OBAMA Draws LARGEST CROWD in US HISTORY in St. Louis, my hometown

Today, in St. Louis, Mo., a record breaking crowd of 100,000 gathered to hear Barack Obama speak. That's econd only to the 200,000 people who turned out for him in Berlin, Germany, and more than the 80,000 at his Democratic National Convention speech—this, inin a state that John Kerry had pulled out of at this point four years ago.

Looks like Missouri's moving from purple to blue--my peeps--let's show folks how it's done.

There has been a new birdsong on the air, a free memory stored in the water, or the scent of good will. Whatever it is, it's spreading, and today it brought 100,000 St. Louisans, grumpy, worn out, zoysia grass growers to take a beautiful Saturday morning to stand under the Arch. Obama.

Why people came?
video from the post-dispatch blogger.



Heard of Rednecks for Obama? They were there.



I lived in Rolla. For a bit in the late 70s. In a turquoise, white and rusted trailer, with space age pretensions. Orange shag carpet? A baby, a husband/student/musician, and the weight of the world on my shoulders. There's always hope.

Meet a Black Person

Meet a Black Person from ImprovEverywhere on Vimeo.

Republicans for Obama

Gotta love 'em.

Bush seems "relieved" he's going out--if it's true, then me too

Do notice that it's my dear John Danforth making this observation about Bush. He's a very bright man and he's the only Republican I remember ever voting for. He's a lovely man and we need more like him, but do I trust him enough to believe him?

You have to admit that Bush has been acting like he's ready to pull a senior prank. A ridiculou little soft-shoe dance at a presser? And lord, did you see him at the Olympics? He behaved as though he was all magnanimous host, all bonhomie and hail-fellow-well-met. I about puked.

So let us hope. And hope. And hope.

From Think Progress:

Bush ‘relieved’ his presidency is almost over.

Despite an economic crisis shaking the country, President Bush has reportedly been very “relaxed.” Former Missouri senator John C. Danforth was at a fundraiser with Bush last week and said that the President “seemed relieved” his presidency was nearly over. “[He] looked as though he was about to shed this burden of the presidency. … I took it as though, ‘I’ve done the best I can, I think I made the right decisions and now it’s almost over,’” said Danforth. The New York Times also reports that “Bush has been telling people privately that it’s a good thing he’s in charge” during the country’s rough times because he has “a good group of people in D.C. working for him.”

UpdateAP reports that under Bush, "U.S. clout in what it once considered its backyard has sunk to perhaps the lowest point in decades. As Washington turned its attention to the Middle East, Latin America swung to the left and other powers moved in."

Sweet Joe Biden

I've loved Joe Biden for years. Listen to him talk about his old friend, John McCain, in the most gentle, loving fashion. He's tough on him, but it's sweet, too.

Chris Matthews:

The Be Good Tanyas--They make my thoughts dance on their toes.

They rock, in a nice wonderful way, like the song that went with the movie Juno. Loved it, too.

Michelle Obama is the real deal

Have you seen Michelle Obama's recent interviews? She's so solid and good.

I think that's what people recognize in the Obamas: their basic solid goodness. There's the ersatz, religiony, test-marketed "goodness," then there's the kind you can see if you've got eyes.

I was reading an article in Newsweek, a long bio of Michelle Obama. Several things stuck out, like:

Though she has no official policy role in the campaign, she has been deployed to speak directly to the fears of black audiences in a way that Barack often does not. Earlier this year, Obama staffers worried that some African-American voters might still be reluctant to believe that a black man could really be elected president. Michelle went down to South Carolina to try to put them at ease. As she reviewed her speech on the plane ride to one event, a story came to mind. She thought of African-Americans she had known who had saved for new furniture, only to wrap it in plastic to protect it. But in the end, doing so was self-defeating. "That plastic gets yellow and scratches up your leg," she told the audience. "I think folks just want to protect us from the possibility of being let down … by the world as it is. A world, they fear, is not ready for a decent man like Barack. Sometimes it seems better not to try at all than to try and fail." She urged them to take the risk.

We're all a bit worried on that point, and it's good to hear Michelle Obama tell us why fear isn't an option. Take the risk, but don't take any risks.

I'm a benevolent director--way low on the authority thing

Benevolent Director

Usually these things are tripe, but this actually had some insightful questions. It's not Meyers-Briggs, but is pretty fun nonetheless. Click on the link above to take it for yourself. Let me know what you think.

Here's an explanation of the results (pardon the formatting, it's the best I can do):

You are Benevolent

You are a great person to interact with—understanding, giving, and trusting—in a word, BENEVOLENT

You don't mind being in social situations, as you feel comfortable enough with people to be yourself.

Your caring nature goes beyond a basic concern: you take the time to understand the nuances of people's situations before passing any sort of judgment.

You're a good listener, and even better at offering advice.

You're concerned with others at both an individual and societal level—you sympathize with the plights of troubled groups, and you can care about people you've never met.

Considering many different perspectives is something at which you excel, and you appreciate that quality in others.

Other people's feelings are important to you, and you're good at mediating disputes.

Because of your understanding and patience, you tend to bring out the best in people.

If you want to be different:

You spend a lot of time taking care of others, but don't forget to take care of yourself!

Sometimes you can get overcommitted, and when you sacrifice spending time with those close to you, it can make them feel unimportant.

Confidence	Low High	52
Openness	Low High	90
Extroversion	Low High	90
Empathy	Low High	68
Trust in others	Low High	90
Agency	Low High	54
Masculinity	Low High	34
Femininity	Low High	88
Spontaneity	Low High	70
Attention to style	Low High	36
Authoritarianism	Low High	2
Earthy/Imaginative	Imaginative Earthy	76
Aesthetic/Functional	Functional Aesthetic	86

Hopes and fears

This was taken looking down on one of Hermann, Missouri's main drags. My parents have lived here since I was college age and it's authentically quaint. A huge storm was rolling in, which I made more dramatic, as is my way. I had a thought about that little car making a turn. What if it were bathed in a glow from above, as if by magic? Even though I've given up believing in magic, it's still an awesome artistic metaphor.

If you right click my photos, please don't use them to make money.


I am le tired. Between the atavistic mob mentality being stirred by McPalin, the ever more dire economic news, worries about what the unelected president may yet have up his sleeve and life in general, I am more than un peau le tired.

All along I've worried that whoever is elected top dog inherits a clusterfuck of such enormous proportions that dragging us out of it will be impossible. And now, with so much money hemorrhaging against our line of credit, that concern is heightened.

We are not a patient people. I just hope Obama's golden touch can transform the roll back the monomaniacal treachery visited by a man who never won a national election.

The end of ze world

This is a timeless treasure, more relevant than ever. Excuse the French, but I'm assuming if you happened here, that you speak French like a sailor.

Favorite line? "But I am le tired."