State of the Union 4.0 - 1/24/12

OH MY GOD SO ON MY WAY HOME I SAW THE MOTORCADE ON ITS WAY TO THE CAPITOL. I AM SO EXCITED.

*ahem*

I've lived here 18 months and seen a dozen motorcades. None of them were presidential. THIS ONE WAS. I'm so goddamned excited I could pee.

Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled cynicism.

AND HOLY CHRISTBALLS, GABBY GIFFORDS AND MAJOR HUGGING. I SHALL CRY NOW.

My Grandfather, Blah Blah Blah


In English classes, they stress the need for a "grabber" - an intro that catches the reader. This? This makes me want to go nappy-naps. Using words like "grandfather," "technology," and "paychecks" in the first five minutes of your could-very-well-be-final SOTU is a great way to make me - not to mention 4/9 Justices of the SCOTUS - fall asleep.

Thoughts on Color


Boehner is darker than 'Bama. Just saying. Lay off the Mystic Tan.

Also, is he wearing blush?

In Other Aesthetic News...


Joe Biden seems to have lice. Good lord, veepie, don't scratch your combover while you're on camera.

Cantor looks increasingly like Rob Lowe after he was beaten with an ugly stick and then had it shoved up his hiney.

Policy


FUCK YOU ON SOPA. FUCK YOU WITH A BAR OF SOP-A. But let's definitely crack down on fake Viagra, because everyone knows our nation's most precious resource is erections lasting longer than four hours.

Pandering


Name drop!

Heh. Semens.

Train the Americans for jobs. Jobs like polishing Mitt Romney's cuff links, making fries, and - hee. Semens.

Community college - okay, let's not fucking kid ourselves. Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, most people in community college are not going to be the next poet laureate. I'm sorry to be an elitist snot, but there are a number of ways for the financially disenfranchised to get into a four-year college if they work hard in high school. How about you put money into not making college so unaffordable that people are forced to take out $250K in loans? Or better yet, work on making primary education better so that by the time kids get to high school, they haven't completely given up. Get teachers and parents more engaged through new programs, explore alternative teaching methods (because not everyone learns from rote memorization and copying notes - in fact, most people don't. The ones that do well on tests about it just happen to be good at memorization but rarely retain the information), offer incentives to good teachers to teach in poor communities, and stop letting Texas put imaginary facts in the textbooks.

Yeah, some people end up in community college for health reasons, but that's a whole other can of worms.

Student loans aren't the issue - schools like my alma mater getting multi-million dollar donations and spending it all on a goddamned fucking fountain while there aren't enough classrooms is the problem.

On Notice!


Colbert's gonna sue.

Shot In the Foot, but You're Too Late


Stop pandering.

Second, stop saying shit that reminds people who are upset by your nixing of the Keystone Pipeline that you cut off a safe resource of energy (and see, I'm in favor of your nixing it, because it wasn't a good plan, and was a huge environmental hazard, but most people aren't totally with me, and in all fairness getting oil from Canada is less of a risk than getting it from fucking Nigeria). Talk about the environment being more important than a quick fix. Talk about our children and grandchildren being safe from an increase in natural disaster, asthma, and melting ice caps and that it's more important than filling the tanks of our SUVs for two more years. Talk about how the tough choices are sometimes the right ones and the popular ones are sometimes not what's best for the future.

FRANKEEEEEEEEN.


I love you Fraaaaanken, oh yes I do. There isn't anyone I love like you. 'Cause you snarked Leiberman, it's true. Oh Fraaaaanken, I love you.

More On Aesthetics


I'm 99.9% sure Biden's tie is both blinking and giving me a seizure.

The lights hit Obama in such a way that they look kind of...well...holy. I have to wonder if Biden arranged that as a romantic surprise.

WHO BOOED AT THE INSIDER TRADING THING?!


Pelosi's going to eat your liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti. Or two buck chuck, whatevs.

Michelle's dress is nice. I would not be upset if it turned up on my doorstep tomorrow morning. Charitayyyyy.

Good Stuff


HILLAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.

I just want to say, to all the women who believed - and this is on a serious note - we didn't just crack the ceiling. We shattered it.


I have never been as proud to be an American woman as the moment Hillary spoke at the DNC, nor so heartbroken to be an American voter whose vote was not the winning one.

And with that note...


We are finit.

GABBY! Another amazing woman. Let's hear it for the ladies.

The Iowa Caucus Part 2, Or The Snail Has Spoken

The Hour of Colbert


First of all, bless Stephen T. Colbert, DFA for reminding the public of the true meaning of Santorum. Too many people have forgotten why He Must Not Be Googled, But In a Way Where You Should Because It's Taboo and Also Hilarious.


Megyn Shelley, the official Colbert Report soothsaying invertebrate (not the official soothsaying animal in general, as that title goes to Christiane Aman-Purr) went ahead and did not move in the slightest when asked to predict the winner of the caucuses by choosing one of the cucumbers carved in the likeness of a candidate, which tells us something very important: even snails don't want one of these fuckers to be president. Snails. These are creatures who, in a manner of speaking, do actually live up their own asses, if we loosely consider things attached to one's backside an ass. This says a lot.


Meanwhile, Back On CNN...


Blitzer. King. Magic Wall. Still not a single fucking important point.


