Fox News Shows Their Immorality

Yesterday on the first Monday since Tim Russert’s death, CNN and MSNBC paid their respects. Fox, denounced and attacked him. CNN and MSNBC paid tribute to Tim and his family as well as trying to figure out if his untimely death could have been prevented. Fox trashed him as part of the liberal media before his family had even held his funeral. Conservatives who watch Fox like to talk about family values, but if you saw them disrespect a man who had recently died and whose family was in mourning and you still watch them you have no values. Not just no family values, but no values period. Of course, I don’t know why I would have expected better from a network which said Michelle Obama was a “baby mama”, views a joke about an Obama assassination as acceptable, which ambushes people completely unprompted, treated the fictional Michelle Obama ‘whitey’ tape as if it were real, treats a McCain surrogate as if he were unbiased, has a host who blames a girl for being raped and killed, a host who says Latinos aren’t American, etc.

For his part, Senator McCain showed himself to be a better man than anyone who works at Fox News and he paid his respects to Tim Russert and his family as did Senator Obama, President Bush, and many others from both parties.

Al Gore Endorses Barack Obama

The torch was ceremoniously passed last night when the man who represents what could have been endorsed the man who represents what could still be. Nobel Prize Winner and former Vice President Al Gore threw his full support behind Senator Barack Obama. Earlier in the day, Gore pledged to do whatever it takes to get Obama elected:

“From now through Election Day, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure he is elected president of the United States,”

While endorsing Senator Obama, Gore reminded everyone that the world would have been a lot different if the Supreme Court hadn’t installed George W. Bush(since Gore had more votes in Florida as found by an independent recount and thus would have had more electoral votes if the Supreme Court hadn’t stepped in.) Gore took shots at the man who lost to him, but is President anyway:

“After eight years of incompetence, neglect and failure, we need change, after eight years when our Constitution has been dishonored and disrespected, we need changes.”

Gore went on to quote Republican attacks on John F. Kennedy which said he was too young and too inexperienced and pointed out that as Kennedy had noted, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Columbus all entered history at a young age. He then went on to list many of Bush’s failures to show just how much elections matter including their incompetence in responding to Hurricane Katrina, the deeply weakened economy, a failed foreign policy including the occupation of Iraq, and allowing China to send tainted goods to the United States:

“Even our dogs and cats have learned that elections matter, this election matters more than ever because America needs change more than ever.”

He then introduced Senator Obama who referenced the Democratic anger about the Bush’s “victory” when he called Al Gore “the winner of the popular vote.” He also did this in the “Compassion Forum” which took place in the primaries where he said:

“By the way, I have to say, I think Al Gore won.”

The GOP of course scrambled to come up with an attack and their spokesman Alex Conant said:

“This election isn’t about changing the past, it’s about changing the future. It’s telling that half of the 2000 Democratic ticket endorsed John McCain early in the campaign, while the other half waited until Barack Obama had been the presumptive nominee for weeks.”

Now, all that is in there is an ad-hominem attack. The GOP wants you to believe that Gore’s speech was about changing the past when it wasn’t. It was about remembering the past and not making the same mistake this time. Their shot about Gore’s late endorsement is one that has a flaw. Lieberman is still a political figure and a close friend to Senator McCain so it makes sense that he’d be quicker to endorse his beloved friend than Gore who had become an independent apolitical figure and hasn’t known Senator Obama for decades. The GOP is making a false comparison.

Gay Marriage Begins In CA

From San Diego to San Francisco, today in CA, many gay and lesbian couples are finally getting married. Many in the state are happy for them, however some are appalled by the fact that they now have the same rights as a heterosexual couple and want to ensure that this equality doesn’t last. Assemblyman Doug La Mafa gave voice to this position saying:

“This[the ban] is an opportunity to take back a little bit of dignity … for kids, for all of us in California,”

He wasn’t alone as shown by the protesters at the Contra Costa County office holding signs that say “God is your enemy” and the protesters at the Los Angeles county office holding signs saying “Repent or Perish.” However, the bigots were outnumbered by the tolerant and the decent who were holding signs saying “Hate is not a family value” and “My marriage is not threatened by theirs, why is yours?” as well as rainbow colored flags.

The joy was tempered by the knowledge that all of this could once again be taken from them in November if the enemies of equality have their way.