Ashley Judd's slam poetry speech at yesterday's Women's March is everything good about our country.

Courtesy of Raw Story:

Interrupting a speech being given by activist Michael Moore, Judd explained,”I bring you words from Nina Donovan,” a 19-year-old poet from Tennessee. 

The actress then belted out Donovan’s slam poetry, beginning with, “I am a nasty woman. Not as nasty as a man who looks like he bathes in Cheeto dust, a man whose words are a dis to America, Electoral College-sanctioned hate speech.” 

“I feel Hitler in these streets, Nazis renamed,” Judd continued, before turning to Trump’s disturbing comments about his daughter Ivanka. 

“I’m not as nasty as your daughter being your favorite sex symbol,” she exclaimed. “Our p*ssies ain’t for grabbing. This p*ssy is for my pleasure and giving birth to more nasty woman,” the poem concludes.

I was absolutely floored by the passion that I witnessed yesterday emanating from the women, and men, who participated in those protests.

But damn, Ashley Judd looked like she ate lightning and crapped thunder during her speech.

THAT is what we need so much more of.

THAT is how we take back our country.

THAT is how we speak truth to power.

And THAT is how we survive the Trump presidency.

Alison Grimes: “If the doctors told Sen. McConnell he had a kidney stone, he would refuse to pass it.” Ooh, I like her!

Courtesy of Freak Out Nation:

The Kentucky Senate race began with a bang this weekend as Alison Grimes (D) looked at Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) at the state’s annual Fancy Farm picnic and said, “If the doctors told Sen. McConnell he had a kidney stone, he would refuse to pass it.” 

Grimes also pointed out that Rand Paul wasn’t in Kentucky, but instead was spending his weekend with his loved ones — the tea party in Iowa.

Well you know how much I wanted Ashley Judd to take on Mitch McConnell but if Grimes continues hitting McConnell in this way, and continues to hold the lead in the polls that she currently enjoy, she might be EXACTLY the kind of candidate that the Democrats in Kentucky actually needed.

I like this poll in particular:

What’s more, controlling for McConnell’s initial edge in name recognition by examining just those voters familiar with both candidates (a group comprising 53% of the likely electorate) reveals that Grimes holds an impressive 15-point lead (53% Grimes, 38% McConnell).

Yep to know little Mitch McConnell, is to dislike little Mitch McConnell.

Like I said, I am really starting to appreciate Grimes, as well as her chances against this troll of a politician.

How I imagine McConnell's fate come election day:

And Yertle the Turtle, the king of the trees,

The king of the air and the birds and the bees,

The king of a house and a cow and a mule…

Well, that was the end of the Turtle King’s rule!

For Yertle, the King of all Sala-ma-Sond,

Fell off his high throne and fell Plunk! in the pond!

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he, 

Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see. 

And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free 

As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

Secret tapes reveal that Mitch McConnell was so terrified of Ashley Judd that he planned to smear her if she chose to run.

Courtesy of Mother Jones: 

On February 2, Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the US Senate, opened up his 2014 reelection campaign headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, and in front of several dozen supporters vowed to "point out" the weaknesses of any opponent fielded by the Democrats. "They want to fight? We're ready," he declared. McConnell was serious: Later that day, he was huddling with aides in a private meeting to discuss how to attack his possible Democratic foes, including actor/activist Ashley Judd, who was then contemplating challenging the minority leader. During this strategy session—a recording of which was obtained by Mother Jones—McConnell and his aides considered assaulting Judd for her past struggles with depression and for her religious views.

Mother Jones has the audio if you want to hear it, but essentially it involves the McConnell team sitting around listening to tapes of Judd talking about her depression and religious views followed by their laughter and agreement that it is "a wealth of material" they can use to discredit her.

As you can imagine the McConnell campaign is none too happy that we have been able to hear of their plans, and have issued a statement calling it "Nixonian:"  

“We’ve always said the Left will stop at nothing to attack Sen. McConnell, but Nixonian tactics to bug campaign headquarters is above and beyond,” Jesse Benton, McConnell’s campaign manager, said in a statement.

I think this is a good place to remind this prick that Nixon was THEIR guy!