The Rectal Temperature of the Nation


The Twitterz have also spoken: none of the candidates are trending. Marcus Bachmann, however, is trending. A brief sampling of tweets show that the prevailing feeling is that he is an unattractive closeted homosexual who twitter users would like to go shopping with for tiny dog sunglasses.


People Are Clapping for Perry


Ostensibly because he put his pants on correctly all by himself. Still having some trouble reading, it seems.


CNN is predicting that he will finish 5th out of...how many are there now? Seven? Let's go with seven. He currently has 10% of votes, according to See En En.


Sadly for those of us who find him a constant source of entertainment that fills the George-W-Bush-shaped hole in our lives, it sounds as though he's retreating to Texas to call it a day and go back to playing with his Speak-and-Spell.


Other Predictions Based On a Minuscule Sampling of a Largely Homogeneous Population


With 96% 97% 96% 98% of precincts reporting, CNN predicts the following:


Jon "I Am Far Too Reasonable for This Shit" Huntsman: 7th place, with 1% of votes
Prize: I Heart New Hampshire T-Shirt


Michele "Crazy Eyes" Bachmann: 6th place, with  5% of votes
Prize: Used canola oil, confusion of American public


Rick "Perry the Platyputz" Perry: 5th place, with 10% of votes
Prize: Package of store-brand microwave popcorn, plane ticket to Texas, title of "worst presidential candidate in history" courtesy of James Carville

Newton "Stay Puft" Gingritch: 4th place, with 13% of votes

Prize: Bag of kettle corn, flack for super bitchy comments towards Romney and Paul

Ron "Gleep-Glorp" Paul: 3rd place, with 21 of votes

Prize: Bronze medal in the shape of a corn cob, one million space dollars

And finally, with 25% apiece, separated by 37 34 44 41 5 votes...

Willard Mitten "Fee Fee" Romney

and

Rick "Please Don't Google Me" Santorum

Prize: About 72 straight hours of pointless media coverage 

Speeeeeeeeach! No, I'm Joking, Please Shut Up

Santorum: "My grandfather had big hands. Jesus loves me. Republicans can't just cut taxes. Incidentally, I will cut taxes. Wal-Mart isn't moving to China. Romneycare. Pennsylvania. Steel. Pizza. I'm fat. Chuck truck. Gems."

I really hate that he's talking about his special needs daughter because it makes me feel things inside resembling warmth.

Luckily he then goes off on a religious/anti-choice/conservative tangent, and I feel nice and cold again.

Sidebar: "Is Santorum" is trending. Yeah.

Romney: "Congratulations to Santorum. And to me. And to Ron Paul. PLEASE JUST LIKE ME. America. I have sons. You people are also my family. LIKE ME, ALREADY. Passion. Obama's nice. Iran will have nukes soon. Obama Obama Obama. Today Show. Let's make America attractive. Unalienable. Shiny things."

I'll admit it - one of Romney's sons is kind of attractive. He looks sort of like Mark Ruffalo. Now if only his father would stop with the spoken-word version of "America the Beautiful," Mark Ruffalomney and I could get down to business.

More Map

Lots of Santorum purple, some Romney red. One Romney red splotch appears to be the exact shape of a kidney in the middle of the Santorum puddle.

Santorum's up by 27 votes, now, with 99% reporting. Someone forgot to tell Piers Morgan. 

James Carville and Roland Martin clearly want to go the fuck to bed, and Ari Fleischer has checked out. It's way past David Gergen's bedtime. Can't CNN just put the weebles back on and let the pundit parade go home?

Meanwhile, we so rarely get full-body shots of Anderson Cooper, and DAMN that suit wears him well.

Now Tinky Winky Rick Santorum is 37 votes up. Please count faster. I want to go to bed.

After the commercial break, we're down to 19 votes up and down to 98% reporting.

Oh god, Santorum is on CNN. This is torture. Just call it a tie. Or a mutual show of non-confidence. Whatever, just let the back table leave, at least, before Carville and Roland get cranky and stab Ari Fleischer. Which I would not blame them for in the least.

McCain is apparently planning to endorse Romney. This is so exciting I could just die. Really.

18 votes. Over to Candy Crowley, Mary Matalin, and Donna Brazile at what appears to be a yellowish level of hell, most likely somewhere in Iowa.

Back at the Magic Wall, there's flicking and swiping going on, and a rousing game of Match the Candidate with the Issue. Shocker, people whose biggest concern for America is abortion vote Santorum

And they broke the wall. Nice. Oh, rats, it's back up.

"Have we all just given up?" Yes, Anderson. We have. And he doesn't understand the Twitter map either, and Roland Martin is apparently laughing. "We know a lot of people tweet in America."

Ali Velshi has now yelled at everyone to put their cell phones away and stop talking, and Anderson isn't allowed to touch the unicorn tracker twitter map. Or "twap," if we're being cool. Laughter is still audible in the background. 

And we are now at one vote separating Romney and Santorum. Whoever that one vote belongs to is on my shit list. 

More laughter. James Carville dropped his mic, Roland Martin is shouting off-camera, Ari Fleischer is laughing, and Dana Loesch looks pissed. 

Ari is comparing Gingrich to a porcupine. This may be the first time I've ever agreed with him. Now Dana Loesch is giggling. These people need to go home. 

