Ray Boltz is gay and that's okay

The full post can be found here

The odd circumstances of Trig Palin's birth. Just because the story has gone away does not mean there is not a story

As many have said before, the reason Sarah Palin is so important, and the reason that there is such a focus on her, is because she shows how reckless John McCain’s judgment is and her lies, as we are discovering each day, prove that she was not vetted AT ALL.

Andrew Sullivan has done a wonderful job at disseminating all the facts on Sarah Palin.

But there are more questions that need to be answered. Let’s start with these:

** Bristol Palin, the 17 year old unmarried pregnant daughter of Sarah and Todd, was out of school for a significant amount of time last year (anywhere from 5-8 months) with “mono”. The maximum a child is normally out of school for such a thing as mono is less than three months. Did she have a rare strain? Was she, as one would assume, quarantined so as to not infect others? If so, could someone find out the dates she was out of school? Surely, with such an infectious disease, she would not be having sex while infected? She has been pregnant for, what, five months according to Sarah Palin?

** When Sarah Palin realized she was going into labor, why did she go ahead and make a speech at a governors’ conference in Texas? She says she was leaking amniotic fluid? Who is her doctor and why did they tell her it was ok to make an eight hour trip back to Alaska, on a PLANE? Did Sarah tell any of the flight attendants she was in labor? Did the pilot know? The governor of Alaska was five weeks premature with a special needs child and yet all the powers that be told her it was A-OK for her to travel? On a plane? Leaking amniotic fluid? Why wouldn’t they, for the sake of the baby, do what is in the best interest of the child and deliver in Texas so as not to risk more harm to little Trig? Todd Palin said they wanted the baby to be born in Alaska because “You can’t have a fish picker in Texas?” First of all, what does that even mean? And secondly, they were willing to risk further harm to the baby just so he could have Alaska as his place of birth?

** When she arrived back in Alaska, why weren’t there medical personnel waiting there to whisk away the governor? Why did she drive an additional 45 minutes to get to the hospital when there were others closer?

** Where are Trig Palin’s birth records? This is a legitimate question. After all, Trig had his own webpage on the governor’s state-run website. Where are Sarah Palin’s medical records? Mat-Su, the hospital where Palin gave birth, does not even list the birth of Trig the day the Palins claim. They don’t list the birth at all. Why is this?

** Sarah Palin returned back to work just three days after giving birth to her 5th child. Did her doctor, the one that is apparently MIA, allow this too? Or did Sarah go against her doctor’s wishes? I admit, I am no Sarah Palin. I’m a sissy-boy faggot that can barely move after a week with a slight cold. Sarah Palin, on the other hand, can shoot 437,000 caribou before dusk. But it seems to me that just 72 hours after giving birth to a child with special needs and she returned to work? Am I the only one that finds this not only remarkable, but also hard to believe?

I am sure there are very obvious answers to all these easy questions. Could people just give them to me? In the comments please list the answers if you have them. List the source as well.
Psst. Snopes does not count as a “source”

Also, if there are more questions that I have not listed, list them in the comments.

Oh, and I am fully prepared for the comments calling me crazy, unhinged, reckless. Say what you will. I don’t give a shit. I just want the answers. We deserve the answers. And one way or another, the answers will come out.

On Slaps and Seething Rage

This morning while I was writing a piece entitled “Facts are Not Privy to Opinion” my mother called. This is not unusual, as my mother and I talk at least five or six times a week. What was unusual was how the conversation ended. Actually it did not end. It digressed into a screaming match that culminated in me slamming the phone down (as much as you can slam down a cell phone with a Bluetooth ® ear piece).

Before I go on I should fully disclose something. The entire maternal side of my family are fundamentalists Christians. Most belong to the Southern Baptist Convention, a denomination of Christianity founded on the principle that slavery was not only tolerated, but also ordained, by God. This legacy of slavery has left an indelible stain on the convention that permeates its theology even today. And, sadly, many in my family still cling to the notion that African-Americans are inferior. The word “n*gger” is a word that still is used by many in my family (including my father who, incidentally, is gay but that is another post[s] for another time).

Many say that marijuana is a “gateway drug”. Well religious based racism is a gateway bigotry. Because while I do not doubt that my mom loves me, she does believe that the seven verses in the Bible that – and this is highly debatable – deal with homosexuality (out of the over 35,000 verses in the Bible which is .02%. Read that again. Point. Zero.Two percent) are clear in their condemnation of gays. As such, homosexuality is therefore not in accord with the will of God.

Growing up in such a toxic environment is dangerous for any child. But growing up while realizing I was gay along the way made it close to deadly. At the age of 21, after years of not being able to reconcile my upbringing with my sexuality, I attempted to take my own life.

