News Nuggets 1053

DAYLEE PICTURE: In Utah, Bryce Canyon at sunrise.  From National Geographic.

Iran: Zionists Spread Homosexuality to Control World from the Jerusalem Post [in English]
"Journalist slams report in state-controlled Iranian paper as Nazi propaganda; experts say it shows "how desperate Iran is.""

We Are All Germans Now: Europeans Travel North Looking for Jobs (Barbie Latza Nadeau) from the Daily Beast
"With unemployment sky high, a growing number of Italians, Greeks, and others hit hard by the euro zone crisis are moving to Germany to find work."

Gallup: Obama Approval Jumps After DNC from Talking Points Memo
"President Obama gets a 52 percent approval rating against 43 percent disapproval in Gallup's daily tracking poll, which surveys 500 Americans a night and averages three days of data."

The Tale of Two Conventions Favors Obama (Eugene Robinson) from the Washington Post
"Coming to Charlotte, I expected to see a party on the defensive. Instead, Democrats orchestrated a convention that felt strikingly focused and spirited. Speakers relentlessly emphasized the “Reelect Obama” side of the equation, relegating “Defeat Romney” to second billing. The oratory was superior, the visuals were more telegenic and there were no Clint Eastwood moments."

Conventional Warfare: Why Democrats Won (Joe Scarborough) from Politico 
"... impressions are created amid confetti and cable coverage that reach political civilians (another way of describing normal Americans) that, together with the autumn debates, tend to clarify — and even decide — presidential elections.Which is why Republicans should be particularly glum this weekend. ... Many of those same Republicans are in no mood to hear how badly their party was outperformed by the Democrats this week during the prime-time performances that millions of Americans watched."

Obama, Clinton Scored Back to Back Home Runs With Their Speeches (Robert Shrum) from the Daily Beast
"Bill Clinton was justly praised for a great address (so great that it managed to praise the president while laying the groundwork for Hillary in 2016), writes Robert Shrum, who argues that Barack Obama has been grossly—and unjustly—shortchanged by the pundits."

First Thoughts: Obama Makes His Case (Chuck Todd et al) from NBC News 
"... when you compare Romney’s speech with Obama’s and the GOP convention vs. the Dem convention, it’s easy to conclude that Obama and the Democrats won the past two weeks. Indeed, maybe the best way to judge the Democratic convention isn’t by Obama’s speech last night but rather by the whole three days. "

President Obama Tops Mitt Romney (Roger Simon) from Politico
"I wrote a few days ago that if the Democrats could maintain the enthusiasm they showed on the first day of their convention for all three days, Mitt Romney would be in serious trouble. They did, and he is. ... Anger is not a movement. Disappointment is not a cause. And passionate support is an antidote to both."

Winners and Losers from the Final Night of the Democratic National Convention (Chris Cillizza) from the Washington Post
"One person you won’t see in winners and losers is President Obama. ... [The speech] was workmanlike more than inspirational. That said, Obama always faces a very high bar when he speaks since he is rightly regarded as one of the best (if not the best) political orator in the country."

Romney Running Against Two Presidents (Lynn Sweet) from the Chicago Sun-Times
"Bill Clinton has Barack Obama’s back, and Mitt Romney has no one who can help him the way Clinton can boost Obama. Romney is running against two presidents, not one. [...] The Obama campaign knows that Clinton’s popularity makes him one of their most potent surrogates, even as the Romney team brings up their bad old days. Romney’s convention, campaign and candidacy has not yielded a powerhouse to do for him what Clinton can — and will — do for Obama."
I would say that Romney is actually running against THREE presidents.  The third, of course, is Bush 43 and that man's toxic legacy.

Romney’s Playing Field Narrows (Jonathan Chait) from New York Magazine 
"The reason this looks worrisome for Romney is that he’s pursuing an electoral-college strategy that requires him nearly to run the table of competitive states.  ... Unless I’m missing something badly here, Romney needs either a significant national shift his way — possibly from the debates or some other news event — or else to hope that his advertising advantage is potent enough to move the dial in almost every swing state in which he’s competing."

Romney Going Back on Air (Chuck Todd et al) from NBC News
"The states seeing the biggest spending in this buy round are Virginia, Ohio, and Florida with about $1 million each. ... And once again, there is no advertising for Romney in Wisconsin (despite the pick of Paul Ryan as VP), Michigan, or Pennsylvania."
After all the hype about Paul Ryan making WI competitive, is the Romney team pulling out of Wisconsin?  Markos Moulitsas looks into this in interesting detail.

And here's this tantalizing story again:
Romney Cedes Ohio TV Airwaves to Obama (at Least for Now) from the Los Angeles Times
"...for reasons that his advisors declined to discuss, Romney has ceded the advertising airwaves to Obama over the last week in Ohio and other battleground states."
Markos Moulitsas explores possible theories as to what is going on here. 

OH-PRES: : Ohio Secretary Of State Backs Down On Early Voting from Talking Points Memo
"After being summoned to court by a federal judge, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted on Friday backed away from his order that would have banned counties from planning for early voting. Husted’s original order had essentially ignored a ruling by U.S. District Judge Peter Economus, who declared that the state couldn’t take away early voting in the three days before the election."

MO-SEN: Akin TV Ad Buy Canceled — For Failure To Pay The Station from Talking Points Memo
"Rep. Todd Akin’s effort to continue his bid for the Missouri Senate seat is now faced with a new challenge: Paying the campaign’s bills for TV ads on time. The Akin campaign’s TV ad buy with the NBC affiliate in Columbia was canceled by the station, according to CBS radio in St. Louis."

ODDEST POST-CONVENTION NUGGET!!
Michelle Obama Speech At DNC Goes Viral ... In China from the Huffinton Post
???
"Tea Leaf Nation, an e-magazine, broke down some of the reactions in China, noting the speech received "a particularly warm reception." Among the Chinese comments, the speech was called inspiring, divine and moving. There were criticisms too, but those appeared to be in the minority. According to the Daily Dot, one user identified as Yingwang Dechang said: “I’m not an American, so why, when I’ve finished listening to this speech, do I have such an urge to cry?”"
The original posting at the Daily Dot is more revealing as to why the Chinese were so captivated.

NORTHERN LIGHTS PHOTO NUGGETS!!
New Aurora Pictures: Solar Flare Sparks "Snakes," "Spears" from National Geographic
"A curtain of green auroras ripples over hoodoo rock formations near Drumheller, Canada, early Monday, Labor Day in the U.S. The same night, similar shows enlivened skies over many high-latitude countries across the Northern Hemisphere."

