Do you want the good news or the bad news, first?
Actually, there is no good news, so let’s jump right in. Check out this lovely little piece from today’s NYT:
The plan, which is awaiting approval, calls for running commercials linking Mr. Obama to incendiary comments by his former spiritual adviser, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., whose race-related sermons made him a highly charged figure in the 2008 campaign.
“The world is about to see Jeremiah Wright and understand his influence on Barack Obama for the first time in a big, attention-arresting way,” says the proposal, which was overseen by Fred Davis and commissioned by Joe Ricketts, the founder of the brokerage firm TD Ameritrade. Mr. Ricketts is increasingly putting his fortune to work in conservative politics.
The $10 million plan, one of several being studied by Mr. Ricketts, includes preparations for how to respond to the charges of race-baiting it envisions if it highlights Mr. Obama’s former ties to Mr. Wright, who espouses what is known as “black liberation theology.”
The group suggested hiring as a spokesman an “extremely literate conservative African-American” who can argue that Mr. Obama misled the nation by presenting himself as what the proposal calls a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln.”
Um … is this because Obama is a Sox fan, Joe?
To be serious for a second, the not-so-subtle race-baiting in this proposal is, to say the least, alarming. However, I would like to point out that this is only a “proposal” that has not been approved by Ricketts. What’s more, for all we know, Ricketts has 150 of these things and this is just one. On the other hand, people create proposals that they think a client will accept. So there’s that.
I would imagine that, if Papa Ricketts is going to finance this kind of thing, Rahm can make it pretty difficult to get Wrigley renovated.
After reading that this morning, last night’s 9th inning doesn’t look so bad, does it?
But the bullpen failed again, giving up seven runs in the final two innings in a 9-2 loss to the Phillies.
“There’s no easier way to pop up than after somebody kicks you in the teeth,” Garza said. “You’re ticked off and you’re going to get up and make sure it doesn’t happen again. That’s the kind of guys we have — guys who aren’t going to quit and hide and put their tails between their legs.
“They’re going to come back, work their butts off and make sure that crap doesn’t happen again. That’s what we have, and that’s what we need here.”
Carlos Ruiz’s homer off Shawn Camp put the Phillies ahead in the eighth before Scott Maineand Michael Bowden gave up six in the ninth, including Hector Luna’s grand slam off Bowden.
It was at that point that the game and I parted ways, so I’m not sure if anything worth mentioning happened after that point, but I’m going to go ahead and say, if anything DID happen, it was completely irrelvent.
In minor news yesterday, the Cubs put Lendy Castillo on the DL with broken groin and called up Scott Maine to replace him.
The Cubs and Phillies are back in action tonight, and I’m lucky enough to get to hang out in the New Era box. I shall wave to you all from my heated abode while eating carrot cake and drinking wine. And speaking a New Era, they were kind enough to send over this latest video installment of their crosstown commercial:
I was in a bar (weird, huh?) and some a-hole was applauding the Cubs’ collapse. After commenting to him that he must be a REALLY BIG Phillies fan (“I don’t give a [expletive] about the Phillies! I just hate the [expletive] Cubs!”), I asked him if he cheered like that every time he saw a crippled kitten fall down.
And that other bit is too weird for me to process. I’m anxious to see how that develops.
we should probably note that Laura is a big contibutor to Obama, so the politics of the family probably balances out.
80% of the comments on anything I read about this are just all “Go SOX!!1″
lol. jerks
Didn’t Pete Ricketts run for the NE Senate as a Republican in the recent past?
Actually…now that I think about it, I believe you are right…and as I recall, he got absolutely destroyed in the election.
I wonder if Ricketts’ planned anti-Obama ad campaign will HURT ticket sales…OR…INCREASE ticket sales.
LOL. The North Side is pretty solidly blue. . . My guess is that the CUBS will hurt ticket sales more than this will.
Do you suppose that Tom is pissed about this as bad PR for the Cubs?
