Shakesville

Did Romney Cheat at the Debate?

Just the other day, Constant Comment and I were talking in comments about the infamous "Was George W. Bush wearing a wire at the debates?" scandal of 2004. Now it is being alleged that Mitt Romney pulled some shenanigans, too: Shaker Jewel sent the link to this video clip that shows Mitt Romney surreptitiously pulling something out of his jacket and putting it on the podium at the beginning of the debate, despite the fact that the rules prohibit the use of prepared notes.

Below are two stills I've pulled from the clip:

two screen caps: on the left, Romney reaching into his pants pocket; on the right, Romney lying a folded paper on the podium

On the left, Romney can be seen reaching into his front pants pocket as he walks behind the podium. On the right, he has pulled out what appears to be a folded paper and is setting it on the podium.

Team Romney insists it was just a handkerchief.

Obviously, I have no idea what it really is, although I'll say it wouldn't surprise me if it were prepared notes (or a handkerchief with prepared notes tucked inside, heh), and not just because Romney's evidently an unscrupulous d-bag who believes the rules don't apply to him. I noticed during the debate that he seemed to be delivering parts of his answers in a way that suggested prepared notes. He was glancing down a lot, and his delivery sounded less extemporaneous than at other times. But I was so busy clicking between Shakesville and Twitter and my email and texts on my phone that I was missing details of the debate, and my good faith assumption was that I'd simply missed Romney taking extensive notes.

But when I watched parts of the debate back the next day, I noted that he was looking at Obama with that awful sneer-grin most of the time, so I couldn't figure out when he'd written such precise copy.

Ha ha maybe that's because he hadn't!

Or maybe he just has allergies and mad debate skillz. Either way, he's a jerk.

The Parks and Rec Open Thread

image of Andy (Chris Pratt) wearing a fairy princess tiara and making a knowing face

I don't know if this episode actually had a slow start, or if it was just residual grump from last week, or a little of both, but mid-way through this episode, I felt like we were back on track. (With the exception of the Ben and April DC storyline, which continues to NOT WORK for me.) Anyway! Here are some things I enjoyed!

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"DDS doesn't stand for dumb-dumb-stupid!"

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"When the Ann's away, the mice get perms."

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"The bill is dead, the porpoises are doomed, and democracy is over!"

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"I'm a princess!" "I'm a mermaid!" "I'm the Director of Parks and Recreation. I'm here to fix that hole."

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"I'm not eating a racist's salad!"

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"Mmm…I can taste the ignorance." "It's pronounced anchovies."

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

LUCY LAWLESS!!!

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"That large boy is my colleague."

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"He shoots down a very helpful bill because he doesn't get to poop wherever he wants?! No!"

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"Or does it require…two princesses?"

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"My whole life is a giant mess, and I love it!"

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

"I'm a middle-school vice-principal—I don't screw around. Does that freak you out?" "No, to the contrary."

Ron Swanson head bullet-point

Of course 911 got rerouted to Jerry's phone. OF COURSE.

Discuss.

In The News

[Content note: racism, war, homophobia]

Something to Fill Up Your Friday News Hole:

Over the past few weeks, there have been reports of bleach-filled water balloons thrown at University Of Texas at Austin. The attacks appear to be racially motivated. (Just FYI: Chlorine was used as chemical weapon during WWI.)

The anti-equality group Minnesota for Marriage is having some sort of dildobrained pumpkin carving contest. Most homophobic Jack-o-Lantern wins a prize!

Meanwhile, another rightwing dildobrain obsessed with LGBT people claims that gays control the FBI and CIA and are using the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act to crack down on bigoted douchebags. If only.

Lambda Legal is surveying individuals and organizations to learn about the discrimination LGBT people and people living with HIV experience when dealing with police, school security, courts and the prison system.

Pending across-the-board cuts to federal programs could lead to over 12,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States losing access to drugs and programs.

A bisexual girl in Queens says her right to free speech was violated when she got booted from her high school after her bi pride T-shirt was deemed a distraction.

Sacha Baron Cohen is developing a film tentatively titled The Lesbian inspired by the a Hong Kong billionaire who recently offered $65 million to any man who wooed and married his lesbian daughter. Should be a great film! Thoughtful! Like Bruno!