I was living in a tony apartment in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington DC. I seemingly had my entire life, and the world, ahead of me. But one morning, facing such despair of which I could not overcome, I went to the medicine cabinet and began taking entire bottles of my roommate’s prescription medications. I chased the pills with 150 year old scotch.

When I came to, at the George Washington University Medical Center, I was surrounded by at least forty of my friends, my father and his partner and…no one else. I asked my dad if my mother knew. He said she did. For two days I sat in that hospital. As friends came and went, there was not one phone call from my mother’s side of the family. No flowers. No cards. Only deafening, undeniable silence.

This was not only odd, it was downright antithetical of my maternal family’s behavior towards the sick. They visit hospitals when someone has a hangnail removed. Granted, I was in Washington DC and they were in Texas. I did not expect them to visit. But I did expect to hear their voice.

Instead, I learned later, my mother (in Texas) sent over two men from a Washington “ex-gay” group. When my father discovered this he made sure they were not allowed in my hospital room. But the damage was done. It was clear that my mother’s answer to my shame of being gay was to send over two men who believed that one could “pray away the gay”. It is something that, to this day, is still the source of tremendous pain and heartache.

The suicide attempt was just three months after my mother found out I was gay. I write “found out” because I did not tell her. Instead, shortly after I moved to DC, my mother broke into my voicemail (keep in mind she lives in Texas) and listened to my messages. One of them was from a guy I was dating at the time. The language he used on the voicemail left no room for anyone that heard it to deny who this guy was in relation to me. Within a week my mother told me she knew. I told her I knew she knew.

My mother repeatedly claims that she does not lie. Never. She says it, you can believe it. That’s that. It has almost become a mantra of hers. In fact, she says it with such frequency and such ferocity that it is borderline clinical in its redundancy.

But on the phone with her the night I confirmed I was gay, I pleaded with her not to tell anyone. She promised me she would not.

She did.

I found out a year later that she had almost immediately told not only my aunt but my grandparents as well. My aunt was (and still is) the director of a pregnancy center that tries to talk women out of abortions and my grandparents (my grandfather, really) were, at one time, big time leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention.

She lied.

This was on the heels of her swearing that she would never file for divorce from my father (although, admittedly, she had every reason to). “Jon-Marc, I will never be the one that files. I promise you that”. Not two months later, she filed.

These were the two most agonizing things in my life – my shame of my sexuality and my parents’ divorce. And in the midst of those two things, my mother lied. She lied big. If I were to quantify the lies I have been told in my life those two would be at the top, hands down.

I write the backstory to put into context the conversation I had with my mother this morning.

She called and we basically talked about nothing. The weather. My grandmother. What my mother had for breakfast. My plans for the day. My weekend.

Then we started talking about Hurricane Ike. This is what went down as I remember it (although I do realize that there are two sides and, as Dr. Phil says, no matter how flat you make a pancake, it still has two sides):
Mother: You know, if it were not for Christians, the victims of the hurricane would not be getting any help, except from the government. The Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Southern Baptist Men…

Me: Wait, do you really believe that there is no other charitable organization other than “Christian” organizations that are going to help the victims?

Mother: Um, well, yes. Pretty much. I believe that. Why does that make you mad?

I should note something. “Christian” has a very strict definition for fundamentalists such as my mother. Although they will all claim that anyone that believes in Jesus Christ, that he was killed and rose again three days later, is a Christian, their actions speak louder. That is why you will see Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America etc. put quotes around the word Christian when referring to a ministry like Soulforce, a gay Christian ministry.

I should also note that my mom is the assistant director at the pregnancy center where my aunt is the director. The center, incidentally, is a direct beneficiary of Focus on the Family. They receive sonogram machines, money and who knows what else from Daddy Dobson. Dobson has also contributed much to the misery of gay people.

Now back to the conversation. This is where it gets a bit fuzzy.
Basically it got to the point where she said something along the lines of “You slap me in the face with things you say you believe”.

Me: I don’t tell you anything I believe!

Mother: You do on your blog. And you know I read it! You slap me in the face with what you write on your blog! You are trying to hurt me with what you write! I'm hanging up now
(Not sure if she hung up or not)

Me: Slap you in the face? Are you kidding me? You want to talk about being slapped in the face? Try the time you sent two ‘ex-gays’ to my hospital room, try the time you blabbed about me being gay to gran and granddaddy and B (my aunt). Don’t give me this sanctimonious bull-shit about being slapped in the face!

At which point I “slammed down the phone” by pressing the button on my Bluetooth ® headset.

