Time to Make a Difference - July 19
It's summertime. The heady passions of spring have been subsided. Our summer state of mind may be described as nervous optimism. Obama spanks McCain in the national polls and shows strength in ridiculously red states, McCain's anemic campaign is twisted in knots, and the Republican Party is about as popular as Lyme disease. Nonetheless, we're concerned that Obama has abandoned his principles, we know that Karl Rove and company are still lurking out there, we don't trust the American people to think straight in the voting booth, and in the pit our collective stomach, we're deeply anxious that the Democrats will find another ingenious way to screw things up. With little news to occupy us, we exercise our anxieties by squabbling, rehashing tired arguments, criticizing one another for squabbling/rehashing tired arguments, or simply logging off.
I have the cure. It is action. Time to stop the petty squabbling about who called who a troll and who violated the terms of what truce. Whether you're unrepentant Obamanaut or a reluctant Hillbot, we must not forget our shared objective. After eight years of disastrous Republican control, we cannot sit idly while conservative voters usher another inept, war-mongering, supply-siding abortion opponent into office.
We have four assets to offer the Obama campaign:
1) Our vote
2) Our voice
3) Our time
4) Our money
Our vote, we will offer when the time comes. Our voice, we offer everyday on this site and others. Many of us have already offered our time and money to the campaign, and many more will do so before November.
But few of us have much money to offer, and the amount that we can give is limited in any case. We can, however, augment our own contributions by persuading others to donate as well. A number of us plan to host fundraising parties next Sat., July 19th. If you have a least one friend and a home with at least one room, I encourage you to join the effort. Invite your friend, offer him a beer and maybe some chips, and request that he make a donation to the campaign, whatever he can afford. (At the New York party, the suggested donation will be $25.) If you have no friends or your home has no rooms, you can attend the party of another TPMer. We have parties planned in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Singapore, western N. Carolina, Austin, Phoenix, Tucson, and Saint Louis. I hope that we will also get volunteers to host in L.A., Chicago, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Denver, and Boston, and anywhere else that a member of TPM cafe lives.
If you wish to host, please contact me at xenghis@gmail.com, or you can friend me or California Paige at my.barackobama.com. If you cannot host yourself but would like to find a party, please contact us, and we'll try to put you in contact with someone in your area. Also, if you haven't joined our TPM-aholics group at my.barackobama.com, I encourage you to do so.
Regards,
Genghis
California Paige
Articleman
I have the cure. It is action. Time to stop the petty squabbling about who called who a troll and who violated the terms of what truce. Whether you're unrepentant Obamanaut or a reluctant Hillbot, we must not forget our shared objective. After eight years of disastrous Republican control, we cannot sit idly while conservative voters usher another inept, war-mongering, supply-siding abortion opponent into office.
We have four assets to offer the Obama campaign:
1) Our vote
2) Our voice
3) Our time
4) Our money
Our vote, we will offer when the time comes. Our voice, we offer everyday on this site and others. Many of us have already offered our time and money to the campaign, and many more will do so before November.
But few of us have much money to offer, and the amount that we can give is limited in any case. We can, however, augment our own contributions by persuading others to donate as well. A number of us plan to host fundraising parties next Sat., July 19th. If you have a least one friend and a home with at least one room, I encourage you to join the effort. Invite your friend, offer him a beer and maybe some chips, and request that he make a donation to the campaign, whatever he can afford. (At the New York party, the suggested donation will be $25.) If you have no friends or your home has no rooms, you can attend the party of another TPMer. We have parties planned in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Singapore, western N. Carolina, Austin, Phoenix, Tucson, and Saint Louis. I hope that we will also get volunteers to host in L.A., Chicago, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Denver, and Boston, and anywhere else that a member of TPM cafe lives.
If you wish to host, please contact me at xenghis@gmail.com, or you can friend me or California Paige at my.barackobama.com. If you cannot host yourself but would like to find a party, please contact us, and we'll try to put you in contact with someone in your area. Also, if you haven't joined our TPM-aholics group at my.barackobama.com, I encourage you to do so.
Regards,
Genghis
California Paige
Articleman
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I will link to details about the existing parties shortly.
July 9, 2008 6:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
The New York party will be hosted by benjoya, AM, and me. Details acan be found here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4ggqh
I encourage all hosts to register their parties at my.barackobama.com and hang links off of this comment.
