WASHINGTON—Jack Kemp, the ex-quarterback, congressman, one-time vice-presidential nominee and self-described "bleeding-heart conservative" died Saturday. He was 73.
His spokeswoman Bona Park and longtime friend and former campaign adviser Edwin J. Feulner confirmed that Kemp died after a lengthy illness.
Kemp had announced in January 2009 that he had been diagnosed with cancer. He said he was undergoing tests but gave no other detail.
Kemp, a former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, represented western New York for nine terms in Congress, leaving the House for an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988.
Eight years later, after serving a term as President George H.W. Bush's housing secretary, he made it onto the national ticket as Bob Dole's running-mate.
After Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid initially said he would let Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) keep his seniority after switching parties, he now seems to favoring a compromise, The Hill reports.
"Under pressure, Reid now says it will be up to the Democratic caucus to determine whether to recognize Specter's 28 1/2 years of seniority. Furthermore, Reid now does not think Specter will displace any senior Democrat atop a coveted committee or subcommittee."
The Obama administration is moving toward reviving the military commission system for prosecuting Guantánamo detainees, which was a target of critics during the Bush administration, including Mr. Obama himself.
Officials said the first public moves could come as soon as next week, perhaps in filings to military judges at the United States naval base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, outlining an administration plan to amend the Bush administration’s system to provide more legal protections for terrorism suspects.
Continuing the military commissions in any form would probably prompt sharp criticism from human rights groups as well as some of Mr. Obama’s political allies because the troubled system became an emblem of the effort to use Guantánamo to avoid the American legal system.
Officials who work on the Guantánamo issue say administration lawyers have become concerned that they would face significant obstacles to trying some terrorism suspects in federal courts. Judges might make it difficult to prosecute detainees who were subjected to brutal treatment or for prosecutors to use hearsay evidence gathered by intelligence agencies. [...]
But in recent days a variety of officials involved in the deliberations say that after administration lawyers examined many of the cases, the mood shifted toward using military commissions to prosecute some detainees, perhaps including those charged with coordinating the Sept. 11 attacks.
“The more they look at it,” said one official, “the more commissions don’t look as bad as they did on Jan. 20.” [...]
Any plan to adjust the military commissions would walk a tightrope of granting the suspects more rights yet stopping short of affording them the rights available to defendants in American courts. Several lawyers say the commissions are only beneficial for the government if they make it easier to win a prosecution than it would be in federal court. [...]
Human rights groups said Friday that using any form of military commission would be seen as permitting shortcuts that would not be available in existing American courts. [...]
Gabor Rona, the international legal director of Human Rights First, said military commissions would only be necessary if the administration wanted to assure convictions that might not otherwise be certain. [...]
But, speaking of detainees whom American officials have accused of involvement in major terrorist plots, Mr. Holder added, “It may be difficult for some of those high-value detainees to be tried in a normal federal court.”
I've been searching for more info on the NCNA (also North Carolina Nurses Association) meeting in Arlington today, but all I could find was this sorry article and an equally sorry clip in an AP Top Stories round up. AP describes it as "GOP huddles in Virginia". Ha! I find it amusing that the only protesters at the "event" were the great unwashed 21% griping about immigration and calling the NCNA "RINOS". It's going to be a long slog for the Republican Party.
I watched Ed Schultz say this, and wondered if anyone else besides me felt like applauding:
Last night, MSNBC's Ed Schultz argued, "I think it's time to say it. This is no time for bi-partisanship, we need a liberal on the Supreme Court. ... Will President Obama put a liberal lion on the Supreme Court, and I mean no shame, no apologies. Or will he cave in when the Party of No starts crying about a consensus choice? May I remind Americans tonight, we had a consensus back in November, it was called an election. They lost. Elections have consequences. This is our time to shape the future of this country."
The Tweeters are at it again. Here is the latest exchange between Joe Scarborough and my fellow TwitLibs. I included most of the Tweets, but not all. They are in chronological order, but grouped. I came in late and grabbed what I could. Enjoy:
The crowd expected to attend Arizona State University's commencement to hear President Barack Obama's speech has swelled to 63,000 and appears to be the largest U.S. audience the president will have addressed since his inauguration.
A member of the White House communications staff said Friday that Obama has spoken before many crowds since the January ceremony that officially marked the start of his presidency, but none in the United States is thought to be larger than 2,000 to 3,000 people.
For some who only dreamed of attending the Washington, D.C., ceremony, ASU's commencement on May 13 has become the Western version of Inauguration Day. The much-coveted ASU tickets were reserved within hours after the commencement office made them available to a graduating class of more than 8,000 students and to faculty and staff.
