Gov. Mark Warner no longer an option for v.p.

By GottaLaff

One down, 3,452,935 to go:

Former Gov. Mark R. Warner on Saturday removed himself from consideration as a vice presidential running mate for Democrat Barack Obama.

Warner clarified his intentions for the first time as he accepted the Virginia Democratic Convention's nomination for a U.S. Senate race this fall.

"I have not sought and I will not accept any other opportunity," Warner told cheering convention delegates.

He was one of three Virginia Democrats frequently mentioned as potential Obama ticketmates. Neither of the other two, Sen. Jim Webb or Gov. Tim Kaine, have ruled out a run with Obama.

So who will it be? Who should it be? Is it narrowing down to Richardson, or is there somebody out there who will surprise us? Webb has some issues: He has a Confederate problem, and he may have to explain himself to women voters.

Obama courts the Latino vote

Well, with the news that Jennifer Lopez was visiting the Obama camp, is this hard to believe?

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee for president, is looking to shore up support — especially from Latinos.

During the primaries on Super Tuesday, he received only 35 percent of Latinos' vote, while former rival Sen. Hilary Clinton's received 63 percent.

(snip)

Obama has supported President Bush-backed immigration legislation, which would have increased funding and improved border security technology, improved enforcement of existing laws, and provided a legal path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants.

The Illinois senator also voted to authorize construction of a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.

The Obama campaign said in a statement: "It's not that we will grant citizenship, but we strongly support requiring them to legalize their status and allowing them to earn their right to commit to this country and eventually become citizens."

Saturday Night Distraction

8p EST, TCM-

"A Face In The Crowd" ****

Years before he was typecast as the kindly sheriff of Mayberry Andy Griffith made an unforgettable screen debut in this blistering film from director Elia Kazan and writer Budd Schulberg. Griffith stars as a cracker-barrel philosopher who becomes an overnight TV sensation, thanks to producer Patricia Neal and her assistant Walter Matthau. Little do they realize that Griffith's down-home wit and backwater jokes mask a much darker reality.

"Obama said he'd bring a gun"-- This is all McCain's got?

By GottaLaff

No, seriously, is he out of his mind? John Sidney McDesperate is really reaching now:

Barack Obama said [this] to counter Republican attacks: “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said at a Philadelphia fundraiser Friday night. “Because from what I understand folks in Philly like a good brawl. I’ve seen Eagles fans.”

The comment drew some laughs and applause. But it also struck a chord with his Republican rival. John McCain’s campaign immediately accused the Democratic candidate of playing the politics of fear.

Let's recap slowly: McBush just accused... Barack Obama... the guy who wants to get out of Iraq... the guy who didn't sing "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran"... of playing the politics of... f-e-a-r. Pot. Kettle. Black. Go away.

They also mentioned that Obama said he would use a gun that under would be illegal under Obama’s plans to cut down on illegal firearms.

One: It was a joke. See, a joke is when you exaggerate a situation to induce laughs, see. Two: He didn't mean it literally because, Three: See One. Four: Huh?

“Barack Obama’s call for ‘new politics’ is officially over. In just 24 hours, Barack Obama attacked one of America’s pioneering women CEOs, rejected a series of joint bipartisan town halls, and said that if there’s a political knife fight, he’d bring a gun,” McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.

In just 24 hours, John Sidney McConfused will most likely break his own Embarrassing Quotes record.

Obama made the comment in the context of warning donors that the general election campaign against McCain could get ugly. “They’re going to try to scare people. They’re going to try to say that ‘that Obama is a scary guy,’” he said. A supporter yelled out a deep accented “Don’t give in!”

“I won’t but that sounded pretty scary. You’re a tough guy,” Obama said.

You're tough too, Barack. Keep up the good work. Don't give in.

Jimmy Kimmel would be Obama's running mate... except for that whole video thing

By GottaLaff

Oh, that Jimmy! He's always up to something:

[Talk show host Jimmy] Kimmel and Obama also talked about the NBA basketball finals. “You’re big on hope, senator. Do you think the Lakers have hope?” Kimmel asked. “Kobe Bryant is the best player in the world and is basically unstoppable when he is at the top of his game,” Obama said.

“Are you worried that if the Lakers do come back it might inspire Hillary Clinton to get back in the race?” Obama was quick to reply: “Sen. Clinton and I are on the same team.” Kimmel ended the interview by saying he is interested in being Obama’s running mate and would like to get on his short list of potential candidates.

Obama said he’s sure the talk-show host would bring in a lot of new voters but added “I just don’t think you vet. That whole thing with [Ben] Affleck. That’s just not going to work.” Kimmel made a video earlier this month for his comedian girlfriend, Sara Silverman, where the talk-show host sings about having an affair with Affleck. The video became a You Tube phenomenon.

Snicker. He must mean this video.

John Sidney McCain's priorities

By GottaLaff

Yesterday. Today:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will not return the $300,000 raised by a Texas Republican who joked in 1990 that women should submit to rape and "enjoy it."

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Exclusive! Cliff Schecter calls "Trapper John" a moron on Fox TV

By GottaLaff

It took forever to load, but it's here.

I worked with Wayne Rogers (formerly "Trapper John" on the series "M*A*S*H") on a TV series ("House Calls") a million years ago. I promise you, there were times when I wish I'd had Cliff's chutzpah.

Had Cliff's points been acknowledged politely, an intelligent discussion might have taken place, and viewers could have actually learned something. However, Wayne made the mistake of calling Cliff an idiot, and our Cliff isn't one to sit back and take it.

