By GottaLaff
I was glued to the set when this first aired. I'd never seen Jon Stewart like this, and developed a whole new appreciation of him. After his evisceration of Cramer, my appreciation grew (I didn't think that was even possible).
Stewart not just some well-informed, hilarious comic. He's a top notch, independent-minded, tough interviewer.
Tucker Carlson, Jim Cramer... Who's next?
A flashback to October 15, 2004, the day that Jon Stewart destroyed Crossfire.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
VIDEO FLASHBACK: If you liked Jon Stewart v. Jim Cramer, you'll love Jon on Crossfire
Unity '09: Democratic groups quietly align
By GottaLaff
A broad coalition of left-leaning groups is quietly closing ranks into a new coalition, "Unity '09," aimed at helping President Barack Obama push his agenda through Congress.
Conceived at a New York meeting before the November election, two Democrats familiar with the planning said, Unity '09 will draw together money and grassroots organizations to pressure lawmakers in their home states to back White House legislation and other progressive causes.
The online-based MoveOn.org is a central player in the nascent organization, but other groups involved in planning Unity '09 span a broad spectrum of interests, from the American Civil Liberties Union to the National Council of La Raza to Planned Parenthood, as well as labor unions and environmental groups. [...]
Unity '09 comes at a time of increasing coordination on the left, including an effort this week by the Democratic National Committee, Obama's grassroots network and other groups to defend Obama's budget and attack the GOP as obstructionists.For more info, I wrote about Progressive Media in this post.
But Unity '09 is setting a broader, and longer-term agenda, aiming to exert grassroots pressure on lawmakers in their home states over the next several years on the entire spectrum of political issues. [...]
Unity '09 is, informally, the field organizing compliment to another new organization, Progressive Media , which launched a month ago to coordinate the liberal groups' messages and their attacks on Republicans and on critics of Obama's policies.
But while Progressive Media is an in-house project of two existing organizations, the Center for American Progress and Media Matters, Unity '09 requires more commitment from its members in the form of a $25,000 contribution to the group's future organizing campaigns, a source said.The red part is my favorite. I'm reading it over and over and over again. I may even say it out loud, right here and now. Don't you love it when we finally get our act together? Isn't it way more fun than what we were doing before?
Unity '09 is conceived as ultimately including 20 to 30 organizations, people familiar with the planning said. The groups have overlapping, but different, groups of members and financial resources at their disposal, and the idea behind the organization is that they can share resources to fill in geographical and organizational gaps. Labor unions could, for instance, put their weight behind environmental campaigns in regions where environmental groups are relatively weak, and vice versa.
Along with the groups previously mentioned, others involved in planning discussions include the Sierra Club, Media Matters for America, and Health Care for America Now. [...]
The new organization is likely to stir fears among conservatives already feeling organizationally outgunned and flatly alarmed by the new progressive infrastructure.
If I didn't know better, I might come to the conclusion that community organizing works. Shhh. Don't tell Grabby McEarmarks.
Why, again?
By GottaLaff
A.I.G. is preparing to pay more than $100 million in bonuses to executives which brought the company to the brink of collapse.And why should something this personal be any of our business, again?
Without a Pastor of His Own, Obama Turns to Five: President Obama has been without a pastor or a home church ever since he cut his ties to the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. in the heat of the presidential campaign. But he has quietly cultivated a handful of evangelical pastors for private prayer sessions on the telephone and for discussions on the role of religion in politics.
Someone's been doing his homework: Obama gets an A
By GottaLaff
Silly yes. But it's still nice to see our side getting out the vote:Give President Obama a grade
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Live Vote
Multitasker in Chief, with bonus video!
By GottaLaff
For those who still don't get that multitasking is a skill that we're lucky President Obama has mastered:
My effort at updating "Dry Bones":
Health care's connected to insurance, insurance is connected to the lenders, lenders' connected to education, and that's what Obama's gotta fix.
Diplomacy's connected to the torture, and torture's connected to religion, religion's connected to the stem cells, and that's what Obama's gotta fix.
The budget's connected to the climate, the climate's connected to the energy, energy's' connected to the housing, and that's what Obama's gotta fix...
No thanks to Georgie...
And that's what Obama's gotta fix.
Sporst Illustrated: "There is something masterful about Todd Palin"
By GottaLaff
[A]s part of SI's web "bonus," the venerable sports mag featured a profile of Todd Palin and his participation in Alaska's annual Iron Dog--a snowmachine endurance race through the frozen western half of the state billed as the "toughest in the world." [...]In his article, "The 'First Dude' in His Element," Donahue proclaims:
There is something masterful about Todd Palin. He is almost invariably calm, and he is handsome and rock-steady in an affable, unobtrusive way. He is the perfect political husband.Donahue was clearly taken by Palin and his partner, Scott Davis, referring to their "lean, gym-sculpted physiques."
Gives the term "snowmachine endurance" a whole new meaning.
But S.I.'s crush is superficial. They, as so many blinded by lust do, ignore what lies beneath Todd's big, bad, macho six-packy surface.
They skip right over this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this.
