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Monday Open Thread

My favorite baseball player, Rickey Henderson, was elected to the Hall of Fame today, his first time on the HOF ballot. Tim Kurkjian writes a great piece on Rickey. Here's a snip:

[T]here's no denying that Henderson is the greatest base stealer ever, and one of the greatest players ever. "But he didn't like day games," [Tom] Candiotti said. "We had a day game in Oakland, and Rickey struck out. He walked all the way through the dugout talking to himself, he always talked to himself. He was saying, 'I don't know who's inside Rickey's body, but he better get out because the guy in there doesn't like day games, he only shows up on day games, so he better get out.' We were all laughing so hard. I wish I'd played my entire career with Rickey because he was just so entertaining. And he was just so good."

In addition, Jim Rice was elected to the Hall in his last year of eligibility.

This is an Open Thread.

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    Anyone see the upcoming (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by NJDem on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:34:29 PM EST
    issue of Ms. Magazine?

    Let's just say I'm not too thrilled...

    lol (1.00 / 1) (#13)
    by squeaky on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:42:20 PM EST
    In its letter from the editor, Ms. explains its thinking behind the cover that has already rankled many disgruntled Pumas:

    When the chair of the Feminist board, Peg Yorkin, and I met with Barack Obama, he immediately offered, "I am a feminist." And better yet, he ran on the strongest platform for women's rights of any major party in American history.

    Does that make you a disgruntled PUMA?

    Parent

    This is BS (5.00 / 5) (#20)
    by nycstray on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:59:59 PM EST
    And better yet, he ran on the strongest platform for women's rights of any major party in American history.

    Dude has an endearing habit of totally forgetting gender is an issue . . . And yes, it was obvious in his campaigning.

    Parent

    "I got 99 problems..." (5.00 / 3) (#23)
    by jbindc on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:12:15 PM EST
    "...and a b*tch ain't one of 'em"

    Parent
    Well, controversy sells (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by scribe on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:13:04 PM EST
    magazines, and from what I've read (admittedly, not a lot), Ms. could use all the sales it can get.

    Parent
    I'm Betting He'll Restore Reproductive Freedoms (5.00 / 2) (#43)
    by daring grace on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:25:29 PM EST
    and promote economic equity along with other female friendly policies.

    And if he does that he can call me sweetie till the cows come home...

    Parent

    Reproductive freedoms may be looking for (5.00 / 1) (#59)
    by nycstray on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 08:12:26 PM EST
    a middle ground according to his transition team regarding the HHS rule. They had some careful language. And I have to wait and see on his "economic equity" promotion. Reality is, gender is not on his radar unless someone pokes him in the ribs and reminds him to mention it on occasion.

    He can call you sweetie, but me, I'll take the cows  ;)

    Parent

    There Are Gender Issues and Gender Issues (none / 0) (#71)
    by daring grace on Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 02:15:44 PM EST
    For me, if a POTUS does what I want on the policy side, I'm less concerned about the 'sweeties' moments.

    If Obama doesn't do what I want him to do on the issues I'll be calling him on it once he's actually in office. And all the remedial PC language on his part won't matter at all.

    As to the cows, you may be onto something there since we're headed into the Chinese Year of the Ox...

    Parent

    Oh Well (1.00 / 1) (#25)
    by squeaky on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:13:25 PM EST
    I guess you should tell it to Gloria Steinem. Chances are though, that it will get you labeled as a PUMA.

    Parent
    Eh, already been labeled a PUMA, a Republican (5.00 / 3) (#38)
    by nycstray on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:54:22 PM EST
    a Racist and a few other things, lol!~

     

    Parent

    Isn't being disgruntled part of being a PUMA? (5.00 / 1) (#30)
    by samtaylor2 on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:33:07 PM EST
    I think it's disgusted, not disgruntled (5.00 / 3) (#35)
    by jbindc on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:42:45 PM EST
    Hmmm, why don't you check with them (5.00 / 3) (#36)
    by nycstray on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:46:17 PM EST
    and get back to us. Maybe they can give you a list of requirements so the folks here know the proper use of the term  ;)

    Parent
    I've got one word for you: (5.00 / 4) (#37)
    by NJDem on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:50:08 PM EST
    Favreau

    You can call me whatever you like, but I know if the men I work with did what he did, they would have been fired in disgrace.  Immediately.  

