An Encouraging Poll Flashback

An October 17, 2004 headline: "Poll Suggests Kerry Has Lead in Swing States."

From the article: "...a Washington Post poll shows Kerry with a significant lead in important states that could decide the outcome of the election. The poll found Kerry held a 53 per cent to 43 per cent lead among likely voters in 13 such states."

I've seen any number of similar "flashback" polls posted recently at Free Republic. They're a timely reminder that not only is polling inaccurate, but there's no doubt that the media and the Democratic Party use polling to attempt to influence the election.

Ann Coulter in her last column: "Reviewing the polls printed in The New York Times and The Washington Post in the last month of every presidential election since 1976, I found the polls were never wrong in a friendly way to Republicans. When the polls were wrong, which was often, they overestimated support for the Democrat, usually by about 6 to 10 points."

It's also interesting to note a poll from earlier this year: in the New Hampshire primary Obama was leading Clinton 37% to 30% in the final Rasmussen poll. He lost. He had a history of underperforming relative to his polls throughout the primaries.

Matthew Continetti writes today at the Weekly Standard: "Pundits Prematurely Declare Victory for Obama."

It ain't over till it's over, and this race is definitely not over.

Biden: Obama Election Will Cause International Crisis

Senator Joe Biden is promising that if Senator Barack Obama is elected, he will be "tested" within six months of taking office:

"Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate."

So...if we take Senator Obama's running mate at his word, why don't we skip the testing of an inexperienced man and elect Senator McCain for President?

Biden certainly seems to make that case.

Update: Ed Morrissey agrees: "Isn’t this an argument for electing someone with more experience? Why should we elect a man who will embolden our enemies and push us to the brink of disaster? Biden seems convinced that electing John McCain will make our enemies abroad much less sanguine about provoking us — which is one of the best arguments yet heard for electing McCain."

Steyn on Saturday

Your Mark Steyn fix for the weekend...today Steyn writes "Plumber Joe Didn't Go With the Flow."

Obama's disdainfully snarky references to Joe the Plumber on the campaign trail the other day, implying that -- unlike teachers or fire fighters -- he's not someone worth "fighting" for, once again showed Senator Obama as an arrogant elitist.

I loved this Steyn post at The Corner last night, quoting Jim Treacher: "The whole 'He's not a licensed plumber!' non sequitur is really fantastic. So, if you happen to be standing in front of Obama when he publicly reveals his socialism, what does the media do? Demands to see your papers. That's just delicious, is what that is."

Socialism. Coming to America?

Dean Barnett Update

Blogger and radio host Dean Barnett continues to fight life-threatening complications of cystic fibrosis.

Dean is critically ill but the news continues to be cautiously optimistic. He could sure use continued prayers.

Previously: Pray for Dean Barnett.

Today at Disneyland: Halloween Time 2008

Today the College Girl was home to celebrate her birthday, so we headed out to Disneyland to check out this year's Halloween Time decorations:


Fall flowers at Town Square:


Disney Clothiers decked out for October:


We enjoyed checking out the new Fortuosity Shop on Main Street:


The old-fashioned Market House on Main Street is one of my favorite stores in the park:


Woody's Roundup returned again this year:


Big Thunder Ranch is decorated with pumpkin lanterns hanging amidst the pine trees:


Beautiful fall flowers at the Hub:


The Fire Station at Town Square in the late afternoon sun:


Previous Halloween Time Posts and Photos: September 29, 2006, September 30, 2006, October 21, 2006, September 28, 2007, and October 12, 2007.

El Cholo's Carmen Rocha Passes Away, Age 77

El Cholo has always been an important part of our family traditions...I couldn't possibly count the times I've eaten at both the Los Angeles and La Habra locations. I particularly associate eating at the Los Angeles El Cholo with our trips to see classic movies at various locations in the '70s and '80s.

I was saddened to learn that longtime waitress Carmen Rocha has passed away. Carmen and El Cholo are both such Los Angeles institutions -- she worked there for nearly four decades -- that her photo and obituary headline were published at the top of the front page of the Los Angeles Times website. This photo is from an El Cholo souvenir postcard.

Carmen is credited with introducing nachos to Los Angeles.

She spent many, many years making people's days just that much nicer. A life well lived.

Previously: Tonight's Dinner; Weekend Fun: El Cholo and the Galen Center; Southern California Restaurant News.

An Interview with Joe the Plumber

This is a very interesting interview with the man who just might have changed the course of the election.

Joe Wurzelbacher is a very articulate, intelligent man who is also comfortable saying what he doesn't know. He clearly expresses why Senator Obama's Socialist plan to "spread the wealth around" is bad for the economy and un-American to boot.

My favorite line though, was this: "My American Dream was to have a house, a dog, a couple rifles, a bass boat...making a good living and being able to provide for my family, college for my son."

Sounds like a great American to me.

Update: Ed Morrissey on how the left and the media have done their utmost to destroy Joe and his life today:

"We have people crawling over his tax records, his voter registration, his professional licensing, and whatever else they can find in the public record. Someone has linked him to the long-deceased Charles Keating, suggesting that somehow Obama managed to pick a McCain plant out of a ropeline full of people by accident. How much longer before a certain blogger at The Atlantic demands a paternity test to see if Joe the Plumber fathered Sarah Palin’s baby — or Bristol’s, for that matter?

"There is a stench of desperation surrounding this, as if they sense defeat coming from a moment of honesty from Obama about his real intentions to institute a regime of redistribution. They want to discredit the man who only asked the question as if he’s some political operative who magically forced Obama to sound … well, a little like a Marxist. Why? They want to distract people from Obama’s answer by sliming the man Obama picked at random to ask a question."

More:

"The...Media seems to feel that they have a duty to expose every last part of Wurzelbacher’s life, but that asking Obama to explain his political partnerships with Tony Rezko and William Ayers, and his long friendship and financial support of rabid demagogues Jeremiah Wright and Michael Pfleger, are not just out of bounds but downright racist."

Update: Michelle Malkin: "The Left Declares War on Joe the Plumber."