In spite of those remarkable holes in his coverage, Donahue does allow that there's "a political resonance to the whole [Iron Dog] scene."
On two race sleds are bumper stickers reading AMERICA. LOVE IT, DEFEND IT, OR GET THE HELL OUT. On another there's a mock ALASKA TERRORIST HUNTING PERMIT, good through 2050, with the license number 9-11-01. Tina Fey is not here amid the wafting aroma of two-stroke motor oil. Neither is Michelle Obama.
[...] When Sarah Palin was named John McCain's running mate, husband Todd was heralded as a "world champion" athlete. Donahue's description of the Iron Dog reveals it for what it is, something closer akin to a long-distance motorcycle poker run, with a handful of requisite rest stops along the way, during which the contestants eat hardy meals, refuel, sleep in warm beds and, that's right, even shower along the way.It's quite a cast, but World Class athletes? [...] [I]t looks more like a slow-pitch softball team to me--or something that belongs on the wall of the local post office.
(go here for an interactive look, or click on image to enlarge)
Sigh. Ain't puppy love grand? Then again, familiarity breeds contempt.
Washington Post spinning U.S. Attorney story to create Obama scandal?
By GottaLaff
The Washington Post's Carrie Johnson writes today that it is "unclear" how Obama will handle replaicing U.S. Attorneys [...]Media bias again? Don't be silly. Clearly, they're all liberal propaganda sheets. This one exception just slipped through the cracks.
Any potential scandal would not be in President Obama choosing to put in place his own picks, but if he decided down the road to fire any of them who were refusing to use their offices for political purposes. Like his predecessor did. [...]Mary Beth Buchanan, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, who oversaw a recent FBI raid of fundraisers close to Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), told local reporters after the November election that she did not plan to voluntarily resign. [...]Ms. Buchanan [who held top political jobs in the Bush Justice Department, is a member of the conservative Federalist Society legal group and cultivated close connections to former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), an advocate for antiabortion and Christian groups] serves at the pleasure of the President. If the President decides to fire her, whether or not she's involved in the Murtha investigation, it will not be a political decision on the part of President Obama, however the WaPo is choosing to preemptively spin it.
"It doesn't serve justice for all the U.S. attorneys to submit their resignations at one time," Buchanan told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last year. "I am open to continuing further service to the United States." [...]
Labor unions support Democratic Rep. Meek in Florida
By GottaLaff
But what happens if Charlie Crist-- who's married!-- gets into the race:
Big Labor is picking sides early in the race to replace Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), as Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) won a nod from another top union on Saturday.
Meek has scored the backing of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, the third union to support the Miami Democrat.
After being the first candidate to jump in the race since Martinez announced he would retire, Meek also picked up backing from the Service Employees International Union and the state's largest teacher's union.
Labor is choosing sides unusually early in the wide-open race for Senate. Though Republicans are waiting to see if Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will get in the race, Democrats have no such field-clearing candidate, now that Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink (D) has indicated she will not run. [...]
On the GOP side, Crist's indecision has frozen the field. Should he enter the race, the first-term governor would be the overwhelming favorite in both the primary and the general election. If he decides instead to run for re-election, Reps. Vern Buchanan (R) and Connie Mack (R) will each consider the race.
Former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R), a young politico who could appeal to Cuban voters, is the candidate with whom Washington Republicans are most smitten.
Pawlenty, Sanford write to Obama
By GottaLaff
Dear President Obama,
Here's where we stand. Let's do lunch.
Sincerely, two Rushpublican governors with national ambitions:
Party of No v. Party of One. Party of One, you may be seated now. Party of No, this isn't my station. You'll have to dine elsewhere. Besides, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty—staking a claim to a positive, policy-oriented profile—described his merit-pay program for teachers to Obama, and invited him to visit.
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, arguing for an alternative structure to the stimulus, wrote that he would accept three-quarters of the federal money, but asked for a waiver permitting him to use the remaining quarter to pay down his state's debt.
Tuh-Weet! Karl Rove edtion
By GottaLaff
Re: Cheney—That was sure a weird accusation from Mr. Hersh. Unhinged.Unhinged?
President Obama: GOP wants me to get lost
By GottaLaff
Obama made the crack Saturday in the Oval Office after a meeting with Brazil's president.
Obama said he would like to visit Brazil and thinks he should visit Rio de Janeiro, where he understands the beaches are nice.
Then he said he would love a trip to the Amazon. He joked that he suspects the Republican Party would like to see him travel through the Amazon and maybe get lost for while.
What is it they say? There are no jokes? Yeah, that's it.
VIDEO: Former Republican Congressman Calls for Investigation Into Jim Cramer
By GottaLaff
Looks like someone needs a fallout shelter:
Former Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA) says it's time some investigator takes a closer look at Cramer:I'm not sure what's more stunning: The Cramer revelations or a Rushpublic (Tom Davis, yet) seeing the light. Hey, Jim:CNN reporter Jim Acosta reflected on limited regulation of hedge fund’s and how they attracted “wealthy investors.” He then turned to former Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., once chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, who said Cramer’s the reason hedge funds should be considered for more regulation.
