Spring Fundraising and Overnight Thread

Watched the end of season episode of Ashes to Ashes tonight, and since most of the good Bowie is unembedable, you get Mr Ant instead. Funny, the first thing I thought when I heard this song again was, "I used to be able to dance to that beat?"

We're coming up on the first 100 days of one of the most transformative elected officials in history, and you know there's only going to be more and more to cover- we'd like to be the ones to help you keep up with everything that happens.

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Thank you.

Sarah Palin Lashes Out At Obama

The New York Post gave a bunch of the usual suspects a chance to weigh in on "100 Days, 100 Mistakes" about Obama and Sarah Palin's obviously ghostwritten bit is on "bipartisanship". No, I'm not kidding. Seriously, actual sentence construction? A taste-

For now, Obama's back-pedal on the bipartisanship promise just makes him look insincere. But the real consequences of the mistake will be felt soon enough. As Presidents Bush and Clinton could tell him, congressional majorities do change -- and at some point, Obama will need Republicans on his side. He'd be smart to spend his second 100 days making up for the serious snubs of his first.

You just keep up the floundering there Sar, we'll see who's laughing in 2012.

Freed American Pirate Hostage, Slams "Disgusting" Rush Limbaugh

Sucks to be called out with you own words, doesn't it Rush? I'm trying to imagine how Rush would have reacted under circumstances like Mr Murphy's, and all I can think of was that famous scene in Al Franken's book**...

Shane Murphy, second-in-command aboard the ship seized by Somali pirates this month, is happy to be home. But he's not happy to be sharing turf with land-lubber Rush Limbaugh, who politicized the pirate affair by referring to the pirates as "black teenagers."

"It feels great to be home," said Murphy in an interview with WCBV in Boston. "It feels like everyone around here has my back, with the exception of Rush Limbaugh, who is trying to make this into a race issue...that's disgusting."

(snip)

"He was worried about the order he had given to wipe out three teenagers on the high seas," Limbaugh said. "Black Muslim teenagers."

"You gotta get with us or against us here, Rush," Murphy said. "The president did the right thing...It's a war.... It's about good versus evil. And what you said is evil. It's hate speech. I won't tolerate it."

**Page 58

AAUP, Notre Dame faculty senate back Obama invitation

Suck on that bigots. Guess some people believe in academic freedom over hysteria.

The American Association of University Professors has issued a statement applauding the University of Notre Dame’s president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, for standing firm in his decision to invite President Barack Obama as this year’s commencement speaker.

And Notre Dame’s faculty senate, an elected body, adopted a resolution supporting Jenkins’ decision to invite Obama and present him with an honorary degree.

AAUP praises Jenkins “for exemplifying by his actions the words of his predecessor, Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, who stated unequivocally that ‘the Catholic university must have true autonomy and academic freedom in the face of authority of whatever kind, lay or clerical, external to the academic community itself,' ” said the written statement released Thursday.

Politico's This Week In Video

Nice little mash up.

Report: Roemer to be tapped for Obama's India Ambassador

I may not agree on everything with Tim, but he was a great Representative and he's very well qualified for the job.

Former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer (D) may find himself back on the government payroll if, as expected, President Obama nominates him to be U.S. Ambassador to India.

Earlier this month, Foreign Policy Magazine reported Roemer, president of the Center for National Policy, would be the administration’s pick to represent the United States in Asia’s largest developing democracy.

(snip)

Roemer, a former member on the 9/11 Commission, has been particularly active on nuclear security issues and radical Islam in the Afghanistan and Pakistan realms. He currently sits on the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.

Tensions run high between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region. Both countries are armed with nuclear weapons.

First ever 'Google alphabet' formed using satellite images

Am I a geek for thinking this is something I would have liked to do?

The first ever 'Google alphabet' has been created using the internet giant's satellite service. Graphic designer Rhett Dashwood picked out natural features and building which resembled each of the 26 letters. The Australian did not even have look outside his home state of Victoria to find the full set.

(snip)

'I found them exactly as you think I might have,' he said. 'Slowly moving from page to page over the maps and visually scanning.' 'I did it in my spare time - it was better than doing a sudoku,' he said.'I set a little puzzle for myself.''I put some simple restrictions on my project, like sticking to my home state of Victoria and not manipulating (rotating or Photoshopping) the images in any way.

Click to enlarge or go here for a bigger version.

Secretary Clinton makes surprise visit to Iraq

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

More on the trip here.

VP Biden to Make First Morning Show Appearance on GMA

Because he's been busy doing his damn job.

In his first morning television interview since becoming Vice President, Joe Biden will be on ABC's "Good Morning America" for a live interview Monday morning. The interview is timed to coincide with the Obama administration's first 100 days in office this Wednesday.

David Letterman Reviews Twitter

For those of you that don't know, Gotta is the twitterer on this blog, whereas I abstain.

Quotes from Obama's first 100 days

I just picked out a few of my favorites, the full list is here.

