VIDEO: Sarah Palin's interview with Bill O'Reilly in 200 seconds

By GottaLaff



Thank you TPM!

Great. I can't get it to play. But when I finally do, I'll join you in group snarkage.

Max Baucus will return for vote

By GottaLaff

We'll at least have our full 60:

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, who is with his ailing mother in Montana, will return for Saturday's key test vote on health care reform, his office confirmed Friday.

Who's left, Blanche Lincoln? Landrieu is leaning toward allowing debate (how big of her after stuffing her pockets with money from guess who). Blanche, how about it?

Note: Sorry about the misinformation. I've corrected. My head is somewhere else at the moment. Bygones.

H/t: samJtwit

Levi Johnston's mom sentenced to 3 years in drug case

By GottaLaff

Bad news for the Johnston family:

Sherry Johnston was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for dealing OxyContin. [...]

Johnston, who lives in Wasilla, made a deal with prosecutors in August to plead to a single felony count in exchange for dropping the other five felony drug dealing charges against her. The deal called for her to be sentenced to three years of prison time plus three years of probation, which is what the judge gave her.

Johnston will serve her sentence at Alaska's only female prison, Hiland Mountain Correctional Center in Eagle River.

Now Sarah Palin's ghost writer has something to add to the paperback version.

Another Gitmo Detainee Wins in Federal Court

By GottaLaff

Good news and hope for those detainees who should not be there in the first place:

Farhi Saeed bin Mohammed, an Algerian national who was captured in Pakistan and turned over to the U.S. military after fleeing from Afghanistan, was ordered released from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay by a U.S. District Court judge yesterday, according to the human rights group CagePrisoners.

Per Daphne Eviatar: The score is Detainees 31, United States 8.

CagePrisoners is a great site, by the way.

Now about that Fayiz al-Kandari...

******

All my previous posts on this subject matter can be found here; That link includes one specific to only Fayiz al-Kandari's story here. Here are audio and video interviews with Lt. Col. Wingard, one by David Shuster, one by Ana Marie Cox, and more. My guest commentary at BuzzFlash is here.

Lt. Col. Barry Wingard is a military attorney who represents Fayiz Al-Kandari in the Military Commission process and in no way represents the opinions of his home state. When not on active duty, Colonel Wingard is a public defender in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

If you are inclined to help rectify these injustices: Twitterers, use the hashtag #FreeFayiz. We have organized a team to get these stories out. If you are interested in helping Fayiz out, e-mail me at The Political Carnival, address in sidebar to the right; or tweet me at @GottaLaff.

If you'd like to see other ways you can take action, go here and scroll down to the end of the article.

Then read Jane Mayer's book The Dark Side. You'll have a much greater understanding of why I post endlessly about this, and why I'm all over the CIA deception issues, too.

More of Fayiz's story here, at Answers.com.

Putting Obama's poll numbers into perspective

By GottaLaff

Greg Sargent has more on Obama's lower approval numbers:

Gallup adds more context to Obama’s drop below 50%, noting that while only Ford, Reagan and Clinton have hit this point faster than Obama did, all presidents who’ve crossed that threshold rebounded.

(via)

Physicians protesting health care reform in 20 cities tomorrow

By GottaLaff

Here we go. These people are, and will be, doing everything they can to muck up health care reform. The so-called professionals are acting anything but.

Whatever happened to trying to keep patients, you know, alive and properly cared for? (click on images to enlarge)

These physicians sure do appear to be caring, dedicated grassrootsy types, don't they? Except for the fact that they're perpetuating lies and misinformation, and knocking themselves out to deny millions of people access to life-saving procedures, preventive care, medications...

Who is funding them? Anyone know? I'm sure Rachel Maddow covered this, but I can't seem to dig up a link.

UPDATE: 1kecko traced it to docs4patientcare.org who is headed up by someone from United Healthcare. He's still digging. Good work, 1kecko!

UPDATE #2:


(Thank you Wordsmith!)