Watch and enjoy.

In France, le Bush = l'ennui

By GottaLaff

Bonjour and bien venu, Monsieur Presi----Yaw-w-wn, z-z-z-z-zzz.

"This is an American president at the end of his mandate who awakens more indifference than passion," the right-leaning French newspaper Le Figaro said on the eve of Bush's arrival here.

Bush himself captured the spirit at the start of his tour in Slovenia when he said, "Lots of people like America. It's possible that they don't necessarily like its president." The left-leaning French newspaper Liberation congratulated him for his lucidity.

Oh-h, le suh-nap! President Pepe le P.U. finally said something credible. Continuez, s'il vous plait:

Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni, greeted the Bushes at a dinner at the presidential Elysee Palace.

Still, from cardinals at the Vatican to intellectuals in Paris, the disdain for Bush was never far beneath the surface during his visit.

Just like home, eh Monsieur L'Idiot? What goes around comes around, n'est-ce pas?

Francois Heisbourg, a political thinker and chairman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the Bush presidency had been "the worst period in transatlantic relations," and people in Paris couldn't be bothered with following his visit.

Vive la France!

NRA's political clout ain't what it used to be

By GottaLaff

Change I can believe in:

With 2nd Amendment rights expanded and Democrats reluctant to tackle the issue, gun control isn't the GOP weapon it used to be. The rifle group, in essence, is a victim of its own success.

Actually, I'd like to gloat, but I can't, exactly. The Democrats removed gun control from the agenda, gun laws were weakened, and the National Rifle Association has been successful. But there is a silver lining:

Eight years after a national debate over gun control helped keep Democrat Al Gore out of the White House, the National Rifle Assn. and its Republican allies are launching a new campaign to defeat Barack Obama.

But this time, the issue that GOP strategists once relied on to provide crucial votes in close elections has lost much of its political punch.

The NRA may have become a victim of its own success.

Congress hasn't passed major legislation to restrict gun use in 14 years. Democrats -- scarred by past NRA campaigns -- almost never talk about the issue anymore.

And Americans now show little interest in gun control. Just half want tougher rules for gun sales, compared with nearly two-thirds in 2000.

"The issue has been essentially removed from the political agenda," said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at the State University of New York in Cortland who has written extensively about the politics of gun control. [...]

Two years ago, GOP candidates backed by the NRA lost in a number of swing states, including Virginia, Missouri and Wisconsin, that could play pivotal roles this fall.

There, finally, is the up side. The NRA is losing swing states.

NRA-backed U.S. Senate candidates in Pennsylvania, Montana, Missouri, Minnesota and Virginia all lost in 2006, even though the gun group spent more than $1 million on their races, according to federal election data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics.

In Wisconsin, another key swing state, the group spent nearly $700,000 to unseat the Democratic governor, who had twice vetoed legislation allowing state residents to carry concealed weapons. Gov. James E. Doyle cruised to reelection by 8 percentage points, and the leading champion of the pro-gun legislation in the state Senate lost his seat.

Even in the West, where guns have loomed mythically large on the political landscape, there are signs that the issue may be losing its potency.

A far cry from this:

[I]f Republican nominee George W. Bush wins in November, "we'll have . . . a president where we work out of their office."

Time to pack up the ol' NRA boxes and clear out, buckaroos.

Meet The Press tomorrow- "The Moderator Chair Will Be Empty"

By Paddy


Sigh, I hate to admit it, but this is one MTP I'm not going to watch. I admired Tim as much as anyone, but it's been almost 24 hours of straight memorials on MSNBC and I do believe I have heard enough.

The guest list has been finalized for tomorrow's Meet the Press. Tom Brokaw will host, with guests Mike Barnicle, James Carville and Mary Matalin, Meet the Press EP Betsy Fischer, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Gwen Ifill and Maria Shriver.

From the NBC News release:

Tim Russert was the longest serving moderator of "Meet the Press" — taking over the helm of the program on December 8, 1991. The moderator chair will be empty this Sunday in his honor.

Black conservatives considering voting for Obama

Pretty impressive testimonials. Oh, and don't forget about Colin Powell.

Armstrong Williams-

"I don't necessarily like his policies; I don't like much that he advocates, but for the first time in my life, history thrusts me to really seriously think about it," Williams said. "I can honestly say I have no idea who I'm going to pull that lever for in November. And to me, that's incredible."

(snip)

"Among black conservatives," Williams said, "they tell me privately, it would be very hard to vote against him in November."

J.C. Watts-

J.C. Watts, a former Oklahoma congressman who once was part of the GOP House leadership, said he's thinking of voting for Obama.

Watts said he's still a Republican, but he criticizes his party for neglecting the black community. Black Republicans, he said, have to concede that while they might not agree with Democrats on issues, at least that party reaches out to them.

Joseph C Phillips-

Writer and actor Joseph C. Phillips got so excited about Obama earlier this year that he started calling himself an "Obamacan" — Obama Republican. Phillips, who appeared on "The Cosby Show" as Denise Huxtable's husband, Navy Lt. Martin Kendall, said he has wavered since, but he is still thinking about voting for Obama.

John McWhorter-

"Obama is probably more to the left than I would prefer on a lot of issues," he adds. "But this issue of getting past race for real is such a wedge issue for me. And he is so intelligent, and I think he would be a perfectly competent president, that I'm for him. I want him to get in because, in a way, it will put me out of a job."