They have also called in the FBI to investigate potential wiretapping.

However Mother Jones is not worried and is standing by the integrity of their sources and defending the tactics used: 

We are still waiting for Sen. Mitch McConnell to comment on the substance of the story. Before posting this article, we contacted his Senate office and his campaign office—in particular, his campaign manager, Jesse Benton—and no one responded. As the story makes clear, we were recently provided the tape by a source who wished to remain anonymous. We were not involved in the making of the tape, but we published a story on the tape due to its obvious newsworthiness. It is our understanding that the tape was not the product of a Watergate-style bugging operation. We cannot comment beyond that.

A spokesperson for Ashley Judd has also responded to this story:  

"This is yet another example of the politics of personal destruction that embody Mitch McConnell and are pervasive in Washington, D.C.," Judd's spokeswoman, Cara Tripicchio, said in a statement. 

"We expected nothing less from Mitch McConnell and his camp than to take a personal struggle such as depression, which many Americans cope with on a daily basis, and turn it into a laughing matter," the Judd statement continued. "Every day it becomes clearer how much we need change in Washington from this kind of rhetoric and actions."

Apparently much of the information obtained by this "opposition research" came from audio recordings of Judd's book,  "All that is Bitter and Sweet."

I will once again state for the record that I think Judd would have destroyed McConnell in the election, and the fact the he was prepared to go THIS route in an attempt to impugn her character is evidence which suggests that he felt the same.

As it is I have much less confidence that the next Democrat chosen to run against him will be any more successful than the last.

Ashley Judd adviser claims that her candidacy was sabotaged by Kentucky Democratic insiders, and that this may all work to the benefit of Mitch McConnell.

In this Daily Beast article Jonathon Miller, one of Ashley Judd's political advisers, makes the case that her candidacy was scuttled from within the Kentucky Democratic elite who worked together to send out false information, and red herrings, to an eager press who were salivating over every morsel that was fed to them, even if it was coming from places OTHER than the Judd campaign.

He goes on to explain that many of the things attributed to Judd were out and out false, and that there is no evidence that Bill Clinton wanted Judd out of the way so that another candidate, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, could run against McConnell instead.

Here is how Miller sums up his article.  

Now, I don’t pretend that Ashley Judd was a perfect candidate, or that there weren’t a significant number of Democratic insiders who opposed her candidacy. But in her early calls, she was winning over many skeptics, including the incumbent Governor and the House Speaker, the latter being the most prominent politician from Appalachia, the region purportedly most hostile to the actress because of her public opposition toward a controversial coal mining technique. 

Nor do I believe that the negative press was the primary force behind Judd’s decision not to run: The actress religiously avoided reading news coverage as she engaged in her studious, deliberate decision-making process. 

But pity Alison Lundergan Grimes, the primary beneficiary of the anti-Ashley putsch. Like most Judd supporters, I hope Grimes runs, defeats McConnell and enjoys a long and successful career in Washington. But there are two other equally plausible—if not more probable—scenarios: One, Grimes gets drubbed by McConnell, whose ruthless, take-no-prisoners campaigns have ended the political careers of four of his last five opponents. Or two, Grimes opts out of the race for another campaign, leaving McConnell with no serious opponent. 

All the while, I imagine McConnell sitting back, watching the antics with his sly, tight grin, enjoying how a small group of Democrats duped the so-called liberal media into creating the false narrative of a Democratic civil war. Only a master politician could get so damn lucky.

Interesting don't you think?

Now I had been accused by some as having my eyes clouded by Ashley Judd's fame and beauty, and that I was choosing sizzle over substance, just like many Palin supporters had.

But that is untrue.

What I had been seduced by instead, was the idea of a candidate who was TOO well known for McConnell's team of political character assassins to define in a negative manner, and who had the tenacity and support to withstand the withering barrage of attacks that were surely coming her way.

I like pretty people as much as the next guy, but the real attraction for me was the idea of seeing the much reviled Senator attempting to debate the poised, intelligent actress while carefully avoiding using the tactics that had served him so well in the past.

