Dr. King vs Glenn Beck: An Info-Graphic

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Forecast Says GOP House Takeover More Likely

The Cook Political Report raised its House forecast "from a Republican net gain of between 32 and 42 seats to a gain of between 35 and 45 seats, with the odds of an outcome larger than that range greater than the odds of a lesser outcome." House Republicans would need a net turnover of 39 seats to take control of the chamber.

"At this point, only 214 House seats are Solid, Likely or Lean Democratic, while 181 seats are Solid, Likely or Lean Republican, and 40 seats are in the Toss Up column. While this would imply an advantage for Democrats, given the continuous erosion we have seen in dozens of contests so far this cycle, races shifting from Solid and Likely Democrat to Lean Democratic and Toss Up, we would be surprised if there was not more movement over the 78 days from now until Election Day."

Ugh. We need to turn out the vote, people. Just remember where the last "Republican Revolution" got us. Besides that, if poor Rep. Boehner becomes speaker, he won't be able to devote so much time to his beloved golf game.

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WPI's 111th Congress, First Session At-A-Glance: Legislative Action Affecting Women and Families

Women’s Policy, Inc. has produced an excellent summary of legislative action affecting women and their families in the first session of the 111th Congress (2009).

Read this wonderful recap for the latest substantive legislation action on the following issues:

Adoption
Appropriations
Breast Cancer
Federal budget
Child Support
Children’s Health Insurance
Domestic violence
Early childhood education
Employment
Equal Pay
Family and Medical Leave
Hate crimes
Health Care Reform
HIV/AIDS
Housing
Indian Health
Infant Mortality
International Women’s Day
Juvenile Justice
Microloans made to women-owned small businesses
Military families
Missing children
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Women’s History Month
Nutrition programs
Ovarian cancer
Paid sick days
Postpartum Depression
Science, Techonolgy, Engineering and mathematics education
Sexual Assault
Small Business
Stalking
Teen Dating Violence
Violence against women
Women and business


Copyright 2009 (text only). The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

Fox News' Beck Boils Live Frog on National Television

Okay, this is one for the books. Fox News' Glenn Beck has truly jumped the shark -- that's if anyone had any doubts. In an effort to underscore how ginned up the right-wingnut base has become over Obama's policies, Beck decided to literally demonstrate the old biology class example of adaptation -- with tragic consequences for a rather cute little frog. This is worse than former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's turkey pardon massacre last Thanksgiving. Where's PETA when we need them?



Copyright 2009 (text only). The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

Hall and Oates -- With a Little Help from Jon Stewart -- Pay Tribute to Alan Colmes

You know, Fixed News -- um, I mean -- Fox News at least played at fairness with the presence of Alan Colmes on the network. Yes, that would be the same Colmes of Hannity and Colmes fame -- or should I say infamy. It's okay -- you can be easily forgiven if you don't know who the hell Colmes is -- that was, of course, the point. Hannity is the blowhard, right-wing reactionary to Colmes' mealy-mouthed, liberal wuss. What a show!

Mr. Colmes has recently announced his exit from the show -- to fall back into obscurity, no doubt. He took a lot of abuse on the show -- but he got well paid to be the token liberal. With Colmes' departure, Fox News isn't even playing at being unbiased -- Hannity is getting his own (ugly) show. In honor of the "dynamic duo's" split, The Daily Show's Jon Stewart had Hall and Oates sing an ode to the departing "newsman." Enjoy.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Hall & Oates Pay Tribute to Alan Colmes

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Copyright 2008 (text only). The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

Gov. Rendell: Beware the Open Mic When Putting Your Foot in Your Mouth

It is truth universally acknowledged that an open microphone in a direct feed to a 24-hour news outlet must be in want of a clueless politician. In this case, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D), also chair of the National Governors' Association, was the clueless pol.

While chatting near the podium Tuesday at the NGA's meeting in Philadelphia, Rendell made free with his opinions about Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) -- President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for Homeland Security Secretary. Said Rendell, most conveniently into the open mic:

"Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it."

Now, I am particularly suspicious that Rendell was pontificating about this specific position -- a post for which he himself had been rumored a candidate. Is he trying to excuse why HE didn't get the job?? Because he has family and so thus is not a good candidate? Um, not so much.

