Hell Has Frozen Over

It’s true! Ted Olson, George W. Bush’s former solicitor general and the man who successfully argued before the Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore in 2000, ushering in the most destructive presidency in history now supports marriage equality for gays and lesbians, taking a marriage case to federal court. The idea that I'm in bed with this loathsome character has me wanting to take lots of baths. And gay activists are quick to point out that a federal case now, in this conservative judicial climate, could result in a ruling that is a setback. Still, barring a conspiracy theory in which Olson is actually trying to thwart us on behalf of conservatives, you have to see this as another example of how far things have come and how we are winning big time. And if a Bush ideologue is now on board, what does that say about how far behind a certain Democratic president -- and constitutional attorney himself -- is. How pathetic does this make Obama look?

The Farewell Delusion

Is it just me or is it an interesting, fitting irony that George W. Bush, a man who exploited the event to his own advantage when airliners went down over New York City and caused mass death and destruction and widspread fear across the land almost 8 years ago saw his own farewell speech now overshadowed completely by another airliner going down over New York City but which ended with everyone surviving unscathed? It truly is a new era.

Oh, and the speech. This man is seriously deluded:

The outgoing president acknowledged no mistakes. He conceded suffering "setbacks," though he did not detail them, and he said that there had been a "legitimate debate" over his decisions in pursuing the struggle against terrorism.

But he said his success on that front was indisputable.

"There can be little debate about the results," he said. "America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil."

Bush hailed Afghanistan, where America first targeted Al Qaeda and the Taliban after the 2001 attacks, as a "young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school."

He described Iraq as transformed from a "brutal dictatorship and a sworn enemy of America to an Arab democracy at the heart of the Middle East and a friend of the United States."

And Bush declared victories on the domestic front, arguing that Americans pay lower taxes and that children are learning more in school.

He took credit for his administration's response to the global financial crisis, pointing to "decisive measures" designed to "safeguard our economy."

"These are very tough times for hard-working families, but the toll would be far worse if we had not acted," he said.

He Cannot Let Go

Bush will deliver a farewell speech to the American people, as if we need to hear anything more.

A Bush Comeback?

Just when we're getting rid of George W. Bush, Pam points in the direction of desperate Republicans' attempts to make Jed Bush the next Florida U.S. senator and then, possibly, put yet another Bush in the White House.

The Washington Times suggests that Jeb is "the remedy" for what ails Republicans. You've got to be kidding:

It's a desire to be part of leading the movement and the party out of the wilderness," said a source familiar with Mr. Bush's deliberations who pegs the odds at "60/40" in favor of running. "The only unclear part is, do you do that better in the Senate or out of the Senate?"

Bush Gets Shoe-ed

The BBC has the Bush shoe incident on video from several angles and in slow motion.

Iraqis rallied today for the release of the show thrower, journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi, calling him "a hero" for his protest against Bush.

Bush's Last Minute Horrors

He's still president for 77 days and seems determined to ensconce right-wing ideology in the government for as long as he can:

President Bush’s aides have been scrambling to change rules and regulations on the environment, civil liberties and abortion rights, among others — few for the good. Most presidents put on a last-minute policy stamp, but in Mr. Bush’s case it is more like a wrecking ball. We fear it could take months, or years, for the next president to identify and then undo all of the damage.

Barney Frank: Bush Meeting is McCain Photo-Op

Barney Frank says that taking time out to trudge up to the White House where McCain and Obama will meet with Bush -- at Bush's request -- is just eating up time on a deal that's almost done:

"Frankly, we’re going to have to interrupt a negotiating session tomorrow between the Democrats and Republicans on a bill, where I think we’re getting pretty close, and troop down to the White House for their photo-op, and then come back and get on to it," Frank said.

“We’re trying to rescue the economy, not the McCain campaign,” he added.

A Stupendous Night

Our skybox was just out-of-control with energy, as of course was the entire Invesco Field. I was was doing commentary with Sirius OutQ News director Tim Curran and our producer David Guggenheim for OutQ (Later, Diana Cage, of course of the Diana Cage Show, and Keith Price of OutQ in the Morning joined us from New York), while actor and comedian Jamie Fox and his crew of comics were doing it up for his Sirius channel Foxhole right next to us, and Mark Thompson of Sirius Left was offering his observations for his show, interviewing activists, politicians and others who were coming in and out. All over the box people were mingling and cheering and we were all yammering on our shows, and yet we weren't stepping on each other, and all sounded great. It was amazing to watch. But nothing could top what we were watching down across the crowd of 80,000 and on that stage.

Bill Richardson's speech was pretty good -- well-written and great delivery and surprise coming from the low-key, often low-energy Richardson, as it was a full-throttle attack on John McCain. Al Gore blew things up when he came out, and like Richardson amplified the message that Bill Clinton, John Kerry and Joe Biden put forth, making the case against Bush, Cheney and McCain.

Obama's speech was vintage Obama -- on steroids! (And I thought I was the one who got the steroid shot in my throat). We all expected a great speech but this far exceeded that. It was masterful in the way that Obama finally went for the jugular against McCain -- and Bush -- showing that he can hit hard, and yet it did not in any way have a negative, petty feel. One of my favorite lines was when Obama, in describing McCain bravado on terrorism yet his and Bush's failure to really take on Al Queda and of course having diverted us to Iraq: "John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell -- but he won't even go to the cave where he lives."

Obama laid out his agenda much more clearly, with more of those details people have been asking him for, and he talked about what he really means by change. We took calls from a lot of people across the country after the speech and it was clear that he had moved many Democrats who were Clinton supporters, and others who weren't completely behind him, to be a part of what he is trying to do. This speech capped a convention that did everything it needed to do in bringing the Democrats together and bringing the message out to rest of this very dissatisfied country.

When Obama talked about "our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters" it sent a tingle through me, because I don't think any presidential candidate has ever talked about us as family in that way. We were not cast as just another constituency group, in a laundry list, wanting some rights: We are, according to Obama, part of the American family, a family that has been severely physically and emotionally damaged and one that Obama was laying a plan to help heal. I've read some takes on the exact line he used which criticized him for seeming to want to telegraph a message to those who are not fully in support of marriage for gays and lesbians (as well as people who might be antigay) that he is with them. Here is the line Obama used: "I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination."

It's true that he could have been trying to reassure antigay or ambivalent types, and I thought about it right away and asked our panel and put it out for listeners as well. The sense was that if that was the case he could have and would have said "I don't support" marriage, but instead simply referred to the very real differences people have. He was being realistic in talking about the struggles and differences we have on a lot of issues -- he had discussed immigration, and guns in the same context -- but noted that there are surely things we can all agree on now. I think it was a way of bringing people in on the issue. And certainly, as things happen incrementally, we're going to get our rights bit by bit, and slowly. I think he was simply referring to that reality.

We stayed on the air for an hour after the speech, taking calls, and pretty much closed the Invesco Field. I remember thinking, as we were packing up, that, no matter what happens in this election, I was so glad to have been here for this historic speech and this historic moment.

Now, on to St.Paul next week. Yikes!