Rx for Election Anxiety Disorder

A work of public service health journalism.

How the West (And the Presidency?) Will Be Won

I have a piece in this month's American Prospect that takes a long look at demographic and political changes in the Mountain West—and what they mean for Democrats. You can read it here.

How the Party Parties

A week in Denver during the Democratic National Convention produces some odd experiences.

Some parties were just strange, and made one wonder whether the combination of perpetual boozing and Denver's high altitude was triggering some sort of psychic break. A friend of a friend reported: "It was right about the time that I was eating coconut-covered shrimp at the Denver Aquarium and watching a tiger lick up the words 'DNC 2008' written in whipped cream that I realized I had no idea what the convention was about." Why there was a tiger at the Denver Aquarium could not be answered by anyone I encountered.

Interview With a Vampire

Ten questions for Stephanie Meyer.

Who's Your Daddy?

I might be the last person in the world to review Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father and John McCain's Faith of My Fathers. But I think I'm probably the first person to review the books jointly, use the review as an opportunity to explore the candidates' father issues, and put it all under the headline Who's Your Daddy?

Moving On

My piece about finally becoming bored with the gay marriage movement, from this year's Stranger Queer Issue.

(Illustration by Justin DeGarmo)

Almost Infamous

In my new Stranger feature, I read my first autopsy report and look at the life and death of William F. Ball—the man who didn't kill Shannon Harps.

(Illustration by Maxwell Holyoke-Hirsch)

Dalai Lama to Journalists: "My Hope is That You're Also Part of Humanity"

I don't know if all of his press conferences are like this, but the early-morning media availability that the Dalai Lama held in Seattle on Sunday (I was there, randomly, as the invisible hand of AFP) ended up being quite a remarkable deviation from every other presser I've attended. The Dalai Lama opened with this:

Good morning, everybody. I have nothing to say.

He then spent about five minutes talking to the assembled journalists about the ways in which we might live more successful, happy lives—also unusual, but rather apropos given the state of our industry.

"Anger, hatred, jealousy, brings inner sense of insecurity," the Dalai Lama was saying.

I was thinking: Have you ever worked in a newsroom?

"Compassion open our heart..."

I thought: Good luck with this crowd.

He continued with his version of Journalistic Humanity 101:

In modern time, particularly in modern country, media people are very, very important. Now, in democratic country, people are the real democracy. Leadership very important—but ultimately people are the most important. Everything depend on the people.

Therefore, fuller knowledge of every event by the public is very essential. So media people have very, very important role to inform the people. For that reason, usually I make a habit of telling media people: You should have long nose, something like elephant nose, and smell everywhere—front, and side, and also behind. That’s I think very important.

For writing you should be objective and unbiased but then tell me, make clear, what’s going on—good thing or bad thing? I think that’s very important. So that the public knows: What’s going on? What’s the reality? Then the public can judge. I think that’s very important.

So my request and my hope is that you’re also part of humanity, the promotion of human values, and the promotion of harmony. I think, in these things, you also have responsibility. So, keep in your mind, that’s all.

I was stuck on his hope that media types might—just might!—also be part of humanity. I guess even the Dalai Lama wonders whether we have it in us to be human. Nice to know he's still holding out hope, though.

"Now," he said, "questions."

Death By Blogging

At long last, a story that makes me feel good about the slow pace of this blog.

Chris Crocker on South Park

It's still unclear whether the real Chris Crocker will ever have his own reality show, but the cartoon Chris Crocker got a few minutes on the recent "Canada on Strike" episode of South Park. Watch it here.

The Sub-Prime Mess Explained by Stick Figures

Finally!

Sypmathy for the ELFers

I have a piece up on Time.com about the suspected eco-terrorism near Maltby, Washington, and the fact that the destroyed "Street of Dreams" was not exactly a cherished local landmark.

Here's a quote that I was surprised to get for my story. It comes from FBI special agent Frederick Gutt:

A lot of people in the Northwest, on the west coast, and in the U.S. and in the world today are environmentalists, have concerns about the earth and mother nature, myself included... A lot of people up here may be more sympathetic to the objective. It's a social objective many people can share.

Surprising because law enforcement officials are not always so thoughtful and personally forthcoming in their remarks about crimes such as this. Lest you think him an ELF sympathizer, however, here's what else Gutt said:

I don't think it makes the methods any more acceptable. There are ways to effect real change without resorting to crimes of violence.

Hillary Clinton's Seattle Speech

Greetings Slog readers. Here's a digital audio recording of Hillary Clinton's speech at Pier 30 in Seattle this evening.

More (Real) Music for Obama

There seems to be some sort of surge in music-making for Obama lately. The Grateful Dead are reuniting to play a get-out-the-vote rally for him in San Francisco. In Seattle, a bunch of musicians just recorded this... uh... funk for Obama:



And now everyone's sending around this link to an Obama anthem produced by a member of the Black Eyed Peas. Here's the YouTube version:

Music for Obama

There's an item in The New York Post this morning saying that Barack Obama entered his Des Moines victory party to the sounds of Jay-Z's "99 Problems." As in, "I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one."

That would be provocative moment, if true. But I was at the Obama victory rally in Des Moines and heard no Jay-Z. My digital audio recording of his speech that night has Obama entering to U2's "City of Blinding Lights" and exiting to Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."

Here's the audio, Part 1 and Part 2.

Left Behind

I just returned from a week in Iowa, where I rode with the John Edwards bus tour, watched Barack Obama give his history-making Iowa caucus victory speech, and then, once it was all over... Stayed put.

Des Moines is a lonely place when you're the only out-of-town writer left in town. Here's the story I wrote about the experience.

The Anxiety of Hope

As you might have guessed from the below, I've just finished a feature on Barack Obama.

Barack Obama's Seattle Speech

Welcome back, once again, Slog readers. Barack Obama was in Seattle tonight for a "Generation Obama" event. As promised...

Here's the audio of his speech.

Barack Obama's Speech in Des Moines

Hello again Slog readers. Here's my digital audio recording of Barack Obama's speech yesterday in Des Moines. It's longer than Oprah's (about 30 minutes) and, like I said, not quite as good. But if you're an Obama fanatic, or just someone who's wondering what all the fuss is about, it's really something you should check out.

Click here to listen.

Oprah Winfrey's Speech in Des Moines

Hello Slog readers. Here's my digital audio recording of this afternoon's Oprah-Obama event in Des Moines. You'll hear Michelle Obama first, giving a brief introduction for Oprah. Then you'll hear (very briefly) some reporters jockeying for the best view spot. And then you'll hear Oprah's speech. It's about 20 minutes long.

Click here to listen.