Cliff Schecter On Fox At 11:30a(?) EST

By Paddy


You can watch Cliff today on FNC at 11:30a EST. I hear it's a feisty appearance.

UPDATE- He's supposed to be on "Cashin' In", and by the tv guide that has been knocked back to noon by the space shuttle landing.

Saturday Leisurely Links

Good morning all!! Again, a gorgeous crisp summer morning, one that I'm going to take advantage of and do some yardwork. Gotta has "graduation parties" all day, so we'll do our best to keep ya'll up to snuff on things. It's a bummer that our fruit and veggies stands aren't up yet because I could really go for some fresh peaches. Yum.

Strange lights over Texas(ed note- What are you guys up to now?)

German Papers Say 'Many Have Lost Faith in America' Because of Bush

Saudis to increase oil production by half-million barrels: report

Diversity in Entertainment: Why Is TV So White?

4 Marines die in Afghanistan; 870 inmates escape

Powerful earthquake strikes Japan

We may all be space aliens: study

Divers find 1780 British warship

John McCain's "Town Halls" Are Staged Fake Events

Good stuff from Dave in Queens (not that we didn't know this, but it's interesting to see how staged). Go read all of it, but here's a taste

-McCain's so called town halls are actually rallies hosted by the local Republican Party. The host, Chris Myers, identified himself as a local leader and claimed that New Jersey is going to go red because of the 2000 people in the gym. (About 1% of us were Obama supporters, someone held a sign up at the end, no one interrupted McCain's speech.) However if McCain can't fill a small gym in his only trip to New Jersey this month, his candidacy is in trouble.

The seating was staged. There were about 20 people with Veteran's hats and all were seated directly in line with McCain's podium in the front and back. Your cameras from home would make it appear that half the people there were veterans. In reality it was about 1%. Mixed into the Veterans was one angry woman who had a sign claiming she was a Hillary supporter voting McCain. This one sign was placed directly in the spot where the cameras were most likely to pick it up. She was planted there. It also appears that there was one singular woman who pulled the same stunt Thursday night at the so called Fox News McCain town hall meeting in New York. These people aren't real Clinton supporters, this too is staged.

U.S. weapons in Iraq affecting babies

By GottaLaff

This must be going over well:

The new cases, and the number of deaths among children, have risen after "special weaponry" was used in the two massive bombing campaigns in Fallujah in 2004.

After denying it at first, the Pentagon admitted in November 2005 that white phosphorous, a restricted incendiary weapon, was used a year earlier in Fallujah.

In addition, depleted uranium (DU) munitions, which contain low-level radioactive waste, were used heavily in Fallujah. The Pentagon admits to having used 1,200 tonnes of DU in Iraq thus far.

Many doctors believe DU to be the cause of a severe increase in the incidence of cancer in Iraq, as well as among U.S. veterans who served in the 1991 Gulf War and through the current occupation. [...]

"The most worrying is that many of our women have suffered loss of their babies, and some had babies born with deformations."

Spreading Democracy can be unhealthy for children and other living things.

Gore Vidal questions McCain's p.o.w. account

By GottaLaff

This should get some eyebrows raised and tongues a-waggin':

In an interview for this Sunday's edition of The New York Times Magazine, famed novelist/essayist Gore Vidal appears to question Sen. John McCain's account of being imprisoned by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam war.

Asked what he thinks of McCain, Vidal calls him a "disaster," then tells Deborah Solomon, "Who started this rumor that he was a war hero? Where does that come from, aside from himself? About his suffering in the prison war camp?" Solomon replies: "Everyone knows he was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam." To which Vidal responds: "That’s what he tells us."

Why would you doubt him? Solomon wonders. "He’s a graduate of Annapolis," Vidal explains. "I know a lot of the Annapolis breed. Remember, I’m West Point, where I was born. My father went there."

That's positively anti-American, Gore Vidal! Don't you know you're no longer allowed to question anyone who's ever been in the military?

John Sidney McCain's Out-of-TouchTwofer

By GottaLaff

Today I became aware of not one, but two appalling quotes from John Sidney McFootInMouth. Earlier today I posted this one:

John Sidney McCallous: "You don't know what it's like to have a comrade die [in a war]."
Woman: "I know what it's like to have a loved one die."
McCallous: "You're lucky he died."

Just now I stumbled across this one, regarding the Supreme Court decision on habeas corpus/Gitmo:

Senator John McCain today called the Supreme Court decision protecting the right of habeas corpus for prisoners in Guantamo Bay “one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.”

People For the American Way President Kathryn Kolbert released a statement. Here it is, in part:

“Senator McCain has gone out of his way to appease the far right-wing of his party on the subject of the Supreme Court, but his latest comment is either ill-considered pandering, a ridiculously flippant comment, or just plain out-of-touch. Any way you read it, there’s no good explanation.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to stand up and protect the right of habeas corpus is one of its proudest moments. It’s appalling that Senator McCain would compare it to a decision that blacks and whites should drink from separate water fountains. Or that hundreds of thousands of Japanese Americans should be imprisoned in internment camps. Or that African-Americans should not be counted as persons under the law."

As I mentioned yesterday, somebody should be compiling these quotes into a book and/or a calendar. It'll happen. It's just a matter of time.

Iraq wants to "go it alone"

By GottaLaff

Speaking of Iraq, via Think Progress: CNN’s Michael Ware said the U.S. presented a second draft of the [security] agreement, but Iraqis rejected it because the draft is “the same as the first.” According to Ware, many Iraqis now want to “go it alone” and may even “take over this war”:

The negotiations on the long-term agreement are going so poorly that today, a senior government official “expressed doubt an agreement could be reached before the U.S. presidential election in November,” according to the AP.

