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Bad news from Maine.

Sad news out of Maine: voters in Maine have overturned by popular referendum a state law passed last year providing for equal marriage rights. This makes Maine the second state to overturn itself on gay marriage, and the 31st to reject equality by popular vote.

Additionally, anti-gay candidates Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell won big victories in New Jersey and Virginia respectively.

A couple of bright spots: at least 50 LGBT candidates were elected nationwide, and an anti-discrimination bill was upheld in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Also, anti-gay Conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman was defeated in NY-23. In Washington, voters narrowly upheld a domestic partnership law. Still in all, a disappointing night in a very mixed year for equality. While the passage of expanded hate crimes legislation earlier in the year was a big win, other initiatives have languished under the Democratic administration. Progress on civil rights issues has pretty much never been made on the basis of popular votes (they wouldn't be civil rights issues if the groups in question were popular). Without the legislative or judicial will to enforce Constitutional equal protections, progress will be slow indeed.

2009 Election Night Viewer's Guide

In all of the contests below, there are broadly national issues at stake, which is why they’re being watched. These are all races where the Republicans expect to either turn back some of the inroads that Democrats have made over the last few years, or at least staunch some of that bleeding. The real reason that I’m interested in them is that the narrative that the national Republican party and the “Blue Dog” Democrats  are already trying to craft is one of a stunning rebuke to president Obama’s agenda. And, by that, they mean healthcare. Big republican wins in these contests will surely be sold by the party, by conservative Democrats, and by Joe Lieberman as the voters rejecting plans to address universal health care. In reality, these are all fairly regional races. Particularly in Virginia, Creigh Deeds is widely seen as being entirely out of his depth (i.e., a buffoon). Democrats have done a good enough job of stalling health care reform even with a popular mandate, and I'd happily say that they deserve a smackdown, but I won’t enjoy seeing the health care opposition given something to crow about.

Whether you be looney lefty, right-wing nutjob, neither of those or anywhere in between: make sure to get out and vote!

The first polls will close at 7 pm (EST) in Virginia. A win by Democratic state senator Creigh Deeds would be a rather stunning upset, so expect the governorship to go to state Attorney General Bob McDonnell pretty quickly.

Updated: McConnell wins in VA with what appears to be a sizable margin. Not unexpected.

Next: at 8:00 pm (EST), polls close in New Jersey, where the governorship is on the line. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine is up against Republican Chris Christie. This one’s a toss-up in terms of the polls, as I’m not sure either of the candidates is all that popular.

Also at 8:00 pm, a big one in Maine: a ballot initiative to overturn gay marriage in the state, much as “Prop 8” did in California one year ago. Maine will either be the first state to popularly accept marriage equality, or the second state to take away rights that have been granted by the legislature. It’s completely even in the polls, but I’ll choose to be optimistic. The Obama administration hasn't demonstrated any particular interest in equality issues, so a bummer here could well foreshadow further disappointments.

At 9:00 pm, the polls will close in New York. The NY-23 house race is the one people will be watching here. It’s being described as a bit of a battle for the soul of the Republican Party. The moderate Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava dropped out just this past weekend and endorsed her Democratic challenger Bill Owens. Opposing him is Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. The feeling is that Scozzafava wasn’t sufficiently doctrinaire in her republicanism to win the party vote. This has been a Republican held seat, so the Democrats don’t really have anything to lose. It’s more that the race is seen as a bellweather of where the Republican party is headed. Hoffman is up in the polls, but the race is really too weird for anyone to predict.

Updated: In spite of a lotta love from Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck, Democrat Bill Owens wins here. First time since the Ulysses S. Grant administration that a Democrat has held this seat.

The Matthew Shepard Act.

The House today passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act to extend federal hate crimes protections to gays and lesbians under 18 USC 245, the 1968 law which allows provides for federal jurisdiction in the investigation and prosecution of crimes motivated by bias toward a person's race, religion, or national origin. The bill passed 249 to 175. It passed both houses of Congress last year, only to be pulled because of a promised veto by President Bush. Of those 249 in favor of the current bill, only 18 were Republicans. Many other Republicans Congresspersons took the opportunity to attack the bill, Mathew Shepard, and gays in general. Particularly disturbing was North Carolina Representative Virginia Foxx, who explains below that Shepard's murder was in fact "a hoax," nothing more than a botched robbery:

Here's a more accurate description:

During the trial, Chastity Pasley and Kristen Price (the pair's then-girlfriends) testified under oath that Henderson and McKinney both plotted beforehand to rob a gay man. McKinney and Henderson then went to the Fireside Lounge and selected Shepard as their target. McKinney alleged that Shepard asked them for a ride home. After befriending him, they took him to a remote area of Laramie where they robbed him, beat him severely (media reports often contained the graphic account of the pistol whipping and his smashed skull), and tied him to a fence with a rope from McKinney's truck. Shepard begged for his life. Both girlfriends also testified that neither McKinney nor Henderson was under the influence of drugs at the time. The beating was so severe that the only areas on Shepard's face that were not covered in blood were those where his tears had washed the blood stains away.

