124 Comments - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:22 pm: Perhaps some of you can suggest an appropriate drinking game for the evening. - Scooby - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:22 pm: Here’s an important debate point, Ramirez over Longoria for rookie of the year. - The Doc - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:22 pm: The primary target, of course, should be the presumed palatial estate of one Albert Pujols. - anon24 - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:22 pm: She’s, like, cute, OK? So, she’s got my vote. Duh! Painfully unprepared, yes, but eminently preferable to Obama. - Kevin Fanning - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:23 pm: I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Lincoln’s bicentennial than a little Missouri annexation. - heet101 - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:32 pm: Palin gets blown out and McCain loses because of it. I, like everyone else, do not watch Katie Couric, but The Daily Show ripped Palin pretty good with some video cuts from the interview…she looked like a moose caught in headlights on some of those questions. She might be a nice lady, but her chances of winning a debate against Biden tonite are about the same as mine would be in a debate with Rich Miller on state gov’t issues. (I say this not to suck up but because Rich usually tears me apart when I editorialize on the blog.) - Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:37 pm: Drinking game? How about moments of “bewildered silence”? Here is my prediction: The main story Friday will be how well she does. She won’t actually DO WELL, but expectations are so low that she is sure to beat them. - South Side Mike - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:38 pm: I don’t know what Milbank’s worried about. I couldn’t see an invasion taking place without Blago trying to claim glory at the front of the lines. That would force him to venture into Central and Southern Illinois . It’s much more likely he’ll invade Wisconsin or Northwest Indiana. An additional bonus to the latter would be avoiding all of those pesky Illinois State parks. He wouldn’t want to accidentally visit one! Of course, all of the above is off the table if Blago has a United States map version of the game Risk. I could see him rolling two sixes and a five attacking against a three and two defending, and then thinking those rolls reflected reality! - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:40 pm: Lewis & Clark was just the start! This time, we’re going to send TEN keelboats and some helicopters, just as soon as we get them back. We’ve also got some F-16s ready to…wait, what’s that?…they were captured by Indiana?…that’s not good…I guess we won’t go after Gary, then…send Ronen over to sign a peace deal with those Hoozurs pronto…we can still teach Missouri a lesson since they wouldn’t pay for another bridge unless it’s a toll bridge, which is unacceptable to Illinois even though we have one from another state up here in Chicago…let’s roll…D-Day is set for 20 minutes after the Cubs’ final out tonight…yes, I know that area gets scary after dark but doggone it we have to act now!…if we wait any longer we’ll get caught up in that Highway Fawrty mess…I think it’s an up day… - the Other Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:44 pm: as Governor Blagojevich rears his head and comes into the airspace of Missouri Does spotting the hair count as an early warning system? As to the debate: I have this unsettling feeling that it will be a disappointment to both sides. In other words, it will be rather boring. So, a good debate drinking game becomes crucial. - Anon - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:48 pm: I thought our National Guard was tied down patrolling the streets of Chicago. Wasn’t it Bismarck who warned against two-front wars? And didn’t MacArthur warn against getting involved in a land war in Missouri? - Logical - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:49 pm: The way the Governor works he will probably attack Michigan, that way he will have another major city with problems. We would not want to prosper. MO has too many rural voters for Blago to want. - Jimmy87 - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:50 pm: I will be playing this game tonight! Can’t wait! http://www.palinbingo.com/ - Tom B. - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:50 pm: I would normally suggest at least the invasion of and seizure of Anheuser Busch, but that might be construed as provoking a foreign conflict these days. - B - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:54 pm: Milbank’s post was hilarous. As for predictions, I’ve been predicting that Palin will be off the ticket before the election for weeks and the events of past few days have only strengthened my belief. She won’t totally blow up tonight but will do poorly. Combine that with the fact that McCain is facing major drops in polls in almost all states that matter the