The administration and its allies are still in a state of denial, however. “We know the Iraqis want us there,” said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino this week.

Yes, Dana, of course you're right, it's so obvious. But you don't have the credibility that say, a Joe Lieberman does:

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) absurdly claimed the dissent in Iraq regarding the agreement is a “sign of our success.”

Once again, the Republicans create their own reality. And by Republican I meant Joe Lieberman.

Lest we forget about Iraq and Afghanistan...

By GottaLaff

Via CLG, al-Sadr makes the news:

Iraq's Sadr plans new armed group to fight US forces 13 Jun 2008 Iraq's Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr announced on Friday that he plans to form a new armed group to fight US forces in Iraq. In a statement issued to his nearly 60,000 strong Mahdi Army militia, the cleric said the fight against US forces will now be waged only by the new group. "We will keep resisting the occupier until the liberation (of Iraq) or (our) martrydom," Sadr declared in a statement which was read out at a mosque in the holy Shiite town of Kufa. Sadr said the group will direct its operations against US forces and will be banned from fighting Iraqis. "This group will be professional and it will be the only group carrying arms which will be directed against the occupier. It will be banned from using arms against any Iraqis." [It's bye-bye to the 'sectarian violence' lie used by the corporate-owned media as a cover for Blackwater and all the other US terrorists to carry out war crimes in Iraq, daily. --LRP]

Habeas corpus, schmabeas corpus:

US prison plans lead to tension in Afghanistan 13 Jun 2008 News that the US plans to spend $60m to build a 40-acre detention facility at its main military base in Bargram north of Kabul to replace an existing prison at the same site has set off speculation that Washington intends to create a new version of its controversial jail at Guantánamo Bay naval base in Cuba, where hundreds of detainees have been held since 2001.

There now. Not everything can be about presidential elections. There are other things that are equally stressful out there, and I'm here to bring them to your attention.

McCain Cancels Event with Controversial Fundraiser

By GottaLaff



John Sidney McCain has shown exemplary wisdom. He canceled a fundraiser that was to be hosted by a crass, tasteless crackpot. Gee whiz, it must have taken a lot of courage for him to do that:

ABC's Rick Klein reports: Sen. John McCain on Friday abruptly cancelled a Monday fundraiser that had been scheduled at the home of a Texas oilman, after ABC News contacted the campaign inquiring about a verbal blunder the Texan made during an unsuccessful 1990 campaign for governor.

This was no ordinary "verbal blunder". No, nononono, this was a verbal train wreck.

Clayton Williams stirred controversy during his 1990 campaign for governor of Texas with a botched attempt at humor in which he compared rape to weather. Within earshot of a reporter, Williams said: “As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it.”

And what did Classy Clayton have to say about this?

Williams told the Midland Reporter-Telegram recently that he had already raised more than $300,000 for McCain and the fundraiser to be held at his home in Midland. Williams said that he needed to help McCain raise money to stop an Obama campaign that would enact “socialist” policies if elected to office.

“Much of the media, particularly the TV media, are to the left,” Williams told the newspaper. “To combat that we must have money to put our case to the people. We are way behind on [fundraising]. If Obama wins, it could move our country to the left, from which we will not recover.”

Too bad you're so far behind, Clayton. One might even say you're losing ground, and after all that effort, too. Oh well then. You might as well lie back and enjoy it.

Former Clinton backer for McCain: "Party unity my a--"

By GottaLaff

Somebody please explain to me how someone who believed in what Hillary Clinton stands for can pivot and support John Sidney McLobbyPants' platform. ... I'm waiting ... Anybody? ... I didn't think so.

[Will] Bower wanted Hillary Clinton to win the Democratic nomination and move back into the home she left in January 1993.

After a bitter primary battle Clinton conceded the race to Barack Obama last week urging her supporters to back her rival. Bower heard the message, but he is not going to follow it. Instead, he said in an interview he plans to vote for Republican John McCain and has formed “Party Unity My A–,” otherwise known as PUMA to express his frustration at the Democratic Party.

"Party Unity My A--"... now there's a name that should catch on with the Family Values crowd.

The initiative he said is “to unite voters who don't want Barack Obama as president.”

The 36 year-old Washington resident said his anger is not just directed at Obama, but the party as a whole.

How constructive. Instead of trying to correct what he considers to be mistakes, Bower will turn to the party that brought us war, recession, and corruption. Yeah, that's a big improvement over Hillary Clinton's and/or Barack Obama's policies. Apparently, the DNC's Florida/Michigan decisions are what pushed him over the edge.

The group is predominantly comprised of female Clinton supporters, said Bower. The Clinton-turned-McCain supporter said he has also helped launch the “Just Say No Deal,” a nationwide coalition he estimated has two million voters who are also vowing to ‘say no’ to the Illinois senator come November.

Bower acknowledged Obama will be crowned the Democratic nominee at the party’s August convention, but said he holds out hope that the GOP will uncover potentially harmful information between now and then. At that time, “the party might be desperate for another candidate," he said.

Nothing more productive than hoping to smear one candidate in the hopes that the party will become desperate enough to look for another one who (if Bower's plan were to work) would lack the necessary time and resources to succeed. Now I see why this guy is voting Republican. He thinks just like them.