What you can do:

The Human Rights Campaign has been a leader in the fight for this legislation. You can visit their action page here to contact you senator to urge senate passage of the Matthew Shepard Act. Visit here to donate.

Have a great life fatso.

Um, I don't know, what's it supposed to mean governor? A.) You're a fucking crook. B.) You're a fucking asshole. C.) All of the above.

From our buddy Sarah Smart (whose mad sexual obsession with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel may shortly become a bit more understandable) comes this transcript of a telephone conversation between Emanuel and former Illinois governor Rod Blagojovich (whose phones had been tapped by this time). This chat happened on November 10th of last year, about a month before Blagojovich was arrested on several charges related to his attempts to sell the newly vacant senate seat of Barack Obama. In a weird way, Rahm's foul-mouthed but fully justified takedown of the crooked governor is kinda sexy. If that's your thing...

RAHM EMANUEL: This is Rahm.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH: Hey Rahm, yeah it's Rod.

EMANUEL: Uh-huh. What's going on governor, I'm busy.

BLAGO: Well, it's about that Senate appointment...

EMANUEL: We already gave you the list of people we like.

BLAGO: Yeah, I been looking the list over. Interesting names. Good people. How's the transition going?

EMANUEL: It's going fine, governor. Are you calling to fucking tell me anything, or what, cause I--

BLAGO: No no, I'm just wondering if you have all your picks already made. I heard something about Dashle for HHS--

EMANUEL: I'm not gonna discuss ongoing deliberations, gov, you know that.

BLAGO: Hey, come on Rahm, let's not act like I'm a stranger here.

EMANUEL: Did I call you a stranger? If I thought you were a stranger, you think I'd be interrupting my important fucking business to take this fucking phone call?

BLAGO: Hey you don't have to get curt with me, Rahm.

EMANUEL: This isn't me being curt, Gov, this is me being fucking busy. Now what did you call about?

BLAGO: I'm just feeling you out, seeing if Valerie [Jarret] still wants that Senate seat, just wondering what kind of priority that is for the President-Elect.

EMANUEL: Actually, it's not a priority. Valerie's had second thoughts about the job.

BLAGO: What, she doesn't want it anymore?

EMANUEL: She's having second thoughts. You want more details, you ask her.

BLAGO: She won't take my calls.

EMANUEL: Big fucking surprise.

BLAGO: What's that supposed to mean?

EMANUEL: Um, I don't know, what's it supposed to mean governor? A.) You're a fucking crook. B.) You're a fucking asshole. C.) All of the above.

BLAGO: I'm clean Rahm, you know this. You think that fucking Fitzgerald would being twiddling his fucking thumbs if he had shit to go on?

EMANUEL: I gotta go, Gov. You appoint who you want, we really don't give a shit.

BLAGO: What if I appoint Valerie, what if she takes it?

EMANUEL: What do you want me to say? We'd appreciate it, I'm not gonna fucking kiss your ring over it.

BLAGO: "Appreciate it"? Come on, this is a senate seat we're talking about. It's worth a fuck of a lot more than appreciation.

EMANUEL: You asked us for a list, we gave you a fucking list, you want to make your own list then make your own fucking list. [Raising voice] But if you're asking for anything else from me, or Barack, or Valerie, then you can fucking stop talking right now Rod.

BLAGO: Wait a sec there Rahm. Wait just a fucking minute. Who are you to talk to me like that? I fucking made you.

EMANUEL: You made me? You made me? Tell me you're fucking joking.

BLAGO: No no no, you listen to me shit-face. You see this list I got, the names motherfucking Obama fucking wants for the Senate. I just ripped it in two. How you like that? Oops, Harris just dropped it in the shredder. Harris?

HARRIS (muffled): Yes sir?

BLAGO: Did you just drop that list in the shredder?

[Whirring, shredder noise]

HARRIS (muffled): I did.

EMANUEL: Do you have me on fucking speakerphone?

BLAGO: It's in the shredder, Rahm. The list is bye bye.

