I can't believe it's not a democracy!

Looks like Harry Reid just ran out of excuses:

Franken declared Senate winner, Coleman concedes. Al Franken is the 60th democratic senator. No doubt Harry is not pleased that he can no longer claim that he is unable to get a fucking thing done without 60 democratic votes. Then again, the real number always was 51. You see, Harry et al. whined about needing 60 votes to defeat republican filibusters, but that was always a ruse to get the base enthused to vote for democrats while having a ready made excuse for not delivering the goods. Well, Harry, your excuse is gone. Good fucking luck.

Shameless pandering:

Handpicked Senator Kirsten Gillibrand posted a diary at Daily Kos titled: I Stand With Lt. Dan Choi, It's Time To Repeal DADT. Wow, you go girl. You fight for your queer brothers and sisters. But, um, one question: why the change of heart? Apparently she did not join 150 democratic representatives who co-sponsored a bill to kill DADT back in 2007. Read the comments. Naturally, many of the commenters are giving her a pass because her district was not blue and she had to blah, blah, blah. All I'm saying is that suddenly Gillibrand has gone from blue dog to self-proclaimed liberal warrior. I'm not buying it. [Update: This post at Left of the Hudson lists some concerns about Gillibrand.]

And I have no doubt that Gillibrand will be at Pride where--to prove her bona fides--she will (figuratively) slip her tongue so far down Christine Quinn’s* willing throat that when she’s done she can tell Chris the good news that she doesn’t have any polyps.

Do I sound bitter? Actually, I'm not. I'm kind of excited that large sub-groups of the democratic party are finally getting it. Namely, I think it is now obvious to real liberals and progressives that the democrats aren't going to pass universal health care or real banking reform or investigate the former administration's role in war crimes, torture and the illegal wiretapping and data-mining of our telephone calls and e-mails. Not. Gonna. Happen. Why does this make me excited? Because I'm starting to believe that there are enough people out there who want to find a real alternative to the hateful republican assholes and the complicit democratic ones. Maybe, just maybe, there are enough informed, involved and committed Americans who are willing to do the hard work of forming and sustaining a true third party committed to progressive ideals. Hey, I like to dream big.

*Christine Quinn is New York City Council Speaker and wants to be the first gay mayor so bad that she will do anything to get it. She's the useful queer token democrats can stand next to to prove their gay-friendly bona fides (look...I'm standing next to a lesbian!). She also has served Michael Bloomberg well, only challenging him on small shit to make it look like she's a fighter, not a water carrier. I have no doubt that Hill and Mayor Mike have promised to help fund her eventual run for mayor (right after Bloomberg's third term, unless, of course, he wants another).

Updat 2: Here's a photo of Gillibrand after her elevation to Hill's former senate seat: 

(AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Hey, is that former republican senator Al D'Amato at her right hand side?  Why yes, yes it is.

Because the republicans are raving douchebags and the democrats have no spine (or like things the way the are?), that's why:

Self-identified Independents surge in poll. Personally, I think many democrats are happy with the status quo and would rather see republicans win than have true progressives move to DC and ruin their party (in every sense of the word). Fuck 'em. We have more democrats, now we need better ones. And if that doesn't work, then maybe, finally, we can have a real progressive party? Yeah, I like to dream big.

This is refreshing:

Obama to say US will rebuild and emerge stronger. Remember how W talked down the economy before and after he stole the election in 2000? Well, the bubble was bursting, but taking a dump on the economy didn't help. While happy talk won't make our problems go away, talking about everyone working together to address the problem and move forward is the better tact to take. Certainly better than W's "be afraid" mantra. Eight years was more than enough of that bullshit.

Pelosi gets a point:

Pelosi Saves School Renovation Funds. Reid, on the other hand, is still a useless piece of shit.

And the headline reads:

Is Sarah Palin ready and willing to resurrect the GOP? Is Sarah Palin ready and willing? Hell yes. Now that she has a taste of adoring crowds and Jimmy Choos, she's not going to be happy going back to Alaska and shopping at the local Wal*Mart. What the headline does not ask is the obvious question: Is Sarah Palin able to resurrect the GOP? Um, no, no she is not. Let's hope that she tries, because if Sarah Palin disappears comedy gold is going to be very hard to come by.

Disgraced military leader endorses Obama.

Yes, according to the blogs, Colin Powell just endorsed Barack Obama on Meet the Press.  Personally, I wouldn't covet that endorsement, but I'm not running for president.  I guess there are people out there who still think Colin Powell is a good guy, despite his disgraceful presentation to the U.N. about Iraq's phantom "weapons of mass destruction."  Remember that little vial of white powder he held up?  People speculate that he felt that he had a duty to support the president.  No Colin, you took an oath uphold the consitution, and your duty was to the American people.  You lied to us.  No doubt endorsing Obama is one of his first steps towards rehabilitating his reputation.  Because they never go away.  Ever. 

Morse explains in 30 seconds why McCain is unfit for office:

And apparently this video is going viral. Embed it on your site.

Dennis Kucinich shows Hill et al.

how you give a truly rousing convention speech. The link brings you to a Kos diary with embedded video of Kucinich's speech. The convention center wasn't jammed packed (it was earlier in the evening), but the folks who were there were enthusiastic and got to their feet.

At the very end of the diary there is a cite to and a quote from The Hill about the one line that the Obama team removed from Kucinich's speech. According to the Hill: Yet not every speech has been completely overhauled. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who was asked by Obama to speak about the economy, was scheduled to deliver his speech Tuesday afternoon. The Obama campaign struck just one line from his speech, which slammed the Republicans and the Bush administration, according to a Democratic source.

That line, addressing Republicans, read: "They’re asking for another four years — in a just world, they’d get 10 to 20."

God I love Dennis Kucinich.

Is it Tim Kaine? Biden? Hill?

I don't care.  Color me tired of the political kabuki.  Just wake me up on November 5th, 'kay?  Which is just my way of saying that nothing jumped out at me today because all I kept on hearing or reading was speculation about who Obama is going to pick.  We'll find out soon enough.  Enough.