Archive for January, 2010

It’s 3:35 A.M on Thursday…

Posted: January 21, 2010 by datechguy in catholic, elections, employment, opinion/news, personal
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I’ve had a full nights sleep that hasn’t been preceded by a drive out of Boston for the first time in days. When I came downstairs Robert Stacy (I’ll sleep when I’m dead) McCain was still typing at the dining room table, has there ever been a person who works so hard for such a small amount of cash?

I took him for a quick cig run to Tedeschi’s market (that took over the store 24 in Fitchburg) and ran into the mother of a friend of mine who does Janitorial work at the Post Office and the Hospital. She said people were very happy in both locations, but for liberals the anger was extreme, but apparently not all of them.

The worst is that I can’t help but feel like the main emotion people in the caucus are feeling is relief at this turn of events. Now they have a ready excuse for not getting anything done.

Four days ago I told a certain Mr. McCain who happened to be sleeping on my couch that democrats in congress were hoping for an upset to give them an excuse to get out of yet another vote that could push them off the cliff. I thank Mr. Marshall for proving me right in print (well in pixels anyway).

Stacy is picking a bad time to leave Fitchburg. The front page of our local paper is that Planned Parenthood is about to open an office here. The must think the timing is good with 4 Catholic Parishes due to close by June.

It is in fact exactly the opposite, it’s not only bad it’s really bad. The natural anger that the closing would have generated at the church, combined with the anger over the economic and employment situation now has a place where it can be re-directed. The large Hispanic (I hate that word, what does it mean?) population here is very Catholic as well.

The only good news about this? With such a new opening perhaps the Charming Roxeanne will be in town to blog about it a bit and I can introduce the young lady to the wife and kids. My oldest is active in right to life, they should get along like a house afire.

Well the train beckons so I must go. It’s been a great week, but like Cincinnatus I now prepare to return to being just another guy looking for a job (that elusive $800 a week) in Massachusetts who runs a small blog where I talk about things that interest me.

Thanks for joining me for the ride, and if you like what you have read you are welcome to stop by to read anytime.

The Scott Brown Party Roundup Personal stuff…

Posted: January 20, 2010 by datechguy in elections, opinion/news, personal
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I’m still in a bit of a daze as I start to re-transition to a normal life and try to catch up on sleep but I noticed that I didn’t do the “fun” posts that Dan and Stacy did so here is some of that:

Would you believe I was so tired I didn’t recognize Norah O’Donnell? Until I read Dan’s post I didn’t realize she was there. Then again ok it’s Norah O’Donnell she’s there, big deal.

Ace of spades is a nice quiet guy, his actual self is so counter instinctual to his blog.

I must have been the only guy there not drinking.

Ali Akbar (Brown’s new media guy) is a smart young young who has such a clear idea of what he wants to do it’s amazing. With the experience that age will bring he will really be a go to guy.

Update/Clarification: I should mention that Ali is not with the permanent staff but was hired by the Brown campaign. If what I saw was any indication I strongly suggest any person thinking of running a senate/house campaign give him a call to snap him up. He will be invaluable to you.

Oh and did I mention that some bloggers had better seats than media. (I wasn’t one of them) but that’s ok, in my opinion the stage wasn’t where the action is.

There is nothing that gives you the impression of the approach of old age than seeing all these people working and having the thought “My God they’re so young!” go through your head.

Speaking of going through one’s head, Pam Geller of Atlas tried on my fedora and I had to look away, my comment was I’m glad my wife didn’t know what I was thinking at that point. What was that thought? My God is this woman attractive!

I also complemented her on her work, the stuff she covers is very important, particularly with the level of indifference concerning Radical Islam.

Funny story I was discussing radical Islam with her for a bit when I realized that I hadn’t introduced myself to the lady to her left. (I’d already met Kerry Pickett) thinking I was being impolite to a lady I apologized and introduced myself. That person was Karen Tumulty of Time Magazine. I get the distinct impression that she thought I was trying to schmooze (hey look time talks to me), but unless she reads this (unlikely) she will never know.

Speaking of Kerry Pickett she was filing stories from my dining room table on Friday night. You can’t help but like this woman, she has competence in places that people don’t have, and has the bluntness of my older sister. She also has what I call the “20 year face” she is the type of woman who will look just as nice 20 years later. She reminds me of my wife brains and beauty. The fact that some lucky young man has not married her is a striking blow to the reputation of the entire male sex or a tribute to her good judgment in waiting for a guy worthy of her.

And yes I’m an old Sicilian Catholic that’s the way I think.

Speaking of young smart woman one of the great pleasure of the night was speaking with Roxeanne, ironic as one of my favorite films is Jose Ferrer’s as Cyrano de Bergerac

The concept that 1000 people were interested in what I had to say on a webcast was fascinating.

