pete_h's Open Salon Blog

Revisionist meteorology

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 09:09:47 -0400

The Bush people STILL don't get it.

Sure, their response to Hurricane Gustav was better than their response to Hurricane Katrina. It's hard to imagine it being worse.

What they still don't get, apparently, is how bad Katrina was, three years ago this week.

Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff told Brian Williams - yesterday - that Katrina came ashore as a Category 2, at the 2:09 mark of this video http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/video-chertoff-on-missing-the-big-one/11184300/

In Scott McClellan's tell-all "What Happened", released in the spring of 2008, he said it came ashore as a Category 3 storm: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1586485563/ref=sib_dp_srch_pop?v=search-inside&keywords=katrina+category+3&go.x=0&go.y=0&go=Go%21

Look, fellas, Katrina was a raging Category 5. It was "downgraded" to a 4 just before the eye made landfall because its massive outer rain bands had run into land long before. That nominal rating is lowered as the storm's punch is delivered.

Here are a couple of reminders of that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorological_history_of_Hurricane_Katrina

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/28/tropical.weather/index.html

Waitlisted!

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:08:09 -0400

Waitlisted!

Sorry, the community credentials have all been allocated. With words to this effect, the Obama campaign informed me I didn’t make the cut for a ticket to hear his acceptance speech at Denver’s Invesco Field.

But let’s start at the beginning.

I’ve supported the Senator’s candidacy since mid-winter. I’ve contributed, I’ve put up my yard sign, I’ve talked him up online. Not fanatical support, I suppose, but solid and genuine.

When the idea of moving the acceptance speech to this larger venue was first announced, it was done online. All contributors are on any campaign’s email list, of course, but Colorado Obama contributors received a separate notice. Dutifully, even excitedly, I signed up for More Information As It Became Available.

Local news sources claimed 10,000 other locals had done the same. A week later, there were 30,000 reported requests. You know that some Convention Bigwigs will get in, too, but with 76,000 seats to fill, my odds still seemed pretty good.

Fast forward six weeks. The campaign Information finally Became Available: Sign up one more time, but this time, you get to offer to volunteer for the campaign to increase your chances. Fearing it probably doomed me into the reject file, I clicked “no thanks”.

Today, the bad news was indeed delivered, via text message no less. A followup email has since come, too:

Dear Peter --

We've been amazed by the number of people expressing interest in attending Barack's acceptance speech on the final night of the

Unfortunately, there are only a certain number of seats in the stadium, and we cannot fulfill every Coloradan's request to attend the event.

Due to the high demand for Community Credentials, you have been placed on a wait list.

We may be distributing more Community Credentials in the coming days, but we cannot guarantee that you will receive a credential. We will update you as we approach the beginning of the convention.

Barack's acceptance of the nomination will be a truly historic moment, and there is another way you can make sure that you enjoy it.

Sign up to host or attend a Convention Watch Party on August 28th.

Um, no, probably not. Some solace. It reminded me of Father Guido Sarducci’s Button Sale on Saturday Night Live in the ‘70s: “I Saw the Pope on TV!”

It’s a brave new world of campaigning, but will it only bring us more of the same? Q: Who has restricted entrance to his speeches to only rabid supporters, to a level never dreamed of in the past? A: George W. Bush.

I can guarantee the Invesco crowd will be cheering wildly. The Obama Campaign can guarantee that, too.

So THIS is how Hillary supporters feel...

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:08:23 -0400

Colorado held its primary elections yesterday; caucuses were last spring. For our 2nd CD, three strong candidates were vying for the Dem nomination. Our community was strongly in support of Joan Fitz-Gerald, who lost to Jarid Polis, 42% - 38%. Will Shaffroth was third with 20%.

Joan has worked her way up through the political ranks, culminating as the first female President in Colorado's State Senate's history. Polis is an internet millionaire whose only elective experience is on the State School Board, which some feel he was elected to because of the money he dumped into that election. Of the $4.6 million war chest he threw at the Congressional primary race, $3.5 million came out of his own pocket. Much of that went into negative ads, portraying Joan as beholden to special interests because she had to take campaign contributions and he did not.

Joan: experienced. Jarid: um, not so much. Joan: always been there for our community, especially on the I-70 expansion battle. Jarid: The only time I've heard of him even being here is when there was a crowd to get in front of this summer.

Then I got an interesting Polis Pitch, on Facebook no less: A 16 y.o. from California (!) posted to tell me how much he liked Jarid because he'd be only the third openly gay Congressman, if elected. !. I didn't know he was gay; 2. That fact would make me MORE likely to support him; but 3. Why is some Californian trying to influence MY congressional race, and because of his candidate's sexual orientation only? What about the similar under-representation of the population's majority gender in the House?

Sigh.

At least no one implied it would be anti-gay of me to vote "against" Jarid, aka for Joan. But that seemed like the next tactic that might come my way.

Now: I feel like "our" candidate was upset by an internet-connected sub-group; that it was about the money; that I will hate having this character in office and he won't speak for me and...sound familiar?

As an Obama supporter, I've shaken my head at Hillary backers who can't "get over it". Now I know exactly how they feel. I will understand if they don't vote for O. in November. I won't like it, but I'll understand. I might not be able to pull the lever for Polis, either.