    Parent

    Every Dem platform for the last (5.00 / 3) (#61)
    by ruffian on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 08:51:47 PM EST
    30 years has been "the strongest platform for women's rights of any major party in American history." Does he get credit for all of them?

    What in particular has he done for women's rights? Yeah, I'm still thinking too.

    Parent

    Hail Rickey! (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by scribe on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:38:16 PM EST
    And VCR alert for his Cooperstown speech, which should be one for the ages.

    I saw him play (live) a number of times, and this part of the Kurkjian article rings sooo true:

    You knew if you threw a complete game, you would have to throw 25 pitches to Rickey Henderson," Flanagan said. "His knowledge of the strike zone was so good, you kept asking yourself, 'Why are the umpires giving him so many pitches?' It takes good hitters about 10 years to develop the discipline that he had in the strike zone. I don't know where he learned it, but he had it as soon as he got to the big leagues. He could wait so long at the plate, he was able to wait longer before swinging than anyone I've ever seen. He really made you work. And he made you angry."

    A friend saw Rickey a couple times during one of his stints with the Newark Bears, and related this story a while back:


    A sunny summer Sunday afternoon sitting about 5 rows back of the first base dugout.  This is tough seating for Newark - Rickey's fault.  He was a good draw.

    Anyway, the bottom of the first comes and the Bears are down a run or two.  The home plate ump has a moving strike zone and even the hitters in the Atlantic League can adjust for that by waiting.  Rickey is DH'g and leading off.  

    He strolls out to the box, slowly, savoring the crowd and the cheers.  He steps into the box and takes the first pitch.  Ball one.  Steps out, and then back in.  Does not look for a sign.  He takes the next pitch.  It's in the same spot.  Strike one.  Rickey steps out slowly and looks back at the ump.  Steps back in.  Takes the next pitch, also in pretty much the same spot.  Ball two.  Rickey steps out and shakes his head.

    The crowd is getting a little antsy, and getting on the ump because his moving strike zone is pretty evident by now.  Rickey says something to the catcher and steps back in.

    The next pitch is in the same spot.  Strike two.  Rickey steps out, shaking his head.  He then proceeds to walk all the way around the batters boxes and plate.  Slowly.  Like when you played Simon Says as a kid and the call was "baby steps".  Heel to toe.  

    The crowd is going nuts.  The ump is getting hot from Rickey showing him up.  As Rickey reaches the end of his orbit and prepares to re-enter the box, things quiet down.  Some guy - experienced in the ways of heckling - takes the  moment and yells:

    "No worries, Rick.  You're goin' to Cooperstown.  That ump ain't."

    The ump whirls to look and see who said that.  Rickey busts out laughing and doubles over.  The crowd roars.

    Rickey steps in, singles firmly to right*, steals second and later scores.

    Everyone knew it then, and now it's here.  So, who are you going to play for this year, Rickey (since you never officially retired)?

    -
    * Coming off his bat, the ball had that particular ringing sound that said "solid, powerful contact" and causes heads to turn to watch whomever is hitting because it is qualitatively different than the average bat-ball sound.  I guess the closest comparison to that sound today would be Alfonso Soriano, Albert Pujols or maybe Josh Hamilton, connecting.

    All that Reverend Warren unpleasantness (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by KeysDan on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 06:07:57 PM EST
    has been dealt with by inviting Bishop Robinson to give a prayer at opening inaugural ceremonies on Sunday night at the Lincoln Memorial.   And, thinking of those olden days of Lincoln, this is a little like having a pro-slavery speaker followed by an abolitionist.  All nice and even like.

    If Paul Krugman has ideas... (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by ruffian on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 08:44:56 PM EST
    on how to stiumulate the economy, Obama said Friday. If Paul Krugman has ideas? Yeah, he's got a few.

    The most important thing above all is that what is tried works. I'm convinced by the lessons of the past and by economists like Krugman that tax cuts are not the answer. At the very least, they are not necessary for the rest of it to work.

     And then for blatantly political reasons, I want to try it without the tax cuts so Republicans can't say forever more that the tax cuts they demanded were what worked.  If the Republicans want to filibuster in the Senate, make them talk for a week and explain why they are holding it up over a repeat of the tax cuts that did not work last May.