past few days and I think that McCain’s last attempt to shake up the race will be to drop her. Maybe he’ll even name Lieberman as new VP to really shake things up. If this does happen, it won’t change the race much as I’m betting Palin or no Palin that GOP turnout will be terrible and Obama wins big (+10% and +100 electoral college). - Sweet Polly Purebred - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 1:56 pm: In the face of all the dead air space during tonight’s debate, we are planning some heavy ‘Tini drinkin’, and doing an MSTK 3000 take off. Gotta fill that time somehow. Then again maybe a bit of pantomime theatre ala Monty Python would do the trick. Someone had suggested a bit of Cardinal Puff, but I thought I might come off as a bit of an elitist. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:01 pm: Politico, which is getting much better by the week, has a fascinating post on tonight’s debate. The McCain/Palin campaign is raising expectations… ===“This is going to finally put her back into a position where we see her like we saw her the first couple weeks,” a McCain official said. “She was herself. She was authentic, and people related to that. … Tonight, she’ll get into a rhythm. You’re going to see her in a way that you haven’t seen her yet.”=== Go read the whole thing. - Downstate weed chewing hick - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:05 pm: I suspect our Governor is not aware of the fact that Illinois shares a border with Missouri. His Illinois is bordered by Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and I80. Nothing but untamed wilderness beyond I80. As for the debate, I suggest you take a drink, and turn on the lie detector, every time JB says “truth”, as in “Let me tell you the truth about…” Also take a drink or maybe two every time SP uses the wrong memorized talking point to answer a question, as in suggesting the bailout is all about access to healthcare. The down side of this game is you will be so drunk, you wont know who won and will have to rely on the endless media recap. - Go Tigers - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:12 pm: Um, we already had a border war with Missouri this year on August 30th. And IL lost. Go Tigers! - Levois - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:19 pm: If we’re going to have a war with Missouri we need a naval militia and not just a paper one. - Judgment Day Is On The Way - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:20 pm: Ok, it’s time to review assets for Illinois to take Missouri. Step 1: Rev. Meeks and his school kids crusade. Say, send 10k Chicago public school kids over the MetroLink to Lambert, and seize the airport. Provides IL with an alternative route for reinforcements, and jumps over the MO defense lines along the Mississippi. Step 2: Assume MO is going to heavily defend access points like I-55/I70; I-270, & I-255. Feint along those access lanes, but instead base one primary effort using US 67 running South from Alton (both US 67 & State Route 367 to I-270). First, it’s a better alternative to opening up a land corridor to Lambert, and secondly, if done right, it cuts I-270 in 2 places, and MO’s ability to quickly allocate a QRF (quick reaction force) within the St. Louis metro area is seriously hampered. Also, it places a higher effort on Maneuver warfare vrs. urban (attrition) warfare. Remember, the goal is to defeat an adversary (Missouri, in this case) by incapacitating their decision-making through shock and disruption brought about by movement. - anon24 - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:22 pm: Can we marshal our non-smoking gambling boats? - South Side Mike - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:24 pm: Sox up 3-1 on the Rays, top of the third! - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:25 pm: Judgement Day: A flaw in your second step is that 367 has to cross both the Mississippi AND Missouri river, giving the MoQSR team time to blow the second bridge. (I can’t remember which one’s Clark and which one is Lewis.) Also, this route brings you through the most heavily-armed section of St. Louis area: North County. I say a simultaneous assault against downtown via all four bridges (MLK, Poplar St, Eads and McKinley) and take it by force. I recommend a nightime strike, because NO ONE goes downtown at night. - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:26 pm: I’m just sayin… - A Citizen - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:27 pm: Let’s grab their Constitution for our own and save $80 million bucks. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:29 pm: VC is right. Nobody ever expects a direct frontal assault, but one must check the sports schedules because that’s the only time anyone is downtown at night. A pincer move via 367 might not be a bad idea, however. Blow up the Quincy bridge first, though, to prevent a flanking action. The invasion’s pretext could be that our brothers and sisters in Kaskaskia are being treated shabbily by those evil doers across the river. Hey, it worked for Russia. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:33 pm: Here’s a drinking game for tonight: every time Dick Stockton confuses Joe Torre with Lou Piniella, take a drink. It only happened about 10 times last night, so you probably can still make it to work tomorrow. Is there a debate tonight too? As long as Gov. Palin doesn’t unleash a string of profanities, she’ll win hands down. Somehow I think we’ll be talking about another Biden gaffe tomorrow regardless of the performance. Remember, she only needs to speak in semi-complete sentences. If Biden so much as blinks at Palin, the talking heads will pounce on his sexist, patronizing, smug, rude arrogant behavior. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:33 pm: If we are going to invade Missouri, then we should wait until Matt Blunt is out of office in January. If we attack before this time, he will do to Blagojevich what he did to Obama’s “Truth Squads”, and clean our clocks. Missouri currently has a young governor who has already served in battle, so we will have to wait to see if Missouri voters elect a wuss like Obama or Blagojevich in order to expect a successful mission. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:35 pm: ===Dick Stockton confuses Joe Torre with Lou Piniella=== Dick just ain’t got it any more. - Scooby - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:35 pm: I take it back, I take it back Evan. Stop hitting home runs! - VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:37 pm: If we attack St. Louis after 5PM, the streets will be empty and the sidewalks rolled up. I’ve seen this myself. - Anon - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:39 pm: Here’s a good game for tonight: http://palinbingo.com/ - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:41 pm: Tonight the candidates will both try to out charismatic each other. Forget words. Each time a candidate “smiles” you pound one back. If they do a “S*** eating grin” then you pound back a double. Better have a case of Jack Daniels next to your easy chair tonight! And plan on being late to work tomorrow! - pro - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:42 pm: Wisconsin would be a better target to diversify our economic resources. Frankly, Missouriprovides no benefit, and extends our border to a strategically disadvantaged position. We lose our maritime border. With Wisconsin, we gain dairy, plus obtain increased acces to valuable great lakes waterfront, and water sources. Frankly, Rich, your Missouri position is dangerous and threatens the future of our state. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:43 pm: Oh, and if Obama is actually elected, expect us to depend on Governor Palin to prevent Putin from invading Alaska. Obama will too busy having a smoke with Castro. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:46 pm: I’m all for extending our maritime borders via Wisconsin and Indiana. Taking the St. Louis region allows us to expand our buffer zone. They’ve already encroached into Collinsville RIGHT UNDER OUR VERY NOSES. Hoffman’s district is full of “former” Missourians. We must act now. - HoBoSkillet - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:49 pm: I say adopt a Vicksburg strategy - Attack at Cape Girardeau, preferably on Monday because I heard Rush Limbaugh is going to be there that day and we can hold him as hostage, then pivot north on the I-55 corridor and lay seige to St. Louis. Next, take over Budweiser from the Belgiums and I… could really care less about the rest of that state. Well… maybe plunder Branson for the heck of it if we have time… - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:51 pm: ===maybe plunder Branson for the heck of it if we have time… === Not really a lot to plunder there, but we could just shell it from afar and do American music a big favor. - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:58 pm: ==Hoffman’s district is full of “former” Missourians== Yep, the sprawl finally reached so far that people actually began considering living in Illinois. Yes, it was THAT far! Besides, we need the core of St. Louis to ensure we have supplies: lead paint, crumbling brick, aging sewers, the works! Of course, planting the Illinois flag on top of the Gateway Arch (I believe the only thing built to celebrate people who left, except maybe in Ireland) will make it even sweeter! - Fortunato - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:59 pm: Characteristic wit. Smug and insulting, but not funny. Your right, that is Dana Milbank to a T. - Judgment Day Is On The Way - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:59 pm: “Judgement Day: A flaw in your second step is that 367 has to cross both the Mississippi AND Missouri river, giving the MoQSR team time to blow the second bridge. (I can’t remember which one’s Clark and which one is Lewis.) Also, this route brings you through the most heavily-armed section of St. Louis area: North County.” Clark is North (Mississippi River), Lewis is South (Missouri River). As far as dealing with the possibility of having the bridge blown, well, IMO, that’s a risk worth taking. Substantial risk, but high reward - and it avoids getting tied up in an attrition style attack like the 4 downtown bridges will. I always try and remember the lessons of Stalingrad - avoid the attrition style conflict, particularly in urban terrain. Plus all 4 downtown bridges are fairly close to each other, so a downtown QRF could easily and quickly shift positions to cover any attacking force. I prefer to “hit ‘em where they ain’t”. As to North County, I tend to think both West and South are more heavily armed. - Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:00 pm: VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 2:43 pm: “Oh, and if Obama is actually elected, expect us to depend on Governor Palin to prevent Putin from invading Alaska. Obama will too busy having a smoke with Castro.” Good point, VMan. This whole “not talking to Castro” thing has worked so well for my entire life, that I think we ought to stay the course. I would hate to see Sen. Obama try some diplomacy or something. - ChampaignDweller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:04 pm: I think the drinking game we should play is quarters, because that’s what we’re down to given the state of the economy. - anon24 - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:06 pm: Rich, I think your comment about Branson reeks of cultural elitism. You’re kidding, right? Mel Tillis could slap Mick Jagger all the way back to France, or wherever he comes from. ‘Murrica—-love it or leave it! - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:07 pm: ===reeks of cultural elitism=== LOL. No. It reeks of “taste.” - Frank Booth - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:09 pm: We launch a massive frontal attack directly across I-70 bridge while a smaller, tactical unit crosses the Mississippi via the barge at Grafton and marches south, finally meeting up with the Illinois infantry at the City Museum where we accept the surrender of St. Louis. From there, Illinois forces take I-70 across the state, claiming everything in the name of Lincoln until we arrive at Arthur Bryants on KC’s Brooklyn Avenue. Then we gorge on brisket and special sauce and bask in the glow of our glorious colonization while Kansas sweats and Missouri refugees stream into Lawrence praying Bill Self can protect them. - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:10 pm: Good points, Judgement, and I’ll bow to your military knowledge (but not armament levels). But remember, Stalingrad was actually defended. In St. Louis, there aren’t even any police downtown at night. It would be like MacArthur wading ashore or when we swarmed Grenada. Heck, they are INVITING an invasion, almost FLAUNTING our forces! With three empty sports stadiums, we have plenty of places for POWs. - HoBoSkillet - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:11 pm: I don’t know Rich, with all the knick knack arts and crafts shops around Branson we could plunder and supply every county fair with enough junk to sell that it might even boost our economy. Other than Budweiser and Branson what other resources could we plunder from Missouri? - Frank Booth - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:12 pm: Oh, I almost forgot, Blagojevich spends a special division to lay claim to the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, MO (as with this state, Blagojevich refuses to enter Springfield himself) and he appoints Gary Forby “King of Bass” as payback for missing the recall vote. - Trent Green's Clipboard - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:13 pm: To me, the key to the debate is which candidate can be designated the road team. Because in St. Louis this fall, that’s the team that’s going to win. - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:15 pm: ==Other than Budweiser and Branson what other resources could we plunder from Missouri== Um…that’s about it. There is a big lake and some rivers Mizzur-ah-uns use for procreating, but that’s about it. Except for the stealth bomber kept down I-44 at Fort Leonard Wood (heh, heh) and the Boeing defense plant at Lambert. The rest of it is strip malls, fireworks stands and ‘clandestine’ meth labs. - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:16 pm: Other than Budweiser and Branson what other resources could we plunder from Missouri? Albert Pujols and the Bottle Rockets? - Frank Booth - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:21 pm: There are assets in KC we could use. The Cubs could move to Kaufman for a year while Wrigley is rebuilt to 19th century standards. Meanwhile, Royals players and coaches would all qualify for jobs as Illinois probation/correctional officers as they already know what it’s like to be beaten by Cellular hooligans. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:22 pm: Did you know that the Osmonds perform in Branson? Need another reason to invade Missouri? - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:24 pm: ===With three empty sports stadiums, we have plenty of places for POWs. === Exactly, and relocation camps for the “former” Missourian invaders who have already planted their flags ON OUR SOIL. - A Citizen - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:24 pm: - Six Degrees of Separation - Is that his off season Rock Group ? - VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:27 pm: Have you ever eaten that stuff they call “pizza cheese”, some kind of a radioactive white Velveeta crap called “Provel”? Bud Light? What’s with that? Michelob Ultra? I wouldn’t serve that to anyone with a taste bud! If Kansas City can be in Missouri, so can we! - HoBoSkillet - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:30 pm: Personally I’m in favor of plundering Missouri instead of colonizing Missouri. I’m not sure the natives would assimilate into our culture of indoor spoking bans and taxing structures. It would take a lot of work and I don’t know if its worth the effort. - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:32 pm: ==Have you ever eaten that stuff they call “pizza cheese== St. Louis has the worst, absolute WORST, pizza in the world. They spread the worst kinds of cheese over it…we need to force-feed deep-dish pizza down their throats! Why do you think St. Louis Bread Company is called Panera outside of the 270/255 loop? Because St. Louis sucks! CHARGE! - Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:35 pm: Blagojevich could balance our budget but raising taxes on Missouri and still be able to keep a straight face and his anti-tax pledge is intact because he vowed to never raise taxes on hard working Illinois familes. - Pat collins - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:39 pm: Well, I think we need to establish West Missouri. You can still smoke in the casinos there, but they send the money east You only need to shell the Sedgeway thing at Branson. The Chinese acrobats and Titanic museum are too cool. - Judgment Day Is On The Way - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:42 pm: “With three empty sports stadiums, we have plenty of places for POWs.” Yes, but that’s only true if the St. Louis Rams are playing a home game. - GoBearsss - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:45 pm: I don’t see any strategic value in occupying Missouri, but I do see their proximity to and cultural invasion of our peaceful shires (collinsville) as a threat. My solution: Build up some temporary levees along the ’ssippi. Then, have the entire state of Illinois FLUSH their toilets at once. The resulting tidal wave of - umm, toilet water - will sweep down the Illinois River, down the Mississippi, and wipe Missouri right off the map. - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:45 pm: The Rams are only temporary–they will leave when their lease expires in a few years. But you’re right, we have to watch out for those two hours when the TWA (remember them!?) Dome is full… (and yes, I know football games are 3 hours long) - Excessively rabid - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:48 pm: We could use Meramec Caverns to store indictments…. - How Ironic - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:48 pm: Think about it. Here is what we need to do. Sneak in, and Annex St. Louis. Then, quickly lease the Riverboat, AND the Arch for a quick infusion of GRF. Then, after the ink is dry, release St. Louis, and cry, “No harm, No Foul” - South Side Mike - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:48 pm: Well, whatever we do with Missouri, we need to remember the proper order for the cities that we sack: First you pillage, then you burn. Of course, if we really want to take the state, we force Missouri to open two fronts by bribing Oklahoma to attack from the Southwest. Then we launch our major offensive. Of course, we might miss out on retaining Branson, but is that not really an additional blessing? Pingback ArchPundit | Invade Missouri! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:52 pm: […] Rich notes Dana Millbank has arrived and is concerned about the possibility of Blagojevich invading Missouri ( a little wag the dog you know): I feel my arrival here has enhanced my domestic policy experience. […] - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:52 pm: ==bribing Oklahoma to attack== My sources tell me the OK state is bearing down on a feared Texas offensive and not amenable to another front. I think Arkansas can be bought, though, and they like Branson… - Sal Says: - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:54 pm: So this is the choice? With probably 100,000,000 American Citizens eligible? ‘Rezko’ Obama and ‘Mr. Gaffes’ Biden vs. ‘Keating 5′ Mccain & ‘Ditz’ Palin - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 3:55 pm: Is that his off season Rock Group ? No, they are 2 separate entities. Speaking of which, Rich’s beloved Pale Hose could use Pujols’ bat right