WATER POLLUTION NUGGET!!
The River that DID Run Red: Residents of Chinese City Left Baffled After Yangtze Turns Scarlet from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"...the Yangtze river, which runs through the city in south-western China, turned a bright shade of orange-red yesterday."

DRONE/CYBORG INSECT NUGGET!!
Creepy -- in all of its meanings!!
James Bond's Next Superbug? The Remote Control Cockroach from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Breakthrough could lead to cockroaches being fitted with video cameras. Scientists also developing system to hunt for survivors in earthquakes using swarms of insects."

News Nuggets 1052

DAYLEE PICTURE:  The Litlanesfoss Falls in Iceland.  From the Daily Mail of the UK. 

UP-FRONT ELECTION NUGGET!!
Conservatives Pull Ads from Michigan: Pro-Romney Groups Focus on Key States; Obama's Campaign Off Air for Weeks from the Detroit News
"Mitt Romney's conservative allies are bypassing Michigan with their advertising while stepping up efforts in other battleground states — suggesting campaign strategists don't believe his road to the White House leads through his native state."

Romney, GOP Groups Pull Ads From Michigan and Pennsylvania from Talking Points Memo
Note the poll numbers in these two states.  THESE numbers (especially the Michigan numbers) are having them take a walk!  According to PollTracker, Obama ALREADY has a better spread in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Minnesota, and New Hampshire.  I would think it would be safe to assume that the Romney folks have already concluded or are close to concluding that these states are also lost to them.  Possible pathways to victory for them are diminishing in number.
"The PollTracker Averages show President Obama ahead 48.9 percent to 45.4 percent in Michigan, and in Pennsylvania, where he leads 49.9 percent to 41.4 percent."

Bucking the Odds in North Korea (Jay Ulfelder) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Why Kim Jong Un might just dare to be different."

Central Bank to Snap Up Debt, Saying, ‘Euro Is Irreversible’ from the New York Times
"The bank said it had agreed on a framework for buying the bonds of troubled euro zone countries in unlimited quantities, but officials set conditions that could delay action for weeks or longer."

Cleaning Up the Economy (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times
"The next four years are likely to be much better than the last four years."

The Tale of Two Conventions Favors Obama (Eugene Robinson) from the Washington Post
"Judging by the party conventions, you’d wonder why this election is even close. ... Coming to Charlotte, I expected to see a party on the defensive. Instead, Democrats orchestrated a convention that felt strikingly focused and spirited. Speakers relentlessly emphasized the “Reelect Obama” side of the equation, relegating “Defeat Romney” to second billing. The oratory was superior, the visuals were more telegenic and there were no Clint Eastwood moments."

Obama’s DNC Speech: A Sober Call to Arms (Howard Kurtz) from the Daily Beast
"The president delivered a substantive address that conceded real change will take years. Howard Kurtz on his more nuanced message of hope."

Barack Obama Media Reactions: Pundits Have Mixed Feelings About DNC Address from the Huffington Post
"Overall, the rapturous reception given to Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton was left at the media doorstep. Most agreed that, rhetorically, Obama delivered a solid speech, saying that it was typical of the president's strong oratorical skills."

My Quick Take (Josh Marshall) from Talking Points Memo
"... it’s hard to imagine a convention better staged or messaged than the one the Democrats put on for the last three days. Three blockbuster speeches. Actually a few more, but one biggie a night. But more than that a coherence to the core message that every major speaker returned to again and again."

Why Obama Will Win (Aaron David Miller) from Foreign Policy Magazine 
"Whatever his failings, the president is likeable enough -- and incumbency is a powerful home-court advantage."

Bill Clinton Media Reactions: Pundits Praise Former President's DNC Speech, Some Criticize Length (Rebecca Shapiro) from the Huffington Post 
Media figures gave President Bill Clinton their seals of approval on Wednesday night after he energetically supported President Barack Obama ... Immediately following the speech, the praise started pouring in."

No False Claims in Clinton's DNC Speech (VIDEO) from Bloomberg TV
"Megan Hughes reports on the fact checking of former President Bill Clinton's speech at the Democratic National Convention, She speaks on Bloomberg Television's "In The Loop." (Source: Bloomberg)"

Clinton is Better Than Obama at Explaining Why Obama is Better Than Clinton (Timothy Noah) from the New Republic
"The underlying awkwardness here is that Obama, even if he never gets re-elected, has already achieved more--simply by passing Obamacare—than Clinton did in eight years. In his speech, Clinton waited too long to make the health care argument for Obama's re-election, but when he made it, he made it intelligently and forcefully."

Bill Clinton Forms Barack Obama's More Perfect Union (John Nichols) from the Nation
"... it provided a powerful reminder that in the ex-president competition—and there is an ex-president competition—Bill Clinton has defeated George Bush, overwhelmingly. Where two weeks ago, Bush was the former president whose name dare not be spoken at his party’s national convention, Clinton was more than a revered elder returning to the warm embrace of his party’s convention: he was a defining figure."

MSNBC Wins Convention Ratings For The First Time Ever On DNC's Opening Night from the Huffington Post
"MSNBC celebrated a major milestone on Wednesday when it topped its rivals in primetime convention ratings for the first time in its 16-year history."

Nancy Pelosi’s Brass Knuckles (Lloyd Grove) from the Daily Beast
"Pelosi is convinced that her party can flip the House this November—and she praised the Dems’ campaign committee chair’s ‘reptilian instincts.’ Lloyd Grove on how the ex-speaker is bracing for battle."

DNC: In Charlotte, it’s official: 2016 has begun (Jonathan Martin and Emily Schultheis) from Politico
"Mark Warner paid homage to “one of the greatest senators,” Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin, Amy Klobuchar invoked the Iowa State Fair’s butter cow and Martin O’Malley recalled his experience with “all 99 counties” in the Hawkeye State as a young aide to Gary Hart in 1984. Yup, the 2016 campaign has already begun."

INSECT PHOTO NUGGET!!
Look What We Found in the Garden: Photographer Who Only Picked Up the Photography Bug Three Years Ago Takes a Close-up Look at Insects from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Keith Trueman, from Braunton, in North Devon, hunts for the bugs around his garden or around the local country park - and sometimes even invites the insects into his kitchen for their own personal photoshoot."

News Nuggets 1051

DAYLEE PICTURE:  White Bengal tigers in Liberac Zoo in the Czech Republic.  From the Daily Mail of the UK.

The Simple Case for Why Obama Is the Favorite (Nate Silver) from the New York Times
"...if you look at the right-hand column of this page, you’ll notice that our forecast has moved toward Barack Obama over the past several days. It now gives him about a three-in-four chance of winning the Electoral College on Nov. 6."

