Political Sports News

[ClydeR]

Sport and politics intersected in two places.

First there was Paul Ryan's claim to have run a marathon in under 3 hours.


Last week, in an interview with Hugh Hewitt, Paul Ryan said that he had run a marathon in under three hours, or, more precisely, “I had a two hour and fifty-something.” That is quite speedy, and running fans in the forums of Letsrun.com treated the claim with great skepticism. The Internet bears no trace of the run, and Ryan doesn’t have the extremely lean frame of your typical fast marathoner. Also, people who run that quickly are generally neurotic about their times. Shouldn’t Ryan remember his exactly? “He is too intense and driven to just forget something like that,” one commentator wrote.

Slate and Runner’s World investigated. Questions were raised, given the criticism of Ryan’s honesty in his convention speech. This evening, the terrific running journalist Scott Douglas figured out that Ryan had actually run a 4:01 in the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1990, when he was a college student. This is not quite so fast. A 2:55 would have put Ryan in a hundred and thirtieth place, out of the thirty-two hundred and seventy-seven men in that race. A 4:01 put him in nineteen hundred and ninetieth place. It’s the difference between racing and running.

More... (http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/08/paul-ryan-marathon.html)



Then there was the name calling between Chris Christie and Jerry Brown.


Governor Christie called the 74-year-old Brown an old retread of Democratic politics.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a little retread,” Brown said. “(I don’t have) as much hair and I’ve slowed down a little bit, but I have to tell you that I ran three miles in 29 minutes two night ago.”

Brown added that he was making a political difference when Christie was just a teenager.

“I may know a hell of a lot more than you, because when you were 14 I was passing the farm labor bill,” Brown said. “I was passing worker protections in California.”

To cap off his rebuttal, the California governor issued a physical challenge to Christie, making a not-so-subtle reference to Christie’s weight.

“I hereby challenge Governor Christie to a three-mile race, a push-up contest and a chin-up contest,” Brown proclaimed. “And whatever he wants to bet, I have no doubt of the outcome.”

More... (http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/09/01/california-governor-jerry-brown-challenges-chris-christie-to-three-mile-race/)

[Tgo01]

Are we really giving a shit because the guy claimed he ran a marathon 66 minutes faster than he really did 22 years ago? Next thing you know we'll be giving candidates shit because of an incident that happened in 1986 or something that happened while they were in school.

[Warriorbird]

Are we really giving a shit because the guy claimed he ran a marathon 66 minutes faster than he really did 22 years ago? Next thing you know we'll be giving candidates shit because of an incident that happened in 1986 or something that happened while they were in school.

I'd make fun of it if it was a Democrat, too.

[Latrinsorm]

Not as good as Sammy Sooser.

[Parkbandit]

I'd make fun of it if it was a Democrat, too... anything to keep the subject off the economy for the past 3.5 years.

ftfy

[Warriorbird]

ftfy

Indeed, anything to get the subject off the last 3.5 years. I loved the bit where Romney said he wished success for Obama in his speech. Those Republicans sure have been working hard at that there economy.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/397338

[BriarFox]

ftfy

You mean like when the Republicans held the debt ceiling hostage and precipitated the credit downgrade? Or when they refused to pass nearly any economic recovery bill?

Yeah, I wouldn't want to talk about that sort of self-serving obstructiveness either.

[crb]

You mean like when the Republicans held the debt ceiling hostage and precipitated the credit downgrade? Or when they refused to pass nearly any economic recovery bill?

Yeah, I wouldn't want to talk about that sort of self-serving obstructiveness either.

You realize of course dozens of bills have passed the house with bipartisan support only to have Harry Reid refuse to allow them to even be debated in the senate. Even fucking bills obama talks about on the stump have been passed. Harry Reid did allow one Obama bill up for a vote, was voted down like 97 to nothing.

Harry Reid doesn't allow bills passed bipartisanly out of the house to come to the floor in the Senate because he, for some reason, is Obama's bouncer and doesn't want to have Obama have to make the hard decision to sign a bill or veto it. There are enough moderate democrats in the senate to vote these things through though and so, he plays gatekeeper.

But, that doesn't change the fact that the house has been very active in passing legislation. The senate is where things die. Who controls that?

[Latrinsorm]

The senate is where things die. Who controls that?Not sure if serious...

[Parkbandit]

The senate is where things die. Who controls that?

It's Bush's fault.

[Jarvan]

It's Bush's fault.