The media has put more effort into the investigating of Joe the Plumber in the last couple days than they've bothered to do on Senator Obama, Jeremiah Wright, and William Ayers in the last couple years...it's yet one more illustration of the campaign by Obama and his media enablers to squelch dissent.

McCain Wins Final Debate

Senator McCain did an outstanding job tonight...this is the energized, on-point performance I was hoping we'd see last time around.

The Fox News Panel is suffering from an extreme case of Beltway-itis...they sure didn't see the same debate I saw. Fred Barnes said McCain's base would be disappointed? And Charles Krauthammer actually said it was a draw and therefore Obama won. Hel-lo?

Brit Hume inexplicably said there weren't any memorable soundbites. The entire concept of Joe the Plumber is the soundbite...and I think Joe just might be the game changer McCain needed to win the election.

Update: Welcome to readers of Holy Coast. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Holy Coast blog, written by Rick Moore, I highly recommend it for frequently updated news and commentary, with train photos and music on the side.

Christmas Music: Sarah Brightman

Sarah Brightman's new Christmas album, A WINTER SYMPHONY, will be released November 4, 2008.

The tracks include "In the Bleak Midwinter," "Silent Night," "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," and two versions of "Ave Maria."

A decade ago Brightman appeared on the excellent album A GALA CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA with Placido Domingo. I loved her rendition of "First of May."

Previous Christmas Music 2008 posts: Kristin Chenoweth and Harry Connick Jr.

A New Look at Power Line

Wow, this will take some getting used to after all these years!

Some of the info about their new website is here.

Incidentally, like me, Paul Mirengoff is befuddled by Lopes and Bowa coaching for the Phillies and Dodgers, respectively.

He asks: "Aren't Larry Bowa and Davey Lopes wearing the wrong uniforms? If not, can't the Dodgers and Phillies make a quick trade?"

Tonight's Movie: Because of Him (1946)

One good Deanna Durbin movie deserves another, so I followed up last night's film, FOR THE LOVE OF MARY (1947), with Deanna's 1946 romantic comedy BECAUSE OF HIM.

BECAUSE OF HIM finds Our Girl Deanna as Kim Walker, an aspiring actress. Kim is not above unethical conniving in order to secure an interview with a Broadway producer, but because it's Deanna Durbin, we know she's really a nice girl at heart and not an early version of Eve Harrington.

Kim is aiming for the lead in the new play starring great Broadway actor John Sheridan (Charles Laughton), but the playwright, Paul Taylor (Franchot Tone) disapproves of Kim and vows to keep her out of his show. You can probably guess how that ends up...

BECAUSE OF HIM is an enjoyable film, though not on a level with the other Durbin films I've seen thus far. It focuses a bit too much on Laughton's character; his scenery-chewing is amusing, but I would have preferred more of Durbin and Tone instead. Tone, in particular, has a relatively small amount of screen time in the film's first hour. Laughton is deliberately hammy, but he also has some nice serious moments where he allows the real person underneath the legendary actor persona to show through.

Deanna doesn't do a great deal of singing in BECAUSE OF HIM, but she makes the most of each musical opportunity, including the lovingly photographed, emotional "Danny Boy" and a delightful duet with a recording of Rodgers and Hart's "Lover." She has the opportunity to display her considerable comic flair, and for good measure she looks beautiful in gowns by Travis Banton.

This was Durbin and Tone's third and final film together, following NICE GIRL? (1941) and HIS BUTLER'S SISTER (1943); both movies are excellent, but I found HIS BUTLER'S SISTER extra-special, with a lovely, sensitively developed romance.

The supporting cast includes Helen Broderick (TOP HAT, SWING TIME), Donald Meek, and Mary Field. The film was shot in black and white and runs 88 minutes.

BECAUSE OF HIM was directed by Richard Wallace. Several of Wallace's films have been previously reviewed here, including MAN OF THE WORLD (1931), WEDDING PRESENT (1936), THE YOUNG IN HEART (1938), and BRIDE BY MISTAKE (1944). Wallace, one of the founding members of the Directors Guild, was only 57 when he passed away in 1951.

This movie can be seen on VHS.

Update: BECAUSE OF HIM is now available on DVD.

2021 Update: BECAUSE OF HIM will be released on Blu-ray by Universal in September.

Waiting for Indictments

I'm sure wondering when the Justice Department is going to start prosecuting ACORN for voter fraud.

The latest in a very long string of stories comes from Indiana, where ACORN turned in 5000 voter registrations. Indiana authorities stopped processing the registrations after 2100, as every single one was fraudulent.

Update: The Wall Street Journal on "Obama and Acorn."

Barack Obama, Socialist

Senator Obama has made it crystal clear he believes in redistributing income from those who earn it to those who don't:

From Fox News:

"Barack Obama told a tax-burdened plumber over the weekend that his economic philosophy is to 'spread the wealth around'...

"'Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?'" the plumber asked, complaining that he was being taxed 'more and more for fulfilling the American dream.'

'It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance for success too,' Obama responded. 'My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody ... I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody.'

Yep, let's all work harder to achieve success so that our money can be "spread around."

I don't think so.

Rush Limbaugh spent most of the day today discussing the devastation an Obama Administration and Democratic Congress would wreak on the economy. It was not a pretty picture.

Update: Ed Morrissey comments and has video of the exchange.

Is Anyone Else...

...as confused as I am keeping straight that Larry Bowa is a Dodgers coach and Davey Lopes is a Phillies coach?

Baseball fans will understand that some things just don't seem right, even if it's been over 30 years since they first faced each other in the playoffs!

Tonight's Movie: For the Love of Mary (1948)

FOR THE LOVE OF MARY is a delightful romantic comedy which finds Deanna Durbin starring in the title role as Mary Peppertree, a White House switchboard operator.

Mary has recently left her job at the Supreme Court switchboard and jilted her fiance, Philip (Jeffrey Lynn of the FOUR DAUGHTERS series), prompting several Supreme Court justices to attempt to play matchmaker and reunite Mary and Philip.

