The Hayride

This column marks the debut of Oscar, TheHayride.com’s resident voracious rodent and all-around pestilential influence. We want it known from the beginning that any relationship between what the little guy says and the editorial position of TheHayride.com staff is completely coincidental – were it not for certain contractual and/or economic factors unfortunately in play we would have laughed derisively at the idea of a nutria offering commentary on a serious political site.

But, it is what it is. So don’t judge us too harshly for what Oscar says – for that matter, don’t judge Oscar too harshly. He is, after all, a rat…

OK, first of all, don’t call me a rat. I’m not a rat. I’m 20 pounds of hardbody Myocastor coypus – and you people definitely don’t know what that means, but what it doesn’t mean is “rat.” Got it? You call me a rat, and I’ll crap on your porch.

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Filed under: Abortion, Barack Obama, Bobby Jindal, Culture, Elections, Humor, Jay Dardenne, John Georges, Media, Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans, Oscar, Sports | 1275No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/oscars-thoughts-on-the-super-bowl-etc/Oscar%27s+Thoughts+On+The+Super+Bowl%2C+Etc.2010-02-09+02%3A52%3A27Oscar

“To stimulate the economy and create jobs at no cost to the taxpayers, and without borrowing money from foreign governments for which our children and grandchildren will be responsible, and for other purposes.”

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Filed under: Barack Obama, Bill Cassidy, Charles Boustany, Congress, David Vitter, Economics, Energy, George W. Bush, Harry Reid, Jim DeMint, John Fleming, Nancy Pelosi | 12761 Comment »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/david-vitter%e2%80%99s-et-al-stimulus-plan/David+Vitter%E2%80%99s+%28et+al%29+Stimulus+Plan2010-02-09+01%3A25%3A19Michael+Youngblood

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) wrote an op-ed in Roll Call today pushing once again for movement on legislation he authored with a half-dozen other Republican senators to remove barriers to domestic energy production. An excerpt of Vitter’s piece: 

“…Last year I introduced a bill that will achieve what the president has called for — job creation, less burden on the family budget and a real jolt to start the engines of our economy. And my bill does it all without costing the taxpayer an additional dime. It is called the No Cost Stimulus Act.

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Filed under: David Vitter, Energy, Harry Reid | 12722 Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/vitter-renews-call-for-no-cost-stimulus-act/Vitter+Renews+Call+For+No-Cost+Stimulus+Act2010-02-08+21%3A17%3A06macaoidh

…Murtha passed away from complications of gall bladder surgery this morning. Our prayers go out to his family.

The Pennsylvania Democrat, called the “King Of Pork” in some circles, had a long and disgraceful congressional career largely begun by his role in the ABSCAM scandal in 1980, for which he managed to avoid jail time. That was the beginning of a series of outrages for which he was responsible. As Wikipedia chronicles:

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Filed under: Congress, Corruption | 1269No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/john-murtha-77-exits-congress-the-only-way-he-ever-would/John+Murtha%2C+77%2C+Exits+Congress+The+Only+Way+He+Ever+Would...2010-02-08+20%3A56%3A28macaoidh

This will do it. If it doesn’t, shame on you…

Saints Superbowl Victory Celebration from Cottage Films on Vimeo.

Consider this an open thread.

Filed under: Lagniappe, New Orleans, Sports | 12663 Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/wanna-get-choked-up/Wanna+Get+Choked+Up%3F2010-02-08+18%3A54%3A25macaoidh

There is no opinion, however absurd, which men will not readily embrace as soon as they can be brought to the conviction that it is generally adopted.

- Arthur Schopenhauer

Filed under: Quote Of The Day | 1147No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/quote-of-the-day-36/Quote+Of+The+Day2010-02-08+14%3A20%3A30macaoidh

Filed under: Lagniappe | 12641 Comment »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/1264/We%27re+In+That+Number%2C+And+It+Feels+Fine2010-02-08+05%3A07%3A42macaoidh

It’s hard to form coherent thoughts when one is absolutely, completely numb.

The Saints winning the Super Bowl, as happened tonight, is that kind of event. Numbing. Until this year it was never even allowed, it seemed, for Saints fans to seriously think of their team as a champion.

Even the national media types covering the Super Bowl frenzy the last two weeks treated the club like the friendly, plucky little kid coming to play with the older kids in a game of tackle ball – pat him on the head and send him away with a nice smile of admiration and a roll of the eyes. “Your heart has to go with the Saints,” went the refrain, “but the Colts are gonna win.”

Yeah, well, *&@($* that. The Age Of The Who Dat has begun.

And now, on to the completely random thoughts.

First, I’ve thought for some time that Sean Payton was the best coach in football – all he needed was a defensive coordinator to complement what he brings to the table on offense and special teams. Greg Williams gave him that, and you saw the results. Brilliant.

And while Payton is a sensational coach, Drew Brees is equally superlative. Brees is, to me, the epitome of what a star athlete should be – he exudes excellence on the field not based on overwhelming physical talent, though he’s unquestionably a phenomenal athlete, but all of the other factors. Brains. Character. Class. Work Ethic. Commitment. Courage. Leadership. If it’s something you’d consider as an “intangible,” Brees brings it to the table. He laughs when he’s referred to as “Breesus,” but from a sports standpoint if there has ever been a Second Coming this guy is as close as you can get. To say New Orleans is blessed to have a man of his caliber as the face of its football team is an understatement. There’s a love affair between New Orleans – Louisiana, for that matter – and Brees, and after tonight it will never subside. He’s now a Louisiana icon for as long as he lives and then some.

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Filed under: New Orleans, Sports | 12536 Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/thoughts-on-the-unthinkable/Thoughts+On+The+Unthinkable2010-02-08+04%3A21%3A43macaoidh

New Media titan Andrew Breitbart, speaking at the National Tea Party yesterday in Nashville, castigated the traditional press for their coverage of the Tea Party movement with a speech that will likely become viral. Here’s a video sample:

Breitbart closed the speech with this quote, which brought the house down:

“If you don’t start reporting the truth I will organize a protest in New York City on Sixth Avenue and you won’t be able to escape to the Hamptons for the weekend.”

Filed under: Andrew Breitbart, Culture, Media, Tea Parties | 1249No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/breitbart-to-media-its-not-your-business-model-that-sucks-its-you-that-sucks/Breitbart+To+Media%3A+It%27s+Not+Your+Business+Model+That+Sucks%2C+It%27s+You+That+Sucks2010-02-07+14%3A45%3A38macaoidh

Polls had shown Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu lingering below 50 percent in his attempt to subdue an 11-candidate field in the New Orleans mayoral race held Saturday, but as it turns out there might not be any need for a runoff.

With 37 of 366 precincts tallied, Landrieu is carrying better than 65 percent of the vote, far ahead of Troy Henry’s 16 percent. Henry had been seen as a candidate with a chance to sneak into the runoff and beat Landrieu based on pure demographics, but his campaign fell apart in the last two weeks of the race.

Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat John Georges is polling just 7.44 percent despite outspending the field to finish third. Republican Rob Couhig sits at four percent in fourth place.

Filed under: Elections, John Georges, Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans | 1246No Comments »http://thehayride.com/2010/02/blowout-mitch-landrieu-winning-big-in-mayoral-primary/BLOWOUT%21+Mitch+Landrieu+Winning+Big+In+Mayoral+Primary2010-02-07+03%3A15%3A49macaoidh