Planned Parenthood: John Sidney McCain is no moderate

By GottaLaff

Via Planned Parenthood:

It's shocking how many people still think Senator John McCain's positions are "moderate" when it comes to reproductive health care and rights, when the opposite is true.

Then again, there are so many shocking things that we keep finding out about John McCain. This is just one of them.

Oblivious

By GottaLaff

We often wonder why the wrong people often get elected, or why the wrong people stay in office. We scratch our heads when we realize how few people bother to learn about the world. We get frustrated at the indifference that seems to have become more prevalent lately.

I flipped on the radio on the way to lunch with a couple of very well-educated, bright, caring teachers I work with. I heard the news about Tim Russert's death and told them how stunned I was.

Neither of them knew who he was.

Oblivious.

Barack Obama's Statement On Tim Russert's Passing

In Columbus, Ohio, Obama said Russert was "one of the finest men I knew."

"I’ve known Tim Russert since I first spoke at the convention in 2004. He's somebody who overtime I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend," Obama said. "There wasn’t a better interviewer in TV, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics, and he was also one of the finest men I knew. Somebody who cared about America, cared about the issues, cared about family.

"I am grief stricken with the loss and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. And I hope that even though Tim is irreplaceable that the standard that he set in his professional life and his family life are standards that we all carry with us in our own lives," he also said.

Obama weighs foreign tour this summer

Perfect idea. Get the hell outta dodge and go impress the world.

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama may depart this summer from his road-warrior tour of election-battleground states to take a trip around the world, one intended to shore up his credentials on foreign policy.

With a foreign trip under discussion in the Obama camp, any itinerary almost certainly would include a stop in Iraq. That would be his first trip to the war zone since early 2006. It would be designed to answer Republican presidential candidate John McCain's criticism that antiwar Obama can't talk credibly about withdrawing U.S. forces since he hasn't been on the ground there since the 2007 troop buildup brought some military success.

While he's at it, Obama may extend his journey to other parts of the globe, especially Western Europe, where his racial mix, youth, optimism and themes of anti-Bush, multilateral diplomacy have generated impassioned interest in his candidacy.

Clif Schecter On Fox W/ Neal Cavuto At 4p EST

Today at 4 pm Eastern, he'll be on the Neil Cavuto Show on, yes, Fox. After he taped the show that will air tomorrow morning (see above), they invited him to be on Cavuto**.

**That may be contingent on whether or not they move things around because of Tim Russert's death.

Tim Russert Is Dead at 58, His Family Says

Wow. Who's going to do the whiteboard? Brokaw is announcing it on MSNBC and it sounds like he's having a hard time being composed. I'm stunned.

No link yet, just the headline at the NYT. He collapsed at the Washington Bureau of NBC, age 58. Brian Williams is now talking about it from Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan. I can't imagine anyone at NBC/MSNBC is going to be able to deal with this very well. All the anchors are having a hard time.

UPDATE- NY Post-

Tim Russert, NBC journalist and political heavyweight host of "Meet the Press," has died after collapsing at NBC's Washington news bureau, a source said. He was 58 years old.

Russert, who rose from the inside world of politics where he was former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo's press secretary and one-time chief of staff to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, was able to successfully cross over to political journalism and rise to become one of its leading lights.

In his role as host of the seminal Sunday morning political program "Meet the Press" - which he took over in 1991 - he became renowned for his hard-nosed interviews where he frequently cornered some of Washington's cagiest political figures with tough questions.

Russert joined NBC News in 1984. In April 1985, he supervised the live broadcasts of the Today program from Rome, negotiating and arranging an appearance by Pope John Paul II - a first for American television. In 1986 and 1987 Russert led NBC News weeklong broadcasts from South America, Australia and China.

In 2008, Time Magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people.

Cliff Schecter to appear on ... FOX! And NPR radio!

By GottaLaff

I just IMed Cliff Schecter, and apparently, he had quite the heated conversation on Fox with Terry Neal (he thinks that's who it was).

This will air tomorrow, Saturday morning at 11:30 am Eastern, on Fox.

Next:

Today he will be on Los Angeles Public radio at 2:30 Eastern. You can listen live here.

Finally:

Later today at 4 pm Eastern, he'll be on the Neil Cavuto Show on, yes, Fox. After he taped the show that will air tomorrow morning (see above), they invited him to be on Cavuto.

Happy viewing/listening! And congratulations, CliffDoggy!

Poll-itics: Good news electoral vote edition

By GottaLaff

Good news, brought to you by the Laffy Blog Network (via USA Election Polls):

We have just updated 13 state matchup polls between Obama and McCain and of those 12 matched the previous state result... What flipped??? Michigan.

Michigan went from McCain's corner to Obama.. helping to extend Obama's electoral vote lead to over 100.

Here is what the presidential race would look like if it were to be held today, according to our estimations:

• Barack Obama - 320
• John McCain - 218

Michigan is a crucial state but so are so many other states... McCain could add Romney as a VP to help shore up Michigan but that would still put him about 70 EV behind.

State	#EV	Obama	McCain
Texas	34	39.0	52.0
New York	31	50.0	36.0
Michigan	17	45.0	42.0
Georgia	15	41.0	51.0
New Jersey	15	45.0	39.0
Massachusetts	12	53.0	30.0
Washington	11	53.0	35.0
Wisconsin	10	50.0	37.0
Alabama	9	33.0	57.0
South Carolina	8	39.0	48.0
Iowa	7	45.0	38.0

Happy Friday the 13th!

