Rehabilitated

Last week, Barack Obama declared, "Ultimately, I ended up learning about the fact that he [Bill Ayers of the Weather Underground] had engaged in this reprehensible act 40 years ago, but I was eight years old at the time and I assumed that he had been rehabilitated."

As usual, Barack's lying. But we're not concerned with Barack for this article, we're concerned with Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn and we're fully aware that some Weather Underground members find the idea of "rehabilitated" laughable when it comes to the two.

Bernardine Dohrn issued the Weather Underground's "Declaration of a State of War" in July 1970 and it included:


Black people have been fighting almost alone for years. We've known that our job is to lead white kids into armed revolution. We never intended to spend the next five or twenty-five years of our lives in jail. Ever since SDS became revolutionary, we've been trying to show how it is possible to overcome the frustration and impotence that comes from trying to reform this system. Kids know the lines are drawn revolution is touching all of our lives. Tens of thousands have learned that protest and marches don't do it. Revolutionary violence is the only way.

It's not just that some members of the Weather Underground did go to prison and Bernardine and Bill did not, it's also the issue of race. And once upon a time, Bernardine and Bill decried "privilege" and rushed to side with those society more quickly targeted. In that declaration, Bernardine also noted:

The parents of "privileged" kids have been saying for years that the revolution was a game for us. But the war and the racism of this society show that it is too fucked-up. We will never live peaceably under this system.

It wasn't a game for them, Bernardine insisted and she decried White privilege. This was especially clear in the 2003 documentary The Weather Underground: The Explosive Story of America's Most Notorious Revolutionaries where she stated, "We felt that the murder of Fred [Hampton] required us to be more grave, more serious, more determined to raise the stakes and not just be the white people who wrung their hands when black people were being murdered."

And what of the imprisoning of African-Americans?

Bernardine informs that she and Bill weren't play acting but haven't their own actions after surfacing indicated that they were doing just that?


Those not fortunate enough to have a rich benefactor (Thomas Ayers, Bill's father) didn't get off so easy. And those who didn't have a rich benefactor greasing the wheels of Chicago politics and were African-American had no White privilege.

Rehabilitation implies that someone has made up for their actions. Not only have Bernardine and Bill never renounced their acts (and in Weather Underground, Bernardine makes it very clear that she still supports violence), they've had no period where they've 'served' in any way. They didn't serve time behind bars, they didn't serve time within their community. Thomas Ayers bought them jobs and they did their jobs very well. But whereas a Black Panther might have to overcome serious stigmas, Bernardine and Bill landed nice and cushy immediately.

It does go to White privilege and for two who decried it to turn around and use it to their benefit smacks of hypocrisy. In 2007, the police were still going after the Black Panthers for an alleged action from 1971.

Kathy Boudin comes from a family considered respectable. She served time behind bars. To say she's "rehabilitated" is not hard to swallow. Not only did she serve time, but she also set up programs in the prison to help other inmates.

What is "rehabilitation"?

Griffin: You aren't going to paint me, are you?

June: I might put you in one of my paintings. There's one I want to do of an Icelandic hero. He's a thief and he's made of fire. You might not like that.

Griffin: Why not?

June: Because you're in the movies and in movies you can't have thieves
as heroes, can you?

Griffin: I don't know about that. We have a long tradition of gangsters in movies.

June: Yes, but they always have to suffer for their crimes, don't they?

Griffin: We should pay for our crimes, shouldn't we?

June: I think knowing you've committed a crime is suffering enough. If you don't suffer... maybe it wasn't a crime after all.


So, grabbing onto points raised in Michael Tolkin's script for The Player, did Bernardine and Bill suffer? Barack Obama stated last week that Bill Ayers was rehabilitated. But every step of the way was cushioned by Thomas Ayers. Fred Hampton died for his beliefs. White privilege allowed Bernardine and Bill to surface and start over.

The winner and top ten runner ups

"Cock Rock Hall of Fame" and its follow up ("Sexism and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame") resulted in many, many e-mails. The bulk were suggesting which women should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Eliminating suggestions that will not qualify (the next round has to have recorded by 1983), we counted up the the winner. First, the ten who were after.





