This Is What Demographic Suicide Looks Like

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A new poll from DailyKos/Research 2000 shows Latino support for the Republican Party dropping like a stone, perhaps due to the racist attacks on Sonia Sotomayor from many prominent conservative commentators.

You essentially see Hispanics and “others” converging with African-Americans’ dim view of the Republicans. An interesting question here is whether this is a genuine meeting of the minds, or else just an artifact of the reality that black support for Republicans is pushing up against the zero bound, so that as a sinking tide drowns the GOP boat among all racial groups, the black/non-black gap necessarily gets smaller.

Obama & daughters visit the Dairy God Mother for frozen custard

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A chalk board at a custard shop in Alexandria, Va., announced the selections made by President Obama and his daughters during a visit on Saturday.Yesterday President Obama took his daughters to my local favorite custard shop here in Alexandria, the Dairy God Mother, a place that I make it a point to take any friends or family to when they come to visit (and I visit myself, more often than I should [last weekend]).

From the New York Times:

 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Who wants ice cream if you can have a scoop of custard from the Dairy Godmother?

President Obama made another stop on his culinary tour of the Washington region on Saturday, dropping by the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria for a cool afternoon treat. He walked through the doors of The Dairy Godmother with daughters Sasha and Malia in an unannounced visit that startled those inside the bustling neighborhood custard shop.

At this boutique on Mount Vernon Avenue, the sign indicates that the line forms to the right. But Mr. Obama and his small entourage went to the left, bypassing the crowd. No one seemed to mind, store employees said later, as people strained their necks to see what the Obama family was ordering.

President Barack Obama stands with daughters Malia Obama, 10, left, and Sasha Obama, 8, and orders frozen custard at The Dairy Godmother in the Del Ray area of Alexandria, Va., Saturday, June 20, 2009.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)The president had a small vanilla custard with hot fudge and almonds. Malia asked for vanilla custard in a waffle cone. And Sasha ordered a brownie sundae with vanilla custard. Bo, the presidential dog, was not along for the ride on this pre-Father’s Day outing, but the store employees sent a bag of “puppy pops” home with the girls.

Mr. Obama paid for the items and offered to leave a tip, according to Elizabeth van Gestel, who rang up his order. Mr. Obama was told that tips aren’t allowed at the Dairy Godmother, so he stayed for about 15 minutes, taking photographs and eating his custard.

It’s the latest in a series of restaurant visits since Mr. Obama took office, which have included stopping for a hotdog at Ben’s Chili Bowl and hamburgers at Ray’s Hell Burgers and Five Guys. He has told his advisers that getting out of the White House – even for a quick trip – is important to him as he tries to remain connected with the outside world and give his daughters a semblance of normalcy.

Mr. Obama may not have known it at the time, but he stumbled on a taste of the Midwest on the East Coast. The Dairy Godmother, which Liz Davis opened eight years ago, is modeled after legendary custard shops that are found throughout her native Wisconsin.

Less than an hour after the First Family returned to the White House – when this reporter dropped by the store for a butter pecan custard for himself – a chalk board was hanging on the wall that announced what the Obamas ordered.President Barack Obama leaves with daughters Malia Obama, 10, left, and Sasha Obama, 8, not pictured, after having frozen custard at The Dairy Godmother in the Del Ray area of Alexandria, Va., Saturday, June 20, 2009.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The Dying Goodwill Toward AT&T

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AT&T HQCongratulations! When Apple releases iPhone OS 3.0 next week, we'll finally be gaining the following features ...

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)! ... unless you're on AT&T.

Tethering! ... unless you're on AT&T

A brand new 16GB iPhone 3G S for only $199 with a two-year contract! ... unless you're on AT&T and already own an iPhone 3G.

AT&T has long been the subject of grumbling from the community of US iPhone users who want to use their phones legitimately. Ever since the original release back in 2007, it feels like AT&T has been trying to play catch-up when it comes to service and tower availability. But, the release of the iPhone 3G S might be the straw that breaks the camel's back. I can walk down to my local AT&T store and pick up a cheap handset for less than $100 that will have MMS. AT&T knew this day was coming. The company may wail and gnash its teeth, complaining that it aren't ready for this, but it should be, especially since Boy Genius Report tells us that all AT&T needs to do is manually remove the opt-out code!

It was even apparent during the keynote yesterday that Apple sounds pretty disgusted with how far behind AT&T is dragging them. Notice the absence of any AT&T personnel on stage. Had AT&T been on the ball to begin with, it most likely would have taken center stage -- boasting about all the improvements that would garner shiny new services for iPhone users and more money for the corporate coffers. But it didn't, and the tension coming from Apple during the moments when MMS and Tethering were announced was pretty tangible. Apple had all of these features that people have been begging for ready to go, and now Cupertino is forced to wait for AT&T to finish twiddling its thumbs and do what it should have done two years ago. I wouldn't even be surprised if AT&T somehow found a way to block copy/paste!

A small footnote on Apple's iPhone page indicates that MMS support from AT&T will be coming later this summer. Another note on the 3.0 software pages says that tethering isn't available in the U.S. and some other countries, although Engadget cites AT&T sources who say it's coming -- there just isn't anything to announce yet.

Then there comes iPhone pricing. Those expecting a repeat of last summer's offer to replace their current iPhones with the latest model on the cheap are being sorely disappointed. You can read full details on that kerfuffle over at TUAW. Those who bought the first generation iPhone paid the full price right off the bat, but later buyers were able to get the iPhone 3G at a subsidized price. Like with any other subsidized phone with any other carrier, you'll have to pay a pretty hefty price for the privilege to upgrade before you're eligible. For me, that'll be in October 2010. By then, the iPhone 3G s4π will most likely be out. Still, people aren't happy with this one either.

The ramifications for AT&T will come when it sits down at the negotiation table with Apple to extend its current gig as exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the United States. Apple won't forget that AT&T didn't have key features in place when they needed to be there. If Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, or any other carrier can convince Apple that they would be ahead of the game while AT&T lags (and, believe me, it wouldn't be that hard of an argument to make), Apple will take its toys and go elsewhere. And loyal iPhone users would follow. I know I would.