I heard it's Bush's fault that sun spots disrupt cell phone usage.

[Warriorbird]

It's Bush's fault.

It's funny that this is where you go to avoid talking about the post Bush Republican Congress. You really do want to distract from it.

[Parkbandit]

It's funny that this is where you go to avoid talking about the post Bush Republican Congress. You really do want to distract from it.

Avoiding? Want to talk about the post Bush "Republican" Congress... you first have to find yourself a clue and figure out that the Senate has been out of Republican control since 2006. I'm not holding out hope for you to ever have one of these though.

Let's talk about it. Let's talk about the bills that the House has passed that are currently stalled in the Democratically "lead" Senate. Let's talk about how the Democrats in the Senate haven't passed a budget in 4 years.

Yea.. you probably should get back to your discussion about the WAR ON WOMANZ or RICH PEOPLE R GREEDY or RYAN NEVER RAN A 3 HOUR MARATHON...

[Warriorbird]

Avoiding? Want to talk about the post Bush "Republican" Congress... you first have to find yourself a clue and figure out that the Senate has been out of Republican control since 2006. I'm not holding out hope for you to ever have one of these though.

Let's talk about it. Let's talk about the bills that the House has passed that are currently stalled in the Democratically "lead" Senate. Let's talk about how the Democrats in the Senate haven't passed a budget in 4 years.

Yea.. you probably should get back to your discussion about the WAR ON WOMANZ or RICH PEOPLE R GREEDY or RYAN NEVER RAN A 3 HOUR MARATHON...

Avoid. First you attempt to blame the Senate, then you neglect the whole Republican culpability in there being no budget. This is an awful discussion for you.

[crb]

Someone needs to watch "How a bill becomes a law again."

The legislative process is that the house passes a law (and for budgets, the house has to go first). Then the senate passes a budget, and then if there are differences they are hammered out in a conference committee made up of lawmakers from both houses.

The house has passed budgets (among many other bills), they have done their job. The senate has not, because of Harry Reid's horrible leadership.

[Warriorbird]

Someone needs to watch "How a bill becomes a law again."

The legislative process is that the house passes a law (and for budgets, the house has to go first). Then the senate passes a budget, and then if there are differences they are hammered out in a conference committee made up of lawmakers from both houses.

The house has passed budgets (among many other bills), they have done their job. The senate has not, because of Harry Reid's horrible leadership.

Only when you begin to remember that we have two political parties. Of course you want to crow about the easy to pass (given the numbers) and often totally for effect House budgets. The mindless Republican obstructionism just doesn't look good.

This is not where you want the discussion to go.

[Aluvius]

Avoiding? Want to talk about the post Bush "Republican" Congress... you first have to find yourself a clue and figure out that the Senate has been out of Republican control since 2006. I'm not holding out hope for you to ever have one of these though.

Let's talk about it. Let's talk about the bills that the House has passed that are currently stalled in the Democratically "lead" Senate. Let's talk about how the Democrats in the Senate haven't passed a budget in 4 years.

Yea.. you probably should get back to your discussion about the WAR ON WOMANZ or RICH PEOPLE R GREEDY or RYAN NEVER RAN A 3 HOUR MARATHON...



http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_motions/clotureCounts.htm

Its actually an easy to read chart. Starting in 2007 with the 110th Congress those numbers sure seem out of whack. Maybe something happened in 2006 that would cause those numbers to jump in the following session? I wonder if that could have anything to do with why the Senate Democrats haven't been able to get a budget passed? Perhaps a party doesn't have to be in the majority in order to have an effect on bills passed or not passed in the Senate.

Just doing some rough calculations it would seem as if the Republicans have filed 380 cloture or "filibuster" motions in 6 years. There were only 1366 of these since 1917 and the GOP in 6 years has racked up almost 28% of the total filibuster filings. Hey and this session is only half done, I wonder how those numbers will look at the end of the year?

Or I guess you could just ignore the chart. Either way.

[Warriorbird]

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_motions/clotureCounts.htm

Its actually an easy to read chart. Starting in 2007 with the 110th Congress those numbers sure seem out of whack. Maybe something happened in 2006 that would cause those numbers to jump in the following session? I wonder if that could have anything to do with why the Senate Democrats haven't been able to get a budget passed? Perhaps a party doesn't have to be in the majority in order to have an effect on bills passed or not passed in the Senate.