Probably.
I wouldn’t have thought of it if you hadn’t pointed it out, but I’m also interested in how it will affect the renovation stuff with Rahm.
But how much does Joe Ricketts actually have to do with the team?
i’m not sure, and Laura being a big Obama contributor probably complicates the situation. Don’t want to upset her. But it seems hard to believe that Rahm would just sit by and let this go unremarked upon when it comes to negotiating the renovation.
I kinda hope Rahm makes its real, real, real hard on the Ricketts for that litle piece of work….
I’m fairly convinced of two things…
Joe Ricketts doesn’t care, in any way, about the Cubs.
and
Joe Ricketts gave the money to his kids and said, “Here’s your inheritance. Don’t spend it all in one place.”
I agree completely on both points. But that doesn’t mean he can’t screw things up for them, whether he means to or not.
Oh…I agree, but I don’t think it will be that huge of an effect.
I don’t believe any of the kids, outside of Laura, have that strong of a political stance.
Considering Rahm said things were close for a renovation deal, I would have to say that are a little less close right now because of this.
Rahm is known for being a vindictive little dude. And he is very close to the Obamas. LOL
I’ll strive to be vindictive like Rahm when I become president.
R.I.P.Donna Summer. More people at work here upset about that then the Obama thing. Most of the people of color here are expecting big time dirty tricks to make sure Mittens wins….
I’m not a supporter of Obama or Romney since neither of them represents a majority of things that I support…
So since this is the first election that I can legally be president, I think I’m going to run for president and vote for myself.
And your campaign platform will be?
I will ensure the Cubs get the #1 draft pick every year regardless of how good or shitty their record is.
And free tacos every Tuesday.
Hard shell or soft?
dammit…now I’m going to get into political hot water if I choose one over the other.
Pick a side, Blume, we’re at war!
but if I have to make a stand…it would be soft shell.
What kind of cheese?
Since I’m not an expert on cheese (and that’s the truth), I’d leave that open to a voter referendum.
That’s proper democracy right there…
Who the hell is Blake Parker? http://rotoworld.com/player/mlb/6126/blake-parker
What other roster move is coming?
Parker, I believe, is the closer at Iowa.
As far as other roster moves…I don’t know…Lendy Castillo has already been DLed…unless they are going to option Scott Maine back to Iowa.
It’s obvious the Cubs don’t know what to do about this joke of a bullpen and are grasping as straws to find someone to get outs.
I’m betting Maine gets released.
Damn…you’re right…someone needs to be dropped from the 40 man roster.
Or someone needs to go on to the 60 day DL.
I have to show you guys the best thing in the Cubs gift bags last night.
https://twitter.com/#!/JulieDiCaro/status/202913144446791681/photo/1
That’s John Carruthers from Wasting Away in Wrigleyville.
If Cubs ownership is going to start taking political stances like that, I might as well finish off what I’ve been in the process of doing: converting to a full Nationals fan and joining the crowd of people who make fun of Cubs fans.
The Cubs ownership did not take a political stance.
The father of the Cubs ownership took a stance. From what I understand (and I could be wrong) Pete and Todd are both rather unpolitical with Tom being a bit conservative and Laura being very liberal.
It looks as if the story in the Times may have been a bit misleading as some statements have come out saying that it might have been a bit overblown as to Joe Ricketts’s involvement/approval of this campaign. There’s a lot of crap being thrown around right now and it should take a few days before the dust settles and we find out what is really happening here. I’m not saying Ricketts did or didn’t…but there’s a couple of different stories out there right now and it is going to require a bit more time before we actually know what really happened.
I didn’t say I would stop following the Cubs because of this. I said if the ownership does in fact take stances like this, fuck them. I realize that they haven’t, yet.
ok…just making sure.