"The impact of this recession is real and it is everywhere. But while our economy may be weakened and our confidence shaken, though we are living through difficult and uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this: We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before." -- His first address to a joint session of Congress on Feb 24.

"It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak." -- Comment after he was asked at a news conference March 24 why it took him so long to express outrage over executive bonuses at the big insurer American International Group Inc.

"Our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values." -- Remarks on March 9 as he signed documents changing science policy and removing what some researchers have said were shackles on their work.

Bea Arthur dies at 86

Goes to show how old I am that my first memory of Bea Arthur is on All In The Family, 14 years before Golden Girls. She was a wonderful actress and will be missed.

LOS ANGELES - Maude" and "Golden Girls" star Bea Arthur has died, a family spokesman said.

The 86-year-old Arthur, who had cancer, died at home early Saturday, said Dan Watts, family spokesman.

The tall, deep-voiced actress won a Tony Award for the musical "Mame" and Emmy Awards for "The Golden Girls" and "Maude." Arthur's razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines helped make the sitcoms hits and turned the veteran stage and film actress into a popular TV star.

Afternoon Distraction

Because it made me giggle and there's not much else going on.

Jon Stewart Has The Power

I didn't even realize this! Chris has been shilling his new book on MSNBC lately, and I thought it was just that, his new book. Oops, guess not.

Remember when Chris Matthews was on "The Daily Show" and Jon Stewart roasted him for the title of his then-new book, Life's a Campaign? "No, it's not," Jon told him, and the segment turned into what Matthews later called "the book interview from hell," or something like that. Well, the book is finally just out in paperback and, lo and behold, Chris has changed the title! To The Hardball Handbook.

HA! Via Greg.

How Hot Is Our President?

Two telling headlines-

Arrests made over fake Obama sneakers

3 bid to acquire Hartmarx, maker of Obama's suits

Everyone wants a piece of Obama, no pun intended.

Obama Repeatedly Reminds House GOP Of Their Zero Stimulus Votes

Sweet, sweet truth. Booman has a great analysis here.

In a meeting with House Republicans at the White House Thursday, President Obama reminded the minority that the last time he reached out to them, they reacted with zero votes -- twice -- for his stimulus package. And then he reminded them again. And again. And again.

A GOP source familiar with the meeting said that the president was extremely sensitive -- even "thin-skinned" -- to the fact that the stimulus bill received no GOP votes in the House. He continually brought it up throughout the meeting.

Obama also offered payback for that goose egg. A major overhaul of the health care system, he told the Republican leadership, would be done using a legislative process known as reconciliation, meaning that the GOP won't be able to filibuster it.

Congress has until October 15 to pass health care or student lending reform under the normal process. If it doesn't, reconciliation can be used to eliminate the 60-vote requirement.

Democratic aides said that Obama made clear to the GOP leadership that he would continue to work in a bipartisan way, but that they didn't have veto power over health care policy.

Downsized Spring Fundraising Bleg**

If you are inclined and able, please donate thru the above widget or the direct PayPal button at the upper right. Gotta and I appreciate it immensely.

We love what we do and want to keep on bringing you the bestest snark and freshest news. Any donation from $5 to a trazillion dollars is welcome. If you'd like to contribute by check or money order, feel free to email us at thepoliticalcarnival at gmail dot com.

Added Mid Day Distraction-



**Blog Beg

Key events in Obama's first 100 days

Damn. This is just the first month or so, the complete list here. I wonder if anyone did a tick tock like this for GWB? I'd love to see that.

Jan. 22: Obama orders the closure of Guantanamo Bay prison within a year and declares that the United States will not engage in torture.

Jan 23: Obama lifts ban on federal funding for international organizations that perform or provide information on abortions.

Jan. 27: Obama gives first formal television interview as president to Arab television station, telling Muslims, "Americans are not your enemy."

Jan. 29: Obama signs first bill into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, making it easier for workers to sue for pay discrimination.

Feb. 3: Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., withdraws as Obama's nominee for secretary of health and human services.

Feb. 9: Obama holds first prime-time news conference, calling on Congress to enact his economic stimulus plan.

Feb. 12: Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., withdraws as Obama's nominee for secretary of commerce.

Feb. 13: Congress completes action on a $787 billion economic stimulus package of tax cuts and new spending, intended to jolt the country out of the worst recession in 50 years.

Feb. 17: Obama signs the stimulus measure into law.

Feb. 19: Obama makes his first visit to a foreign country as president, meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper during a seven-hour visit to Ottawa.

Feb. 22: Obama hosts governors in his first formal dinner at the White House.

Feb. 23: Obama holds a fiscal responsibility summit at the White House, signaling his intention to tackle health care, the budget and Social Security.

Feb. 24: Obama addresses a joint session of Congress for the first time, focusing on economic issues.

