(Partial notes taken and a really cute picture of a ferret drawn on said notes by The Kenosha Kid who’s here and hella funny.)
Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to my new political crush.
For those of you who like cute Democrats, his picture is over at NTodd’s place. Where you can also see I need a haircut.
Choice bits from Patrick Murphy (who needs a speechwriter to smooth out his transitions and help him relax a bit but has his head in the right place and his boot in the right place, namely up the ass of Republicans):
“It took them five days to send in the 82nd Airborne [to the Gulf Coast] which is trained to be out and ready in 16 hours. The president was fiddling his guitar while people were lying dead in the water. That’s not leadership.”
Named three parallels between Bush’s handling of Iraq and handling of Katrina: A refusal to listen to experts who told him in advance what to expect, complete inaction during a crisis situation (think My Pet Goat) and a lack of critical equipment for the people on the ground.
“We need leaders, we need fighters. And I’m going to stand up and I’m going to say I’m not going to take it anymore. If I get attacked by Republicans I’m gonna return fire. While I was in Baghdad my opponent was raising taxes here at home and fiddling around.”
Said troops in Iraq call Kellogg, Brown & Root “Brown And Loot.”
“Leadership is leading from the front, where our president should be.”
Can I get a hell yeah, moonbats?
Louise Slaughter received the “Hit Them With The Chair Award” from Vicki and NYMary: a tiny little chair on a little blue pedestal. She loved it. Choice quotes from her:
“Had it not been for bloggers and Howard Dean, the Democratic party would have kept on apologizing for itself.”
“We’ve spent $30 billion on Homeland Security and we have nothing to show for it. And our fearless leader is out doing fundraising. And where’s Cheney? We haven’t heard a word from him.”
“I have never in all my years in this country felt as vulnerable as I do now. The government completely let these people down.”
“We have a country to save and we need to start right now, with recruitment and voter registration. We need to do this for the America that has stood as a beacon to this world, as a place where things are done right.”
“We’ll hold our own hearings if we have to. We’ll hold them on the lawn.”
She talked about Bush at a photo op in the hurricane zone, hugging two women and then turning them towards the camera. “I wanted to slap him silly,” she said.
“If we don’t take the House and Senate back this year we can kiss this country goodbye.”
Chuck Pennachio also talked a hell of a game. I told him afterwards, “If this whole Senate thing doesn’t work out you could be a really great blogger.” He cracked up.
He promised that if he was elected he would come back to Eschacon next year and take the Hit Them With The Chair Award home with him.
Depending on how the party goes tonight, there may be one further post. It may just be something like “DUDE I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH BEST FRIENDS FOREVER WHOOOO!” Full wrap-ups on Monday, when I’ve had a little more sleep.
A.