The NCNA is having a townhall in Arlington, VA today. I hope someone is going out there with a vid camera to document the atrocities erm, report back on their great success.
U.S. President Barack Obama has widespread support among Christians, Muslims and Jews, a poll indicates.
The Gallup Poll Daily tracking released Friday indicates the president has an 85 percent approval rating among Muslims and a 79 percent approval among Jews. Catholics give the Democrat a 67 percent approval, while Protestants give him 58 percent support.
Among those with no religious affiliation, Obama has a 73 percent approval, Gallup said.
"The commonality between U.S. Jews and Muslims in their broad approval of Obama is notable given the global friction between Jews and Muslims with respect to Mideast politics,'' Gallup noted in its analysis.
Westlake Village, CA - 9 km (6 miles) SW (224 degrees) Thousand Oaks, CA - 12 km (7 miles) S (186 degrees) Malibu, CA - 12 km (7 miles) WNW (300 degrees) Casa Conejo, CA - 13 km (8 miles) SSE (156 degrees) Los Angeles Civic Center, CA - 59 km (37 miles) W (273 degrees)
[L]ocal Winston-Salem TV station WXII12 News released an exclusive interview with embattled Rep. Virginia Foxx, whose malicious comments about the circumstances surrounding the murder of Matthew Shepard have caused scorn and anger, and, according to her office, ten death threats. [...]
“In the heat of trying to handle the rule on the floor, anybody can use a bad choice of words. Saying that the event was a hoax was a poor choice of words,” Foxx said. “I’ve apologized for that. I never meant in any way to harm the family or offend the family or anybody else for that matter.”
Hardly a change from yesterday’s statement:
“The term ‘hoax’ was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate-crimes bill,” Foxx said in a statement. “Mr. Shepard’s death was nothing less than a tragedy, and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received.”
One non-apology is bad, two demonstrates not only a lack of remorse or decency, but a total lack of understanding of the important and sensitive issues that confront out country.
Another indication?
“It is very unfortunate that these calls have come in. I would say 99 percent of them are from outside the district and it is unfortunate that people have taken this position.”
[...] Rep. Foxx is under the mistaken concept that she is the Representative for her district. She does not grasp the fact that she is a United States Congresswoman who may be elected by a portion of the citizens of North Carolina, but she represents every American.
“What I hope my constituents know is that I’m in Washington ever day that I’m required to be there, working hard for them, doing the best to make sure that the federal government doesn’t take away their rights and their money.”
We’re thrilled she goes to work every day. She’s lucky to have a job.
On Thursday, Judy Shepard reacted to Foxx's comments. "She's apologizing for semantics," Judy Shepard said.
Nothing can make up for the message that this motherFoxxer put out there. Nothing. But at least she could make a sincere attempt at a real apology. She could start and end with the words "I'm sorry."
Even that would be too little, too late. Now it's just too late.
May 1, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today signed legislation authorizing birth certificates for stillbirths. House Bill 2, sponsored by Representative Carl Gatto, allows the Bureau of Vital Statistics to issue certificates for stillborn babies at the request of the parents. HB 2 passed the House 29-1, Senate 18-1.
"This is beautiful because this can surely help a grieving family after losing a child,” Governor Palin said. “I'm thankful that Alaska's legislature recognizes how important a step like this is as Alaska embraces a culture of life and respects precious babies, including babies stillborn, but still loved by their families. Alaskans respect this sanctity of life and I appreciate Representative Gatto's efforts."
“HB 2 gives recognition that the mom of a stillborn child indeed had a birth and now will be able to request and receive a birth certificate stating that ‘yes, you delivered a precious child,’” Representative Gatto said. “Unbelievably, there are mothers who have been waiting 20 years to receive recognition that their child was born. Those moms who delivered a stillborn child left the hospital with nothing more than a death certificate and no acknowledgment that a birth actually took place. At the time of delivery, their child was no less loved.”
Approximately 50 stillbirths occur each year in Alaska.
Hey ladies! Tired of weight loss programs that just don't work? Need a quick and effective way to shed pounds? Then try the Gitmo Diet!
According to a recently declassified Justice Department document, the CIA believed that so-called “enhanced interrogation” techniques like sleep deprivation worked better when a detainee’s resistance was weakened from hunger. The agency, with the legal approval of the Justice Department, employed a regimen that sharply restricted the caloric intake of detainees in its custody — an intake distinctly below federal nutritional guidelines for inmates in U.S. prisons.