Santorum up by four votes, 99% reporting, Wolf Blitzer giggling.

It's Now 2am, and I've Been Watching CNN and Blogging for Seven Hours

It's time for - oh fuck me, now Wolf Blitzer says they've "got news."

Apparently the news is still the four vote thing, which is not actually news. And one precinct is still dicking around. Wolf actually made a hanging chad joke, which was funny. In 2001.

They're all just laughing - Ari Fleischer, James Carville, Roland Martin, John King, Dana Loesch, Wolf Blitzer, Piers Morgan, two women I don't know, David Gergen, and Anderson Cooper: CNN's overtired political news team, most of whom seem to be completely over this.

According to the two ladies CNN has on the phone who sound overtired and somewhat irritated, all precincts have reported. It seems - from what the overtired anchors, pundits, and Iowan ladies have cobbled together - that all precincts have reported to the Republican central whatsit in Iowa and that somehow the central whatsit fucked up and haven't added one precinct. Based on the numbers given to Wolf Blitzer and John King by the Iowan ladies - who it seems important to note are basically just local Republican chairs of podunk chapters but seem to have more information than the central Iowa RNC - Mitt Romney has won by a handful of votes.

According to Candy Crowley at the Romney camp, the Romney camp also thinks they've won by 14 votes.

Because it's past 2am, I'm tired, and this is utterly fucking ridiculous, I'm abandoning the scientific method and will say that one collaborates the other, and Mitt Romney wins by a slim margin.

Whoop-de-fucking-do.

I'm going to bed.


Oh For Fuck's Sake


Carolyn and Edith, the Iowan ladies, are trending. John King would rather be at last call (or in bed). Anderson thinks the call with the Iowans was the best phone call ever, and apparently, has also lost his Blackberry (I can comfort him if he'd like). 


The Iowa GOP is supposedly going to make an announcement any moment, so sometime between now and dawn on Friday.


Roland Martin's eyes are blood red. I suspect he and Carville have been blazing up on commercial breaks.


There is a shaky camera focused on the Iowa podium and oh my oh my they're announcing something. Probably. CNN kind of doesn't have audio. Piers is trying to guess. 


CNN has officially declared tonight a "snafu." I was going to go with "clusterfuck."


Iowa GOP officially declares Romney the weiner, ahem, winner.


By eight votes. Not fourteen. Sorry, Edith and Carolyn. 


James Carville has the final word: if CNN doesn't get an award for this, he's going to be pissed. 


I don't get paid for this, guys. So really...I should get the award. Thanks.

The Iowa Caucus, or CNN Goes Bonkers

Weebles Wobble and The Votes Go Down


It's 7:15pm. Do you know where your weebles are?


Oh, you're watching CNN, too? Yeah, those are "weeb-publicans," as I'm going to go ahead and call them. And a Weebolf Blitzer. No joke. A computerized little Wolf Blitzer weeble is declaring a weeble winner of the weeble caucus. Weebles are holding weeb-idate signs, and weebles are voting.


Meanwhile, my brain is exploding, because it can't handle the simultaneous levels of completely fucking stupid and completely fucking hilarious. At least Anderson Cooper (not Weebleson Cooper, mind you) recognizes that this shit will inevitably end up on The Daily Show.


"A Third-World Banana Republic"


Oh Michele. Bringin' out the big guns. I mean gaffes.


"Barack Obama continues to treat us like a third-world Banana Republic."


I actually backed up the DVR to make sure I heard that correctly, and indeed, I did.


Exactly what would a third-world Banana Republic look like? Would they sell burlap sacks for $89.95? Burkas for $119.50? Or would it just be a normal Banana Republic with guerrilla warfare and disappearances by the government occasionally interrupting day-to-day operations?


I'm going to miss her.


Further Proof Siri's a Republican


The voice recognition/lazy thumb software on my iPhone 4S knows how to spell both "Michele Bachmann" and "Rick Perry," but still gets half the shit I say wrong. I'm going to go ahead and just try something, here...


"Fuck you, you filthy conservative whore."


Siri replies: "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."


I see she's not denying it, though.


I Gotta Feeling...That There's Gonna Be a Lawsuit


They're playing the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" at one of the caucuses. Cauci? Who the fuck cares. Either way, Will.I.Am. (and his holographic image, if CNN brings that back) is going to be pissed. Angry, poorly conjugated tweets...commence.


8:16pm - The Early Entrance Poll of Like .0000007% of Iowans


Ron and Mitt are tied. No surprise. 


Jon Huntsman is at a positive integer. Giant surprise.


Oh god, the Magic Fucking Wall is back. One of these days it's going to get wise and kill Blitzer on air so it can anchor "The Situation Wall."


Random CNN correspondent is interviewing a woman using what appears to be the hat of a British guard, and she says she made up her mind in the past couple of days to vote for Rick Santorum "because of the economy." In this context, "the economy" means "peer pressure."


This Just In: There Appears to Be an Actual Black Person at a Caucus


Unconfirmed sighting of a non-white person behind Soledad O'Brien at an Iowa caucus. We will continue to follow this shocking story.


This Also Just In: People Are Circling Candidates' Names


Not squares, triangles, or ovals, but circles. CNN is all over this situation.


Wolf called it "democracy in action." Mine's more realistic.


This Just In: My Kitten Is Stuck In the Couch Cushions


Nothing further.