Meanwhile, the never-seen President takes an interest in Mary after speaking to her on the phone, and he fixes her up with a dashing Naval aide, Tom (Edmond O'Brien). Complicating matters yet further is David (Don Taylor), a scientist who repeatedly calls the switchboard in his quest to speak directly to the President.

It's grand fun, with a most entertaining setting and premise. The excellent supporting cast includes Harry Davenport as a Supreme Court justice, Griff Barnett as Mary's father, Katharine Alexander as Mary's White House supervisor, and Ray Collins as the President's secretary.

Durbin and O'Brien had previously been teamed in THE AMAZING MRS. HOLLIDAY, along with Harry Davenport. Deanna looks lovely in costumes by Orry-Kelly, and of course she sings several songs along with juggling her suitors. She always had such a pleasing screen personality; as I've gotten to know her work over the past year, not one of her movies has let me down.

It's rather sad that FOR THE LOVE OF MARY was Deanna's last film. She retired from the screen at the age of 27, ultimately moving to France, where she still lives. She'll be 87 this December.

Jeanine Basinger's superb book THE STAR MACHINE has an excellent chapter on Deanna Durbin.

FOR THE LOVE OF MARY was directed by Frederick De Cordova. It was shot in black and white and runs 90 minutes.

This movie is available on VHS. The video includes 8 minutes of an alternate ending at the end of the tape.

Previous reviews of Deanna Durbin movies: FIRST LOVE (1939), HIS BUTLER'S SISTER (1943), and NICE GIRL? (1941).

Update: FOR THE LOVE OF MARY is now available on DVD.

September 2012 Update: I've reposted this review with additional images.

2021 Update: FOR THE LOVE OF MARY will be released on Blu-ray by Universal in September.

Tonight's Movie: Thin Ice (1937)

THIN ICE is a perfect example of '30s escapism, with Sonja Henie as an ice skating instructor being courted by a dashing prince (a young Tyrone Power) -- only she believes he's a newspaper reporter. Over seven decades after it was made, the film continues to provide a welcome respite from the world's woes, economic and otherwise.

The film is not a great classic, but it was produced with expert craftsmanship, including attractive lead actors, crisp black and white photography, eye-catching sets, and unique, exciting Henie skating routines. The film was made simply to entertain, and it does so admirably. It's the kind of film that causes the viewer to sigh, "They don't make 'em like they used to."

Power and Henie are both charming as the young lovers. Power was roughly 23 when the film was made, and Henie a couple years older. Rumor has it they were a romantic item around the time the movie was filmed. This was Henie's second English-language movie. Power and Henie look like they're having fun in the movie, and the audience has a good time along with them.

The leads are supported by wonderful Arthur Treacher as Power's trusty aide, Alan Hale as a diplomat, Melville Cooper as a hotel manager, and Sig Ruman as the prime minister of Power's unnamed country.

Henie's skating numbers are marvelous, particularly an elaborate routine set to the music of Borodin, with a cast of thousands -- or at least dozens. (Of course, in the film's plot the choreography and costumes were put together in less than a day!) The ice rink set is jaw-droppingly spectacular, nestled into the center of an Art Deco hotel nightclub.

There were only two elements in the film I found a bit tiresome: Raymond Walburn's performance as Henie's blustery, greedy uncle, and comedienne Joan Davis as a girl bandleader. Davis was fun as a secretary in Power's DAY-TIME WIFE, but here she's just excess; during her numbers I was anxious to get back to Ty, Sonja, or some ice-skating. With the exception of these performances, the movie runs along most pleasantly, clocking in at a brisk 79 minutes.

THIN ICE was directed by Sidney Lanfield, who also directed Power and Henie in 1939's SECOND FIDDLE (reviewed here). Lanfield's other credits include THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH with Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth, and several Bob Hope titles, including SORROWFUL JONES and THE LEMON DROP KID.

THIN ICE can be seen on VHS. It can also be seen periodically on Fox Movie Channel.

There have been rumors for a couple of years now that a boxed DVD set of Sonja Henie titles will be released so perhaps this title will be out on DVD at some point, especially as Fox's Tyrone Power releases seem to be popular. I'd especially love to see Henie's SUN VALLEY SERENADE come out on DVD.

Update: THIN ICE is now available on DVD-R from the Fox Cinema Archives.

TCM Tribute to Paul Newman on October 12

Turner Classic Movies will be paying tribute to Paul Newman on Sunday, October 12th, with an 11-film marathon.

The titles being shown include HUD, SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME, and COOL HAND LUKE. I plan to record HUD for future viewing.

The only films in the marathon I've seen thus far are CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and UNTIL THEY SAIL, which are both excellent. I own the Deluxe DVD version of CAT, which includes a featurette and a commentary track. It's a gorgeous print.

UNTIL THEY SAIL is a very interesting film based on a story by James Michener. It chronicles four sisters in New Zealand and how their lives are changed by American soldiers stationed in their town during WWII. Jean Simmons is a young widow who falls in love with Newman; her sisters are played by Joan Fontaine (a moving performance), Piper Laurie, and a very young Sandra Dee. The movie was directed by Robert Wise. It's available on video; I'd love to see it released on DVD.

Notable Passings

Two Broadway actresses who had long careers on New York based soap operas have passed away.

Irene Dailey, the younger sister of actor-dancer Dan Dailey, passed away on September 24th at the age of 88. (Click title of this post for her obituary.)

Dailey, who had a lengthy stage career, also starred on ANOTHER WORLD for two decades and was the recipient of an Emmy for Best Actress.

Dailey's stage credits included the original cast of the Tony-winning THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES. Playbill has posted an obituary.

Scottish-born actress Eileen Herlie died on October 8th at the age of 90.

Herlie appeared on ALL MY CHILDREN for over three decades. She played Queen Gertrude in Laurence Olivier's great filming of HAMLET in 1948, and played the role again on Broadway opposite Richard Burton. Her Broadway credits also included the original production of THE MATCHMAKER.