Democratic National Convention Night 2: Winners and Losers (Chris Cillizza) from the Washington Post
" Bill Clinton: You don’t have to agree with the policies of the former president to appreciate that tonight you were watching a master at work.  ... perhaps most importantly of all, Clinton was quite clearly having a very good time — and he let it show. He adlibbed. He played with the crowd. He smiled and laughed. And, yes, he went on a little too long.  But, if you are a student of campaign politics — like we are — what you watched tonight was the work of someone with massive natural ability in the political arena."

Best Convention in... (Michael Tomasky) from the Daily Beast
"On Morning Joe, they've been saying all morning that this is one of best conventions they've ever seen. They just asked Barney Frank. He pointed to 1992. Joe Scarborough said earlier, representing the other sdie, 1980."

Yes, We're Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago (Andrew Sullivan) from the Daily Beast
"... the difference is that in February 2009, we were losing 800,000 jobs a month; in July 2012, we're adding around 150,000 jobs a month over the past year, despite a huge drop in government employment. The stock market has made big gains - from around 6500 in the spring of 2009 to almost 13000 today, inflation is under control, and interest rates are at deep lows."

Bill Clinton, Playing `Referee,’ Makes Strongest Case Yet for Obama’s Reelection (Greg Sargent) from the Washington Post
"Senior Dems believe Clinton has taken on a unique role in American politics: They think he is seen by genuine undecided and swing voters as a kind of “referee” figure — someone who they can trust to tell them what to think about politics and the economy. These voters, Dems believe, think he understands exactly the kind of economy he want. Clinton played that role with great gusto tonight...

How Bill Clinton Does It (Harris and Martin) from Politico
"The crowd was roaring, TV commentators were gushing, and Barack Obama himself thanked Bill Clinton for his nominating speech with a big hug as he left the stage here Wednesday night. Well might Obama be grateful: In 48 minutes, the 42nd president had stated the case for the 44th
president’s reelection in language that was crisper and more compelling than the case Obama so far has made for himself."

Bill Clinton Delivers for Obama at Democratic Convention (David Maraniss) from the Washington Post
"Twelve years out of office but still and always ready to be needed, he took to prime time as master explainer and policy clarifier, party morale booster extraordinaire, voice of experience, historian longing for the old days of political bipartisanship, earnest economics instructor, hoarse whisperer to the middle class, and empathetic testifier for President Obama, who came to the Democratic National Convention arena on Wednesday night to watch as the former president placed his name in nomination."

The Clinton Speech (Joe Klein) from Time Magazine
"The folks at Fox were speculating that the speech was overly wonky and maybe a lot of people got bored and turned off their televisions. Wishful thinking, no doubt. That's what they always said about his epic State of the Union filibusters-and they were always wrong."

Let's hear from two conservative pundits:
Ex-Bush Aide on How Bill Clinton’s Speech Bested Mitt Romney’s (Matt Latimer) from the Daily Beast
"Clinton is not known for great speeches. But he didn’t disappoint. Ex-Bush aide Matt Latimer on how Clinton’s substantive arguments blew Romney’s cotton-candy slogans away."

Clinton Socks GOP In Its Glass Jaw (David Frum) from the Daily Beast 
"He is now collecting accolades for a powerful speech. They are deserved. But it's also true that he was firing in a target-rich environment. ... Yes, Clinton hit hard. But it wasn't Clinton who decided that Republicans would lead with their jaw."

Sandra Fluke: The Democratic Star Rush Limbaugh Made (Michelle Cottle) from the Daily Beast
"He called her a slut. Sandra Fluke showed him—taking the stage in Charlotte and electrifying the crowd with her sharp jabs at the GOP. Michelle Cottle on the Democrats’ new standout."

Pelosi on Retaking the House: 'We Feel Pretty Good About It' (Joan McCarter) from Daily Kos
"On Monday, Nancy Pelosi sat down with a group of new media reporters for a wide-ranging discussion, including how the nation is better off than it was four years ago, and the truth-challenged Romney/Ryan campaign. All that makes her optimistic about the Democrats' prospects for taking back the House."

Live-Blogging Charlotte, Day One (Andrew Sullivan) from the Daily Beast 
" Bottom line: a great first night for the Dems. A truly memorable and centrist performance from Michelle Obama. And more respect and gratitude for the troops in one night in prime time than in three nights last week."

Michelle Obama’s Speech: Both Apolitical and Politically Masterful (E.J. Dionne Jr.) from the Washington Post
"The most devastating attack on Mitt Romney at Tuesday’s Democratic Convention came from Michelle Obama, who did not mention Romney’s name and said not a single cross thing about him. She devastated him by implication."

Michelle Obama's DNC Speech Written at 7 Grade Levels Above Ann Romney's (Eric Ostermeier) from Smart Politics
"The First Lady's speech Tuesday was written at a 12th grade level - the highest in history among the wives of presidential nominees and far above Ann Romney's lowest mark of a 5th grade level."

It’s Mitt’s World (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times
"The world has become more interdependent, and this new reality requires a new kind of American leadership."

PricewaterhouseCoopers On Romney's "Ransomed" Tax Returns: We're Working With The Secret Service from BuzzFeed
"The firm from which Anonymous hackers claim to have obtained Romney's tax returns is taking the threat seriously: “[A]t this time there is no evidence that our systems have been compromised.”"

It's Official, No Romney Bump (Markos Moulitsas) from Daily Kos
"We'll know next week whether Pres. Barack Obama gets his own bump. But Romney's mess of a gathering in Tampa didn't get him anywhere near the 11 points they expected. In fact, they lost ground."

Iowa Delegation Draws Possible 2016 Democratic Presidential Candidates from the Washington Post
"Each morning, the 63 delegates from Iowa have been playing host to a rotating cast of possible presidential hopefuls — the Bookers, Warners, Schweitzers and other Democrats who are trying to forge early ties to the activists who, four years from now, could help propel one of them to the White House."

RACE/CIVIL RIGHTS/McCARTHY ERA NUGGET!!
The Strange Story Of The Man Behind 'Strange Fruit' from NPR's program, Morning Edition
"One of Billie Holiday's most iconic songs is "Strange Fruit," a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. Many people know that the man who wrote the song was inspired by a photograph of a lynching. But they might not realize that he's also tied to another watershed moment in America's history. The man behind "Strange Fruit" is New York City's Abel Meeropol, and he really has two stories. "

News Nuggets 1050

DAYEE PICTURE: Dirt biking ... in the Gobi desert in Xianjiang, China.  From the Daily Mail of the UK. 