    But Obama is economically a (5.00 / 1) (#62)
    by ThatOneVoter on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 08:55:30 PM EST
    Republican. Of course he wants tax cuts.

    Parent
    The good news? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Fabian on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:12:13 PM EST
    Governor Strickland might have been giving us an optimistic version of the Ohio state budget.

    The bad news was if that was the optimistic version, I don't want to know what the other version looks like.  

    The good news?  I only know one person who is threatened with job loss...

    The bad news?
    ....so far.

    But..but.. (none / 0) (#2)
    by jbindc on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:16:26 PM EST
    I thought he was a racist.  Why would they want him to raise money?

    link

    Lol!~ (none / 0) (#17)
    by nycstray on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:55:52 PM EST
    The DCCC ended the 2008 cycle $21 million in the red. With the help of Obama's cash -- and a strongly worded fundraising appeal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) -- the committee has erased nearly 30 percent of the deficit.


    Parent
    And Bill Is Helping Too (none / 0) (#45)
    by daring grace on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:31:17 PM EST
    According to Politico

    Parent
    Most deserved for Ricky... (none / 0) (#3)
    by kdog on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:18:00 PM EST
    as much as I couldn't stand his hot-dogging, playing cards in the clubhouse during games ways...he was the best base stealer/lead off man of the era, if not all time.

    Jim Rice...not sold he belongs, I think Andre Dawson was a better player and he has of yet not made the Cooperstown cut.

    Andre Dawson (none / 0) (#57)
    by ruffian on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 07:11:14 PM EST
    should not only be in the Hall of Fame, but should be the model for any bronze statue made of a baseball player. He had the most beautiful form at the plate I've ever seen. Some pictures

    I'm a 45 year Cubs fan and he just might be the favorite player I would pick if I had to (on a good day when I wasn't cursing all theings Cub)..

    Parent

    I used (none / 0) (#4)
    by AlkalineDave on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:22:32 PM EST
    to watch Ricky Henderson during Padres Spring Training in Yuma, AZ.  When the As came through I remember even as a boy Jose Canseco's attitude compared to Ricky.  Ricky was always a hard-working, stand-up guy.  They couldn't have selected a better person.

    Jimmy's down!! (none / 0) (#5)
    by desertswine on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:24:19 PM EST
    On talking about himself in the 3rd person...

    "Listen, people are always saying, `Rickey says Rickey.' But it's been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I'm ticked off, saying, `Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?' They say, `Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don't you just say, `I?' But I never did. I always said, `Rickey,' and it became something for people to joke about."


    Another example, from Tom Candiotti (none / 0) (#40)
    by cymro on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:06:43 PM EST
    Tim Kurkjian writes:

    "But he didn't like day games," Candiotti said. "We had a day game in Oakland, and Rickey struck out. He walked all the way through the dugout talking to himself, he always talked to himself. He was saying, 'I don't know who's inside Rickey's body, but he better get out because the guy in there doesn't like day games, he only shows up on day games, so he better get out.' We were all laughing so hard. I wish I'd played my entire career with Rickey because he was just so entertaining. And he was just so good."
    ESPN.com


    Parent
    Tommy John (none / 0) (#6)
    by mmc9431 on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:25:44 PM EST
    I still would have liked to see Tommy John inducted. He won 288 games.(In what actually was two careers). He pioneered the precedure that has extended hundreds of players career.

    288 wins.... (none / 0) (#10)
    by kdog on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:35:40 PM EST
    anybody still going who gets 288 would be considered a lock...I'd certainly vote for Tommy.

    Think we'll ever see another 300 game winner?  I seriously doubt it the way the game has changed...Maddux and Glavine may well be the last.

    Parent

    I'm still waiting... (none / 0) (#26)
    by desertswine on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:14:21 PM EST
    for Gil Hodges to be elected. And Carl Furillo.

    Parent
    You'll be waiting a long time - (none / 0) (#28)
    by scribe on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:26:36 PM EST
    Furillo will never be elected, because he had the temerity to sue baseball - the Dodgers -  and win and was blackballed for it.  From his wiki entry:

    The Dodgers released Furillo in May 1960 while he was injured with a torn calf muscle; he sued the team, claiming they released him to avoid both the higher pension due a 15-year player and also medical expenses, and eventually collected $21,000. He would later maintain that he was blackballed as a result and couldn't find a job within the sport - a charge denied by Commissioner Ford Frick.