“I think he’s become a poster child for why hedge funds need more regulation and transparency,” Davis said.
When asked if what Cramer said was illegal, Davis admitted that it was not, but “should be. He may well have crossed the line.”
Davis suggested the powers that be “ought to be looking at” Cramer’s confessed manipulation from 2006. “I think the tragedy is over the last few years nobody’s been looking at this at all.”
Wow. A Republican calling for more regulations and ethics over the interests of the oligarchy? Will wonders never cease?
By the way, Tom, where were you "over the last few years"?
In 2003, Davis became Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. He served as Chairman until 2007, when Democrats became the majority party in the House of Representatives. Henry Waxman of California replaced Davis at the gavel. Davis had renamed the committee, removing "Oversight" from the title; one of Waxman's first acts as Chair was to reinstitute the name as the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
CyberKnife technology to treat cancer in India
By GottaLaff
This new treatment option sounds fantastic:
NEW DELHI: Offering hope in several cases of technically inoperable tumours, the most advanced CyberKnife robotic radio surgery system will be available to cancer patients from next week at the Apollo Specialty Cancer hospital, Chennai. [...]It's nice that we have it here in the U.S.A. where science is acceptable again.
"This technology will offer a new treatment option that would revolutionise cancer treatment in India," Prathap C. Reddy, executive chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, told reporters here Saturday. [...]
Apart from being the only machine of its kind in South Asia, the CyberKnife is unique in its design. It offers large dosages of targeted radiation controlled with image guided technology and computer robotics.
"The advanced technology behind CyberKnife uses real time image guidance technology and computer controlled robotics to deliver an extremely precise dose of radiation to targets, thereby avoiding the surrounding healthy tissue and adjusting for patient and tumour movement during treatment," explained John Rodenbeck Adler, professor of Neurosurgery and oncology at the Stanford University Medical Centre.
"The procedure requires no anaesthesia, as the treatment is painless and non-invasive,"said Adler, who is in India to create awareness about the machine.
The treatment has a higher rate of success with small tumours, and generally lasts between 30 to 90 minutes involving administration of 100-200 radiation beams delivered from different directions each lasting 10 to 15 seconds. The machine's robotic arm works continually with image guided technology and has the ability to move in three dimensions according to the treatment plan. [...]
This treatment can also successfully treat lung cancers and other such cancers that are on organs that move involuntarily - like in the respiratory or digestive system.
The treatment that formally began at Stanford in 1994, has had about 60,000 beneficiaries so far, with around 98 percent success rate in dealing with benign tumours and about 95 percent in dealing with malignant tumours. It has a three percent complication risk, Adler informed.
(Note: I edited the last sentence of this post to correct an error. H/t: Silly Git)
Mindless quickie: Arrest warrant for Lindsay Lohan
By GottaLaff
Beverly Hills police said an arrest warrant has been issued for actress Lindsay Lohan that stems from her 2007 conviction for drunken driving.The $50,000 warrant was issued by the Beverly Hills Superior Court, the police said in a statement issued on Friday. They declined to state the reason for the issuance of the warrant.
That was today's Quickie. Will you still respect me in the morning?
UPDATE via Tweet:
Police have arrived at Lindsay Lohan's home in Beverly Hills, CA to serve out an arrest warrant but she refuses to open the door - TMZ.
Conservative columnist makes up a quote from President Obama
By GottaLaff
Columnist James Humes concocted a quote from President Obama, but that's okay. Why? Because if talk radio repeats a lie often enough, it becomes a "valid" talking point, regardless of its veracity:
We detailed how James Humes, in his March 12 Newsmax column, purported to quote President Obama saying of a bust of Winston Churchill, "Get that goddamn thing out of here."Remember that Churchill bust story? I covered it here. [Sidebar: One comment on a wingnut site that linked to my post said of me, "How old is that guy, 12?" Flattery will get you nowhere, you big tease.]
To make matters worse, Humes didn't delete the quote (which was not properly sourced). Nosireebob, he added to it:
While the story was never fully substantiated, despite frequent repetition on radio talk shows, the sentiment seems to have been confirmed by Obama's subsequent actions.
Translation: I can't prove Obama said this -- in fact, I can't even name anyone who said he did, despite "frequent repetition on radio talk shows" -- but I'll pretend he did anyway because it meshes so well with my smear of Obama.
You ain't seen nothin' yet:
Of course, nowhere in Humes' column is it indicated that it has been altered from its original publication, let alone an apology issued for publishing falsehoods and unsubstantiated claims.That would have been, you know, the right thing to do. Too bad someone didn't think to document the lies (as in, Obama was plotting tribal revenge in Kenya). Oh, really? Someone did?
Fortunately, we saved a copy of Humes' original falsehoods to document Humes' careless, malicious writing.
Go here for elaboration on other documented lies about Obama's family and childhood.
Isn't this special, boys and girls? Your whole childhood, you were taught to tell the truth. Fibs were bad. Tell a lie, you're grounded. See how well Humes paid attention? And now he writes for Newsmax.