H/t: 1kecko

VIDEO: Tina Fey sneaks in Sarah Palin impression at Ad Council Dinner

By GottaLaff

Lerve Tina! She spoke at the Ad Council Annual Dinner, and yes, she did her Blogger McCan'tWrite impression:



Money line:

"They recently made a porn movie about Sarah and then this same porn actress, Lisa Ann, played me in a parody of '30 Rock' ... And weirdly of the three of us, Lisa Ann knows the most about foreign policy."

She never disappoints. What a bright, funny, talented woman.

H/t: MWJ1231

Billboard: Prepare for war... against our government

By GottaLaff

Via Think Progress:

This billboard replaces one that warned that the socialist “Obama-Nation” is “coming for you.” It’s unclear who the owner of the billboard is, but the first one was the work of a “Missouri businessman.” (HT: Oliver Willis)

Sometimes free speech gets under my skin. I've ranted about this subject so often I've temporarily run out of rant.

Your turn.

Mary Landrieu will reveal decision on motion to proceed Saturday morning

By GottaLaff

She said she is still neutral, but she sounded bullish.

AUDIO- Laffy on the radio: Palin, ACORN, War on Christmas, more

By GottaLaff



If you missed it, I was on the Radio Machine with the absolutely wonderful Angie Coiro (on San Francisco's progressive station Green 960) Friday night, discussing all kinds of topically topical topics.

I now have a regular radio spot with her every Friday night at 6:45 Pacific!

As Angie's special correspondent and demented sidekick Buttercup, I bring her silly stories along with serious ones every week, and whatever else happens to pop up in the week's news.

VIDEO: Tea Party, the movie

By GottaLaff

This. Is. A. Very Serious Video.

No, it's not a parody.

It is for realz, it is genuine, it is the real article. And it is inadvertently funny:

VIDEO: President Obama, United We Serve, and the NFL Team Up

By GottaLaff



This will air during the Thanksgiving football games:

In support of his United We Serve initiative, President Obama and NFL stars Drew Brees, DeMarcus Ware, and Troy Polamalu team up to highlight the importance of fitness for America's children. The NFLs Play 60 initiative stresses that young people can live a healthy lifestyle by engaging in 60 minutes of physical activity a day. The Presidents United We Serve initiative encourages all Americans to get engaged in their communities and help create a brighter future for our nations youth through service.

There Prez O goes again, indoctrinating our children.

VIDEO: “Pray for Obama” Psalm 109:8 more like biblical death threat

By GottaLaff

As Frank Schaeffer told Rachel Maddow on Tuesday, the anti-Obama religious rhetoric is “trawling for assassins:”

If you did happen to watch The Rachel Maddow Show the other day, you've been well-informed about the appalling sales pitches, er, threats, um, prayers of some very misguided, very destructive religious extremists:

Diana Butler Bass at Beliefnet explains that Psalm 109 is one of the “imprecatory” prayers, “a lament in the form of petition to destroy one’s enemies.” While perhaps intended to be a joke, she notes that the psalm actually “entreats God to destroy the president”

Zazzle had the good sense and taste to remove the items from their site. However:

CafePress has been carrying the Psalm 109:8 items but pulled the items from their website yesterday, though it appears that as of today they have relisted several items, issuing this statement:

We initially pulled the Psalm 109:8 content from our products today because broader media dialog indicated that these designs potentially suggested violence towards the president. Based on current public discourse and further review of the actual content, we have determined that it is fair political commentary and we are in the process of reinstating this merchandise. As with all of our content, these designs will continue to be reviewed and if at any time their meaning is construed as advocating violence we will revisit our decision.

Based on current public discourse and our determination of what it is fair political commentary, Psalm 109:8 products are still featured on our site. Anti-presidential gear has been a mainstay at CafePress since we were founded in 1999 and has become a key component of political discourse. Our site has become a cultural barometer of public opinion and as such designs often come into question. In managing our content we are trying to protect self-expression, while making sure we are not advocating violence.

Sometimes it's better to consider common decency and the safety of the president than it is to make a quick buck. Sometimes disclaimers just don't cut it. Sometimes the priority should be concern over that one person who could snap after being egged on by your product line.