I look forward to meeting the New Yorkers among you whom I have had the opportunity to get to know virtually over the last few months.
July 9, 2008 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Will there be beer?
:)
I have no friends, so I guess I'd better show up. I was thinking of making a cheesecake.
It's gonna be FUN!
July 9, 2008 8:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Italian or American?
July 10, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
French
July 10, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone coming to the New York event, please RSVP on the event page. The space has limited capacity, and the event is open to the hoi polloi, so we'll be checking names at the door.
July 9, 2008 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Trying to get this upthread.
The Austin event details are here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4gvm3
I plagiarized Genghis AND I plagiarized CaliforniaPaige about plagiarizing Ghengis.
July 12, 2008 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, that's better.
July 12, 2008 2:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
San Francisco event info here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4gggj
(Yes, I shamelessly plagiarized Genghis. Wanna make something of it?)
July 9, 2008 8:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Noooooooooooo
July 9, 2008 8:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Drats! Bad timing: cannot attend the S.F. gig. Instead, I have made a donation in honor of the event. Next, I will drink a beer in honor of the event. I think that covers all the bases, or have I missed anything?
July 10, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Response settled to the bottom of the thread, due to TPM sign-in-and-reply demons.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/07/time-to-make-a-difference-july.php#comment-2959273
July 11, 2008 3:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
At 9:30pm EST (6:30pm EST, 9:30am in Taiwan), there will be an online Q&A with Don Bivens, Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party and superdelegate, who will give us his informed view of the election and the future of the Party.
Don's responsibilities include party-building, fundraising for a variety of competitive House races, and working to advance the Party's interests in a state turning from red to purple. I expect that he may also be able to give us some insight into a certain Republican Senator from Arizona.
July 9, 2008 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
At 9:30pm EST (6:30pm PST, 9:30am in Taiwan), there will be an online Q&A with Don Bivens, Chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party and superdelegate, who will give us his informed view of the election and the future of the Party.
Don's responsibilities include party-building, fundraising for a variety of competitive House races, and working to advance the Party's interests in a state turning from red to purple. I expect that he may also be able to give us some insight into a certain Republican Senator from Arizona.
July 9, 2008 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Correction: Singapore (abroadabroad) is traveling and will not be able to host, but I believe that Taiwan (Chino Blanco) is still in.
July 9, 2008 7:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Genghis, you've commented your own thread to such a degree (without even resorting to aliases) I had mistaken you for one of our other peers. I just read that Abraham Lincoln wrote satiric attacks on his political opponents under pseudonyms. It was like primitive blogging, oddly TPM-like . . .
July 9, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Abraham Lincoln was a Republican troll.
I don't hold a candle to Chino Blanco when it comes to self-commenting.
July 9, 2008 7:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ohmygod. This appears be literally true, given his habit of attacking under pseudonyms.
After accusing everyone else, we finally discover a real one. Abraham Lincoln was a Republican troll.
July 9, 2008 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Taiwan's on.
And I'm already looking forward to my post-party thread in which I'll be congratulating myself on how much fun I had. Until then, I'm off to start a new thread berating myself for agreeing to host a party at 9:30 am.
July 9, 2008 10:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess on the 19th I'll be hosting a party for one (myself), in the middle of nowhere, with no Net access even :) I'll make sure to stock up on beer and snacks.
July 9, 2008 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds like horror movie plot. Where will you be?
PS Go easy on the snacks.
July 9, 2008 8:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I should be somewhere around here (zoom out to get an idea):
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=49.710273,16.138916&spn=0.308594,0.653687&z=11
July 9, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very cool. Wear your Obama button.
July 9, 2008 9:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well at least you're REAL, Code! Try throwing a party as a "fictional character" sometime. (ahem.) I reach for beer mug... it passes through my hand. Nachos? Don't even bother.
Jest kidding, Genghis. Last week, you gave my family a huge laugh when I quoted your verdict. My Mum now refers to her fictional son. Thanks. And "Narrowly defined persona." Why I oughta......
Party on dude. (Though how anybody's gonna pick you out with that collar in Times Square is beyond me. Ark Ark! Mars attacks!)