Feb. 26: Obama unveils a $3.6 trillion federal budget for 2010 and estimates that the federal deficit for 2009 will balloon to $1.75 trillion.

More great pictures from Time Magazine on Obama's first 100 days here.

RNC Chair Steele Foolishly Boasted That NY Special Election Was ‘Credible Repudiation’ Of Obama

This guy is a treasure trove of oops. Via Think Progress-

The New York special election was held on March 31, 2009. Wasting absolutely no time, the very next day, Steele wrote an audacious -- and foolish -- op-ed in Politico, triumphantly declaring the outcome a defeat for President Obama's agenda:

Tedisco’s victory will be a credible repudiation of the spending spree that Obama and Congress have been on since January. Even the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee acknowledged over the weekend that the race was “a referendum on the Economic Recovery Act and Barack Obama’s policies.” Well, the DCCC is right — this likely Republican victory is a referendum on the president. [...]

Well, the voters have spoken, and while the results are still pending, Republicans are confident that the final vote tallies will show those voters have rejected the president’s approach. [...]

The ground has shifted, and is shifting, as the voters become increasingly worried about Obamanomics. [...]

Tuesday’s election was a vote of "no confidence" in the Democrats’ tax, spend and borrow approach. I hope Obama and congressional Democrats are listening.

"That's a seat that we should be able to go in and be competitive and win," Steele said prior to the special election. "I'm gonna put -- make it a focal point, right out of the box."

Huge oops.

New Rules From Bill Maher- April 24, 2009

Haven't watched the whole thing, but I heard that Dr Dean kicked some booty. You can watch all the vid from last night's show here.

Cartoon of the Day

Click to enlarge, via.

Saturday Links

Well Gotta's torturing youths today, so ya'll are stuck with me all damn day. Be kind, Saturdays are notoriously slow, but I'll do my best.

Child trafficking in Britain up by 50%, says study

'Allow foreign police in Sweden': minister(note- this was what our friend Jonas was concerned about yesterday)

The Coolest Cars You've Never Heard Of

Student who visited African orphanage was so moved she raised £30,000...and bought it

Economy propels hair dye sales

G7 signals worst of world recession may be over

No role model: Miss Universe pageant attacked over 'malnourished' beauty queen

Former KKK leader ordered to leave Czech Republic

Pic via Cat of course.

Southern Baptist new baptisms drop

Seems to match up pretty well with the poll that shows America becoming less religious, and it couldn't happen to a more deserving sect.

NASHVILLE — Southern Baptist churches baptized fewer people in 2008 for the fourth year in a row to reach the lowest level since 1987, and membership in the country’s largest Protestant denomination fell slightly as well.

Baptisms dropped just over one percent to 342,198 last year, compared with 345,941 in 2007, according to an annual report released Thursday by LifeWay Christian Resources, the Southern Baptist Convention’s publishing arm.

Total membership of Southern Baptist churches was 16,228,438 last year, down nearly 38,400 from 2007.

The continued decline in the number of followers reflects a trend in other mainline Protestant churches. Non-denominational churches are gaining and the ranks of those unaffiliated with a church are growing.

Baptism in the Southern Baptist church is a public act administered by the local church in which new members agree to follow Christ. They are a key measurement of the SBC’s overall effectiveness in evangelism.

Quote of the Day

It's early, but I still got a good guffaw out of this.

"It went like that pretty much all night. VPOTUS was flanked by teleprompters but didn't seem to consult them at all." -

WSJ's Jonathan Weisman, describing an event with Vice President Joe Biden.

President Obama's Weekly Address- 4/25/09

SPRING FUNDRAISING MADE EASY!

The Awkward Years

It's always so hard to ask for donations. Both Paddy and I don't feel at all comfortable with our hands out, but it's a necessary evil. Why? Well....

As you probably know, Paddy's still unemployed, so eating is becoming a luxury. I'm stuck in a job that pays less than $500 a month. You read that right. I essentially volunteer. See what we mean?

So, if you can, and if you are so inclined, please help by clicking on the widget here or on the right side of the blog. You can also always make a donation thru the direct PayPal button to the right.

Even the smallest donation, whether it be $5, $10, makes a difference. So would a million, but George Soros hasn't dropped by lately.

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Thank you. You guys ROCK in a huge way. We lerve you endlessly.

Sarah Palin formally unveils new legal defense fund

By GottaLaff

You know you're in trouble when you need a legal defense fund...

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, facing a string of costly ethics complaints, formally unveiled a defense fund Friday to help pay her legal fees — now surging past the half-million dollar mark.

I guess The Surge worked.

"For Alaskans, the time has come to end the siege on our government by political tricksters. Enough is enough. With the help of reform-minded advocates from across our nation, we will stand up for what is right," said a message on the Web site for the Alaska Fund Trust.

She needs a trunkload of money to fight "tricksters"! Who knew tricksters could be that expensive?

