Olivia Wilde

1. Olivia Wilde
We may not know a McDreamy from a McNugget, but when it comes to TV doctors, there is only one who makes our body temperature rise. The pulse-quickening internist played by Olivia Wilde on House, M.D. is named Thirteen (which we presume is out of 10) and has a terminal illness that causes her to dabble in drugs and casual sex. (That's how we want to go!) But we were drooling over this N.Y.C. native long before she was injected into Fox's hit medical drama. Roles on small-screen faves The Black Donnellys and The O.C. introduced Olivia to the world, but it's her prehistoric part in this month's Year One that will put her on top of it. As the object of Cro-Magnon lust in the Judd Apatow-produced, Harold Ramis-directed, Jack Black-starring comedy, Olivia will surely knock moviegoers back to the Stone Age. Ugh!

Mickey's petulance in the opening segment about not being invited to the Aspen festival hilariously reminded me of his whining about Journolist. Shunned by the cool kids again! I share Bob's irritation with 5-star hotels. One thing that bugged me most back when I had to travel a lot for business is that the budget hotels provide an iron and an ironing board, while the posh ones don't, and would like you to send your shirt out for pressing. Not only is this a waste of money; it often wasn't even an option when I'd check in late at night and need the shirt for a meeting first thing the next morning. Another example: cheap hotels tend to give free Wi-Fi. Expensive hotels tend to charge for it, and outrageously ($10-12/day). Or at least this was the case a couple of years ago. A third: expensive hotels would like you to eat at their restaurants or use their room service, and both of these do not operate much outside of, say, 6am-9pm, in my experience. Cheap hotels, by contrast, tend to have at least a McDonald's or a convenience store right nearby that's open

Mickey - you will never be in with the movie crowd if you cannot get basic facts straight. Robert DeNiro is a bounty hunter, not an FBI agent, in Midnight Run.

Inquiring minds want to know!!!! Actually I thought it was a little bit creepy - Bob trying to pimp out Ocean. Probably a result of Bob's neo-non-religious xianity.

Is Robert sick? Sorry to be cranky, but these two on this day are making the case for bringing back the coat and tie.

I have bad news about your audience, Sheikh Wright.

Quoting pampl: I have bad news about your audience, Sheikh Wright.

I interpreted that as a reverse psychology ploy by Bob, to get the terrorists to buy his books, both so he could make money and because once they read it, they'd have no choice but to jump, two by two, aboard the moral arc.

Quoting bjkeefe: I interpreted that as a reverse psychology ploy by Bob, to get the terrorists to buy his books, both so he could make money and because once they read it, they'd have no choice but to jump, two by two, aboard the moral arc.

Or Noah's ark? Lame, I admit. But then you almost inflicted antimony on me.

Quoting Francoamerican: Or Noah's ark?

That was what I was hinting at, yes.

Quoting Francoamerican: Lame, I admit.

So you're CALLING MY JOKES LAME???!!1!?

Quoting Francoamerican: But then you almost inflicted antimony on me.

So you're saying you've gone lame because I ALMOST pulled your leg? ;^)

Quoting bjkeefe: That was what I was hinting at, yes.

So you're CALLING MY JOKES LAME???!!1!?

So you're saying you've gone lame because I ALMOST pulled your leg?

;^)

I am limping towards Babylon, or babbling baloney.

Quoting Francoamerican: I am limping towards Babylon, or babbling baloney.

Better limping than slouching, at least. Oh, wait. That was that other B place.

How can Osama resist rushing out of his cave to go buy the book after this little plug:
http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/208...7:52&out=58:10 It was great meeting Bob, by the way. If he has more talks to give, I recommend going and introducing yourselves. He was really nice and welcoming and generous with his time. If only I had read his new book by the time I saw him! (I only found out about his talk a day or two before it was set to happen.)
As Uncle Ebenezer noted, Bob is surprisingly tall. When some of us remarked on this, his response was that it was "an optical illusion". It's true that he's thin so that he seems taller than he is. But also, it's BloggingHeads -- when I saw his TED talk online, I was kind of shocked to find that he actually had legs and could walk around on them. I wonder though whether his self-effacing style doesn't also make one expect someone smaller.

Damn -- that's what I said (apart from the clever pun) and then I got all tied up in talking about meeting Bob and so I posted long after you. I knew I should have hit 'submit' sooner

Quoting Bloggin' Noggin: Damn -- that's what I said and then I got all tied up in talking about meeting Bob and so I posted long after you. I knew I should have hit 'submit' sooner

No prob. Always happy to have a great-minds-think-alike moment of confirmation.

A brief interruption _ Does anyone remember who mentioned the book 1959 by Fred Kaplan during a divalog?