1) Cyndia Lauper. We had no idea Cyndia was so popular with so many readers. Her first solo album came out in 1983 (She's So Unusual). As part of the Blue Angel, the Hall could have broken the rules and inducted her earlier (as they did with Smokey Robinson) but she is eligible this time next year. Connie's e-mail noted that her favorite song by Lauper was "True Colors" and wondered if we had any favorites. Most of us say "Time After Time," Kat says the cover of Prince's "When You Were Mine," Mike and Jim say "Money Changes Everything," Elaine says "I Drove All Night" and Betty says "All Through The Night."



2) Linda Ronstadt. We'll highlight Denver's e-mail here, "It is impossible to believe that the Eagles, her backup band, her backup band!, is in the Hall but she's not. Heart Like A Wheel remains one of the finest albums of the 70s and Simple Dreams is right behind it." Linda was only ten votes less than Cyndi. They were the two closest. The rest more or less fall within a few votes of each other.



3) Stevie Nicks. Stacie, "Stand Back! Talk To Me! Edge Of Seventeen! Anyone Falls In Love! Nightbird! Stop Draggin' My Heart Around! Leather and Lace! I Can't Wait! Rooms On Fire! Sleeping Angel! Violet & Blue! Blue Denim! Too Far From Texas! Juliet! How is this woman not in the R&R Hall of Fame!" Good question. If you don't count her hit duet with Kenny Loggins ("Whenever I Call You Friend"), Stevie's been eligible for solo induction for the last two years (the ones inducted last year and the decision process going on right now).



4) Pat Benetar. Molly thanks us for noting Benatar and says, "She really rocked it hard and there wasn't a man or woman into rock back then that didn't know her and didn't rock out to her even if they pretended otherwise. Pat Benatar was the s**t! No one could touch her. She had one hit after another and those albums had gems that were never singles like 'Never Going To Leave You.' I was listening to 45s when she came out with 'Heartbreaker.' I actually had it on 45 and on bubble gum. There was this little booklet that reproduced the album cover and you opened it and there were the lyrics to 'Heartbreaker' and you had a big old wad of gum that looked like a record. She was the album I ever got and I got it on cassette tape. I was 13 and had all of her 45s. But I didn't have any albums at that point. I asked my Dad for the Police because it was my birthday. He went to K-Mart and they didn't have the Police. So he described me to the guy working the music section and he was sent home with Pat's Live On Earth! My mother nearly had a meltdown over 'Hell Is For Children,' but like I pointed out, the title was on the cassette cover and Dad bought it for me anyway. After that I got all of her earlier stuff on cassette and started updating with each new album. I'm on CDs now but between my cassettes and my CDs, I have all of her albums. Ain't no rock in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame until they let Pat in."



5) Carly Simon. There's not an e-mail we can excerpt here. People wrote lengthy testimonials to Carly (which we agree with) outlining just how amazing she's been as a recording artist and songwriter. We can note Billy's question which was how many years has she been overlooked? The answer is she could have been inducted as early as 1998 -- and earlier if they wanted to use her recording work with sister Lucy Simon. There are a large number of omissions from the Hall but we'd agree this one is really shocking.



6) Joan Jett. "You mean to tell me," wrote Tommy, "that the woman who loved rock and roll can't get into the Hall of Fame? You mean to tell me that the person who carried the torch for rock all this time even while every five years someone's writing 'rock is dead' can't get into the Hall of Fame? Just for that first one-two punch of 'I Love Rock and Roll' and 'Crimson & Clover,' they should have inducted her. She never had to do another damn thing. Joan Jett is, was and will always be rock and roll."



7) Heart. Ann and Nancy Wilson prompted the same kind of essays Carly Simon fans produced. Biggest surprise was how so many wrote in citing their favorite song -- the must hear track -- and there was no clear winner. Heart fans are album listeners. They don't just go for the obvious single, they cite the deep tracks from the album. After praising the sisters' rocking band, they generally made clear their dream Heart album. It's not a 'live' one in front of an audience. It is a live in that it's not heavily mixed and produced in the studio and more raw. Ideally, they just want Ann, Nancy, a drummer and a bassist. They want a raw sound and for it to include some cover songs of sixties hit (two to three seems to be the ideal suggestion) that they've done live but never recorded, one track from a seventies album redone (a non-single track) and six new songs plus a new version of "Little Problems, Little Lies" (from Ann Wilson's solo CD last year, Hope & Glory) that, as Carey notes, "is bass heavy, really heavy on the bass."