London's Daily Telegraph, in one of that paper's characteristically interesting obituaries, says that early in her career Herlie gave the longest speech in the history of the stage, a monologue which lasted 21 minutes.

"The Coming Obama Thugocracy"

A cautionary column by Michael Barone.

Some polls are still quite close...I continue to believe that the election is much closer than the media would have us believe. Given what we are continuing to learn about Senator Obama and his political methods, I pray I'm right.

Previously: Senator Obama's Assault on the First Amendment.

Update: More from Mark Steyn.

Also worth a read: Not Over Yet by Victor Davis Hanson.

"The Real Maggie O'Connell"

Actress Janine Turner of NORTHERN EXPOSURE was interviewed by Kathryn Jean Lopez of National Review Online. It's a terrific read. Turner's viewpoints are quite different from what we so often hear expressed by celebrities.

Turner, who is pro-life, says "I believe in life at conception and I believe every child has a destiny and a God-given purpose... It is beyond my comprehension that Sen. Obama thinks babies who are accidentally born after a failed abortion should just be left to die. It is truly heartbreaking."

Turner supports the McCain-Palin ticket. Governor Palin, of course, is from the very state which was the distinctive setting for NORTHERN EXPOSURE, in which Turner played pilot Maggie O'Connell.

Turner on Governor Sarah Palin: "I was always so proud to portray the spunky, self-reliant, smart Maggie O’Connell. Maggie flew her own plane, shot her own moose, marched to the beat of her own drum. She was a breakthrough television character at the time. I am very flattered when the comparisons are made between Maggie O’Connell and Governor Palin. I created a character, but Governor Palin is the real deal. I am supporting Governor Palin with pride. I actually cried when I heard she was nominated... I am supporting and applauding her character, moral fiber, intellect, feistiness, and spunk. She is the essence of the independent spirit of America — the pioneer spirit — the type of spirit that made and makes America great."

Turner also said, "My father is a West Point Military graduate so I was raised with a sense of honor, dedication and sacrifice for our Country. My views have always been conservative and I found this to be a great challenge as a young actress in Hollywood during the Reagan days."

I remember those days well -- Turner was a long-haired blonde on GENERAL HOSPITAL circa 1982, playing the younger sister of Demi Moore. It was quite a surprise to have her later turn up on NORTHERN EXPOSURE with short, dark hair.

I was pleased to learn that Turner will be appearing this season on FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.

Turner is also the author of the recent book HOLDING HER HEAD HIGH: 12 SINGLE MOTHERS WHO CHAMPIONED THEIR CHILDREN AND CHANGED HISTORY.

Tonight's Movie: Apartment for Peggy (1948)

Peggy Taylor (Jeanne Crain) is the pregnant 19-year-old wife of Jason (William Holden), an ex-Navy man attending college just after WWII.

There's a severe housing shortage on campus, but whirlwind Peggy talks her way into renting the attic of a depressed retired professor, Henry Barnes (Edmund Gwenn). Before long Peggy, an exuberant chatterbox, has turned the life of staid, suicidal Professor Barnes completely upside-down, and Professor Barnes finds he still has many reasons for living.

I first saw APARTMENT FOR PEGGY as a teenager and it has been a fond memory ever since. Having the opportunity to see the movie again was a real joy; it was even better than I had remembered. Seeing it from the perspective of an adult, it struck very deep emotional chords.

The performances are top-notch. Peggy is one of Jeanne Crain's best performances. She hits the notes just right as determined Peggy, making her a very real, fully-rounded character. Holden doesn't have as much to do as Jason, but he is also excellent as a man overcoming the trauma of difficult war experiences and struggling to achieve his dream of a college education while providing for his wife and baby. Gwenn is very moving as Professor Barnes, who is surprised to discover that he still has much to contribute despite his advanced age.

The marvelous supporting cast includes Gene Lockhart and Griff Barnett. Charles Lane has a terrific two-scene turn as a tough chemistry professor; his terse yet understanding discussion with Holden near the end of the film is a touching turning point in the story.

APARTMENT FOR PEGGY was written and directed by George Seaton, who the previous year directed Edmund Gwenn in his Oscar-winning performance in MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET.

The film runs 96 minutes. It was shot in gorgeous Fox Technicolor.

APARTMENT FOR PEGGY is not particularly well-remembered today, but at the time of the film's release, Bosley Crowther of the New York Times described the movie in glowing terms: "...superior film...rich exposition of human characters through a wealth of enchanting details...an enriching picture."

Variety also gave it an excellent review.

Some of the campus scenes were shot at the University of Nevada at Reno. (I wish I'd realized it when we visited Reno last summer!) The scene with the students ice skating takes place on the campus at Manzanita Lake. Other films shot on the campus include MOTHER IS A FRESHMAN with Loretta Young and Van Johnson and MR. BELVEDERE GOES TO COLLEGE with Clifton Webb and Shirley Temple.

APARTMENT FOR PEGGY has been shown in the past on Fox Movie Channel, so perhaps it will turn up there again one day. As I have written previously, it's a shame that this film and other Jeanne Crain classics such as MARGIE aren't available on DVD or video.

APARTMENT FOR PEGGY is loved by many other viewers, as attested to by the film's high 7.1 rating at IMDb. One comment at IMDb was titled "Gold in the Unlikeliest Places" and said the film "needs rediscovery."

I heartily agree.

March 2013 Update: APARTMENT FOR PEGGY is now out on DVD-R from the Fox Cinema Archives. I've read a couple reviews indicating print quality is just so-so.

Cute Puppy Alert

Our little Luke is now 4-1/2 months old:


Most of the time Luke's ears are both flopped forward, but every once in a while the Chihuahua in him asserts itself.

My 10-year-old son took this photo today. Luke seems to like the camera as much as our camera-shy dog Chance dislikes it!

Raining On My Circus Animal Cookie Parade

When I was a little girl, my grandmother always had a cookie jar with Van De Kamp's Molasses Cookies -- they were my grandfather's favorite cookie -- and a tin with pink and white Mother's Circus Animal Cookies.