If Humes keeps making such basic, blatant errors and ugly smears, why does Newsmax continue to publish him?Newsmax should be grounded, too.
H/t: Oliver Willis
Wal-Mart, Wall Street and W: Three W's That Sank the American Economy and Boosted China
By GottaLaff
Mark Karlin, my pal who runs BuzzFlash, gives us a clear, concise tick-tock about how our economy hit the skids. Here are some excerpts (which aren't enough to do his piece justice). Please follow the link to read it in full:
I fully support the concept of the Obama "Main Street Job Creations Act," but only if it unleashes the American entrepeneurial spirit that the Republicans have stifled.
Because for all their talk of creating innovative small businesses, the GOP is actually the main roadblock to creating jobs in America that result in anything being actually produced.
If you start with Wal-Mart and its multi-billion dollar progeny, it's one big giant sucking hole of jobs to China. [...] And who benefits most from increased spending at Wal-Mart: the untold wretchedly low-paid workers at Wal-Mart Chinese manufacturing plants. [...] [A]t least in China, the consumers are buying goods manufactured in their own country, thus really creating jobs for Chinese workers. [...]
As for Wall Street, while the "Masters of the Universe" gambled hundreds of billions on exotic financial games -- such as derivatives and default swaps -- and then lost their bets, they left the American economy on the brink of a total meltdown. That is, until the Bush Administration came in and bailed them out [...]
And where do the loans come from to cover the massive gambling debt of Wall Street? Well, a large percentage of them come from -- you guessed it -- China. China will be covering a lot of the recovery package too. [...]
We haven't heard much from former President George W. Bush, but Bush stewarded in the final disastrous denouement of the Reagan "Revolution" of plundering the "vassals" of America to support the moneyed elite. By ensuring that the S.E.C. was neutered and that our national wealth became measured in worthless Wall Street "paper" instead of actual manufacturing production, "W." sealed our fate, helping China [...]
So there they are: the three W's that symbolize the economic decline of a nation that shipped its jobs overseas, became a high-finance gambling den and lost, and endured a president who made swindling the middle class "patriotic."
May I just say....
Go here for more.
Judges Now Deciding Minnesota Senate Race
By GottaLaff
"After seven long weeks, Minnesota's U.S. Senate election trial came down to a debate Friday between following the rules and a notion of common sense," the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.Toker Norm will appeal, not because he knows it will make a difference to the eventual outcome, but because he knows it will make a difference in the number of Senate votes until there's a final resolution to this saga.
"Now the choice is up to the judges, whose decision will be critical -- if not final -- in eventually naming Minnesota's new U.S. senator."
Nearly everyone involved expects the eventual ruling to be appealed. CQ Politics outlines Norm Coleman's appeal strategy.
He also hopes to divert attention from his many legal problems.
Meanwhile, Minnesota is deprived of a U.S. Senator, legislation will be affected, and democracy will suffer.
I can think of several ways to thank him. Please feel free to add your expressions of gratitude in Comments.
Bush Faces Tough Time Raising Library Funds
Just hit up Haliburton Dick for some of the cash stuffed in his mattress.
Former President Bush "is preparing for one final struggle against the odds: raising $300 million for a presidential library, museum and policy institute at a time when dollars are tight and skepticism about his presidency runs high," Politico reports.
"Groundbreaking for the George W. Bush Presidential Center is scheduled for the fall of 2010, with the grand opening expected in the spring of 2013. The center will have three parts -- a library, where Bush's papers will be stored; a museum of exhibits; and a policy institute, with plans for such novel programs as conversations with retired international leaders about their time in office."
Bill Maher- New Rules 3/13/09
Rules start at about 3:00, before that he's chatting with Sarah Silverman for a bit.
Saturday Linkage
Lazy lazy here. Tell me something interesting.
Copies of Aretha's hat in high demand
Middle England for sale: Forget the credit crunch, if you've got £25m to spare, this picture postcard village could be yours
Swedish cops 'baked cake' in the nude
Blog on duck killing ruffles some feathers
Where The Jobs Are, Spring 2009
Stone-throwing chimpanzee displays humanlike planning abilities
The Pleasure Principle
Friday, March 13, 2009
John King describes "stripper" golfer and his... ball
By GottaLaff
"He's a bit of a stripper... His ball was stuck in the mud... "Tsk, tsk, tsk. John, John, John...
[I didn't catch every word, but this is awfully close]
Shallow Thoughts: CNN Sunday edition
By GottaLaff
Of course, I understand why viewers would tune in to see Stephanie Miller on CNN's Reliable Sources this Sunday. However, how anyone could bring themselves to hang around to watch "The Nation of Dick" Cheney be interviewed by John King is beyond me. What could he possibly have to say, and why would anyone listen?That was today's Shallow Thought. Thank you for wading in.
Just added:
Sunday's show: Dick Cheney
In his first television interview since leaving the Vice President's mansion, Dick Cheney will be our EXCLUSIVE guest this Sunday on State of the Union with John King.