Why I never buy Boy Scout cookies: 17-year-old Ryan Andresen was denied a major award and booted out of the BSA because of his sexual orientation. Seriously, Boys Scouts of America, you are the worst.

Here are some tips on how to make the music in your car sound better.

The incompetence continues: The live stream of the Atlas Shrugged: First Blood Part II premier Tuesday failed to actually stream. Whoops! [No link, since this was only announced via an email.]

Just FYI: Trick or Treat, starring Skippy Handelman, is Liss' favourite 1980s horror movie. So you should check out this awesome clip from the film featuring Ozzy Osbourne.

Headline of the Day

Romney: "47 Percent" Remarks Were "Completely Wrong." No shit, ~~Sherlock~~ Pandering Opportunistic Windbag Who Will Say Anything to Get Elected.

"My life has shown that I care about 100 percent, and that's been demonstrated throughout my life," Romney told conservative commentator Sean Hannity on Fox News. "And this whole campaign is about the 100 percent."

Okay, player.

Skyfall: The Single

I posted a leaked snippet of this on Tuesday, and the whole track was finally released in its entirety last night. Within ten hours of its release, it had already shot to #1 on the UK charts. For good reason. OMG.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

Top Five

Here is your topic: Top Five Most Nostalgic Foods for You. Go!

Please feel welcome to share stories about why your Top Five picks are what they are, though a straight-up list is fine, too. Please refrain from negatively auditing other people's lists, because judgment discourages participation.

Open Thread

Hosted by the Dream Lord.

Question of the Day

What is the best song you've heard for the first time recently? Could be a newly released song, or could be an old song you'd just never heard before.

Photo of the Day

image of singer Christina Aguilera and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton posing together at an event

From a World Food Program USA event yesterday, at which Christina Aguilera and Hillary Clinton were both honorees. Aguilera was honored for her "significant contributions in the global effort to solve hunger," and Clinton was recognized for her "legacy of leadership in advancing food security and nutrition."

Two of my favoritest ladies. Neat.

[Content Note: Misogyny; objectification.] Because the world is garbage, this amazing meeting of two great women is being reported everywhere else as "HILLARY CLINTON STARES AT CHRISTINA AGUILERA'S BOOBS!!!" because of an image in which it appears Clinton is glancing at Aguilera's cleavage.

The Opposite of Bullying

I love this. I love it because it's a perfect example of the positive possibilities of social media, because it invites us to expect more from a technology the frequent indecency of which is considered an immutable feature. I love it because it is a moving story of friendship and teamspersonship. I love it because Daniel Cui.

Map with text onscreen: Hillsborough, California, United States.

Voiceover, a young white man, over montage of soccer play: The varsity soccer team had played ten or eleven games and lost every single one of them, by really embarrassing margins. Our goalkeeper, Daniel Cui—he was taking a lot of criticism, even though he was only a freshman playing varsity goalkeeper. We thought we were on the road to our first game that wouldn't be a loss. At the last minute, everything changed. Their star player, with a minute left, cracked this shot, and, unfortunately, Cui wasn't able to stop it; it was in the back of the net. And the next thing we knew, the ref was blowing the final whistle.

Voiceover, Daniel Cui, a young Asian American man, over an image of him failing to make a save in the net: It's horrible, I guess, uh, because, as the goalie, that little one mistake, you know, is a goal. And a goal in soccer is huge. [now onscreen] This guy said, "Oh, I'm gonna make a great photo album, with a bunch of pictures of you making great saves." The photos went up [images of photos of Facebook in which Cui's been tagged], and I was just shocked. [name of photo album: Worst Goalie Ever] It was just, you know, horrible. [images of Cui at home] After those photos were posted, there was a lot of tension. And I didn't want to go to school. I felt like taking time off. I didn't want that attention; I didn't want that negativity.