Just doing some rough calculations it would seem as if the Republicans have filed 380 cloture or "filibuster" motions in 6 years. There were only 1366 of these since 1917 and the GOP in 6 years has racked up almost 28% of the total filibuster filings. Hey and this session is only half done, I wonder how those numbers will look at the end of the year?

Or I guess you could just ignore the chart. Either way.

There's a hilarious counterpoint between "We wanted Obama to succeed!" and that. Ah, Republican Time Travel.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/397338

[Parkbandit]

Avoid. First you attempt to blame the Senate, then you neglect the whole Republican culpability in there being no budget. This is an awful discussion for you.

So it's the Republicans fault for no budget? Please show me how your simplistic little mind got to that conclusion..

[Parkbandit]

Only when you begin to remember that we have two political parties. Of course you want to crow about the easy to pass (given the numbers) and often totally for effect House budgets. The mindless Republican obstructionism just doesn't look good.

This is not where you want the discussion to go.

I'll talk all day about the ineptness that is the Democratically controlled Senate. Hopefully, the People will correct this mistake and we can get back to doing the People's business in 2013.

[Parkbandit]

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/cloture_motions/clotureCounts.htm

Its actually an easy to read chart. Starting in 2007 with the 110th Congress those numbers sure seem out of whack. Maybe something happened in 2006 that would cause those numbers to jump in the following session? I wonder if that could have anything to do with why the Senate Democrats haven't been able to get a budget passed? Perhaps a party doesn't have to be in the majority in order to have an effect on bills passed or not passed in the Senate.

Just doing some rough calculations it would seem as if the Republicans have filed 380 cloture or "filibuster" motions in 6 years. There were only 1366 of these since 1917 and the GOP in 6 years has racked up almost 28% of the total filibuster filings. Hey and this session is only half done, I wonder how those numbers will look at the end of the year?

Or I guess you could just ignore the chart. Either way.

If only they were able to get 381... we might not be stuck with one of the worst pieces of legislation ever drafted: Obamacare.

[Warriorbird]

If only they were able to get 381... we might not be stuck with one of the worst pieces of legislation ever drafted: Obamacare.

Because you can't quite decide between "He's done nothing!" and "OMG worst ever!"

It's a pretty limited bill, precisely because the President didn't get that the Republican Congress would never compromise.

[~Rocktar~]

Because you can't quite decide between "He's done nothing!" and "OMG worst ever!"

It's a pretty limited bill, precisely because the President didn't get that the Republican Congress would never compromise.

It's the largest entitlement increase in the history of the world and will be double what Republicans did when adding drug coverage to Medicare. I would have hated to see a completely unrestrained bill. Oh wait, Dems had complete control of the House AND Senate and they couldn't get their own stooges to pass a bigger boondoggle. Maybe you should think about that.

So, want to answer the question how a majority in the Senate has failed to pass any budget yet or are you going to continue with the inane and inept distraction techniques? Even Slick Willie and the evil Newt Gingrich could pass bipartisan budgets. The fail is strong in this Administration and Reid.

[Latrinsorm]

Someone needs to watch "How a bill becomes a law again."

The legislative process is that the house passes a law (and for budgets, the house has to go first). Then the senate passes a budget, and then if there are differences they are hammered out in a conference committee made up of lawmakers from both houses.

The house has passed budgets (among many other bills), they have done their job. The senate has not, because of Harry Reid's horrible leadership.I was going to post a graph for you, but Aluvius beat me to it.
I'll talk all day about the ineptness that is the Democratically controlled Senate. Hopefully, the People will correct this mistake and we can get back to doing the People's business in 2013.I figure you're using the terminology for the lulz, but I would still be pretty interested to see how many 60s radicals ended up this way.

[Tenlaar]

Are we really giving a shit because the guy claimed he ran a marathon 66 minutes faster than he really did 22 years ago?

Inorite, who cares if candidates for political office are blatant self-aggrandizing liars? That could never have any effect on anything important ever.

[Tgo01]

Inorite, who cares if candidates for political office are blatant self-aggrandizing liars? That could never have any effect on anything important ever.

Glad to see you say no one is fit for political office anytime they lie (or even exaggerate) about anything at all. I'll have to keep this post in mind next time I see you defending some Democrat who was caught lying about anything.

I'm watching you, Tenlaar.

[Parkbandit]

Because you can't quite decide between "He's done nothing!" and "OMG worst ever!"

It's a pretty limited bill, precisely because the President didn't get that the Republican Congress would never compromise.