If he had attacked her character he would have been eviscerated by the press, and undoubtedly lost the majority of the female vote, while also driving millions of dollars into her campaign fund. Ultimately I think Judd would have walked all over him, done so while maintaining a gracious attitude, and would have easily defined him as a bully and as a politician more interested in serving big business than the needs of his constituents.

I mean let's face it, he really did not have much to work with. (As evidenced by the fact that the Right Wing media outlets had already resorted to using Judd's nude scenes in movies to attack her.)

Look I wish Grimes all the best in her race against the slimy Mitch McConnell. But as of right now my prediction is that he will retain his seat for yet another term.

On the other hand I truly believe that running against Ashley Judd would have been what defined his final days in office.

Mitch McConnell is doomed!

The above is a picture of the lovely Ashley Judd from last Monday night's premiere of her new movie "Olympus Has Fallen."

Now I know that this is not a beauty contest (Which wouldn't be fair considering the fact that McConnell isn't even the same species!), but still you have to admit that seeing Judd standing opposite this guy....

..is going to make it a little hard for voters NOT to add looks to the equation.

That plus the fact that McConnell is now the face of obstructionism in Washington is going to make Judd a very attractive alternative.

All I know is that I would certainly hate to be Mitch McConnell in this next election cycle.

Here is another picture of Ashley Judd so that McConnell's turtle-like visage will not be your takeaway from this blog post. That would be cruel of me.

Sources say that Ashley Judd to declare her candidacy this spring.

Courtesy of HuffPo:  

]Ashley Judd, the 44-year-old actress and social activist, has told key advisers and political figures that she is planning to announce her candidacy for U.S. Senate here this spring. 

Judd told one close ally that she plans to announce her run for the Democratic nomination for the 2014 race “around Derby” -- meaning in early May when the Kentucky Derby brings national attention to Louisville and the Bluegrass State. 

Reached for comment by email Saturday, Judd offered a not-quite-ironclad denial to The Huffington Post. “I am not sure who is saying this stuff, but it is not I! I’d prefer as a fan of your journalism that you stay accurate and credible. We told everyone who called us yesterday these stories are fabrications.” 

But she declined to specify which "stories,” did not say what wasn't "accurate,” and did not respond when asked directly whether she had, in fact, decided to run or chosen a time to declare her intentions.

This is still the race that I am the most excited about.

I am probably going to post every single debate between Mitch "Turtle man" McConnell and Judd just so we  can watch how uncomfortable the old troll becomes when he has to deal with this intelligent well spoken woman.

It is going to be political theater at its finest.

CPAC will screen new movie featuring Ashley Judd. So that they can watch her die!

Courtesy of Politico:

Next week’s CPAC attendees will be rubbing shoulders with their conservative heroes, but they’ll also get a chance to see a high-profile liberal and possible challenger to Mitch McConnell: Ashley Judd. 

Judd plays First Lady Margaret Asher in the upcoming movie “Olympus has Fallen,” a film in which North Korean terrorists take over the White House. According to CPAC’s schedule, the movie will screen at the Friday night of the Conservative Political Action Conference, the annual blockbuster conservative event that this year takes place March 14-16, in National Harbor, Md., near Washington, D.C. It will air in CPAC’s theater, which is sponsored by Citizens United. 

Okay even though this movie features EXACTLY the kind of national security fear mongering that the Right Wing depends on to attract supporters, AND it features one of their new boogeymen North Korea, I still find it odd that they would screen it for this convention. I wonder if there is some calculus? 

“The production company approached us and it looked like a good movie and we put it up, we’re not putting any money toward it,” said Jeff Marschner, a spokesman for Citizens United, who added that they have not yet reviewed the film, but that “there’s no calculus.” 

Really? There is NO other reason for showing this film other than "the production company approached us?" Which by the way also sounds like bullshit. There MUST be some other motivation.


“I think she dies in the first two minutes,” he added. 

Aha! I knew it!

Somehow I seriously doubt that it is a coincidence that the movie CPAC is showing has a death scene featuring one the  "Hollywood liberals" they fear the most in it.

I guess they were afraid to show one of her films where she appears topless knowing full well that the horny, Viagra snorting old men in the audience would all start to give money to her campaign en masse.

So pathetic.

