The Double Standard

Your media guide to the differences between #Ferguson and #pumpkinfest http://t.co/XfRjlhgei0

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Matt Weinecke (@MattTW) October 19, 2014

CNN says "bonfires," not ARSON re: Keene fires. Y'all, somebody set a bonfire in the QT. cnn.com/2014/10/19/us/… #Pumkinfest

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deray mckesson (@deray) October 19, 2014

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Ferguson protests after a murder. Media calls them thugs and mobs White students set fires and vandalize. Media calls them "rowdy" #Keene

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Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) October 19, 2014

Your perfect double standard excuse

sick of social media make a big deal out of #keenepumpkinfest kids party every year lets not act like kids now are any worse than before

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Ryan Sanderson (@rysanderson) October 19, 2014

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If only this community’s leaders would speak out to condemn this violence. #PumpkinFest bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/10/…

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Greg Greene (@ggreeneva) October 19, 2014

Don't these people have jobs? Where are the white fathers? What will end this corrosive culture of violence?! bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/10/…

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Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 19, 2014

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White ppl looting at Lacoste. That's the whole joke. Just "white people looting at Lacoste." #keenepumpkinfest http://t.co/sVPmC1KGHA

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Scary Blah Lady (@AngryBlackLady) October 19, 2014

White students vandalizing. Where are the leaders who will speak about this culture of violence?! #pumpkinfest #Keene http://t.co/CRuwcxRS88

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Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) October 19, 2014

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So #pumpkinfest is like #Ferguson protests only no purpose, more violence & less police brutality. Cool.

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Molly (@mollyrosestl) October 19, 2014

White privileged 'thugs' rioting for their right to party and flip cars in #Keene, NH. #pumpkinfest http://t.co/5ED8Qu9Lve

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Viva la causa! (@70torinoman) October 19, 2014

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Look at these thug gang-bangers in Keene, NH. #pumpkinfest http://t.co/DHwgAHC9Kd

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Ray Wert (@raywert) October 19, 2014

Lacoste. Looting. The color of privilege is blinding. #pumpkinfest http://t.co/rdjviqpQC5

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deray mckesson (@deray) October 19, 2014

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Cops don't feel "threatened" by white kids who loot, burn cars,but use that excuse 2 kill blacks who R unarmed n not a threat #pumpkinfest

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  (@DrTMG) October 19, 2014

The discrepancies in police response and media coverage between #Ferguson and #keenepumpkinfest should be a wake up call, but they won't

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E Ru the Damaja (@AlluringShrew) October 19, 2014

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Words white ppl will use to describe #KeenePumpkinFest: Melee Fracas Kerfuffle Brouhaha Mayhem Rowdy Unruly Shenanigans Rumpus Ruckus

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Scary Blah Lady (@AngryBlackLady) October 19, 2014

Interestingly, The Blaze leads with “When College Kids Get Too Drunk.” Their headline on Ferguson? “Riots, Looting, Sharpton…"

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Dianna E Anderson (@diannaeanderson) October 19, 2014

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Not one news report (that I’ve seen) leads with the concept of violence. It’s all “unruly college kids” getting “out of hand.”

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Dianna E Anderson (@diannaeanderson) October 19, 2014

White rioters looted stores, chanting “fuck the police.” 14 arrests. Ferguson protesters stood on sidewalk. 50+ arrests.

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Dianna E Anderson (@diannaeanderson) October 19, 2014

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"Rowdy" is a peculiar word for the rioters at that #pumpkinfest, @cnnbrk. About 30 were injured. How about "violent"? cnn.it/1tCvTQW

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Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) October 19, 2014

@Cnn “unruly” your reporting is garbage and biased / people rioted and destroyed property #ferguson #keenepumpkinfest http://t.co/Og1j79GjtU

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bL0Ve (@2_Synnseer) October 19, 2014

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Saw someone refer to the #keenepumpkinfest riot as a "fracas." White folks digging deep into their thesaurus to find descriptive words.

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Scary Blah Lady (@AngryBlackLady) October 19, 2014

@AngryBlackLady My favorite so far is “mayhem”. Mayhem sounds kind of fun. People get drunk, mayhem ensues.

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Dave (@D_v_E) October 19, 2014

@AngryBlackLady @jmcaninch68 us White folks taught we "fracas", Black people "riot". White guys are "Young Men" and Black guys are "Thugs".