In Authoritarian North Korea, Hints of Reform from the Washington Post 
"Under new leader Kim Jong Eun, North Korea in recent months has shifted its rhetoric to emphasize the economy rather than the military and is introducing small-scale agricultural reforms with tantalizing elements of capitalism, according to diplomats and defector groups with informants in the North."

Fears Rising, Spaniards Pull Out Their Cash and Get Out of Spain from the New York Times
"Mr. Vildosola is among many who worry that Spain’s economic tailspin could eventually force the country’s withdrawal from the euro and a return to its former currency, the peseta. That dire outcome is still considered a long shot, even if Spain might eventually require a Greek-style bailout. But there is no doubt that many of those in a position to do so are taking their money — and in some cases themselves — out of Spain."

China Manufacturing Dips to a Nine-month Low in August from the BBC 
"China's manufacturing activity fell to a nine-month low in August, adding to fears that its economy is slowing faster than estimated."

To Back Democracy, U.S. Prepares to Cut $1 Billion From Egypt’s Debt from the New York Times
"Nearly 16 months after first pledging to help Egypt’s failing economy, the Obama administration is nearing an agreement with the country’s new government to relieve $1 billion of its debt as part of an American and international assistance package intended to bolster its transition to democracy, administration officials said."

The FP 50: The 50 Most Powerful Democrats on Foreign Policy from Foreign Policy Magazine
"...the fact that so much power is centralized in the Oval Office makes those aides favored with access even more important, and Democratic control of the executive branch allows a select group of principals to control the levers of America's vast national security machine."

Obama Finds Key Asset in Bill Clinton’s Support (David Maraniss) from the Washington Post
"When Obama called in late July to say he would be grateful if his Democratic predecessor would give the speech placing his name in nomination, something that no former commander in chief has done before, it was an acknowledgment of how much the sitting president needs the former president. And Clinton, who loves to be needed as much as he needs to be loved, responded with an enthusiasm and diligence that served as yet another signal to people close to both men that an old wound has for the most part been healed."

Five Key Differences Between the Democratic and GOP Conventions from The Week 
"Republicans just spent a week telling Americans that we're worse off than we were four years ago. Expect Democrats to deliver a polar-opposite message."

Many 2008 Conservative Obama Backers, or ObamaCons, Will Stay True (John Avlon) from the Daily Beast
"Mitt Romney has failed to win over many of the prominent Republicans and conservatives who publicly backed Barack Obama in 2008. Charles Fried, Douglas Kmiec, and others tell John Avlon why they’re sticking with the president."

Why the Sun Belt Is Sunnier for Democrats (Ronald Brownstein) from the National Journal
"The Democrats’ choice of Charlotte for their national convention reflects the party’s emerging opportunities as well as its continuing challenges in a new band of swing states that have reshaped the electoral map. North Carolina is one of six once-reliably Republican states across the Sun Belt that President Obama, riding a tide of changing demography, carried in 2008"

Virgil Goode Makes Presidential Ballot in Virginia from the Washington Post
"Former congressman Virgil Goode Jr. has qualified for the presidential ballot in Virginia, the State Board of Elections ruled Tuesday morning, adding a potential obstacle to Republican Mitt Romney’s hopes of winning the pivotal state."
The Obama team is cheering about this one!

As It Turns Out, Democrats Could Keep the Senate (Charlie Cook) from the National Journal
"With numbers like these, it has been hard to see how Democrats could prevent Republicans from gaining the four seats they need to take control in 2013. But looks can be deceiving, especially in politics. A mix of factors has combined to give Democrats a fighting chance of holding their majority."

First Lady Strives for Image Above Fray (Jodi Kantor) from the New York Times
"Michelle Obama’s advisers believe she is most potent when she does not appear overtly political and that she comes across best as a noncombatant in the red-and-blue wars."

Michelle Obama’s Resounding Triumph (Howard Kurtz) from the Daily Beast 
"The first lady thrilled the convention with a speech that melded politics and the personal. Howard Kurtz on a well-choreographed night for the Democrats."

Michelle Obama Speech: Being President 'Reveals Who You Are' (Benery & Foley) from the Huffington Post
"Michelle Obama was the overwhelming star of Tuesday night's Democratic National Convention, delivering a powerful personal narrative about her husband still being the same deeply principled man she fell in love with 23 years ago when they were both broke and watching their families struggle."

The Dems’ Message Discipline (Peter Beinart ) from the Daily Beast 
"The economy’s tough, and the election tight. But Obama’s team ran circles around the GOP on Night One of their convention."

Castro and Others: What Enthusiasm Gap? (Michael Tomasky ) from the Daily Beast
"A far better first night than the GOP’s, and in surprising ways."

The Night Democrats Reclaimed “Obamacare” (Ezra Klein) from the Washington Post
"[D]uring the first night of the Democratic National Convention, the Democrats talked about Obamacare. A lot. That was, in itself, a surprise. "
Not to me.  I have long said that the day is coming when Obama, the Dems, and ultimately the people (and historians) will embrace this term all in a positive way!  Clearly the time is coming sooner than I thought!

BELOW-THE-FOLD CONVENTION NUGGET!!
Ted Kennedy DNC Video Mocks Mitt Romney With Old Footage (Christina Wilkie) from the Huffington Post
"In a politically savvy move, Democrats on Tuesday used clips from Mitt Rommey's losing 1994 campaign for Senate against the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) in a moving video tribute to Kennedy, who served nearly five decades in the Senate."
It was smart -- but also inspiring!  I thought this was one of the best moments of the evening and if you missed it make sure you check it out along with Joe Kennedy III's brief intro.  I've never been a fan of the Kennedy clan political wannabes that have followed JFK, RFK or Teddy -- but Joe III had a lot of poise and maturity for such a young candidate.

The Rubio Paradox — Only Cheering Upward Mobility (Matt Miller) from the Washington Post
"Anyone listening to Rubio’s moving tale surely thought, “Yes! This is exactly what America is about!” But the stories were all we got. No Republican speakers offered any policies to renew upward mobility in the United States. In fact, nowhere did the Republicans acknowledge that upward mobility is now greater in many other countries with feudal or aristocratic histories."

Let the 2016 Speculation Begin, Iowa Breakfast Edition (Burns & Haberman) from Politico
"Jonathan Martin forwards this schedule for the Iowa delegation breakfasts this week: Tuesday - Congressman Braley and Senator Harkin; Wednesday - Governor O'Malley, Senator Klobuchar, Senator Warner; Thursday - Governor Schweitzer, Senator Gillibrand, Tom Vilsack"

STRANGE CAREERS NUGGET!!
What Does It Take To Be a Dominatrix? (Katie Roiphe) from Slate
"How an Upper East Side private school girl ends up with a dungeon for an office."

