War hero McCain deserted by voters in military state
By Leonard Doyle in Quantico, Virginia
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
As you drive along the highway towards the world's largest Marine Corp base, a huge sign pronounces "Virginia, John McCain Country".
The Republican nominee's oft-told personal story as a navy fighter pilot and a Vietnam prisoner-of-war who endured years of horrific torture should have given him a lock on this state. But, as elsewhere in the country, support for the war hero appears to be waning amid deep concerns about the economy. Mr McCain's aggressive stance on Iraq; questions he has raised about his rival's character, and even overtly racist digs heard from Republicans on the campaign trail do not appear to be pushing voters into his arms.
"I have never voted in my life," Staff Sergeant Willie Hamilton admitted, somewhat shamefacedly, as the sun set over the base in Quantico. "I'm from the South and voting was never been a big issue back in South Carolina. But I'm 37 years old now and I intend to vote for Senator Obama."
The ramrod military discipline of the Marine Corps forbids talk of politics to ensure a chain of command that leads all the way to the Commander-in-Chief is never compromised – but Sgt Hamilton was adamant that the public needed to know that there are plenty of Obama supporters in the military. "What we need is a president who will help the whole country, not just a bit of it," he said. "A decision to vote Republican might help me today but it won't tomorrow when I have left the military."
Virginia has been faithfully in the Republican column in every presidential election for the past 44 years. The state's large military population and a wider community of veterans and family members could always be relied on. However, judging by a series of interviews with serving and former members of the Marines over the weekend, that run could be coming to an end.
From a veterans' bingo game to a raucous karaoke session with soldiers and their girlfriends belting out country and western songs, the anecdotal evidence all pointed to a Democrat groundswell. in the tidy subdivisions of new houses dotted across the hilltops around Quantico, there are no signs screaming support for the Republicans and their war hero nominee, and almost everyone who stops to chat says that either they are on the fence or intend to vote for Mr Obama.
The official polls are mirroring the view on the streets. The latest poll of polls, compiled by Real Clear Politics, yesterday showed Mr Obama with an overall 51 to 44 point lead in Virginia, having overturned the two-point lead Mr McCain had just a month ago.
Before his campaign went into a tailspin, the Republican nominee was so confident of winning the state that he didn't even open a Virginia headquarters. How times have changed. Yesterday, Mr McCain staged a rally in Virginia Beach, where he sought to convince supporters he could come back to defeat his rival despite drooping poll numbers.
He said he had been a fighter all his life and would continue to be one as president, tackling the country's economic problems and foreign policy challenges from day one. "The hour is late; our troubles are getting worse; our enemies watch," he told the crowd. "We have to act immediately. We have to change direction now. We have to fight, and you and I know how to do that."
Fighting talk was clearly the order of the day, with a promise to "whip" his rival's "you-know-what" at the third and final presidential debate in New York State tomorrow.
Over at the Museum of the Marine Corps, one serving Marine who wished to remain anonymous, said he thought that, at 72, Mr McCain was too old to become president, and he worried about what would happen to the country, were it to be placed in the hands of his running mate Sarah Palin. And against the backdrop of reconstructions of famous American battles, a group of four Vietnam war veterans were discussing who they would be voting for, and Mr Obama came out on top. Ed Sullivan, 63 and Frank Merxbauer, 64, had both decided on the Democratic nominee; Dave Prouhef, 61, was undecided. Only Bruce Longbine, 62, was openly hostile to the Democrat. "Hell No!" he bellowed at the idea of an Obama presidency.
At the Main Street Bar and Grill, Johnny Forsyth, a Marine captain, was knocking back the shots and shaking his head at the younger Marines and their girlfriends writhing on the dance floor. "These guys are all on the Obama bandwagon and I can't get it into their heads that he will be a disaster for the military," he said. "I've done Iraq and what we need is a president who understands the mission like John McCain does."