UPDATE per Xero in Comments, they took them down:

"General consensus has proven that the design does point to a broader interpretation of the Psalm and thus has been deemed inappropriate for sale at CafePress."

H/t: FreeRangeTalk

Sanford impeachment measure to be formally considered

By GottaLaff

Will they dress in top hats and tails?

A special House committee in South Carolina will formally consider an impeachment resolution against Gov. Mark Sanford for the first time next Tuesday, the Republican chairman of the committee told CNN Friday. [...]

The measure currently states that Sanford committed "serious misconduct" by secretly leaving the state in June without informing his staff or establishing a chain of command.

Harrison said "the game plan" is for the four Republicans and three Democrats in the group to finalize the language in the resolution before passing it on to the full Judiciary committee, which will then vote in January on whether the measure should be sent to the full House.

This is what happens when you abandon your state.

Don't cry for me Argentina....

UPDATE: More here. (H/t: Ady)

DCCC outraises NRCC, has $10 million more in cash

By GottaLaff

Via Roll Call and Hotline On Call:

While the DCCC has more debt than the NRCC ($3.3M-$2M), it has a huge cash-on-hand edge. At the end of Oct., the DCCC had $14.5M in the bank, while the NRCC lagged with just $4.2M.

It's nice to share good news.

Sarah Palin "seems to have no first language"

By GottaLaff

Dick Cavett is discussing Sarah Palin on MSNBC:

She seems to have no first language. [...] I feel sorry for John McCain because he aimed low and missed.

The fact that you could take any 5 sentences out of anything she says and place them anywhere else in what she writes without changing the meaning bothers me. [paraphrased]

I've always been a huge Dick Cavett fan. I met him once, and somehow managed to get a laugh out of him. I consider that to be one of my finest achievements.

OFA rai$ing money off of Sarah Palin's book tour

By GottaLaff

It's only fair, after all. We can't let Blogger McCan'tWrite be the only one who rakes in the big bucks. Organizing for America director Mitch Stewart is fundraising off of Palin's ghost writer's book:

The group, the president's political arm at the Democratic National Committee, set a goal of raising $500,000 over the next week "to help push back against Sarah Palin and her allies." OFA said the contributions will be used to respond to those attacks via ads, events, and phone banking congressional offices.

VIDEO: On Oprah, Sarah Palin Admits To Being Naive, Loving Unprotected Sex, and Enjoying Porn

By GottaLaff

Oh this is good. I heard the audio on the Stephanie Miller Show, but didn't realize there was a video to go with it:



Whoever edited this should get a Special Oscar.

H/t: Lizz Winstead and Alicia!

GOP Lays Booby Trap in Health Care Debate

By GottaLaff

Another day, another Conservative steaming pile of misinformation. This time it's all about how the Big Bad Government is going to ration your health care... again. See, now they're going to force women to ignore preventive breast health care and their own common sense.

Know what this really is? Another attempt to divert attention from the battle over politicizing the battle. Shiny keys! See 'em?

Since anti-abortion lawmakers are eager to wipe out a choice that truly matters for women, mammogram-gate conveniently diverts women's attention to health care option that isn't actually under threat. And all the chest-thumping polemics on Capitol Hill end up turning public attention away from what's really making us ill: the politicization of our health.

Now let's take a look at that thing we like to call "truth":

On mammograms, here's what the Task Force actually said:

The USPSTF recommends against routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years. The decision to start regular, biennial screening mammography before the age of 50 years should be an individual one and take into account patient context, including the patient's values regarding specific benefits and harms.

In other words, recommendations and... choice:

Currently, there's no evidence that the government or the insurance industry will try to curtail coverage for mammograms simply based on the Task Force's recommendations. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius noted as much earlier this week, stating that the Task Force's recommendations don't determine government policy.

But we know how Conservatives hate choice, so all we hear about is how "Obamacare" is gonna get us!

Once again, they plant a poisonous seed and it takes hold. The press needs to wake up and start reporting facts, not talking points.