Mickey - wait - the idea is to have a public option AND prohibit the private insurers from turning down or "rescissing" sick applicants.

Bob, Are you doing any book reading or talk in NYC before Sep. 10th? Btw, 92nd St Y does not list you in their calendar...

I always thought five-star hotels were for people who put an inordinate amount of value on superficiality coupled with a very limited ability to take care of themselves. That being said there is a huge difference between the Park Hyatt (great) and the Hilton Waterfront (not good). And a $60/night cottage I found in Puerto Rico was much preferable to the $450/night joint down the street. I travel for work and I am usually more satisfied with a Holiday Inn Express or a Hampton Inn than a higher-level hotel. The absolute worst is Hilton who (as BJK mentions about some luxery hotels) will charge you to park your car, access the internet and have a microwave or fridge in your room MINI_BAR NOT FOR FOOD STORAGE - CALL FRONT DESK FOR FRIDGE RENTAL. Hampton (over 200 nights last year) treat me like a king, the one I'm currently working out of in Denver has upgraded me to a suite every night I've stayed here. And if Mickey wants to rub shoulders with the 'cool kids', maybe he can fork out $25k to the Wash Post.

Hey BN, glad to hear you got to meet Bob. So did you guys have your altruism steel cage death match ;-)?

If private insurers cherry pick their customers, leaving the public plan with all the sickest people, that may not be such a bad thing. Private insurers will become cheaper -- assuming there is competition between them -- while taxpayers (who are mostly wealthy) will pay to care for all the sickest people. Not bad, assuming that the public plan is at least partly paid for by general revenues.

Sarah Palin resigns as Governor of Alaska.

Quoting harkin: And if Mickey wants to rub shoulders with the 'cool kids', maybe he can fork out $25k to the Wash Post.

Oh, snap.

Quoting ohcomeon: Sarah Palin resigns as Governor of Alaska.

Come join the new thread.

I need to become a rock star so I can live the extravagant blogginghead lifestyle, trashing 5 star hotel rooms! "Floater" also refers to a half empty beer from the party the night before. Mickey, I'm crushed that you didn't remember meeting me. But I'm sure you meet alot of Uncle Ebeneezer's on a regular basis.

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: I need to become a rock star so I can live the extravagant blogginghead lifestyle, trashing 5 star hotel rooms!

Dude, trashing them is what leads to rock stardom. It's all part of building that bad-boy rep.

"Floater" also refers to a half empty beer from the party the night before.

Huh. Never heard that one before. I was first wondering if Mickey was thinking of those things you get in your eye every so often. But I would bet he meant it in terms of "floating an idea."

Mickey, I'm crushed that you didn't remember meeting me. But I'm sure you meet alot of Uncle Ebeneezer's on a regular basis.

Face it, you're dead to Mickey. (He reads the comments more than he admits.)

Quoting thprop: Inquiring minds want to know!!!!

Actually I thought it was a little bit creepy - Bob trying to pimp out Ocean. Probably a result of Bob's neo-non-religious xianity.

The width of a continent, the depth of two cultures and an ocean of ideas separate us. Sorry to disappoint you, thprop.

Qué exótica eres, Ocean. ¡¡Con acento extranjero y todo!! Pobre de Bob .... enamoradísimo a primera vista. No hagas nada escandaloso.

Quoting Wonderment: Qué exótica eres, Ocean. ¡¡Con acento extranjero y todo!! Pobre de Bob .... enamoradísimo a primera vista. No hagas nada escandaloso.

Google translates this as -

What alien are you, Ocean. ¡¡With accent and all! Poor Bob .... enamoradísimo at first sight. Do not do anything outrageous.

We have covered the inadequacies of Babel Fish and other artificial translators in the past, my version- "Ocean, you are very exotic, with your foreign accent and everything else you have smitten poor Bob at the first sight, don't do anything scandalous." Of course, Wonderment can provide a more accurate translation of his post!

Bob calls Obama a terrorist: http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/208...9:04&out=19:20

I was kindof surprised to hear my views as further from Mickeys than Ocean's would be. Aside from immigration, welfare and unions (and a general animosity towards Democrats) I don't think Mickey's views are that far from mine. And Ocean has never struck me as considerably further right than my political positions. But then again, I don't want to be setup with Mickey anyway. PS when are we gonna get to hear the stories of your Bob meetings guys (Ocean and Bloggin')?

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: I was kindof surprised to hear my views as further from Mickeys than Ocean's would be. Aside from immigration, welfare and unions (and a general animosity towards Democrats) I don't think Mickey's views are that far from mine. And Ocean has never struck me as considerably further right than my political positions.

Yes, it wasn't clear.

But then again, I don't want to be setup with Mickey anyway.

You could reconsider though...

PS when are we gonna get to hear the stories of your Bob meetings guys (Ocean and Bloggin')?