MAN'S BEST FRIEND NUGGET!!
Man's TRUE Best Friend: How Dogs Can Respond to our Emotions More than Other Humans from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Study at Goldsmiths University shows dogs will spot crying people and approach and nuzzle . Behaviour seems hardwired based on thousands of years of 'best friend' partnership. Even strangers get the same level of concern as a dog's owner."

TECHNOLOGY NUGGET!!
From the Wheelchair Based on an F1 Car to the 'Terminator' Exo-skeleton Suit: How Technology is Transforming the Paralympics from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Technology includes the 'Brain Sled' you control with you mind and the 'Ghost' glove that trains you to swim like Phelps But controversy over blade runners begs the question: Is technology levelling the playing field - or conferring an unfair advantage?"

MOVIES/AMERICAN CULTURE NUGGET!!
A Place of Dreams, a Source of Villainy: How Foreign Movies Portray America (Max Fisher) from the Atlantic
"From Chinese immigration stories to European comedies, world cinema shows the U.S. and its people in surprisingly consistent themes of adoration, hope, and suspicion."

News Nuggets 1049

DAYLEE PICTURE: Star trails over the Atlantic as seen from New Jersey.  From National Geographic.

UP-FRONT DEM CONVENTION SCHEDULE NUGGET!!
HERE's what there is to see at the Dem's convention.  If you have an interest in "up-and-comers" in the party, these folks are usually showcased on day 1 starting at 5pm.  The lineup looks very interesting. 

German Export Orders Fell Sharply in August from Der Spiegel [of Germany in English]
"German exporters suffered their biggest drop in international orders in more than three years in August, according to a survey released on Monday. Retailers too are starting to feel the impact of the euro crisis. Europe's largest economy, it seems, is losing its immunity to Europe's debt problems."

When Capitalists Cared (Hedrick Smith) from the New York Times
"From 1948 to 1973, the productivity of all nonfarm workers nearly doubled, as did average hourly compensation. But things changed dramatically starting in the late 1970s. ... Today the prevailing
cut-to-the-bone business ethos means that a company like Caterpillar demands a wage freeze and lower health benefits from its workers, while posting record profits."

Fears About Shariah Law Take Hold In Tennessee (Blake Farmer) from NPR's Morning Edition
"It's getting tougher to be a Republican in some parts of the country while also fully accepting the practice of Islam. In Tennessee, an incumbent in the U.S. House found herself on the defensive after being called soft on Shariah law, the code that guides Muslim beliefs and actions. And the state's governor has been forced to explain why he hired a Muslim."
This story gives you some sense of what I believe will be the newest (and biggest) civil rights issue of the 21st century.  Discrimination against muslims has become increasingly pervasive, casual, and open for all to see.  That these anti-muslim activists can't seem to see how what they are advocating is so blatantly unconstitutional does not bode well -- because (as we have seen for some many other issues) all you need to do is appoint judges as blinkered as they are for unconstitutional behavior to gradually become constitutional.

Family Matters: The Money Squeeze from NPR's Morning Edition [in June, 2012]
"Three families, living in multigenerational households, face difficult financial decisions surrounding elder care, paying for college and retirement."

The Competitor in Chief: Obama Plays to Win, in Politics and Everything Else (Jodi Kantor) from the New York Times
"As he faces off with Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee, Mr. Obama’s will to win — and fear of losing — is in overdrive. ... Even by the standards of the political world, Mr. Obama’s obsession with virtuosity and proving himself the best are remarkable, those close to him say"

The Confidence Game: Team Obama Won’t Come Out and Say It, but it Believes the Race is in the Bag (Major Barrett) from National Journal
""We could lose.” That’s David Axelrod, President Obama’s chief reelection strategist, injecting an obligatory note of caution into what is in every other way a “there’s-no-way-we-can-lose” assessment of the campaign. From top to bottom, Obama’s team keeps this self-effacing qualifier around mostly for amusement, like a yo-yo, a balsa-wood airplane, or a paper-clip necklace. Every campaign, of course, believes it’s going to win. Obama’s team, however, conveys such a visceral sense of self-confidence that even protestations to the contrary take on air of comically profane absurdity."

First Thoughts: Dems Feeling Good (Chuck Todd et al.) from NBC News 
"Heading into their convention here this week, the Obama campaign and Democrats are feeling pretty good after Tampa. The polls... suggest that Mitt Romney got little to no bounce from the GOP convention, at least so far."

The GOP Convention was a Bust: The Question is Why. Here are 3 Theories (Steve Kornacki) from Salon
"Overall, the Real Clear Politics average shows Obama ahead by 0.1 points. Nate Silver estimates that Romney received a bounce of about two or three points. This qualifies as a disappointment for Romney, who had an opportunity to open his first clear lead on Obama since emerging from the GOP primaries."

Republican Convention Has 'Minimal Impact' For Mitt Romney, Poll Suggests (Mark Blumenthal) from the Huffington Post
"Polling tracking the impact of the Republican convention has been sparse, but on Monday the Gallup Poll weighed in with a new survey showing the convention had only a "minimal impact" on the fortunes of Republican nominee Mitt Romney."

No Bounce for Romney in Florida from Public Policy Polling
"PPP's newest Florida poll, conducted completely after the Republican convention, finds no change in the Presidential race there. Barack Obama leads Mitt Romney 48-47, exactly as he did on our last poll of the state five weeks ago."

"Are Americans Better Off Today Than They Were Four Years Ago?" The Question That Exposes Incompetent Reporters (Dean Baker) from the Center for Economic and Policy Research
"Suppose your house is on fire and the firefighters race to the scene. They set up their hoses and start spraying water on the blaze as quickly as possible. After the fire is put out, the courageous news reporter on the scene asks the chief firefighter, "is the house in better shape than when you got here?""

House Democrats Hit New Fundraising Record from the Huffington Post 
"A day after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced a $6.8 million fundraising haul for August, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced Monday that they have something to celebrate too: their single best day of online fundraising in history."

