Saturday, October 29, 2016

"You've Got Mail"

Honestly, the drip, drip, drip of the leaked, hacked emails is enough to spike the rate of wine and xanax sales. I am with Hillary Clinton and have been for much of her career. I am sick and nauseous from all the innuendo, insinuation, gossip, and implication that Hillary Clinton has acted criminally.  Does anyone understand facts anymore?  Does anyone understand the bigger picture of what is at stake here?  Does anyone understand that the Republicans have repeatedly tried to take her out for her entire public life?  No one has been under fire or more scrutiny that Hillary Rodham Clinton.  She can't be bullied. She can't be put down.  She is a phoenix.  She keeps rising from the "ashes."  

If she were a he, she would be dead by now or locked up in a loony bin.  No one has had to endure what she has been subjected to repeatedly.  I know that there are those of you that hate her.  I've discussed it ad nauseum here, but much of the "hate" is misunderstanding fact from fiction.  The Republican machine is nothing if not focussed. If they keep repeating a statement long enough, it becomes a "fact."

So here we are, less than two weeks from election day and the head of the FBI, James Comey, has come out with murky, non-specific statements that just fuels all the mistrust for Clinton.  These emails were found on Anthony Weiner's computer.  They came across them during their preliminary investigation into his alleged criminal activity, sexting an underage girl across State lines.  Comey felt he needed to break protocol and regulations and alerted the Republican's on the oversight committee.  It was supposed to be on the downlow, but there is no such thing with the opposition. They can't keep secrets when it may work to their advantage.  The Republicans and media went whole hog on a partial, no information story.  All it can do is make Clinton look more dishonest.  She called for immediate release of any and all relevant emails.  Good move.  They will not be able to do that and Comey has, not only broken FBI investigative protocols, he has insinuated himself into an election for our highest offices.

I can't imagine what could be in any email that would be really concerning.  Many high ranking officials have deleted or "lost" thousands of emails.  Clinton isn't the first, ahem George W. Bush. Honestly, let's stop throwing mud and make clear and nonnegotiable guidelines for all future Secretary's of States, Presidents, government workers.  One rule for all classified emails.  One rule about cellphones, private servers, computers, emails.  Let's look forward and make sure that we elect Hillary Clinton and get a Democratic Senate. Let me paint a clear picture people, if we don't get a Democratic Senate and Clinton is President of the United States, we will spend her entire tenure in Senate hearings.  It will be a repeat of all the incredibly wasted time and money we saw in the 90's.  

We need elected Senators and Representatives that will work.  That won't just obstruct.  That will look at problems and solve them. That will care about all Americans.  That will show compassion and intelligence to the People of this Country.  At this point, we have a Congress that isn't interested in us, the People.  They just want to screw Obama and Clinton.  Congress has tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act over 60 times and never, ever tried to make it better, tweak it.  They just want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are problems with almost every bill and law, but members of Congress are supposed to make things better, not just sit on their asses saying no. What are we paying for?  Why aren't they flipped out that Russia and Wikileaks are effecting our election?  It shouldn't be partisan. All should care, but all they care about is themselves and their re-elections.  Bigger picture, again, people.

Pay attention.  Don't believe all the bullshit that you are reading and hearing online, on television, or on the radio.  Our problem as a Country, we don't have a Walter Cronkite anymore.  There is no voice that we all can trust.  It's confusing.  BUT we need President Hillary Clinton.  Don't stay home.  Get out there and vote.  This election will have longterm ramifications no matter who wins.  I just can't stomach if it's President Drumpf.  Women will be the biggest losers.  Hispanics will lose.  African-Americans will lose. This isn't something to take lightly.  I will keep pounding this until November 9th.  Mark out time in your day on November 8th.  If you're lucky enough to live in a State with early voting, go.  Check your polling location.  It's easy, just copy and paste: https://g.co/kgs/5M4TaF.  Ours changed, did yours?  