H/t: Greg Skilling

Majority of Bagram prison detainees to be released

By GottaLaff

Liveblogging Thom Hartmann:

The U.S. military says the vast majority of the 700 detainees from Bagram Air Force Base, arrested in Afghanistan, in prison... of the 700, the vast majority will be released.

Why? U.S. Military brigadier general Mark Martins says because they're fighting more for money than ideology.

In Afghanistan, where we are spending a whole lot of money, the Taliban pays people $5 a day (big money there), so why don't we just give them $5 a day (asks Thom)? Let them be one of the world's primary sources of raw materials for pharmaceuticals. One gallon of gasoline is enough to pay an Afghan to plant trees for 4 months.

This is huge, he says.

We'll let these prisoners out because so few (10-20%) are fighting for ideology, because their family members or friends were killed by U.S. forces, or resent the occupation. They're not defending Islam, they're defending their families, their homes. No country likes to be colonized.

WE threw off the colonizers.

Time for us to wake up. The solution doesn't have to be expensive or difficult.

Washington Times to shut down

By GottaLaff

The Washington Times may go online-only:

The Washington Times, a daily launched in 1982 by Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church, is set to lay off much of its editorial and production staff tomorrow, according to reputable sources within the paper.

The struggling paper, which reportedly has lost billions of dollars in its 27 year history, may be on the verge of a shutdown within 60 days.

Rev. Moon's paper just cratered.

H/t: Babzter

VIDEO: Angry Wingnuts Boo Sarah Palin, Call Her “Quitter”, Chant “Sign Our Books”

By GottaLaff

Looks like Barbie McLipSchmutz is losing a few more of her already low approval ratings points:

Angry crowd shouts at Sarah Palin at her book signing in Noblesville, Indiana on November 19, 2009 after Palin quits and refuses to sign books for around 300 families that spent about 3+ hours getting wristband and another 3+ hours waiting in line to get the Palin book signed. At Borders bookstore it was announced that 1,000 individuals would be given wristbands and could get two books signed each. By the time Sarah Palin quit, there were still about 300 individuals and there families who did not get even one book signed.

Liberal media elitists the farmer and my fellow co-blogger StrangeAppar8us have been collecting hostile comments from Sarah Palin’s Facebook page over in the Rumper Room.

For a nice hefty sampling of said comments, go here.

Yes, Sarah the Quitter strikes again.

Here's part of one comment:

Jordan Harris I just spent 9 hours of my day, $40 of my hard earned money on two of your books, and took the whole day off work to watch you jump on a bus and throw a half-heated wave to the crowd you were avoiding.

I have never felt so disrespected. How can you claim that you are different? You aren’t. You are just as selfish as everyone else in Washington.

Tsk, tsk. Barbie, your true colors show more and more at every tick of the clock. Maybe when you referrred to yourself as one of the people, one of us, you were referring to how "us" behaves on a bad hair, cranky, everything-goes-wrong, hate-the-world, thinking-of-nobody-but yourself day. If that's the case, then yes, you are one of us... at our worst.

And by all means, please keep on doing those Tee Vee interviews. The more we know you....

H/t: Andy Cobb

Ben Nelson will vote for health care bill to proceed to debate

By GottaLaff

Per Greg Sargent on Twitter (his site is down, so no link):

Ben Nelson will vote for health care bill to proceed to debate, his office announces, but stresses it's NOT a vote for the proposal

More soon.

UPDATE: MSNBC confirms that Reid needs only two more votes.

Sen. Roland Burris cleared, reprimanded by ethics committee

By GottaLaff

MSNBC is reporting that Roland Burris has been cleared. More from WaPo:

In a three-page "public letter of qualified admonition" issued Friday, the committee formally reprimanded Burris for statements -- some made under oath to an Illinois legislative committee -- in which he denied trying to raise any campaign contributions for indicted former governor Rod Blagojevich for his political committees. [...]

A letter of admonition is the mildest form of rebuke that the ethics committee can administer.

More here.

Mid Day Distraction

Happy 50th birthday to Rocky, Bullwinkle and Friends!! Many more fun clips here .