Let's Be Friends: Barack and Bill Find a Mutual Advantage (Ryan Lizza) from the New Yorker
"Obama, who has pitched himself as the antidote to Clintonism, is now presenting himself as its heir apparent. It’s a shrewd, even Clintonian, maneuver…"

MOVIE NUGGET!!
Fall’s Must-See Movies: The Master, Cloud Atlas, Lincoln, and More from the Daily Beast
"Now that the dog days of August are behind us, it’s time to brace yourselves for an onslaught of fantastic, award-bait movies. From Paul Thomas Anderson’s Scientology film The Master to Daniel Day-Lewis’s portrayal of the titular former president in Spielberg’s Lincoln, here are The Daily Beast’s picks for the most anticipated movies being released this fall."

TRANSFORMING MEMORIES NUGGET!!
Can We Learn To Forget Our Memories? (Alix Spiegel) from NPR's Morning Edition
"Our capacity to forget is as important, and certainly as interesting, as our ability to remember. But can we train ourselves to suppress certain memories, or the meaning we attach to life events?"

ARTS NUGGET!!
Now You See Them, Now You Don't! Artist Creates Stunning Pictures that Make Naked Models Blend with the Background from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Lensman turns 'the skin into a canvas' with pictures of made-up models in stark American landscape."

News Nuggets 1048

DAYLEE PICTURE: Northern lights seen from the outskirts of Reykjavik, Iceland.  From National Geographic.

TWO UP-FRONT PUNDIT-OF-THE-DAY!!
Both of these are worth reading in their entirety!
1.  It’s Still Halftime in America (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times 
"Sitting through all the speeches, it was clear to me that people who think Romney, having accepted the nomination, is now going to pivot to the center are fooling themselves. There is no organic connection between Romney and the G.O.P. base. You could feel it in the hall. He is renting the party to fulfill his dream of becoming president, and they’re renting him to get rid of President Obama. But this is not Romney’s party. I don’t see him taking it back to his moderate past."
Friedman's larger critique of both campaigns is spot-on!!

2.  Republicans Want to Build a Time Machine (Rebecca Traister) from Salon 
"But don't be fooled: Republicans aren't just nostalgic for 1950s-style social barriers. They want to rebuild them. ... For many months, we have been watching a lengthy, multi-tentacled attempt to shut tight doors that were opened by the social movements of the mid-20th century, to push back those who have apparently gotten their hands on a little too much power, by aiming back toward a time when men were white, women were long-suffering vessels, and black men were definitely not president."

Will China’s Slowdown Derail America’s Recovery? (Dan Levin) from the Daily Beast
"A new report shows ominous cracks in the Chinese economy, endangering the global recovery just before the U.S. elections. Dan Levin on how the tailspin might begin."

China’s Bridges Are Falling Down (Adam Minter) from the Bloomberg News Service
"...accounts by journalists and photos from the scene also suggest serious problems with the bridge itself. Some images show that key structural components were stuffed with sticks, pebbles and bags of unidentified materials. Nobody in China was surprised by this. Since 2007, China has experienced at least 18 bridge collapses resulting in 135 deaths and untold economic hardship..."

Cardinal Carlo Martini Says Church '200 Years Behind' from the BBC 
"The cardinal died on Friday, aged 85. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera has published his last interview, recorded in August, in which he said: "The Church is tired... our prayer rooms are empty." ... And the advice he leaves behind to conquer the tiredness of the Church was a "radical transformation, beginning with the Pope and his bishops". "The child sex scandals oblige us to undertake a journey of transformation," ..."
FINALLY.  Someone high up in the counsels of the Vatican saying what has needed to be said!  Read the entire article.  Every sentence rings true.

Backyard Battlefields: The Bloody Business of Fracking in Arkansas from Oxford American Magazine
"A look at how residents in Arkansas are dealing with the health implications of drilling for natural gas in their communities: ... "Tracy had headaches for the entire month of August 2010. Skin lesions and blisters broke out on her back. Her lymph nodes swelled to golf-ball size, she says. Her doctor gave her antibiotics and topical creams, but nothing worked. Keith developed nosebleeds; he’d never had them before. His nose would start running and there would be blood."

Romney's Bounce from Convention Looks Short-lived: Reuters/Ipsos Poll from Reuters
"A modest bump in popularity for U.S. presidential hopeful Mitt Romney from this week's Republican Party convention looks to be short-lived, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll."
If other polls confirm this, it's bad news for the Mittster.  His team had COUNTED ON a 2-3 point sustained bounce -- with some real momentum.  Prediction: the Dem's convention WILL give Obama a sustained bounce.

Movie Star Debates Chair, Loses (Steve Benen) from MSNBC
"He was the "surprise" guest, and convention organizers scrapped a compelling Romney bio film, just so Americans could see the Hollywood star's remarks. Oops. Jamelle Bouie, in arguably my favorite line of the convention, said, "This is a perfect representation of the campaign: an old white man arguing with an imaginary Barack Obama.""
So they scrapped a "compelling Romney bio film" -- for Clint's interview with a chair!?  Consider that: an empty chair was viewed as more compelling than Romney "inspiring" life story!  As I noted the other day, I suspected that Eastwood was a last-minute, thrown-together substitution! The whole episode smells of desperation.

Cruel Conservatives Throw a Masquerade Ball (Maureen Dowd) from the New York Times
"The stage show looked like America, but the convention hall did not. The crowd seemed like the sanctuary of a minority — economically wounded capitalists in shades from eggshell to ecru, cheering the man from Bain and trying to fathom why they’re not running the country anymore. The speakers ranted about an America in decline, but the audience reflected a party in decline."

Republicans Declare War on History (Simon Schama) from the Daily Beast 
FYI: Schama is a HUGE, prize-winning historian of both US and European history!
"Fairy tales, fibs, and outright lies were on display at the Republican National Convention—not to mention the witless ramblings of Clint Eastwood. Simon Schama on the GOP's grand illusions."

In a Tactical Test, Romney Stakes Hopes on Ohio from the New York Times 
"Mitt Romney’s path to the White House would be severely narrowed without the 18 electoral votes from Ohio, where he continues to trail President Obama."

Romney Camp Had No Idea Clint Eastwood Was Going To Talk to a Chair (Josh Voorhees and Daniel Politi) from Slate
"...when it became clear Friday that Eastwood’s bizarre, head-scratching, 12-minute ramble had stolen much of the spotlight from the candidate, Romney’s top aides began pointing fingers."

MEDICAL NUGGET!!
When I'm 164 (David Ewing Duncan) form the Atlantic
"Bioscience may be closer than many realize to pushing the outer limits of the human lifespan."

CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD NUGGET!!
Hitchcock's Leading Ladies: From Grace Kelly to Ingrid Bergman, the Women Who Keep Us Spellbound to the Silver Screen from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"The films of Alfred Hitchcock are as much known for their suspense and cinematography as they are for the leading ladies. The famed director of such classics like Rear Window, Rebecca, and Psycho was known to be very meticulous in his casting."

