SteakMatters

The Spin(Doctor) on Sarah Palin

2009-07-07T13:56:00.003-04:00

A guest post from SpinDoctor:

Waking up in a Savannah hotel room that hot August morning, CNN was already speculating that a plane had flown overnight from Anchorage to Dayton, Ohio, the site of a much-anticipated John McCain rally. The likely occupant: Governor Sarah Palin.

In a brilliant move, Senator McCain revived his presidential campaign, which had been on life support since the South Carolina primary in 2000.

In the months leading up to this announcement, I was asked many times who Senator McCain should pick as his running mate. Even without knowing the Democratic contender, my answer was: “He needs a fresh face…someone different from the Republicans spotlighted the face of the party. He needs a woman, like Sarah Palin. Or the son of immigrants, like Bobby Jihdal. Or an accomplished leader brought out of retirement, like J.C. Watts. And, he needs someone with solid conservative credentials, which all three of the people on my short list possess as well.”

At one point, I was looking around online for more information about each of my three picks so that I could include some links with my response, but the availability of profile pieces on Governor Palin was minimal. Wonkette had run something referring to her hotness, but not much else surfaced in my search. Ten months later, she returns 21 million hits on Google.

Now, this political lighting bolt has struck again. While she baffles many, I tend to understand her decisions at every turn. Admittedly, I’m influenced by my own life experiences, but the complexity of her motivations appear crystal clear to me. She’s been in the middle of a political firestorm for almost year, and while she can weather it, her family and her state have suffered.

I was looking around online for a more articulate explanation. It appears the Drudge Report link to Roger Stone’s website has blown up his server, so this link (http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/sarah_palin_roger_stone/2009/07/06/232562.html) and excerpt from newsmax.com.

[Roger] Stone likens Palin’s decision to step down from the Alaska
governorship to that of Richard Nixon, who in 1962 “got fed up with being called
Tricky Dick, got fed up with being the man that nobody would buy a used car
from, and fed up by the constant assault on his values and his middle-class
background by the liberal media,” he says.

“So, in 1962 he did what Sarah Palin just did –– he quit politics. Six
years later he was inaugurated as President of the United States.”

Read the rest—it’s insightful. And then check back in 2012 to see if we’re right.

The SpinDoctor remains as a guest poster to SteakMatters and will singlehandedly save this blog if POTUS could ever open his computer one evening and finally extend the invitation to be a member of The Team. - POTUS

Jimmy Dimora Jumps the Shark

2009-06-30T00:45:00.001-04:00

Today, Jimmy Dimora went on the attack. No, actually, Jimmy Dimora jumped the shark. In an episode of epic proportion, one that in my many years I have never seen, Jimmy Dimora attacked everybody – his accusers, the FBI, the Department of Justice, the Plain Dealer, the Republican Party (local and national) and he blamed Bush, Gonzales, Rove and the Right Wing Conspiracy. Today proved that when cornered, a wounded animal is the most dangerous.

I think that Dimora was hoping that by calling for an investigation by the US Attorney and Congress that the Obama Administration and Cong. Kucinich would come to his defense. It appears that the office of the President doesn’t know a Jimmy Dimora; and Cong. Kuncinich, who has the power to convene such an investigation as Chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform won’t. As of the 11:00pm newscasts, the Congressman has no comment on the Commissioner’s request for a federal investigation. I’m guessing Jimmy in no longer “the backbone of the Democratic Party in Ohio”. Either that or the good Congressman has lost his. I know it’s not the later.

Once the full video is available, we will post it here. In the mean time, watch the WKYC report below:

And, I thought that Thursday’s 20+ minute rant by Dimora was his pitch to make himself ‘the victim’, a ‘martyr’ even. Watch it here.

Here’s a couple of parting thoughts:

Who paid for today’s overtime? Jimmy’s presser was after 5:00pm.
Is Dimora’s defense going to be that he works within the system and it’s the system that’s corrupt?
What other politicians in the “Great Lakes Region” are being investigated? Detroit? Detroit again? Or maybe Chicago? Or Chicago again?

POTUS

6 "Guy Foods" That Are Good for You

2009-06-25T17:15:00.001-04:00

Special thanks to the sharp eyes of one Ron Jawarski, aka Tommy Callahan, for sharing the following story.

Let it be know that the following Guy Foods are listed, in no particular order:
Pasta (with a nice meat sauce?)
Steak (That's what I've been saying for years!)
Potatoes (Is it to much to ask that they be fried too?)
Chilli (FLOTUS makes the BEST! Period. And theirs a pot in the fridge as I type.)
Chocolate (good on ice cream, too)
Alcohol (Oh yeah!)

6 'Guy Foods' That Are Good for You - Men's Health - FOXNews.com

Posted using ShareThis

Don't Cry for me Argentina!