"Your maximum contribution of $150.00 will allow the Governor, her family, and her colleagues to retire their legal debt at no cost to Alaskans and reduce the incentive for mischief by her opponents. Together, we can help Governor Palin and future elected officials turn back the tide of overtly partisan and unnecessarily personal political attacks."

So they're not just tricksters. They're mischievous tricksters! They sound almost... impish:

(relevant segment at 3:30)

Kristan Cole, a Palin ally from Wasilla, will run the fund, which she described as "one of the most restrictive and transparent legal funds in history." The group said it plans to voluntarily release the names of donors and size of their contributions.

In history! Gracious! That is restrictive! How clever of them. How wickedly nimble.

One might say almost... impish.

VIDEO--Countdown: It's torture, it doesn't work, Cheney prepares his defense

By GottaLaff

Here is the video that I referred to in this post:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Via The Plum Line, to which Keith refers:

He’s [Cheney] trying to declassify and release more detail on what was revealed through the interrogation of top Al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Shaykh Muhammad. [...]

[O]ne of the four torture memos released by Obama actually references a separate CIA document with the same date — July 13th, 2004 — as one of the docs Cheney requested.

In the torture memo, Bush lawyer Steven Bradbury described that 2004 document as a source for the claim that “prior to his capture,” the CIA considered Muhammad to be one of Al Qaeda’s “most important operational leaders.” He also cites it as the source for the claim that interrogation techniques have turned Muhammad and another top Al Qaeda leader into “pivotal sources” for the CIA for their “analysis and speculation about the capabilities, methodologies, and mindsets of terrorists.”

So, in short, there exists a document with the same date as the one Cheney wants that was compiled in order detail how torture made Muhammad a “pivotal source.” If this is the one Cheney is after, it presumably could reveal what info, if any, torture squeezed out of Muhammad. [...]

[A]s Spencer Ackerman puts it, is this: “One wonders when the CIA was asked to put that document together, and by whom.”

Other posts he referred to are here and here.

Quotes-O'-the-Moment: Republican epic fail edition

By GottaLaff

So many quotes, so little time:

The Washington Post compiles some more interesting reflections from McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt.

On the Bush-Cheney drag: "The first night of our convention was President Bush and Vice President Cheney. I literally thought by the second night of our convention we could be down 25 points."

On Katie Couric's interview of Sarah Palin: "That is one of the two most consequential interviews that a candidate for national office has given, in a negative way, the other being Roger Mudd's interview of Ted Kennedy . . . when he couldn't answer the question of why he wanted to be president."

On McCain's acceptance of inevitable defeat: "I was waiting for his bus to crash into a CDC truck carrying bubonic plague to release over Cincinnati and Ohio. It was just one thing after another, you know, and never to our benefit."

On the Republican Party: "It is near-extinct in many ways in the Northeast, it is extinct in many ways on the West Coast, and it is endangered in the Mountain West, increasingly endangered in the Southwest... and if you look at the state of the party, it is a shrinking entity."

Yep. That pretty much sums it up. Thanks, Steve!

It was torture, and it didn't work

By GottaLaff

Per Keith Olbermann just now, 7 years ago, the Pentagon's top lawyer was told that torture resulted in unreliable information, and that yes, it was "torture".

LINK

Bush on Bush

By GottaLaff

I'll spare you the bulk of 41's quote, lauding his little Georgie, then whining about how mean everyone was to him. Waaah! Okay, let's dry those crybaby tears and get right to Jeb, the "good" son:

On the prospects of family members running for office:

"Maybe Jeb someday. I want to see Jeb in there." George P. Bush, Jeb's son, "wants to do something. I think he might."

If there is ever another member of that horrid family in the White House, I'll pack up and move in with my pal Kirsten up in Canada.

Oh, and the title wasn't mine. It should have been, though, considering the polysemy. (That is the first and only time I will ever type that word, if I even used it correctly)

Poll-tics: Boehner's Poll Shrinkage, now with bonus Seinfeld video!

By GottaLaff

BOEHNER'S POLL SHRINKAGE:
17% Favorable, 61% Unfavorable.

Here's the rest of the poll:

Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 4/20-4/23/2009. All adults.

MoE 2% (4/13-4/16/2009 results):

	FAVORABLE	UNFAVORABLE	NET CHANGE
PRESIDENT OBAMA	68 (69)	26 (27)	+0
PELOSI:	37 (37)	44 (45)	+1
REID:	34 (35)	48 (49)	+0
McCONNELL:	22 (22)	58 (57)	-1
BOEHNER:	17 (17)	61 (60)	-1
CONGRESSIONAL DEMS:	43 (44)	50 (50)	-1
CONGRESSIONAL GOPS:	15 (16)	70 (69)	-2
DEMOCRATIC PARTY:	53 (52)	41 (42)	+2
REPUBLICAN PARTY:	23 (24)	67 (67)	-1

VIDEO: Guess who said the following...

By GottaLaff

Answer below...