Could you point to where I stated "He's done nothing"? Oh, nevermind... that's just WB doing what he does best: Making shit up to support his weak ass argument.

[Parkbandit]

Inorite, who cares if candidates for political office are blatant self-aggrandizing liars? That could never have any effect on anything important ever.

You might be onto something.....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1b/Dreams_from_my_father.jpg/200px-Dreams_from_my_father.jpg

[Jarvan]

Frankly, the Dems are MORE then happy to not even bring up any bill for vote in the Senate that could even remotely garner any Dem votes. It looks much better for them if they can portray the Repubs as stonewallers. If The senate passed any bill the Congress started, other then required ones to keep the country running, they wouldn't be able to point and say "Look, they are a do nothing congress, those evil bastards".

Frankly, I am waiting for both candidates to say what they will do the next 4 years. Not their wishes, or dreams, but laid out plans. Here is something I don't think either side wants to admit. You really can't run the government from either side, you have to run it from the center. You try leftist ideas for 4 years.. your going get a huge backlash and get a right aligned house and senate if not a President as well. Same thing with the right. Major legislation should always be passed in a bipartisan way, otherwise your just giving the other side the perfect platform to run against you.

Not to mention when you use sleazy tactics to pass the bill in the first place. Special election to replace a dem? Oh a Repub wins? damn, guess we better hold the vote BEFORE he can take the seat. Don't want him voting the way the people of his state want him to vote after all. We know better.

[Tenlaar]

I'll have to keep this post in mind next time I see you defending some Democrat who was caught lying about anything.

Next time implies there has already been a time when I have defended a politician who was caught lying.

I am not a democrat.

[ClydeR]

It's funny that this is where you go to avoid talking about the post Bush Republican Congress. You really do want to distract from it.

Everything Bush did would have worked if we had just given it enough time. Romney's defense, economic, tax, fiscal, social and energy policies are the same as Bush's in every important way. It will work this time!

[ClydeR]

Look at the numbers from this site (http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/09/sarah-palin-ran-a-faster-marathon-than-paul-ryan/261895/).

When Paul Ryan was 20, he ran a marathon at 4:01.

When Sarah Palin was 41, after having four children, she ran a marathon at 3:59. Palin was featured (http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-544--13221-0,00.html) in Runner's World magazine in 2009.

I'm too modest to post my marathon time.

[Warriorbird]

Everything Bush did would have worked if we had just given it enough time. Romney's defense, economic, tax, fiscal, social and energy policies are the same as Bush's in every important way. It will work this time!

They totally would have!

[Aluvius]

My one and only contribution to a political thread where I linked to an indisputable fact, explained in a non yelling/threatening matter how the Senate works, made no relative judgements on any specific issue, did not profess my political affiliation, etc and yet I get an anonymous neg rep with the comment "Kool Aid".

<shakes head>

For the record I was a registered Republican until 2004, have a carry permit (carry every day), I'm a hunter, I live on my family's 130 year old cattle farm in rural Tennessee, I think George H. Bush was a great president as was Bill Clinton, wouldn't be upset if either Obama or Romney are elected president and I yearn for the days of the pre 1992 cloth coat Republicans. Yep, I've been brainwashed with commie pinko liberal "tabulated data" on cloture motions in the Senate. I admit it, I done drunk the Kool Aid of dispassionately recorded data. And if they can get to me then no one is safe. :)

[Warriorbird]

My one and only contribution to a political thread where I linked to an indisputable fact, explained in a non yelling/threatening matter how the Senate works, made no relative judgements on any specific issue, did not profess my political affiliation, etc and yet I get an anonymous neg rep with the comment "Kool Aid".

<shakes head>

For the record I was a registered Republican until 2004, have a carry permit (carry every day), I'm a hunter, I live on my family's 130 year old cattle farm in rural Tennessee, I think George H. Bush was a great president as was Bill Clinton, wouldn't be upset if either Obama or Romney are elected president and I yearn for the days of the pre 1992 cloth coat Republicans. Yep, I've been brainwashed with commie pinko liberal "tabulated data" on cloture motions in the Senate. I admit it, I done drunk the Kool Aid of dispassionately recorded data. And if they can get to me then no one is safe. :)

Only venture here for your own entertainment.

[Tgo01]

My one and only contribution to a political thread where I linked to an indisputable fact, explained in a non yelling/threatening matter how the Senate works, made no relative judgements on any specific issue, did not profess my political affiliation, etc and yet I get an anonymous neg rep with the comment "Kool Aid".