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CaptainGarrett (@spclifton) October 19, 2014

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Protest. Riot. Survival. Privilege. Citizens. Thugs. Peace. Destruction. Right. Wrong. Black. White. http://t.co/BoWJt1IJ8l

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No Justice No Peace (@drumbeats4peace) October 19, 2014

#pumpkinfest Where White Kids can destroy their neighborhood and the cops just smile and go "Those Crazy Kids"

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Viktor T Kerney (@wondermann5) October 19, 2014

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reasons white people riot: 1. their sports team wins 2. their sports team loses 3. no more tickle me elmos 4. tea 5. pumpkins

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Tracy Clayton (@brokeymcpoverty) October 19, 2014

Media on #Ferguson: Angry mob loots and destroys the community. Media on #KeenePumpkinFest: Unruly college kids get a little rowdy. Hmm...

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Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) October 19, 2014

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I mean, #whiteviolence has brought us riots in two different states on the same day. Over sports & pumpkins.

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Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) October 19, 2014

See, when white ppl riot, it's "rowdy," "awry," & "mayhem." Black ppl protest unjustified murder & it's a violent riot. Fuck off, media.

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Scary Blah Lady (@AngryBlackLady) October 19, 2014

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✌️gone awry✌️ RT @TIME Dozens were injured as police used riot gear to break up an annual pumpkin festival gone awry ti.me/1sYyMJs

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Alejandro NIGlesias (@AlejandroDaGr8) October 19, 2014

Had some Black ppl started a pumpkin riot the Natl Guard would've been called in. Let's keep that real. #WhitePrivilege #keenepumpkinfest

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Doc Blue (@DrJP2011) October 19, 2014

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People of color fight for their right to not be killed & brutalized; white kids fight for their right to party. #Ferguson #keenepumpkinfest

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Janaka Stucky (@janaka_stucky) October 19, 2014

This happened at #pumpkinfest not #Ferguson but cops decided no snipers or military force was needed. Wonder why? http://t.co/bhmIolX9Up

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Political Nerd (@Sttbs73) October 19, 2014

good afternoon

ABC: President Obama has crossed off 60 percent of his 2008 campaign promises from his to-do list, he told supporters in Los Angeles Monday as he asked them to help him check off the remaining items.

“I keep a checklist in my desk, and I kind of see, all right, I made a bunch of these promises during the campaign and let me see, yes, I got that done and that one, yes. No, that one’s not done yet. So we’ve got about 60 percent done in three years”….

The president listed health care reform, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and passing consumer protections among the promises that he has fulfilled.

“A lot of the things that we promised we’d do, we’ve done… we’ve made great progress, but we’ve got so much more work to do” …. Items left on the president’s agenda include comprehensive immigration reform, passing energy policy “that makes sense” and, of course, fixing the economy.

To check off the remaining 40 percent, the president said lawmakers will have to put politics aside. “Obviously, in Washington, the politics that I think people are hoping for is not what they’re getting. It’s still dysfunctional, it’s still perversely partisan. You still have folks who seem to be more interested in the short term and the party and elections than they are in the long term and the future and the next generation”….

Read full post here – thanks Marlz

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From yesterday:

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Today:

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Thank you Tally 😉

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OFA

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Loop 21: Even though they can barely hear over the echo from their empty wallets, unemployed people are still shouting “Yes We Can!” apparently.

The Associated Press has found that President Obama still receives tons of support from the jobless, even as Republicans attempt to blame him for high unemployment and after blocking his jobs bill.

A study conducted by the AP shows that people living in the most economically distraught areas with the highest unemployment rates are still donating money to Obama’s re-election campaign. In fact, they are actually donating more than they were in 2008 during Obama’s first presidential campaign and right before the recession hit.

Detroit for example, even with a 14% unemployment rate, wrote more checks to the campaign than it did in 2007. Even though the amounts are smaller (Obama’s website allows people to donate as low as $10), they all still add up eventually.

Thanks Gobrooklyn

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Michael Tomasky (Daily Beast): Perry’s Ridiculous Tax Plan

….. his plan, like all flat-tax plans, is a gussied-up way of stealing money from the working and middle classes and handing it to the rich…..

…. whether Perry revives his candidacy or not, the real issue here is that a flat tax or something like it is getting ever so closer to becoming GOP dogma. Some years ago, it was just the messianic loons: Steve Forbes. Now the flat tax is mainstreaming within the GOP. Mitt Romney, who used to hate it, has recently opened up to the idea. It’s getting … respectable.

Simplicity is for simpletons: a handy slogan for the ruling class that wants more of your money. Don’t be that simple.