It's time for our first Crazy-Off of the year! Sanford v. McCain
By GottaLaff
Ready contestants? Remember, buzz in when you have something absolutely bonkers to say to the entire world via the news media.
::BUZZ!:: Governor Sanford! You buzzed first! What have you got?
The United States faces a Zimbabwe-style economic collapse if it keeps "spending a bunch of money we don't have," South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford said Wednesday.Wow! That was crazy, Governor! Senator McCain?Sanford, a Republican [...] said he'll turn down about a quarter of his state's $2.8 billion share [of the stimulus money] unless Washington lets him use that money to pay down debt.
"What you're doing is buying into the notion that if we just print some more money that we don't have and send it to different states, we'll create jobs," he said. "If that's the case, why isn't Zimbabwe a rich place?"
Zimbabwe has been in the throes of an economic meltdown ever since the southern African nation embarked on a chaotic land reform program. Its official inflation rate topped 11 million percent in 2008, with its treasury printing banknotes in the trillion-dollar range to keep up with the plummeting value of its currency.
At a nomination hearing for David Hayes for deputy secretary of Interior, the former Republican presidential candidate read aloud from an article that Hayes wrote in April 2006 which drew unfavorable comparisons between former President George W. Bush and Reagan.
In the article, Hayes wrote that “the conservative political agenda in the West is grounded in hoary stereotypes about the region and its people” and that “out of this conservative world view emerges the stereotypical Western man (and it is unquestionably a ‘he’)—a rugged, gun-toting individualist who fiercely guards every man’s right to drill, mine, log, or do whatever he damn well pleases on the land” and that “Like Ronald Reagan before him, President Bush has embraced the Western stereotype to the point of adopting some of its affectations—the boots, brush-clearing, and get-the-government-off-our-backs bravado.”
Mr. McCain, Mr. Hayes said he regretted his "overly florid" language. What's that? You're offended? Oh, sorry, you're highly offended. My bad. Buzzing in again, are you?
::BUZZ!:: Alright, alright, I heard you the first two times, JSid. You're highly offended, I get it.“So you had to throw Reagan in there?” McCain continued.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” Hayes said.
“I wouldn’t have said something like that about Bruce Babbitt,” McCain continued, referring to the Arizona Democrat who was Interior secretary during the Clinton administration.
“I will be considering seriously whether I can support your nomination or not,” McCain added.
::BUZZ!:: Stop that. ::BUZZ! BUZZ!:: Okay, okay! You win!
John Sidney McCain wins TPC's first Crazy-Off, because if anyone is bats*** crazy, he is!
::BUZZ!:: Can it, JSid, or I take back your prize-- a walk-on in Twitter the Movie!
::silence::
I knew that would shut him up.
Republicans: The party of earmarks
By GottaLaff
BuzzFlash traces the history of earmarks, and surprise! Guess which party gets the prize for the highest number. Hint: Sarah Palin, despite her protests, is a member of the winning party:
The reports of these earmarks, which actually take up small amounts of each spending bill, are limited in focus. You get the impression that earmarks have always happened. But it's not true.The Rushpublicans finally win something. Most earmarks! Yay?
This history from a 2006 article contains this choice bit of information:Just take a look at the history of the Defense Appropriations Bill: Taxpayers for Common Sense calculated that the 1970 Defense Appropriations Bill had a dozen earmarks; the 1980 bill had 62 earmarks; and by 2005, the defense bill had skyrocketed to 2,671 earmarks.And Paul Kane of The Washington Post noted in his paper's online political chat:"... it's worth noting that the republic also lasted 200 years without earmarks making up much of the legislative talk. In the early '90s there were only about 500 earmarks, now there are more than 14,000 (down a few thousand from their hey-day in the middle of this decade)."The Democratic Party was in control of the House of Representatives from 1954 to 1995. If Kane's assessment is accurate, the earmarks grew when Republicans took control of the House. They have certainly grown in recent years, and in the more than two years since the Democrats have been back in control, the earmarks' growth continues.
But even as Kane points out, the current earmark figure has been reduced from the last throes of Republican rule in the House.
This article from The New York Times from December 2007 points out the reduction under Democratic control:The number of earmarks in the sweeping spending bill is actually a reduction from past years, although the exact amount is being debated. Taxpayers for Common Sense estimates a decline of about 25 percent.
More fuel: Secret e-mails show Iraq dossier was 'sexed up'
By GottaLaff
Is anyone surprised? .... Anyone....? ::crickets:: Who will be the first one to finally prosecute?
Secret Whitehall emails released yesterday provide damning new evidence that the notorious dossier making the case for invading Iraq was "sexed up".They disclose that the intelligence services were skeptical over the "iffy drafting" of government claims that Saddam Hussein could mount a missile strike on his neighbours within 45 minutes of ordering an attack.
Officials privately mocked assertions that the Iraqi president was covertly trying to develop a nuclear capability and wisecracked that perhaps he had recruited "Dr Frankenstein" to his supposed crack team of nuclear scientists.
So much for that mushroom cloud. What was that you were saying again, Ari?
