Drinking Liberally

Obama packs our a week-long Denver celebration.
The GOP has empty seats, a police-state Saint Paul,
a phone-in Prez, a scandal-a-day, & a shortened convention
that even Republicans don't want to attend.

Biden buys good news cycles & great energy.
Given Palin's inexperience, poor judgment, scandals
& right-wing radicalism -- this Veep to Nowhere
actually does make McCain look qualified by comparison.

The Dems bring dignity, hope, vision.
McCain's no-vetting, pandering VP pick
shows that this out-of-touch, ill, 72-year-old
just doesn't take the Presidency seriously.

Desperate...delusional...derailed...derided...
There's something to seeing McCain on the ropes...
now, enjoy McCain on the Rocks.

Join for a drink (& a drinking game) --
after all, you can't watch tonight alone...or sober
-- at your local progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
Find - or start - a chapter near you.

For use and wide distribution...drink liberally:

McCain on the Rocks:
The Official Drinking Liberally
McCain Convention Speech Drinking Game

Take a Sip when
He Says:
- faith
- service
- experience
- Barack Obama
- global war on terror
or when:
- he makes reference to being a POW
- he compares himself to Ronald Reagan
- he calls Iraq a success
- he praises Sarah Palin by name

Take a Gulp when:
He Says:
- my friends
- George Bush
- maverick
- Joe Lieberman
- Vietnam
or when:
- he references his relationship to God
- he talks about Sarah Palin’s lovely family
- he compares himself to Teddy Roosevelt
- he claims not to like talking about being a POW

Take a Big Gulp when:
He Says:
- torture
- climate change
- straight-talk
- Cheney
- Iran
or when:
- he praises his own bi-partisan ways
- he questions a Democrat’s patriotism
- he gets real explicit about his POW experience
- he compares himself to General Patton

Chug when:
- he explicitly praises George W. Bush
- he makes allusions to Obama’s race

Celebratory Toast if:
- he forgets a line, pauses more than 3 seconds
- he forgets a line, curses at the audience
- he compares himself to Richard Nixon
- he tries an endearing joke about his age

Finish Your Drink if:
- He replaces Palin with a younger beauty queen
- He calls for Bush a lousy President
- He jokes about bombing Iran

Tomorrow, John McCain will give his acceptance speech.

You want to watch.
You can only watch with a drink in hand.
You shouldn't be drinking alone.

Therefore: it's time for a watch party.

Drinking Liberally is working with People For the American Way on a national night of gatherings -- fittingly called "McCain on the Rocks." You can find a local get-together, or check with your area DL chapter to see if they are hosting something.

We'll be posting the official DL Drinking Game later on, but in the meantime, Bill Nothstine from our exceptional Portland, Oregon chapter has already posted rules for an all-evening drinking game (sip if a speaker references his POW experience; drink if McCain speaks of his POW experience; chug if anyone says how much McCain doesn't like to mention his POW experience).

They've also create a guide for McCain-themed haiku and limericks.

Such as:

Now McCain will not talk to the press
They're asking hard questions, I guess
And they're kicked off the bus
Where they can't cause a fuss
So much for the Straight Talk Express

When the RNC meets in St. Paul
It will kick off a most dismal fall
If their best hope is Palin
Their luck must be failin'
So they'll come at a crawl if at all

Download the drinking game and haiku/limerick guides below -- they are PDF attachments. (If attachments don't show up, follow the links above to find the rules online.)

We're enjoying McCain on the ropes. Now, let's have him on the Rocks.

Haven't been blogging much these past two weeks. Traveling makes it difficult enough to sit down and write; the busy pace of Conventions makes it harder; and these two Conventions have been such extremes that I want to be wandering through them more than describing them.

Denver was a democratic carnival, where the main pedestrian drag of the Lower Downtown area was filled with suited delegates, young people, protesters (from the Left and the Right), vendors (Barack Obama action figure anyone), musicians, annoyed Denverites, bicycle cabs...and, yes, riot police. Their presence reminded you any moment there cold be travel; but they didn't block streets...they didn't separate the delegates from the protesters or the onlookers.