"Let me finish, for the love of God!"

Don't look.

Hint: It's someone who never loses his cool.

Hint: I said "his". That narrows it way down.

Hint: We admire and respect him. That really narrows it down.













Answer: Jonathan Turley to Pat Buchanan on Hardball while discussing (if you can call it that) torture.

Here's the video, added:

October 15: Health care

By GottaLaff

I won't let myself get sick until at least November:

The New Republic reports a deal on how to handle health care reform was hatched last night in a five-hour negotiating session at the office of Senate Majoriy Leader Harry Reid.

"It's been in the works for a while and now, according to senior Capitol Hill staffers, it's a done deal: The final budget resolution will include a 'reconciliation instruction' for health care. That means the Democrats can pass health care reform with just 50 votes, instead of the 60 it takes to break a filibuster."

The reconciliation instruction specifies October 15 as the drop dead date.

"In other words, the House and Senate each have until that day to pass health care legislation. If they haven't, then both houses will consider health care under the reconciliation process, which is relevant primarily for the way it affects the Senate. There will be a limit on the time of debate. Republicans won't be able to filibuster it."

VIDEO: Chris Matthews hearts John Sidney McCain

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

UPDATE: I added the video. The blog title has been changed to reflect that.

Indulge me for a minute, I have to rant.

I just listened as Chris Matthews lauded John Sidney McCain, giving him his Tweety Award of the Day, or whatever it is he calls it, for being the Bestest Guy Ever.[Follow those two links for the irony] He gave him undeserved kudos for being anti-torture, because, see, J Sid himself was tortured.

What about this, Tweety?

Tweety then went on to get right into our faces via a rather awkward close-up, and proclaimed in a loud voice that J Sid should have won the election... in 2000. With exclamation points. !!!!! Lots of them. !!!!!!!!

Matthews voted for Bush. His bad.

This big, sloppy, wet French kiss was not only inappropriate, but wrong on so many levels that I can't begin to cover them here. Just go back to our archives of the 2008 election season if you need a refresher course.

What's that? Tweety was referring to the old (in every sense of the word) John Sidney McCain, not 21st Century J Sid? Really? He wants to go there? Here's an idea, Chris. Read. I did. Read Cliff Schecter's book, The Real McCain. Read about McCain's character, about how he treated his first wife. I wonder if Carol McCain considered that a form of torture.

Whenever I hear readers put their virtual hands together for Chris Matthews, I cringe. Now you know why. He does have some excellent moments, but it's occasions like this that snap me back to reality.

Okay, I seem to have talked myself down.

Rant over.

Thank you for listening.

Punditiot Pat (Buchanan): Nicaraguan Leader Is "Scrub Stock"

By GottaLaff

Pat Buchanan has shown, once again, what a rude, bigoted ass he can be:

His most recent effort, "The Rooted and The Rootless," takes as its premise the notion that there's a "blood-and-soil, family-and-faith, God-and-country kind of nation" that's competing with a minority represented by the "rootless" Obama and his "aides with advanced degrees from elite colleges who react just like him."

Already, we're in National Socialist territory here, but let's leave that aside (with Buchanan, once you start down this path, it can be hard to stop...). What jumped out at us was Buchanan's contention that the "blood-and-soil" part of America...

does not comprehend how the president could sit in Trinidad and listen to the scrub stock of the hemisphere trash our country -- and say nothing. (our itals)

Scrub stock? We weren't familiar with that phrase. So we looked it up.

There's no record of it appearing in the New York Times since 1943. [...] Until then, it was almost exclusively used to refer to an inferior breed of farm animal, usually cattle or horses, as when the paper reported in 1907: "Financial Disturbance Forces Cattlemen to Sell "Scrub" Stock to Hold Prime Grades."

In 1934, a federal official writing in the Times about measures being taken in response to the drought of the period, used the phrase in a similar way: "In some cases the drought cattle are being exchanged for scrub stock. The scrub stock is canned and the good stock is used to replace it..."

In other words, "scrub stock" essentially means an inferior breed.

It's worse than that, though. There's evidence that theorists of racial and genetic superiority -- an area of pseudo-scientific "scholarship" that was in vogue even among mainstream intellectuals in the late 19th and early 20th century -- explicitly extended the use of the phrase beyond animals and into humans. In short, the phrase has been used by both eugenicists and racial segregationists to argue for the superiority of the white race. [...]

[T]he notion that Buchanan used "scrub stock" to refer simply to ineffective or morally bankrupt leaders, with no racial connotation, becomes, frankly, implausible.

So what does all this amount to? Buchanan referred -- not in a heated moment while speaking, but in print -- to the mixed-race leader of a foreign country with a phrase that's used to denote an animal or person of inferior stock. There's really no getting around that.

Neither Buchanan nor MSNBC has commented back yet. Can't imagine why not. And again, why he's allowed on the airwaves as some sicko voice of authority, when he's nothing but a has-been, never-was, loudmouthed, racist blowhard is beyond me.

