Political Brazilian Jui Jitsu

I am a HUGE fan of Mixed Martial Arts. I think its great to see athletes will all different kinds of skill sets go toe to toe in combat for 3 or 5 rounds. MMA has evolved from the early years where any old bar fighter could get in the ring and give it a go. Nowadays the matches look more like a physical chess match than a back room brawl. One of the major fighting disciplines that the fighters study is Brazilian Jui Jitsu. The premise of BJJ is that you can negate a bigger more powerful foe by taking the fight to the ground where strength and reach are not as effective, and then finishing them off with either a choke or a joint lock. The best BJJ practicioners are adept at setting up their finishing moves by appearing to give their opponent an opening when in reality they are simply baiting them into making a mistake. Today I believe that Rush Limbaugh and the Republicans are walking into the opening that he believes President Obama is giving him and soon we will see both of them caught in a finishing move.

From Fox and Friends this morning:



See Rush Limbaugh believes that what President Obama is trying to do is put a wedge between himself and the GOP. But its not playing out that way. In fact what I believe President Obama is doing is getting the Republicans to put their devotion to Rush Limbaugh out in the open for the world to see by luring them into believing he wants them to oppose Rush. There is no way that any rational person would believe that the Republicans would ever shun Rush because he APPEARS* to hold too much sway with their base. So what do you think is going to happen when President Obama makes a statement to the Republicans about not listening to Limbaugh if they want to get things done? OF COURSE they are gonna run to the media with it which will then raise Rush's profile temporarily. But President Obama plays long ball not short ball and like most people who have been paying attention he knew the next move would be the talking heads would start asking the Congressional Republicans if they were taking their cues from Limbaugh.

Now THAT ladies and gentlemen is the epitome of putting them between a rock and a hard place. The GOP doesn't have anyone with enough courage to take on Rush Limbaugh and risk offending his "ditto heads" soo predictably instead you see all of them instead giving him unadulterated tongue baths. The few who foolishly made statements to the effect that they were their own men and didn't follow Limbaugh, quickly changed their tune and turned aroud and kissed his ring after being smacked down by the dittoheads. Instead of putting a wedge between Rush and the GOP, President Obama has actually ensured that the whole country would see who is pulling the Republicans' puppet strings. Does anyone think its a coincidence that every Rethug voted against the bill yesterday in the House after Limbaugh called for them to do so? Some how if there are any I think now their numbers are dwindling.

Now remember a few months back when John McCain cried foul over a spanish speaking ad that then Senator Obama put up that McCain to Limbaugh? Expect to see more of those kinds of adds in 2010 and 2012 from the Democrats opposing incumbent Republicans in the House. If the Democrats do it right the Rethugs will have to lug Rush Limbaugh's fat ass around on their back every where they go when they campaign for reelection. They better start eating their Wheaties!



* I guess the Republicans can't count, but on November 4th over 130 million Americans cast ballots in the election. Rush Limbaugh gets about 13 million listeners every week most of them repeat listeners. Teh math is not in the GOP's favor.

Is Rick Warren Welcome In The Log Cabin?

I will be honest, the selection by President Elect Barack Obama of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the inauguration doesn't really move me the way it has some liberals. I understand the outrage because of his recent comments about >homosexuality and gay marriage(although he did endorse civil unions) but the truth IMHO is that there are a helluva lot more preachers in this country who agree with his views on those issues than those who disagree (also I am at least AS troubled by his comments endorsing the assassination of world leaders). And I also understand that there are a lot of rank and file citizens in this country who believe in granting gay couples at least civil unions who have at least one of Warren's books in their home and or office. The truth to me is that ANYBODY who was chosen would be a controversial pick due to all of the "Obama is a Moooslem" smears and the whole Reverend Wright fiasco. The most important thing about the selection to me is that it will resonate with the largest swath of America. You can agree with a religious leader on many issues without agreeing him on others and there are a lot of people who feel like "Purpose Driven Life" has really helped them in their day to day.

But what thing I am wondering about is where are the Log Cabin Republicans these days? These are people who support a Republican party that wants to act as if they don't even exist. If you listen to 99% of Republican officials you would think that all gay people are lefty librul Democrats intent on ruining America. Newt Gingrich, supposedly a leading Republican "thinker", has said there is gay people who want gay marriage are fascists who want to "impose their will on America". Talk about voting against your personal interests. To me it would be like a section of black folks supporting the Dixiecrats back in the day because they wanted to pay lower taxes for their segregated schools. I. Just. Don't. Get. It.

So Log Cabiners, on this Rick Warren issue, what say you?

Update: Ta Nehisi Coates over at the Atlantic points out that Pastor Joe Lowery, who is an outspoken supporter of gay rights, will also be on the inauguration program giving the benediction. I am waiting to see if the liberals who are throwing Obama under the bus will at least give him his props for that.