It was an open city for an open convention. While I was there, I felt aware of the cops...but not oppressed by them.

Then I came to Saint Paul. Maybe it's the layout of the city -- whereas the Denver Pepsi Center is on the outskirts of downtown, the Xcel Center is at the heart of this city...and thus the heart has been cut off from its body by barbed wire and barricades. A beautiful city becomes unwalkable. The locals, who love their home, are ashamed that this is the face they show to the world.

Walking with the peace protest on Monday -- the 10,000 that featured families, children, vets and no violence -- we were led through caged paths with high, black grates on either end. Police stood at the read as we slowly slogged through narrower avenues near the center. At one point a friend asked, "Should we be worried that they already have their gas masks on?" At another point, we wanted to peel off -- and a cordon of 30 shoulder-to-shoulder riot cops told us that we had to march the full parade route.

They don't seem to be wanting to do this. But in that environment, they are not individual police officers (residents of St. Paul keep telling us they love their police -- that they are "neighborhood cops"), but one side of a tense confrontation; and we protesters were made to feel like the other side. The tension mounted. Surrounded by my public safety officials, and by 10,000 people in agreement with me...I didn't feel safe.

That gloom and fear pervades the RNC. Hope and happiness charged the DNC. Maybe each party is just pushing its brand.

More soon...and check out Open Left where Matt Stoller has been photo-documenting much of this experience.

As Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for President tonight, enjoy his address with drink in hand -- ready to toast, to celebrate and to share the experience...with drinking game rules, of course.

Take a Sip when
He Says:
- hope
- change
- community organizer
- Bush
- Hillary Clinton
or when:
- he says how much he loves America
- he tells a joke that actually makes you laugh
- he implicitly/explicitly compares himself to MLK
- compliments Michelle for being accomplished

Take a Gulp when:
He Says:
- Yes we can
- Iraq
- Kansas
- Cheney
- Bill Clinton
or when:
- he quotes a great American text or speech
- he talks about Joe Biden's lovely family
- he compares himself to JFK
- he compliments Michelle for being a good wife and mother

Take a Big Gulp when:
He Says:
- audacity
- glass ceiling
- bipartisan
- Rove
- swiftboat
or when:
- he quotes the Bible
- he uses the word "partisan" like it's a bad thing
- compliments a Republican (or Joe Lieberman)
- he compares himself to RFK

Chug when:
- he gratuitously compliments McCain's "service" and "courage"
- he jokes about John McCain's houses

Celebratory Toast if:
- he uses the word "partisan" like it's a good thing
- challenges McCain to a duel
- praises President Jimmy Carter
- he makes you cry

Finish Your Drink if:
- He mentions Reverend Jeremiah Wright
- He calls for Bush’s impeachment
- He threatens to bomb Iran.

(If you want to print out a version, you can click on the attachment link for the PDF below -- prints 2 per page)

(Note: 2 locations for tonight's Convention Watch:
The Tank & Rudy's -- see below for details)

Michelle Obama's speech Monday night
& her personal story inspired a nation --
somehow we can't imagine Cindy McCain doing the same.

Hillary Clinton showed the force of a fighter
tenaciously battling for a better America.
Next Tuesday, Rudy 9iu11iani will tenaciously
offer us a "noun-verb-9/11."

Bill Clinton reminded us that a President
could compassionately put people first.
The GOP is putting George W Bush first...
and hoping nobody tunes in to see him.

We have the grit & guts of Joe Biden.
Romney? Crist? Rendell? Jindal?
We welcome that fight...

And tonight, it's time to Ba-rock the house.
Too bad it's past McCain's bedtime.