Hence the word punditiot™.

Many more details here.

Coleman scores one: June 1

By GottaLaff

What does this court have against taxation with representation?

The court adopted the proposed briefing timeline from the Coleman campaign, allowing them more time to formulate their arguments: Coleman's brief is to be submitted by next Thursday, April 30; Team Franken will submit its brief by May 11, and a reply brief from Coleman is to be submitted by May 15.

On top of that, oral arguments have been scheduled for June 1 -- a month and a week from today.

Team Franken had called for a much quicker schedule, on the grounds that greater speed was needed in order to seat a second U.S. Senator from Minnesota, and that Coleman had already had plenty of time to come up with his arguments. But the court didn't go for it.

DHS: Fox Is Wrong — Author Of Right-Wing Extremism Report Has Not Been Fired

By GottaLaff

Looks like somebody on Faux/Fixed News/Noise was full of ... hot air. Imagine that! And John Sidney McCain joined right in? Really? No way! Who'da thunk it? Fox? J Sid? Lying? The very idea! Where's my fainting couch? Why, I oughta....

The author of the report has been attacked as someone who isn't from "real America" and whose "sexual orientation...is in question." Many conservatives have called for Napolitano's resignation.

Today, Kilmeade claimed that Napolitano had "fired" the person responsible for the right-wing extremism report. McCain added that he was "glad" about the move:

KILMEADE: Outrage continues to build this week over Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the former governor of Arizona, her remarks towards U.S. veterans. Now, the DHS has fired the head of Homeland Security's agency -- that is involved in that decision. Many are wondering if Napolitano next. [...]

MCCAIN: I was glad to see that Secretary Napolitano removed the person who was responsible for this report. She has apologized.

Won't their big fat faces be red now that we know the truth:

Kilmeade and McCain are wrong. The section of DHS that produced the report was the Extremism and Radicalization Branch in the Homeland Environment and Threat Analysis Division. That division is overseen by the Under Secretary for the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. Currently, Roger Mackin -- a Bush appointee -- is serving in that role.

ThinkProgress spoke with DHS spokesperson Amy Kudwa who confirmed that neither Mackin -- nor anyone else at the agency -- has been fired over the report.

More fun facts here. Tsk. What will MegMac think about Daddy Dearest's Faux (Fox) pas?

my Dad is the most amazing person I've ever met and he is the coolest father. I'm lucky were so close!

Some Gitmo prisoners find a home, er, jail

By GottaLaff

Didn't they say nobody would take them? And by nobody, I guess they meant Montana:

Officials in a Montana city said they are looking to bring former Guantanamo Bay prisoners to a vacant jail in the town.

The Two Rivers Authority, the city of Hardin's economic arm, completed work on the 460-bed jail in 2007 but has not received any contracts to open the facility, the Billings (Mont.) Gazette reported Friday. [...]

However, Greg Smith said the process to contract for former Guantanamo prisoners is unclear and it is not yet known which federal agency would operate facilities housing the detainees. [...]

The resolution said the city "fully supports the efforts of the Two Rivers Authority to contact state and federal officials for the purpose of inquiring into the possibility of housing Guantanamo detainees at the Two Rivers Authority in Hardin, Montana, and to determine whether the Two Rivers Detention Center could provide a safe and secure environment for housing said detainees."

'Card-check' advocate joining Obama's team

By GottaLaff

Relieving some of the labor pains:

A prominent supporter of a contentious labor bill is joining the Obama administration.

Mary Beth Maxwell, executive director of American Rights at Work (ARAW), a labor advocacy group, will sign on as a senior adviser to Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. Maxwell’s primary job will be to work with the White House task force on improving the middle class, chaired by Vice President Biden. [...]

Founding ARAW in 2003, Maxwell is a longtime activist and an expert grassroots organizer, having worked as a field director for Jobs with Justice and NARAL.

Wait. What? A community organizer? Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel. How will Sarah Palin react? I better start wringing my hands right now!

One labor official said he found Maxwell’s appointment “really heartening” because it shows the administration is serious about improving the lives of the American middle class.

“They are not just putting her in a closet. They are putting her in a job where she can get things done,” said Bill Samuel, director of government affairs for the AFL-CIO.

And for those who were concerned that EFCA hasn't gotten enough attention:

This year, Maxwell has emerged as a key figure in the labor movement’s campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make union organizing much easier. At ARAW, Maxwell has organized rallies in support of the bill across the country as well as directed spending for various ad buys to keep up pressure for passage of the measure. [...]

Labor officials took Maxwell’s appointment as a positive sign of the administration’s backing of the union bill. Both Obama and Biden have called on Congress to pass the legislation, but the White House has remained somewhat uninvolved in the battle so far as support has faltered for the bill in the Senate.