    I'm one to believe Furillo on this... and disbelieve Frick if only because he was Frick.


    Parent

    Yeah, I know..sigh.. (none / 0) (#29)
    by desertswine on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:29:15 PM EST
    Money in sports (none / 0) (#27)
    by mmc9431 on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:18:19 PM EST
    If running to the money was a minus for hall of fame, there wouldn't be many members. I'm just glad to see when a team like Tampa shows that money isn't everything.

    PS: If I had they talent, I'd take the money too!

    Parent

    My sister and Tommy John (none / 0) (#65)
    by shoephone on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 09:08:37 PM EST
    My sister once got a pitching lesson from Tommy John. It was midnight in the parking lot of a fancy bar in Hollywood. The lesson paid off. The next day she burned a hole through that catcher's mitt.

    And that's all I'm allowed to say...

    >;-)

    Parent

    Somewhere in my mom's basement (none / 0) (#7)
    by samtaylor2 on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:27:58 PM EST
    I have his rookie card.  Also what is up with not getting 100% on the ballot?

    Top 15 vote getters all time (none / 0) (#66)
    by CoralGables on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 09:35:03 PM EST
    Tom Seaver     98.84%    
    Nolan Ryan      98.79%     
    Cal Ripken, Jr.  98.53%
    Ty Cobb         98.23%     
    George Brett   98.19%     
    Hank Aaron      97.83%     
    Tony Gwynn     97.61%        
    Mike Schmidt    96.52%         
    Johnny Bench   96.42%    
    Steve Carlton   95.82%    
    Babe Ruth        95.13%         
    Honus Wagner    95.13%     
    Rickey Henderson 94.8%
    Willie Mays         94.68%
    Carl Yastrzemski  94.63%    

    I'd say Rickey and his fans has no complaints for where he ranks.

    Parent

    Nice to see... (none / 0) (#70)
    by kdog on Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 10:30:27 AM EST
    Tom Terrific on top of any list.

    Parent
    Senate accepts Burris (none / 0) (#16)
    by caseyOR on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:51:05 PM EST
    NY Times now reporting that the Senate has accepted the appointment of Roland Burris.

    Ricky Stories... (none / 0) (#19)
    by CoralGables on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 03:59:43 PM EST
    In the early 1980s, the Oakland A's accounting department was freaking out. The books were off $1 million. After an investigation, it was determined Rickey was the reason why. The GM asked him about a $1 million bonus he had received and Rickey said instead of cashing it, he framed it and hung it on a wall at his house.


    Is that a true story?! (none / 0) (#50)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:57:57 PM EST
    Too funny.

    Parent
    That would only be the start (none / 0) (#55)
    by CoralGables on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 06:22:16 PM EST
    of funny Rickey stories. Here is another Rickey with money story.

    In the late 1980s, the Yankees sent Rickey a six-figure bonus check. After a few months passed, an internal audit revealed the check had not been cashed. Current Yankees GM Brian Cashman (then a low level Yankee exec) called Rickey and asked if there was a problem with the check. Henderson said, "I'm just waiting for the money market rates to go up."

    Parent

    Maybe slightly exaggerated ... (none / 0) (#56)
    by cymro on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 06:38:57 PM EST
    I read that the figure was $100,000, not $1M, which sounds more appropriate for 1979, when Rickey broke into the majors.

    A payment of $1M could not have been a signing bonus; see the records for such bonuses. And in 1979, the average annual baseball salary was only $121,900. As a rookie, Rickey would surely have been getting rather less than the average. So a $1M performance bonus seems out of the question.

    Henderson's did receive a $1M signing bonus when he rejoined the A's in 1989. This was part of a salary package described as a "new plateau". So either the dollar amount or the date is wrong in that version of the story.

    Parent

    Michelle and Barack: The Early Years (none / 0) (#21)
    by daring grace on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:08:21 PM EST
    Pre-politics, pre children...the New Yorker has a brief snippet up from a piece done as part of a photography project on couples in America.

    henderson (none / 0) (#22)
    by jharp on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:10:37 PM EST
    Henderson was probably the best leadoff hitter of all time.