People ask me why the Sarah Palin thing bothers me so much. It bothers me because I know Sarah. She is my mother, she is my two aunts, she every girl and boy I grew up with who ever wore their faith on their sleeve. She is my youth-minister in junior high who told me to stop singing the words to “Jesus Christ, Superstar” because it was blasphemous. She is my best friend in college who told me, in all seriousness, that he thought Bill Clinton was the anti-Christ.

Truth to these people is something they scream from every pulpit and discuss ad nauseum. Hell, they even capitalize the word. We know the Truth…Some people do not know the Truth…Jesus is the one source of Truth.

But when it comes down to the actual truth for fundamentalists, the “Truth” is as malleable as silly-putty, meant to be discarded when it is inconvenient, used as a weapon when it is advantageous, and hidden when it is dangerous to their cause.

It has been proven that Sarah Palin is an outrageous liar. In fact, it has been proven that she is a complete fraud. But in the mind of my mother, and those of my mother’s mindset, they dismiss these “truths” by blaming the “librul (spelled wrong on purpose) media” or “left-wing bloggers”. They throw the baby out because they believe the bathwater has been dirtied by people who do not “know Jesus” the way they “know Jesus” – the gays, the abortionists, the mockers of God. Radical Muslims have a name for them; Infidels. Radical Christians do too. They call them unsaved.

In the minds of the fundamentalists, the scrutiny of Palin feeds into the absurd notion that “Christians” are somehow “persecuted”. The more “truth” that is disclosed, the more resolute they become in their support. It’s the world against the Christianists. They are most comfortable when they believe that the world is out to get them.

Meanwhile the real victims of persecution get further marginalized. Gay kids hide voicelessly in the closet lest they get disowned by their parents and friends, African-Americans get followed in department stores because they are likely to steal, immigrants are blamed for lack of jobs in this country.

And the poor, poor Christianists? You know, the ones who claim the very president of this country as their own and who controlled congress six of the last eight years. Yeah, them! They have the audacity to claim that it is their faith that is in danger of being outlawed. Is this the fucking twilight zone?

So the perceived persecution of poor pitiful Palin is just more reason for them to love her. When it is all said and done, they have no use for the “truth”. The decriers of relativism use truth as their most relative concept.

And Sarah Palin is not a slap in the face I am willing to take. She angers me for the very same reasons my mother angers me – a lack of integrity and intellectual honesty with regards to the truth.

It is times like these when the rage is so hot and the resentment is so acute that I feel like tearing down the dam I have built with all my family secrets. I feel so furious and want to hurt them as badly as they all, while hiding behind their religion, have hurt me. Let the waters flow, let the secrets out and when the flood recedes, let them take inventory of the skeletons amidst the debris. I want to unleash the secrets that only I know. I want the world to know them too. I want the world to see them for the frauds and liars they are.

Let loose the “truth” that they would be forced to face. Let them confront the closet cases, the adulterers, the black blood in the white heritage, the ones that have had abortions and the ones that have mistresses, all within our big “happy” family. Take no prisoners and let them grapple with the consequences and twist in the wind.

Sometimes, times like this, I want nothing more than that.

But in the end I realize that my need to exact revenge serves no purpose beyond temporary satisfaction. Instead I have this blog to vent and to calm down.

Slap, slap!

"I invite the media to grow a pair. And if you can’t, I will lend you mine"

Amy Poehler, channeling Hillary Clinton last night on Saturday Night Live


My fear is that in 18 to 24 months the media, in all their wisdom, will be collectively scratching their heads, wondering why they did not properly expose Sarah Palin for the fraud and liar that she is.

We’ve been through this song and dance before. The media were complicit agents of propaganda leading up to the war in Iraq. Now close to six years later some in the media are finally admitting that they did, at the direction of the White House war machine, play a role in disseminating misinformation to the American public.

It is a dark day in our country when the ladies of “The View” do the job of the actual American press and grill McCain. Joy Behar should be given an Edward R. Murrow award for calling McCain a liar to his face rather than, as is the case with actual journalists this election cycle, write articles calling McCain’s tactics “misleading”.

Pleather is misleading. Clay Aiken is misleading. Push-up bras are misleading. McCain/Palin, on the other hand, are unrepentant liars!

The Sarah Palin strategery: Make 'em forget the question

"In what respect, Charlie"
Sarah Palin

In the sixth grade, at Chesterbrook Elementary in McLean, Virginia, I learned something about how to get out of trouble. It happened when my teacher, Ms. Smits, pulled me aside after class and asked me if I was helping a classmate cheat on his spelling test.

I was, in fact, helping my classmate Mike cheat. Mike was a cool kid. I was not. And I thought that helping him cheat on a spelling test would earn me the affection of the elusive Chesterbrook glitterati.

However, when Ms. Smits asked me if I helped Mike I panicked and started rapidly talking. I went around in circles, babbling about nothing and at one point, out of nowhere, pointed out that I was left-handed.