“They know she is not a wallflower. She is going to continue to make a case for it,” Samuel said. “She has been a pretty strong proponent of the Employee Free Choice Act and always has been."

Three thumbs up.

VIDEO-- Michele Bachmann: Has DHS Sec. Napolitano Gone "Stark Raving Mad"?

By GottaLaff

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Speaking of stark raving mad, someone prep the rubber room, because, sadly, this government representative, who was actually voted into office and speaks on behalf of a few Americans, is clearly not well:



Yes, Michele, Obama would nab anti-choicers at an airport, but not Osama Bin Laden. You just keep on thinking that.

H/t

Robert Gibbs' unemployment forecast

By GottaLaff

Robert Gibbs:

"We're gonna see job loss for many, many months."

But that is to be expected, as President Obama has told us over and over. And economists have echoed that. Unfortunately, it's a quote that's not easy to hear.

Tidbit:

As Gibbs left the briefing room, someone asked quickly, "Is he going to church this weekend?" to which Gibbs responded that he didn't know.

Then the room broke out in mock questions, yelling loudly and snarkily, "Where is he going to church?!" and other ad-libs. Laughter broke out as CSPAN cut to a promo.

Robert Gibbs v. Helen Thomas on torture

By GottaLaff

I tried to catch what I could in this exchange between Helen Thomas and Robert Gibbs at the daily briefing. Most of this is verbatim, but unfortunately, not complete. However, the gist of it is represented accurately:

Helen: "Never look back"? What is this??

Gibbs: Let's not conflate his position on a commission with Webster's definition of history.

Helen, there are important things that face this country right now. We don't doubt that we can learn from history. There are crises [happening right now] [he lists them].

Helen protests strongly: Nobody should pay any price for the horror we've gotten into...? [the rest was hard to hear, as was most of what she said

Gibbs: It's important to understand, Helen, first and foremost to change the policy of this country. History will be left up to historians. The most important step that was taken in all of this debate was to end, once and for all, end the interrogation techniques.

[Torture] won't happen on President Obama's watch.

I loved Helen's questions (what I could hear, that is). I'm not as enthusiastic about Gibbs' answers, if you can call them that.

Bush wants to prove he was right; yeah, far right

By GottaLaff

As far as I'm concerned, he can try to prove anything he wants, as long as he does it in a court of law:

As George W. Bush continues to pen the book on his presidency, friends say that his goal is to focus on 10 to 12 of his most controversial decisions and provide the background that will prove he was right at the time. "As he researches and reviews meeting notes, he plans to provide the context of what was happening when he was deciding," says a friend. Take the deficit as an example. Yes, he expanded it. But the prez wants to explain that 9/11 and the wars that followed required it and that he wasn't on some drunken spending binge. The book is due out in the fall of 2010.

Key words: "9/11" and "drunken."

Gawker Attempts to Ambush the Fox News "Ambusher"

By GottaLaff

Get out the popcorn. Get out the drinks. Get out the beanbag chair (wait, what?), because this will so be worth the junk food overload, drinking binge, and resulting hangover:

Gawker's John Cook is on a mission.

He's trying to get an interview with Fox News Channel producer Jesse Watters who is known for his ambush interviews for Bill O'Reilly's show.

Cook phoned Watters yesterday attempting to get an interview and was immediately transferred to FNC media relations who later, via email, denied the request.

We found it odd that Watters would refuse to talk to a reporter, given the lengths to which he goes to compel others speak to him.

So, Cook went all Jesse Watters and this morning began staking out his house to get the interview...

Shoe. Foot. Other.

Quote-O'-The-Day: President Obama Up for a Fight edition

By GottaLaff

President Obama just now on MSNBC, on the topic of college education:

"They are gearing up for a battle. [well-timed beat] So am I."

Bill Maher-- GOP: divorced from reality

By GottaLaff

I always know when Bill Maher is returning to the Tee Vee Machine after an absence, because he drops in on the L.A. Times op-ed page:

If conservatives don't want to be seen as bitter people who cling to their guns and religion and anti-immigrant sentiments, they should stop being bitter and clinging to their guns, religion and anti-immigrant sentiments.

It's been a week now, and I still don't know what those "tea bag" protests were about. I saw signs protesting abortion, illegal immigrants, the bank bailout and that gay guy who's going to win "American Idol." But it wasn't tax day that made them crazy; it was election day. Because that's when Republicans became what they fear most: a minority. [...]

Here are the big issues for normal people: the war, the economy, the environment, mending fences with our enemies and allies, and the rule of law. [Laffy Note: Not health care?]

And here's the list of Republican obsessions since President Obama took office: that his birth certificate is supposedly fake, he uses a teleprompter too much, he bowed to a Saudi guy, Europeans like him, he gives inappropriate gifts, his wife shamelessly flaunts her upper arms, and he shook hands with Hugo Chavez and slipped him the nuclear launch codes. [...]

It's sad what's happened to the Republicans. [...]