EMANUEL: Hold on a sec -- you got me on fucking speakerphone? Who the fuck do you think I am?

BLAGO: Who are you Rahm? Who are you? You're shit, you hear me? Don't come back to Chicago Rahm, it's not your town any more.

EMANUEL: Pick up the phone Rod.

BLAGO: I'll put someone in the senate who will fucking fuck you. I might even put myself in there, how you like that Rahm? How you gonna explain that to fucking Barack, every time he's gotta call me up for my fucking vote. He'd have to take my calls then, wouldn't he?

EMANUEL: [Screaming] I said pick up the FUCKING phone!

BLAGO: [Picks up phone, speakerphone off] I got your attention now, didn't I?

EMANUEL: Shut the fuck up and listen to me for one second Rod. And I want you to listen carefully, because this is the last time I'm ever going to talk to you. You are fucking dead to me. You been fucking dead to Barack since '06, now you're dead to me. Know what that means? That means you're dead to my people in Chicago, Daley on down, and all these friends you think you have aren't gonna touch you with a ten foot fucking pole.

BLAGO: Oh now you're the fucking Godfather? Fuck you.

EMANUEL: No fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you.

BLAGO: Fuck you!

EMANUEL: Listen up asshole. The shit's gonna hit the fan, maybe tomorrow, maybe next month, and when Fitz finally brings down the hammer it's gonna be my name that's going through your head. You won't know the hows or the fucking whys, but it's gonna have my fucking fingerprints all over it. Have a great life fatso.

BLAGO: Hey fuck--

EMANUEL: [Click.]

End of conversation

The Sound of Tomorrow goes live -- February 13th.

 

Not only will your favorite podcasters be taking over the Mez, but look for some of your favorite Rosserforders (Sarah Smart, anyone?) to amuse and delight. 

Find out more at SoundofTomorrow.com and HouseofHamez.com

An end to torture.

"The United States intends to prosecute the ongoing struggle against violence and terrorism. We are going to do so vigilantly, we are going to do so effectively, and we are going to do so in a manner that is consistent with our values and our ideals."

Well, that was easy. An executive order, issued on Obama's second full day in office, bans the torture of those in U.S. custody. The order revokes several Bush-era executive orders, and stipulates that the Army Field Manual once again be used as the standard for the treatment and interrogation of detainees. Two other orders mandate the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison within one year, and order a suspension of current prosecutions pending review. All offshore CIA prisons will, in fact, be closing, but without a time frame.

Given my reverence for the American legal process, this is a genuinely thrilling development.

And the nominees are:

Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader

Best Animated Feature: Bolt, Kung Fu Panda, Wall-E

Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (Doubt), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Viola Davis (Doubt), Taraji P. Henson (Doubt), Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

Best Actress: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Meryl Streep (Doubt), Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Best Actor: Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Director: David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon), Gus Van Sant (Milk), Stephen Daldry (The Reader), Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

Documentary Feature: The Betrayal (Nerakhoon), Encounters at the End of the World, The Garden, Man on Wire, Trouble the Water

Foreign Film: The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany), The Class (France), Departures (Japan), Revanche (Austria), Waltz with Bashir (Israel)

Original Screenplay: Frozen River (Courtney Hunt), Happy-Go-Lucky (Mike Leigh), In Bruges (Martin McDonagh), Milk (Dustin Lance Black), WALL-E (Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter)

Adapted Screenplay: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Eric Roth, Robin Swicord), Doubt (John Patrick Shanley), Frost/Nixon (Peter Morgan), The Reader (David Hare), Slumdog Millionaire (Simon Beaufoy)

My early guesses? Slumdog for best picture, Wall-E's a lock for animated feature. Heath will get best supporting actor if the academy is even remotely interested in ratings. Everyone seems to be digging Mickey Rourke's comeback, and I think that folks like that Kate Winslet.

Danny Boyle will probably get best director over Gus Van Sant, esp. since older academy voters tend to be hostile to gay material (remember the year that 'Crash' beat 'Brokeback Mountain' for best picture? Remember 'Crash' at all?). Encounters at the End of the World or Man on Wire will win for documentary, and Waltz with Bashir should win foreign film. Plan your Oscar pools accordingly.

Any other predictions/favorites? Anyone else still care about the Oscars? Full nominations here.

The last word.

Sorry to continue being political, but the following statement about the dangers of an unfettered, unregulated market had to be made somewhere. This is why we have an internet.

Video here. My entirely unrelated review of "Dexter: Season One" on Blu-ray here.