about now. - archpundit - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:02 pm: First, anyone who thinks North County is less well armed than South or West, they are sadly delusional, but also an excellent source for carjackers. I, of course, volunteer my services to provide behind the lines sabatage by blowing up the toasted ravioli and pouring out all the Budweiser. I do insist the invasion goes to Maplewood to ensure both Schlafley’s breweries are safe. Phyllis can move to Saint Charles, however. - Little Egypt - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:11 pm: What can possibly be accomplished by having a VP debate? Perhaps some clever phrase dishing the other such as from Joe Biden, “Ms. Palen, I knew John Kennedy, and you are no John Kennedy.” Sorry, I’ve got 1,000 better things to do. - Little Egypt - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:13 pm: Now Rich, your comment about Branson was absolutely uncalled for. There are a lot of husbands who look at Branson as sacred ground because it gets the wives out of their hair for a week. - R.L. - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:16 pm: Please, U. City could never be taken. RL - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:23 pm: ===taken=== The term is “liberated.” - archpundit - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:23 pm: It wouldn’t be taken, it would be liberated! - downstate dem - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:24 pm: Annexation! It would be good to acquire a major league baseball team, but more importantly, bringing “Blueberry Hill” Chuck Berry’s hot spot in U City, would improve our stature nationally. - Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:29 pm: ==bringing “Blueberry Hill”…would improve our stature nationally== I would suspect Scott Joplin’s house would be better—too high a cover charge for what you get in the (other) Loop… - How Ironic - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:32 pm: Don’t forget, if the war starts to go badly, we can simply send out reinforcements on our public buses. For Free of course. Service Members should be exempt from paying to ride public transit. - Speaking At Will - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:33 pm: I have an idea. If at any point we have to enter into negotiations with the enemy Missouri forces, send in Gary Forby as the hostage negotiator. “Nah, yahll nose yah aint doin rut. Gib us back dem soulzers.” - archpundit - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:43 pm: Errr…Blueberry Hill has no cover charge–in fact, there’s only one place that regularly has a coverage charge in the loop. Joplin’s House could use some exposure though since no one knows where it is. - Then Schadenfruede it is - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:49 pm: Hey Rich, How are the Sox doing? I haven’t been able to check. - S. Illinois - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:54 pm: I stand ready here on the front lines in Swansea awaiting orders General Miller. But really…do we want to add the St. Louis Board of Alderman and the St. Louis School Board to our already wacked-out stable of politicians in Illinois? The school-board-in-exile makes the Illinois Legislature look like they have their act together. - BIG R.PH. - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 4:57 pm: We need to have our ESL infantry regiment start marching in a straight line directly west. We then have the MO North City infantry regiment start marching east. When they are all washed down the Mississippi to Memphis, the St. Louis area will be livable again. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 5:01 pm: Hadn’t heard about a game. Working. - prairiestatedem - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 5:02 pm: It warms my heart to see all my fellow Illini Nationalists thinking with glee about our impending military conquest…How about we lead a special forces para-drop into Springfield MO to capture Bass Pro? After the sucessfull liberation of U City we can borrow some planes from the former MO Air Nat’l Guard and go punish Tampa Bay for the game LOL - archpundit - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 5:10 pm: ===#The school-board-in-exile makes the Illinois Legislature look like they have their act together. I first started writing publicly on local politics with the St Louis School Board. It prepared me very well for Alan Keyes. According to the board in exile I’m a reactionary right wing privatizer who wants to get rid of public schools. My conservative friends find this mildly amusing. - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 5:14 pm: AA is certain a battalion or more can be rounded up from the Champaign area to invade Columbia, seize the junior college over there, rename it Far Western Illinois State and pick nice new school colors like taupe and fern. - Just the Facts - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 5:25 pm: If you invade and attempt to take over