Tinky Winky Visits the Magic Wall


I like that the candidates are represented by various shades of red, purple, and pink. 


On the pie chart, Santorum is represented - inadvertently, probably, because CNN isn't that clever - by a purple triangle. Which happens to be almost perfectly upside down. That's right - Rick Santorum is represented by the logo for being gay, and/or Tinky Winky. 


Breaking Oops


Whoopsies. CNN kind of didn't exactly count all of the entrance polls.


Results are pretty much exactly the same, which means just as many people have never googled "Santorum."


CNN Talking Heads Around a Table


And one very pretty Silver Fox head.


Brunette Lady referred to Santorum's economy/peer pressure lady as a "him." Win.


Anderson is so over this shit. I'm with him. And also, a little drunk. What can I say, low tolerance plus cheap wine.


Santorum: Still Represented by Purple


Michele is leading in some backwoods dumbfuck county. 


Ron is in peach. Salmon? Blush? I'm not sure. Pinky-orange. Now Rick Perry is orange and Michele is piss yellow.


How the motherfuck is Santorum winning? These people must be all sorts of homophobic and stupid. Oh, wait. Same thing!


It's Pronounced "dee-moyne"


No votes for Huntsman. Sad face. Romney is leading. Cain has none...and also is not in the race. Okay, then.


Results Scrawled on a Big Piece of Paper


No, really.


Soledad uses the word "literally" when it's literally not necessary. There is no figurative deciding.


Romney is winning in Clive, Iowa, according to Bigass Piece of Paper.


Mad Matalin In The Caucus House


I love Mary Matalin. I want her and James Carville to adopt me. She is, however, looking more and more like Nancy Pelosi, particularly with the new hairstyle she has going on.


With 50% of Precincts Reporting...


Iowans are still assholes. Santorum is leading with Mitten just behind (teehee) and Ron Paul in third. Huntsman is holding strong at 1%.


Jim Acosta reports in front of a bunch of people who don't notice him, and one lady and one girl trying to look nice on camera. Ooh! Bald audiovisual tech is looking, too, as well as Jim-Bob (actual name) and Buzzcut (not actual name).


Audio tech smiles for the camera, while Fleece Jacket talks about settling, or not, or something. Guy who looks like Moby and James Carville mated looks on with rapt attention.


Back to Wolf, Anderson, and Ali Velshi - the real James Carville is in the background, looking bored as shit. Ali and Anderson talk about the map that appears to be covered in pink confetti. Apparently they represent tweets, not locations of unicorns. Damn.


Ads!


This day-long televised beating of a dead horse is brought to you by coal and AT&T, two companies you think of when you think "journalistic integrity."


Apparently "Almost Half" is Relative


We're still at "almost 50% reporting," which we were also at about 45 minutes ago.


Now it's just sad. Earlier it was also just sad, but it is now, as well.


Fuck It


I have shit to do.

GOP Debate Live Reactions, 11/22

Okay, is it just me, or did they swipe the opening sequence to "Homeland" for this intro?

The Contestants of Survivor: GOP

MITTEN "FEE FEE" ROMNEY

NEWTON "STAY PUFT" GINGRICH

HERMAN "THE HERMBURGLAR" CAIN

RON "GLEEP GLORP" PAUL

RICK "PERRY THE PLATYPUTZ" PERRY

MICHELE "CRAZY EYES" BACHMANN

JON "I AM FAR TOO REASONABLE FOR THIS SHIT" HUNTSMAN

RICK "PLEASE DON'T GOOGLE ME" SANTORUM

- Oh for fuck's sake, haven't we met them enough already? I'm tired you people trying to come up with new taglines. Also, Wolf, way to get really excited for flavor of the week, Stay Puft. You have zero integrity.

- My television seems to have had an adverse reaction to Rick Santorum.

- And now, we commence with - oh? Sorry. Anthem time.

- Great, once again, they picked someone to sing the anthem that most of the people onstage would like to see hanged. Just once, I want the Glee cast to sing it. Please.

RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE.

- "I'll be the moderator. To clarify, I am a moderator, not a werewolf."

- Everyone's taking notes. They must've forgotten the rules from the other 900 times they did this.

- Wolf is excited to be here, yet a fucking gain.

- No joke, my tv blipped again when Santorum started speaking. Is it the network, or is my TV secretly gay and very angry?

- Ron Paul is right about many things, except when he's wrong, or insane.

- Rick can't think of anything to say, so he's making a verbal love note to his wife.

- Mitt Romney just said Mitt was his first name. Congratulations, you're a moron. Your first name is Willard.

- Herman Cain is here to discuss a critical issue: cheesy bread.

- "I'm Newt Gingrich. I am excited to finally be noticed. I plan to make you all regret that by evening's end."

- Michele Bachmann's brother is in the Navy? Marcus must be uncomfortable at family dinners.

- I'm Jon Huntsman. I love New Hampshire. So much.

Lead question: Do you heart the Patriot Act as much as I do?

Flavor-of-the-Week Stay Puft: Criminal law and potential terrorism are different, even though that is not what the Constitution says at all.

[Newt's voters. They don't know. Anything. About him. They're. Too stoned. Teabagging. Tomorrow they're all gonna see. He's just the flavor of the week.]