Ms. Smits looked at me with a mixture of sympathy and concern. It was clear that she did not comprehend a word I said. And instead of asking me to repeat myself or to explain it again she said “Jon-Marc, there is nothing wrong with being left-handed”.

And she left me alone and never asked about the cheating again.

In many ways I feel like that is what is going on with Sans-a-blink Sarah. The one thing she knows is that she does not know much. But when confronted she spews nonsense and throws in words like “Islamic extremists” and “reformer” and just before she’s done running down the clock she reminds us that she is, above all, a woman who took on the “good ‘ole boys”. She never settles on an argument because she has no idea what the argument is. But instead of saying as much, she believes that rambling on and on will fool us and leave us feeling that our questions, whatever they were in the first place, were answered.

The problem is, this is not sixth grade. Hell, this isn't even Wasilla. The job for which she is essentially applying requires more than platitudes pulled from the back-room of a stale campaign of a once honorable man.

But what it requires of us is to not accept her skirting of the truth. Otherwise we will be just like Ms. Smits and forget the question. “Sarah, there’s nothing wrong with being a woman”.

When we forget the question, we forfeit the prize.


(For Jon-Marc McDonald's baking blog, Bake it 'Til You Make it, click here )

In what respect, Charlie?

UPDATE: My take on Sarah Palin's new strategy with the press here




Ok, I have changed my mind over Barack Obama getting mad. Instead, he should just loop this exchange over and over again in every ad across the country.

"In what respect, Charlie?"

I wish Charlie had responded with "In the respect that DO YOU EVEN HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT?"

But hey, she's pro-life and that's all that counts, right?

UPDATE: My take on Sarah Palin's new strategy with the press here

Today, remember them. Tomorrow, remember what you are fighting for!

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;"

Isaiah 5:20

There seems to be growing momentum around the country for Barack Obama to get mad. I mean balls-to-the-walls, bare-knuckled, white hot rage.

The thinking goes that if Obama continues to play nice, and McCain keeps dragging this campaign into reality TV sophistication while flat out lying about his opponent, the "swift-boating" will work and we will wake up in November, shaking our heads and wondering what went wrong...again.

When John McCain accused Obama of wanting to teach sex-ed to kindergartners that should've been the last straw.

Many believe there is some danger in getting angry, especially for a candidate like Obama. While McCain could get angry (and has) and that is seen by many as being indicative of his leadership ability, if Obama gets mad the potential is that the public will see nothing more than an "angry black man" full of residual rage and bitterness.

Bull shit!

There is far too much at stake! Since the press will not do their job and, by all appearances, are in the back pocket of McCain it is time for Obama to reach deep within and unleash a righteous rage the likes of which we have never seen before.

If that takes 527s calling Sarah Palin the flat out liar that she is, so be it. If it takes at every press conference calling John McCain a once honorable man but no longer honorable, fine!

I don't mean to suggest that Obama abandon his message of hope. But hope is not relevant unless it is contrasted by despair. And despair is what eight years of Bush --who played to our basest instincts, who called upon our darkest selves, who wrapped himself in the flag carrying a cross -- has given this nation.

John McCain has become the man he once despised. And for that, he deserves not our vote nor our respect.

Fight like hell, Obama! Our nation is on your shoulders now and losing is not an option

Fogey dust and Palin's Pearls of Special Needs...Forgetting Andrew Sullivan for a moment

I am going to get off the one-track Andrew Sullivan coverage for a moment. I would note, however, that though he is back to what appears to be regular posting, most of the posts don't include his usual commentary. But moving on.

There is a phrase -- actually, it's a theory -- called the "Willing suspension of disbelief". In very simple terms it basically means that humans often suspend their disbelief of something in order to be entertained.

This phrase (or theory) is often used with movie goers. A movie goer watches a fantastical movie while willingly suspending their disbelief that what is occurring on the screen is actually real. The theory goes that if one were to watch a movie without the suspension, they would not enjoy the movie simply because they would be analyzing how unbelievable it all is.

As children, my cousin and I felt we were growing too old for cartoons. We did not want to be perceived as children any longer. But secretly deep within, we still liked them. So what did we do? We watched the cartoons while loudly decrying their unbelievability. "The smurfs are in no way real. Little blue people. That's just stupid"... "There is no way Punky-power is real. I bet little kids think Punky power is real. They're so stupid"... "He-Man is sooooo fake. There is no way! But look at those muscles. He looks yummy"

Ok, the last one we did not say but I certainly did think it! The point is, whether we are willingly suspending or willingly not suspending our disbelief, we do it for a reason. We do so to either be entertained or, as in the case of my childhood, to feel some sort of superiority.