Rendell apologized for his foot-in-mouth disease today, saying: "What I meant is that Janet is a person who works 24/7, just like me." Pardon my French, but that's horseshit. Rendell did not misspeak initially; he said exactly what he meant, and he meant what he said -- that women without kids are the only kind of women able to take on the big time jobs. Or, by definition, that women with kids can't do such critical work because of family obligations. Of course, such obligations or lack thereof don't seem to recommend or disqualify men -- but for women, the mommy track is alive and well. It just goes to show that as far as women in the workplace go -- well, we've not come as far as we thought, baby.

CNN's Campbell Brown used her platform on her show No Bias, No Bull to present a marvelous commentary, politely but clearly given Rendell all kinds of hell. Way to go, girlfriend, and what an excellent example of why having women in high places does make a difference -- if only to call the boys on their crap. Watch the video, below.



BTW, if you know the famous book from which this blog's leading sentence is derived/paraphrased, you get brownie points!

Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.

The Pundits Make Their Election Day Calls: How Does Your Crystal Ball Compare?

Less than 48 hours from the election of our lives, here is what some of the best known minds in the business are predicting. What does your crystal ball say? Better yet, what does your gut say? And, if you're that confident, enter the Washington Post's Pick Your President Contest. Remember, a presidential candidate needs 270 votes to carry the Electoral College.

Fred Barnes, executive editor
The Weekly Standard
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 50%/252 vs. McCain 50%/286
Senate: 55 Democrats vs. 43 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 255 Democrats vs. 180 Republicans

Paul Begala, Democratic strategist and former presidential adviser
CNN political analyst
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 325 vs. McCain 186
Senate: 58 Democrats

Donna Brazile, Democratic strategist
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 343 vs. McCain 195
Senate: 59 Democrats vs. 39 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 264 Democrats vs. 171 Republicans

James Carville, former presidential adviser
Democratic media consultant
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 365 vs. McCain 173
Senate: 60 Democrats
(Sources: washingtonpost.com, CNN)

Chris Cillizza
Washington Post politics reporter
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52%/312 vs. McCain 48%/226
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 266 Democrats vs. 169 Republicans

Eleanor Clift, McLaughlin Group contributor
Newsweek contributing editor
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52.1%/349 vs. McCain 46.5%/189
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 265 Democrats vs. 170 Republicans

David Gergen, former presidential adviser
CNN political analyst
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 338 vs. McCain 200
Senate: 59 Democrats

Mark Halperin, TIME Magazine
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 349 vs. McCain 189
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 263 Democrats vs. 172 Republicans

Arianna Huffington, editor-in-chief
Huffington Post
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 51.1%/318 vs. McCain 45.6%/220
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 254 Democrats vs. 181 Republicans

Morton Kondracke, executive editor
Roll Call
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 54%/379 vs. McCain 45%/159
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 269 Democrats vs. 166 Republicans

Bill Maher, host and comedian
HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher"
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52.5%/375 vs. McCain 46%/163
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 259 Democrats vs. 176 Republicans

Chris Matthews, Host
MSNBC's "Hardball With Chris Matthews"
Presidential (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52%/338 vs. McCain 46%/200
Senate: 56 Democrats vs. 42 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 264 Democrats vs. 171 Republicans

Markos Moulitsas, DailyKos founder
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 54%/390 vs. McCain 45%/148
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 268 Democrats vs. 167 Republicans

Ed Rollins, GOP strategist
Campaign chair for Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR)
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 52%/353 vs. McCain 45%/185
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 249 Democrats vs. 186 Republicans

George Stephanopoulos, host and former presidential aide
ABC News "This Week"
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 353 vs. McCain 185
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 263 Democrats vs. 172 Republicans

George Will, Conservative columnist
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 378 vs. McCain 160
Senate: 57 Democrats vs. 41 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 256 Democrats vs. 179 Republicans

Juan Williams, NPR news analyst
Presidential Race (Popular/Electoral): Obama 51%/326 vs. McCain 47%/212
Senate: 58 Democrats vs. 40 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 258 Democrats vs. 177 Republicans

The Zaftig Redhead
Blogger Extraordinaire
Presidential Race (Electoral): Obama 321 vs. McCain 217
Senate: 56 Democrats vs. 42 Republicans vs. 2 Others
House: 259 Democrats vs. 176 Republicans

While the overwhelming majority of the pundits are seeing good things for Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and his Democrats, don't count your chickens based on these foxes -- they've been known to be wrong, a lot. But if you really want more, you can find more pundit predictions here.

Copyright 2008. The Zaftig Redhead. All Rights Reserved.