Please re-post, re-tweet, or forward to a friend.  VOTE!
@DianaPodolsky

Monday, October 10, 2016

Hip, Hip Hypocrisy

Okay, so when the unseemly Access Hollywood videotape was released on Friday with Drumpf and Billy Bush, I was nauseous but I also felt sorry for Billy Bush.  I've watched him on television for years and if there's one thing I thought about him, he was a suck up.  Whatever the situation he was never ever going to be contrary or combative.  He was an entertainment host and was going to play along in any situation.  Social media immediately called for Billy Bush' firing from The Today Show.  It was quicker than lightning and so predictable.  We, as a society, always want to make someone pay and swiftly.  

NBC, however, has an incredibly bad record. In the past decade they've messed things up and made someone take the fall, unless, of course, there's profit involved.  They messed up the Conan O'Brien/Jay Leno deal and Leno took all the heat.  Seriously, I never got that. From where I sat, Leno was a soldier in the NBC army and did what they told him to do, he's under contract.  NBC threw them both under and both struggled to regain their footing.  NBC let Lauer destroy and take the fall for the Ann Curry debacle. She was hired as his co-host and it was not the right fit.  It wasn't working.  NBC let him be scorched on that firing.  Now, with Billy Bush, there are thousands upon thousands of hours of tape that the Today Show execs could have watched, to see if Bush would be a good fit for the 3rd and flailing hour of The Today Show.  Now, whether they did or whether they didn't, Bush' participation in the now infamous and degrading video between Drumpf and Bush was theirs to seek and find.  Bush comes from entertainment not their precious news division, so wasn't it on the producers and heads to ask and vet?  

So this videotape is released on Friday and someone's head needs to roll.  Social media is asking for Bush' head on a platter.  It can't be Drumpf's, though after the pussyfooting he got from Lauer on the Commander in Chief discussion, it should be Lauer's, but he makes too much money for the network and himself. Don't for one second think that if Billy Bush had magically turned around the very problematic 3rd hour of the Today Show and was the saviour, NBC wouldn't have done things differently.  BUT after first announcing Billy Bush was going to apologize on today's episode this morning, they decided to suspend him indefinitely.  He, too, will go the way of Dr. Nancy Snyderman.  We will never see his face again on NBC.  

Now, to be fair, I defended Bush, initially, that he is just a suck up, but after watching John Oliver's show Sunday night on HBO, I can't.  Oliver did what NBC hire ups should have done before they hired Bush.  He found clip after clip after clip after clip of Bush being inappropriate, misogynistic.  Oliver eviscerated Bush.  If you take the time to watch, he won't be back.  BUT again, I say, NBC execs are always good at not blaming themselves.  I feel for Bush' wife and three girls, that's all on this.

Let's get to the debate or the bloodbath or the disaster we call the Presidential campaign.  I'm not going to go over the words, the manner, or the disgust.  What I do want to point out is how completely hypocritical all the shocked and holier than thou Republicans are.  They were okay to back and support Drumpf when he called Mexicans rapists, asked for a ban on all Muslims entering the country, insult the Khan family, tweet insults to Megyn Kelly, Alicia Machado, and so many other women.  He denigrated every group in this country except white men.  No one has been unscathed, but the video released on Friday saying he could freely grab a beautiful woman's pussy because he's a star, that was too far.  Really?  All the other insulting and heinous words didn't do it, but bragging about sexual assaulting women was just too far.  You are all hypocrites.  You have created this monster with recklessness to our country and your Party. You, Reince Prebus, allowed the "fine" men and women of your Party to fall in line until you heard the word pussy? Now your through?  Now all the spineless endorsers are falling out?  You are all a disgrace.  The only Republicans that can hold their heads up high, who never wavered or fell in with the Party line...Mitt Romney and John Kasich.  Integrity.  They're the only two.  

So, tonight, when you go home, take 5 minutes and look in the mirror.  Do you like what you see?  I am not even involved, except as a citizen, and I'm having trouble sleeping.  You?  