And I need to correct myself…Pete is actually a republican who ran for office a number of years ago, as Berselius pointed out. He might be even more conservative than his father. Old man Joe has really only spoken out on fiscal conservative issues, but during that campaign, Pete was also, as I recall, an outspoken social conservative.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Peter_Ricketts
Oh like hell you will.
you’re not leaving me here all alone to cheer for this train wreck.
Well…I’ll still be around.
……
oh cheer up. you’re mean to me all the time.
Oh yeah.
Don’t threaten her.
I don’t see, in any way, how that is a threat. It’s a reality. It would be if GD left…it would be if he stayed.
Even worse.
I’m from from CA, where cheering for the team and wishing death on the owners is a state sport….
You are welcome to also become a Nats fan.
I have enough problems keeping up my ongoing unfanship of the Dodgers, coupled with periodic rooting for the Angels. I don’t dislike the Nats, but they should have taken the old name of the Senators…
Yeah – but Nationals has really caught on here.
I’ve really come to think of myself as a DCer. I’ve been here 5 years exactly and have no intention of leaving. So, if faced with fandom by two losing teams, makes more sense to go with the local one (though, so far, the Nats have been impressive this year).
Sloan come up to San Francisco June 1-4 the Cubbies are in town and a bunch of us are going to the series….
Meanwhile, back at the Friendly Confines….
I don’t really want to go back there. It’s not pretty to watch.
I was actually thinking about driving up to Chicago this summer with my son so he could experience Wrigley Field…After this story broke, I decided that my money will be better spent going to catch a game in KC or Arlington…I refuse to the give the Ricketts Family a penny…The funny thing is they have millions throw against the President but can’t fix Wrigley Field without public help or put a winning team on the field for us to watch…Screw them & the horse they rode in on….
Please keep in mind that it is the dad who is throwing money at the presidential campaign…not the kids who own the team.
That doesn’t matter Doc…His money is their money…How in the world do you think they came up with the scratch to buy the Cubs? You know they tapped daddies deep pockets…So far I have not heard a word from our fearless owners that would show that they are distancing their selves from their dear old dad…This is a “PR Nightmare” in the making & someone better speak up quickly for fear of damaging the brand any further…
Yes, Joe paid for the Cubs in what he has deem his kids inheritance.
It is a PR nightmare, but as more of the facts about this come out, it looks as if Joe, while actively trying to campaign against Obama, was not involved in this particular campaign, was submitted to this group by a third party.
Tom Rickets has also come out with, what I consider, a pretty strong statement on this matter.
I hope I’m not ever held to judgment over the things my father says and does. Yikes.
More on this: http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2012/05/17/meet-the-billionaire-ricketts-family-dad-plans-anti-obama-attack-while-gay-daughter-fundraises-for-prez/
Dinners this week should be interesting…
They should have tacos for dinner. Hard AND soft shells.
So, who is methodically thumbs-downing all of Julie’s posts? And why?
Nice catch, I just noticed that too. Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?
Believe it or not…it wasn’t me.
I’m going to run for President too. Free tacos for all Americans every Tuesday for life, soft and hard shells (cheese of your choice included). Prostitutes for every single man every other Thursday and the Cubs players get free Old Style on off days all day unless there in Boston, then drinks are on Beckett….
Any Republican that signed off on Rev Wright attack ads would have to have their head examined. Remember how well it all turned out for the Clinton campaign in 2008?
It paved the way for Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech and spelled the end of Clinton’s hopes in many ways.
If Papa Ricketts wants to tee up a ball for Obama to whack into the stands I’m not sure it will make me feel badly about this team. It’s the buntfest and the bullpen that are doing that…
Anyone here care to own up to and CLAIM CREDIT FOR the sins of YOUR fathers?
My dad was a hillbilly red-neck southern Democrat. He had 4 kids: 1 is a Socialist, 1 is Republican, 1 is a centerist Democrat, and then there is me. I’ve already gone through my Marxist,Socialist,centerist phases, and am feeling nostaligic towards the Transcendentalist movement of the 1800′s. So much for good-old dad’s influence…