Van De Kamp's has long since left the cookie business, but Mother's has been a staple throughout my life, and for generations prior to that. My children especially enjoy the different holiday variations of the Circus Animal Cookies.

It was thus certainly a shock to learn today that, after 92 years, Mother's abruptly shut its doors and filed for bankruptcy.

I'll be heading over to the store in the morning to see if I can snag a last few packages of Circus Animal, Cookie Parade, and Double Fudge cookies for our pantry and freezer.

More from the Consumerist.

Previously: Flaky Flix Cookies Are Back!

Around the Blogosphere Today

Lots of interesting stories today...

John Hinderaker of Power Line has information indicating that Barack Obama was a member of the Socialist New Party in the '90s. (Click title of this post.) More background is at Hot Air and Patterico's Pontifications.

Voters Haven't Decided Yet: Karl Rove on the most recent debate and the state of the race.

Tracking Polls Show Different Pictures on Obama vs. McCain: Michael Barone wonders if there is "a little more fluidity in this race than we have come to think?" I'd say so.

I Was 9 Years Old When Obama's Friend Tried to Kill Me: John Murtaugh on William Ayers' fire bombing of Murtaugh's home. More info from Ed Morrissey. At what point do Obama's many "unusual" connections start to hurt him with voters, if ever?

Obama Campaign Taking No Chances: Voter fraud seems to be running rampant, with the pro-Obama group ACORN responsible for most of it. The Nevada ACORN office has been raided by an Election Integrity Task Force; fraudulently registered names include members of the Dallas Cowboys. Michelle Malkin has a state-by-state roundup of other ACORN-perpetrated election fraud.

Bribes Paid for Corsi to Escape From Kenya: Author Jerome Corsi, researching Senator Obama's political ties to Kenya, was detained by Kenyan officials and then ejected from the country. During a telephone interview with Sean Hannity today, Corsi claimed to have obtained emails linking Obama to Kenyan political thug Raul Odinga, which he says he will produce on TV next week. Audio of the interview is here.

It's going to be an interesting month.

Pray for Dean Barnett

Dean Barnett, a regular sub on Hugh Hewitt's radio show and a blogger at the Weekly Standard, is hospitalized in very serious condition.

Barnett, who is 41, suffers from cystic fibrosis.

Dean could use everyone's prayers today.

Friday Update: The latest word on Dean's condition is cautiously optimistic. Keep those prayers going.

Dean Reynolds of CBS Compares How Campaigns Treat Reporters

Dean Reynolds of CBS disses the way the Obama campaign treats reporters.

It's a fascinating "backstage" peek -- the more so as most members of the mainstream media so fervently support Obama.

One has to wonder if what Reynolds describes captures, in microcosm, what an administration run by each of the candidates would look like.

Yosemite Rock Slide Damages Curry Village Cabins

Oops! A major rock slide early today destroyed more than half a dozen cabins at Yosemite's Curry Village.

Regular readers may recall that our family stayed in a Curry Village cabin last summer; my review is here.


Three people were injured. Curry Village has been evacuated as a precaution.

One story says the cabins were located near the amphitheater. That sounds fairly close to where we stayed.

Further details can be found at the San Francisco Chronicle and at this video report on YouTube.

Update: A photo gallery is here.

New Book: Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities

Nigella Lawson joins the parade of new fall cookbooks. Her latest book, NIGELLA CHRISTMAS: FOOD, FAMILY, FRIENDS, FESTIVITIES, comes out November 11th.

My favorite Lawson cookbook, FEAST, is also holiday centered. My family loves her recipe for Sticky Garlic Potatoes.

Lawson's books usually have exceptionally good photographs, along with her droll sense of humor and a British touch which makes the books just a bit different from American cookbooks.

Previously: New Book: Nigella Express and The Joy of Cake.

December 8 Update: As far as I can tell, the U.S. release of the book has been delayed. It's not available from Amazon or Barnes & Noble and I didn't see it last week in a bricks and mortar B&N. One online discussion site rumored the book won't be released in the U.S. until Fall 2009.

If you can't wait, the book is available now from Amazon.UK and Amazon.Canada.

What McCain's Up Against

A disturbing must-read by Patterico on the L.A. Times' fantasy coverage of Senator McCain's Monday speech.

The Times' bogus initial story was later completely rewritten at the same URL, in an attempt to pretend the original story had never existed.

Some media accountability.

Power Line has more examples of the skewed coverage of McCain's speech by the AP and the New York Times.

Zzzzzzzz

What a letdown after Sarah Palin's sparkling debate performance.

Awful fake "town hall" format with questions actually selected and mostly asked by Tom Brokaw...far too many silly questions...Senator Obama did not show himself in the best light when he kept insisting on breaking the time rules...Senator McCain made some good points but was not as articulate or forceful as I would have liked. And a couple of his answers truly pained this conservative, but given the alternative voting choice, what can you do?

After a slow start, I felt McCain did the best, but I think the first debate was better.

Beldar, posting at Hugh Hewitt's blog, gave McCain's debate performance a big thumbs up.

It's worth noting that Senator Obama has closed each debate by tearing down and criticizing our country, while Senator McCain has appealed to our better instincts and with great love for our nation.

With a month to go, I think the election is still a lot more fluid than the TV pundits would have us believe. Just two weeks ago the race was looking quite different, and we have twice that much time still going into the election. A few polls, such as this one, show the race tightening up again and McCain drawing closer to Obama. Given that Senator Obama consistently underperformed relative to polls in the primaries, I think Republicans have reason to hope this will again be the case next month.

Republican political elder Obi-Wan Kenobi has checked in with Jim Geraghty at The Campaign Spot after a long absence, and he is also optimistic about McCain's chances.

Then if McCain's elected, we just have to manage to stop the insanity of the government buying homes and resetting mortgage terms. But that's an argument for another day. If Obama's elected we're looking at even worse...

Wednesday Update: The subtle bias in the questions selected by Brokaw aided Obama. No gun control, abortion, or judicial nomination questions, for starters.