I wrote my comments the same day (or the next).

Quoting Wonderment: Qué exótica eres, Ocean. ¡¡Con acento extranjero y todo!! Pobre de Bob .... enamoradísimo a primera vista. No hagas nada escandaloso.

Ten cuidado con el comentario. No queremos que el pobre de Bob se meta en líos con su familia. No te parece?

Hey Ocean, which thread? I somehow missed that.

Quoting Ocean: Ten cuidado con el comentario. No queremos que el pobre de Bob se meta en líos con su familia. No te parece?

Given how upset Mickey was about being left out of Journolist and Aspen, the fact that you might be talking about him IN SPANISH is not going to sit well.

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: Hey Ocean, which thread? I somehow missed that.

In the same one you wrote your comment.

I hope Bob apologizes to Ocean, that was not an appropriate commentary on a public dialog, IMHO. edit... Somebody told me some time ago, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything, I'll try to apply to myself..

Quoting SkepticDoc: I hope Bob apologizes to Ocean, that was not an appropriate commentary on a public dialog, IMHO.

Southern gentlemen should know better (no es un caballero) maybe under the worn T-shirt is just a Texas Redneck that went to college and worries about God while trying to sell a book.

It could be an easy way to insult the loyal followers of BHTV.

Thank you, Skeptic. But, there is no need for anyone to apologize. No one is taking this seriously, and that includes me.

Quoting bjkeefe: Given how upset Mickey was about being left out of Journolist and Aspen, the fact that you might be talking about him IN SPANISH is not going to sit well.

We are not talking about Mickey in Spanish. We're talking about Bob in Spanish. Besides, it's never late to learn another language, señor.

Quoting Ocean: We are not talking about Mickey in Spanish. We're talking about Bob in Spanish.

How is Mickey supposed to know that???

Quoting bjkeefe: How is Mickey supposed to know that???

He'll have to learn Spanish.

...the fact that you might be talking about him IN SPANISH is not going to sit well.

Especially on Interdependence Day Eve. ¡Viva la raza!

Quoting Wonderment: Especially on Interdependence Day Eve.

Nice.

No queremos que el pobre de Bob se meta en líos con su familia. No te parece?

Noooooooooo, para nada. Y menos así cómo está -- en un estado tan vulnerable y perdidamente enamorado. Estoy totalmente de acuerdo que antes que nada hay que pensar en la familia, es decir en Frazier. ¡Feliz día de la interdependecia! (Que no se confunda con la codependencia)

In the same one you wrote your comment.

Links, please. I missed that too!

Quoting Wonderment: Noooooooooo, para nada. Y menos así cómo está -- en un estado tan vulnerable y perdidamente enamorado. Estoy totalmente de acuerdo que antes que nada hay que pensar en la familia, es decir en Frazier.

¡Feliz día de la interdependecia! (Que no se confunda con la codependencia)

¡Feliz Día de la Independencia! Por lo demás, necesito traducción.

http://bloggingheads.tv/forum/showth...893#post118893

It sure takes Bob a lot of trouble and reflection to assess US foreign policy: if the President's name is "Bush," well, that begins with a "B," so everything is Bad, but if it's "Obama," that begins with "O," so everything is Okay. Impressive.

In this bit Mickey and Bob ask whether Ahmadinejad would have won anyway.
Who knows. But it seems irrelevant because there is indeed smoking gun irrefutable evidence of fraud on such a massive scale as to completely discredit the whole "result." Even just going by what the Guardian Council itself has admitted:
Guardian Council Rejects Plea to Annul Vote By the Guardian Council's own admission, "the ballots recorded in 50 cities exceeded the number of eligible voters by a total of three million." Think about what that implies. Even 100% turnout is unthinkable in practice. There will always be at least 10 or 20% who don't vote, no matter how high the interest is. More likely, more than 20% would not participate, but even assuming 90% turnout, which would strain credibility, there are clearly much more than three million fraudulent votes, given only what the Guardian Council itself has acknowledged. And yet they have the chutzpah to say that “Fortunately, in the recent presidential election we found no witness of major fraud or breach in the election. Therefore, there is no possibility of an annulment taking place.” So, we should not be conceding anything like "Ahmadinejad probably would

Quoting thprop: Mickey - you will never be in with the movie crowd if you cannot get basic facts straight. Robert DeNiro is a bounty hunter, not an FBI agent, in Midnight Run.

Sorry to nitpick, but DeNiro's bounty hunter did impersonate an FBI agent in Midnight Run, namely Yappet Kotto's character Alonzo Moseley. Dammit, why do I remember these things? My mind's full of crap like this.

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: Hey BN, glad to hear you got to meet Bob. So did you guys have your altruism steel cage death match ;-)?

