Late Night Slants (and Patriots, too)
Posted by Rick on October 12, 2008
Here’s what we’ve got for a Sunday night:
- The Big News
The National Debt Clock is now out of numbers and has to be replaced. Thanks George. Thanks John. Thanks Congress.
- Shall we play a game?
No, this time we don’t mean that question in the context of Matthew Broderick and a thermonuclear war simulation. This one would actually be for all the marbles. This is an ad apparently created by Andrew Sullivan (The Atlantic), and is a frightening reminder of the extreme risk that Sarah Palin represents.
- McCain threatens to whip a black man
Yeah, I know that’s not the context of the remark, but you think by now this stupid son of a “you know what” would begin to choose his words more carefully. Speaking to supporters at his Arlington, VA campaign headquarters, McCain promised to “whip” Barack Obama’s “you know what” at the next debate. An old white guy… promising to “whip” a black man. In its worst context, this would make MCCain racist and ignorant. In its best context, it’s impossible. McCain isn’t equipped to debate Obama, and we’ve already seen proof of this twice. Oh, and professional debate coaches aren’t so convinced he can do any better in Round Three either.
John, in honor of your stupidity, another Moron of the Moment Award.
- McCain to go back to Letterman
The story doesn’t say when, but John McCain will be visiting David Letterman, the first time after lying to Dave when canceling his appearance at the last minute. I hope Dave sticks to his guns and holds McCain accountable.
- Democrats call for infrastructure investment
Believing that a massive infrastructure investment would creat jobs and pump money into the economy, Congressional Democrats are seeking roughly $152 billion in addition to the $700 billion approved for the bailout package. How about we spend the $152 billion, and keep the $700 billion?
Former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, who served under President Bill Clinton, told CNN that an infrastructure plan that could quickly pump money into the economy was the most important action that U.S. authorities could take to help deal with the current economic crisis.
“I would put in place an infrastructure piece… bridges, water systems roads, highways, but not new projects that are going to take a long time to set up,” Rubin said. “There are a lot of existing projects where states and cities are having a hard time finding a lot of financing where you could funnel that money right into existing activities where you would be able to act very very quickly.”
- Maher on the hatred of the McCain/Palin campaign
- McCain playing chicken with Pennsylvania
The McCain campaign saw the handwriting on the wall and knew enough to get out of Michigan. So what the hell are they still doing in Pennsylvania. Barack Obama is showing a double digit lead in Pennsylvania, but the McCain campaign seems to be beating the bushes there to find every racist vote that they can…. you know, like the idiot and his Obama-monkey doll in Johnstown. Keep spending the time and money there, McCain. I am confident that it won’t matter.
McCain makes risky play for Pennsylvania
By KENNETH P. VOGEL & AMIE PARNESPHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania hasn’t voted Republican for president since 1988. Democrats have increased their registration numbers here by more than a half-million over the past year, and Barack Obama has a double-digit lead in the polls.
Yet John McCain’s campaign continues to signal that it intends to contest the state and its 21 electoral votes to the end. It is a high-risk, high-return endeavor: Pennsylvania represents a costly gambit, one that siphons resources from must-win states such as Ohio and Florida, but a win here would enable McCain to lose a few other states that George W. Bush carried and still capture the White House.
So with 23 days until Election Day, the state finds itself at the epicenter of the presidential campaign, with both sides spending precious time and money trying to energize their respective bases and drive up their opponents’ negatives.
- Chargers trash Patriots, 30-10
Well, at least I called it in my “Pick ‘em” league. This one was ugly from the start, pretty much what I expected. The Patriots’ defense is simply too susceptible to the big play, and the Chargers made plenty of them. Conversely, the Patriots were able to move the ball, but never able to beak the big play or sustain a drive long enough to punch it into the end zone.
The game was decided in the third quarter when the Patriots were able to drive to a first and goal at the one yard line, and promptly imploded, failing on a fourth down conversion as Matt Cassel looked like a deer in the headlights on the final play. San Diego then immediately threw a 59-yard bomb into New England territory and scored a touchdown three plays later. Cassel then threw an interception in New England territory, and the rout was on.
The Patriots are not a bad team right now, just a horribly inconsistent one. Last week they offered a good effort in beating an improving 49ers team, but tonight they were simply outplayed and outcoached. Again, for the second time in three games.
The only plus of this game was having Philip Rivers starting as my fantasy quarterback.
Bolts beat Pats 30-10 behind Rivers’ 3 TD passes
By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports WriterSAN DIEGO (AP)—Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers solved their Patriots problem and perhaps saved their season.
Rivers threw three touchdown passes and San Diego’s defense stuffed quarterback Matt Cassel on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line to highlight a 30-10 win over the Patriots on Sunday night.
It was a measure of payback against a team that had beaten the Chargers three straight times, including in the playoffs the last two seasons.
Rivers drew raves for his toughness by playing the AFC championship game with a shredded ligament in his right knee, but he couldn’t get the Chargers into the end zone that day and they lost 21-12 to the Patriots at Foxborough.
He had no trouble Sunday night, when he threw touchdown passes of 49 yards to Malcom Floyd, 4 yards to Vincent Jackson and 1 yard to Antonio Gates. It was the fourth time this season that Rivers threw three TD passes. Rivers completed 18 of 27 passes for 306 yards.
- FCC rules for NFL against Comcast
FCC rules that Comcast discriminated against NFL NetworkWASHINGTON (TICKER) —The NFL got the upper hand in its long-standing feud with Comcast late Friday, as the Federal Communications Commission ruled that the league’s network should be carried on the cable giant’s popular expanded digital tier of service.
The FCC stated that Comcast discriminated against the NFL Network by only choosing to place the channel on its special sports package that customers had to pay extra for each month.
Comcast argued that it did not place the NFL Network on its expanded digital service because its did not want to charge millions of subscribers upwards of $1 a month for a station they may not want.
However, Comcast does include such fringe sports channels as Versus and the Golf Channel on its expanded digital service - networks that the cable giant owns.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Comcast has 24.6 million customers.
The FCC’s ruling will now go for a 60-day review in front of an administrative law judge, who may force Comcast to carry the NFL Network at a set price.
Full story here…