John Sidney McCain: "You're lucky he died"

By GottaLaff

Oh, how I wish I heard the lead-up to this story. If anyone out there was listening to the Stephanie Miller show this morning, please help me fill in the gaps. I managed to catch the money line though.

A caller was telling a story about having attended a McCain event awhile back (I'm not sure when). Apparently, she approached him at this town hall meeting and managed to have a short conversation with him about the, er, downside of war. This is the tail end of that conversation, about Viet Nam, nearly word for word:

John Sidney McCallous: "You don't know what it's like to have a comrade die [in a war]."
Woman: "I know what it's like to have a loved one die."
McCallous: "You're lucky he died."

What a compassionate conservative he is. Hey, McCallous? You know those town hall meetings you're falling all over yourself to have with Barack Obama? Bring 'em on.

General Wesley Clark Slams John McCain On "Morning Joe"

McCains report more than $100,000 in credit card debt

Wow, Friday news dump a little early in the day. McCain thinks Obama is "elitist and out of touch"? Wonder how many average Joes have over $100k rung up on their credit cards?

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and his wife reported more than $100,000 of credit card liabilities, according to financial disclosure documents released Friday.
The presidential candidate and his wife Cindy reported piling up debt on a charge card between $10,000 and $15,000. His wife’s solo charge card has between $100,000 and $250,000 in debt to American Express.

Another charge card with American Express, this one for a “dependent child,” is carrying debt in the range of $15,000 and $50,000.

(snip)

Democratic candidate, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), reported no liabilities in his annual financial disclosures.

Cologne is nice too.....

By Paddy


That's so, so... whitebread of her. G-d knows the R's need every person they can get....

PEMBERTON, N.J.—Sometimes a card and a necktie for Dad just won't do.

For Father's Day, Meghan McCain became a Republican.

The 23-year-old daughter of presumed GOP presidential nominee John McCain marched into the State Capitol Executive Building in Phoenix, Ariz., Thursday and changed her party affiliation from Independent to Republican. It was a decision, she writes in her blog, that she reached "after careful thought and consideration."

The blog entry at http://www.mccainblogette.com includes photographs of Meghan McCain -- accompanied by her mother, Cindy -- filling out forms, chatting with Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer and displaying her new identity as a Republican.

"I did this as a symbol of my commitment to my dad and to represent the faith I have in his ability to be an effective leader for our country and to grow and strengthen the Republican party when he is elected President of the United States," she writes.

Poll: Democrats Up, Republicans Down

Eight years of unwinnable war and a failed economy will do that to a party.

"The overall image of the Democratic Party has improved over the past year," according to a new Pew Research survey, "although the Democratic-led Congress remains widely unpopular. A majority of Americans (57%) say they have a favorable view of the Democratic Party, up six points since July 2007 and 10 points since July 2006."

"In contrast, views of the Republican Party remain at historic lows. Currently, 53% of Americans express unfavorable views of the Republican Party while only 39% say they have a favorable opinion of the party."

'Body image' scanners ready for use in Fort Worth airport

Creepy, creepy stuff. Another reason for me to avoid Texas.

D/FW AIRPORT — Beginning Friday at two checkpoints at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport’s Terminal D, the Transportation Security Administration will begin using two "whole body image" machines that can look through your clothes and produce images of your body to detect metallic and non-metallic objects hidden under layers of clothing.

For modesty’s sake, the machine will blur your face while a remote screener looks over the rest of your body for suspicious items.

(snip)

The TSA is conducting pilot programs to evaluate various technologies in whole-body imaging to detect objects carried on persons going through airport security checkpoints. Images show the surface of the skin and objects that are on the body, not in the body. The expectation is that the machines will allow screeners to conduct inspections for weapons, explosives and other metallic and non-metallic threatening objects without physical contact. There are two major types of technology: backscatter and millimeter wave. D/FW is implementing the latter.

Fist Bumping For Dummies

Via Oliver.

Friday Round Up

Running late this morning, so you get a truncated version. Viva Friday!!

In Wisconsin, Obama Takes Aim At McCain On Taxes Sen. Barack Obama, meanwhile, campaigned in Wisconsin, another state expected to be a battleground this cycle. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports this morning that Obama "brought a fierce populist message to" Wisconsin "on Thursday, hoping his push for middle-class tax cuts proves popular here and in other battlegrounds." Obama repeatedly "underlined his credentials as a middle-class champion, saying Republicans are out to misrepresent his views." The Los Angeles Times adds, "Promising a tax cut to the 95% of American families that make less than $250,000 a year, Obama said that by contrast McCain wants to extend and increase the Bush tax cuts for wealthy Americans."

Washington Post: Obama Campaign Dispatching Thousands Moving to harness the grass-roots energy that helped win the Democratic nomination, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign will deploy 3,600 volunteers in 17 states this weekend, each committed to six consecutive weeks of full-time political work.

NY Times: Will the Real Tax-and-Spender Please ’Fess Up? With the general election in full gear, Senator John McCain has stepped up efforts to paint his rival, Senator Barack Obama, as what he calls a traditional Democratic tax-and-spend liberal. On Tuesday, for instance, Mr. McCain, addressing a business gathering, accused Mr. Obama of wanting to enact “the largest single tax increase since World War II.”

WSJ: Stung by Soaring Transport Costs, Factories Bring Jobs Home Again The rising cost of shipping everything from industrial-pump parts to lawn-mower batteries to living-room sofas is forcing some manufacturers to bring production back to North America and freeze plans to send even more work overseas.

