National Security

via Andrew Sullivan

"I refuse to be lectured on national security by people who are responsible for the most disastrous set of foreign policy decisions in the recent history of the United States. The other side likes to use 9/11 as a political bludgeon. Well, let’s talk about 9/11.

The people who were responsible for murdering 3,000 Americans on 9/11 have not been brought to justice."

They are Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda and their sponsors – the Taliban. They were in Afghanistan. And yet George Bush and John McCain decided in 2002 that we should take our eye off of Afghanistan so that we could invade and occupy a country that had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11. The case for war in Iraq was so thin that George Bush and John McCain had to hype the threat of Saddam Hussein, and make false promises that we’d be greeted as liberators. They misled the American people, and took us into a misguided war.

Here are the results of their policy. Osama bin Laden and his top leadership – the people who murdered 3000 Americans – have a safe-haven in northwest Pakistan, where they operate with such freedom of action that they can still put out hate-filled audiotapes to the outside world. That’s the result of the Bush-McCain approach to the war on terrorism," - Barack Obama, yesterday.

Two Fronts

a) my election malaise is burning off... a twitter meme started "When Obama wins..."

My favorite: When Obama wins... we will all shower in beer and soap will be replaced with bacon.

Runner up: When Obama wins... Robert Downey Jr. will celebrate with hookers and blow.

b) I achieved my 4 mile goal on Wednesday, squeezing 4.1 miles in 26 minutes.

c) a new pair of Nike free 3.0s arrived today... when will I test them out?

**Update**  I achieved my 6-mile goal tonight in the 3.0s, squeezing 6.05 miles in 40 minutes, missing my 5-mile goal by 20 seconds, I should have tried to push on the the 10k goal, but oh well.

Lessig

Larry Lessig, one of my favorite people in the United States, is exploring two ideas:

1. a Change Congress bipartisan Congressional coalition that pledges not to take lobby/PAC money; ban expenditure earmarks; and support public campaign financing
   
2. that he is considering a campaign in California's 12th district

I think he can be the kind of inspiration Paul Wellstone was.

Better Media

I've never really understood how campaigns go through millions, and still have really lame content.  So will.i.am's video is pretty moving, particularly capturing a beautiful multi-cultural, idealistic modern United States.  And it was done on his own.

Motorhead Says It's OBama!

I've been listening to Motorhead lately. I noticed that Bomber could be a rallying cut for Barack.

Ain't a hope in hell,
Nothing's gonna bring us down,
The way we fly,
Five miles off the ground,
Because we shoot to kill,
And you know we always will,
It's OBama

...
Because, you know we do it right,
A mission every night,
It's OBama

No night fighter,
Gonna stop us getting through,
The sirens make you shiver,
You bet my aim is true,
Because, you know we aim to please,
Bring you to your knees,
It's OBama

OB in 08

I just noticed how convergent OBama is to 08, OB 08 verses Ob 08.