Young white man onscreen: We decided we had to do something. And eventually we found this great picture of Cui making a save [over image, and montage of turning image into FB profile pictures] and the three or four of us at about 7pm made it our profile picture. I came back about an hour later, and my newsfeed—it had exploded. It started with the soccer team making it our profile pictures, and the girls' soccer team made it their profile pictures, but then the whole school got involved. Over 100 people had either liked it, commented on it, tagged themselves in it, made it their profile pictures—and it was like my entire newsfeed was covered in Daniel Cui stories. [over video of Daniel Cui walking with a backpack] He came to school the next day like he was ten feet tall. [over soccer montage of Cui] Once he had that confidence, he was just going for it—throwing himself out there like a ragdoll. And the next season, one game they were just hammering shot after shot after shot, and Cui makes the best save of his life. He was parallel to the ground; he did a superman dive; and the ref blew the whistle and we won the game. And he punted the ball up into the sky, and I started running...

Cui, onscreen: I was like, "Wow—best moment of my life." Great change from the freshman kid to Daniel Cui the beast goalkeeper. [grins]

Young white man, over Cui being congratulated: The whole school had stood up, for someone who needed it. He was a normal kid, just like us. [over video of Cui doing homework] We all have our highs and our lows—and that's when we realized that we were all Daniel Cui.

Maude knows I've got my problems with Facebook, but that's a damn cool story.

[Via TDW.]

An Observation

No one who has ever said "life is too short" to me has ever meant, "What can I do to make amends for having hurt you and restore trust between us as quickly as possible?"

They have always and only ever meant, "Your boundaries are stupid, and I am super impatient with your attempts to make me respect them, so here is some emotional manipulation to try to coerce you into letting me continue to treat you like shit without consequences."

What I'm saying is: I really hate the expression "life is too short."

Number of the Day

[Content Note: Hostility to autonomy; reproductive rights; injury; death. NB: Not only women need access to abortion and contraception.]

47,000: The number of women globally who die from unsafe abortions every year. "Millions more are injured, some seriously and permanently. These deaths and injuries are almost entirely preventable."

[Transcript available here.]

Quote of the Day

"I've got a different view about how we create jobs and prosperity. This country doesn't succeed when we only see the rich getting richer. We succeed when the middle class gets bigger. We grow our economy not from the top down, but from the middle out. We don't believe that anybody's entitled to success in this country, but we do believe in something called opportunity. We believe in a country where hard work pays off and where responsibility is rewarded and everybody's getting a fair shot and everybody's doing their fair share and everybody plays by the same rules. That's the country we believe in. That's what I'm fighting for, that's why I'm running for a second term as President of the United States, and that's why I want your vote."—President Barack Obama, at a campaign event in Colorado today.

I'm not posting this because I want to convince you to vote for Barack Obama. I'm not in the business of trying to convince people how to vote. I'm posting it because, fuck, that is something very different than Mitt Romney believes, and it makes me sad that this premise—this fundamental idea that we must first and foremost be a community, not a collection of individuals playing at some zero-sum game of greed—is a political position, and a controversial one at that, rather than a basic agreement of all decent people.

It makes me sad that the people who most ruthlessly exploit our tenuous social contract have nothing but sneering contempt for it, and endeavor to dismantle it in their vile wake.

OBAMA: Now, the reason I was in Denver obviously is to see all of you, and it's always pretty, but we also had our first debate last night. And when I got on to the stage, I met this very spirited fellow who claimed to be Mitt Romney. [laughter; Obama chuckles] But it couldn't have been Mitt Romney because the real Mitt Romney has been running around the country for the last year promising $5 trillion in tax cuts that favor the wealthy. The fellow on stage last night said he didn't know anything about that. [laughter] The real Mitt Romney said we don't need any more teachers in our classrooms, [audience boos] but—don't boo, vote!—[audience cheers; Obama chuckles] but the fellow on stage last night, he loves teachers, can't get enough of them.