Full post here

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The Obama Administration is announcing two new initiatives to help create jobs for veterans – read more here

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New CBS/NYT poll

Wait til they see this, um, extraordinary ad, Herb will go up another 10 points:

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I thought at first this was a kitten watching a GOP debate on TV:

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More soon 😉

west wing week: “right now!” (october 21, 2011)

rise and shine

BBC

Some news agencies (eg Reuters) are reporting that he has died – but there is no confirmation yet.

Update: He’s dead.

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President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama talk with staff while ordering pizza at Anna’s Pizza and Italian Kitchen in Hampton, Va., Oct. 19, 2011. The President and Mrs. Obama had lunch with four veterans during the stop, a part of the President’s three-day American Jobs Act bus tour. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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Love this:

Thanks Meta – original video here

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Woot! Thanks Meta 😉

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From yesterday:

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Poor Mitt …. if this is what his GOP buddies are doing to him, just wait for the 2012 campaign 😉

More here from Steve Benen on Romney v Perry

The pulled Romney ad:

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A gazillion thank yous to everyone who has helped the Drive for Five (Thousand) – my eyes nearly popped out when I saw the figure this morning:

You’re a bunch of gems 😉

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Tim McCarver, the Fox Sports guy, will probably be hired soon by Romney as an economic advisor – he’s, eh, really good with numbers:

SportsGrid

woot! (and other news)

Keith Humphreys (Washington Monthly): …. the Obamas have a magic about them as a couple to which most people respond positively. If you go to any event where the Obamas are standing next to each other, turn around and look at the crowd and you will see many people – especially women – smiling.

…. Last week a friend and I were reminiscing about a White House holiday party that we both attended. My friend jumped up from his chair and asked “Did you notice how differently he stands when Michelle is next to him? He then mimicked the President perfectly, standing stiffly and intoning “Here I am the boring, aloof, professor alone at the lectern”. Then, shifting his feet as if he were mid-strut, throwing back his shoulders and smiling broadly he said “And here I am with this incredibly fabulous babe that I got to marry me – oh yeah!”.

That’s the truth of it. When the President is with his wife, his humanity comes out in a way that it often does not in other circumstances. The facade of the distant academic cracks open, revealing that skinny, accessible and idealistic young man who is still happily ensorcelled by his brilliant companion. And at that moment, many people in our cynical, brutal and heartless electoral process pause for a moment and remember that Barack Obama is a human being, and they like him.

Full post here

More photos in post from earlier today – here

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The Hill: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he will schedule a vote to proceed to a $35 billion jobs bill on Friday. “We’re going to make sure there’s a vote on our bill this week,” Reid said.

The $35 billion measure would direct federal funds to states to prevent layoffs of teachers, police officers and firefighters.

Democrats estimate the legislation will save or create 400,000 jobs. Most of the funding, $30 billion, would go to teachers. First responders would get $5 billion.

It would be paid for by a 0.5 percent tax increase on income over $1 million.

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A photo and poster of President Barack Obama hang on a door as Obama 2012 campaign volunteer Daniel Hertlein exits following the grand opening of the Georgia Democratic Party’s new headquarters, Oct. 19, in Atlanta. Democratic National Committee chairwoman and Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz says her party isn’t conceding any corner of the country in the 2012 presidential election. She says there is a growing groundswell of Democratic momentum in the state and region, bolstered by the area’s changing demographics.

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Was ‘Dick’ Halperin’s Time Page hacked today by an impartial reporter – or does even he realize his relentless negative reporting on the President has become a little embarrassing?

Presumably he’ll be back to normal soon.

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President Obama, on his return to the White House from his tour of North Carolina and Virginia, tells members of the media that the pumpkins he bought will be driven to Washington

President Obama opens a door to the West Wing for National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall after returning to the White House

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Here’s the woot!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, you very, very kind people – that figure is, well, crazy!

I know these are seriously tough times for so many of you, so I honestly do hate asking, but if you’re able, could you help me celebrate by contributing $5, or whatever you can, to The Obama Diary Obama/Biden 2012 fundraising page at OFA (here)? Whenever you can. Thanks everyone.

The Drive for Five!

The incomparable Donna Dem will always be TOD’s fundraising Queen, and in future I’ll use her OFA page for our fundraising drives, this is just to celebrate that 5 million.

Thanks again everyone for your support and company, love ya.

;-)

Halloween pumpkins to support the President and Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold.

From Rachel Maddow’s blog

pumpkinhead

Carved pumpkins depicting President Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and the White House sit on a stone wall next door to where the President was attending a dinner reception in Providence, Rhode Island, Oct. 25, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

you reap what you sow

First Lady Michelle Obama holds a sweet potato as she participates in a fall garden harvest with students from local D.C. schools in the White House Garden

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