Well, it was a good bit more civilized than that -- and consequently less dramatic. Here's my summary: I brought up Bob's response to me in the monovlog which seemed to waffle between two pictures, one of which I found acceptable and one I found completely unacceptable (completely unsupported by evidence). Picture 1
"Selfish" Darwinian logic creates genuinely altrusitic motives (i.e., noninstrumental concern for the good of others or to refrain from harming others), which then go on to produce genuinely altruistic actions (i.e., actions which take the good of others directly into account.
Schematically:
"Selfish" Darwinian Logic --> Unselfish motivations --> Unselfish actions Picture 2 "Selfish Darwinian Logic creates (a) Selfish but unconscious motivations plus (b) a conscious overlay of unselfish-sounding justification and explication of what are actually selfish actions. Schematically:
"Selfish" Darwinian Logic --> (a)unconscious selfish motivations --> selfish actions
(b) --> conscious explications of our own actions as altruistic [arrow (b) is supposed to angle off from "Darwininian Logic" parallel to (a)] In his monovlog, he seems to endorse picture 2 for a moment when he says that WE are really after more sex or more status when consciously we think we are being nice -- though

Bloggin' thanks for sharing that. Was there any more jovial conversation or was it all altruistic inside baseball??

Bob, I fully intend to read the book soon. But I do think it would be helpful for you to respond to some of the criticisms of Bloggin', ME&TB, Wade, Paul Bloom etc. in detail to make your case clear.

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: Bloggin' thanks for sharing that. Was there any more jovial conversation or was it all altruistic inside baseball??

Well, I did mention he offered to sign my Kindle. The best line I recall him getting off was actually during the talk. One questioner read to him from an uplifting passage at the end of his book and said (preparatory to making a further comment) "well that's kind of...vague..."
--"But beautifully expressed, I thought," interjected Bob There was a good deal more conversation, not all of it intellectual or about altruism.
I went up to Bob pretty soon after the talk, just meaning to introduce myself and say I had enjoyed his talk and maybe ask one of the questions I tried to ask during the Q&A (he didn't call on me). As I approached I started to smile at him and I realized I'd better explain why I was acting like I knew him, so I blurted out that I was Bloggin' Noggin, forgetting to add my real name. He told me to wait nearby while he signed books. I'm not sure how long I'd have waited around all on my own, but fortunately, two BHtv staff members came up soon after and introduced themselves to

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: Bob, I fully intend to read the book soon. But I do think it would be helpful for you to respond to some of the criticisms of Bloggin', ME&TB, Wade, Paul Bloom etc. in detail to make your case clear.

Uncle, why did you attach this comment to me? I'm not Bob.

Great stuff! Bob and Mickey are both way brillianter than Zakaria, Wieseltier, etc. :-)

Quoting del: Great stuff! Bob and Mickey are both way brillianter than Zakaria, Wieseltier, etc. :-)

How I read Wieseltier, developed over 20 years of reading TNR: Me: reading, reading, reading
Me: does this have a point?
Me: reading
Me: no point yet
Me: reading
Me: why is the author talking about himself for no reason?
Me: who wrote this?
Me: Wieseltier. Oh.
Me: throws magazine on coffeetable The end.

Mistakes were made. I thought I had replied to the initial thread.

Quoting uncle ebeneezer: Mistakes were made. I thought I had replied to the initial thread.

Yes, I sort of figured, but I thought you may want to have the opportunity to relocate your comment.

Oh how cool! Sounds like it was a blast. I'm still pushing for the bhTv convention idea, so everybody can meet each other at some point, but that will have to wait until the revenue flow increases substantially. I know what you mean about approaching and waiting to meet Bob. Perhaps out of nervousness I found myself smirking and wondering how weird I must have looked from his perspective. Glad you guys were able to hash through the morality stuff. That must have been super-cool, given how much of a passion you have for it.

I get Mickey's point and I agree with it 150%. It's like the classic marketing statement: when someone buys a drill, they (sic) don't want a drill they want HOLES!!. The revised healthcare system is needed because what we have currently causes anxiety... due to expense, etc. We don't want low cost; we want the peace of mind that results from equitable cost and excellent care. ---
BTW, I became a fan of GOD on Facebook. I hope to read it. I am a constant viewer of Bloggingheads; and especially like Bob & Mickey and George & John.

"Living out loud" has come a long way. It may be read as coming out of the closet.

I think a friend and I had this same conversation in Grade 10 Bob's proposed solution for Mark Sanford Too much information from Mickey When sincerity and sarcasm meet
(In this last clip, I was listening to the podcast, and realized that I'd completely lost the ability to tell when either Bob or Mickey was being serious anymore. The video sort of helps...) Mickey leaves a lot of room Mickey leaves slightly less room It's gotta be one or the other!