    But I always felt the rules favored him with the 2 inch strike zone because of his stance.

    And I'd change that rule. Seriously.

    It was once said that... (none / 0) (#32)
    by CoralGables on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:36:06 PM EST
    Rickey's strike zone was smaller than Hitler's heart.

    Parent
    You know (none / 0) (#72)
    by jondee on Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 06:59:02 PM EST
    Hitler used to say he didnt drink because it made him mean.

    Congrats to Mr Henderson; great ball player.

    Btw, Speaking of Hall of Famers, did anyone else feel like Delhomme should've been renamed Shoeless Jake after that game Saturday?

    Parent

    Oh My (none / 0) (#75)
    by CoralGables on Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 08:11:21 PM EST
    Let's just say, it didn't look good. But let's never equate bad play with Shoeless Joe. In the 1919 World Series Joe hit over .300, which was close to Jake's interception to completion rate.

    Parent
    Rickey's election to the Hall of Fame (none / 0) (#31)
    by cymro on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:35:53 PM EST
    I disagree, Donald. In fact,

    (a) IMO, there's never a bad time to discuss baseball -- especially during the off-season when there is less baseball news;

    (b) IMO, it's a good thing that the baseball HOF voting has come along to finally replace the endless discussion of college football;

    (c) The fact that Rickey's election to the HOF was NOT unanimous is more controversial than Utah NOT being recognized as national champion in NCAAF, despite having the best record.

    So maybe we should begin discussing how the MLB should revise the HOF election process to make it reflect the players actual performance?

    No one... (none / 0) (#33)
    by CoralGables on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:39:32 PM EST
    has ever been a unanimous selection to Cooperstown. Surely you don't consider Rickey as the greatest baseball player of all time.

    Parent
    Even Babe Ruth did not get (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by scribe on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:00:31 PM EST
    a unanimous vote.

    Frankly, I kind of like the fact that there are always some sportswriters who think "no, X is not worthy of the Hall of Fame (at least this year)", for whatever reason.  It leaves the topmost level open - says "no one has achieved perfection, so keep trying".

    And, it avoids too-easy conforming groupthink.

    Parent

    Two wrongs don't make a right (none / 0) (#48)
    by cymro on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:53:30 PM EST
    This has nothing to do with whether Rickey was greater than former payers like Ruth, Mays, Mantle, Cobb, Robinson, Aaron, etc. -- as does Rickey, who is universally regarded as the greatest leadoff hitter of all time:

    The greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history, Henderson eclipsed three major all-time records: most career runs scored, most career walks, and most career steals. In doing so, he passed immortals Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. He hit the most leadoff homers in history, reached 3,000 hits, and swiped an incredible 1,406 bases at a success rate of 81%.
    The Baseball Page

    ... and is by any objective measure one of the 25 best hitters of all time.

    The fact that people made stupid mistakes in the past does not justify yet more stupid mistakes today. Two wrongs do NOT make a right.

    Parent

    Correction: (none / 0) (#49)
    by cymro on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:56:31 PM EST
    The first paragraph should have read:

    This has nothing to do with whether Rickey was greater than former payers like Ruth, Mays, Mantle, Cobb, Robinson, Aaron, etc., who clearly belong in the HOF -- as does Rickey, who is universally regarded as the greatest leadoff hitter of all time.

    Parent

    There is room for perfection in baseball - (none / 0) (#52)
    by scribe on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 06:05:57 PM EST
    a pitcher who throws 27 pitches for a complete game victory.

    Everything else - no matter how great - is less than perfect.

    This takes nothing away from Rickey - he was absolutely great.  If you'd have read my other comments on this thread about him, you'd know I hold him in high regard and agree he was a first-ballot HoF'er.  

    But, I still think we have not yet seen the unanimous first-ballot HoF player, and likely will not (at least in our lifetimes).

    Parent

    I see your point... (none / 0) (#54)
    by CoralGables on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 06:18:35 PM EST
    27 would be special, but have always felt the "perfect" perfect game would consist of 81 pitches with 27 strikeouts. (no foul balls)

    Parent
    The 27 pitch perfecto is (none / 0) (#64)
    by scribe on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 09:01:31 PM EST
    the ultimate, IMHO.  One pitch, one out.  Achieving that, ironically, requires the pitcher to pitch to contact and the batter to cooperate, as opposed to striking the batter out.  And, even then, there is the significant issue of the defenders actually making the plays and the further issue of all those hit balls being in play.  