The Hotline poll suddenly has McCain within 1 point, a 4-point change since the weekend.

Carole Lombard Centennial

100 years ago today the great actress Carole Lombard was born in Indiana. You can see lovely photos of her birthplace at Obscure Classics (click the title of this post).

I shared a personal Lombard story, previously related here, in the comments.

Most appropriately, Carole Lombard is the Star of the Month for October at Turner Classic Movies. 18 Lombard films will be shown on Monday evenings over the course of the month.

I plan to tape a number of relatively obscure titles I've not yet seen, such as THE GAY BRIDE, NO MORE ORCHIDS, BRIEF MOMENT, and THE RACKETEER.

Some of my favorites airing this month: HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935) with Fred MacMurray, NOTHING SACRED (1937) with Fredric March, MR. AND MRS. SMITH (1941) costarring Robert Montgomery (directed by Alfred Hitchcock!), and the wonderful soaper IN NAME ONLY (1939), which costarred Cary Grant and Kay Francis.

My two favorite Lombard performances are probably MY MAN GODFREY (1936), costarring ex-husband William Powell, and her final film, TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942), in which she starred with Jack Benny. No matter how many times I've seen these films, she still makes me laugh.

Lombard was a unique actress and personality in movie history: she was capable of portraying a complete, well, screwball, yet also dazzlingly elegant and, when she chose, deeply moving. Her tragic early death was a great loss for all who love movies.

Living in Mr. Blandings' Dream House

Carrie at Classic Montgomery links to a fun story: prior to the 1948 release of MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE, the studio sent blueprints of the house to contractors all over the country to encourage replicas to be built.

73 "Blandings" homes were built. Carrie found a recent article about the version built in Fresno, California. The photo of the home is gorgeous. A copy of the same article in The Miami Herald includes an additional photo of the interior.

MR. BLANDINGS, which starred Cary Grant and Myrna Loy, is available on single-title DVD or in the Cary Grant Signature Collection. It's also on video.

MO Courthouse Named for Rush Limbaugh's Grandfather

The new federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, was named today for Rush Hudson Limbaugh, Sr.

Limbaugh, a prominent local attorney, worked almost to the end of his life at the age of 104. He passed away in 1996.

Radio host Rush Limbaugh's cousin, District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr., gave the keynote speech at today's ceremony. Retired District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Sr. was also in attendance at the ceremony honoring his father.

Rush Sr. passed his love for the law on to many family members. Rush's brother David is also an attorney.

Rush took the day off in order to attend the ceremony; I'm sure he'll have some wonderful stories to share on Tuesday.

Update: The article linked in this post's title has now been updated with a photograph of Limbaugh family members cutting the ribbon in front of the courthouse. If you look carefully you can make out Rush and David Limbaugh.

Tuesday Update: Here is a more detailed story. Judge Stephen Limbaugh "will be the first federal judge who will have a primary assignment to Cape Girardeau. He noted during his speech that he is the first resident federal judge working out of a courthouse named by Congress after his grandfather."

Judge Limbaugh noted that his grandfather, Rush Limbaugh Sr., "hired the first woman to practice law in Cape Girardeau, was a member of the first Missouri Commission on Human Rights and was recruited by the Eisenhower Administration to lecture in India on constitutional law."

Rush Sr. practiced law six days a week until shortly before his 1996 passing at the age of 104.

Angels Win 12-Inning Thriller

The Anaheim Angels beat the Boston Red Sox in a 12-inning nail-biter tonight. The game ended just before 1:00 a.m. Boston time.

The Angels thus avoided being swept by the Red Sox and will live to play another day in the Division Championship Series.

Tonight's Movie: He Walked By Night (1948)

HE WALKED BY NIGHT is a terrific little police "procedural" in which viewers follow two members of the LAPD (Scott Brady and Roy Roberts) on the trail of a cop killer (Richard Basehart).

I really enjoy films which demonstrate the state of police technology and lab work in this era. The film is somewhat reminiscent of two other films I've enjoyed in the past year, KID GLOVE KILLER (1942), which featured Van Heflin as a police criminologist, and MYSTERY STREET (1950), which starred Ricardo Montalban as a Boston detective and Bruce Bennett as a forensic scientist.

In HE WALKED BY NIGHT, we find none other than a young, skinny Jack Webb as the police criminologist. Seeing Webb in this role is one of the film's pleasures. The film's "by the book" storytelling, with the "names changed to protect the innocent," would seem to have been a big influence on Webb's later work, including the narration style of DRAGNET. In this case the film is narrated by Reed Hadley, whose booming voice was also used in 1947's BOOMERANG! (reviewed here) and 1948's THE IRON CURTAIN (reviewed here).

The supporting cast includes many good character actors, including John Dehner, Frank Cady, Whit Bissell, Dorothy Adams, and Adams' husband Byron Foulger. Alma Beltran, who plays the Spanish-speaking robbery witness, appeared in films for over half a century, from 1945 to 2002. The familiar voice of the dispatcher belongs to Ann Doran, who was very appealing in PRIDE OF THE MARINES (1945) and NEVER A DULL MOMENT (1950).

HE WALKED BY NIGHT was directed by Alfred L. Werker and an uncredited Anthony Mann. It runs for 79 minutes. The film was strikingly photographed in black and white by John Alton, who a couple years later won the Oscar for his first color film, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951). Alton also photographed the black and white MYSTERY STREET, mentioned earlier in this post.

HE WALKED BY NIGHT is available on video and DVD. The DVD does not appear to include any extras; I'd love to see this film again with a commentary track. Maybe we'll be lucky and the film will have a more interesting DVD release in the future.

The Kino video print I watched was somewhat faded but otherwise watchable.

You can read more on HE WALKED BY NIGHT at Noir of the Week.

February 2014 Update: Here's a brief account of seeing this film at UCLA.

March 2017 Update: And here's a short bit on seeing the movie again at the UCLA Festival of Preservation.