http://w3.newsmax.com/a/morrismap/?promo_code=2A89-1
McCain's Numbers |
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36 |
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votes for McCain |
+ 74 |
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leaning McCain |
110 |
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McCain |
Obama's Numbers |
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355 |
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votes for Obama |
+ 41 |
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leaning Obama |
396 |
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Obama |
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bearspop.com ♥ myspace.com/bearspop Simple Machinery was released in early September of this year, and I did have several writers take a listen at the album for review. Due to conflicting scheduling and sheer laziness (haha), the album ended up back in my court. The one thing that each of the writers told me was that this band is "really fun". I would also add that this band is actually pleasant-sounding, I mean these songs sounds like it's from a mellow 60s. My favorite song on here is "Wait and See", surprisingly very retro-sounding and I wish it would've continued on - only it sort of just ends in the middle of the song or something (at least that's how it feels). A close second is the first track, "Please Don't", which grabbed me and made me pay attention. Both really great songs. If you like indiepop, you should definitely give this band a chance - I think you'll find yourself humming along. Simple Machinery's been out since September 2, 2008. You can buy the album directly from them or the low-costing Tone Vendor. They promise a vinyl version of Simple Machinery will be "available soon". Check them out live:
18 Oct 2008 St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure, New York
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belakaroli.com ♥ myspace.com/belakaroli I love this! There's no guitars anywhere, most of this music is a mix of electronic sounds and jazzniks (Jazz/Beatniks) with its upright bass, accordion, violins, and organ. The reason why Bela Karoli is on here is that their 2008's Furnished Room features an odd bee's behind on its cover. The band seems to be driven by singer/upright bass player, Julie Davis. She sounds like a passive singer, letting the music play around her vocals - yet her voice does drive the songs. My favorite song on this album is "Some Things That Fly There Be", which I think the cover art was inspired by this song or vice versa. Check out that French-sounding accordion, that cool, cool, cool, vocals saying "some things that fly there be, birds, hours, the bumblebee: of these no elegy". Yeah, I know, it sounds more like poetry than it sounds like a song! Furnished Room is out now on Helmet R00m Records and it looks like they are playing Halloween! That should be an amazing sight to see:
31 Oct 2008 Boulder Theater w/ Devotchka and Paper Bird Boulder, Colorado
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miniaturetigers.com ♥ myspace.com/miniaturetigers From Phoenix, Arizona, is this delightful indie rock band called Miniature Tigers. Fans of Weezer, will love this band. Charlie Brand, the singer, has a very comfortable, laid back, and non-threatening vocals - that helps when he's singing these geeky love lyrics such as: and The band is gaining momentum, already on Rolling Stone's "25 best bands on Myspace" and with this Tell It To the Volcano (released September 16th on Modern Art Records), they are planning on playing the famed-CMJ in New York.
13 Oct 2008 w/ Birdmonster @ Yucca Tap Phoenix, Arizona 15 Oct 2008 w/ Say Hi @ Rhythm Room Phoenix, Arizona 21 Oct 2008 CMJ New York, New York 24 Oct 2008 CMJ New York, New York 03 Nov 2008 @ Echoplex Los Angeles, California 06 Nov 2008 @ Rhythm Room Phoenix, Arizona |
amy-ray.com ♥ myspace.com/amyray Amy Ray is best known for being one half of the legendary Indigo Girls. She just released her latest album, Didn't It Feel Kinder last August. I really love this album, there's a nice mix of easy-southern comfort feel, but there are the occasional rock-type songs such as "Bus Bus" to make you take notice. And it feels honest. Songs like "Cold Shoulder" tells us it is, detailing about a straight girl that is secretly into other girls. My favorite song on the album is the love song, "She's Got to Be". I found out that this was Amy Ray's experimenting with using her head voice: For ‘She's Got To Be,’ I was experimenting with using my head voice, my falsetto, and so I wrote in a different direction, too. There's also an underlying statement in her songs, that's not blatant. Take for instance, "Who Sold the Gun", which is an anti-gun song from the sounds of it. The last line is pretty powerful: "because we're just as f*cked up, yeah". I don't want to read too much in "SLC Radio", but I feel that this is a woman-rights/polygamy associated with Mormons and Salt Lake City. These songs reminds me of classic protest songs. Didn't It Feel Kinder is out now on her own non-profit label, Daemon Records. Vinyl fans should want to check out the 180gm limited edition with new artwork. You can catch her on her upcoming fall tour:
19 Oct 2008 3rd & Lindsley Nashville, Tennessee 20 Oct 2008 Hi Tone Cafe Memphis, Tennessee 21 Oct 2008 Blueberry Hill St. Louis, Missouri 23 Oct 2008 The Slowdown Omaha, Nebraska 24 Oct 2008 Fine Line Music Cafe Minneapolis, Minnesota 25 Oct 2008 The Maintainance Shop Ames 26 Oct 2008 High Noon Saloon Madison, Wisconsin 28 Oct 2008 High Dive Champaign, Illinois 29 Oct 2008 Metro Chicago, Illinois 31 Oct 2008 Beachland Ballroom & Tavern Cleveland, Ohio 01 Nov 2008 Mr Smalls Theater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 02 Nov 2008 Tralf Music Hall Buffalo, New York 04 Nov 2008 The Mod Club Toronto, Ontario 05 Nov 2008 Higher Ground Ballroom Burlington, Vermont 07 Nov 2008 Somerville Theater Somerville, Massachusetts 08 Nov 2008 Pearl Street Upstairs Northampton, Massachusetts 10 Nov 2008 Toad’s Place New Haven, Connecticut 12 Nov 2008 Bowery Ballroom New York, New York 13 Nov 2008 North Star Bar Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 14 Nov 2008 9:30 Club Washington DC, Washington DC 15 Nov 2008 Capital Ale House Richmond, Virginia 18 Nov 2008 The Jewish Mother Virginia Beach, Virginia 19 Nov 2008 Cat’s Cradle Carborro, North Carolina 21 Nov 2008 The Orange Peel Asheville, North Carolina 22 Nov 2008 The Variety Playhouse Atlanta, Georgia |
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mercuryrev.com ♥ myspace.com/mercuryrevmusic Mercury Rev released two albums simultaneously in 2008, one for sale (Snowflake Midnight) and one for free (Strange Attractor). If you were interested in the free album, details are on their official website. I don't have Snowflake Midnight to compare to, but from what I've heard on Strange Attractor, Attractor seems to be more electronic/ambient - basically background-type of music. The most interesting song on here ("Nocturne For Norwood") uses samples from some guy talking. For some reason, I thought Mercury Rev had singers? This feels like it's an album of background music that they lay down for audio to go on top of it, so it doesn't feel at all complete. I guess I can't complain because it is, after all, free. Regardless, they are getting some major buzz and press, selling out all their dates in Ireland.
