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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

The Morning News

posted by on March 11 at 7:53 AM

Spitzer: Hooker happy governor reportedly thinking about resigning. See also this, from the original story:

Though his signature issue was pursuing Wall Street misdeeds, as attorney general Mr. Spitzer also had prosecuted at least two prostitution rings as head of the state’s organized crime task force.

In one such case in 2004, Mr. Spitzer spoke with revulsion and anger after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating a high-end prostitution ring out of Staten Island.

“This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure,” Mr. Spitzer said at the time. “It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.”

Jackass.

Pakistan: Two suicide bombers, at least 24 dead in the eastern city of Lahore.

Uncle Sam: Offering to lend $200 billion to financial firms and investment banks in an effort to prop up the economy. Meanwhile, oil is at $109 a barrel, the U.S. trade deficit at $58.2 billion.

From the Mouth of Geraldine Ferraro:

If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”

Bleak Study of the Day: At least one in four teenage girls has a STD, according to the CDC. HPV is the most common infection.

Lost & Found: One Ernest G. Munn, missing since 1942.

Protesting: Boeing, over the Air Force tanker contract.

Mourning: Friends and family of a 10-year-old Everett boy who died after asking to be buried head-down in the sandbox by his friends.

Running Out: A local group’s offer to buy the Sonics and help renovate Key Arena.

Downtown Bellevue: Watching as a flood of techies buy up the condos. Predictably, not everyone is excited:

Tanya Elder, 33, moved downtown with her husband a year and a half ago to be closer to work and is already hoping the neighborhood doesn’t get too popular. The cleanliness and low crime rate are rarities, she said.

“Don’t let people move downtown,” she said. “I don’t want it to turn bad.”

And Finally: Dynaman!

RSS icon Comments

1

tanya elder is the best example of the attitude of washington. she doesnt want anyone to ruin what she already ruined for other people.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | March 11, 2008 8:51 AM
2

No link for the Ferraro quote?

Posted by Levislade | March 11, 2008 8:52 AM
3

do you have a source for that ferraro quote? that is really unbelievable.

Posted by quilsone | March 11, 2008 8:52 AM
4

Sorry about that. Link is up now.

Posted by Bradley Steinbacher | March 11, 2008 9:00 AM
5

Lucky to be a black man. Really? I didn't get the memo. ...Who is this Ferraro you speak of?

Posted by Open mouth, insert foot | March 11, 2008 9:00 AM
6
Posted by elenchos | March 11, 2008 9:01 AM
7
Posted by Bellevue Ave | March 11, 2008 9:01 AM
8

ah, i miss the subjunctive mood.

Posted by el | March 11, 2008 9:01 AM
9

as per that tina brown newsweek piece, it is getting harder and harder to listen to these rich white women claiming to be the victims. especially when they do so in ways that just betray their own biases and racism. go hills!

Posted by quilsone | March 11, 2008 9:02 AM
10

I just made the mistake of reading some of the comments on that abcnews post . . . I need a shower.

Posted by Levislade | March 11, 2008 9:05 AM
11

Speaking as a Clinton supporters, I would like to appeal to Ms. Ferraro to kindly shut the fuck up. With friends like that, we don't need enemies.

Posted by Big Sven | March 11, 2008 9:07 AM
12

Downtown Bellevue was ever "good"?

I suppose if you like West Omaha, then it would be good, but I just don't see it myself.

Posted by Catalina Vel-DuRay | March 11, 2008 9:09 AM
13

Seriously? Do you people really think Obama would be where he is now if he wasn't a black (actually biracial) man?

Regardless of who you support, you have to agree that part of Obama's appeal is because he is black. That's not racist, that's just truth. Just as part of Clinton's appeal is that she is a woman.

The only reason you are all acting outraged is because in your hearts you know it is true and you don't want to admit it.

Posted by Okay then | March 11, 2008 9:09 AM
14

40% of sexually active teen girls have an STD? Does that number seem suspiciously high to anyone else?

Not that the Bush administration would subvert science in pursuit of a political objective or anything. Heaven's no.

ps- sorry for the misconjugated verb @11. Me no write good.

Posted by Big Sven | March 11, 2008 9:10 AM
15

Thanks, Sven @ 11. I support Obama, but certainly am not blaming Clinton for Ferraro's comments. I've gotten to the point where I'm beginning to ignore both candidates supporters' comments. I blame stupid comments on those who make them.

Posted by Fitz | March 11, 2008 9:12 AM
16

the same claim has been made about clinton; if not for her husband who would she be? but this isn't something that plays on the idea of affirmative action or someone getting favors based on decisions they made like clinton. this is basically saying that obama is popular as an outcropping of his skin tone, unlike hillary who is popular because she has been in the public eye for 20+ years as the wife of her husband

Posted by Bellevue Ave | March 11, 2008 9:12 AM
17

Weill, what Ferraro says is factual. Obama has been doing so well partly because of the voters’ and the media’s collective guilt over our history of race relations. That, in itself, doesn’t negate Obama’s own political talent, but it is a contributing factor to his success. The same is true, but to a lesser extent, with Mrs. Clinton.

