Roxanne Conlin Announces Run for US Senate

Roxanne Conlin, a trial lawyer in Des Moines, announced her bid for the US Senate seat for next year. She hopes to win her primary first, then take on Grandpa Chuck Grassley, the incumbent. Roxanne's campaign released this two minute video that is more biographical and she uses her own voice to narrate it.



Her biography is here. It's no wonder that she was a big supporter of JRE; their personal stories are similar, although she has been an Assistant Attorney general and ran for governor in the 1980's.

Benny's World is taking an early position about this race: we hope Roxanne Conlin wins the Democratic primary next year, but we wish all Democratic candidates well in general. It's time someone represented Iowa's true interests, and Chuck Grassley is not doing it.

Fox News Gets Mocked on SNL

I was already in bed and asleep when SNL came on, but I saw this today on Facebook:



The only Dem pundit, Joe Trippi (former JRE staffer) isn't given any questions or opportunities to make a comment.

Pretty funny!

Trippi's comment on FB: "Speechless."

Congrats to Katherine Reutter of Central Illinois

Yesterday, Katherine Reutter won the gold in the 1500m short track race at the World Cup in Montreal with a time of 2:23. Katherine is a native of Champaign, and is on target for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next Feb.

Stephen Colbert has graciously lent his name to the US Speed Skating team and Katherine also has sponsorship by local businesses. Colbert is asking his fans at Colbert Nation to donate here.

Katherine is a Benny family friend. Benny's World is very proud of her accomplishments, and very pleased for her parents, Jay and Beth, who have been the major part of her journey to the Olympics.

Way to go, Katherine!

Photo courtesy of Getty Images and Universal Sports.

Our POTUS Expresses Thoughts about Ft. Hood

This morning, I watched our POTUS' weekly address. It was dedicated to our men and women who wear the uniform everywhere in the world, but especially to families and their fallen loved ones at Ft Hood.

As most know by now, Ft. Hood had a tragedy on Thursday. I remember seeing some of the updates at work, just stunned. I think our President expressed many of our thoughts here:



From the transcript:

Soldiers stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world called and emailed loved ones at Ft. Hood, all expressing the same stunned reaction: I’m supposed to be the one in harm’s way, not you.


But in beginning the healing process, President Obama offered these words:

Thursday’s shooting was one of the most devastating ever committed on an American military base. And yet, even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America. We saw soldiers and civilians alike rushing to aid fallen comrades; tearing off bullet-riddled clothes to treat the injured; using blouses as tourniquets; taking down the shooter even as they bore wounds themselves.

You can read the rest here.

Flag to fly at half mast until Wednesday evening, Veterans Day.

God Bless our soldiers, their families, and our country.

Jane Hamsher has a Point about Rahm

Rahn Emmanuel keeps thinking life is like 1994. It's not the same dude.

From FDL:

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/11/04/lessons-learned-in-va-and-nj-is-rahm-emanuel-orchestrating-2010-democratic-massacre/

I'm not certain all of the blame is on Rahm's shoulders. But Rahm isn't effective as Obama thought he would be either. The Senate is our problem, not the House.

Watching the Maine Ballot Initiative the Most

I don't care about the off-year elections, but I care about ballot initiatives.

Maine is bracing for a prop 8 of CA for itself, whereby Prop 8 folks poured money into traditional marriage (or YES to reject the Same Sex Marriage legislation). It looked like "no" to reject marriage equality early on, but now it's too close to call. I don't understand this weirdness, but I do know I am cheerleading for Bill in Portland Maine and his partner, Common Sense Mainer, to be married next spring.

Follow the numbers here: http://www.bangordailynews.com/electionresults.html

Medical marijuana treatments may pass, which is a good thing for those who have chemo for various reasons.

Save Progressive Radio

Tonight I heard from my good friend Lady Di that her radio show is going to the tea bagggers. That smells.

from Diane Kamp today:

Saturday will be our last show. They will have solid right wing tea baggers all Saturday from now on. So say good bye to any alternative on AM Talk Radio in Gallatin and Park County. By the way, our show had the highest female ratings of any show on KMMSAM. Our numbers were very good. But the new guy is not George Carter. That we lasted 5 years was a minor miracle in these times.

Let's hope we can buy KPRK. Hopefully the Bozeman Community Radio will provide an alternative and allow some real left and labor voices on it.

On to write my book and HBO series, I guess.

Matt Taibbi was fab last weekend. I don't get it.

A Book I'm Not Likely to Buy

The Audacity to Win by David Plouffe.

He trashes JRE and EE about cutting deals. No, he forgot Obama was willing to be caught on tape that he wanted JRE's endorsement in visiting his house. EE was totally unimpressed with the visit according to my sources.

DP is a scrub. Kiss and tell like Georgie on "This Week."

I'll read the book when it is available at the public library.

One of the Best Dumba** comments at DK

Glenn Greenwald questions Obama all of the time about the lack of change in foreign policy from the previous POTUS. He is right to do so.

A Daily Kos poster agrees that Kossacks ignore good commentary or questions by Greenwald and also by Amy Goodman at Democracy Now.

Then this poster says he ignores them and gets plenty of tips for doing so:

I've been ignoring Greenwald and Democracy Now (106+ / 0-)

for several years now. It has created almost no problems for me.

Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

by bugscuffle on Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 01:28:51 PM PDT

Here was my response:

It does for some of us

If not for you. It may mean that some like you may be asleep or follow Obama too blindly. I think we should question all leaders, not just Bush 43. If you think Obama is right all of the time, then go back to bed and don't comment that you never worry about our country under his leadership. Greenwald and Hamsher are correct in questioning him.

It still bothers me about all of the Obama bots.