I have to say I don't get how it's so un-realist to not support the military coup in Honduras. Granted, Zelaya seems like a pretty sleazy character, but what exactly was he doing that was damaging our interests, and what are the guys in the coup going to do that's so much better? I get the idea that Mickey heard "coup" and "leftist" and "Latin America" and forgot it was 2009 and not 1979. Isn't it pretty realist to not get involved in foreign messes when we can't do anything useful?

Quoting kezboard: I have to say I don't get how it's so un-realist to not support the military coup in Honduras. Granted, Zelaya seems like a pretty sleazy character, but what exactly was he doing that was damaging our interests, and what are the guys in the coup going to do that's so much better? I get the idea that Mickey heard "coup" and "leftist" and "Latin America" and forgot it was 2009 and not 1979. Isn't it pretty realist to not get involved in foreign messes when we can't do anything useful?

Zelaya was doing the referendum thing to extend his term in violation of their constitution, which smartly prevents referendums because of guys like Zelaya.

"No citizen who has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President. Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform, as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hondura...Assembly_plans Sounds guilty to me. Having him arrested and prosecuted within their legal system would have better than the military intervening.

Quoting MargaretH: I get Mickey's point and I agree with it 150%. It's like the classic marketing statement: when someone buys a drill, they (sic) don't want a drill they want HOLES!!. The revised healthcare system is needed because what we have currently causes anxiety... due to expense, etc. We don't want low cost; we want the peace of mind that results from equitable cost and excellent care.

Mickey's Ezra-bashing was pointless (and it's getting pathetic really) but his point about the public plan as backup plan was pretty good. But I think Obama's been playing this really well so far. He's doing weekly health care town halls. They're hitting the local media. They're refining the message and organizing (I've got three calls from Obama's Organizing for America in the last two weeks about organizing for health care). They're doing "call your congressperson" email blasts. It's happening. Man do I get tired of journalists types carping on about, "Why isn't X saying Y!!!!1!!!1 He's so stupid!!!!" when all the action is happening off-camera. Like if it's not on CNN it doesn't exist. People need to remember how well he ran his campaign. Or in case you forgot:

They're hitting the local media. They're refining the message and organizing (I've got three calls from Obama's Organizing for America in the last two weeks about organizing for health care). They're doing "call your congressperson" email blasts. It's happening.

I've gone to two Obama town hall health care meetings, and they are very well-scripted -- scratch that --- orchestrated to win support from the left. Despite Obama's claim that it's counterproductive to diss conservative Democrats, they are being treated as obstacles, dinosaurs and dealbreakers by the healthcare campaigners. The message is that single payer is completely off the table, and that public option is at severe risk: If you don't support the vaguely defined public option you risk getting nothing and seeing healthcare reform go up in flames. At the meetings I've attended everyone in the audience is in favor of single payer, so the organizers may be playing to the crowd to some extent. I'd be interested in how they're playing it in more conservative states. Obama is being portrayed as the benevolent leader who would love to sign a singe payer bill, but since he is a

Quoting Wonderment: Despite Obama's claim that it's counterproductive to diss conservative Democrats

When did he say that? Where did you get that? As for going to single-payer, I agree with Obama's take on it: it's too big of a step to take all at once for the boring technical reasons people overlook. Switching the health plan for 300 million people all at once would be a logistical disaster. I think the public plan trojan horse (I'll admit it) really is the best strategy.

It's nice to see that there are some that try to go to the source. I was just about to make this link when I read your comment. It seems that few are actually looking at the constitutional basis for the removal. Yes an arrest and prosecution might have been better, but if you find a rattlesnake loose in the house do you wish to keep him indoors or to at least get it out in the yard. I personally think you should cage it or kill it but that would be uncivilized and apparently unconstitutional.

When did he say that? Where did you get that?

Washington Post.

As for going to single-payer, I agree with Obama's take on it: it's too big of a step to take all at once for the boring technical reasons people overlook. Switching the health plan for 300 million people all at once would be a logistical disaster. I think the public plan trojan horse (I'll admit it) really is the best strategy.

If it's a Trojan Horse, it's the first time the Trojans revealed the ploy before they delivered the horse.

Quoting Wonderment: Washington Post.

Aha! I set you up, and you fell into my trap. A couple of unsourced quotes transcribed by one of the worst journalists around is not cause for concern. Just for kicks google Ceci Connolly Al Gore. Or check what Bob Somerby has to say.

Quoting claymisher: Aha! I set you up, and you fell into my trap. A couple of unsourced quotes transcribed by one of the worst journalists around is not cause for concern. Just for kicks google Ceci Connolly Al Gore. Or check what Bob Somerby has to say.