30 Oct 2008 Electric Avenue - SOLD OUT Waterford, Ireland 31 Oct 2008 Cyprus Avenue - SOLD OUT Cork, Ireland 01 Nov 2008 Roisin Dubh - SOLD OUT Galway, Ireland 02 Nov 2008 Vicar St. Dublin, Ireland 04 Nov 2008 Mandela Hall Belfast, UK 05 Nov 2008 Academy Manchester, UK 06 Nov 2008 Academy Leeds, UK 07 Nov 2008 Academy Birmingham, UK 09 Nov 2008 Academy Newcastle, UK 11 Nov 2008 Corn Exchange Brighton, UK 12 Nov 2008 Academy Bristol, UK 13 Nov 2008 Shepherds Bush Empire London, UK 14 Nov 2008 Academy Oxford, UK 16 Nov 2008 Den Atelier Luxembourg, Luxembourg 17 Nov 2008 Luxor Koln, Germany 18 Nov 2008 Train Aarhus, Denmark 19 Nov 2008 Vega Copenhagen, Denmark 21 Nov 2008 Lido Berlin, Germany 22 Nov 2008 Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands 24 Nov 2008 Ancienne Belgique Brussels, Belgium 25 Nov 2008 Elysee Montmartre Paris, France 26 Nov 2008 La Vapeur Dijon, France 27 Nov 2008 Espacio Movistar Barcelona, Spain 28 Nov 2008 Joy Madrid, Spain 29 Nov 2008 Aula Magna Lisbon, Portugal 30 Nov 2008 Art Cafe Muza Sosnowiec, Poland 05 Dec 2008 Paradise Boston, MA, Massachusetts 06 Dec 2008 Trocadero Philadelphia, PA 07 Dec 2008 Highline Ballroom New York, NY, New York 08 Dec 2008 Cabaret Du Musee Juste Pour Rire Montreal, QC, Quebec 09 Dec 2008 Opera House Toronto, ON, Ontario 11 Dec 2008 Metro Chicago, IL, Illinois 12 Dec 2008 Fine Line Music Cafe Minneapolis, MN, Minnesota 14 Dec 2008 Fox Theater Boulder, CO, Colorado 16 Dec 2008 El Rey Los Angeles, CA, California 17 Dec 2008 The Independent San Francisco, CA, California PS, the cover to this album is creepy! Check out that cat on the bottom, starring back. |
superxxman.com ♥ myspace.com/superxxman Super XX Man's Volume XII: There'll Be Diamonds comes out October 21st, which is in a couple of weeks. Because of their McGruff-ish cover art (but on closer inspection, you'll find that it's supposed to be a Panther - named after his song "Cautious Like a Panther"), I have decided to include them in this round up. As the title suggest, this is his twelfth album. Once again, the fine people at Tender Loving Empire shows off their silk-screening awesomeness. I really dig these cover art, which kind of feels rubbery on touch. Super XX Man is actually one Scott Garred, who started his career in the 90s in the Austin-based indiepop band Silver Scooter. There's elements of indiepop, but he's also experimenting here with a variety of instruments and sound (including the ukulele!). Although it's mostly a serious storytelling album, I did find that there are hints of humor ("little duckie you're the one" line in "What Lies Beneath"). Check out my favorite song here, "There'll Be Diamonds", the title track, demonstrating said variety of instruments (can you hear a xylophone?) Good news is that they'll be setting on an upcoming tour, including that crazy CMJ everyone is talking about:
22 Oct 2008 St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub Alexandria, Virginia 23 Oct 2008 OS Art House - Fanatic Showcase New York 24 Oct 2008 Knitting Factory - PDX Showcase New Yok 24 Oct 2008 Alphabet Lounge CMJ Showcase New York 29 Oct 2008 White Eagle Portland 30 Oct 2008 Sam Bonds Garage Eugene 31 Oct 2008 Make Out Room San Francisco 01 Nov 2008 UC Davis The Old Firehouse Davis 23 Nov 2008 Someday Lounge Portland |
Links:
weheartmusic.com news.weheartmusic.com
"We are fighting the good fight. That's what it is all about. That's what I love." McCain said
Well I guess that depends on what you define as a 'good' fight.