    Statistically combining all those conditions makes for a very low probability.  

    A couple times I've been to games (I have my scoracards somewhere) where the pitcher did record the three-pitch inning.  It is something deserving of a special note on the scorecard, and I give it one.  

    In baseball, this usually happens when the batting team is either late for the bus to the next town, on one side or the other of a blowout, or there's a bunch of hot girls in the stands and meeting them is being delayed by the inconvenience of having to finish all nine innings of the game.

    The 81 pitch game - which I think Satchel Paige may have pulled off (if anyone did it, it would have been him) - is qualitiatively different.  That requires pitching strikes and either getting the batter to swing and miss, foul the ball off, or deceiving him into letting a strike get by.  It might be a more dominating performance, in terms of the pitcher-batter battle, but might not be as definitive as a 27 batter string of one-pitch, one-out at bats.

    One could have a barroom debate over the relative perfection of these two models until the stars burn out and never resolve it.  It might take that long until they both happen.

    Parent

    Not to mention... (none / 0) (#34)
    by kdog on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 04:41:08 PM EST
    Gitmo is a depressing stain on America, an open thread is a chance to celbrate the joys of our great land...baseball one of the biggies:)

    Parent
    Newest War Correspondent Chimes In (none / 0) (#41)
    by squeaky on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:13:47 PM EST
    "I'll be honest with you. I don't think journalists should be anywhere allowed war.

     guess who?

      via digby

    I Told You (none / 0) (#44)
    by CDN Ctzn on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:28:15 PM EST
    the end was near!

    How is it that people actually invest the time and money toward getting an education, spend years honeing their craft and can't find work, and this (insert expletive here) is now a "War Correspondent"?

    "...the signpost up ahead reads...the Twilight Zone"!

    Parent

    Good news? (none / 0) (#42)
    by NJDem on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:15:28 PM EST
    "Obama to close Guantanamo Bay prison quickly" [CNN]

    Obama Orphans (none / 0) (#46)
    by squeaky on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:42:59 PM EST
    The irony, these people say, is that those who joined up with the Obama campaign early on -- some at the risk of alienating their old bosses in the Clinton administration -- now find that the Clintonistas have a patron who is taking better care of her people, as they see it, than Obama is of those who worked for him.

    [..]

    "Look, I think [Hillary Clinton] is loyal to a fault," he commented by e-mail. "She takes care of her own people, even when that is to her detriment, as was obvious during the campaign. Biden to a lesser extent, but there it is obvious that he would bring his own people from his Foreign Relations Committee staff into the government to advise him."

    "As for Obama, as great as he is, loyalty is not his primary consideration in personnel selection," he continued. "He wants to pick the best and brightest, and he doesn't particularly care whether or not you were there with him from the very beginning. How else do you explain the Jim Jones pick for NSC?"

    Laura Rozen


    link (none / 0) (#47)
    by squeaky on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 05:43:54 PM EST
    Well, at least those of us who (none / 0) (#51)
    by scribe on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 06:02:17 PM EST
    were fighting re torture, Gitmo, FISA and all the rest of the issues now know we are not alone in being left in the cold - jobwise for some, contact-wise for others, listening-to-our-concerns-and/or-proposals-wise for others.

    I respect that he wants "the best and the brightest", but using the net to organize and then closing out the net in favor of those who had face-time from the beginning seems not only short-sighted, but downright counterproductive.

    I understand that he had his backroom full of wonks going through the government line by line while the campaign was going on, so as to have a bundle of policy actions he could take "Early" ready for him to sign off on - that was one of the more sensible things I've seen done in any campaign (though, to be sure, it kinda parallels the policy support wingnut-welfare-world provided Cheney during the 2000 transition).

    But not everything was invented in, nor proofed out by the policy shops, and they surely don't have the on-the-ground knowledge of how a minor change in wording could ease - or hinder - the kinds of changes we're supposed to expect.  

    This is all reflective of the sort of "mystery box"  (f/k/a "black box") model we were sold as being Obama and his campaign.  A lot of gauzy rhetoric and not too many specifics.