At the risk of repeating myself, what more does it take? Now that Bush and Blair are out of office, and troops are coming home, more evidence is being revealed. What excuse can anyone come up with to justify avoiding a full investigation, not just some white-washy commission?The release of a series of confidential memos and emails, following a protracted Freedom of Information battle, reignited the controversy over accusations that Tony Blair's government "spun" Britain into war.
Last night both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats renewed their demands for a full public inquiry into the decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq.
The 45-minute claim – presented to MPs in a notorious dossier on 24 September 2002, six months before military action began – was central to the Blair government's justification for war.
But a memo sent 13 days earlier by Desmond Bowen, head of the Cabinet Office defence secretariat, to John Scarlett, who was head of the Joint Intelligence Committee, suggested he had grave reservations over the threat. [...]
Another memo, dated 16 September 2002, from an unnamed official, also suggests exaggerated claims were being included in the about-to-be-published report. [...]Last night William Hague, the shadow Foreign Secretary, said: "This is the latest in a steady stream of damaging revelations about the events leading up to the Iraq war. These minutes shed interesting light on the process by which the caveats in the Joint Intelligence Committee's original assessment of Iraq's WMD programmes were stripped out of the dossier that was presented to Parliament and the British people." [...]
The emails: How 'sexing-up' was achieved:
11 September 2002 Desmond Bowen: "The question we have to have in the back of our mind is: 'Why now?' I think we have moved away from promoting the ideas that we are in imminent danger of attack and intend to act in pre-emptive self-defence... In looking at the WMD sections, you will clearly want to be as firm and authoritative as you can be. You will clearly need to judge the extent to which you need to hedge your judgements with, for example, 'it is almost certain' and similar caveats."
11 September 2002 Mark Sedwill: "I would expand the history of weapons inspections. It is an interesting story and would give the media a better feel for the difficulties they faced and the persistence of the Iraqi obstruction... We need a very simple table somewhere... This should be brief enough to get on to the Sky wall – ie no more than five bullets."
16 September 2002 Unnamed official (thought to be intelligence agent): "I note that the paper suggests that Saddam's biotech efforts have gone much further than we ever feared. Page 4 Bullet 4: '[Iraq] has assembled specialists to work on its nuclear programme' – Dr Frankenstein I presume? Sorry. It's getting late... We have suggested moderating the same language in much the same way on drafts from the dim and distant past without success. Feel free to try again!... Lots of 'ranges' close together – iffy drafting."
Maybe we the people need to be a little louder with our demands.
Palin's Peeved at Political Punch
By GottaLaff
Yes, all that erroneous reporting is what's injuring what's left of her stellar reputation. It was nothing she's done, said (er, tried to say), or insinuated. Glad we cleared that up. It would be a shame if she began her 2012 campaign with any misunderstandings.A very irate aide to Gov. Sarah Palin contacted ABC News today to explain why his boss's 31 requests for earmarks in the fiscal year 2009 budget, totaling $197 million, represent a victory for fiscally conservative values."I am disturbed by this item," wrote Bill McAllister, director of communications for Gov. Palin, referencing a blog entry from last night in which we referred to an article in the liberal magazine Mother Jones noting that Palin -- after what seemed like a campaign against earmark abuse -- was back at the proverbial trough."The headline [link] doesn't seem very dignified for a major news organization,"said the spokesman for the governor who repeatedly referred to then-Senator, now-President Obama as "palling around with terrorists." He also quibbled with our referencing Mother Jones. (We also reference conservative publications here. But anyway.)"Let's start with the overwhelming mischaracterization of Gov. Palin's stance on earmarks that has been repeated and repeated since Aug. 29," McAllister wrote. "The governor never said that earmarks should be abolished or that the State of Alaska wouldn't seek or accept any. Didn't happen. What she said well before she was a national candidate (going back at least to October of 2007) was that earmark reform was necessary and the state would need to rely less on federal money than it had been."McAllister then pointed out that Palin made 51 earmark requests for the FY 2008 budget, totaling $256 million; and 31 requests totaling $197 million, for the FY 2009 budget.McAllister said that for next year's budget, Gov. Palin will only make eight requests, totaling $69 million, which will include "six ongoing federal appropriations and just two new projects: an upgrade at the Kodiak Missile Defense Facility, which is relevant to national security, and a bridge replacement critical to construction of the pending Alaska natural gas pipeline, also in the national interest." [...]"She has spoken out on reform of the federal process, and it is a disservice to her that her position was so egregiously mis-reported last year and that those same false stories are now being used to make her look like a hypocrite -- adding insult to injury, quite literally."Alarmed, I asked McAllister how Palin was "literally" injured. Was she okay? Was she infirm?"I didn't say physically injured," he wrote back. "Certainly her reputation was injured by the erroneous reporting." [...]In any case, the point is, Gov. Palin as a vice presidential candidate claimed that she "championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending of Congress."And yet, she has asked for and is still asking for -- and receiving -- tens millions of dollars in earmarks [...]Including [...] moneys for alcohol bootlegging interdiction and North Pacific fisheries programs.