Enter McCain and Palin.

For the past week, especially at the Republican National Convention convention, we have been told that Palin and McCain are the agents of change that will mend the broken corriders of Washington. The Maverick and the Pit-Bull are going to fly into Washington and shake things up. They are the change that we have been waiting for.

Of course, as everyone knows, there are just a few problems with that scenario. George W. Bush is a republican, republicans have have held both houses of Washington for six of the last eight years and most, if not all, of our nations woes have been at the hands of republicans.

But instead of apologizing for it, McCain and Palin are actually asking us to willingly suspend our disbelief that they represent change. We are to believe that they are not republicans or even conservatives. And the saddest thing is that many Americans are suspending their disbelief of the campaign and republicans in general in order to be entertained. Or, and this is most likely the case, in order to not feel how badly these last eight years have hurt. They want to believe the unbelievable because they need something to believe in again.

Now, you might ask, what about Obama? He brings such freshness and hope. Why aren't Americans gravitating to him more than they are?:

The far-right has put so many pieces of untruth in the minds of voters concerning Obama that voters have been looking for permission to not vote for him. The right-wing has smeared him so much these last 20 months that the voters have a lot of doubts and they want permisson to vote for more of the same. And their permission is Palin.

Forget her record (suspend), forget her lies (suspend), forget her extreme views (suspend). Instead look at the fresh face and keep in mind her genatalia. She's a woman. That's all they want you to know.

And when you don't forget, they turn to page two of this years right-wing playbook:

When the press gets tough, have Sarah and her surrogates clutch their pearls in unison and cry. Cry so loud and for so long that that the press will do anything to quiet you, including quieting themselves.

When Obama makes a reference to a pig and lipstick, scream that he is referencing Sarah. And when the public ask "What..." cut them off and tell them to forget (suspend) that McCain said the same thing about Clinton last October as well as laughed and answered the question "How do we beat the bitch?" from a supporter earlier this year.

And when Obama uses the word "old" in any context wail that he means McCain. Old fish=McCain, old ways of Washington=McCain, old lies=McCain.

And make sure the public believes that taking on either McCain and Palin is either ageism or sexism.

If Obama says the economy has been slowing down for so long that we are, in fact, in a recession respond with: How dare he bring Sarah's son Trig into this! She chose life! Life! He is a down-syndrome child, not slow!

If Obama says the war in Iraq is not working respond with: You want to know who's not working? The executive chef to the governor of Alaska is not working. Now that's not working we can believe in!

If Obama mentions McCain's embrace of Bush respond with: How dare Obama mention John McCain's embrace. Everyone knows John McCain has trouble embracing people ever since he was a POW! He was hurt very, very badly (DON'T SAY TORTURED!) by very, very bad people. He can hardly embrace a thing. I cannot believe Obama would use John McCain's injuries as a political weapon! (Clutch pearls)

Fogey dust and Palin's pearls. That's their strategy heading into November.

In the end, though, all it really is is dandruff and plastic beads.
Will we suspend our disbelief? Let's hope to He-Man we don't!

Where's Andrew Sullivan? It's beginning to all come together

Let's look at Andy's last two post:

The most recent is a YouTube video from Desperate Housewives. If you have not heard the Palin/DH/Brie comparison, I suggest you look it up.

The second most recent post:

""Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muß man schweigen" - Ludwig Wittgenstein

As a commenter pointed out, this translates to:
What one can not speak, thereof one must be silent".

You can see all my posts about Andrew's whereabouts by going to the main page of this blog here.

Something is stirring for sure. Stay tuned

Where is Andrew Sullivan? Wherever he is, he's certainly creating buzz

A Welcome to All the New Readers due to the Andrew Sullivan Coverage

I want to say thank you to all the people who came to this blog looking for information as to the whereabouts of Andrew Sullivan (Those posts can be found here). This blog has remained in relative obscurity since its inception. In fact the only other times my hits have increased in a dramatic way were after I wrote a piece regarding Sanjaya Malakar's sexuality and again, last week, when I asked why Todd Palin's former business partner filed an emergency motion to have his divorce papers sealed.

This has been mostly my fault since I have another blog. Screaming is just for fun and I often forget it is even here. BITYMI is devoted to my passion, which is baking.

However, since this is election season and since politics are another passion of mine I will be on here more regularly. For those that have come back by for a second look, keep coming. I promise it will stay interesting.

Until next time,
Jon-Marc McDonald

Where's Andrew Sullivan? Apparently...

he's just fine, not being pressured to write or not write anything and he was spending the day with his husband soaking up the last days of summer. That's that.
Bull shit!