July 9, 2008 8:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cheers, quinn, and regards to your mum. You were an innocent victim of the Great Pseud War of 2008, to which our noble avatars are still being sacrificed. I'll buy a beer in your memory over at Paige's site when I get a chance. (I take some solace in the fact that others confessed to thinking so at first. It must be that narrow persona of yours.)
FYI, I caught your college ref in an earlier post. I spent a year at Worcester. Put on a play at Magdalen in '93. Beautiful college.
PS No party in Nova Scotia?
July 9, 2008 8:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hear fictional characters throw the best parties.
July 9, 2008 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Goddamned correct, you are.
July 9, 2008 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Powerful, you are.
The dark side I sense in you.
July 9, 2008 11:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I heard fictional characters don't have to pay taxes? Silver linings etc...
July 9, 2008 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
ARGH!
SHIVER ME TIMBERS AND WASH OUT THE STEINS
'BAMA HEADS DON'T DRINK BEER, THEY QUAFF THE WINE
ELITISTS THEM ALL, BUT DON'T SAY FOCK IT!
'CAUSE THOSE LANDLUBBERS DO HAVE VERY DEEP POCKETS
ME DOCK ME SHIP IN WENCH HILLARY'S PORT
ME GONNA DONATE: NOW THE BALL'S IN YOUR COURT
IT'S THE DEMOCRATS TURN, IT'S TIME FOR A COUP
GIVE TILL IT HURTS OR OLD PEET WILL RUN YE THROUGH
PLUNDER YOUR TREASURY!
MAKE THE WHITE HOUSE PERFECTORY!
CLEAN HOUSE AND REMEMBER VALERIE PLAME
AT LEAST YOUNG OBAMA'S NOT OLD MAN MCCAIN!
WENCH HILLARY WILL COME IN ON THE SECOND WAVE MATES! GET READY FOR THE CORPORATE RAIDING! SPECULATIVE STOCKS WE WILL BE TRADING!
ACQUIRE! MERGE! MARAUD! DILUTE! DILUTE!
ARGH!
July 9, 2008 8:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
So you're sailing to the party, Peet?
July 9, 2008 8:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
ARGH!
NEW YAWK IS MY PORT OF CALLING
FOR WENCHES FAIR AND LOTS OF BALLING
GENGHIS SHOWS THE TREASURED MAP
ME WILL BE THERE SHORT OF A MISHAP
UNDERGROUND ID WILL BE THIS PHASE
ME VERY GOOD AT HIDING ME WAYS
ACQUIRE! MERGE! MARAUD! DILUTE! DILUTE!
ARGH!
July 9, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
here to say I will find my way
to be a DemO in DUMBO
July 9, 2008 8:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do i have to wear sunglasses or do you have an off button on the shirt thing?
July 9, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Heh
July 9, 2008 8:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
While we're there in NY with Genghis, Marquis, maybe we can install a "clap on/clap off" in his shirt.
I RSVP's in mybo, Genghis. I'll be there with beer and chips and Bee.
July 9, 2008 8:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's about time. Make sure that the bee is kept in a separate container from the beer
July 9, 2008 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's unfair!
July 9, 2008 8:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to sit on the beer cooler to see over the dashboard
July 9, 2008 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I prefer for people to simply avert their eyes. It makes me feel divine. Glad to have you.
July 9, 2008 8:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Feh. Divinity, like my pajamas.
July 9, 2008 9:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Among those assets you list, I've been doing 2,3 &4. Am now ready to do number one.
July 9, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
An Obama-loving feline "do[ing] number one."
That's what you'll be doing on November 4, as you urinate in fear of what shall be -- President McCain, I say!
So keep it in your litter box, if you're in fact box-trained at all, something about which I harbor grave doubts.
July 9, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are the best, sweetie. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I saw guy with the same hat in New Guinea. He did not have the suit though...
July 9, 2008 9:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I average 75 recs a post.
I am the God of Hellfire, baby.
*sleeps*
July 9, 2008 10:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hog of Dellfire?
Sorry. Lexdysic.
July 9, 2008 10:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
I might believe you average 20 hours of sleep a day...
July 10, 2008 4:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Feh. Insults to my litterbox shall not be allowed to pass, my fine curmudgeon. I'm a gentleman cat who rakes and covers, and I am not voting for Obama. I’ve decided to vote for LaRouche! Dominickdesid converted me, but do not tell Yvainne.