<shakes head>

For the record I was a registered Republican until 2004, have a carry permit (carry every day), I'm a hunter, I live on my family's 130 year old cattle farm in rural Tennessee, I think George H. Bush was a great president as was Bill Clinton, wouldn't be upset if either Obama or Romney are elected president and I yearn for the days of the pre 1992 cloth coat Republicans. Yep, I've been brainwashed with commie pinko liberal "tabulated data" on cloture motions in the Senate. I admit it, I done drunk the Kool Aid of dispassionately recorded data. And if they can get to me then no one is safe. :)

Why are you assuming they were referring to the Liberal kool aid? Don't Republicans have their own brand of kool aid?

Racist.

[Seizer]

http://9.asset.soup.io/asset/2564/3865_95d1.jpeg

In the end does any of this shit really matter?

[ClydeR]

In the end does any of this s*** really matter?

An Absurdist in our midst! Let me assure you, my misguided friend, that there is a point.

[Bobmuhthol]

Are we really giving a shit because the guy claimed he ran a marathon 66 minutes faster than he really did 22 years ago? Next thing you know we'll be giving candidates shit because of an incident that happened in 1986 or something that happened while they were in school.
I still make fun of Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, for the sniper fire story (and the "I say a million words a day" defense). It's no different for Paul Ryan, a Republican, saying something retarded. The common theme is that I hate them both. How the fuck am I supposed to trust a politician to make national decisions if they can't figure out whether they had a near-death experience or are incredibly athletic?

[Tgo01]

I still make fun of Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, for the sniper fire story (and the "I say a million words a day" defense). It's no different for Paul Ryan, a Republican, saying something retarded. The common theme is that I hate them both. How the fuck am I supposed to trust a politician to make national decisions if they can't figure out whether they had a near-death experience or are incredibly athletic?

Apples and oranges.

[Latrinsorm]

Isn't the office of Vice President pretty much just for comic relief at this point anyway?

[Parkbandit]

Isn't the office of Vice President pretty much just for comic relief at this point anyway?

Ever since Biden got the job it has been.

[Latrinsorm]

Biden being Biden, Cheney's comic malevolence, Al Gore's overwhelming charisma, Quayle being a dope... even HW was a bit of a goober when he was VP.

[Parkbandit]

Biden being Biden, Cheney's comic malevolence, Al Gore's overwhelming charisma, Quayle being a dope... even HW was a bit of a goober when he was VP.

To be honest, I never considered any one of them "comic relief" before Biden.

You're reaching.

[Latrinsorm]

You didn't find "potatoe" funny?

[Tgo01]

You didn't find "potatoe" funny?

Hey hey hey, he was just going by what the card had said because he didn't want to correct the educators. It's much easier to correct the 7 year old kid after all, you're bigger than he is.

[Bobmuhthol]

Apples and oranges.
I'll defer to the argument I used against Jarvan earlier: so it's only bad when a Democrat does it?

[Tgo01]

I'll defer to the argument I used against Jarvan earlier: so it's only bad when a Democrat does it?

It's more than that, you're comparing a Democratic woman to a Republican MAN. Come on now.

But no seriously. I'll admit maybe this is just my warped way of thinking but look at Hillary's claim; she said she came under sniper fire while visiting Bosnia as first lady. It turns out that is total bullshit. About the only thing that is truthful in her story is she visited Bosnia, the rest is a figment of her imagination. I would imagine something like almost having your life ended by a bullet is something you would remember 12 years later.

Let's look at Paul Ryan's claim. He did run a marathon, he finished the marathon (it's not like he stopped halfway through and said "I'm too rich for this" and quit), the only thing is he's not sure on his time, he even answered the question "I had a two hour and fifty-something." Maybe he just doesn't recall the exact time he ran a marathon 22 years earlier. Maybe he didn't realize claiming to run a marathon in under 3 hours put him into some special group of runners and he wasn't really trying to claim to be in that special group.

In short Hillary's claim is 100% bullshit. Paul Ryan could just have a shitty memory.

Both claims wouldn't affect the way I voted anyway because they happened so long ago and because the claims aren't a huge deal. Just like Bill Clinton's "not inhaling" doesn't matter, him lying about the Monica bit does matter. Obama not remembering being born in Kenya doesn't matter, Obama lying about not being a Muslim does matter.

[Warriorbird]

To be honest, I never considered any one of them "comic relief" before Biden.

You're reaching.

You're also a Republican. You really took Quayle seriously?