House Passes Jobless Benefits Extension The Wall Street Journal reports this morning the House of Representatives "overwhelmingly passed an emergency extension of unemployment-insurance benefits Thursday, clinching -- for at least a day -- the support needed to override a presidential veto." The bill "passed 274 to 137, with a total of 49 Republican votes in support.

Special Comment: The Unimportance of Being John McCain

Republican priorities: Slime over substance

By GottaLaff

I'd actually called it a night when I happened to find a comment by Fernando, who linked me to this video. Please watch it in its entirety. It runs about 4 minutes:



Here's the accompanying text:

On two consecutive days, hearings conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee were suspended when Republicans invoked the rarely used "two hour rule" that states no hearing can run more than two hours.

ANP cameras were covering both hearings as part of ongoing stories and were able to capture the latest moves in the political chess match both parties are currently waging on Capitol Hill.

Just when you thought they couldn't get any slimier, the Republicans prove once again that to them, Democracy and truth don't hold a candle to political dirty tricks.

Confused John Sidney McCain "clarifies" to Fox about stacking campaign audience

By GottaLaff


Somebody's nose must be growing... and it's Pinocchio Sidney McWhichWayIsUp:

After reporting that the McCain campaign held a townhall with Democrats and Independents, Fox's Shepard Smith admitted that the McCain campaign had done no such thing. [...] "We have now received a clarification from the campaign and I feel I should pass it along to you. The McCain Campaign distributed tickets to supporters, mayor Bloomberg, who of course is a registered republican, and other independent groups."

Oh-h-h, so that's what happens to J Sid's memory after he eats recalled tomatoes.

Wait.. this just in: Oliver Willis, I can hardly hear you over that crowd snoring in the background! There hasn't been a mass drugging, has there? Is this the work of terrorists? Hold on, I'm getting a picture on my iPhone... and... why... everyone there is awake! And... I can barely make it out... it's a little grainy... they're entirely white!

Right now John McCain is doing a “town hall” meeting being broadcast by Fox News (The Official Network of McCain ‘08, Home Of The Terrorist Fist Bump) and it’s a mighty amazing trick the McCain camp is pulling. Somehow they’ve gone to the most diverse city in America (New York City) and are seemingly unable to find minorities willing to attend.

That's some story! Did you manage to grab some shots of the event?

What a scoop! Good work, Oliver! Stay safe.

Rezko: Feds pushed for dirt on Obama

By GottaLaff

Shades of Susan McDougal? And I am not equating McDougal with Rezko, I am seeing a parallel between the pressures on both of them to turn against major political figures:

Imprisoned Chicago businessmanAntoin “Tony” Rezko has accused federal prosecutors of improperly pressuring him to implicate Barack Obama in a corruption case.

In a letter to the U.S. District judge who presided over his trial, Rezko, who was convicted this month of 16 corruption-related counts, including fraud and money laundering, called prosecutors “overzealous.” And he singled out what he said were their efforts to get him to turn on Obama, an Illinois senator and the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and Illinois Gov. Rod Bagojevich.

“They are pressuring me to tell them the ‘wrong’ things that I supposedly know about Gov. Bagojevich and Sen. Obama,” Rezko wrote in an undated letter released by the court this week. “I have never been party to any wrongdoing that involved the governor or the senator. I will never fabricate lies about anyone else for selfish purposes. I will take what comes my way, but I will never hurt innocent people.”

Randall Samborn, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago, wouldn't comment on Rezko's allegation.

See what I mean? Kinda makes you nostalgic for Ken Starr, doesn't it? Me neither.

But its allegations about pressure to implicate Obama will surely give ammunition to partisans on both sides.

For Democrats, Rezko’s claim dovetails with allegations that the Department of Justice targeted high-profile Democrats.

For Republicans, it will be used to suggest Obama’s relationship with Rezko drew warranted federal scrutiny.

The DoJ would never play politics when it comes to justice! Why ::sputter, sputter:: that would be politicizing our legal system! By the way:

Though Obama was not implicated in any wrongdoing in the Rezko case, his name was mentioned sporadically during Rezko’s trial.

Its a given, when someone mentions a Democrat in a trial, it means the Democrat is automatically guilty of something. Ask any Republican.

Click?

"Click my fingers or teeth? I don't understand!"

McCain's Republican problem

By GottaLaff

"It's been nice talkin' to you," said Thomas Gerard Tancredo when asked if he'd endorse John Sidney McCain. I guess T Ger isn't concerned about being on the receiving end of one of J Sid's angry backlashes.


It looks like Thomas Gerard's not alone:

The Hill reports this morning that “at least 14 Republican members of Congress have refused to endorse or publicly support Sen. John McCain for president,” adding that “more than a dozen others declined to answer whether they back the Arizona senator.” Though some lawmakers “declined to detail” why they wouldn’t support McCain, others cited “major concerns” about McCain’s policies on energy and Iraq.

Ouch! Whatsamatta them? They no longer have man-crushes on their feisty little maverick? The Hill’s list of GOP lawmakers “who have not endorsed or publicly backed McCain":

Republican members who have not endorsed or publicly backed McCain include Sens. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Jeff Sessions (Ala.) and Reps. Jones, Peterson, John Doolittle (Calif.), Randy Forbes (Va.), Wayne Gilchrest (Md.), Virgil Goode (Va.), Tim Murphy (Pa.), Ron Paul (Texas), Ted Poe (Texas), Todd Tiahrt (Kan.), Dave Weldon (Fla.) and Frank Wolf (Va.).