Saturday, October 8, 2016

For All the Girls I've Groped Before


Okay, I seldom write over a weekend but the latest video release of Drumpf's interaction with Billy Bush, over hot mics from Access Hollywood, raises a whole new level of ire and disgust on social media and television that I can't keep silent.  I have gotten into a comment argument about Billy Bush being fired from the Today Show on a friend's Facebook page. I don't agree at this point, but people, we have to stay focused on the real culprit.  Over the last year, we have heard incredibly disgusting racist, xenophobic, homophobic, misogynistic statements from the Republican Presidential candidate.  Every time many of us have said this is it, he's out. He's more emboldened than ever. Even the Republican party can't support him anymore and every time Drumpf has skated through.  This audio and video tape uncovered by the Washington Post, who, by the way, seem to be the only journalists left, is the penultimate audio to take him down.  Will it?  Well, at this point, I'd rather he ride this out through the election, but the Republicans should stop selling their souls and peel their shaky endorsements back.  

The outrage is well founded, but again, it is much from the never Drumpf or the #ImWithHer crowd.  I would like to hear from true Drumpf supporters.  Does this change anything for you?  I doubt it.  That's the real disgrace.  That's the real pill we have to swallow.  The people that love him no matter what heinous things he says or does.  Drumpf was right when he said in December that he could stand on 5th Avenue and kill someone and his people wouldn't care.  They'd probably give him a standing O.  That's the real terror we are going to have to face after the election.  Who are these supporters?  Where are they?  I have FB friends from the middle of the country trying to draw them out for a conversation, but there haven't been any takers.  I've seen them interviewed by reporters at rallies and horrified by their ignorance or hate for Hilllary.  

And again, I ask, what did she really do to gain such venomous hate?  Come on, the haters hated her before Ben Ghazi, before the emails, before any "scandal."  That just gave them justifications for the hate, but seriously, what is the reason?  Is it that she's a woman and not afraid to go up against men?  Could that be it? Is it that she wasn't a stay at home wife and mother trying to buck the system to help others?  Is that it?  I've never understood, but clearly, Hillary Clinton hits a nerve and always has.  

So this latest realization of Drumpf's misogyny and criminal behavior, does it matter to anyone voting for Drumpf?  Is this the last straw?  I don't know. I kind of doubt it, but as we begin to explain to our children that you can be a hate monger and a sexual predator and be running for the President of the free world, well, really how can you explain away all the loathsome words that Drumpf has said?  He always doubles down.  He just doubled down on the Central Park Five and they were found wrongly convicted, but he's not letting go of that.  He reiterated that he still thinks they're guilty. His apologies are never really apologies, they're just words that he is programmed to say to try to alleviate the pain and anger he's caused.  He has completely taken down his precious family, once unknown or unscathed publicly, now all tainted by his deplorable behavior.  

We need everyone to vote, men and women, to send a clear message that we are better than this man of questionable means and character.  Stop trying to equate Drumpf with anything about Clinton.  It's not the same. They are all false equivalencies across the board.  The Republican Party and their elected officials have made their beds and now trying to take us down with them.  We won't let them.  We can't let them.  VOTE for Clinton, it's the only answer in this election.

Sidebars:  If you want great political discussion on television, the best 4 hours are Joy Reid on MSNBC Saturday and Sunday mornings, 10-12pm EDT.  She takes no sh*t from anyone.  She would have been a great moderator, but the Drumpf camp would've never approved her. -- Don't miss the "Town Hall" from Washington University in St. Louis Sunday night at 9pm EDT.  Hopefully they will show what a beautiful campus it is on the way into the venue. -- We are currently in the thick of the post season for MLB.  To my delighted surprise, the San Francisco Giants made it.  Post season goes until the first week of November.  Ridiculous.  -- There are a lot of new shows on television but don't think any have hit it out of the ballpark. Hoping that the new HBO shows on Sunday night are the ticket: Divorce and Insecure. -- Bill Maher was great this week, catch it on replay or On Demand. -- Samantha Bee's show is always worth watching. -- Bruno Mars dropped his first new song, 24K Magic, in two years,  Thursday night.  Love him, enjoy the song, hate the video. He didn't need the objectification of women.  He's got too much talent. -- Times are tough, people, don't sit this one out. Vote! 

Please re-post, re-tweet, or forward to a friend.
@DianaPodolsky