Huh. I actually have a shred of respect for McCain. He appeared at a rally in Cincy yesterday* and his warm-up act was a local talk-radio host who is a total douchebag who proceeded to insult Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and the media in general. The crowd, of course, loved it.

McCain, however, actually went to the press corps after his own speech was over, and apologized for what the douchebag said. Although I don't think McCain used the word "douchebag." (Possibly "choad.")

*(Yeah, McCain had 500 people yesterday; on Monday, Obama had 13,000. That's not a typo.)

I paid 120 a month in Boston for my T pass, which was unlimited rides on buses, trains, and the ferry.

I think that's gone up at a radical clip. Actually, maybe not; the monthly base rate is now $59, but includes all buses as well as T. (You can't separate them any longer.) I don't know about ferry.

The nice part about living a bit farther from the city is that my car insurance has dropped like a stone. The not-nice part about same is that driving is unavoidable for some tasks. E.g., my bank doesn't have a branch except in the next town over.

McCain, however, actually went to the press corps after his own speech was over, and apologized for what the douchebag said.

Did he say anything to the crowd?

I would consider taking public transportation to work if it wouldn't take me an hour and a half each way.

That was the situation at my old place. It was bus to train to shuttle (or walk), and took at least double the time of driving. I leave work between 6 and 7, I couldn't handle that at night.

McCain, however, actually went to the press corps after his own speech was over, and apologized for what the douchebag said.

Did he say anything to the crowd?

In general, or in apology? He didn't apologize to the crowd because he claims he didn't hear what Douchebag said. (Besides, the douchebag got the crowd cheering like crazy because of his douchey remarks; maybe the *real* reason McCain didn't apologize to the crowd is because he figured it wouldn't go over well, given how they cheered for the douchery.)

and here was the douchbag's response: [link]

also William F Buckley died.

Oh, Burrell--I forgot to thank you for the compliment to my last portrait. It wasn't the "fine whatever" picture I alluded to in my earlier posts of the evening--I decided to take the theme of shadow a little more seriously and see what happened.

I love light.

Okay, off to work, by whatever means!

and here was the douchbag's response: [link]

He's such a fuckwit. He claims he used Obama's middle name simply to "identify the candidate." Because there are so many *other* Barak Obamas running for president. Like Barak Abercrombie Obama, Barak Quentin Obama, and Barak "Chubby" Vern Obama.

Saying that he used Obama's middle name simply to identify the candidate just leads to the next reasonable question: why didn't he use McCain's middle name? I mean, wouldn't any warm-up guy *want* to properly identify the person he's warming the crowd up for?

Choad.

What. Teppy. Said.

That Barak Abercrombie Obama is kind of a dick, you gotta admit.

I really hope this distancing from the harpee wingnut crowd works well for McCain. I really really do. It will go a long way to improving the discourse if he can prove them irrelevant to success for conservatives, most of whom I am sure don't want Coulter or Cunningham speaking for them, any more than I want Michael Moore speaking for me.