2009-06-24T21:04:00.000-04:00

Sanford to resign as head of RGA. He should step down as Gov too.

What a disappointment! And to run off on his wife and kids - on FATHER'S DAY!!

Bonus points if you can find the pig in this picture.

POTUS

How would you like your Tuna?

2009-06-23T10:49:00.003-04:00

Is the Tuna cooked? Dimora to resign.

Pictured: Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones, Big Red, and Jimmy "The Tuna" Dimora.

Plain Dealer

2009-06-12T16:31:00.002-04:00

For when SteakMatters doesn't break it, follow the County in(dictments) Crisis here.

Finally…

2009-06-12T16:21:00.001-04:00

Well the indictments are now starting to roll out. 3 down, how many more to come?

PO1? PO2?

From the ‘Don’t answer your phone if the number starts with 216-999….’: Mayor Dean DiPiero was driving in the car when reached by the PD. He said he was driving from Mansfield and after dropping an F-bomb as the Our Lord and Saviour's middle, he stopped talking and couldn't comment further until he read the indictment.

Mayor, are you sure you’re not driving to Mansfield?

TOTUS

2009-06-10T16:51:00.003-04:00

Gotta wonder how it is the NBC execs let this one get through...

Watch the video. Hilarious. My favorite clips: Ron Burgundy?; and Joe "I'll be" Biden "my tongue"

Check out the TOTUS blog here.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Mandel Announces for OH Treasurer

2009-05-28T11:25:00.003-04:00

State Rep. Josh Mandel announced today, via a web video, that he will be running for Ohio Treasurer. View the video below:

A Tax Rap

2009-05-15T11:38:00.001-04:00

This is a hilarious video sent to me by my good friend, KM--quality humor. Unfortunately, the humor does not mask the reality of it all. Thanks, KM--you compelled me to actually blog with this!

--G

The Smorgasbord

2009-05-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

Yeah, you’ve heard it before – we in the land of SteakMatters.com have been working our asses off, so we haven’t posted in oh…about 4 weeks. I think the new strategy in DC is to keep people like The Team so busy that we don’t have time to call out the purveyors of BS.

So step up to the Smorgasbord and have your fill….

Swine Flu – this is the biggest bunch of crap designed to scare people. The economic impact of this hoax could set this economy back even further. (Anyone notice how it’s not ‘Swine Flu’ anymore.) How do we at 1600 Pennsylvania battle it…we went to Vegas for the Rabbi’s wedding and then cooked pork tenderloin for Mother’s Day.

Big Auto – Let me get this straight, the regime in DC hates foreign completion, so they forced Chrysler into bankruptcy, shuttered Twinsburg, and then give a foreign company BILLIONS of our dollars!?! PS – As a GM man, hate to say it, but if you must buy, buy a Ford. Jackie Moon is...well a Mazada anyway.

Beat the Recession – Friday night’s are usually pizza night at 1600. Well they continue to be, but for a fraction of the cost. Nowadays, I’m buying my provisions locally at Gallucci’s and making a better pizza at home. I use the frozen pizza dough, Dei Fratelli Italian sauce (not pizza sauce), sliced pepperoni, fresh sausage, fresh peppers and onions (for FLOTUS). Using olive oil and pie pans everyone gets their own pizza. And since a dough makes 3 pizzas, there’s always 2 extras for late night or Saturday lunch. And while I’m not spending the money at the local pizzeria, I am buying local.

Only in the Billy – I was getting gas the other day and saw this sight – a canoe sticking out the back of a minivan. Next thing will be cows running loose on the roadway…oh, that already happened. I love hill-BILLY living.

The Billy has its own book case – Going back on the Smorgasbord, here’s a picture that I found funny – the new Billy bookcase. I don’t know that the folks in the Billy will drive to IKEA to get their namesake bookcase.

Crazy Squirrel

2009-05-12T12:43:00.003-04:00

Complements of Brat-in-da-hood.

So much for 'squirrel proof'....

Hill-R-E-ASS

Hastily Made Cleveland Redux

2009-05-12T08:14:00.002-04:00

In response to the f’ing hilarious Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism videos, Positively Cleveland (the Cleveland Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) has rolled out its own counter – a contest to produce your own 2 min. video that cost you $2 or less. Check on the website for contest and PRIZE (we love prizes!) details. Hey, if you can’t beat’em – join’em.

POTUS

Happy Mothers Day!

2009-05-10T08:20:00.002-04:00

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms in the land of SteakMatters, with special wishes to FLOTUS, CC, and Stretch.

At 1600 Pennsylvania, we celebrated a day early with marinated pork tenderloin (no fear of Swine Flu here) char-grilled on the Charbroil. Salad, Redskins (Stretch's receipt), and broccoli, with pound cake, strawberries, blackberries, and cantaloupe for dessert.