My litterbox has an exotic name. Can you claim the same for your bathroom? My litterbox's name is Kat-man-doo-doo. My drinking fountains name is Trickle of Shangri-La. You cannot compete with me. Give it up.
July 10, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Petless pet, thou art an Obamaturd feedback loop.
Mock not my bathroom, for I wear my Depends upon by leathery nether-flesh, excusing me from raking and covering.
July 10, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
eeuwwwww!
[Yvainne running around clutching eyes and screaming. People running after her to catch her and put her in a straight jacket. People yammering and chattering about what set Yvainne off. Finally burn feathers did the trick along with multiple bottles of Refresh eye wash. She calms down. Fainting couch taken away.] Yvainne logs back on and:
*bows down before Mr. Crankypants.*
Never will I ever mock your bathroom, you old coot. Do not give me such images again.
Now, I'm off to give Obama some $$.
July 10, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
A seriously kool kat.
July 10, 2008 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
LaRouche?! Nooooooooooo!
July 10, 2008 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll be there...taking notes.
July 10, 2008 5:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Looking forward to Brooklyn Genghis et al. Nice work.
July 10, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'll also wear an obama button while sitting around somewhere here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=london&ie=UTF8&ll=51.480528,-0.154324&spn=0.062006,0.188656&z=13
July 10, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Give Paul Simonon a kiss from Lis next time you see him, TTGZ! Thanks!!
July 10, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do I have to give him a separate kiss for every time you've asked me? If so, I've stacked up quite a smooch-debt....!
July 10, 2008 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is this all we have to offer?
1) Our vote - nearly worthless, unless you live in New Hampshire, Iowa or perhaps Florida, but where you run the risk of having it stolen.
2) Our voice - reverberating throughout the echo-chamber (finally, a chance to say echo chamber without appearing hackneyed)
3) Our time - with a 15-month-old to care for and many criminals to spring onto the streets of Brooklyn, this is a scarce commodity.
4) Our money - aha, this is what it always comes down to. More money. To put more assinine ads on TV to further demean our political discourse. Better yet, to fund the phone banks so that I can be interrupted at home (in mid coitus) and my cellphone (while arranging the former) by someone asking me for money that I've already contributed, paltry though that might be.
Is there no higher form of participation? At one time I tried to gather a band of fighters to head to the hills of Kentucky to start the Clintonite Revolution. Unfortunately, her supporters were too self involved for the type of sacrifice these times call for. No wonder she lost.
Seriously, Ghenghis, this is a worthy endeavor. I saw the web page and will try to attend. In addition to caring for the aforementioned 15-month-old, I will be spending that day attempting to spring criminals from the custody of the State of New York into the streets of your beloved Kings County. Each one who leaves the courthouse that day will get a card for your fundraiser. It will be the most happening party in the hood.
July 10, 2008 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Be honored to have you and your criminals. I'll wear my shirt if you wear your beard (and your woody allen mask).
Shit, you Clinton people are gonna outnumber the Obama folks. Obamanauts, don't embarrass our team.
July 10, 2008 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a very valid approach. The whole idea is try and draw in our Dem friends who aren't following this whole thing the same way we are. I am hosting an event in my backyard with live music in August. I'm hoping to raise $7500 and get Obama a few new emails on his list. : )
July 10, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, folks, as you will have seen on the front page, they actually do need the money, too. We're !eing outspent by McCain.
I'm too far from Chicago to attend, but I will be donating on the 19th in any case. Gave some today as well, just to show Barack we've got his back.
July 10, 2008 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
[terrorfist bump]
July 10, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll be hosting the Seattle party. I don't have an event page set up on mybo right now but if you are in the area and would like to attend you can let me know by sending me a message from the TPM-aholics page on mybo (Mary aka Bademus).
I spoke with a local campaign worker and they offered to have someone from their staff come to the party and talk about events and things so I will get that set up too.
July 10, 2008 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
[high terrorfist bump]
July 10, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry you can't make it, Daddy, but, yes, I think you've covered it.
Wait, what was that? Only one beer?
No, I think you owe Obama two beers. At least.
(Thanks!)
July 11, 2008 3:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Austin event details are here:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4gvm3
I plagiarized Genghis AND I plagiarized CaliforniaPaige about plagiarizing Ghengis.
July 12, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink