Big Sky Cairn

The best satire has an element of truth in it.  Which is why this piece about Obama’s excellent, amazing, incredible world tour is so freaking funny.  He ventured forth to bring light to the world.

And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness.

The Child was blessed in looks and intellect. Scion of a simple family, offspring of a miraculous union, grandson of a typical white person and an African peasant. And yea, as he grew, the Child walked in the path of righteousness, with only the occasional detour into the odd weed and a little blow.

There’s much, much more, and reading the entire thing ought to be mandatory.  What makes this satire so effective is that if you toned it down just a little you could actually have a passable mainstream media fluff-piece on The Great Obama.

It’s no surprise then to learn that when media people donate money to political campaigns they give to Democrats more than Republicans.  What is surprising though is how lopsided that disparity is: 100 to 1 in dollars given.  That’s huge.

I guess no one should be surprised by bias in local media coverage either.

Senator Obama’s latest gospel of hope passed on by the Billings Gazette seemed to be a noble one.  Equality in the workplace, an idea that all people should be behind.  Except for you know, Obama himself…

Riggs called Obama hypocritical, noting that in the Democrat’s Senate office, female staff members are outnumbered and outpaid by men by an average of nearly $10,500 per person. In contrast, he said, McCain not only has more women on his Senate staff than men but pays the women about $3,500 more on average than the men. Neither comparison counts interns.

According to Sports Illustrated, Obama’s campaign is in talks to sponsor a car for the Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway. For those of you not in the know, that’s a NASCAR event.

So he abandons public financing because he’s created this noble small donor based “semi-public” financing system of his own, and we’re all supposed to be okay with that. Then he refuses to use his millions to help Hillary (a woman he claims to respect and admire for the fight she put up in the primary) retire her massive campaign debt. And now he’s going to spend his extra millions to do something noble like sponsor a car during a NASCAR race?

Frankly, this whole thing smacks of pandering. But then again, maybe it will be like when Hillary backed Eight Belles to win the Kentucky Derby. We all know how well that turned out.

And Obama’s decision to sponsor a NASCAR entry lends itself to a lot of new slogans that his campaign might be able to throw on a T-Shirt or a Bumper Sticker.

Obama: Changes positions every lap.

Obama: He only knows how to turn to the Left.

Obama: Moving fast, going nowhere.

Obama: Makes more sense if you’ve been drinking.

Obama: Leading America in Circles.

Obama: His views depend on where he is in the race.

NASCAR: Because I am not an elitist. (feel free to add in Nixon’s double-V for the effect)

NASCAR: Because I believe in reducing fossil fuel emissions!

NASCAR: Because buying a football stadium would be pushing it.

Feel free to add your own Obama NASCAR slogans in the comments…have a good weekend.

Butte, America did its best to make sure that Obama and his family felt welcome in the Mining City. 

Police officers, highway patrolman, volunteers from the Search and Rescue and dozens of volunteer firefighters gave up their holiday vacations to help the Secret Service protect the Illinois Senator.  Supporters made signs and hung them throughout town and along the parade route.  And upon learning that it was Malia Obama’s birthday, Butte residents made sure that there was ample cake available and even a birthday announcement in the local paper.  Local candidate Samm Cox (Cox for County Attorney!!!) made sure that his band gave her a special shout out as well.

There was a great deal of confusion about the Senator’s visit.  The plans changed daily, sometimes even hourly.  Originally, Obama was going to ride in the parade but only from the Civic Center to Cobban (halfway).  Then he was going to walk some of the route with Baucus and Schweitzer. 

The plans then changed to include a short speech in the Albertson’s parking and watching the parade from the bleachers at the North end of the parade route.  Finally, the decision was made that he would watch the parade from the bleachers but that he wouldn’t arrive until seconds before the parade was to start and the public speech was rolled into an afternoon picnic for at Montana Tech.

Of the thousands who lined the parade route hoping to see Obama, only a few hundred had the chance.  A group of people seated near my family had driven all the way from Post Falls, ID only to find out that morning that Obama would not be riding in the parade.  Others at the start of the parade route were equally upset that they could not enter the secured area unless they walked several blocks south to the magnetometer at Harrison and Grand.  No word on how the businesses in the Albertson’s shopping center felt about the lost business.

Even several hundred people who stood in line for tickets to the afternoon picnic were not guaranteed a chance to see the candidate.  A miscommunication between security at the venue and the campaign led a few dozen people with tickets to be turned away from the event.  One woman, who waited an hour and a half to get tickets only to be denied entrance to the event, told the local paper that following the incident she intended to vote for McCain.

Several thousand Butte residents were also ticked off when the July 3rd fireworks display started almost an hour late of its 10pm start time.  The reason seems to be that Michelle Obama’s arrival into the Mining City delayed them.  Whether this was because of FAA regulations or the preference of the campaign is unknown. 

Other than some inconvenience to local residents, businesses and the like, the Obama Fourth of July extravaganza seemed to run smoothly.  And my family was able to secure our usually parade viewing spot without incident, so we were happy. 

This year’s parade was a long one, 160 entries.  And many of those spots were filled by politicians running for office.

In the first position behind the color guard, Baucus was in good spirits.  He and a sizable group of supporters waved to the crowd.  Nothing interesting to report on that front.

Behind him in the second spot was Governor Brian Schweitzer with his wife Nancy and of course, the dog Jag.  When he walked past, I noticed that he was surrounded by four serious looking men glowering at the crowd.  At first, I thought these men might be Secret Service but I later learned from a friend that they were highway patrol officers who work as Schweitzer’s personal bodyguards.

Apparently, our Governor thinks that he needs protection from the people of Butte.  Taxpayer funded protection no less.  Personally, I find the notion ridiculous and think that someone might have been playing “keeping up with the Joneses” with Senator Obama.  Especially since no one else that I have spoken to, can remember Schweitzer bringing bodyguards to the parade before.

I also didn’t see Lt. Gov. Bohlinger at the parade, but maybe I just didn’t recognize him without his bow tie. 

Linda McCulloch was there, and she was in fine form.  She and one supporter were walking the route near the Butte Plaza Mall when someone in the crowd yelled out, “We love you Linda.”  Her response?  In an exasperated tone she yelled back, “Oh my God, how much longer to the end?” 

When someone in the crowd yelled back that she still had a ways to go (another 1/2 mile or so to Elizabeth Warren), she very audibly remarked, “Why am I doing this again?”  Classy.

Bob Kelleher was there.  And McColluch could take a lesson since Kelleher is in his 80s (?) and walked the entire parade route without noticeable complaint (while wearing all black no less).  He was also sporting some awesome black glasses to which he had attached fake fuzzy eyebrows. 

Nice to see he has a sense of humor.

JC at Left in the West got himself all worked up over an article in the Denver Post that dares suggest that guns are litmus test issue in Montana. If he’s concerned about the big city folk not understanding the demographics of the state, maybe he should start his conversation with his big city Governor who, you’ll remember, told the press in April that McCain would win Montana on one issue.

While he thinks either Obama or Clinton running on his or her own has a 50-50 shot of winning the White House against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, Schweitzer doesn’t think either Democrat can take Montana.

Asked why not, he had a one word answer: “Guns.”

Read the whole article. And then some commentary. And some more commentary.

For years, I have been telling friends and family that Butte, Montana is the only place to be on Independence Day. 

The third of July fireworks display over the “Big M” is spectcular.  Straight out of Mayberry, the parade is filled with over one-hundred floats and marching bands.  And when the American flag rolls by, everyone from the very old to the very young stands.

Yes, a Fourth of July in Butte is Norman Rockwell poster perfect.  Perfect enough for a DNC approved Barack Obama photo op.

This Friday, Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama will attempt to shed his big city elitist image by joining Baucus, Schweitzer and the rest of the Montana Dems at the Butte Fourth of July parade.  I guess that abandoning his convictions and shedding public financing in favor of a huge campaign war chest makes these kind of sput of the moment outings possible.

Personally, I’m not sure how to feel about Obama’s decision to come to Butte for the 4th.  On the one hand, it’s kind of cool.  But on the other, there is the real possibility that his presence will ruin the very idyllicism that his campaign is trying to harness.

Police officers who would have had the Fourth off, will now be working security.  Thousands of out-of-towners will invade the parade route.  And journalists of all sizes and stripes will be working Harrison Avenue for B-roll and man on the street interviews.  Yes, it is going to be Mansfield-Metcalf part deux.

So, whether Obama’s presence will add to my love of a Butte Fourth of July or detract from it, remains to be seen.  But one thing is for certain, should anyone from outside the S.B.C. limits attempt to steal a seat in my family’s usual parade viewing spot, I’ll have to throw down Butte style.  Because some things (like your regular church pew, counter seat at Matt’s Drive-In and parade watching spot) are sacred.

In the past, Obama has said that he believes in an individual right to possess a firearm. However, Obama’s position on the constitutionality of Washington D.C.’s gun law, which fully bans ownership of handguns not registered prior to 1976 and forces long guns to be kept unloaded and disassembled (so helpful in an emergency), is less clear.

In November, 2007, an Obama aide told The Chicago Tribune that Obama “believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the D.C. handgun law is constitutional.”

The Obama camp is now disavowing that statement as an inaccurate representation of the Democratic Presidential hopeful’s views. According to the Obama camp the aide misrepresented the Senator’s position on the constitutionality of the DC Gun Ban.

Okay, I can see how that might happen. So, what does the candidate himself have to say?

In the past, Obama has “artfully side stepped” the question, telling ABC News’s Charlie Gibson:

“Well, Charlie, I confess I obviously haven’t listened to the briefs and looked at all the evidence.”

Really? I haven’t read the briefs? What a cop out. Bob Novak was also unable to get a definitive answer.

Obama believes that a municiplaity has the right to enact common sense gun laws. But when he was asked if a 32-year complete ban on the possession of handguns and the requirement that long guns be kept inoperable was a common sense regulation, the Senator demurred.

However, Obama has been very supportive of a Chicago city ordinance that includes a complete ban on handgun ownership. While in the Illinois State Senate he voted against legislation that prevented Chicago from prosecuting city residents who used handguns to defend themselves in their own homes arguing that the city had a right to impose these restrictions for public good. But now that the Supreme Court has called DC’s handgun ban unconstitutional, Chicago will be next on the block.

Shortly after the Heller decision was handed down, Republican presidential candidate John McCain came out with a statement praising the courts decision. He also put out a statement saying that in light of the Heller decision, Chicago’s ban is unconstitutional.

As for Barack Obama’s position on this morning’s decision, we’re three hours in and there is nothing from the Obama camp. My guess is that they’re reading Scalia’s opinion trying to figure out how to defend his chronic support of Chicago’s laws in light of Heller. I’ll post a link to his statement when and if his camp releases it.

On a related note, Cody asked me earlier if the Heller decision means D.C. residents can run out and buy guns today. The answer is no, they cannot. The District government will take several weeks to announce what its new (SCOTUS compliant) regulations will be. Until then, residents will be governed by the old rules.

And just because it’s funny, here is D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty’s quote on the Supreme Court decision.

“I’m disappointed in the Court’s ruling and believe introducing more handguns into the District will mean more handgun violence,” said Mayor Fenty. “But I want to emphasize that at this moment, our gun laws remain in effect. It may be several weeks before there are changes to announce.”

So, he concedes the point that the ban has done nothing to keep criminals from having guns, which I’m guessing was the reason for the draconian laws in the first place. So, this big city Mayor admits that the ban is a failure but wants to keep law abiding citizens from owning guns anyway. Awesome. I can’t wait to see what this guy thinks is a”common sense” SCOTUS compliant regulation.

**Update** Obama’s statement.  He does little sidestep…

I recently described Obama’s hasty exit from Montana as a bit like a frat boy’s exodus after a one-night stand. Empty offices, crying Democrats feeling a bit used. Well, it looks like those empty spaces are being put to use.

Exotic dancer Victoria Lindley plans to open her business, called Aphrodite’s Inferno - A Membership Only Theatre of Arts, in the former Casey’s Golden Pheasant at 222 N. Broadway. The building most recently housed Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign headquarters.

A building full of people willing to say anything to extract money from a desperate and emotional audience with no intention of following through on what they are implicitly promising? And now it’s going to be a strip club. One wonders if Billings will notice a change.

This is hilarious. Anna over at Left in the West has a post up about how impressed she is with the frank honesty of Democrat Presidential Candidate Barack Obama otherwise known as The Great Messiah of Hope and Freedom. Anyway, here’s the passage that got her all hot and bothered:

In an interview with Fortune to be featured in the magazine’s upcoming issue, the presumptive Democratic nominee backed off his harshest attacks on the free trade agreement and indicated he didn’t want to unilaterally reopen negotiations on NAFTA.

“Sometimes during campaigns the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified,” he conceded, after I reminded him that he had called NAFTA “devastating” and “a big mistake,” despite nonpartisan studies concluding that the trade zone has had a mild, positive effect on the U.S. economy.

Does that mean his rhetoric was overheated and amplified? “Politicians are always guilty of that, and I don’t exempt myself,” he answered.

Did you catch that? The passage that Anna thinks demonstrates her man’s impeccable character is really about the fact that this man has no integrity and will say anything to get elected.

During the Democrat Primary, Obama veered Left to attract the votes from the people who were criticizing Clinton for moving to the center (ironically making herself more electable in the General). Now that he’s secured the nomination, Obama is going to try to move into that center ground that Hilary abdicates with her Fall back to the Senate. But as he does so, he’s also going to have to abandon a lot of that far-left rhetoric that got him the Nomination. All we learn from that passage is that Obama will lie to fit what he thinks his audience wants to hear.

Newsflash Anna: Being honest about the fact that you lie doesn’t make you an honest person.

[Update: Looks like Dave Budge beat me to the punch by a few minutes…]