P.S. You can see the trailer for the movie here. If you are so inclined.

Shameful secrets in Ashley Judd's past might put an end to political aspirations. According to the Right Wing of course.

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

A pretty damning anti-Mitch McConnell ad that a progressive group is trying to get on the air in Kentucky.

Okay that one is going to leave a mark.

If you want to help with the funding to broadcast it, you can do so by clicking here.

You know speaking of Mitch McConnell it looks like the Right Wing is so worried about the possibility of Ashley Judd challenging him that they have already started to do opposition research in order to stop her from even seeking the nomination.

Check out the "scandalous" information that the folks over at the Daily Caller dug up about the lovely potential challenger:

Here is a sampling of some of Judd’s most stunning comments: 

— On her decision not to have kids with her husband: “It’s unconscionable to breed, with the number of children who are starving to death in impoverished countries.” 

- On her comparing mountaintop removal to the Rwandan genocide: “President Clinton has repeatedly said doing nothing during the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 is the single greatest regret of the Presidency. Yet here at home, there is full blown environmental genocide and collapse happening, and we are doing nothing. Naturally, I accept that I set myself up for ridicule for using such strong terms, or perhaps outrage from human victims of slaughter.” 

- On fathers giving daughters away at weddings: “To this day, a common vestige of male dominion over a woman’s reproductive status is her father ‘giving’ away her away to her husband at their wedding, and the ongoing practice of women giving up their last names in order to assume the name of their husband’s families, into which they have effectively been traded.” 

- On the coal industry, which employees thousands of Kentuckians: “The era of coal plant is over, unacceptable,” she tweeted in October. 

- On how Christianity “legitimizes” male power over women: “Patriarchal religions, of which Christianity is one, gives us a God that is like a man, a God presented and discussed exclusively in male imagery, which legitimizes and seals male power. It is the intention to dominate, even if the intention to dominate is nowhere visible.” 

- On men: “Throughout history, men have tried to control the means of reproduction, which means trying to control woman. 

You know perhaps it is just me but I don't think that is going to turn off as many potential voters as this dipstick thinks it will. Especially female voters.

But perhaps my favorite miscalculation from this article was their original choice to use the picture below to make Judd appear to be just another airhead with a pretty face.

They have since changed the photo. Perhaps due to the realization they might be perceived as sexist, or perhaps because they realized that if the appearance of Sarah Palin could get the horny male Republicans to show up at the polls in droves, this picture of the gorgeous Ashley Judd might have them jumping over to the Democratic side in order to pull their levers in her honor.

Ashley Judd moves just that much closer to taking Mitch McConnell's Senate seat away from him.

Courtesy of Politico:  

Actress Ashley Judd privately met with officials at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington earlier this week, as she continues to weigh whether to mount a Senate run against Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, according to two sources familiar with the session. 

According to one person familiar with the matter, Tuesday’s meeting was Judd’s first formal one with officials at the DSCC, which coordinates strategy, recruits and fundraises on behalf of Democratic Senate candidates. DSCC officials refused to comment, saying they would not discuss candidate recruitment. 

The meeting indicates that the Hollywood movie star and eighth-generation Kentuckian is still seriously weighing a political foray after spending the past several years as an outspoken environmental and liberal activist. But sources said it remains uncertain whether Judd wants to leave acting to take on the Senate minority leader, who is the Democrats’ top target in 2014 when he runs for a sixth term. 

You know the thought of the very liberal Ashley Judd knocking the obstructionist Mitch McConnell on his ass is such a compelling idea that I can barely see straight.

The guy has been a HUGE thorn in the President's side, and his defeat would be a great step in helping to move the President's policies forward in his second term.

And let's face it, if there is no legal reason why Judd cannot be on the ballot, she is almost guaranteed to take this seat. At least that's my opinion.

Future Kentucky Senator Ashley Judd responds to Karl Rove ad attacking her. WTF, isn't it still only 2013?

Courtesy of the Washington Post: 

In a new Web ad, Karl Rove-affiliated American Crossroads dings the actress with soundbites from her own speeches and interviews unlikely to play well in conservative Kentucky: One where she vows “I will go wherever the president wants me to go,” another where she proclaims herself “a radical”; she also sings the praises of Obamacare. 