Gleep Glorp: Don't sacrifice liberty for security. I'm still nuts, though, don't worry.

Stay Puft's rebuttal: Tim McVeigh FTW? Oh, I see - guilty until proven innocent, nine years later, after you've been rotting in Guantanamo for long enough to turn you hostile.

Gleep Glorp: STFU, Newt.

Michele: Duty. Please note, every debate, she adds more eyelashes.

The Huntsman: Distance makes the heart grow fonder when it comes to America. This theory also applies to Michele Bachmann. His face is screaming "move me back next to Newt, at least his eyelashes aren't building webs."

Wolf: TSA patdowns.

AWW, HE CALLED ON ROMNEY. THE LOGICAL CHOICE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERM. HE'S AN EXPERT AT PAT-DOWNS.

FeeFee: Crime and war are different. Terror might also be? We need tools. I know one. His name is Mitt Romney.

Perry the Platyputz: Unions are the enemy of flying? We need to collect intelligence around the world. And please, when you find it, TELL RICK PERRY. He needs some.

Profiling

Santorum: No, seriously - he's discussing how this is similar to the Civil War. 

So, who do we profile?

Santorum: Muslims. Duh! Also, younger males. They might be gay.

Ron Paul: Bringin' Timothy McVeigh back into it. Nice. "Terrorism is a tactic. It isn't a person or people." And there he goes, back onto the crazy train, with his new game: Six Degrees of Assassination.

Hermburglar: "Targeted identification." Finally, a plan that doesn't involve the word "nine." Herm seems to believe that all terrorists want to kill all of us. I'm not sure that's the case.

"I'M SORRY, BLITZ. I MEANT WOLF." Best flub ever.

Fred Kagan. No relation to Elena: Drones in Pakistan to defeat Al Qaeda?

Huntsman: We need people who can lead. And term limits. Shiny things. Name dropping, in the sense that he can name who is in charge in Pakistan. Oh snap.

Crazy Eyes Bachmann: Pakistan is evil. And their nuclear sites are vulnerable. Chinese are also evil. Does this mean Huntsman gets to respond?

Platyputz: Full sentences!

Bachmann responds: You're naive, Perry. I swear to god, her face gets more and more like Barbie's friend Midge with each passing debate.

Platyputz: Let's get engaged.

Israel Ortega (JEWMEX?) asks some stuff about Afghanistan.

Mitten: We need to bring these cave-dwellers into the 20th century. Look at Mitt, being all sensitive to cultural ideals! Oh, wait...

Huntsman: GTFO of Afghanistan. Leave 10-15k troops.

Mitten: Do you think we should pull everyone out at once?

Huntsman: "Did you hear what I just said?" ZING.

Mitten: "I stand by the commanders." Once again, just what the base wants to hear.

Huntsman: Mitt's a schmuck.

Wolf: Literally, all he said was "pull out?"

Stay Puft: Shut up, Mitt. It's my turn.

Mitt: Blah blah mic hog.

Stay Puft is confused about the topic. And the time. Michele finds this amusing.

Santorum: "I agree with Ron Paul." Santorum raises his eyebrows. Three people clap.

Audience question. We think? No? Yes? Awkward? Okay, Heritage guy - If Israel attacked Tehran to prevent Iran from getting nukes, would you support it?

Wolf then translates for Herman. No, really.

Herm: We need to get credible sources, and see Israel's plan. And maybe join in the fun.

Ron Paul: Fuck no. And it's not going to happen.

Herm's response: I totes said that! Even though I didn't. Iran might help fill the power vacuum if we pull out of Afghanistan. I think he means Iraq. But right region, Herm.

Audience question: Seriously, what's with the sanctions on Iran?

Perry the Platyputz: Sanction the bank.

Newtsy Bootsie: Good question. We need a surplus of energy so we can tell the Europeans and Iranians to fuck off.

Bachmann: Obama tried to disarm us, in some way that relates to the pipeline. Ahmadinejad wants to wipe Israel out - never mind that the Ayatollah is the one in charge and Ahmadinejad is just a crazy little meatball.

Paul Wolfowitz - another Wolf! It's pack! Run! Anywho: Should we continue to fund the Millenium Challenge Corporation?

Santorum: I wrote that. Africa is a country. But yes, keep spending the money.

Hermburglar forgot the question again. Wolf reminds him.

Herm: Depends. Let's look at stuff and then decide. I'm not sure.

Ron Paul: The aid is worthless. It doesn't help most people. It's being used for the rich over there to buy weapons.

Mitten: We should get rid of Obamacare!

Ron Paul: You're all full of it.

Mitt: Indict Ahmadinejad for violating the Geneva - no I mean the Genocide - no Gen...Genocide? Convention. *headdesk*

Alison Acosta Fraser: Would you be willing to say that cuts to the defense budget are unacceptable?

Newt: Nope. We should be more like Apple. There's an app for defense!

Huntsman: We're pretty much fucked. And nobody trusts us. (Side note: I totally presented a study on this a few years ago. I rock. Back to Huntsman now.)

Question: Supercommittee. Go.

Perry: Supercommittee? Superfailure! Zing!

Santorum: The democrats are crazy. Never compromise! Never surrender! Never google me!

Alex: The supercommittee would have done jack. What entitlement reform proposals do you suggest?