Posted by raindrop | March 11, 2008 9:12 AM
18

Does anybody actually believe that the excitement over Clinton and Obama is due to their policy positions?! No fucking way! They're corporate, centrist Democrats. Both of them. This election is about breaking that "glass ceiling" that we've heard so much about.

Oh, and THANK GOD for the Slog update. I was starting to suffocate.

Posted by Fonky | March 11, 2008 9:14 AM
19

raindrop, that might be true for older voters that are actually afraid of black people but I don't know anyone around the age of 24 that has any sort of collective guilt about race relations nor views a vote for obama as a mea culpa for race relations.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | March 11, 2008 9:15 AM
20

Ah, our daily dose of Angry White Males Bellevue Ave and raindrop explaining race in America. Now all we need is fifty two eighty; I'm sure he has some real good insight on this too.


Posted by elenchos | March 11, 2008 9:19 AM
21

@13 Actually no, I sincerely don't believe Obama is where he is because he's black. I'm drawn to Obama because he represents hope (as cliché as that is) after 8 years of watching Bush flush this country down the toilet. I want Obama because he represents moderately Liberal views without alienating right-leaning voters, nor pandering to them... most of all, I want Obama because he doesn't stoop to repackaging Rovian politics with a Va-jay-jay.

Posted by UNPAID BLOGGER | March 11, 2008 9:20 AM
22

You seem more angry about things than me elenchos.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | March 11, 2008 9:22 AM
23

i can play this game, too, geraldine!

if ferraro was a grey haired white man coming from the depths of the political machine and said that obama was an affirmative action hire, he would get pounded in the media for being racist.

And rightly so.

there is actually precedent for this.

remember when rush limbaugh said that donovan mcnabb was an overrated quarterback because everyone was so amped that a black guy was outperforming in a position historically dominated by whites? He basically said that donovan wouldn't be where he was if he wasn't black.

ABC fired his dumb ass.

But because ferarro is a woman supporting clinton, it's "a fact"?

Posted by some dude | March 11, 2008 9:24 AM
24

in other news, Clinton is now trailing in projected delegates by more than 100. her projected super count has shrunk to a 32 delegate lead and she is 147 behind in the pledged count.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | March 11, 2008 9:25 AM
25

correction, ABC was thinking about adding rush to their monday night football lineup but went with dennis miller instead (good idea!)

it was ESPN that had rush on when he said:

Sorry to say this, I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team.

and it was ESPN that fired his dumb ass.

Posted by some dude | March 11, 2008 9:26 AM
26

@21:

I agree with you about all those things, except for the Rovian politics comment-I think it is ridiculous that Clinton is accused of being evil. But if Obama was a white man, he probably wouldn't be as popular as he is. Neither would Clinton if she was a white man.

Part of the reason people are excited about this election is because for once we DO have a choice other than a white man!

I really don't think what Ferraro said was out of line. Maybe she could have stated it more eloquently and in a less inflammatory manner.

Posted by Okay then | March 11, 2008 9:27 AM
27

If you really think it is lucky to be black, you're misguided. I only wish you could walk a day in my shoes. His appeal goes beyond the fact that he is black (and half white). There are other intelligent blacks who are qualified to run for office. However, I wouldn't necessarily vote for them if their policies aren't appealing to me.

Posted by Fitz | March 11, 2008 9:31 AM
28

I think that Clinton's gender and Obama's race are probably "enthusiasm multipliers" for both candidates, but neither would have ~50% of the D vote currently if they weren't fundamentally relevant candidates.

The time was ripe for a "new" Democrat. Edwards, by being connected to Gore, could never have been that Democrat. Obama, by being young and a great speaker, fit that bill easily. Go ahead, name another young national-level Democrat that motivates people and doesn't have a last name of "Kennedy". Can't do it, can you?

Likewise, the "go with a safe candidate who is most likely to beat the Rs in the fall" crowd (me and my friends, basically) would have found a candidate. WJC is the most successful D of the last generation (like it or not), and those closest to him collect the aura of "winners." If Hillary had not won a Senate seat seven years ago, it would have been Bill Richardson or Robert Reich or somebody else associated with two (relatively!) successful presidential terms.

So we got the right candidates for the right "change vs. experience" debate, independent of their gender and race.

Posted by Big Sven | March 11, 2008 9:33 AM
29

Why is this STD study exclusively about teenage girls? Aren't most STD-positive girls likely to have contracted their infections from men? This seems like half a study. Does this bother anyone else?