8) Laura Nyro. Marty's e-mail stood out the most here, "How can you induct her influences and not her? How can you induct her copycats and not her? How can they forget just how radically she reshaped popular music. There has never been anyone else like her and even her copycats get it wrong. I have a feeling they'll continue to pass over her due to the fact that she won't be able to show up to perform at their big event." (Nyro is deceased.)



9) Dionne Warwick. Tammi set us straight, "How can you induct Ricky Nelson and Bobby Darin and not induct Dionne? That voice. Those songs. The tension. She wasn't escapist fare. Even in her lightest songs, there was always this feeling of loss. As important as Dusty Springfield and a woman who really changed the musical terrain. She's probably the most successful non-Motown crossover artist of the 60s. And every one of her songs is a mini-movie and when the lyrics don't provide the ending, her vocals do."



10) Tina Turner. "OMG," wrote Mark. "Are they waiting for Private Dancer to be eligible?" [Turner's Private Dancer was released in 1984 which would mean if they are she wouldn't be eligible until the fall after next.] "1984 through 1987, the only woman in rock that got any respect and serious play on the AOR [Album Oriented Rock] stations was Tina. I take it a huge insult that she's not in the hall as a solo act because she reminded the whole world how to rock in 1984. We might still be plagued with Scritti Politti and Oingo Boingo were it not for Tina."



All those who e-mailed on an artist who did the first recording in 1984 or later were not included because next year's inductions can go back no further than 1983. For anyone disputing Tina's inclusion, she was rocking solo well before 1983. Along with "Ball of Confusion" (1982) and "Acid Queen" (from the film Tommy), Tina's solo career also includes the Phil Spector produced "River Deep, Mountain High." (Though billed as an Ike & Tina recording, Ike wasn't allowed in the studio for it by Phil.)



And the most requested?



Cher. And that's by over 131 votes. If you were running the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as Gene noted, she would be in it. What was most interesting about the e-mails on Cher, more so than any other artist, was how she has different fans of specific periods. There are those of who you favor her sixties recordings (and Dave wrote that he is not sure how to forgive us or Kat for not mentioning "Dream Baby"). Of that period, there's a huge element who demand Cher do a folk-rock album immediately. Then there's the crowd that loves the early seventies work including Hobbs who e-mailed that "In case you don't know, Nirvana sometimes performed 'Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves on stage." Then there's what we like to think of as the tabloid crowd who pledge their allegiances to not only "Take Me Home" but also "I Paralyze." Twenty-three people even wrote in attesting that her early eighties Black Rose (punk) period was her best. After the sixties, the clear winner is her eighties work. Lori wrote, "No one did a power ballad like Cher." Then there is the "Believe" crowd. Reading the e-mails, we got the feeling Cher could do a free, three hour concert where she only sang songs she's recorded and some of you would still carp! But that's okay, sooner or later, we all love us some Cher. Let's hope it's sooner than later for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame which could have inducted her years ago. The rule it is has to be 25 years since your first recording. As a solo act and as part of Sonny & Cher, she started hitting the charts in 1965 (and was recording prior to that).

Bombing of the Pentagon doesn't bother Barack?

Barack Obama and Bill Ayers.

"Ultimately, I ended up learning about the fact that he had engaged in this reprehensible act 40 years ago, but I was eight-years-old at the time . . ." -- Barack Obama, October 9, 2008.

"And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense, George." -- Barack Obama, April 16, 2008.

We think Barack's a liar. But what if he's telling the truth?

Assuming he's telling the truth and can add, the only explanation for his repeated insistence about being eight-years-old (in 1969, Weather Underground was active throughout the 1970s), maybe he's stepping carefully? He did so at another point in the February 28th debate where co-moderator Tim Russert noted "the headline of your hometown paper, Chicago Tribune: 'Louis Farrakhan Backs Obama for President at Nation of Islam Convention in Chicago'" and Russert asked him if he accepted Farrakhan's support? From the transcript:

SEN. OBAMA: You know, I have been very clear in my denunciation of Minister Farrakhan's anti-Semitic comments. I think that they are unacceptable and reprehensible. I did not solicit this support. He expressed pride in an African-American who seems to be bringing the country together. I obviously can't censor him, but it is not support that I sought. And we're not doing anything, I assure you, formally or informally with Minister Farrakhan.