Missouri, someone will have to “pacify” the Lake of the Ozarks. I’ll volunteer for the invasion of the party cove . .. . . - Big Mama T - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 5:35 pm: She will do fine. She reads off a teleprompter as well as anyone, Obama included. That will knock Biden off his feet and he will blab some of the most memorable goofy statements in the history of debates. - Anon - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 6:47 pm: Anon24: Take the riverboats, but only if you can get them unstuck from the river mud. - Muskrat - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 6:50 pm: You guys seem awfully gung-ho for this Missouri thing, but what if we aren’t greeted as liberators? What if there’s looting and disorder? You disband the Missouri national Guard and suddenly you’ve got a ready-made pool of insurgents, and a power vacuum that Arkansas will be eager to fill. I say stick with the sanctions regime. - steve schnorf - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 6:55 pm: Do any among us worry that this little “elitist media” salvo on Palin is exactly what the real-worlders out there hate so much about us and a good example of the attraction she has for them? - S. Illinois - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 7:00 pm: C’mon Steve. Your strong mental faculties are needed elsewhere. You need to tell us how we are going to pay for “Operation Beer Run.” This could be a very expensive proposition if we have to occupy the Show-Me state for an extended period. - TimB - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 7:11 pm: I fear that most of you have forgotten (or never knew) that MO is not encumbered by inane gun laws like the state of IL is. Firearms are plentiful, owned by many, used well by all. MO also has a Concealed Carry law. So, many of the folks that you meet there will be armed and also trained in the use of that firearm. Any “militia” from the NE part of the state of IL will have to overcome the brainwashing of the last 40 years that “guns are bad, guns will kill with no provocation, guns should only be possessed by the PO-lice, aldermen and Mayor.” If you want to have a chance, you’d better start recruiting now from south of I-74. As least we know which end the bullet comes out of!! Just sayin’ TimB - Bookworm - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 7:13 pm: A couple of years ago, I picked up, for about 25 cents at a garage sale, a copy of a Christian apocalyptic novel somewhat like “Left Behind.” Part of the plot involved a nefarious one-world government invading and occupying various corrupt and weak U.S. states such as Illinois while God-fearing states like Indiana organized a resistance movement. Not sure what side Missouri was on. I didn’t read it all, but the thing that struck me about how the author portrayed the invasion and conquest of Illinois was that it began and ended with Chicago. There was no mention that I can recall of the one-world army attempting to take the capital (what’s it called?) or attempting to “pacify” downstate residents in any way. Maybe the author assumed all us crazy gun-totin’ downstate residents would scare the bad guys off? - Gregor - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 7:15 pm: We got an navy: I’ve seen the submarine that’s the new IDOT Traffic Safety headquarters. - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 8:06 pm: Biden open: “People are going to make money off this crisis.” Duh. - Shelbyville - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 8:47 pm: Schnorf - I’ll drink to that. Meet me at the bowling alley. - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 8:47 pm: Catching up, but VMan is obviously on a roll, and I like Booth’s strategy, very well thought out. And “Ditz Palin” BTW, is doing pretty well. Come on guys, admit just a little surprise, maybe? - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 8:56 pm: She’s smilin’–and rightfully so. You go, girl!!! - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 9:12 pm: Say it ain’t so, Joe!!! lol He’s laughin’, too. He LOVES her!!! Look at the sparkle in his eyes! lol - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 9:35 pm: Slam dunk!!!! She was good for another round. Where’s Obama when you need him?!!!!! - Bill - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 9:47 pm: What a goof! It is going to take a lot more than flirting with the audience to solve this country’s problems. Can’t she say anything of substance? Who is General McClellan? Didn’t he fight in the CIVIL war? - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 9:50 pm: OK so she slipped up on that one, and it probably was a tie. (As a matter of fact, I actually have a greater appreciation for Biden now because of what a great and civil debate this was.) BUT, I think she definitely proved that she’s more than the “ditz” people thought she was. She can think on her own two feet. And that’s going to be a plus for the Rs. And the charm–definitely