Fig Newton: Ay, yay, yay, yah. We should all be more like Chile!

Bachmann: Um. I'm not recapping this. I refuse.

Philip, another Heritage foundation guy: Drug violence on the border.

Perry the Platyputz: Monroe Doctrine. Chavez. But yeah, we should borderize the border and stuff.

Ron Paul: Cancel the drug war. Free the whales! Okay, he only said the first part, I'll admit it.

Wolf: So you mean, legalize the drugs?

Ron Paul: At least let the sick people blaze up.

Herman: Let me answer the question. Yes. The Mexican border lets in terrorists. 

Nick S.: How do we make the US appealing to skilled immigrants?

Santorum: I'm an anchor baby.

Wolf: What do we do about the illegal immigrants who are already here?

Stay Puft: Math.

Bachmann: No Amnesty! No Dreams! Only sadness! Steve Jobs!

[Newt is smiling like he wants to reach over and stab her.]

Newt: Eat my migrant-picked lettuce, Michele.

Mitten: Staple green cards to diplomas.

Newt: It's cool if y'all want me to be the gremlin-toothed douche. I'm used to it.

Perry the Platyputz: I agree with Mitt. Mostly because I'd like to be the Veep.

Mitten: Please don't make me decide things!

Question: No-fly zone in Syria?

Herm: I would not support a no-fly zone. I'm also not entirely sure where Syria is.

Perry: Can we talk about Iran? I know that one better.

Twitter question: Is the Arab Spring be a good thing or a bad thing?

Huntsman: We missed the Persian spring. Unfortunately, Ron Paul and I are the only people on the stage with any idea what that means. And sanctions are pointless.

Katherine Zimmerman: I am reading a super scripted question and I have dry mouth. Regardless, what should we do about Al Shabaab?

Ron Paul: "We're talking about Al Qaeda, correct?" HERMAN CAIN MOMENT!

Mitten: USA! USA! USA! We should have a no-drive zone. LAWLZ.

Perry: This is about Iran. I swear it is.

Last audience question: Marc Thiessen. No relation to Tiffani. What national security issue should we stay awake at night thinking about that we haven't already thought of to scare the piss out of people?

Santorum: I'm going to take some trips.

Rick Perry: Ass sheep. Ash heap? We're not sure.

Hermburglar: Cyber attacks.

Stay Puft: 1. WMDs. 2. Electromagnetic pulse. 3. Cyber attacks. 4. Ghostbusters.

Michele: Al Shabaab. It's rampant in Minnesota.

Huntsman: China. Trust me, I know my shit. But, more importantly, we're our own fucking problem.

AND THE MARATHON BLOGFEST IS DONE! I WIN LIFE! 

Wait, what? John King is in for Anderson tonight? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Oh fuck, and Dana Loesch is on? Make it stop! Make it stopppppp. God, Dana Loesch will crawl up the frontrunner's ass no matter what. It could be a dung beetle, and she'd crawl on in. Fuck. That woman needs to be banned from TV. Dana Loesch : punditry :: Snooki : New Jersey

GOP Debate Live Reactions, 11/12

(Note: I'm coming into this late as I had better things to do than lose brain cells watching these clowns - namely, sweeping spiders and leaves off my porch.)

It has been suggested that I use bullet points to make things more visually clear. We'll give it a go.

Time stamp: 8:23pm. Man with Jay Leno's jaw sewn into his head talking to Perry the Platyputz, who is prattling on about...not really sure. Lots of words, not many actual points.

- Haha. Michele Bachmann on the Intelligence Committee is an oxymoron. No, not an oxymoron. Just a moron. And what's with her getup? Velour suits and crazy eyeliner were two weeks ago, for Halloween, Michele. Ah well, at least it's better than her Michael Jackson straightjacket.

- Oh, fuck you, Michele. Obama bats his eyes prettily at Israel, he just doesn't bend over for it like Bush did. It's still a ridiculous double standard we apply to them. And you asshats all just want Israel protected so the Jews can congregate there and set up the second coming and fireballs and shit. It's like an intervention - if we want peace, we have to stop enabling. No more AmeriCrack for Israel.

- Blah blah, Newt. I was eating a brownie, I didn't hear what you said and I still don't care.

- Santorum wants a friend. He'll take anyone who's willing. Pakistan? Sure! Mutant lizard from the Fukushima plant? Neato! He's not picky.

- Seriously, it's like this guy has Neil Patrick Harris' cute button features poorly Photoshopped onto Jay Leno's head.

- Michele's smile going into commercial break TERRIFIES me.

- WHY IS YOUR FACE SO CONFUSING, SIR? Oh, God, don't switch to Newt, that's worse.

- I'm just curious, are they going to have a debate on every single channel?

- Okay, so, Newt wants to be Mitt's runningmate. Clarified. Ugh, I'd have to call them MittNewton. No delicious fig filling there, just marshmallow fluff and Wonder bread.

- Herman, Herman, Herman. First, I'll try saying something nice: your suit looks well-tailored and I like your tie with it. Unfortunately, you are still a misogynistic gropasaurus rex.

- Um...Santorum, are you saying you only plan to hire people who have the exact same views as you do? Oh, yup, you are, thanks for clarifying. Coward. Even I have some close Republican friends, and I'm so liberal I reek of rainbows and flax granola.