MR. RUSSERT: Do you reject his support?

SEN. OBAMA: Well, Tim, you know, I can't say to somebody that he can't say that he thinks I'm a good guy. (Laughter.) You know, I -- you know, I -- I have been very clear in my denunciations of him and his past statements, and I think that indicates to the American people what my stance is on those comments.

MR. RUSSERT: The problem some voters may have is, as you know, Reverend Farrakhan called Judaism "gutter religion."

OBAMA: Tim, I think -- I am very familiar with his record, as are the American people. That's why I have consistently denounced it. This is not something new. This is something that -- I live in Chicago. He lives in Chicago. I've been very clear, in terms of me believing that what he has said is reprehensible and inappropriate. And I have consistently distanced myself from him.

RUSSERT: The title of one of your books, "Audacity of Hope," you acknowledge you got from a sermon from Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the head of the Trinity United Church. He said that Louis Farrakhan "epitomizes greatness." He said that he went to Libya in 1984 with Louis Farrakhan to visit with Moammar Gadhafi and that, when your political opponents found out about that, quote, "your Jewish support would dry up quicker than a snowball in Hell." What do you do to assure Jewish-Americans that, whether it's Farrakhan's support or the activities of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, your pastor, you are consistent with issues regarding Israel and not in any way suggesting that Farrakhan epitomizes greatness?

Barack attempted to dance around the topic repeatedly before finally stating:

Tim, I have to say I don't see a difference between denouncing and rejecting. There's no formal offer of help from Minister Farrakhan that would involve me rejecting it. But if the word "reject" Senator Clinton feels is stronger than the word "denounce," then I'm happy to concede the point, and I would reject and denounce.

Long before Hillary Clinton came into the exchange, Barack was asked specifically by Russert if he rejected Farrakhan's support and he attempted to dance around the issue.

So maybe he's dancing now? Maybe the "I was only eight-years-old" is stated because Barack is opposed to 1969's Days of Rage . . . and okay with other actions?

So, for example, the Pentagon bombing in May 19, 1972, when Barack was ten, may be something Obama is okay with?



Let's go through a list of some of the actions by the Weather Underground after Barack was eight.

Marin County Courthouse bombed October 8, 1970 (Barack is nine)
Traffic-court building in Queens bombed October 10, 1970
Harvard Center for International Affairs is bombed October 14, 1970
US Capitol building bombing March 1, 1971
Office of California Prisons is bombed August 29, 1971 (when Barack is ten)
NY Dept of Corrections (Albany, NY) is bombed September 17, 1971
MIT bombed October 15, 1971
Pentagon bombing comes in here on May 19, 1972
103rd NYC Police Precinct bombed May 18, 1973 (Barack is now eleven)
ITT NY headquarters is bombed September 28, 1973 (Barack is twelve)
San Francisco Dept of Health, Education and Welfare is bombed March 6, 1974
Office of Calif Attorney General bombed May 31, 1974
Pittsburgh headquarters of Gulf Oil bombed June 17, 1974
Anaconda Corp bombed September 11, 1974 (Barack is thirteen)
The State Dept is bombed January 29, 1975
NY's Banco de Ponce is bombed June 16, 1975
Kennecott Corporation is bombed September 1975 (Barack is fourteen)

All of the above took place after Barack was nine-years-old or older. And he wants to renounce actions when he was eight-years-old?

It's Barack and his merry gang of liars (including Diane Rehm) that keep insisting, "He was eight-years-old!" His remarks put him on record as finding what Weather Underground did when he was eight-years-old "detestable" and "reprehensible." But Weather Underground didn't end in August of 1970 (when he turned nine).

Along with the possibility that he might support the acts there's also the likely fact that, being dumb as a doornail, he still doesn't know what Weather actually did.

This is the man who, as Ava and C.I. pointed out, didn't understand that Loving v. Virginia was someone suing a state government.

What is known is that Weather Underground was not active for only one year. What is known is that the bulk of their activities took place long after Barack was older than eight-years-old.

So is he dancing around the issue because he supports the later act? Is he so stupid that he doesn't know what they actually did? Or is he just the same liar he's always been who will tell any lie to make himself look good (such as the infamous lie that his parents got together because of the Selma March and that's why he was born when, in fact, he was born years prior to the Selma March)?

It's hard to tell with Barack when he's lying or when he's just plain stupid.

But George Stephanopoulos was clear with his facts when he stated, "A gentleman named William Ayers. He was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol, and other buildings. He's never apologized for that." "1970s." Somehow Barack turned it into "I was eight-years-old!" And little liars of the press run with it.



[Also see "The ahistorical Gail Collins," Will the press get the facts right?," "AP's fool Philip Elliott," "Bill Ayers as Elsa?," "THIS JUST IN! BARACK TRIES THE 'ELSA EXCUSE'!," "Iraq snapshot," "Anita Dunn is a liar," "Cover up artists and liars," "Iraq snapshot," "Press lies for Barack (Again!)," "Third, Ben Smith, Bob Ellis" and "Iraq snapshot."]

Spectacular Dumb Ass Moments from Dumb Asses

I do agree with Adolph that there is no question, Barack Obama does not walk on water. It's not even clear to me that that would be the standard by which we would choose a president.



That's Lie Face Melissa Harris-Lacewell attempting to sound 'reasoned,' "The Politics of the Rev. Wright Controversy: A Debate with Melissa Harris-Lacewell and Adolph Reed, Jr.," (April 30, 2008, Democracy Now!).


[Iwana e-mailed about the interview last weekend.]

Highlights

This piece is written by Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude, Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix, Kat of Kat's Korner, Betty of Thomas Friedman is a Great Man, Mike of Mikey Likes It!, Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz, Ruth of Ruth's Report, Marcia of SICKOFITRADLZ and Wally of The Daily Jot. Unless otherwise noted, we picked all highlights.





"I Hate The War" -- Most requested highlight by readers of this site. C.I. addresses the issue of Iraqi Christians.





"The ahistorical Gail Collins" -- Betinna has a stop over from Gail and it's hysterical. We asked Betty, "Where did you get the idea for some of this stuff?" It's all true. ("Not about Gail Collins!" adds Betty.) She took various personal stories from friends and gave them to Gail. It's a very funny chapter.





"4 Recipes in the Kitchen" -- Trina asked readers the weekend before to come up with some simple recipes that blended easy to find ingredients and they came through.





"it is his middle name" -- Rebecca points out the obvious.





"The Common Ills" -- The second most requested highlight. This is Elaine's post on TCI and she notes she spent forever writing it and still wasn't done "but had to post because Ruth told a number of people what I was blogging on and everyone was saying they wanted to link to it."





"Bill Ayers as Elsa?" & "THIS JUST IN! BARACK TRIES THE 'ELSA EXCUSE'!" -- Longterm reader Mike (not the Mike co-writing this) loves the movie Born Free. It is his all time favorite movie and when he saw Cedric and Wally working it into their post, he e-mailed a list of 12 reasons why this should be a highlight. He left out reason 13: "I'm a longterm reader of Third."





"manhola dargis lets me down" -- This was a nice switch-up topic that no one expected but everyone enjoyed. Rebecca's covering a few topics in this including that Manhola forgot to tell her the name of the hottie on the movie poster.





"Oklahoma community members endorse . . ." -- Kat got to make the announcement. How come? "I had nothing to write about," she explains. "I told C.I. that on the phone and was asked if I wanted to grab the announcement. C.I. was planning to note it the next morning but kindly let me have it when I couldn't think of anything to blog on."








"barack declares social security is on the table" -- We'd like to do something on this topic Rebecca caught from the debate but we're really in wrap up mode so it's up in the air as we write this.





"Anita Dunn is a liar" -- Saying Barack was 8 years old during Weather Underground is a lie. As documented in several features this edition, it's a lie. But, as Ruth points out, that didn't stop Anita Dunn from trying to lie even more and claim he was only seven.





"Cover up artists and liars" -- Kat on the Press Club For Barack.





"Barack and his grants to friends" -- Marcia notes how Barack sure does love using his positions to dole out money to his cronies.