The Mitt Romney we all know invested in companies that were called pioneers of outsourcing jobs to other countries, but the guy on stage last night, he said that he doesn't even know that there are such laws that encourage outsourcing. He's never heard of them! Never heard of them. Never heard of tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. He said that if it's true, he must need a new accountant. [laughter] Now, we know for sure it was not the real Mitt Romney because he seems to be doing just fine with his current accountant. [laughter]

So you see, the man on stage last night, he does not want to be held accountable for the real Mitt Romney's decisions and what he's been saying for the last year and that's because he knows full well that we don't want what he's been selling for the last year. [applause] So Governor Romney may dance around his positions, but if you want to be president, you owe the American people the truth. [cheers and applause]

So here's the truth: Governor Romney cannot pay for his $5 trillion tax plan without blowing up the deficit or sticking it to the middle class. That's the math. We can't afford to go down that road again. We can't afford another round of budget-busting tax cuts for the wealthy. We can't afford to gut out investments in education, or clean energy, or research and technology. We can't afford to roll back regulations on Wall Street, or on big oil companies, or insurance companies. We cannot afford to double down on the same top-down economic policies that got us into this mess. That is not a plan to create jobs; that is not a plan to grow the economy; that is not change; that is a relapse. We don't want to go back there. We've tried it, it didn't work and we are not going back, we are going forward! [cheers and applause]

Now, I've got a different view about how we create jobs and prosperity. This country doesn't succeed when we only see the rich getting richer. We succeed when the middle class gets bigger. We grow our economy not from the top down, but from the middle out. We don't believe that anybody's entitled to success in this country, but we do believe in something called opportunity. We believe in a country where hard work pays off and where responsibility is rewarded and everybody's getting a fair shot and everybody's doing their fair share and everybody plays by the same rules! That's the country we believe in! That's what I'm fighting for, that's why I'm running for a second term as President of the United States, and that's why I want your vote! [cheers and applause]

AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

OBAMA: What I talked about last night was a new economic patriotism—a patriotism that's rooted in the belief that growing our economy begins with a strong, thriving middle class. That means we export more jobs and we outsource—export more products and we outsource fewer jobs.

You know, over the last three years we came together to reinvent a dying auto industry that's back on top of the world. [applause] We've created more than half a million new manufacturing jobs. And so now you've got a choice. We can keep giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas [audience shouts "No!"], or we can start rewarding companies that are opening new plants and training new workers and creating jobs right here in the United States of America. [applause] That's what we're looking for. We can help big factories and small businesses double their exports and create a million new manufacturing jobs over the next four years. You can make that happen.

I want to control more of our own energy. You know, after 30 years of inaction, we raised fuel standards so that by the middle of the next decade, your cars and trucks will be going twice as far on a gallon of gas. [applause] We've doubled the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar, and thousands of Americans have jobs today building wind turbines and long-lasting batteries. [applause] The United States of America today is less dependent on foreign oil than any time in nearly two decades. [applause] So now you've got a choice between a plant that reverses this progress or one that builds on it.

You know, last night my opponent says he refuses to close the loophole that gives big oil companies $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies every year. Now, we've got a better plan where we keep investing in wind and solar and clean coal and the good jobs that come with them, where farmers and scientists harness new biofuels to power our cars and our trucks, where construction workers are retrofitting homes and factories so they waste less energy, and we can develop a hundred-year supply of natural gas that creates hundreds of thousands of jobs and, by the way, we can cut our oil imports in half by 2020. That will be good for our economy, that will be good for our environment, that will be good for Colorado, that will be good for America. [applause]

That's what we're fighting for—that's why I am running for a second term as President of the United States. [cheers and applause]

WOMAN IN AUDIENCE: We believe in you!

In The News

[Content note: homophobia, rape, war]

All The News In Fits and Spurts:

Turkey fired on Syrian government targets in response to the shelling of a Turkish border town in which five civilians were killed.

There is a poster for the new Twilight film (left). The internet loves it!

Paul Ryan has pledged to Focus on the Family president Jim Daly that the Romney-Ryan administration will fight against equality.

Also: Paul Ryan says he hasn't asked Sarah Palin for advice on his upcoming debate against Vice President Biden. LOLOL!! LOLOLOL! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!! LOLOLOL!! LOL!!! LOLOLOL!! LOLOL!!!!

Drivers in Los Angeles kill pedestrians and bicyclists at a significantly higher rate than drivers nationally.

The world's biggest douchebag: A Chicago man faked an impending plane crash before asking his girlfriend to marry him.

The world's biggest pumpkin: Giant pumpkin shatters world record.