The GOP base is convinced that Obama is going to raise their taxes, which he just lowered. But, you say, "Bill, that's just the fringe of the Republican Party." No, it's not. The governor of Texas, Rick Perry, is not afraid to say publicly that thinking out loud about Texas seceding from the Union is appropriate [...]

I know. It's not about what Obama's done. It's what he's planning. But you can't be sick and tired of something someone might do.

Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota recently said she fears that Obama will build "reeducation" camps to indoctrinate young people. But Obama hasn't made any moves toward taking anyone's guns, and with money as tight as it is, the last thing the president wants to do is run a camp where he has to shelter and feed a bunch of fat, angry white people. [...]

After an eight-year run of controlling the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court, this latest election has you feeling like a rejected husband. [...] You're not ready to let go, but the country you love is moving on. And now you want to call it a whore and key its car.

That's what you are, the bitter divorced guy whose country has left him -- obsessing over it, haranguing it, blubbering one minute about how much you love it and vowing the next that if you cannot have it, nobody will.

But it's been almost 100 days, and your country is not coming back to you. She's found somebody new. And it's a black guy. [...]

The thing that you people out of power have to remember is that the people in power are not secretly plotting against you. They don't need to. They already beat you in public.

Read the whole thing here.

How to waste Senate time: Dancing with the Republicans

By GottaLaff

Dems: Would you care to dance? Rushpublics: I'll fake it-- and keep this under your hat-- I'm awfully clumsy, do a lot of tripping over my own feet, and take more than my share of spills. Dems: Fine, then let us lead:

The Senate was set to vote last night on whether or not a minority of Senators could block health care reform using a process called budget reconciliation. [...]

The vote was going to be a referendum on reconciliation - if it passed, the Senate would have clearly stated that it wants to allow a minority to filibuster health care reform. If it failed, the Senate would be declaring its intention to allow health reform to move forward on a simple majority vote.

This vote was supposed to happen late last night, but Republicans caved.

They caved under intense grassroots pressure from progressives across the country, with groups like Health Care for America Now, MoveOn.org, and the Rebuild and Renew America coalition asking their supporters to make thousands of calls to the Senate. As a result, the amendment was never offered because the GOP knew they didn't have the votes to pass it.

Instead of letting the Senate vote on whether a minority of Senators should be allowed to block health care reform, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), who's received over $1.4 million in donations from the health care industry, dodged the question and wasted the Senate's time by offering a pointless amendment opposing "socialized medicine." [...]

Despite DeMint's time wasting, the House and the Senate have reportedly announced a deal on the budget that includes reconciliation for health care, under intense pressure from Senate leadership and the White House [...]

Republicans are threatening to shut down the Senate if reconciliation is used, though yesterday, Representative Paul Ryan (R-WY) undercut the entire GOP argument that reconciliation is unfair, saying Democrats have a "right" to use reconciliation for health care because Democrats won the election.

It all comes down to this: Because of grassroots pressure, Republicans didn't have the votes to block reconciliation for health care. Republicans are threatening procedural war, but it looks very likely that a minority of Senators will not be able to block health care reform this time. And so the GOP has a choice: They can work with Democrats in good faith (something they have declined to do so far), or they can be ignored as Democrats pass the health reform this country so desperately needs with a simple majority vote in the Senate.

Either way, progressives won a victory last night, and we're one step closer to winning quality, affordable health care for all.

If only the Rushpublics would quit tromping on the Dems' toes, pick up a few moves, learn a few steps, and feel the music. With a little give and take, who knows? A stint on Dancing with the Stars could be on the horizon.

Randi Rhodes Returns to Radio, thanks to "right wing" network

By GottaLaff

She can be abrasive, yes, but she's funny, knowledgeable, and feisty. I'm thrilled to have her back on the airwaves, especially right now:

The Randi Rhodes Show to its lineup of nationally syndicated shows, beginning May 11. The show will broadcast live from Washington, DC, and early affiliates will include KTLK/Los Angeles, KKGN/San Francisco, and KPOJ/Portland, OR.

"Randi has carved a niche in talk radio with her straight-forward approach, intelligence, wit, and fact-driven content -- qualities that attract audiences," said Premiere EVP/Affiliate Marketing Julie Talbott. "We can't wait to deliver The Randi Rhodes Show to stations nationwide."

Rhodes said, "Right now, America needs a voice that reflects its hopes and concerns. It will be my privilege and pleasure to provide vital information to the public about everything that is possible in the 21st century, and also have a few laughs along the way. Premiere is an incredible family of radio pros, and is truly the most talented and experienced radio syndicator in the nation. I'm exited about this decision and Premiere's enthusiasm for this partnership. It's truly a dream come true."

Here is the best part:

The irony of Randi's return is that it is being made possible by her new syndicate, Premiere Radio Networks, best known for syndicating such shows as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and other conservatives.

Fair and balanced.

Spring Fundraiser

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