POTUS

Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Videos

2009-05-08T13:50:00.002-04:00

So sad, but true, enjoy...

LBJ Thanks Cavs Fans

2009-05-06T00:40:00.002-04:00

Thanks to GOTSOO for the tickets to tonight's Cavs game. To bad one of the folks in our loge swiped my WITNESS MVP t-shirt. Whoever you are YOU ARE A SCUMBAG, MOTHER F'ing, LOSER! - POTUS

POTUS (of the States, not Steaks) goes to Ray's Hell Burger...

2009-05-05T18:00:00.003-04:00

Well much to my surprise today, I get an email around 1:30pm telling me that President Obama and Vice President Biden were having lunch at my favorite burger joint, Ray's Hell Burger. Anyways the news was bitter sweet because I love that Obama would dine at one of my favorite places, but it made the national news, and now the secret is out. Ray's does zero advertising, and the place isn't even marked in the strip mall, yet it is always packed. Watch out now since it has now become a tourist spot. Read the email from the White House Press Pool...

Pool Report No. 1 May 5, 2009
Barack and Joe dine out
Forget about "12:30 lunch in Oval Office, closed press" per daily guidance. POTUS and VPOTUS hit the road -- to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, VA (Wilson Blvd).
Pool was called last minute for an OTR, extra-large motorcade departed White House at 12:26 p.m. Arrived at Ray's at 12:31. POTUS and VPOTUS entered thru the front door, pool entered thru the back. Obama and Biden waited their turn in line. After a few moments, Obama looked toward pool and said, "Who's taking orders here? My treat to the pool."
"Who wants a burger?" Obama said.
Then, to Caren Bohan of Reuters: "You're in charge of taking everybody's orders."
Some declined, but others of us (your pooler included) didn't want to seem ungracious, so we ordered burgers. Note: The five of us who did order are making a donation to charity, in lieu of attempting to reimburse POTUS. Caren noted that Obama has fed the press before, such as during campaign, when he bought ice cream.
While Obama and Biden waited in line, the lunch crowd stood and gawked, some took pix with cell phones. The two guys in line ahead of them studied their menus, oblivious to who was behind them.
When Obama and Biden reached the front, Obama greeted the two order-takers. The guy who took Obama's order and money was Tim Murray. There's still some debate among press on exactly what Obama ordered, since it was hard to hear. He definitely had a burger. I heard him say "basic cheeseburger, medium well." But someone else heard him say "Swiss mushroom burger." He definitely asked Mr. Murray for "spicy mustard, if you have it." There may have also been talk of tater tots.
Then Obama took an order for Reggie Love, and relayed the press's order as well. "These are to go, cuz you guys aren't gonna have tables."
Then: "We're paying, or these people [the pool] are gonna write about how we're free-loading."
Obama pulled out some bills and paid, putting a $5 bill in the tip jar.
Biden ordered a swiss cheese burger with jalapeno peppers.
Biden paid for his order separately, with cash. He also got some food to go.
Then Obama said to the pool: "You guys are cheap dates. I can't believe I couldn't get more of you to order a burger."
Obama and Biden sat at a table and had their lunch, while the pool waited outside. At 1:05, they emerged. Crowds cheered as Obama stood on the running board of his limo and waved.
Both men wore dark suits and white shirts. Obama's tie was maroon with black stripes, Biden wore blue tie.
Motorcade back at White House at 1:14 pm. Obama and BIden emerged from the same limo.
I'm still waiting for my burger.

sin city

2009-05-01T12:53:00.000-04:00

In vegas for the rabbi's wedding. (More to come.) Net, I'm only slightly down, but hoping Jaw's (aka Tommy Boy) Red Meat picks for the day put me up...that and the poker tourney which starts in 5.

Tommorow- Derby Day!

Let Them Drink Tea

2009-04-21T22:05:00.002-04:00

By Spin Doctor

Poor CNN. Nobody watches their news station because it has become news for the people by the people. If I want to know what regular people think about the news, I will email my dad, ask around the water cooler, or read a blog. I watch the news to hear the facts and learn what the subject matters experts have to say. CNN now saves time and money on experts by gathering its content from responses generated by readers.

From calling any loser with a webcam an “iReporter,” to giving airtime to texts, tweets, emails and voicemails from any average Joe with a wifi connection, the network has done itself in, and the ratings show it.

Add contempt for Republicans and common people, here, here, here, and here, and you have disenfranchised viewers. Ted Turner’s network has become unwatchable.

You know you’re in Lake County when…

2009-04-12T22:52:00.002-04:00

So Ron Jawarski and I got together for our second Annual Pre-Easter Afternoon Drink-a-Thon on Saturday. We had originally planned on going to Panini’s, but needing an oil change and alignment on the Princess Jeep, Jaws was put in charge of locating a secondary establishment that would have wings, beer and High Def TVs, in proximity to the service station.