- Heyyyyy...Perry gets a point for self-depricating humor. He must have good spin doctors. Not a great stylist, as I do believe that is a woman's suit jacket, and I believe I have it in my closet. I got it at Express.

- I'm pretty sure the guy on the stage with "hands on" experience is Herman Cain.

- Rick Perry, summarized: I will hire people who know stuff, since I don't.

- Email questioner who said torture is always wrong: GOOD ON YOU, SIR. Responses as follows:

Cain: I don't know, so I will let other people decide while I still get the cool desk. I like to enhance stuff. Probably with Viagra.

Bachmann: I know some acronyms. Not facts so much, but some acronyms. I can haz competence.

Why is moderator claiming to have spidey sense?

Ron Paul: Waterboarding is torture. I have integrity, and will thus never be president. Also, because I'm a space lizard.

Bachmann: LEMME TALK. I WANNA TALK. CAN I TALK PLEASE?

Huntsman: Please stop ignoring me. I have a pink tie, which is not at all a questionable choice for this venue. I, like Ron Paul, will never be president as I retain my soul. Also, because I mixed up which party I belong to.

Mitten: I will say whatever the audience wants. Can we get them to hold up signs to tell me what they'd like me to say?

Pillsbury Doughsleaze: I seem to have difficulty recalling international laws. I'll go ahead and insist I know what I'm talking about while insinuating that Neil Patrick Leno is incorrect. Even if facts disagree with me.

- Kenneth the Paige's older brother is a moderator? Neato. Topic: China. Responses:

Perry the Platyputz: Ash heap. Cyberwar. Communism.

Mitten: Trade. Farms. They want our market. Counterfeit.

Mittens' follow up: We will tattle on China to the WTO.

Moderator has quoted Perry, and successfully made "ash heap" sound like "ass sheep."

Huntsman: You people are idiots. I'm making hand gestures. Blogs.

- Commercial break. Newt is leaning on his podium like a lobbyist leaning on...well, on Newt.

- Twitter question to Perry about Israel and foreign aid:

Perry: Lolz. I can use interwebs speakz 2. @GovernorPerry says Isrl=special but all aid starts @0.

- Apparently the debate is no longer going to be televised on this channel. Flipping channels to see if anyone is picking it up...nope. No one gives a rat's ass. Apparently I could stream it online but streaming and blogging simultaneously just won't happen. Oh, well. I think one of the Harry Potter movies is on, that's leaps and bounds more intelligent than this shit.

GOP Debate Live Reactions, 11/9

Hooray! Survivor is on aga - oh. It's this again. Rats.

How will they deal with the growing unrest? By bickering like schoolchildren!

I do, in fact, see NBC, thanks.

My money, my vote? Does that mean I have to pay for a vote? MISLEADING.

I do not know these moderators and dislike my prior knowledge of them as it makes it harder to mock them.

"For a debate that will focus almost exclusively on..." NONSENSE!

HAH. She called you a speaker, Newtle. Except A/V equipment is much cooler than you are.

They let Huntsman come this time? How sweet.

Just in case you get off topic, there are electric eels waiting to fall from the rafters.

Worst. All-stars. Ever.

The economy dipped because of Italy. Because with Berlusconi's resignation, the underage hooker market will collapse.

Caboose? What now?

Actually, "60 Minutes" is not an hour, as there are about 16 minutes of commercials.

Mitt, I've already fallen asleep listening to you.

Michele Bachmann, can you spell "IMF"?

Oh please, stop blaming the Obama administration for borrowing practices. Find something that is actually their fault.

Oh god, WHO IS THIS LOUD GUY? SOMEONE MAKE HIM GO AWAY. THESE CAPS IMPLY A VOLUME AKIN TO HIS.

Nice tie, Ron Paul. Mildly non-ridiculous answer. Gold star! They do have those on your planet, right?

Stop shouting, dude. You're mic'd.

One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isn't the same. Can you tell me which one's not like the other by the time Huntsman finishes talking? Ding ding ding. It's Huntsman.

Oh thank god, someone with the ability to CONTROL THE VOLUME OF HIS VOICE.

I think the woman in the front row is asleep. And the man next to her is really creepy.

"Much of my parents make their life here." Really, Mitten? Really? Also, I can direct you to a map if you need to know where Washington is. My guess is that Rick Perry has an app on his phone, right next to the breathalyzer app.

Did this guy steal Huntsman's hair?

The things Mitt Romney says are...I'm sorry, did he just say Massachusetts was close by, or did I mishear that? Also, Perry may also have a counting app if you need it. He's probably playing with it right now to time your response so he can complain about it.

Governor Perry. Perry the Platypus. That is what I will call you if you win, buddy, although on second thought, that might be insulting to platypi. Maybe I'll go with Perry the Platyputz.

I think you should be fired, too, Newt. Out of a cannon.

Michele Bachmann: "I can create jobs as quickly as possible by hiring more people to apply my false eyelashes."

HEY, 1986 WAS A GOOD YEAR, LADY.

I will vote for building a border fence if all of you stay on the other side of it.

Why is Santorum shiny? It's making my eyes hurt.

Hint: when they start clapping, stop talking.