"Barack the non-peace candidate" -- Elaine on the debate. The only debate piece written thus far, just FYI, is Ava and C.I.'s TV commentary.





"Sexist PBS and more" -- Mike on the debate.





"Presidential campaign roundup" -- Ruth decided to take a look at all the campaigns and hopes to do this once a week. As always, those running interference for another candidate as opposed to running an actual campaign will be left out.





"Chicago Dyke spews hate & lies, Corrente lets her" -- It's really amazing what she got away with posting. Marcia calls her out on it.





"Thoughts on McCain-Palin" -- Marcia's post regarding Oklahoma community members is a topic in the roundtable we did for this edition.





"Election, Iraq" -- Mike covers the horserace and the illegal war.





"THIS JUST IN! BARACK AND DAVIS CRY RACISM!" & "Team Obama insists it's the new" -- Wally and Cedric with a very funny post which Jim loves so much he wants to repost here in full.

Truest statement of the week

In the comments someone pointed me to this ridiculous essay by Robin Morgan. Ridiculous because it's full of lies. You know, if I were going to write an Eminent Feminist's missive to the world -- which Morgan clearly thinks she's doing -- laying out the Eminent Feminist viewpoint on Palin, I think I'd least check my facts.
Morgan obviously didn't. In her piece she repeats long-debunked lies that it would have taken her only seconds to investigate: that Palin claimed the war was part of God's plan, that she didn't know what the Vice President does (it was a rhetorical question, for chrissake), that she denounced Hillary supporters as "whiners," that she opposes sex ed, that she's against contraception, that she opposes funding for pregnant teens, that she made a point of charging victims for rape kits, that she believes in "praying away" homosexuality, that she’s a crazy fundamentalist who wants to put us all in calico dresses, and on and on.
Those are all lies.

-- Dr. Violet Socks, "Why is Robin Morgan lying?" (Reclusive Leftist).

Truest stament of the week II

Well, the Green Party's viewpoint -- and Cynthia has been very clear, and the party has been very clear -- an immediate end to the war, an immediate withdrawal of troops in Iraq, but also in Afghanistan. And, you know, one thing Cynthia agrees with a former colleague of hers, Dennis Kucinich, is that we now have to talk about creating departments of peace. And we have to also talk about withdrawing troops wherever they reside in other people's homelands. I always found it interesting -- or, you know, the fact that we, as the United States government, and we, as the people in this country, allow our military to be placed in other people's homelands. And being from Puerto Rico, I'm very clear on why the military does what it does. But we would never allow another country to have a military base there. And that might be a little simplistic kind of thing to throw out there, but I also think it speaks to the way we want to move forward in the future. And I don't think that either party is planning on ending the war. I think that the Democrats are more about transferring troops to Afghanistan and potentially preparing for a war in Pakistan. And even yesterday, Joe Biden talked about the possibility of putting troops in in Darfur. And I think that's something that we have to say immediately is unacceptable and that the majority of young people in this country have been clear for the last five years that we want an end to the war right now.



-- Rosa Clemente (Cynthia McKinney's running mate) on Democracy Now! Friday.

A note to our readers

Hey --

Another edition. We're about to fall over. A really long edition.

The following worked on this edition:

The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
and Marcia SICKOFITRDLZ.

And Dallas. We thank all who helped.

From thanks to apologies.

Community member Iwana had a suggestion C.I. brought over. We loved it. We planned to do it. Iwana, time ran out. We'll pick it up next week and that's a promise. Apologies also go out to readers who e-mailed for two reasons. First, we have a feature that a list which will do next week. Second, Ty wanted to do a "Ty's Corner" (and we wanted him to as well) but we'd still be working if he had. We did the roundtable as the very last thing and we were already late. It needed to be typed up. Ty grabbed that. (Thank you, Ty.) And . . . You almost had a review of Chuck. That's what Ava and C.I. had on deck. They thought they could cover it with the debate but had too many things to cover. Fine, they decided to do another commentary this edition and pair it with a fraud. But we asked them to do something else. Next week, we hope to have a humor piece which wasn't good enough this week online but made it into print edition. We're hoping we'll either be funnier next week or Ava and C.I. will be able to help out (they were doing their TV commentary when we were working on it).