He chose the recently opened (we think) Cleats Club Seat Grill in the former home of a Hooter’s and a Denny’s in beautiful Mentor, OH (Lake County USA!). Now you know you’re in Lake County when you see either a mullet hair cut or hair teased in excess of two inches. [Check that, you’re either in Lake County or Parma.] Anyhow, we were in the right place because I saw this hair, a two-fer, if you will, which I can only describe as a ‘starburst’ – perfectly straight-out stringy blonde, mullet head and oh yeah, this same person was smoking outside (SURPRISE!) when we pulled up. This person was so bad, I thought it was a guy, before realizing later in the bar that it was a chick!

While we settled in for our first round, I was surprised to be greeted by PGA, who was in the bar as well, recovering from the night before, by tying another one on. [Oh to be young, with no commitments….]

Now Cleats bills themselves as “Home of the World’s Best Wings”, so you could imagine my anticipation. That being said, I knew that if I was ‘cheating’ and having wings, that I wanted to make sure they were good wings. I lobbied for the BW3, but Jaws informed me it closed years ago. [Yes, I need to get out more!]

So we ordered the nachos, with chili, in a lead-up to the wings. I ordered a dozen of their World’s Best Wings – cooked crispy, with the Hot sauce. Our mound of nachos arrived. They were stacked high and covered with shredded lettuce, black olives, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, nacho cheese and somewhere buried in all of this crap was the chili. We soldiered on.

When our wings arrived, I knew I was going to be disappointed. Mine were drowning in sauce, so even if they were cooked crispy, I wouldn’t be able to tell. The ‘hot’ sauce, 3rd from ‘Red Death’, sucked! It had no kick, and was basically watered down base with too much butter. I later had one of Jaw’s ‘medium’ wings, it sucked too, but at least it wasn’t dripping sauce.

Well in spite of the crappy wings and a Tribe loss, I got to see PGA, got the oil changed, and most importantly talked political hot stove while slinging beers with Jaws. Now that’s a good afternoon.

POTUS

5, 4, 3, to (d)one

2009-04-12T21:47:00.004-04:00

Thank God for the men and women of the 5th Fleet.

Here's hoping the 4th pirate, who left his comrades on the boat, doesn't get asylum.

Three shots. Piracy can be an ugly business. It ain't like knocking over an oil tanker.

And now its done. We don't have to worry about detaining them, a trial, and 'international outrage'. Well check that, I'm sure some group will come forward and say what a heartless act.

- POTUS

Irate about Pirates

2009-04-12T20:56:00.006-04:00

Another guest post from Spin Doctor provided earlier this week and in light of today's developments, I'm getting Derby picks from her. - POTUS

By Spin Doctor

2008 could be called The Best Year Ever for Pirates. They made off with about $80 million in ransom last year, paid by shipping companies and their insurance agencies and ultimately footed by everyone one of us who buy imported goods that travel the world’s waterways.

Once the media caught wind of the growing problem last year, I could not hide my disgust. Granted, Somalia is a failed state. The amount of foreign aid that flows into the country is equal only to the amount of government corruption that steals from the millions of poor and hungry Somalis that the aid is intended to help. But this doesn’t excuse the Somali pirates who regularly target hardworking and unarmed shipping crews.

Pirates closer to home also make me mad. Take the case of a Cleveland man http://blog.cleveland.com/pdextra/2009/02/four_teens_arrested_accused_of.html worked two jobs to pay for his custom car. On his way to work one night, that car caught the eye of a few local pirates who decided to take the car and the life of the young man who was also working to put himself through school. It was not an even trade.

By all accounts, pirates in the Gulf of Aden have grown increasingly bold. After receiving a recent ransom (possibly $25 million) for a Saudi oil tanker, they used a satellite phone to call news outlets to let them know that they had the money and were safely home. Being cocky might also end up being their downfall.

The pirates’ winning streak came to a screeching halt this week with they made what could prove to be a fatal mistake: attacking a U.S. ship. First, the unarmed U.S. crew overtook the heavily armed pirates. Now, the U.S. Navy is on scene and managing the situation. My money is on the 5th Fleet.

Pirates, it’s time you get used to wearing orange.

Does Anyone Know the Heimlich?

2009-04-12T17:27:00.004-04:00

Phil could use it...

--G

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T12:19:00.003-04:00

On this holyist of days, let's puts aside our differences and celebrate with family and friends. Happy Easter from SteakMatters.
- POTUS

Picture: The 2009 Lamb cake by Princess and First Mother-in-Law.

The Obama Foreign Policy Strategy

2009-04-08T18:26:00.000-04:00

--G