    It's time to start getting down to specifics, not the least of which would be ... prosecuting torturers currently in government offices (and, I know, and I support, the idea of not flushing the game into the sanctuary of pardons, by not revealing the real plan until it's too late for them to do anything about it).  But, let's get on with things and keep the people who put you there, in the loop.

    Parent

    Here's a recent tribute from Athletics Nation (none / 0) (#58)
    by cymro on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 07:43:21 PM EST
    Rickey -- a great photo essay.

    And I love the Bill James quote, If you could split him in two, you'd have two Hall-of-Famers. It says everything you need to know about Rickey's career stats.

    AP article for Big Tent Dem. (none / 0) (#63)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 08:57:07 PM EST
    Link

    This AP piece mentions a fire bomb attack on a synagogue in France.  The story goes on to say it is part of, "new wave of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim attacks over the violence in Gaza."  Strangely the article mentions no example of anti-Muslim violence.  I was unable to Google a recent example of anti-Muslim violence in France.  

    This may be another example of the AP's loss of credibility that you lamented the other day.

    Mel Goodman (none / 0) (#67)
    by lilburro on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 10:27:08 PM EST
    took scathing aim at John Brennan in early November, before he withdrew from the D/CIA and DNI slots.  He has an excellent op-ed now that will be circulating here and there.  It is an antidote to the conservative trash out there and takes out the WaPo in particular.

    Read on:

    There are numerous CIA officials who support the nomination of Panetta, just as there are opponents to his candidacy.

    Reporters need to make sure they canvas the entire community before placing front-page articles in front of the American public. They must know that the overwhelming majority of CIA officers would not talk to the press; therefore, they should be skeptical of those who do.

    And when they want to deny the fact that there is a serious morale problem at the CIA because of recent intelligence failures, reporters such as DeYoung and Warrick should not consult a CIA spokesman such as Mark Mansfield, a well-known agency flack, to deny such facts.

    You would never ask a barber if you need a haircut, and you certainly wouldn't ask a CIA spokesman about internal problems at the CIA.



    Hail to Jim Rice New Hall of Famer (none / 0) (#68)
    by noholib on Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 10:57:41 PM EST
    Finally Jim Rice is getting his due.  What a great player and a classy guy -- on the field at Fenway and on baseball TV broadcasts in New England.  

    I am happy for (none / 0) (#69)
    by oculus on Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 03:59:42 AM EST
    who was on the Padres roster several different seasons.  It would allmost be worth the heat and crowds in Cooperstown to hear his speech.  The guy is definitely entertaining.

    Genachowski To FCC (none / 0) (#73)
    by squeaky on Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 07:01:56 PM EST
    "We would expect Genachowski to pursue the Obama communications agenda [which he helped develop] of promoting greater broadband deployment and access, an open Internet and network neutrality, competition and innovation, and media diversity, among other broad goals," said Kaut and Arbogast" in MultiChannel.

    link

    What a refreshing turnaround from BushCo's appointees who were shills for corporate interests and the religious right.

    Bush's War Czar To Stay (none / 0) (#74)
    by squeaky on Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 07:21:11 PM EST
    President-elect Barack Obama will be keeping another holdover from the Bush administration on his national security team -- Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, who will keep his job coordinating Iraq and Afghanistan policy out of the National Security Council, according to transition officials.

    But unlike his role in the Bush administration, where, as assistant to the President for Iraq and Afghanistan, he reported directly to President Bush, General Lute in the Obama administration will report to Mr. Obama through the president's National Security Adviser, Gen. James L. Jones.

    NYT

    On Friday August 10, 2007, Lute stated that the United States should "consider" reinstating the military draft to relieve the "stressed" volunteer service from multiple tours of duty.[5] This was immediately followed by a comment that it would be a major policy shift and that he did not see a current need for a draft. [2]

    Wiki

    This looks promising:

    But he expressed doubt about whether the Iraqis have the ability to change and whether the United States has the ability to force them to do so. "I have reservations about just how much leverage we can apply on a system that is not very capable right now," he said.

    [...]

    Lute, a career Army officer who serves as the operations officer at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been a vocal internal advocate of more political measures, arguing that there is no military solution to Iraq.

    WaPo

    Certainly if he thinks that there are no military solutions to Iraq he must believe the same for Afghanistan. Let's hope that is the case.