Related: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has checked in on the Mars using Foursquare. Space.com notes this is "the first-ever such check-in from the surface of another world." Thanks for clarifying that, Space.com!

Boxer news: Featherweight boxer Orlando Cruz has become the first openly gay man in the sport's history, describing himself as a "proud gay man."

Convicted rapist Mike Tyson has been barred from New Zealand by government ministers who revoked an entry permit for his forthcoming speaking tour. He could face a similar problem entering Australia.

Just FYI: The four-song opening salvo (Stereotypes, Country House, Best Days, Charmless Man) of Blur's The Great Escape may be the finest thing in pop music.

Corey Haim: Me, Myself and I: The lost classic is now on YouTube.

Daily Dose of Cute

The Adventures of Watch Dog and Not-Watch Dog, Part 11:

Video Description: Zelda the Black-and-Tan Mutt stands at attention in the garden. She looks into the thicket. Satisfied it's clear of nefarious threats, she saunters over to me and resumes guard position at my side. She looks around; her Dorito ears twitch. I pan right to find Dudley the Greyhound lying on the grass in a patch of sun. He lifts his head to dislodge a fly from his nose. Fin.

image of Dudley looking at his feet

image of Dudley looking at his feet

"Hmm what is down there? Oh, it's my feet!"

image of Zelda lying in the grass, grinning

image of Zelda lying in the grass, grinning

"Cuddles. Treats. Snuggling. Dinner. Ear noms. Bones. Cuddles. Treats."

Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime

R.B. Greaves: "Take A Letter Maria"

This is the video I was hoping someone would make.

Mitt Romney is a bully. And he was a bully during the debate last night. And here is the evidence, care of the DNC.

Clip of David Brooks in post-debate analysis saying, "I do think Romney looked aggressive—maybe a little over-aggressive..."

Clip from debate of Mitt Romney arguing with moderator Jim Lehrer: "Jim, let me just come back on that, on that point, which is—" [crosstalk as Lehrer tries to stop him and Romney plows on]

Clip of Chris Matthews in post-debate analysis saying, "Romney didn't just take on the President; he also went after the moderator."

Clip from debate of Romney talking over Lehrer as Lehrer futilely tries to stop him: "Let's get back to Medicare."

Brooks: "...just a bulldozer, just kept going..."

Clip from debate of Romney bickering with Lehrer again, and insisting, "No, no I have to respond to that!"

Brooks: "...kept going, kept going..."

Clip of Lehrer saying, "We're way over our first 15 minutes," and Romney saying, "It's fun, isn't it?"

Brooks: "...just kept going..."

Clip of Obama looking exhausted while Romney argues with Lehrer: "The President began this segment, so I think I get the last word."

Text Onscreen: Mitt Romney. What a guy.

Top Five

Here is your topic: Top Five Favorite Cooking or Food-Related Shows. Go!

Please feel welcome to share stories about why your Top Five picks are what they are, though a straight-up list is fine, too. Please refrain from negatively auditing other people's lists, because judgment discourages participation.

Fun with Site Meter

[Content Note: Body policing.]

The top searches bringing people to Shakesville during the debate last night:

Shakesville, Mitt Romney House, Christina Aguilera Fat, Presidential Debate, Mitt Romney, I Hate Mitt Romney, Unicorns, Paul Ryan, Mac and Me

A snapshot of America.

P.S. My two favorite current search terms are "women having fun" and "big fatty ladies." You have come to the right place!

[Previously in Fun with Site Meter: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight.]

Sober Reflections

[Content Note: Addiction.]

Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of my decision to stop drinking.

On that day, October 4, 1992, my partner went into rehab at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, Michigan. He had been on a downward spiral for several weeks, and Friday, October 1, he hit bottom. We made it through what we later called "The Lost Weekend" and on Monday he went in for a thirty-day residential program. It was then that I knew I had to support him in any way I could, and giving up the occasional beer or glass of wine with my parents was my first step. That night I went to my first Al-Anon meeting.

He came out of rehab a better person, and as long as we were together – another six and a half years – neither of us touched alcohol. I have not since.

I'm making no judgments about anyone else's choice to drink, smoke, or whatever. I just know that I'm content with my decision and that the affirmation I made that day is something that has been good for me.