One of the Beltway Insiders at the WaPo working against liberal interests and a Democratic president? I'm shocked, shocked!

Aha! I set you up, and you fell into my trap.

Brilliant!

Quoting Ocean: We are not talking about Mickey in Spanish. We're talking about Bob in Spanish. Besides, it's never late to learn another language, señor.

How about Esperanto Unfortunately I only remember the questions I got wrong in spanish class, which would make for an awkward vocabulary.
p.s. I want to thank the blogginghead crew ( whatever you disposition on the question of god ) for keeping up the archive of the previous forum WITH SEARCH. It just made my life 342% easier.

Oh, forgot to mention. At the Obama health care pitches, the script calls for a couple of audience members to tell real-life health care rip-off stories. Invariably, someone comes up with a horrifying anecdote involving the phrases "denied," "pre-existing condition" or "life savings wiped out". The organizer shuts them up by handing out a card and encouraging the person to fill it out to "personally tell President Obama your story." We were assured that President Obama reads 10 of these per evening. "Unfortunately, he cannot read them all."

Quoting Wonderment: Oh, forgot to mention. At the Obama health care pitches, the script calls for a couple of audience members to tell real-life health care rip-off stories. Invariably, someone comes up with a horrifying anecdote involving the phrases "denied," "pre-existing condition" or "life savings wiped out".

The organizer shuts them up by handing out a card and encouraging the person to fill it out to "personally tell President Obama your story."

We were assured that President Obama reads 10 of these per evening. "Unfortunately, he cannot read them all."

Oh, you're too cynical. Have you heard of Marshall Ganz? I have a feeling you're going to say you've know him for 30 years But in case not, he's a legendary veteran of civil rights and farmworker campaigns. His techniques are what Obama's success in 2008 was built on, and a crucial part of that were those stories! Stories communicate values, build relationships, and get people motivated. Here's Ganz explaining it to Obama volunteers in 2007. It's long but it's fascinating:
http://blip.tv/file/374556 (It totally worked on me. The Obama campaign was the only volunteer work I've ever done where I felt like I was making a difference, and I think the 15 minutes of story time from

Quoting claymisher: Oh, you're too cynical.

Have you heard of Marshall Ganz? [...]

Good response, clay. I'd just add a question for Wonderment: Do you think the the Obama Administration should not be trying to sell their plan for reforming health care to the people? I grant that the scene as you describe it seems a little icky (I feel similarly about many of the activist emails that I get), but when you consider that (a) a strong majority of the public wants some sort of national health care, and have for quite some time, but (b) the forces arrayed against this are so powerful that they have so far managed to stop it and (c) no one has had any luck so far getting the people to speak with a coherent voice on this, what would you have the Obama Administration do? I suspect you're letting the perfect be the enemy of the good here, or worrying too much about the negative aspect of the end justifying the means. (I am assuming you favor a national health care plan of some sort.)

I'd just add a question for Wonderment: Do you think the the Obama Administration should not be trying to sell their plan for reforming health care?

Obviously, they can, should and will.

I grant that the scene as you describe it seems a little icky (I feel similarly about many of the activist emails that I get), but when you consider that (a) a strong majority of the public wants some sort of national health care, and have for quite some time, but (b) the forces arrayed against this are so powerful that they have so far managed to stop it, what would you have the Obama Administration do?

I think Obama is doing the right thing. So far. The question is if he and the Democratic Party can really deliver the goods (universal coverage for all).

Paul Krugman had an op ed in the NYT today that says we are on the verge of success with a true universal coverage plan. The problem is whether or not it gets diluted in Congress. The obstacles are Dem. Senators who may or may not vote for cloture (one of them, Feinstein, from my state). Another potential obstacle

Quoting Wonderment: [...]

Thanks for your detailed answer. I guess I don't get what bothered you about the town-halls that you were at, then. I agree with you, somewhat, that Obama appears to have the urge to seek consensus, and that this is sometimes worrisome. I guess I mostly still trust that he's got a long game in mind and I've resolved not to fret too much over the day-to-day stuff.* On health care in particular, I am so cynical about the chances for success after the early 1990s that I have no emotional investment. If it happens, great, and I'm glad that other people are pushing for it, and pushing him on it. I just don't have any gas for this one, though. ==========
* Andrew Sullivan's recent column in The Times explores this, if you're interested.

If it happens, great, and I'm glad that other people are pushing for it, and pushing him on it.

Interesting. I think this is huge. It can make (or break?) Obama's credibility on Change. Also, think about the 45,000,000 people/voters (más o menos) who will owe their healthcare coverage to the Democrats. That sort of thing builds lifetime electoral loyalty -- FDR level. Of course, the Repubs. know this. Success for Obama on legislation that will demonstrably and palpably change the lives of most Americans is catastrophic for the already-in-freefall party. Personally, I would love to see them splinter into two parties -- the populist Palin-Huckabees vs. the upscale/agnostic/fiscal conservative/love-the-Pentagon types. But a home run by Obama on health care would make that unnecessary. Dems could cruise for a generation.