Sully never does this. Ever! I have been reading the blog since it started and not once has he pulled a MIA. That's not his style. And look, again, at what is not being said:

Thank you for your many emails of concern. For the record, I'm absolutely fine, nothing has changed with this blog, no one is pressuring me to write or not write anything, and I spent part of the day yesterday with my husband soaking up the last moments of summer together.

I spent part of the day with my husband? Right, because that "View from your window" post took up the other part. I don't buy it. And not addressing the speculation that he's got something on Palin. Hmmm. Something's rotten in Wasilla. I feel it in my bones

Where was Andrew Sullivan?

Where is Andrew Sullivan?

UPDATE III 1:30PM 2008-09-09 He's back. It's still all fishy. My response to his post about his whereabouts can be found by clicking here


Here are all three posts as to my speculation of Andrew Sullivan's whereabouts, from first to last, so you don't have to click from post to post.

Part 1 (Yesterday, 600PM):

Where is Andrew Sullivan today? His blog has received, just today, nearly half-a-million hits as of 5PM and he has only posted once, and that was a "View from your Window" post. So, where's Andrew Sullivan?
Hmmm


Part II (Yesterday, 800PM):

So just where is Andrew Sullivan? Last night, at 8:25, Andrew Sullivan posted something that, on its face, seems straight-forward and clear. The post simply applauds Sarah Palin's decision to raise Trig despite the fact that the Palin's knew of his Down Symdrome during the pregnancy. Take a look:

In thinking about this astonishing week, and what's to come, I want to go on record again as saying that the decision to bring up a child with Down Syndrome is one of the most noble, beautiful and admirable decisions any person can make. That Sarah Palin is doing that says a huge amount in favor of her. The love obviously being shown toward tiny Trig is also about as profound an advertisement for genuine, pro-life Christianity as you can have. It means that, in this respect, Palin has walked the walk of the pro-life movement - in ways that many others have not. In my view, and I mean this as passionately as I mean my criticisms of her public record, this really is God's work.

I have no reason to doubt that Sullivan feels this way. It is consistent with his beliefs about abortion. However read it again.

Now keep in mind that Sully is despised by both the left and right of the political spectrum. In many ways his positions are the loneliest to take because they are not often aligned along party lines or ideologies. I respect Sully for this approach (hence my regular citations of his blog on this blog). Now, once again, read what he wrote.

Did you catch any of it? What seemed perfectly clear at first glance becomes quite cryptic upon further observation. It seems to be foreshadowing something, telling his readers that something is about to break and when it does and chaos ensues, he wants people to know where he stands in regards to the innocent child, Trig, and the woman who is raising him as her own.

Let's pick the statement apart piece by piece. My commentary is in red:

In thinking about this astonishing week, and what's to come (what is to come? What information does Sully have that we do not? And why is he withholding it? Is he getting his ducks in a row on a potentially devastating story?), I want to go on record again as saying that the decision to bring up a child with Down Syndrome is one of the most noble, beautiful and admirable decisions any person can make (the "decision to bring up" Did you catch it? Bring up. Not "give birth to a child") . That Sarah Palin is doing that says a huge amount in favor of her. The love obviously being shown toward tiny Trig (not "her son". That's odd. Just the "love that is being shown toward Tiny Trig) is also about as profound an advertisement for genuine, pro-life Christianity as you can have. It means that, in this respect, Palin has walked the walk of the pro-life movement - in ways that many others have not. In my view, and I mean this as passionately as I mean my criticisms of her public record, this really is God's work. (Sully never once calls Trig Sarah's son)

Sully is not some unhinged blogger. He is someone that has built a respectable career on nuance and self-reflection. But reading his posts over the past week, one can't help but wonder if Sully has knowledge of something for which he is catiously seeking proof. If the information he has is not concerning the legitimacy of Sarah's relationship to Trig, I have no doubt it is something equally explosive. The question is, will he collect sufficent evidence to reveal the information, or will he, for the sake of his own reputation, be forced to keep the information to himself?
So, once again, where's Andrew Sullivan?

PART III (Today, this morning):
NOTE II: As many have pointed out, Sully has never broken a major story. I said that as well. It could be all this fuss is an illness and it could be that he getting the boot from The Atlantic. Who knows? I just suspect there is something more. I may be wrong. It would not be the first time!

My speculation as to whereabouts of Andrew Sullivan has once again brought a huge amount of attention to this blog. The hits last night and this morning alone are more than this blog normally receives in a four month period.

As of this morning Sully has yet to post. Many comments seem to think Sully could be ill or that something might be wrong with his husband or he might be on vacation. But Sully always, always leaves a post about this sort of thing and also gets people to guest-blog. Additionally, he just took a vacation and Sully would not miss the last few weeks of the presidential race for anything. He might be sick (or Aaron might be sick) but I doubt it.