October 2017 Update: HE WALKED BY NIGHT is being reissued on DVD and Blu-ray by ClassicFlix, with lots of interesting extras.

2023 Update: HE WALKED BY NIGHT will be released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber in January 2024.  It will have a new commentary track by Imogen Sara Smith and also feature the commentary track with Alan K. Rode and Julie Kirgo which originally appeared on the 2017 ClassicFlix release.  My February 2024 review of the Kino Lorber Blu-ray is here.

Christmas Music: Harry Connick Jr.

Harry Connick Jr. is releasing his third Christmas album, WHAT A NIGHT!, on November 4, 2008.

Connick's previous Christmas albums are WHEN MY HEART FINDS CHRISTMAS and HARRY FOR THE HOLIDAYS. I particularly enjoy WHEN MY HEART FINDS CHRISTMAS.

I'm looking forward to checking out the new album.

Previous Christmas Music 2008 post: Kristin Chenoweth.

Racist Media Insanity

According to the Associated Press, mentioning Senator Obama's longstanding connection to terrorist William Ayers is racist.

The true racism, as far as I'm concerned, is the notion that a substantive critique of Senator Obama -- which has nothing whatsoever to do with skin color -- cannot take place without someone crying wolf over nonexistent racism.

Quin Hillyer of The American Spectator says the article "might be the single most irresponsible piece the Associated Press has EVER run...irresponsible and outrageously slanderous."

Power Line terms the article "bizarre journalistic malpractice."

More analysis from Hot Air.

Update: Patterico has an extensive rundown of incidents in this Presidential campaign where the media or the left screamed "racism."

He concludes: "There is literally no argument you can make against this man that will not be countered by cries of racism."

Monday Update: Welcome to readers of the American Spectator Blog!

And an additional welcome to readers of Race 4 2008.

Tonight's Movie: An American in Paris (1951)

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, winner of six Academy Awards, is one of the greatest examples of the brilliance of the MGM musical "stock company" of the '40s and '50s. Happily for musical fans, as well as for film history, there is a new DVD Special Edition which ranks as one of the best DVD releases of the year.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS holds a special place in my viewing memories as I was privileged to attend a screening of the film with director Vincente Minnelli present in the audience. This event took place at the Tiffany Theater in Hollywood in the late '70s or early '80s. The autographs on my program from that night are a partial "Who's Who" from MGM musicals -- along with Vincente Minnelli and music director Saul Chaplin (an exceptionally nice man whose autobiography I recommend), it holds the signatures of Ann Miller, Tom Drake, Mel Torme, and Virginia O'Brien, and one or two names which have slipped my mind. At the conclusion of the title ballet, the audience expressed its appreciation to Minnelli with thunderous applause.

The story is fairly simple: Jerry (Gene Kelly), an ex-G.I. painting in Paris, falls in love with Lise (Leslie Caron), a young French girl he spots in a nightclub. Jerry and Lise's romance is complicated by her relationship with the man (Georges Guetary) who protected her after her father died during the war, as well as by Jerry's relationship with his jealous wealthy patron (Nina Foch). Oscar Levant provides sarcastic comic relief as Jerry's friend.

The story is somewhat dark at times, especially as Guetary plays a nice, decent man who will be hurt if Lise chooses Jerry. However, the difficult romance is set against the backdrop of a marvelous catalogue of lighthearted, romantic Gershwin songs. My favorite musical number, other than the concluding ballet, is "Our Love is Here to Stay," a romantic dance which rivals another MGM classic, the Astaire-Charisse "Dancing in the Dark" from THE BAND WAGON, as one of my all-time favorite dance duets.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, which runs 113 minutes, won an Academy Award for Best Picture. The film's other Oscars were for Best Screenplay (Alan Jay Lerner), Best Color Costume Design (Orry-Kelly, Walter Plunkett, and Irene Sharaff), Best Color Art and Set Decoration (Preston Ames, Cedric Gibbons, Edwin Willis and F. Keogh Gleason), Best Scoring (Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin) and Best Color Cinematography (John Alton and Alfred Gilks).

John Alton, who filmed the concluding 17-minute ballet, is best-known today for his black and white photography in the film noir genre. I wrote a little about Alton in a review of MYSTERY STREET (1950), filmed the year before PARIS. Remarkably, the PARIS ballet, a veritable explosion of color, was Alton's first-ever color cinematography.

It's truly remarkable, from the perspective of today, to realize that the artistic talents who made this film, along with so many other great MGM musicals, were all simultaneously under contract to MGM, where they could come together to create original musicals. Every aspect of the film, including the costumes, sets, and music, was created and performed by professionals at the peak of their craft.

For example, not only is the orchestration of the ballet superb, it's one of the all-around greatest representations of the "MGM sound," with the MGM Symphony performing brilliantly. (The liner notes for the terrific 2-disc Rhino CD list every one of the Symphony's musicians. Conductor Johnny Green gave away LPs of the orchestra's performance of the ballet for Christmas the year the film was released.) The trumpet solo and orchestration of the "Chocolat" sequence near the end of the ballet is one of my favorite musical moments; it's nothing less than thrilling. When you combine the total effect of the music with dance, cinematography, art design, and costumes, it's easy to understand why the ballet was chosen as the piece de resistance for the conclusion of THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! in 1974.

The new two-disc DVD is superb in every way. The spectacular print was produced with the "Ultra-Resolution" process which was also used for the special editions of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, and GONE WITH THE WIND. It looks terrific. Mike Clark writes in USA Today "Contrasted with the standard DVD, its new kick is akin to a friendly bartender putting extra shots in your drink." I'm not a drinking person (grin), but he's right; the original DVD looked fine, but the new one looks even better.

Another review of the DVD can be read at DVD Talk. Leonard Maltin terms the new release "dazzling."