Quoting Wonderment: Interesting. I think this is huge. It can make (or break?) Obama's credibility on Change.

Also, think about the 45,000,000 people/voters (más o menos) who will owe their healthcare coverage to the Democrats. That sort of thing builds lifetime electoral loyalty -- FDR level.

Of course, the Repubs. know this. Success for Obama on legislation that will demonstrably and palpably change the lives of most Americans is catastrophic for the already-in-freefall party.

Personally, I would love to see them splinter into two parties -- the populist Palin-Huckabees vs. the upscale/agnostic/fiscal conservative/love-the-Pentagon types. But a home run by Obama on health care would make that unnecessary. Dems could cruise for a generation.

Some of this I know intellectually, of course; it's just that I can't get my heart into it. As I said, I was crushed by the events of the early '90s, by the utter cynicism -- and ease -- with which public opinion and The Villagers were swayed to act against what we know the people want. It also cuts to the bone on one of my worst complaints about our system -- how utterly in the pocket most members of Congress are to the moneyed interests. But you make an inspiring argument. I especially like the parallel

Living out loud was the title of a 1998 danny devito movie and is a long standing idiom http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120722/

Quoting bjkeefe: Some of this I know intellectually, of course; it's just that I can't get my heart into it. As I said, I was crushed by the events of the early '90s, by the utter cynicism -- and ease -- with which public opinion and The Villagers were swayed to act against what we know the people want.

America has lived in a weird info-bubble for a long time. Maybe I'm being glib, but it seems like the big difference between now and the early 90s is the internet itself. I don't have to rely on PR firms or media outlets to get a handle on how Canadians or Brits feel about their systems. It seems like we're all just much better informed than we used to be. That doesn't mean we're going to make the wisest decision -- but we're not beholden to a few sources of information anymore.

Quoting DoctorMoney: America has lived in a weird info-bubble for a long time. Maybe I'm being glib, but it seems like the big difference between now and the early 90s is the internet itself.

I don't have to rely on PR firms or media outlets to get a handle on how Canadians or Brits feel about their systems. It seems like we're all just much better informed than we used to be. That doesn't mean we're going to make the wisest decision -- but we're not beholden to a few sources of information anymore.

Sometimes I think that, and certainly there is no arguing that the information is out there for anyone who wants to go after it, but all too often, I think people who take advantage of the awesome new wealth still represent a very small fraction of the population. I think that lots of people still get their most or all of their information from what we politely call teevee news, and lots more from whatever radio they happen to listen to while commuting or while at work. And then, of course, there's a further problem among those who

Quoting bjkeefe: Sometimes I think that, and certainly there is no arguing that the information is out there for anyone who wants to go after it ...

And in that spirit, Anne Laurie at Balloon Juice offers some help: an excerpt from a good interview with Howard Dean on health care reform, and a link to the rest. Anne makes observations that jibe with my gloominess: this interview appears in Esquire magazine. Props to them, of course, but somehow, I'm not expecting a whole lot of people to stumble across this without a hint. But anyway, we have the hint! And you can read it, without leaving your chair! So, good. P.S. The occasion for this interview: Dean has a new book coming out. <-- ATTN: Bh.tv bookers

I have a friend who is a physician and a long-time peace and social justice activist. He has found it extremely difficult to find a fellow healer to co-sign an op ed favoring the (modest by left-wing standards) Obama plan. He asked his friends to help, and the most encouraging reply he got was "I can't do it, but when you get lynched I will climb up and cut the noose." The CEO of the hospital told all the doctors not to worry: "I am totally on your side." (i.e., opposed to any change in the status quo). My guess is at least 2/3 of these doctors voted for Obama, the candidate of Change.

Quoting Wonderment: My guess is at least 2/3 of these doctors voted for Obama, the candidate of Change.

Give it a rest, Annoying Man, and focus on the real problem here: the Blue Dog Dems.

Quoting Wonderment: I have a friend who is a physician and a long-time peace and social justice activist. He has found it extremely difficult to find a fellow healer to co-sign an op ed favoring the (modest by left-wing standards) Obama plan. He asked his friends to help, and the most encouraging reply he got was "I can't do it, but when you get lynched I will climb up and cut the noose."

The CEO of the hospital told all the doctors not to worry: "I am totally on your side." (i.e., opposed to any change in the status quo).

My guess is at least 2/3 of these doctors voted for Obama, the candidate of Change.

