Wednesday Stuff

Far smarter people than yours truly have pointed out already that the electoral winners yesterday achieved victory by getting more of their "base" up from sitting on their hands and marching to polling stations to cast votes than the opposition (Politics 101, I know).

Yes, it was good fun to watch the Repug demolition derby in NY-23 that led to Dem Bill Owens' victory, but I seriously hope President Obama and/or his people watch this interview Lawrence O'Donnell conducted tonight with Dan Savage over the defeat of the gay marriage referendum in Maine (though gains were made in Washington state and Michigan).

There are equal parts of disappointment and disgust in what Savage has to say about the performance of the Obama people on this issue. And Savage is absolutely right in his analysis.

Obama won because he talked a good game on behalf of a broad coalition (and yes, he has delivered on some of what he promised - fair pay, diversity, appointing people who are actually competent to run government agencies, etc). From what Savage says, though, Obama has to win back a big part of that coalition if he's going to be re-elected in three years (and I can't stomach the thought of another presidential circus at this time myself either, but that's the reality).

It sounds to me as if LGBT individuals have had enough with the "hopey, changey" speeches and want to see results. And it's long past time for them to get what they deserve on that score...

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...and speaking of scores, I should note that this has been a pretty crappy last 24 hours or so between the elections and the World Series, but as much as I hate to point it out, the better team won.

Congratulations are still due to the Phillies for a great year, though. I don't recall how long it's been exactly, but I know it's been awhile since a team won the Series one year and went back to defend their title the next year.

I'm glad the last runs were scored on a Ryan Howard home run. I know he didn't come up as big as he wanted to, but he still carried this team for long stretches, and there's no way they would have made it as far as they did without him. Chase Utley did well, even though that caught-looking strikeout by Pettitte in Game 3 turned out to be huge. And even if the guys they gave up for him all turn out to be stars, it was worth it to get Cliff Lee.

I'm sure at this moment, all of the New York glitterati are having a high time, so let them have it for now (including the brainless Kate Hudson and the demonic Rudy Giuliani). And I'll bet that song with their city name mentioned twice is blaring all over the place.

Well, this is for the Phils - if having to play in The Bronx isn't to "march into hell," I don't know what is (have to actually crank up the volume a shade).



And by the way, I have a special message for Jimmy Rollins.

Please carry around a piece of duct tape in your pocket so you can place it firmly over your mouth the next time you get the urge to make another stupid prediction. I don't like it when any athlete spouts off like that (I thought I was done having to deal with stuff like that after Buddy Ryan was fired as the Eagles' head coach), and that counts double for a team I support.