Big H/t: Mark Karlin at Buzzflash for the Palin photo link
VIDEO-- Snark attack! Shepard Smith re: Glenn Beck special: "It's bigger than O'Reilly"
By GottaLaff
Snark-infested video, brought to you by... Shep Smith?
Tonight, Glenn Beck is hosting a life special to assure his conservative followers, “You are not alone.” While purporting to promote the special, Fox’s Shep Smith repeatedly mocked Beck and the program, admitting that although he watches Beck’s show, he doesn’t listen to it. Smith also pointed to a giant satellite truck parked outside and wondered if it was for Beck’s “ego.” Chris Wallace told Smith he must be jealous.Beck has to reassure conservatives that they "are not alone" for good reason. He's obviously given a little look-see to their approval ratings.
And watching Chris Wallace admonish Schlep Smith for being a big meanie to poor wittle Glenny was worth the price of admission. I mean, it was, like, sewww middle school: "You are like, totally jealous. Say you're sorreeeee!"
As for Chris Wallace, how will he ever sleep tonight? Boss Limbaugh (not to mention Falafel Bill) will be all over his sorry behind for lauding Beck like that. There's absolutely no room for competition. What's up with Wallace for not realizing that? He's doomed.
Leahy Vows to Name Names if Obama's Nominees Are Delayed
By GottaLaff
How dare the Democrats force the Rushpublics' hand!? What?! That's unheard of!Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is warning his colleagues that he will shine a light on any of them who try to hold up a nominee of President Barack Obama.
Leahy, speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday, criticized the use of anonymous "holds" and other tactics that allow a senator to delay a nomination without revealing that he or she is the one doing so. Any senator for any reason can place a hold on a nominee and thereby prevent the formal debate and vote from being scheduled.
"Today, however, there will be no more secret and anonymous Republican holds. Any effort to oppose the president's nominees -- executive or judicial -- will have to withstand public scrutiny. There will be no more anonymous holds," Leahy said in his prepared remarks.
His stance could have the effect of speeding up some of Obama's nominees, including those for the Department of Justice who have faced procedural delays. [...]
Last week, Senate Republicans -- who championed up-or-down votes during the Bush administration -- sent a letter to Obama advising that they are prepared to block votes on nominees when they see fit.
There are several methods that Leahy could use to try to identify publicly a senator who delays a nominee. He could make a request on the Senate floor to consider the nomination, possibly forcing a voice objection by a senator who placed a hold.
He could also name a senator who -- under what's known as the "blue slip" tradition -- has not given consent to consider a nominee from the senator's home state.
In the face of a possible filibuster, Democrats could move to cut off debate, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., did Monday with Ogden's nomination, but doing so requires lengthy procedures and at least 60 votes in favor.
That would make them all accountable and stuff. And that's undemocratically unpatriotically treasonous! Only Democrats should be held accountable for their votes, never Rushpubs.
There. I've said it. Someone had to. Damn Democratic zealots.
VIDEO: Jim Cramer's first two minutes on CNBC post-Jon Stewart
By GottaLaff
UPDATE: I added the video, title reflects that.
"I want to be very clear, although I was outside of my safety zone, I have the utmost respect for this person..."And then he shows a clip of his appearance on... Martha Stewart's show.
"Yeah, okay, now back to business a usual!"And with that, I turned the channel.
I guess he was sticking to The New Rule.
Joe Scarborough has a nickname for Jon Stewart
By GottaLaff
So the "little guy" didn't get hurt by CNBC? I thought that was why Jon Stewart attacked? The Elliot Ness of comedy.UPDATE:
TVNewser reports that “MSNBC producers were asked not to incorporate the Jim Cramer/Jon Stewart interview into their shows today.” By TVNewser’s count, Cramer’s Daily Show interview was only mentioned once on MSNBC today and that was during the White House press conference when a reporter asked for Obama’s reaction. [I beat 'em to it and posted that here] [...]
TVNewser writes that “insiders” say that Cramer “will talk about Stewart tonight on Mad Money (6pmET & 11pmET).”
The Birth (Certificate) of a Notion
By GottaLaff
A spokesman for Florida Republican Congressman, Bill Posey, sends over a statement from the Congressman explaining his bill to require that presidential candidates submit birth certificates is aimed at dousing the controversy -- though he said the Congressman himself thinks Obama could do more to put the issue to rest.
Says Posey:
Opponents of President Bush used the 2000 election results and the court decisions to question the legitimacy of President Bush to serve as President. Opponents of President Obama are raising the birth certificate issue as a means of questioning his eligibility to serve as President. Neither of these situations are healthy for our Republic. This bill, by simply requiring such documentation for future candidates for President will remove this issue as a reason for questioning the legitimacy of a candidate elected as President.
You can read the full text of the bill here. [...]
Ohhh, he's simply mounting a preemptive war on potentially illegitimate presidents. How very Bushie of him.
Posey's spokesman, George Cecala, when asked whether Posey believes Obama is eligible to be president:
"I think he’s willing to take the President’s word for it," Cecala said. "If the President wanted to put an end to the whole thing he could order Hawaii to release the authentic birth certificate. That’s up to him."Posey might want to watch the Countdown video that I posted earlier. And then he might want to support his president by showing some respect and shutting the hell up.