That's some spiffy list, is it not? And here they go, getting all parsey again. "I'll endorse, but I won't support", "I'll vote, but I won't vote with gusto", "I'd rather not discuss voting for Sid", "I hate the guy."

Additionally, a “handful” of other GOP lawmakers have made a distinction between “endorsing” and “supporting,” saying that while they won’t endorse McCain, they will vote for him in November.

Thomas Gerard Tancredo: “I’m probably going to vote for John McCain, that’s as far as I’m going to go,” allowed Tancredo.

"Probably"?

Republicans, eat your spinnage!

By GottaLaff

What is it with Republicans and scandals? And what is it with Republicans pathetically trying to spin scandals when spinnage isn't even an option?

Outside lawyers for the National Republican Congressional Committee confirmed Thursday that a former employee allegedly stole an estimated $725,000 from the campaign committee between 2001 and 2007, although the exact amount is still unclear.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, because of joint fundraising it did with the NRCC, also lost an estimated $28,000 to Ward's illicit activities, and at least five other campaign committees and leadership PACs that he worked for have already reported that he allegedly diverted at least $47,000 from their accounts.

That brings the total GOP losses to Ward to nearly $800,000.

Christopher J. Ward, former treasurer, was a bad, naughty boy. But Chairman Tom is so proud! Why? Because Chairman Tom and his staff, says he, were right on top of things! They were the Discovererererers, the Reportererers and the Bustererers! And what a crack team of law-and-order Republicans they were! Too bad Republican donors don't quite see it that way:

[NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.)] said the Ward investigation has diverted needed resources into an investigation, and raised unwanted questions from donors about the committee's operations. [...] Cole tried to spin the situation as a credit to himself and his staff, who first confronted Ward on his failure to get an outside audit of the committee's books. Oklahoma Republican said he was proud "that we're the ones that found it, we're the ones that reported it, we're the ones that fixed it."

It doesn't take much to fill the NRCC with pride these days, does it.

2004: Obama on Iraq

By GottaLaff


This video is circulating in Republican "oppo precincts", per Mark Ambinder. It's a clip of Obama from 2004. Here's what Ambinder says:

So I guess what I'm getting to... is that Obama hasn't been consistent... but that consistency is not the coin of this realm. The Obama campaign claims that Obama has made an evidenced-based assessment of what to do and will continue to do as president; as the facts on the ground change, he won't stubbornly stick to preconceptions about what to do.

What do you think? Will voters laud Obama for his dexterity? Or do they prefer resilience?

I laud him for his dexterity. Read the whole (short) piece for more details, but I believe that, in this case, you can't pull a Chimpenfuhrer and stubbornly stick to your guns (literally) when some flexibility is in order. War is complicated, not black-and-white. One more excerpt:

A point about consistency: Obama has acknowledged that his policy on Iraq withdrawal has evolved as the conditions on the ground have changed, and so this video doesn't strike me as a smoking gun; it just reminds me that Iraq is an extremely complex issue, and that "stay the course" versus "withdrawal" has never been a good way to think about it.

There are no clear answers to the quandaries that Bush's insane occupation has forced on us. At least Obama realizes that bringing the troops home is important, as opposed to Confused McHundredYears'.

Fox addresses baby mama drama: Producer used 'poor judgment'

By Paddy



Oh puhleeze. I'm with the people that are saying that not only should Obama boycott (if not downright condemn) Fox, we should also shun any person claiming to be a Democrat that appears on the slime channel.

Since Salon's Alex Koppelman caught Fox News characterizing Michelle Obama as "Obama's Baby Mama," there's been an uproar over use of such an offensive term.

“A producer on the program exercised poor judgment in using this chyron during the segment,” Fox's Senior Vice President of Programming Bill Shine said in a statement to Politico.

In addition to being insulting, the phrase "baby mama" is also inaccurate. The Urban Dictionary defines "baby mama" as"the mother of your child(ren), whom you did not marry and with whom you are not currently involved."

(snip)

"Unfortunately for the network, this comes just days after Fox's E.D. Hill addressed her use of the phrase "terrorist fist jab" on-air in reference to the famous Michelle-Barack fist bump (or pound) made just before his celebratory speech in St. Paul.

Paul suspends presidential campaign; forms new organization

By Paddy


Awww dammit. What about the alternate convention?

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Texas Rep. Ron Paul announced Thursday he is suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination to focus his time on building an organization to help recruit and elect “limited government Republicans.”

“We want to elect constitutionalists, limited government Republicans across the country at the state and federal level,” said Paul spokesman Jesse Benton.

The congressman will speak about his political plans at the Texas Republican State Convention being held in Houston. Late Thursday afternoon, Paul launched a Web site for his new organization where he explained the decision to suspend his presidential campaign and form “Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty.”

Fox Reality Show Contestant Wears Anti-Abu Ghraib Shirt

Pretty impressive the kid got away with it. I don't watch these things, but some kid named Gev is competing on "So You Think You Can Dance" and an EW reader caught this-

An astute reader has pointed out that during his pre-taped rehearsal and interview, Gev wore a shirt with the unmistakable image of one of the hooded Abu Ghraib prisoners with electrodes on either hand and draped in an American flag.

In watching more of the vid (gag), when Gev first comes on the screen, he's wearing a "Drop Beats, Not Bombs" shirt and says he's from Kazakhstan. Then in the next bit he's wearing the Gitmo shirt that has a tagline "Invisible *****", can't read the second word.

Props to Gev for taking a stand and hope Fox doesn't find out. (pertinent video starts about :35)