Let's move to what we have:

Truest statement of the week -- Violet Socks was the obvious choice.

Truest stament of the week II -- This took forever. We went back and forth on it for two reasons. 1) We don't like to highlight politicians for a "truest" and 2) we didn't want to panic Nader readers into thinking we were choosing another ticket. Rosa Clemente's comment comes from her debate with Matt Gonzalez. But the reality was it said a lot that needed to be said. Rosa earned her truest.

Editorial: Sour Grape Girls, Tears Dry On Their Own -- Amy Winehouse. We love her. There's a positive in today's world. Sadly, Amy Winehouse makes much more sense than the leaders of the feminist movement these days. You'll note the f-word. If it offends you, don't drop by. If you're a community member, you got an e-mail from C.I. Friday evening warning you that this would be an explicit edition. And it really is. We like this editorial a lot.

TV: The Comedy of Errors -- "What is taking Ava and C.I. so long?" someone wondered when they were off writing this. (No, it wasn't me.) We were working on the humor piece that wasn't coming together so we were very aware of every minute they were gone. They came back, we set the humor piece aside and I read this out loud. We wouldn't have the roundtable if it weren't for this. As usual, their commentary gave the rest of us new determination to continue despite being tired. This is really wonderful. So wonderful that I wanted to raid sections. They said no and point out that there's a special thing going on for English Lit majors. It's your own little treat if you catch their structure and segues. They worked forever on this with special attention to that and said nothing could be pulled out without altering everything.

The Vagina Strikes Back! (Ava and C.I.) -- This is the piece that had to be written. And it was late. All of us in the core six were working like crazy editing and typing. Ava and C.I. planned to go off and write their piece on Chuck and the fraud. We stopped them (Dona and I stopped them) and said we really needed this piece instead. What piece? That was Ava and C.I.'s question. Dona and I were explaining it and tossing out title ideas and, as Dona and I got stuck on vagina being in it and tossing out movie titles, they looked at each other, looked at us and then said together (those two are in sync), "The Vagina Strikes Back!" Dona and I cried, "Yes!" They noted they were about to fall asleep and had no real structure so it would be a talking piece. We were fine with it. When they finished it, they handed it to us and asked us to edit it. We read it and didn't change anything. (They generally don't ask us to edit their stuff -- in fact, we don't remember ever being asked to before, but they were tired and not sure this was what we were asking for.) This really is amazing. Last week, you were all spoiled with not one, not two, but three pieces by Ava and C.I. We promise, to acknowledge Buddy's e-mail last week, not to continue to assign them multiple pieces.

Again, whose media center? -- Yeah, time to ask the question again as it traffics in non-stop Sarah Palin bashing. Apparently Palin's not so bad. I mean, if she were, would they have to make up lies?

Goodbye To All That WMC Style -- This actually was C.I.'s idea but C.I. and Ava didn't write anything in it. They headed off to do their TV commentary and we came up with this. We like it and think it says a lot (we thank Rebecca and Elaine who were happy to spill about earlier times and we thank C.I. who, at Rebecca and Elaine's request, fact-checked those events).

Roundtable -- There were many other topics. We were going to try to note The New Adventures of Old Christine (airing Wednesdays on CBS in the first half-hour of prime time). We'll attempt to note your suggestions re: that show next week. We ended up focusing on race. Dona wanted it noted that she didn't realize C.I.'s entire contribution to the roundtable was "You have turned my life into a paperback novel." Dona says, "If I'd realized that, I would have insisted C.I. and Mike get the closing thoughts." Illustration by Betty's eldest son and we thank him for it.


Bail Out Barry screws the tax payers -- Short pieces is always Dona's cry. This edition we have two of them.

Green Party Women's Caucus stands up -- A reposting of an open letter. Be sure to read it and we praise the Green Party Women's Caucus for issuing the open letter.

Authoritarina Fool of the Week -- Another short piece. Robin Morgan slimes democracy.

Sponsor a Team Nader volunteer -- Nader repost.

Highlights -- Mike, Elaine, Kat, Rebecca, Betty, Cedric, Ruth, Wally and Marcia wrote this and picked all highlights.

And, what do you know, we're finally through. Just as Amy Winehouse's again singing "Tears Dryl On Their Own" from the speakers. See you next week.

-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.