OH SNAP, SHE BROUGHT IT UP. Herm is piiiiisssed. Why do these people like him so much? I don't get it. He has no redeeming qualities. He hasn't even given me free pizza, which, I have to say, I would probably not throw at him in disgust as I really like pizza. Unless he gave me a pepperoni pizza. Then I'd make him a new hat. A pizza hat.

I don't appreciate when you're polite, Mitten. It makes me briefly forget your role in my middle school being so old it had a bomb shelter.

You really don't want to win this, do you, Huntsman? Please, just declare yourself a primary challenge to Obama. It'll make things easier for us all.

Either you're lying or have never met a Democrat, FeeFee. Unless you count Jon Huntsman, and I do.

Hey, Shouty McShouterson - obviously they are all going to say that they can both create jobs and make profits. Stop shouting a dumb question.

The parks are paid for by tax dollars, Newt.

*gasp* That sounds like social welfare to me, Santy!

Hey, funny story. You know who signed the first income tax into law? It rhymes with "Schmabraham Schmincoln."

It is simple, Herm. That's why they used it in SimCity.

Mitten doesn't have a flat tax, he has a flat affect.

The gist of what Michele Bachmann just laid out is "we plan to implement complicated tax codes that are completely symbolic and raise no revenue."

WAIT, WHAT? I CAN MEET SPONGEBOB AND THE RUGRATS AT BOB'S FURNITURE?! OH MY GOD, THIS IS SUCH A THRILL.

Governor Romney, answer in thirty seconds. While hopping on one foot and humming Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and holding a groundhog. Then you would capture my attention.

"Translate that plan to America." Preferably in sober English.

*raises hand* If we do away with all the regulations since 2008, that will include one year of Bush-implemented regs. Just a reminder.

"I have never done any lobbying. Just kidding!"

Herman, what would you do with Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac? Grope them, of course.

You are correct, Huntsman. I am upside down. IN BED.

Fine, it's not true, I'm making pasta. But in theory, you know.

Ricky! Back behind your podium! It's not snack break yet!

Repealing Obamacare:

Huntsman: Party with the govs! Refreshments are on Herman! Wait, did he say Hermanizing medical records?

Ron "Gleep Glorp" Paul: Implement an unreasonable and unsustainable plan that is so obscenely vulnerable to corruption I can already feel myself being malpracticed on.

Perry the Platyputz: I can say words, too, guys!

The Hermburglar: Misogynistic comments.

Mitten: Do the thing completely the opposite of what I did when I was governor. We have memory zappers, right? That wasn't just in Men in Black, was it?

Stay Puft:

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM AS THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SORT OF CRIME OR DISPUTE OCCURRING OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT. MUST INVESTIGATE, THEN TURN OFF ALL LIGHTS AND PRETEND I'M NOT HERE.

I'll just assume - oh, no, wait, Stay Puft is still yapping away.

Crazy Eyes Bachmann: Play Monopoly

Rick "Please don't Google me" Santorum: I can write.

I will bet all the cookies Ron Paul keeps in that Keebler tree of his that what Santorum just said was not an actual occurrence.

TIME. TIME. SHUT UP, FEE FEE.

I can't believe there's another hour of this shit.

On compromising with Dems:

Santy: Make them be Republicans. Which will totally work.

Mittenpoof: Crap that is completely unlikely to happen.

Perry the Platyputz: Move caterpillars around. Forget stuff. Do nothing to improve your image as a terrible and probably drunk debater. Oops, indeed.

Hermburglar: Nein nein nein. Put things in bold.

Newtle is not prepared to raise taxes on Americans. Or do stuff. Also, it's "have hidden," not "have hid."

Yeah, let's model shit on Chile. Good plan. Who's got the Phoenix capsule?

There are a lot of moral issues, here. You're not on the high ground on many of them, Mitten.

"Say that again?" And I spit pasta all over the place. Thanks, Michele.

I just noticed the ticker with the snarky tweets, and I am in hysterics. I'd also watch a reality show in which Newt debated journalists, and to the person who mentioned that "Princess Nancy" is trending in case anyone still wanted to vote for Hermain Cain, kudos. THIS TICKER IS AMAZING. PLEASE MAKE IT A THING.

AW, YOU FINALLY THOUGHT OF IT, PLATYPUTZ!

I actually hope Perry wins the primary just so that we have the pleasure of watching him try to debate Obama.

It was more of a mistake for Schwarzenegger to have a secret child with the maid, if we're talking mistakes.

That was the creepiest chuckle ever, Huntsman. But you make a good point about China. I wish you had any chance whatsoever to win the primary, I think I'd like to watch you and Obama face off. And not in a SNL sketch sort of way that it would be if Perry tried.

Ticker says: "Who would win a memory contest between Rick Perry and Herman Cain right now?"

COUNTERFEIT COMPUTER CHIPS?! O NOEZ. Let's all boycott spring rolls!

Um, I don't think we can complain about enriching China with our money since our money is actually theirs.

Herman - you are not allowed to say "nine" this time. Go. PREEMPTIVE BET HE WILL MENTION IT ANYWAY. Okay - it counts if you allude to it. I win a pizza.

Who let Shouty McShouterson back onstage and why is he off his leash?

Nice job personally attacking three big players in the Democratic party, Herm. Stay classy.

He's not my crony! I swear! I didn't even invite him to my birthday party, when I turned 741 space years old.

Oh thank god. It's over. I'm going to go bang my head against a wall for awhile.