But possibly most damning? The clip where the possible Mitch McConnell challenger tells an audience: “It just clicked: Tennessee is home.” 

Indeed, the Kentucky native and UK grad’s primary residence is currently near Nashville. The quote comes from a speech she gave to the Tennessee delegation at the Democratic National Convention in September, where she explained at greater length her family roots and growing up on both sides of the border. 

In an emailed statement, a publicist for Judd responded: “Ashley thanks Senator McConnell, Karl Rove, and their negative allies for all the attention as she considers her future political plans, although a decision hasn’t been made yet.” 

An American Crossroads rep told us they’re spending $10,000 to place the video via Web advertising.

Oh hell now Rove and his cronies are doing Judd's pre-election advertising for her! How accidentally helpful of them.

As I have explained before this possible matchup between Ashley Judd and the turtle-like Mitch McConnell may turn out to be my FAVORITE political face off in 2014.

And I have to say that the fact that Karl Rove and McConell are concerned enough about it to shoot their wad THIS early tells me that they are scared spitless about the possibility of watching Judd in a political debate with McConnell.

I think I will buy some shares in Orville Redenbacher this morning.

Martin Bashir discusses Ashley Judd's potential political career.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Courtesy of Politico:

“It’s going to sting,” Jesse Benton, McConnell’s campaign manager, warned to any candidates considering a run. “We’re going to make sure that you don’t come out with your nose clean. We’re going to drive your negatives up and very aggressively and publicly litigate your record before the citizens of Kentucky.” 

Could you imagine what would  happen to Mitch McConnell's campaign if they used THESE tactics against America's sweetheart Ashely Judd?

They would be crucified!

I really don't know if Judd is seriously considering this Senate run, but after watching McConnell literally filibuster his own bill the other day it certainly makes him appear to be ripe for defeat. And she is certainly the woman to do it!

And she has already put the fear of God into at least ONE Kentucky Senator, Rand Paul:

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul told a Washington, D.C., radio station Wednesday that actress Ashley Judd was "way damn too liberal for our country and our state." 

In an interview with WMAL in Washington, Paul was asked about the possibility of Judd running against him in 2016."I heard she lives in Scotland," Paul said. "I thought she was running for Parliament. 

"She hates our biggest industry, which is coal," Paul said. "So I say, good luck bringing the 'I hate coal' message to Kentucky." 

That sounds like fear to me.

Ashley Judd is now exploring possible Senate run.

Courtesy of Politico:

The Hollywood movie star and eighth-generation Kentuckian is seriously exploring a 2014 run for the Senate to take on the powerful Republican leader, four people familiar with the matter tell POLITICO. In recent weeks, Judd has spoken with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) about the possibility of a run, has discussed a potential bid with a Democratic pollster and has begun to conduct opposition research on herself to see where she’s most vulnerable in the Bluegrass State, sources say. 

Whether Judd jumps into the race remains far from certain. She’s reportedly also weighing whether to wait until 2016 to instead take on freshman Sen. Rand Paul, sources say. 

But if Judd does become a candidate, she would be the biggest celebrity to run for the Senate since Al Franken’s successful 2008 bid for the Minnesota seat. And her entrance would add a level of star power to a race that was already poised to be the highest-profile in the country with the Senate Republican leader up for a sixth term in 2014. 

“She is doing all the things that a serious candidate exploring a race should do,” Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) told POLITICO after speaking with her. “I think there are a lot of people, and I was one of them, who wanted to let her know that her candidacy would be an exciting prospect for us. That’s what I wanted her to know. A lot of the labor unions, they were telling me that too.” 

You know after I first reported on this, some stories came out that tried to ruin my Christmas by suggesting this was not going to happen. But I knew that I had been a good boy and deserved the opportunity to write about this match-up between the lovely Ashley Judd and the hateful man-turtle Mitch McConnell.

I guess I have to consider the possibility that this will NOT happen, but right now all of my fingers and toes are crossed because this would be the most entertaining story to come my way since I chronicled Sarah Palin's political aspirations burst into flames and crash into the Alaska tundra.

