November 02, 2004

EYES ROLLED

Tom Daschle has taken his Republican opponent to court over the intimidation of Indian voters via aggressive eye-rolling. South Dakota blogger Jon Lauck is on the scene:

A Mr. Jordan was just testifying at the hearing in Daschle's lawsuit to stop poll watching. He worked for Howard Dean in Iowa. He said that poll watchers would "roll their eyes" and make a "negative face" at times and that, in his opinion, this constituted "intimidation" of voters.

UPDATE: Another report on Daschle's first witness, the Howard Dean worker. He's a lawyer from Virginia who works for Lexis-Nexis and has been in South Dakot for 48 hours. He testified to "note-taking" and "faces" being made. He said nothing was said to voters and nobody was disenfranchised. They are taking a short break before the next witness. Lawyers in the courtroom think this is an absurd joke.

Lots more, including many quality links, in Jon’s report.

UPDATE. Why does Ohio always attract stupid meddling Europeans?

About 60 mainly European election observers have taken up their posts in six states, including Florida and Ohio, saying they hope their presence will serve as a "preventative to the shenanigans" during voting tomorrow.

"We will tell the people of Ohio whether their election is free and fair," said one of the observers, Hugo Coveliers, a Belgian senator who plans to monitor voting in Cleveland.

How wonderfully non-arrogant of you, Hugo.

Posted by Tim Blair at November 2, 2004 05:31 PM
Comments

Hugo can just go whistle

Posted by: Jewels (AKA Julian) at November 2, 2004 at 06:35 PM

I read recently that the US State Dept invited a number of Europeans to observe as part of some reciprocal arrangement. This may not be as intrusive as it first sounds.

Posted by: MOik at November 2, 2004 at 07:49 PM

What a smug turd

Posted by: murph at November 2, 2004 at 07:50 PM

Why would you invite any "we elected fascists and communists in our last election" Europeans to observe your elections.

Should've invited Aussies. We have perfected elections down to a fine art. Howard had won by 6:30 pm!

Posted by: Quentin George at November 2, 2004 at 07:54 PM

I think this is something cooked up by the O.S.C.E.S.E.O.W.H.A.H.O.A. (Organisation for Security and Coopereation in Europe and Showing Each Other Where the Hookers All Hang Out At), and if I am not mistaken, we have in truth had election observers here in the States previously, it's just that no one gave a drippy s*** before.

I don't much care one way or the other, although it would be funny if some large excitable type kicked an election "observers" arse around the block just for drill. Or maybe just soaped the windows of his car.

Posted by: Neuroto at November 2, 2004 at 08:00 PM

These Europeans ...

They've resorted to self-parody now, and they're making quite a convincing leg of it.

Posted by: Grand Old Elephant at November 2, 2004 at 08:05 PM

Intimidating eye-rolling intimidates Souix Indians? If only Custer had known, he'd be alive today . . . okay, not actually today, but you get my point.

Posted by: Conrad at November 2, 2004 at 08:17 PM


eye-rolling intimidates?

FMD, no wonder Osama and his mates think they can win...

Posted by: Harry Tuttle at November 2, 2004 at 08:32 PM

Seems to me it's the Dems who are complaining about intimidating by eye-rolling. Ha! So now we know how to defeat their guy. Who knew it was something so simple.

Posted by: Retread at November 2, 2004 at 09:34 PM

About 60 mainly European election observers have taken up their posts in six states, including Florida and Ohio, saying they hope their presence will serve as a "preventative to the shenanigans" during voting tomorrow.

Shenanigans arrange the weather in Ohio to favor Republicans. Leprechauns do car breakdowns.

Posted by: Ron Hardin at November 2, 2004 at 11:05 PM


Hey eye rolling can be pretty unnerving. I was in a grad school class where a particular student would roll his eyes when the professor made some lame, hand-waving physics argument (the student was some genius from cornell). The professor told him not to look at him like that. The next class he came to lecture wearing sunglasses so the prof couldn't see his eyes, it was pretty funny.

Posted by: Mark at November 3, 2004 at 12:47 AM

It's not amazing how people will degrade and belittle others--or themselves--in pursuit of an agenda.
Here is Daschle's guy complaining that the descendants of the Lakota warriors, who beat Custer, are falling to the ground in puddles of piss and fear at the site of weedy white guys in suits.
If I were a Lakota, I'd not be amused.

Posted by: Richard Aubrey at November 3, 2004 at 01:07 AM

Vote for the party that finds eye-rolling intimidating!

I don't think it's funny of you to photoshop Hugo's mustache off his picture though.

Posted by: Brian Jones at November 3, 2004 at 01:19 AM

Does anyone know whether eye-rolling ranks ahead or below gesturing index fingers on the Democrat's intimidation scale? What about indignant smirking?

Posted by: PW at November 3, 2004 at 01:33 AM

So what is the current count for indignant-official-EU observers-prepared-for-shenanigans -- on the ground in Darfur?

I'd wager it's a lot less than 60. Not surprising -- the per diem allowance may be higher for Darfur, but there's hardly anywhere to spend it.

"A Euro's got to know his limitations..." (from Dirty Harry in "Magnum Force"). "A Euro's gotta do what a Euro's gotta do.." (from ?)

Posted by: Paul H. at November 3, 2004 at 03:22 AM

Hmmm, speaking of magnums...

That picture of Hugo simply begs for pen-and-ink alteration. The standard "horns, raised eyebrows, pointed ears & pitchfork" would be appropriate but oh-so-banal.

But a superimposed & aligned silhouette of a front and rear sight post would be perfect! The double-chin could be covered up, and any rednecks who chanced to see it would start panting "real hard".

If only he could see it as well, and blindly crashed through the bushes, trying to get back to the airport for the return flight to Brussels. Sacre bleu! The thought's enough to make one start humming "Ode to Joy.."

Posted by: Paul H. at November 3, 2004 at 03:44 AM

Voting is brisk in my little Ohio village today. I'm betting we'll see a record turnout. Don't know how folks are voting, but Bush passed through here on a bus tour a couple of weeks ago, and people lined the streets and cheered. Bush/Cheney signs seem to be slightly more numerous than the other ones.

And there was nary a Belgian in sight. Thank God.

Posted by: Rebecca at November 3, 2004 at 04:22 AM

Thang goodness that in Indiana we haven't merited any observers. My first reaction to a Belgian poll watcher would be to run them out of town on a rail. Belgium, where public votes on EU matters are such a nuisance.

Posted by: JEM at November 3, 2004 at 05:22 AM

Belgian poll watchers should be run out of town on a rail, but only after we've searched their luggage for any contraband, like ah, ah, ah Godiva or beer or speculoos. Dangerous things that I want to get my hands on first ... ah, need to be confiscated to protect the public interests. Yeah. Yeah. That's the ticket ....

Posted by: Adriane at November 3, 2004 at 09:58 AM