TWO OBAMA BIOGRAPHICAL NUGGETS!!
Both of these are by David Maraniss,  The first is one for the birther contingent!!
1.  What Drives the Obama Doubters and Haters? (David Maraniss) from the Washington Post
"I hold them in contempt for the way they disregard facts and common sense and undermine the role of serious history as they concoct conspiracy theories that portray the president as dangerous, alien and less than American."

And for the Clinton fans:
2.  Clinton and Obama: Presidential Parallels (David Maraniss) from the Washington Post
"It is hard to imagine two places further from the centers of power than southwestern Arkansas or Hawaii. Neither state had produced a president before. But there was so much more working against them than geography."

CLINTON NUGGET!!
When Bill Met Hillary (William Chafe) from Salon
"Before they were the world's most powerful team, they were kids grappling with politics, art and a shocking death."

ODD DOG NUGGET!!
Tracking a Subtle Scent, a Dog May Help Save the Whales from the New York Times
"A dog named Tucker with a thumping tail and a mysterious past as a stray on the streets of Seattle has become an unexpected star in the realm of canine-assisted science. He is the world’s only working dog, marine biologists say, able to find and track the scent of orca scat, or feces, in open ocean water — up to a mile away, in the smallest of specks."
At first, I thought this had to be a satiric story -- but no!  The photo is hilarious! Evolutionary biologists may have trouble explaining this one.

News Nuggets 1047

DAYLEE PICTURE: A hilarious photo released by the White House in response to Clint Eastwood's 10-minute schtick.  The caption reads: "This seat is taken."

UP-FRONT VOTING NUGGET!!
GOP Suffers Tough Week for Voting Issues in Court from Politico
"A big week for voting issues in the courts, and as Ari Berman notes, none of these broke Republicans' way. ..."

Bashar al-Assad Lost The Support of Aleppo’s Wealthy When the Shelling Started (Mike Giglio) from the Daily Beast
"Many well-off residents of this besieged Syrian city found life good under Bashar al-Assad’s regime. But when the government began indiscriminately attacking rebels and residents alike, Assad’s support from Aleppo’s upper class has evaporated, writes Mike Giglio."

Rocky Future for China Seas (Kevin Rafferty) from the Japan Times [in English]
"...there is a real danger that the rapid growth of the region may be threatened by growing nationalism, complicated by muscle flexing by China, which is clearly on the rise economically and militarily."

World War II Memories and Territorial Disputes in Northeast Asia (Preeti Nalwa) from the East Asia Forum
"The 67th anniversary celebrations have brought the memory of war back into the political consciousness of the three most advanced nations in Asia. The three countries’ histories of World War II continue to negatively affect their perceptions of one another."

Can Europe Survive the Rise of the Rest? (Timothy Garton Ash) from the New York Times
"On many measures of power, the European Union belongs with the United States and China in a global Big Three. Yet say that to officials in Beijing, Washington or any other world capital today and they would probably laugh out loud. As European leaders stagger into yet another round of crisis summitry, this potential superpower is widely viewed as the sick man of the developed world. Why?"

Republicans in the Pursuit of Foreign Policy (Fyodor Lukyanov) from Russia in Global Affairs Forum
"America’s influence on the world is now stronger than ever, but its dependence on other countries has also grown. Indeed, Americans’ indifference to the world around them does not correspond to global reality. This year’s Republican nominees are a perfect example of this contradiction."

Typically American (Martin Eiermann) from The European
"According to German media, Mitt Romney is a spineless, shapeless politician. And 47 percent of Americans are apparently stupid or senile enough to vote for him."

California Community Considers Bold Response To Foreclosure Crisis: San Bernardino Eminent Domain Fight Closely Watched By Other Struggling Communities (Ben Hallman) from the Huffington Post
" ... local authorities are considering a proposal that would allow local governments to exercise their power to seize private property without landowners' consent in a dramatic -- some say radical -- new way. Governments usually use this power, known as eminent domain, to acquire private land for public purposes, such as roads or utility lines. But this plan, proposed by a San Francisco-based venture fund Mortgage Resolution Partners, calls for government authorities to seize the mortgages of underwater borrowers, paying the investors that own them a fraction of what they are owed, using money borrowed from the fund. Homeowners could then refinance with a federal loan at a much lower rate, based on what their home is actually worth instead of what they owe."

Ryan’s Budget Proposal Is Pitting G.O.P. Troops Against Top of the Ticket from the New York Times
"Even as Mitt Romney and Representative Paul D. Ryan exhort Republicans to embrace their proposed Medicare changes and spending cuts, the party’s rank and file is growing less enthusiastic about the fight than the top of the ticket."

The GOP’s Dangerous Animals (Dana Milbank) from the Washington Post 
"Some of the party’s stars are, well, nuts."

The Anti-Reagan: Even A Hologram Of The Gipper Overshadows Mitt Romney (Will Marshall) from the Daily Beast
"Ronald Reagan, whatever his failings, was a man of convictions. Mitt Romney, by contrast, is a man of circumstance, writes Will Marshall."

Did a Rambling Clint Eastwood Ruin Mitt Romney's Big Night? from The Week 
"The GOP learns the hard way that an empty chair, an imaginary President Obama, and an octogenarian Hollywood star may be a recipe for disaster."

Clint Eastwood's Convention Schtick Draws Extreme Criticism from the National Journal
"Scott Walker: 'I cringed' during performance."

Why Clint Eastwood was Bad for Mitt Romney from the Boston Herald
"Why was Clint Eastwood so bad for Mitt Romney? Because on a morning when we should be talking about the Republican candidate for president, all we’re thinking about is Eastwood’s conversation with an empty chair. The RNC allowed their candidate to be upstaged. That’s not good for business."

Michael Steele: Voter ID Rhetoric Is 'Irresponsible,' Party Needs New Approach To Black Voters from the Huffington Post
"As the Republican National Convention drew to a close, Michael Steele, the party's former chair, said that his party needed to do a better job of outreach to communities of color, and that the rhetoric around voter ID laws was a detriment to those efforts."
Ah, the equivalent of another "mea culpa" from a FORMER GOP official.  Where were their critical voices when it mattered?  The paychecks and publicity were just too good.  Who cares now what folks like Steele have to say?

OBAMA HISTORY NUGGET!!
The Night Obama First Shone (David Maraniss) from the Washington Post 
"As the proceedings droned on, Obama kept a steady vigil at his back-row desk, four seats to the left of the center aisle, half-listening as he scrawled themes and phrases he might use in the most important speech of his career ..."