Come together to toast the night
that an America story steps center stage
as we all share this American Dream
at your local progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
Find - or start - a chapter near you.
(In NYC? join our watch parties
at The Tank @ DCTV - 87 Lafayette St)

There's no doubt about it: The Big Tent will be awesome. The folks out in Denver are pouring their souls into a remarkable hive of activity that will showcase the netroots and our partners during the Democratic Convention.

Lesser known is that there is a place for us after August 28th: The Twin Cities.

In 2004, it was the RNC week that brought bloggers, activists, protesters, performers together at The Tank. This year, a similar -- but larger -- operation will be in place in Saint Paul: a daytime work space for up to 170 bloggers hosted by The Uptake...and evening parties sponsored by the SEIU, hosted by Drinking Liberally and friends. (Details coming...stay tuned.)

I just had the chance to tour the space The Uptake is setting up -- you can see the Excel Center from the windows. You are inside the security zone. The marches will u-turn at the corner outside the building. And there will be plenty of space to create content...and I wouldn't be surprised if you could find yourself some delegates nearby.

Register now to get your spot in this center -- and stay for the evening parties (did I mention complimentary drinks)...plus the Alliance for a Better Minnesota is hosting trainings and workshops as well.

Don't forget the Twin Cities, where our progressive mark will stand out in sharper contrast. Also, these cities really can't stand the GOP. Former Saint Paul Mayor Norm Coleman didn't win a single precinct in his city when he ran for Senator. Sep 1st - 4th should be fun.

Obama-Biden? The Long-Talk Express
would run the "Straight Talk" off the road
...if McCain doesn't do it on his own first.

Obama-Sebelius? Popular in the heartland,
suddenly, nothing's the matter with Kansas anymore.

Obama-Bayh? Dems would get to ask McCain
"Hoosier Daddy now?" as Indiana goes blue.

Obama-Kaine? Virginia is for lovers,
& would not be for grumpy old conservatives.

Obama-Dodd? His silver hair's
more Presidential than McCain's.

Obama-Clinton? Watch right-wing heads explode.
Obama-Clark? McCain would get shot down again.
Obama-Gore? The world would let us rule them all.

And for those of you worried about Obama's pick:
anyone of them is better than Dick Cheney.

Celebrate the pick or keep speculating
as we drink, discuss, debate & dream
at your local progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
Find - or start - a chapter near you.

Why are we all so excited about Rachel Maddow? News of her being tapped for own MSNBC program has excited the progressive grassroots/netroots, leading Living Liberally's blog to be "All Maddow, All the Time" today in her honor.

So what's the big deal?

Well, first of all, Maddow demonstrations that someone can graduate from the world of "progressive media" into a role in the "mainstream" media. People across the country know Maddow -- if not from her stints on Air America, then from her confrontations with Pat Buchanan and take-down Joe Scarborough. She has become a brand, a recognizable name and face, and -- according to that ultimate arbiter, the bottom-line of business-driven MSNBC -- a bankable commodity.

This is a great success for progressive media, and the components of it that had promoted Maddow at different parts in her career. And it's a signal to other smart, funny, liberal personalities that there is an avenue to advance their careers and their ideas.

Second, Maddow is a team player. She respects and engages the progressive movement. We, at Living Liberally, experienced that friendship when she wrote a guest post for Screening Liberally on her recommended weekend video rentals, and when she joined us for our 5th Anniversary party in May.

When we've asked her to participate, she's participated. That's a great quality.

And finally, it a strong, left-leaning voice will reach the homes of many more Americans. Yes, there are satiric news programs that do a great job challenging right-wing dominance, and some broadcasters like Keith Olbermann who challenge the administration, but we're still short on proud progressive personalities in the spotlight. The right has them. Now we have one more too.

Part of building a progressive movement is ensuring there are structures that recognize and promote talent: whether candidates, organizers or commentators. Maddow's next move shows that some of these structures are in place...we need to keep making them work.

And we need to tune in to MSNBC on Monday, September 8th at 9pm to help keep Maddow on the air.

Congratulations.