This week Adrastos discusses Pink Floyd, Jan Hooks, Alistair Campbell, the Canadian election, Haiti and FDR, and Ole Miss football. with Howlin’ Wolf along for the ride. Continue reading Saturday Odds & Sods: Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Diaper Dave plumbs new depths, Continue reading The Vitter Files: It’s Getting Weirder By The Minute
More tales of a lying prostitute and a mendacious politician. Continue reading Murky & Sordid: Vitter Story Update
The Ole Miss kids are alright. Continue reading In Which Adrastos Says Something Nice About Mississippi
Adrastos on the he lied, she lied story of David Vitter and Wendy Ellis. Continue reading Another Fine Mess: The Vitter Files
The return of the Grievous Angelle to First Draft. Continue reading Louisiana Politics: Gret Stet Goober Race Tightens
The Gret Stet Goober race continues to heat up. Make that reheat and rehash because that’s what two of the Republican candidates are doing. That’s right, David Vitter is playing to his strengths as an asshole and reviving one of … Continue reading Louisiana Politics: Angelle Of The Morning Or Fallen Angelle?
Time for a long, circuitous introduction to this week’s post. I guess y’all are used to that by now. Using Barbara Tuchman’s The March of Folly as the basis for a post title got me thinking of another one of her books, The Proud Tower. It’s the story of pre-Great War life in Europe including the wildly creative artistic culture of the Edwardian Era. One chapter dealt with the controversial debut of Sergei Diaghliev’s ballet production of Igor Stravinsky’s modernist classic, The Rite Of Spring; Le Sacre du Printemps for any francophones out there. It caused a helluva controversy as you … Continue reading Album Cover Art Wednesday: The Rite Of Spring
I had some fun with the title of this one by melding memorable phrases from two of my favorite writers: historian Barbara Tuchman and pundit supremo Charlie Pierce. I’ve written about Tuchman’s book The March of Folly before here at First Draft and Pierce is oft quoted in this neck of the virtual woods and not just by lil’ ole me. The Piercian phrase I’m alluding to is “the pursuit of the President’s penis,” which is his apt description of how Bill Clinton’s enemies tried and failed to bring him down by focusing on zipper issues and periodic “bimbo eruptions.” The … Continue reading The Gret Stet March Of Folly: The Pursuit Of Vitter’s Diaper
People in Louisiana like our politics the way we like our crawfish boils: highly seasoned, tasty, and entertaining. This year’s Goober race seemed destined to continue the dullness of the Jindal era political scene. The good news is that things have gotten very interesting this week. The bad news is that, with the exception of deep blue New Orleans, the Gret Stet is getting redder every day but the freak show is back in town. David Vitter looks somewhat vulnerable but remains the favorite. He has bags and bags of money-$9 million smackeroos-and nearly 100% name recognition. That’s, of course, a mixed bag for him since … Continue reading The Gret Stet Goober Race Heats Up
Dick Cheney was not the only wingnut to deal with protesters this week. Our old pal Senator David Vitter qualified in the 2015 Gret Stet Goober race yesterday. He was greeted by a dude named Brian in a makeshift diaper: As funny as I think this stunt was, I don’t think the whole Vitter prostitution thing is going to work unless something new pops up. The issue has been litigated and Bitter Vitter has been forgiven by his right-wing base. My friend Lamar White Jr. disagrees, check out his post. Continue reading This Happened In Baton Rouge
I hate articles about polls. There’s way too much poll worship in the world and when the polls are wrong, as they were in the U.K. general election, people freak out. It’s part and parcel of worshiping a false deity. Poll worship is wreaking havoc on national politics right now with the candidate trying to be the first insult comedian elected President leading the GOP field. The polls also show a backbench Independent Senator from Vermont doing surprisingly well in the politically quirky Granite State. All you need to know about that is that New Englanders often win that primary *and* that they love … Continue reading Poll Worship & The Louisiana Silly Season
I guess I should be pleased that more people have started to detest my alleged Governor, Bobby Jindal. PBJ is genuinely detestable but there’s been a lot of anti-Jindal bandwagon jumping of late. I wish some of these folks had been paying attention when his name was on the ballot but that’s how it often goes on the American Left. Remember the Frank theorum: Conservatives vote, liberals protest. Jindalism is a spent force here in the Gret Stet of Louisiana. He’s lost control of the debate as well as of the lege. That’s a tall order in a state where the Governor … Continue reading The Jindal Candidacy: To Protest Or Not To Protest?
