Meta mania, part one

Turns out a Z-list blogger like me can have a slight impact on the Internets ...

I was just messing around online the other day following a particularly intense porn viewing session meeting when I found a couple of items that were of great interest regarding this sucky blog. Let me tell you about one of them, and I'll save the other one for another post.

Some deranged fundie wingnut lunatic (and I mean that in the nice way) from Wyoming named Anthony J. Sacco, Sr., a self-described "author, writer and investigator," found this blog -- specifically my post last June about the selection of new U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) -- and described it thusly:

[Barrasso's] entrance into those hallowed halls of Congress has raised some eyebrows. Blast Off!, a virtually irrelevant liberal website, referred to him as that "... batshit fundie far-right whacko." But it also refers to President Bush as "Drunky McStagger," and sports a blog featuring Socialist Nancy Pelosi, so I guess we know where its sympathies lie.

First of all, to be accurate, I didn't exactly call Sen. Barrasso a "batshit fundie far-right whacko." What I said was that he was a "pretty traditional wingnut (meaning 'batshit fundie far-right whacko')" (emphasis added). See, the "batshit fundie" part modifies "wingnut." Boy, I hate when my words get distorted.

And Sacco must have reading comprehension issues, because he apparently had to read about "Drunky McStagger" and find that Blast Off! "sport[s] a blog featuring Socialist Nancy Pelosi" in order to find out "where [my] sympathies lie." What, "batshit fundie far-right whacko" wasn't clear enough to show my sympathies? And what exactly is "sporting a blog?" Hell, I didn't have to read your nutjob fellating of Barrasso to know where your sympathies lie, Tony -- I got that from your use of the word "Socialist" to describe the Speaker of the House. Remember: reading is fundamental.

Sure, if I had any doubt about Sacco's "sympathies," I could have read some of his unhinged screeds, like the one against Barack Obama (I only read the part where Sacco addresses the false "Obama is a Muslim" meme essentially by saying "it would be irresponsible not to speculate"), or the one on how The Golden Compass and other books by the same author are "dangerous attacks against Christianity," or the one that's really off the deep end: "10 Developing Trends Pointing to a Conservative Resurgence in 2008." Yeah, and dinosaurs are coming back, too. But I definitely didn't need to read that vomitous garbage to know where his "sympathies lie."

But my favorite part is where he says this blog is "virtually irrelevant." Look, buddy, I work long and hard to make sure this blog is actually irrelevant, and for Sacco to give it even a modicum, a scintilla, a sliver of credibility is an insult to the entire concept of relevance. Just because a few thousand readers a month visit here is no reason to make the accusation that there's a one-in-a-million chance this blog may, to some poor, deluded souls, be relevant. Next time, Tony, say it loud and say it proud: Blast Off! is completely irrelevant! Honestly, man, if anyone knows about complete and total irrelevance, it'd be you, right?

Well, it's a good thing that Tony Sacco lives in Wyoming, the alleged home state of Vice Criminal Dick "Dick" Cheney. I mean, nothing against the beautiful state of Wyoming, where I most recently had the pleasure of visiting in 2005, but it's best that folks like Sacco stay as far removed from normal, civilized people as possible ...

New senator from Wyoming: John Barrasso (R)

Because of the June 4 death of Sen. Craig Thomas (R), Wyoming's governor had to appoint a replacement until a November 2008 special election. As noted here previously, under Wyoming law, even though Gov. Dave Freudenthal is a Democrat, he had to appoint someone from Thomas' party, in this case the Republicans.

So welcome to Sen. John Barrasso. Looks like he's a pretty traditional wingnut (meaning "batshit fundie far-right whacko"):

Barrasso also left no doubt that he will be a conservative voice in Washington.

"I believe in limited government, lower taxes, less spending, traditional family values, local control and a strong national defense," the orthopedic surgeon and state senator from Casper wrote in his application.

He said he has "voted for prayer in schools, against gay marriage and have sponsored legislation to protect the sanctity of life."

Just what we need -- another fundie on Capitol Hill.