good for diplomacy. - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 9:56 pm: Boy, sounds like the Dems on TV are having a hard time saying something of substance during their analyses. Maybe she did better than I thought. - reddbyrd - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:10 pm: I liked the sweat on her forehead then Cubs ZERO LA 5 Both Balgoaters done! - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:17 pm: Yeah, well the Press have wailed on her just a LITTLE bit more over the last couple of weeks than on anyone else–and didn’t the Moderator write a book about Obama, too? Could be just a little unnerving for just about anyone, huh? Palin definitely got points for BEST IMPROVED and the difference between then and now is absolutely REMARKABLE. - archpundit - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:20 pm: ==You guys seem awfully gung-ho for this Missouri thing, but what if we aren’t greeted as liberators? I am the Ahmed Chalabi of Missouri. I promise a warm welcome. - Emily Booth - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:28 pm: Palin may have shown she is more than cheesecake but she’s gotta stop the winking. It just doesn’t go over in Chicago, home of Riverview. - Emily Booth - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:29 pm: Riverview: I’m looking back. Tee hee. - Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:29 pm: Palin only did well if you apply the soft bigotry of low expectations. If we knew nothing about Palin or Biden, we’d think it was a joke to put her up there. - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:35 pm: Hmmmmm…some might think it took quite a bit of courage and strength to get out there because of the Press exposure she’s received lately…and I don’t think she stuttered even once. Let’s see what happens when–IF–she gets a stress break. The saying “Having to dance backwards and in high heels” comes to mind. And she did REALLY well. - Lakeview conservative - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:47 pm: Palin did an amazing job tonight. Better than anyone of us politicos blogging here tonight could have done with our vast years of experience. You have to give her a lot of credit. Five weeks ago she, along with 98% of our fellow Americans, probably couldn’t pick out Afganistan on a map. She is one fast learner. I admit her accent and cheeriness are more than a little annoying but I felt the same way about you all when I first moved here from New York and now I am just a sucker for that Southern Illinois accent! As far as invading Missouri goes are you kidding me? That state is populated by more kooks than you can shake a snake at. One major television station there cut their hour evening news program down to 5 minutes - just reporting the weather forecast because that’s all people really wanted to know. Now Wisconsin is a completely different story. I say go North all the way to Canada! - Skeeter - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:48 pm: Reading the anon comments has been pretty funny. I get the sense they were written before the debate. On to more important issues: Cubs lose. Now it is time for us to turn our attention to Celtic football (SPL). ESPN is reporting that Tommie Harris is blowing off treatment for his knee. Class act. Sign a huge contact and then stop caring. Anybody know if Alvarez is going to debate Peraica? If so, they will need to impose a slaughter rule — if Alvarez is up by 10 after 20 minutes, they end the thing early. That debate would be fun to watch. - Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:52 pm: Thanks alot, Skeeter! lol - Loop Lady - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 10:55 pm: OMG…ya know…John McCain knows how to win a war…say what? watching her hug her baby after it was done gave me the willies… I am never watching the Cubs again! - Frank Booth - Thursday, Oct 2, 08 @ 11:14 pm: Great strategy by McCain. Pick an attractive (in campaign trail sense) running mate who really doesn’t know that much but is able to insert Maverick, McCain and American People into at least every other sentence. If anyone dares criticize her, call it elitism. It’s almost Blagojevichian in it’s dual brilliance and cynicism. - Skeeter - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 5:33 am: Great use of a baby as a prop. At the end of the debate, the sound on my television was turned low, since at that hour, my twins were asleep. Wouldn’t want to wake them. But then, I’m not running for office. - Vote Quimby! - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 6:50 am: I’m just now waking up after passing out playing “Palin Bingo.” How did the Cubs do? - Phineas J. Whoopee - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 8:40 am: Lakeview conservative said “I admit her accent and cheeriness are more than a little annoying” boy I’ll second that and, dog gone it, I mean it. - VanillaMan - Friday, Oct 3, 08 @ 9:29 am: Palin won - whew! Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.