POLITICAL HISTORY PHOTO NUGGET!!
Elephants, Girls in Bikinis, and Bathtubs Full of Beer: Stunning Life Magazine Photos Document the Drama, Politics, and Pageantry of the Republican National Convention (PHOTOS) from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"...in the mid-twentieth century, those on the stump relied as much on their political prowess as crowd-pleasing theatrics. At the 1968 RNC in Miami Beach, Florida, for instance, an elephant was brought in, and was ridden by two brave young women.  Throughout the decades, Life magazine has captured memorable moments from the right-wing political gathering, from the tense to the absurd, and everything in between."

News Nugget 1046

DAYLEE PICTURE: A baby Tasmanian Devil at the Torango Zoo in Australia.  From Zooborns.

The Silver Lining on Iran’s Nukes (Eli Lake) from the Daily Beast
"It’s definitely not good news that Iran is moving its nuclear program underground. But on the plus side, its centrifuge design dates to the 1970s."

Summertime Blues: The Slowdown is Spreading Around the World from the Economist [of London]
"The most perturbing aspect of the current slowdown is that the weakness is so widespread, affecting emerging economies as well as rich countries."

China’s Fears Grow Over Eurozone Crisis from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"China has expressed deep alarm at the escalating crisis in Europe and warned against austerity overkill as Europe's crumbling demand sends shock waves through Asia."

Everything You Think You Know About China Is Wrong (Minxin Pei) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Are we obsessing about its rise when we should be worried about its fall?"

Catholic Official's Quote For The Day II (Andrew Sullivan) from the Daily Beast
"A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer ... It's not so hard to see — a kid looking for a father and didn't have his own — and they won't be planning to get into heavy-duty sex, but almost romantic, embracing, kissing, perhaps sleeping but not having intercourse or anything like that. It's an understandable thing..." - Father Benedict Groeschel, the director of the Office for Spiritual Development for the Catholic Archdiocese of New York."
Clueless.  How long will the Vatican continue to tolerate this "trashing-the-victim" moral insouciance? 

Ohio Early Voting Ruling: Court Orders State To Restore 3 Days Of Voting Before Election Day from the Huffington Post
"A federal judge sided with the Obama campaign and ruled Friday to order Ohio to restore three days of early voting before Election Day, a decision that could affect the outcome of the 2012 election in a key battleground state."

America, the Insecure (Alex Massie) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Hey, America: You're good enough, you're smart enough, and doggone it, people like you. Thoughts from across the pond on the U.S. obsession with exceptionalism."

Romney Didn't Make the Sale (Larry Kudlow) from CNBC
"Did Mitt Romney make the economic sale at the Republican National Convention? Did he convince people who are living at the margin or unemployed and discouraged that he has the answers to the economy? Frankly, I don’t think so."
This from a very conservative GOP-leaning pundit.

Romney’s Convention Aimed for Swing Voters, but Lost the Tea Party (John Judis) from the New Republic
" There was a downside to the convention, however, that was not visible on television. It pitted Romney against the Republican party’s activist core. That conflict probably won’t cost him the election, but if he wins the election, it could bring him all kinds of grief."

Clint Eastwood Delivers Bizarre, Rambling Speech To Empty Chair from Talking Points Memo
"Clint Eastwood opened up the primetime portion of the Republican convention with a rambling, mumbling and often incoherent address next to an empty chair that was meant to represent President Obama. A creaky Eastwood began by defending Hollywood’s notorious liberal reputation to the crowd, claiming that there were in fact many independents and Republicans in show business."
First, let me say I have always liked Clint Eastwood's movies, both the ones he has acted in and those he directed.  While I had always known that he was a committed Republican, I was sad to hear that he was going to be the GOP's "hail Mary" guest speaker.  I suspected that it would leave him a diminished figure -- and it did.  He looked strange and, to be charitable, his performance will not make his career highlights film.  In the bigger picture, though, I was struck by how "thrown together" his appearance was -- and how derivative it was of the already overcooked convention narrative: Obama bad.  Why the whole "mystery guest speaker" runaround?  Just to  induce some suspense?  Ultimately, what I am left with is: who was REALLY supposed to fill that slot?  Who didn't show?  The whole thing smelled of the McCain campaign''s desperate "we-need-to-do-something-to-shake-up-the-race" Sarah Palin gambit in '08.  A very odd, dissonant event -- something I guess one could say about much of the GOP convention.

In the Line of Fire: The Clint Eastwood Train Wreck (Michael Grunwald) from Time Magazine
"We had heard there would be a surprise guest tonight, but apparently, the surprise was a surprise to the surprise guest. You know how reporters always complain that conventions are too scripted? Eastwood was the first thing on network TV tonight, and oh, it wasn’t scripted. It wasn’t rehearsed. It wasn’t sane."

Pundits Pan Clint Eastwood’s ‘Disaster’ Speech from Politico
"MSNBC pundits said Clint Eastwood’s GOP convention speech Thursday night was a “bizarre” and “embarrassing” “disaster,” and a Fox News reporter wouldn’t even touch it. ... Fox News’s Chris Wallace, meanwhile, wouldn’t even opine on the speech. “Let me say that I get paid to review
politicians,” he said. “There’s no way I’m going to touch Clint Eastwood’s performance tonight.”"

After a Gunslinger Cuts Loose, Romney Aides Take Cover from the New York Times
"Clint Eastwood’s rambling and off-color endorsement of Mitt Romney on Thursday seemed to startle and unsettle even the candidate’s own top aides, several of whom made a point of distancing themselves from the decision to put him onstage without a polished script."

The Assassination of Clint Eastwood by the Coward Mitt Romney (Tom Scocca) from Slate
"Is there anyone this campaign won’t sell out?"

Condoleezza Rice Has a Lot of Nerve (Fred Kaplan) from Slate
Note to readers: Kaplan is one of the more prominent right-of-center neocon analysts out there.
"The former secretary of state presided over a failure. She has no business lecturing Obama on international politics."

If Romney Loses (Ryan Lizza) from the New Yorker
"The most conservative faction of Republicans, to which Ryan may have a claim, will argue that alleged moderates like McCain and Romney have led the party to back-to-back defeats, and thus make the case for purism. This is the most likely scenario."

CAR NUGGET!!
Self-Driving Cars Approved By California Legislature from the Huffington Post
"...what if you were sitting in your car and didn't actually have to drive? What if all you had to pay attention to was getting to the next level in Angry Birds? The California state legislature just moved that dream a little closer to reality by approving a bill paving the way for driverless cars to be allowed on Golden State freeways."