Was this really the best Freudenthal could do? After all, he had his choice of three, and he picked Barrasso over Cheyenne attorney Tom Sansonetti and former state Treasurer Cynthia Lummis. What's wrong with them?

Hi, I'm Assistant Attorney General Tom Sansonetti. I'm in charge of the Environment and Natural Resources Division here at the Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General John Ashcroft. Coming to Washington D.C. from the West, some of my fondest memories are of times I have spent recreating outdoors with my family and appreciating the value of our nation's natural resources.

Cynthia [Lummis] was raised on her family ranch in Laramie County. She attended Trinity Lutheran School and Cheyenne public schools before graduating from the University of Wyoming with a bachelors degree in Animal Science in 1976 and a bachelors degree in biology in 1978. In 1979, Cynthia was elected to the Wyoming House of Representatives - the youngest women ever elected to the Wyoming Legislature. She returned to the University of Wyoming for her law degree, which she received in 1985. She clerked at the Wyoming Supreme Court, practiced law in Cheyenne, and served a total of fourteen years in the Wyoming House and Senate, concentrating on natural resource and taxation issues. Cynthia completed her Legislative service in 1994, and chaired Governor-elect Geringer’s transition team. She continued to work in the Governor’s Office for two more years, primarily on natural resource issues. Cynthia also served as the interim Director of the Office of State Lands and Investments.

Not sure why Lummis wasn't selected ... but I guess we should be grateful we didn't get Sansonetti ... who worked in the Justice Department of John Ashcroft.

UPDATE (1:59 pm 6/22/07): According to the article linked above, Barrasso does plan to run in the 2008 special election.

UPDATE (3:16 pm 6/22/07): Commenter bo at Eschaton has a plausible theory on why Gov. Freudenthal picked a batshit fundie rather than a seemingly normal person like Lummis:

The process was, the Republicans selected three candidates, and the Governor (Democrat) got to select one. Defeatability would be a highly desirable characteristic. ;^)

And dirk gently in the comments to this post says basically the same thing, thereby proving yet again that Blast Off! shares with Eschaton the smartest commenters on the intertubes.

Don't get too excited, Democrats

Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) has been hospitalized in serious condition. He has been suffering from leukemia that has been resistant to chemotherapy and now is battling an infection as well.

Naturally, Blast Off! wishes the Senator well, and my thoughts are with him and his family, wishing him a speedy recovery. However, since the MSM was foaming at the mouth over Sen. Tim Johnson's (D-S.D.) brain hemorrhage several months ago, it would be irresponsible not to speculate (per Peggy Noonan) about the effect on the Senate should Sen. Thomas be unable to serve for whatever reason.

The typical response from Democrats likely would be positive (again, speaking strictly in the abstract; not taking delight in Sen. Thomas' illness), because the Democratic governor of Wyoming, Dave Freudenthal, would have the authority to appoint a successor. As ESPN's Lee Corso might say, though, Not so fast!

According to Wyoming law, the governor must appoint a successor from the last incumbent's political party:

W.S. 22-18-111(a)(i): If a vacancy occurs in the office of United States senator or in any state office other than the office of justice of the supreme court and the office of district court judge, the governor shall immediately notify in writing the chairman of the state central committee of the political party which the last incumbent represented at the time of his election under W.S. 22-6-120(a)(vii), or at the time of his appointment if not elected to office. The chairman shall call a meeting of the state central committee to be held not later than fifteen (15) days after he receives notice of the vacancy. At the meeting the state central committee shall select and transmit to the governor the names of three (3) persons qualified to fill the vacancy. Within five (5) days after receiving these three (3) names, the governor shall fill the vacancy by temporary appointment of one (1) of the three (3) to hold the office.

So, Gov. Freudenthal would have to appoint a Republican. And so, should Sen. Thomas be unable to serve, we're still stuck putting up with that asshat Joe Lieberman.

But only, FSM willing, until January 2009 ...

UPDATE (9:21 am 6/5/07): Sen. Thomas died last night at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He was 74. My condolences to his family and friends.