Another comment asked if Sully has broken a major news story in his life. To my knowledge, no. His forte is commentary. But he has implored journalists to start asking the right questions about Palin and start doing their jobs. He has screamed (as loud as one can scream on a blog) that they not be intimidated by the McCain campaign and get to the business of thoroughly vetting Palin since McCain apparently did not .

Is he on to something? I don't know. But I do know he is not intimidated easily. He takes hits from all sides and keeps going strong.

Now, if he is on to something and does "break" a story be prepared for the war on Sully to intensify. His opponents will bring up the sex controversy of 2001 and use it as reason to discredit Sully's story. They will also say he is a hypocrite.

If they do, they do so at their own peril. I imagine Sully is prepared for whatever might come.

UPDATE: As many have pointed out, Sully has never broken a major story. I said that as well. It could be all this fuss is an illness and it could be that he getting the boot from The Atlantic. Who knows? I just suspect there is something more

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR JON-MARC MCDONALD'S BAKING BLOG, BakeItTilYouMakeIt.com click here

Continued Sully Watch: 2008

UPDATE III 1:30PM 2008-09-09 He's back. It's still all fishy. My response to his post about his whereabouts can be found by clicking here


NOTE: See my previous posts about this (1st)here and (2nd)here
NOTE II: As many have pointed out, Sully has never broken a major story. I said that as well. It could be all this fuss is an illness and it could be that he getting the boot from The Atlantic. Who knows? I just suspect there is something more. I may be wrong. It would not be the first time!

My speculation as to whereabouts of Andrew Sullivan has once again brought a huge amount of attention to this blog. The hits last night and this morning alone are more than this blog normally receives in a four month period.

As of this morning Sully has yet to post. Many comments seem to think Sully could be ill or that something might be wrong with his husband or he might be on vacation. But Sully always, always leaves a post about this sort of thing and also gets people to guest-blog. Additionally, he just took a vacation and Sully would not miss the last few weeks of the presidential race for anything. He might be sick (or Aaron might be sick) but I doubt it.

Another comment asked if Sully has broken a major news story in his life. To my knowledge, no. His forte is commentary. But he has implored journalists to start asking the right questions about Palin and start doing their jobs. He has screamed (as loud as one can scream on a blog) that they not be intimidated by the McCain campaign and get to the business of thoroughly vetting Palin since McCain apparently did not .

Is he on to something? I don't know. But I do know he is not intimidated easily. He takes hits from all sides and keeps going strong.

Now, if he is on to something and does "break" a story be prepared for the war on Sully to intensify. His opponents will bring up the sex controversy of 2001 and use it as reason to discredit Sully's story. They will also say he is a hypocrite.

If they do, they do so at their own peril. I imagine Sully is prepared for whatever might come.

UPDATE: As many have pointed out, Sully has never broken a major story. I said that as well. It could be all this fuss is an illness and it could be that he getting the boot from The Atlantic. Who knows? I just suspect there is something more

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR JON-MARC MCDONALD'S BAKING BLOG, BakeItTilYouMakeIt.com click here

Sully Watch: 2008

UPDATE 1:30PM 2008-09-09 He's back. It's still all fishy. My response to his post about his whereabouts can be found by clicking here

UPDATE 847AM 2008/09/09 NOTE: FIXED LINK Click here for another post about Sully's whereabouts

So just where is Andrew Sullivan? Last night, at 8:25, Andrew Sullivan posted something that, on its face, seems straight-forward and clear. The post simply applauds Sarah Palin's decision to raise Trig despite the fact that the Palin's knew of his Down Symdrome during the pregnancy. Take a look:

In thinking about this astonishing week, and what's to come, I want to go on record again as saying that the decision to bring up a child with Down Syndrome is one of the most noble, beautiful and admirable decisions any person can make. That Sarah Palin is doing that says a huge amount in favor of her. The love obviously being shown toward tiny Trig is also about as profound an advertisement for genuine, pro-life Christianity as you can have. It means that, in this respect, Palin has walked the walk of the pro-life movement - in ways that many others have not. In my view, and I mean this as passionately as I mean my criticisms of her public record, this really is God's work.

I have no reason to doubt that Sullivan feels this way. It is consistent with his beliefs about abortion. However read it again.

Now keep in mind that Sully is despised by both the left and right of the political spectrum. In many ways his positions are the loneliest to take because they are not often aligned along party lines or ideologies. I respect Sully for this approach (hence my regular citations of his blog on this blog). Now, once again, read what he wrote.

Did you catch any of it? What seemed perfectly clear at first glance becomes quite cryptic upon further observation. It seems to be foreshadowing something, telling his readers that something is about to break and when it does and chaos ensues, he wants people to know where he stands in regards to the innocent child, Trig, and the woman who is raising him as her own.

