rally, humor edition

By GottaLaff

An excellent look at the anti-IWRC* Palin rally with lots of hilarious signs:

There were 1500 protesters at the last rally. This time there were more. If there weren’t 2000, it was really close. Someone said they heard a Daily News reporter say he was going to “call it 1000 people.” That Daily News Reporter was obviously not at the other rally. I’m telling you now, it was way more than 1000.

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

VIDEO: Anti-Palin rally news coverage

By GottaLaff

TV coverage of Anti-IWRC* Palin rally, via KTUU Channel 2:




*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

H/t: Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis

VIDEO-- TrooperGate: Letter from Alaska Rep. Gara blasting Palin/McCain

By GottaLaff

The letter from Representative Les Gara (re: TrooperGate) blasting Palin/McCain attacks:

VIDEO: TrooperGate target Walt Monegan's mom at anti-Palin rally

By GottaLaff

A sweet, tearful thank you from Walt Monegan's mother:

The latest on Walt Monegan here.

Anti-IWRC* Palin Rally: Photo edition

By GottaLaff

Photos via. Click on any Anti-IWRC* rally photo to enlarge.

The woman sitting in the chair is Walt Monegan's mother. Read her sign. From my earlier post: Walt Monegan’s mother Betty was there! She thanked everyone for supporting her son - through her tears. It was very touching.

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

Anti-IWRC* Palin Rally: "I can see the end of your career from my house"

By GottaLaff

(click on images to enlarge)

Here's an account of what happened at the anti-IWRC* rally by an Alaskan blogger:

Okay, so I'm just guessing, but I'd say at least 1,000 people lined the sidewalks of I street between 9th and 10th Avenues today and spilled over into the area of the Park Strip near the memorial to rally in support of holding our corrupt and despicable governor accountable. [...]

I'm not really sure who organized today's rally. I thank them, no matter who they are. Someone told me it's a group called "Alaskans for Truth". [Laffy Note: It is.] I'm happy to know anyone who actually prefers the truth to the crap we're served up by the Palins' surrogate family (a/k/a the scumbags named Ed O'Callaghan and Meghan Stapleton..... okay, I'll just say "people who look and sound like those two dudes" just to avoid any possibility that either of those two wretched bastards might think "scumbag" is defamatory). [...]

Still, today's rally was one of those moments - like the rally earlier this month by the "Women Rejecting Palin" - that reassures anyone who feels isolated in their contempt for the ethical, moral and political cesspit of Alaska's executive branch of government. [...]

They all have one further opportunity, of course: The statewide Obama rally set for October 4, from 1-4 p.m. at the Park Strip. [...] Perhaps by then our favorite governor will be back amongst us, having been tossed off...er... reluctantly forced to choose to depart the McCain freefalling Maverick Express to Hell.

This one is from a commenter at Mudflats:

Walt Monegan’s mother Betty was there! She thanked everyone for supporting her son - through her tears. It was very touching.

I am not a good estimate of crowd size but there were a ton of folks there. Lots of Obama supporters - but I didn’t see a single Palin/McCain sign.

The posters were incredible - one of my favs: “I can see the end of your career from my house.” The other one that was priceless - it was a photograph of Sarah with an EMPTY thought balloon! LOL! [...]

Great speakers - we even sang! [...] An Alaskan Native woman spoke about how SP has totally dissed the natives in this State.

A woman who has voted Rethuglican for 24 years got up and explained why she is supporting Obama and working to recall SP.

Lots of chanting to recall SP. [...]

Today is my birthday and I can say it was the best birthday I have ever had!

Some photos via. I have a lot more photos, which I'll post later.

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"