Obama "birthers" pestering Supreme Court to hear junk lawsuits
By GottaLaff
Barack Obama “birthers” are hours away from annoying Chief Justice John Roberts with a stack of petitions, asking him to hear one of the many junk lawsuits about the president’s citizenship.
Wowzers! That's a whole lot of media outlets! And yes indeedy, all sorts of awareness will be raised. The whole wide world will now see what lunatics these people are.From the blog of Obama birther activist Orly Taitz, a dentist with a law degree from an online university:
Due to the fact that there is evidence of sabotage within the Supreme Court, and there is no guarantee this petition will be forwarded to the Justices through regular channels; this petition will be hand delivered to Chief Justice Roberts at his appearance with students at the University of Moscow, Idaho, on Friday, March 13th, 4 PM. In case something happens to the under signed counsel and the counsel is prevented from hand delivering this motion, it is being posted on the blog DefendOurFreedoms.US; it is being mailed to each and every Justice by certified mail with restricted signature delivery, to be personally signed by the Justices; and it is being forwarded as a press release to Congress, Senate, State Houses of Representatives, State Senates, Governors of all 50 States, FBI, Secret Service, Department of Justice, Department of Defense, Homeland security, Attorney Generals of all 50 states and 26,000 outlets of US and World media in order to bring awareness of the above to the World Community.
Hey wingnuts! ::waving arms wildly:: Lookee here (not that it'll make a difference):
Quote-O'-The-Day: Whacking Gibbs edition
By GottaLaff
From the pool report:
As we were leaving, Mr. Obama asked, "How's Gibbs doing?"
"Great," came the reply. "Not too bad."
Mr. Obama's advice to the press: "Take whacks at him."
Vacancy on the Supreme Court?
By GottaLaff
Seth Stern notes Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hinted there could soon be an open seat on the Supreme Court.Why couldn't it be Thomas or Scalia? Why? Why? Why??
During a Friday appearance, Ginsburg said during a question and answer session that the nine justices only take a group picture when a new member is added, noting, "We haven't had any of those for some time, but surely we will soon."
Since Ginsburg recently said she isn't going anywhere, was she referring to Justices David Souter or John Paul Stevens?
UPDATE-- George Stephanopoulos takes a guess:
Here's my question: what are the chances that Obama DOESN'T pick Sonia Sotomayor?
In her favor, she was appointed to the federal bench by George H.W. Bush. Elevated to the Appeals Court by Bill Clinton. She's a protégé of Daniel Patrick Moynihan and a prosecutor with Robert Morgenthau. Graduate of Princeton and Yale after growing up in the South Bronx.
And, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic Justice on the Supreme Court bench.
Quickie: Justice Department drops combatant status
By GottaLaff
BULLETIN -- U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DROPS "ENEMY COMBATANT" AS BASIS FOR HOLDING GUANTANAMO DETAINEES.As happens sometimes,Twitter's a little ahead of other media. I'll update and link when I can.
That was today's Quickie. Was it good for you?
UPDATE: Here you go...
The Obama administration dropped the term "enemy combatant" and incorporated international law on Friday as its basis for holding terrorism suspects at Guantanamo prison while it works to close the facility.But... but... that seems so... what's the word I'm thinking of? ... Oh yeah. Legal.The U.S. Justice Department said it had filed court papers outlining its break from Bush administration detention standards, and said only those who provided "substantial" support to al Qaeda or the Taliban would be considered detainable.
VIDEO: Vets group founder Paul Rieckhoff talks soldier suicide rates; I talk Vet daughter's trauma
By GottaLaffLast week we talked with Paul Rieckhoff, executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. In part two of the interview, we talked to Paul about Vet head injuries, rising suicide rates among returning soldiers, and how the economic crisis is effecting military families.
Paul is an amazing guy. You may have seen him on the Rachel Maddow Show or Countdown, where he makes numerous appearances and for good reason. I've Tweeted with him on Twitter, and he's one of the few well-knowns who actually Tweeted back.
His web site is here.
Slightly off topic, but some of you may remember my student whose father was in Iraq. I've posted several e-mails from her (unfortunately, only one is available, the others were from our old site and are gone) about the anguish and angst she felt while he was there.
He's back now, has been for several months, but sadly, has lapsed into PTSD, alcoholism, and domestic violence. This is a guy who I've met, who is a sweet, caring man, but who suffers needlessly because of Bush's immoral, illegal invasion. My student came to school with a prominent bruise on her face, at a total loss about how to proceed.
They've tried getting him into a Veteran's program, but that's not easy. They only provide so many meetings and only so much treatment. His depression prevents him from taking any initiative whatsoever, and so he isn't making progress. In fact, he's sinking more deeply into his post-Iraq abyss.
And because he has changed drastically, his family is living in their own private hell.
Thanks for nothing, George Bush.
Conversely, a sincere thank you to Paul Rieckhoff for doing what he does.
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