Fun story: the AMA was created to protect physicians (men) from competition from nurses (women) and others. It's a straight-up cartel and has been for over a hundred years.

lol bjkeefe posts 10 times a day to this site and knows nothing dude needs his own radio show, was born for it

is that you Whatfur? or do you have your own minions now?

Sounds guilty to me.

I'm not arguing with you on that one. And of course you're right that Zelaya should have been tried legally; that was exactly my point, or at least one of them. The other points are that I don't see exactly why supporting the military is so great for our interests -- what, exactly, are they offering us, and why should the realists be so excited to back them? Why was Zelaya so disastrous for our interests? Frankly, I don't see why the "freedom community" (as Eli Lake called them) should back them, either -- why would the harm done to democracy in Honduras by Zelaya's referendum shenanigans be greater than that done by a military coup? It seems like in the end it's pretty much even. I don't think spending a lot of time trying to get Zelaya back is a very good idea. It seems like the realistic thing to do would be to recognize that this is a conflict about Honduran politics and the Honduran constitution, and that neither side can really claim to be the one supporting freedom and democracy above all. It seems like the best

Quoting Username: lol bjkeefe posts 10 times a day to this site and knows nothing

dude needs his own radio show, was born for it

Whereas in your case, no radio show would work, since you apparently only have one broken record. Excerpts from recent spins: Two posts ago:

Quoting Username: bjkeeve...bloggingheads super poster...

The post before that:

Quoting Username: LOOK HERE THESE ARE MY FORUMS BUCKO YOU'LL FOLLOW MY RULES OR BE CALLED A TWERP BY SOMEONE FAR AWAY WHO ISN'T ENTIRELY SANE

The post before that:

Quoting Username: someone edited a comment to add something to it?

NOT ON MY FORUMS >:-[]

The post before that:

Quoting Username: it has been awhile since I have seen such a cut and dried case of forums nutjob

The post before that:

Quoting Username: lol how did I know you would be reading this forum at this hour

The post before that:

Quoting Username: also you must have 10,000 comments here...

Two posts before that:

Quoting Username: A weak bjkeefe burn...never thought I'd see one (again)

After a brief commercial break pleading for airtime for a babbling racist, we're back with ...

Quoting Username: all I can say about bjkeefe is what a cunt, and I'm probably not the first person to say it

And so on. So I do know at least one thing, don't I?

Quoting kezboard: I'm not arguing with you on that one. And of course you're right that Zelaya should have been tried legally; that was exactly my point, or at least one of them. The other points are that I don't see exactly why supporting the military is so great for our interests -- what, exactly, are they offering us, and why should the realists be so excited to back them? Why was Zelaya so disastrous for our interests? Frankly, I don't see why the "freedom community" (as Eli Lake called them) should back them, either -- why would the harm done to democracy in Honduras by Zelaya's referendum shenanigans be greater than that done by a military coup? It seems like in the end it's pretty much even.

I don't think spending a lot of time trying to get Zelaya back is a very good idea. It seems like the realistic thing to do would be to recognize that this is a conflict about Honduran politics and the Honduran constitution, and that neither side can really claim to be the one supporting freedom and democracy above all. It seems like the best thing to do

It was the military enforcing a warrant from the Supreme Court. Supported by the legislators. They arrested him, deported him and then went back to the barracks. That sounds pretty much to me like the Armed Forces acting in a responsible constitution manner to insure the continuation of constitutional rule. Armed Forces, even in Latin America, are not always up to no good and the continued portrayal of this a a military coupe does an injustice to the Armed Forces as well as the Judaical and Legislative branches if events are as I understand them to be.

Wonderment, did you get the "call your Senators" email from OFA yesterday? I thought it was pretty tough on them. The followup form is pretty cool too. ... oh look, it's online too! See, he's pushing for a real public option even: http://my.barackobama.com/page/conte...e=actioncenter

Quoting Username: lol bjkeefe posts 10 times a day to this site and knows nothing

dude needs his own radio show, was born for it

Cute. Username posts twice a year and only knows that he's jealous of Brendan. Dude craves some attention.

Quoting AemJeff: Cute. Username posts twice a year and only knows that he's jealous of Brendan.

Dude craves some attention.

That smells a lot like a sock puppet.

Quoting claymisher: Wonderment, did you get the "call your Senators" email from OFA yesterday? I thought it was pretty tough on them. The followup form is pretty cool too.

... oh look, it's online too! See, he's pushing for a real public option even:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/conte...e=actioncenter

Here's a five-minute video that touches on the aspect of pressuring Congress, to somewhat good effect. It features B'head Jane Hamsher, but the real comedy is provided by the other guest. From Clownhall, natch. BTW, for those who click over and are mystified by the post title, Thursday night is usually "basset blogging" night in that house.

So why isn't that the title of this episode? 'Livin' Out Loud Edition'!