Politico ran one of the least surprising political stories ever last week: everybody in Washington hates David Vitter. Hell, I’ve hated him for years. His lead in the polls in the 2015 Gret Stet Goober race isn’t based on likability either, which you would never know from the headline on a piece by Gregory Roberts in the Advocate: Vitter on top in state polls, under fire in Washington. That headline is silly BUT this quote belongs in the absurdist hall of fame: It could be that is just the way Vitter is: a stickler for the rules, even if that makes … Continue reading Quote Of The Day: Absurdist Edition
The 2015 Gret Stet gubernatorial (goober to me) race has been a pretty dull affair thus far. The only action has involved everyone making like Del Shannon and running away from Governor PBJ. In the immortal words of my old pal and fellow NOLA blogger relic (there are very few of us still at it) Mr. Gloomy Pants: Everybody hates Bobby. PBJ’s Louisiana poll ratings have plunged into the mid to upper-twenty percent range. So much for being a viable Presidential candidate. Speaking of unpopular Republican Governors with delusions of Presidential grandeur, Chris Christie aka Gov. Asshole recently campaigned in Red Stick … Continue reading Jerk Summit: When Vitter Met Christie
There are always follies on Fridays; most other days as well. At the risk of sounding like Keith Olbermann, we begin with:
From Debrisville To Durstville: Robert Durst has been making headlines in New Orleans since his arrest. He faces gun and weed charges locally. I’m glad the DA’s office is charging him since the case against him in the murder of Susan Berman is the *opposite* of a slam dunk. Hopefully, it won’t be an air ball.
More Friday hilarity after the break; at least I hope it’s funny. I dread turning into Jack Webb as Joe Friday at times like this. Why? I’ll never know. Continue reading “Odds & Sods: Friday Follies Edition”
John Fleming is a Congressman from North Louisiana. He’s another dipshit right wing Doctor. I’m pleased to report that he’s an Ole Miss doc, not an LSU one. He’s said a lot of stupid shit over the years but something came out of his pie hole the other day that took the proverbial cake. And that is why John Fleming is malaka of the week. Louisiana Gopers only make TPM when they say something ludicrous. Here’s how good ole Doc Fleming (I refuse to call him Doctor John for obvious reasons) made news: Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) warned radio listeners Monday that President Obama hopes … Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: John Fleming
If you know me in what is laughingly called real life, you know that I’m fiercely loyal to my friends, especially when they’re right. One of my friends, Lamar White, has been under attack for telling the truth about Steve Scalise. One source of relentless and, quite frankly, dunderheaded criticism is a right wing Louisiana blogger, Scott McKay of the Hayride. And that’s why he’s malaka of the week, not just because his name rhymes with decay. Lamar is a peaceable person so he reached out to McMalaka with an offer of a truce of sorts. McKay being a Gret Stet wingnut … Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: Scott McKay
Just when I take a wee blogcation, they drag me back in again. (If you get the reference, I’ll buy you an adult beverage some time. Make that a beer. I’m a cheap motherfugu.) I’d been largely off the grid, and then I learned that my old blogger friend (I almost called him my little buddy but I don’t want to be the skipper to his Gilligan) Lamar White Jr. had broken a story about past malaka of the week Steve Scalise giving a speech to David Duke’s group EURO. The story has, of course, gone viral as the kids would say. Jeez, … Continue reading Lamar Strikes Again
I was originally going to write a post-mortem of Saturday’s result and call it Requiem for a Blue Dog, but some exchanges with fellow Gret Stet progressives on Facebook led me to change my focus and write this long ass sentence. I really hope none of you lot diagram that sentence or I’ll be up shit creek without a paddle…
Before I get all cosmic and shit, a few words about Senator Mary Landrieu. I’ve openly expressed my frustration with her but I’m a liberal who wants to get shit done and that’s something she’s good at. In the post-Katrina/Federal Flood era she worked tirelessly (a cliche but appropriate in this case) to make sure Louisiana got our fair share of relief money. She spent a lot of time doing battle with the Republican controlled Congress and White House and wasn’t afraid to get in their proverbial faces. She did it well and it’s one reason I will always have a fondness for her despite her pipeline posturing. I have one friend who is threatening to leave Louisiana in the broad daylight because she thinks we’re fucked if another big storm hits. She may well be right. While I’m not leaving New Orleans, I don’t share my friend Stephanie Grace’s hope that Double Bill Cassidybot will have the Ed Balls to stand up to anyone:
What will be interesting to see is what happens when the state’s interests clash with Republican priorities. Landrieu undeniably delivered for Louisiana, whether that meant carving out a portion of offshore oil royalties and BP fines or landing hurricane aid. Cassidy says he’ll do the same, and hopefully that’s true. But given the GOP’s attitude toward spending, there may be situations where advocating for the state means bucking his own party.