The many DVD extras include an excellent new 42-minute documentary covering every aspect of the film's production; along with new interviews with Caron and Foch and archival interviews with other filmmakers, the documentary features two of the French children from "I've Got Rhythm," one of the dancers from the ballet, and Uan Rasey, the first chair trumpet in the MGM Symphony Orchestra. (An interview with Rasey can be read here at the Robert Farnon Society website.) Film historians Drew Casper and Hugh Fordin are also among the participants. Casper is the author of VINCENTE MINNELLI AND THE FILM MUSICAL, while Fordin wrote one of the all-time great books on MGM musicals, THE WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT: HOLLYWOOD'S GREATEST MUSICALS, which focused on the "Freed Unit" at MGM and how they created films such as AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.

The outstanding DVD commentary track is narrated by Patricia Ward Kelly, Gene Kelly's widow. She is very articulate and intimately familiar with her husband's work. Mrs. Kelly identifies each of the track's many speakers. New recordings by Leslie Caron and Nina Foch are integrated with archival interviews with Vincente Minnelli, Arthur Freed, Gene Kelly, Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Preston Ames, Irene Sharaff, and Alan Jay Lerner.

For those who are interested in learning more, I highly recommend THE MAGIC FACTORY: HOW MGM MADE AN AMERICAN IN PARIS by Donald Knox (1973). The Knox and Fordin books mentioned in this post are the two single most informative books about the making of MGM musicals.

The film and the DVD set are most highly recommended.

December 2010 Update: Tonight's Movie: An American in Paris at the Egyptian Theatre with special guests Leslie Caron and Patricia Ward Kelly.

New Book: Martha Stewart's Cooking School

You can tell it's fall simply because of the large number of interesting new cookbooks coming out in the next few weeks -- just in time for Christmas gift giving!

Martha Stewart's latest book, MARTHA STEWART'S COOKING SCHOOL, is due out on October 21st. The book is described as "a culinary master class from Martha." It includes 200 new recipes and 500 photographs.

I'm definitely interested, based on the quality of Stewart's past cookbooks, including THE MARTHA STEWART LIVING COOKBOOK: THE ORIGINAL CLASSICS, MARTHA STEWART'S COOKIES, and MARTHA STEWART'S BAKING HANDBOOK. I've enjoyed all three of these cookbooks, and continue to try new recipes as time permits.

In coming weeks I'll be highlighting some of the other interesting new cookbook titles coming out this autumn.

Previous posts on Fall 2008 cookbooks: THE AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN FAMILY BAKING BOOK AND THE COOK'S COUNTRY COOKBOOK and BAREFOOT CONTESSA BACK TO BASICS.

Dodgers Sweep Cubs, Head to NLCS!

The Dodgers just beat the Cubs, 3-1, completing a sweep of the National League Division Series.

The boys in blue will now go on to the National League Championship Series. This will be the Dodgers' first appearance in the National League playoffs since they won the World Series in 1988.

As mentioned here before, I have extra-fond memories of that World Series, as our oldest daughter was a World Series baby. I went into labor early the morning after Kirk Gibson hit his now-legendary home run, labored through pitcher Orel Hershiser's remarkable 3-hit game (he gave up three hits, and he hit three hits, too!), had her on the off day, and we were back home by the time the Dodgers won Games 4 and 5 to win the Series. It was quite a special week.

Go Dodger Blue!

Previously: Dodgers Win the West!

Update: An L.A. Times photo gallery is here.

"The Charity Gap"

Don't miss this very interesting post by Ed Morrissey.

Although they made less money than Senator Biden, in each of the last two years Sarah and Todd Palin's charitable donations nearly matched or exceeded what Biden gave to charity over the last eight years combined.

"...in 2006, they donated $4,880 to charity, and in 2007, they donated $3,325. By contrast, Biden (D-Del.)...has donated a total of $3,690 since 1998 despite his higher Senate salary."

As Morrissey notes, in this campaign both Obama and Biden have stressed the importance of taking care of others. It appears, however, that for the most part they only want to do it with other people's money.

Steyn on Saturday

Mark Steyn reviews Sarah Palin's debate performance, and he liked what he saw in this "Citizen-Politician."

Dick Morris on Governor Palin's "big, big win" is also worth a read: "She didn't just win the vice-presidential debate, she showed that she belongs with Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton as among the best communicators of our modern political times."

What's really disturbing is that if Palin had committed even a couple of Biden's lies and mistakes the media would declare the race over and try to drive her from the ticket. But Biden gets a chuckle and a pass.

13 Years to the Day...

...JUSTICE.

O.J. Simpson was convicted by a Las Vegas jury tonight, 13 years to the very day after he walked out of the courthouse after he was acquitted for the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.

I don't even particularly care what the charges were in the current case, because we all know he should have been in jail for the last 13 years anyway.

Thank God the murderer is going to jail at last.

Guts, Grace, and Smarts

Once again, the Presidential campaign is a whole new ballgame.

I'm not sure I've missed a Presidential or Vice Presidential debate since Ronald Reagan first ran for President, but I was so nervous about tonight's debate -- chiefly due to the completely unfair way Governor Palin has been caricatured by the mainstream media and liberals -- I wasn't sure I felt like watching the debate live. What with NBC calling the election for Obama today, likely voter fraud in Ohio, and more, I was feeling pretty dispirited, and it felt like way too much was at stake for one Vice Presidential debate.

However, I did watch the debate and my admiration for Governor Palin has only grown. With just five weeks in the national spotlight, she went toe to toe with someone who's been a Senator since she was a small child, and she didn't just hold her own, she trounced him. And she did it with charm and good humor.

I especially loved the way she spoke directly to the camera and to Americans. Her closing statement was perfect, including "I've always been proud to be an American." I have a feeling that she connected with "Main Street America" tonight in a very powerful way, especially as many "Main Street Americans" are doubtless heartily sick of Washington lawmakers this week.

As I wrote a month ago, and as Michelle Malkin wrote tonight, "Sarah Palin rocks!"

Senator Obama's Assault on the First Amendment

Must reading by Andy McCarthy of National Review Online.

Senator Obama has repeatedly demonstrated that if he doesn't agree with someone else's free speech, it must be shut down by any means possible.

Further details and links were recently posted at Instapundit.

Update: More from Ed Morrissey.