Let's pick the statement apart piece by piece. My commentary is in red:

In thinking about this astonishing week, and what's to come (what is to come? What information does Sully have that we do not? And why is he withholding it? Is he getting his ducks in a row on a potentially devastating story?), I want to go on record again as saying that the decision to bring up a child with Down Syndrome is one of the most noble, beautiful and admirable decisions any person can make (the "decision to bring up" Did you catch it? Bring up. Not "give birth to a child") . That Sarah Palin is doing that says a huge amount in favor of her. The love obviously being shown toward tiny Trig (not "her son". That's odd. Just the "love that is being shown toward Tiny Trig) is also about as profound an advertisement for genuine, pro-life Christianity as you can have. It means that, in this respect, Palin has walked the walk of the pro-life movement - in ways that many others have not. In my view, and I mean this as passionately as I mean my criticisms of her public record, this really is God's work. (Sully never once calls Trig Sarah's son)

Sully is not some unhinged blogger. He is someone that has built a respectable career on nuance and self-reflection. But reading his posts over the past week, one can't help but wonder if Sully has knowledge of something for which he is catiously seeking proof. If the information he has is not concerning the legitimacy of Sarah's relationship to Trig, I have no doubt it is something equally explosive. The question is, will he collect sufficent evidence to reveal the information, or will he, for the sake of his own reputation, be forced to keep the information to himself?
So, once again, where's Andrew Sullivan?

UPDATE 847AM 2008/09/09 Click here for another post about Sully's whereabouts

FOR JON-MARC MCDONALD'S BAKING BLOG, BakeItTilYouMakeIt.com, click here

Where's Andrew Sullivan?

UPDATE III 1:30PM 2008-09-09 He's back. It's still all fishy. My response to his post about his whereabouts can be found by clicking here

UPDATE: See my post here for more speculation as to where Andrew Sullivan might be?
UPDATE II 847AM 2008/09/09 Another post about Sully's whereabouts

Where is Andrew Sullivan today? His blog has received, just today, nearly half-a-million hits as of 5PM and he has only posted once, and that was a "View from your Window" post. So, where's Andrew Sullivan?
Hmmm
UPDATE: See my post here for more speculation as to where Andrew Sullivan might be?
UPDATE II 847AM 2008/09/09 Another post about Sully's whereabouts

Computer fried, once again

Well to those of you who found my blog yesterday (more hits yesterday than in the entire two year life of this blog) I say welcome.
However, my computer has finally given up and until I get a new one (which the way finances are right now might be by the time I'm 60) I am using my husband's. Therefore posting will be next to non-existent.
But entertain yourself at BakeItTilYouMakeIt.com . There are some fun recipes and videos over there.

Double Standards Much?

The only president he ever endorsed...

Let's keep in mind something. James Dobson, who would now "pull the lever" for McCain/Palin endorsed one man for president in his lifetime. That man is George W. Bush.

Dobson is the leader of the now "energized" base. You know the last time they were "energized"? Yep! It was when the shrub was their nominee.

Given Dobson's (and his followers) track record, it's safe to say this country best not take his advice again.

The saddest thing is, though, the voters have been fooled once before into voting for Bush (the first time doesn't count. He was not voted into office in 2000. He was ruled into office by activist judges) and the republicans are really, really good at fear and lies to win.

We'll see if it works this time

Palin Speech (I predict)

"Hello my fellow Americans!

Blah, blah, blah...John McCain...POW...

The press is out to get me...Break the glass ceiling...Hillary Clinton is a whiner, er, I mean winner...Lay off my family...I am qualified...I am a reformer...We will change Washington...All life is precious...Hey look, it's Bristol and Levi, the future Levi and Mrs. Levi...Protect Marriage...I luv Jesus...Jesus luvs me...9/11..."

And the bar has been set so terribly low (Bush was king at setting the bar low and stepping over it) that she will be seen as "hitting it out of the park". Really, at this point if she gets her name right the speech will be considered a success, the press will swoon and all those intrepid reporters will go back to carrying water for the McCain campaign.

Such is the sad state of the US of A

Keep Going

“If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If they're shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going…. We’re Americans and we don’t quit…we don’t have a moment to lose or a moment to spare”.
Hillary Clinton, quoting Harriet Tubman


"When McCain throws everything, including his seven kitchen sinks, at Obama next week, don't panic...keep going.
And when McCain reminds us, ad nauseum, that there was a time when he didn't have a kitchen sink (or a toilet or a bed or a pot to pee in or a super-rich sugar-momma), throw up a little in your mouth and...keep going."
Jon Marc McDonald