Posted by dicentra formosa | March 11, 2008 9:35 AM
30

Obama folks please explain.

1. she said “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position."

Why is this racist?

if he were white he would not be getting 85% of the AA vote and he would not have won many of the states he was won.
Seems like pointing out this obvious fact is deemed racist. Why?
Pointing out this obvious fact does not say "oh he doesn't/can't/won't get white votes" -- so....if the argument is this somehow disses him because it implies that he can't get white votes and that would not be true, um, that would be attacking Mr. Straw Man ...we're goint to have to start calling him Mr. Okey Straw Man perhaps.

why is it racist to say he woudn't be where he is if he were white?

I think it's not racist (till someone explains, please) and it's also true.

2. "And if he was a woman he would not be in this position."

Why is this racist?

3. That Obama is "very lucky to be who he is"?

Why is this racist?

He's a US Senator his career is meteoric he's the front runner for one party's nod to be the president of the USA he lives in a mansion he's a best selling writer he has a great wife who pulled down $300K at one point he went to prep schools Occidental College, Harvard Law School and Columbia University and he's ....kinda successful wouldn't you say?
And he explained he got over that absent father / multi racial identity thing as he recounted in his first book. I think he said he did it by going off to work in the South Side of Chicago.

So what is racist about saying he's lucky?

He's unlucky?

He was born in the worst country, the worst gender, in the worst period of time, etc. is not an argument that seem corect to me.

He wouldn't be where he is now if he'd been born in another country, another decade, another gender, or another race/racial identity.

And no matter how much one's success is due to one's talent, or work, you don't rise like this without luck, too.

Word.

Posted by unPC | March 11, 2008 9:41 AM
31

unPC, you are essentially arguing that he is a hard working and successful person, that he overcame the absent father, being biracial, etc. etc. and I agree with that wholeheartedly. And a lot of that was due to hard work, but it also requires luck (being in the right place and the right time).

The problem is that the statement ferraro makes discounts all that hard work. She's basically saying that it wasn't hard work, but his race, that got him ahead.

That is the whole point about people who complain about "affirmative action" hires. The person hired may in fact be very capable and deserves the job, but they get tagged as having gotten the job simply because of their race which negates any of the positive qualities the person has and stigmatizes them as being unworthy or undeserving of their opportunity. It discounts all their hard work and achievements by suggesting that their success is a gimme.

This kind of shit happens in the work place all the time.

So, in ferraro-speak, he's "lucky" he's black because black people get to move ahead on a free-pass that they don't really deserve. That's the problem.

Posted by some dude | March 11, 2008 9:50 AM
32

@31: great points!

unPC, I've worked very hard to be successful. I've never made excuses, even when I faced hostile situations that could have held me back. I'm not where I am because I'm lucky. It's because I got my education, worked hard, and never quit. I do not allow others to dictate my life. And despite the hostility I received and still receive because of I'm black, I do not hold ill-feelings against those who do not like me. It's their problem, not mine.

Posted by Fitz | March 11, 2008 10:01 AM
33

@ 31

Then the answer is to end ALL Affirmative Action IMMEDIATELY across the board!

Right?

I mean if we are truly going to strive to achieve our American "ideal" of a color blind society, then we should fast track that process by ending the favortism.

Yep I am someone who does think exactly that way. I've been a victim of Affirmative action twice in my life already, and I was clearly more qualified, but because I don't have a vagina or purple skin, I got passed over.

Yep I am going to harbor that resentment until affirmative action is abolished across the board entirely. Don't expect me or the millions of other caucasian white men who have also been victims of reverse discrimination to change our minds until you agree that America is not fundamentally equally across the board.

(ohh and for the record. I have a written documentation memo left on a printer that proves my point about getting based over simply because a racial/gender promotion was better for company image at maintaining certain quotas... and this is from a Fortune 50 company from someone 4 levels from the top)

Posted by End the SWM discrimination | March 11, 2008 10:26 AM
34

neither would be where they are if they were not who they are. to single out any specific attribute is silly. to point out race, as @31 pointed out so well, is in this case racist.

clinton is capable and tenacious apart from being a woman, and obama is a breath of fresh air and an inspirational speaker apart from being black.

Posted by infrequent | March 11, 2008 10:34 AM
35

Bellevue Ave@19: You've written a lot of stupid things here before, but your implication that anyone over 24 is responsible for problems in race relations in this country, and you kids have it all figured out, ranks right up there with the worst of them.

Posted by bigyaz | March 11, 2008 10:41 AM
36

@33. you tell a sympathetic tale as seen from your point of view only. it might benefit you, however, to expand your view a little. this one negative you faced is compared to the countless positives you have been shown because you are white, and the countless negatives minorities have experienced.

why should you personally pay for the mistakes of the past? because you personally benefited from them. and other are personally suffering because of them. if you cannot grasp that concept, your story quickly moves from sympathetic to pathetic.