Strangely enough I had no interest in talking to the Brown daughters, but I must say I felt very good for his wife Gail who must have spent a lot of time biting her tongue in the last few weeks.

Carl Cameron is a very nice guy and gave us respect and time.

I can’t wait to find work so I can get a new laptop, mine is on its last legs.

Take a look at this video from 73wire Real Clear Politics and see if you can spot something important…

That is me in the background, While most of the reporter types were busy talking to themselves, I was interviewing the waitstaff. Why? Because they were the only voters in the room! I talked to more than a dozen of them and got great information on all kinds of things. It speaks volumes that a room full of reporters didn’t think of doing this.

If you want to get real answers to real questions ask Joe Malone, not Mitt Romney.

The local reporters don’t know how lucky they are. The Brown win will lead to more competitive races, which are less boring to cover.

I am not used to the amount of hits and e-mail I’ve gotten, it will be a bit till I’m caught up, and I apologize if I didn’t reply in my normal prompt way. No wonder instapundit doesn’t do comments.

None of the celebration stuff hit me, once I decided the race was over in my mind I was already thinking about the next story or maybe it was sheer exhaustion.

On and speaking of celebration I discovered Atlas dances while sitting down as I do.

Speaking of sheer exhaustion I’m hitting the sack since I have to be out of the house by 4. I can’t wait to return to a regular sleep cycle.

Ok here are the political questions that this election leads to

Posted: January 20, 2010 by datechguy in Uncategorized
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Will this be Hungary in 1958 or Berlin in 1991 for Massachusetts?

Will the GOP recruit candidates to exploit the victory within the state? Will the National GOP recognize the opportunity that they have been given and exploit the success with cash?

Will the Democrats actually learn from this or will it be a river in Egypt? (partial answer provided)

How much slack will democrats who crossed over give Brown to vote with his caucus?

Can Martha Coakley get up after taking a political knockdown?

Will the state democrats who were planning to move up when she was elected decide to challenge her for AG?

Will Scott Brown let this “Presidential NONSENSE” (yes I said nonsense) go to his head?

Will the democratic congress do the one smart political thing they could do to salvage the Health Care Bill crisis? (No I’m not telling what it is but I discussed it with Smitty and he agrees with me.)

Will Mitt Romney use this as a template to build up debts that the base will recognize?

Will the fundraiser windfall that comes with this victory be used wisely?

Will president Obama moderate his positions or double down?

Will the MSM and the rino media recant the “Republicans can’t win unless they drop conservatism stuff” rhetoric? Who will be the first online journalist (cough David Frum cough) to admit he was wrong?

It will be fun for us to find out together.

Palin/McCain It’s the honorable thing to do…

Posted: January 20, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, opinion/news
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A lot of people are upset about this:

Sarah Palin, McCain’s former running mate and perhaps the most powerful brand in Republican politics, will stump for McCain in Arizona on March 26 and 27, a Palin adviser told CNN. The presence of Palin – and the considerable crowds and media attention she will draw – might give pause to J.D. Hayworth, the former Republican congressman and radio host who opposes McCain’s position on illegal immigration and is mulling a Senate run of his own.

Although some might disagree I think this is not only the right thing but it tells me something good about Sarah Palin, to wit:

You might recall I talked to the Mayor of Fitchburg yesterday, although it may hurt her politically she honored her 20 year friendship with her when she needed it, not discarding her for political expediency.

Sarah Palin was chosen by John McCain to be his running mate, when others have attacked her he not only did not, but also didn’t betray his friends who did the attacking. He was loyal.

Sarah Palin knows that a McCain endorsement will hurt her with the tea party people and with people who don’t like McCain. It doesn’t matter, McCain stood by her, she is standing by him.

This is important, if your pol is not honorable then the right position is only right until they need a new one (read Harold Ford).

Remember if she would sell McCain she will sell you.

Update: Michelle doesn’t like the situation but acknowledges the problem:

Tea Party activists are rightly outraged by Sarah Palin’s decision to campaign for McCain, whose entrenched incumbency and progressive views are anathema to the movement. At least she has an excuse: She’s caught between a loyalty rock and a partisan hard place.

Conservatives for Palin notes she is getting hit hard, but Hotair I believe gets it right:

I don’t think anyone will be swayed by Palin’s endorsement. No one seriously believes she’d be backing him if not for her personal loyalty to him, and McCain’s sufficiently infamous for his centrism that even her support won’t scrub him clean in the eyes of tea partiers. Which means this is actually a pretty shrewd move on her part: She gets credit for being a good soldier, especially in light of the sniping at her from his former campaign aides, whereas he gets maybe a few extra votes from conservatives.

We discussed this before he went home and Stacy thought the fault was McCain for putting her in that position.

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