A good clean honest fight? I say NOT at all.
As Palin said herself, "OK now. The heels are on. The gloves come off."
Sounds like a dirty fight to me.
You Are Surrealism |
 Dreamy and idealistic, you've created a world that is all your own. It's very likely that you've either dabbled in drugs or are naturally trippy. You are always trying to push beyond the boundaries of your culture and society. You believe that art, love, and freedom can change the world. |
If I ever had to give a political speech, then this is a good model.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/102596/
(Religulous – documentary – 101 min – directed by Larry Charles – starring Bill Maher)
Finally, a movie for my people! That's right, I'm an atheist. In fact, I'm so much of an atheist that I don't even like the term. I think the default setting for humans is to not be religious — I might as well call myself a non-snake handler, non-scientologist, or a non-branch Davidian.Religulous: Atheists Will Love Bill Maher's New Flick
But enough about me. Religulous, directed by Borat director Larry Charles, follows Bill Maher as he travels the world questioning religious "experts" and believers about the inherent contradictions and accepted silliness that makes up the bulk of the world's "organized" religions. Maher is not an atheist — he just accepts that he does not know the answers to life's big spiritual questions, and that anyone who claims to know with absolute certainty what God or Allah wants or what happens when we die must be doubted to the utmost. Pretty hard to argue with that.
Maher has been talking about religion for his entire comedic career. At times, the movie feels a bit like watching his stand up being performed to an audience of one, whether it be a Jew for Jesus, a Muslim cleric, or an evangelical senator. Which is not a bad thing — there are big laughs in Religulous as Maher boldly challenges the many illogical, violent, farcical beliefs that form the foundation of most religions. Unlike Borat, Religulous uses a lot of stock footage and clips to punctuate its jokes, while also adding a welcome dose of infotainment. For example, who knew that the story of Jesus — with its virgin birth, 12 disciples and resurrection — is a variation of a tale that had been circulating the Middle East and the Mediterranean for decades?
While Maher does more than his fair share of attacking and mocking, the believers in the film are the most effective in making a mockery of themselves. When you hear people speaking in tongues, declaring that humans coexisted peacefully with dinosaurs, or explaining how prayer can cure homosexuality, it's hard not to conclude that religion is simply an accepted form of mass insanity. And in several refreshing turns, religious officials admit that they are teaching illogical fantasy, that their institutions are rife with hypocrisy, and make fun of their religion's more fundamentalist sects.
Some may find Maher's manner to be condescending or overly aggressive, and sometimes it is. Maher has obviously spent a lot of time studying religion to find its weak points and inconsistencies, and he clearly enjoys confronting people about them. But while Maher can be quite pointed, he often just asks people questions so viewers can hear what these true believers have to say. And it's not that he's springing "gotcha" questions — is it wrong to ask a devout Christian if they really believe in talking snakes or how Jesus could be three people at once?Religulous focuses mainly on Christianity, Islam, and occasionally on Judaism. Eastern religions like Buddhism and Taoism are excluded, which makes sense to me since I see those as being philosophies more than they are religions. And, unfortunately, the movie ends on a preachy, conspicuously unfunny note as Maher unloads his feelings on why religion is a danger to civilization and, combined with increasingly powerful weaponry, could potentially destroy the earth. I actually agree with much of this sentiment, but the tone and placement of this polemic ends a good movie on a sour note.
Still, Religulous is an entertaining, thought-provoking movie that even religious people will enjoy, especially if they’re able to get a laugh at their own expense. If they aren’t, well, that sort of proves the whole point Religulous and Bill Maher are trying to make.
Tagged as: religion, bill maher, religulous, brave new review, larry charles
Jonathan Kim blogs under the name DJK. He is a Co-Producer at Brave New Films. He co-produces the Fox Attacks series and blogs for the bravenewfilms.org and foxattacks.com websites.