Double Bill is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Koch Brothers and, even worse, David Vitter. Until proven otherwise, he’s a cipher who will do what he’s told. The *real* winner of Saturday’s election was Bitter Vitter:
Louisiana’s soon-to-be senior senator is now the undisputed kingpin of the state GOP, and his microphone-grab at Cassidy headquarters on Election Night drove home that point. Vitter was the architect of Cassidy’s “virtual” campaign against Landrieu. He recruited Cassidy, cleared the field of most other would-be Republican challengers, helped Cassidy raise money and lent one of his top aides to Cassidy as campaign manager. In many ways, Cassidy’s campaign was a trial run for Vitter’s gubernatorial bid next year. It proved (just as Vitter did in his 2010 re-election campaign) that a candidate with lots of money can run for a major statewide office without actually getting out and touching voters in person. That’s good news for a guy who could still be dogged by a sex scandal.
I missed the microphone grab because I was at the top secret Krewe du Vieux Brew Doo, but it shows Vitter’s ability to keep Double Bill in his place. Why shouldn’t he? Cassidy sold his soul to the Louisiana GOP to obtain office to do god only knows what. I have no clue since his campaign boiled down to Landrieu, Obama, 97%, repeat, wash and rinse, and do it again after the break…
I’ve finally learned something interesting about Mary Landrieu’s dull and robotic challenger, Dr. Bill Cassidy. He’s been billing LSU Health Sciences Center for time when he was “working” on Capitol Hill. This is not allowed by LSU’s own rules and is being done at an institution where nobody has gotten a raise in 7 or 8 years. This is clearly unethical and may well be payroll fraud. It’s a familiar story: a Goper campaigns against one big guvmint teat whilst suckling on another one. This development is unlikely to change the outcome of Saturday’s election but it’s making the last week pretty … Continue reading Double Bill Cassidy
As a second generation American, family and immigration are inextricably linked in my mind. I’ve had family on my mind this week as my much loved Uncle Pete died at the age of 94. He was technically an in-law because he was married to my father’s sister Mary for some 69 years. 69 years, imagine that. The reason I’ve always gone by Peter was because of my Uncle: he was Pete, I was Peter. Case closed. Like my father, Uncle Pete was the son of immigrants and was very proud of his Hellenic heritage. The Greek side of my family … Continue reading Pulling Up The Drawbridge
That’s my name for it, they called it the Republican Unity Rally. It was held in support of the Cassidybot Senate campaign and among the speakers were Bitter Vitter, Colonel Mayonnaise, Gov PBJ, and an outside agitator, Senator Aqua Buddha. Here are a few tweets featuring this rogue’s gallery of malakatude: Red Stick Creep Fest: pic.twitter.com/38IuMUjN3q — Shecky (@Adrastosno) November 11, 2014 Sen. Aqua Buddha wearing a table cloth. pic.twitter.com/8mt9UKftpb — Shecky (@Adrastosno) November 11, 2014 @ekeog I think it was a day time rally so Gov Bat Boy was in his coffin. — Shecky (@Adrastosno) November 11, 2014 It’s a … Continue reading Red Stick Creepfest
Plain Speaking was the title of a 1974 oral biography of Harry Truman by Merle Miler. It was based on interviews the author conducted with the former President for an unaired teevee special. It was a runaway best seller and had a lot to do with the rehabilitation of Truman’s reputation. He looked good in contrast to the rampant mendacity of LBJ and Tricky Dick. One thing, however, the book ran away from was an objective version of the truth. The flaw in the interview format is that Truman’s version of events was unchallenged even when it bore little resemblance to … Continue reading Plain Speaking
You’ve probably already seen the video of Allison Lundegran Grimes squirming like a cochon du lait before being skewered and roasted. She was asked by the editorial board of the Louisville Courier-Journal if she’d voted for Barack Obama. It was amateur hour as she squirmed, hemmed and hawed and ducked the question. This headless chicken reply was the worst of both possible worlds: she looked weaselly, and nobody believes that she didn’t vote for the President. Twice. It reminded me of when loudmouth bus driver Ralpha Kramden got tongue tied on the venerable Honeymooners teevee show:
I nearly called this post Homina, Homina, but decided to write about a Blue Dog who knows how to answer a question like that, Senator Mary Landrieu. The only way to reply in a place where the President is unpopular is something like this, “Yes but I put my state above my political party and will fight for you.” Now I realize that Obama is even more unpopular in Kentucky than in Louisiana (we have a very large African-American population, and they have lots of Boyd Crowders and Dewey Crowes) but Ms. Lundegran Grimes’ non-answer ain’t foolin’ anyone, especially when she called herself a “Clinton Democrat.” It reminded me when Bill attempted to parse the meaning of is…
The MSM is obsessed with certain Senate races this year: Kentucky, North Carolina, Colorado, Iowa and, more recently, Kansas, and haven’t written and/or broadcast as much about my home state campaign. I’ll try to fill in a few blanks without asking y’all to sharpen a number-2 pencil…
More about the state of the Gret Stet Senate race after the break.
Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District has long been a hotbed of wingnut malakatude: from dim bulb Bob Livingston to David Vitter to Bobby Jindal to the current member, Steve Scalise. Scalise is a genuinely nasty piece of work who publicly fumed when PBJ decided to run for the seat when Vitter moved his diaper bag to the Senate in 2004. Scalise thought he was next in line; plus he actually lived in the district whereas PBJ was a carpetbagger from Red Stick. But at that time, Jindal was the chosen one, so Scalise eventually shut his yap and stayed in the … Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: Steve Scalise
My friend Editilla of the New Orleans Ladderis the crazy uncle of NOLA twitter. In fact, he was voted best twitter feuder by Gambit tabloid readerslast year. He may not be the first person to use the term #KochSuckerbut he’s the first one I saw using it, so I’m giving him the credit. What’s a bit of cronyism among bloggers? It’s the Louisiana way. As you may have already heard by now, Bitter Vitter is a champion #KochSucker and literally, not figuratively, as Joey the Shark is wont to say. Last week Vitter inserted his head up the Koch’s pasty … Continue reading Vitter the #KochSucker
Remember when Americans respected the office of the Presidency even when one disagreed with the current occupant? It’s increasingly difficult to remember those bygone days with a Republican Party that has Ted Nugent on the campaign trail in Texas. I don’t expect civility from extremist yahoos like a washed-up loin-cloth wearing rocker such as the Nuge but I do expect it from my own Governor: The nation’s governors emerged from a meeting with President Barack Obama on Monday claiming harmony, only to immediately break into an on-camera partisan feud in front of the West Wing. Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal lashed … Continue reading Rudeness Is In
The least surprising news of the new year is that David Vitter is throwing his diaper into the ring in the 2015 Gret Stet Governor’s race. If any masochists out there are wondering who could be worse than PBJ, the answer is Bitter Vitter. So, let’s hope we don’t go from the PBJ frying pan into the Vitter fire. It would be good for the satire business but horrible for everything else. Continue reading From the frying pan into the fire
Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich surprised everyone recently by sounding like a pinko and criticizing the “war on the poor.” It is, of course, largely being waged by his own party.The latest front has opened in the Gret Stet of Louisiana and was instigated by our old pal David Vitter: Saying there is no tolerance for fraud in the EBT program, Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Suzy Sonnier said Wednesday that her department is seeking approval to sanction card users who tried to purchase food over their allotted amount during a recent computer outage. Sonnier issued a … Continue reading The War On The Poor, Louisiana Style