Posted by infrequent | March 11, 2008 10:41 AM
37

The way I see it, affirmative action was never meant to be permanent- think of it more like training wheels. It was meant to open the door for non-white & non-male candidates, so eventually hiring would be equal across the board with no bias in any direction. With that in mind, affirmative action SHOULD be abolished, but only when equality is the norm... Sadly, I don't think we're there yet. (But, electing Obama or Hillary would prove we're that much closer to the goal.)

Posted by UNPAID BLOGGER | March 11, 2008 10:47 AM
38

@33 - yo the whole point is that barack didn't need affirmative action to get where he is--unless there is some minority quota in the primary that i'm not aware of.

but ferraro painted him with the affirmative action brush anyway, which is what is so bunk about it.

Posted by some dude | March 11, 2008 10:52 AM
39

did i miss something? why is everyone being so hard on bellevue ave this time?

i don't like obama out out some race guilt. isn't bellevue right that most younger people are less likely to be racist than older people? (maybe the 24 line could have been a bit more generous... is that the upsetting part?)

oh, wait, i get it (@20). it is kind of funny, isn't it?

Posted by infrequent | March 11, 2008 10:56 AM
40

people are hard on me because of my track record of unpopular opinions; natives, ledger, puppies...

Posted by Bellevue Ave | March 11, 2008 11:05 AM
41

@14 - Chlamydia and HPV are the most common STDs for women.

Glad I filled my tank with 10.84 gallons of gas last night - figure it will be $110 by day's end and $4 a gallon by the weekend.

Posted by Will in Seattle | March 11, 2008 11:29 AM
42

I only count one commenter here who is actually calling this racist. I don't see why #30 was directed at "Obama folks"

I agree, it's not really racist. It's just fucking stupid. It could be considered racist code. It's a carefully worded dismissal of his accomplishments and difficulties in life, and it appeals to racists and anti-AA nuts alike, along with Clinton supporters who seem to value hard truths when it suits their victimization complex. (Speaking of hard truths...)

Even if 100% "true", this comment serves no respectable purpose. Seriously, what is her point? People end up where they are because of circumstance? Well no shit. She's just whining about how Clinton is losing, as usual, and she even worked in the victimization angle.

I don't get #20, either.

Posted by w7ngman | March 11, 2008 11:46 AM
43

Hearing Will's play-by-play on gas prices is almost as exciting as hearing my father-in-law's recitation. I'm looking forward to hearing what he had for lunch, and seeing some of those grocery receipts too. See anything good on TV last night?

Posted by Fnarf | March 11, 2008 11:54 AM
44

From the story about the dead ten-year-old in Everett:

[quote]"To my knowledge, there is no research specifically targeting anime," said Doug Gentile, director of research for the National Institute on Media and the Family. "But what we do know is that media in general do have a very large effect on people."[/quote]

Except for the fact that the media DOESN'T have a "very large effect on people", and your few anecdotal tales about kids emulating Superman is little more than confirmation bias.

SEE ALSO: http://gamepolitics.com/2008/03/02/researchers-new-book-cuts-through-the-negative-hype-about-video-game-violence/

Posted by Dr. Savage Mudede | March 11, 2008 11:55 AM
45

i like @1, though.

Posted by infrequent | March 11, 2008 12:10 PM
46

You forgot about Mary Ann (of Gilligan's Island fame) being arrested for smiling pot. She is 69 years old.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/354554_maryann12.html

Posted by elswinger | March 11, 2008 12:19 PM
47

@46, if you're smiling pot, you're already stoned.

Posted by w7ngman | March 11, 2008 1:00 PM
48

RE The Ferraro quote: Are we really going to go there? Are we really? Are we really going to claim the media is more sexist than racist? That debate is a surefire exercise in futility.

Posted by bookworm | March 11, 2008 1:29 PM
49

I'm absolutely certain that Ferraro got her spot as Mondale's VP because she was the best man for the job.

Of course, they got routed in the general election.

Posted by NapoleonXIV | March 11, 2008 2:11 PM
50

Investment banks should fail and be ground into the dust. Sure, it will suck for our economy for a while, but knowing that most of the $200 billion in bailouts is just replacement for money that vanished into executive pockets makes me so angry.

Posted by Greg | March 11, 2008 2:11 PM
51

1)Hypocrites suck.
2)Yes, Ms Ferrero, you were the shining star of the Democrat Party in 1984 and being a woman had NOTHING to do with you being asked to run as VP...
And I so enjoyed all those commercials you did, after failing to win the nomination.
3)Dead kids are sad news, but even sadder is that these ten year olds were so dumb.

Posted by michael strangeways | March 11, 2008 2:52 PM

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