If possible watching Ashley Judd knock that king of obstruction Mitch McConnell on his ass and take away his Senate seat might even be MORE satisfying than watching the Palin family debacle.

I'm stoked!

Ashley Judd does NOT rule out a run against Mitch McConnell in 2014.

Courtesy of the Courier-Journal:  

Actress Ashley Judd, said to be mulling a campaign against U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., refused to rule out a run against him in 2014 in a one-sentence statement to The Courier-Journal. 

“I cherish Kentucky, heart and soul, and while I’m very honored by the consideration, we have just finished an election, so let’s focus on coming together to keep moving America’s families, and especially our kids, forward,” Judd said in a statement released by her publicist. 

Judd is being touted by Democrats as a possible opponent for McConnell, the Senate minority leader who will be running for a sixth term. 

“If you had an Ashley Judd-McConnell race, I think it would be as high profile a race as Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown,” U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth of Louisville said in an interview Wednesday, referring to the Senate race in Massachusetts.

God I cannot TELL you how much I am looking forward to covering this race.And in my opinion taking out Mitch McConnell is actually a MUCH bigger deal than when Warren took Scott Brown's seat. Brown was a symptom of the disease in the Republican party. McConnell is the cancerous tumor itself.

In preparation for this face off I am watching all of the Ashley Judd movies I can get my hands on and have set up a Mitch McConnell dart board in my office. That's really all I need, right?

Favorite political rumor of the day.

Today, like a good little political blogger, I was watching the Sunday shows and happened to see this fascinating exchange on Chris Matthews.

Whoa, did Howard Fineman just say what I thought he said?

That Ashley Judd might be taking on Mitch "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president" McConnell for his Senate seat?

Oh PLEASE make this be true!

If this happens it will no doubt be my favorite political race to watch in 2014. By far!

You remember Ashley Judd don't you?

Famous actress, PETA spokesperson, daughter and sister to the famous country music duo "The Judds?"

Or perhaps you remember her best for being one of the first people publicly added to Sarah Palin's enemies list after going after her in 2009 over the aerial hunting of wolves in Alaska.

Oh that one REALLY got under the Grizzled Mama's skin.  As a matter of act she has mentioned it in anger numerous times since.

So yes the idea of Judd, a woman with more talent in her little finger than Sarah Palin has in her entire body, taking on "Little Bitch" McConnell and eventually walking away with his lunch money AND his Senate seat, is my idea of some very serious karmic justice.

And don't think Judd is just a pretty face (Though beautiful would be more like it.) she has the chops to talk policy and speak up for her beliefs as well. Just take a look at her canvassing for Obama last month. (Oh, and did I mention she is a HUGE Obama supporter?)

Yeah, like I said, this would be an extremely entertaining and exciting race to watch. Let's hope we get the opportunity.

Funny or Die takes on the aborted Rick Santorum campaign. You're going to love this.

Rick Santorum Aborts Presidential Campaign from Ashley Judd

Shannyn Moore returns to blogging!

Just click the title to check her newest post over at Huffington Post.

Here is a hint: Ashely Judd will love it! Sarah Palin? Not so much.

Sarah Palin whines about Ashley Judd and the Defenders of Wildlife. Waaahh!!

“It is reprehensible and hypocritical that the Defenders of Wildlife would use Alaska and my administration as a fundraising tool to deceive Americans into parting with their hard-earned money.

Did that just break your heart? Do you need a tissue because Palin's pain has moved you to tears?

No?

Yeah me either.

Please click the title and visit Mudflats, because AKM knocks this one out of the park.

Ashley Judd calls Sarah Palin a murderer.

"Wolves severed forelegs"? Wow that is certainly not an image that Sarah Palin wants associated with her as she keeps attempting to apply polish to the turd that is her political reputation. And this time trying to look pretty and disarming will not work because Ashley Judd is much, much more attractive and believable.

I don't think I can remember another politician, besides George Bush of course, who had so many groups and people coming out against them.

And right now I cannot think of a more deserving person for it to be happening to.

You can visit the website that Ashely Judd refers to here. And of course I will add it to my "Sarah Palin's least favorite blogs" list as well.