quote(s) of the day, or, tell us what you really think

“Honestly, I’ve never paid that much attention to Michelle Obama. Just what little I’ve seen of her and Mister Obama, Senator Obama, is that, you know, they’re a member of an elitist class of individuals that thinks that they’re uppity.”
-Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, GA

Let's start with the grammar. Somehow I don't think that the so-called elitist class of individuals or the Obamas themselves think that they are uppity. In fact, it's clearly Westmoreland himself who considers the Obamas to be uppity. But poor grammar aside, is "uppity" really a term that the Republicans want to start employing against the first black presidential candidate? I would hope that even in middle America, even in southern America, even in Georgia, we have progressed beyond the notion that an educated, articulate, intelligent black man is merely "uppity" (and not suitably deferential). I mean seriously, what century, exactly, is Westmoreland living in? Take a moment, if you will, and listen to the actual exchange between Westmoreland and the reporter. He gives this brilliantly stupid quote, the reporter asks, "Uppity?" and he replies, "Uppity, yeah, uppity," and she says, "I'm gonna quote you on that." It's quite a moment.

In other news, a heartbreakingly funny (one of those laugh or cry things) in the Onion earlier this week: Gay War Hero Awarded Posthumous Dishonorable Discharge At White House Ceremony.

In fashion news, Cindy McCain's rain slicker extravaganza estimated by Vanity Fair to cost circa $300,000! And we liberals are elitist?

And lastly, just for good measure, one more quote of the day:

“I hope we can keep making that comparison that running a political campaign is somehow comparable to being the executive of the largest state in America.”
-John McCain, hoping that the masses will forget that while Alaska may cover a lot of ground, it still has a tiny population of about 670,000 (to put that in perspective, substantially less than 1/10th of New York City)

As I type this, McCain is giving yet another desultory speech, this one supposedly important, reiterating (yet again) that a vote for the Republicans is a vote for change, despite their eight years in the White House.