Steven Bradbury, chief of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel in during George W. Bush’s second term, provided an overview of an authorized CIA technique to manipulate detainee’s diets in order to make them receptive to interrogation. [Laffy Note: Read above graphic] The restricted diet, according to Bradbury’s memo, would be subject to “frequent medical monitoring,” and a detainee would be measured “weekly” to ensure that he did not lose more than “10 percent of his body weight,” which would trigger termination of the diet.
That caloric intake would be unacceptable for the Justice Department to administer to an inmate in a federal prison. [...]
“It’s not starvation, but it’s problematic,” agreed Scott Allen, a Rhode Island-based doctor and medical adviser to Physicians for Human Rights. Allen said that his middle-aged male patients who exhibit an active lifestyle are often placed on a 2,000-calorie daily intake “as a weight loss diet.” [...]
Emily Siegel, a Baltimore-based nutritional counselor who works with trauma victims, said that while the detainees’ physical activity would not be high during interrogation, “the stress their bodies are under is tremendous,” requiring more calories than the CIA program allowed.
Orlando Ticon, a survivor of torture directed by former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, described what dietary manipulation feels like. “The main thing was you never knew when you were given food,” said Ticon, who now works with a torture survivors’ support group known as TASSC International. [...]
In the long term, Ticon said, torture survivors experience a lingering lack of appetite, associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. “Some survivors lose a taste for food because it’s identified for them with prison,” he said. “Like certain types of food, like dried bread, tea, things like that.” Torture survivors he has interviewed “don’t eat regularly and have no appetite for food.”
Detainees who had been subjected to the CIA’s detention program described being subjected to the regimen for weeks in a 2007 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the architect of the 9/11 attacks, said he was not provided “with any solid food apart from on two occasions as a reward for perceived cooperation,” and fed only Ensure. “If he refused to drink then his mouth was forced open by a guard and the Ensure was poured down his throat,” the report states. Mohammed claimed to the Red Cross that his weight dropped from 78 kilograms, or 171 pounds, to 60 kilograms, or 132 pounds, after the month-long regimen of dietary restriction. If true, that would amount to a loss of about 23 percent of Mohammed’s body weight — more than twice the amount that, according to Bradbury’s memo, should have stopped the dietary-restriction regimen.
Just watch those pounds melt away. Before you know it, the New You will be revealed!
A new Minneapolis Star Tribune poll shows his approval rating below 50% and at an all-time low for him in the survey. Overall, 48% approve of his job versus 36% who disapprove. Back in September 2008, when he was floated as a serious veep possibility, his approval rating was at 54%.
Pawlenty is up for re-election in 2010, although he hasn't said yet if he will run for a third term. He's also considered a presidential possibility in 2012.
In the ongoing Franken-Coleman recount, Pawlenty has said he won't certify a winner until the appeals process has been exhausted, and he's been vague whether that would also include a possible appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
WASHINGTON — A Louisiana senator is stalling Florida emergency management director Craig Fugate's nomination as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Fugate had sailed through his nomination hearing and Monday cleared the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee by a unanimous voice vote. Republican Sen. David Vitter said, however, that he'd blocked Fugate because of concerns he has with FEMA.
"I have a hold on the FEMA nomination because I sent a list of hurricane recovery questions and projects to FEMA, many of which have not been adequately addressed," Vitter said in a statement. "I'm eager to get full responses and meet with the nominee immediately."
The hold — which comes a month before the start of hurricane season — was reported in CQ Today, a Capitol Hill newspaper, which noted that Vitter's home state "bore the brunt of the botched agency response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005."
This is a win/win for Terry. If he stays in jail he's a martyr, if he gets out he just keeps on doing it until he gets arrested again. Did I mention that the South Bend Tribune has had to extend their LTE section to accommodate all the moonbatty ramblings?
SOUTH BEND — Anti-abortion activist Randall Terry bonded out of the St. Joseph County Jail this afternoon after being arrested earlier today for trespassing on the University of Notre Dame campus.
Terry posted a $250 bond, a jail spokesman said. He is scheduled to appear in court at 8 a.m. May 19.
Terry was arrested about 12:20 p.m. today near Notre Dame Law School for violating a campus no-trespass order Notre Dame had issued him earlier in the day, university spokesman Dennis Brown said.
(snip)
Terry and some followers were protesting President Barack Obama’s upcoming commencement visit to the Catholic university. Group members were pushing baby strollers containing dolls covered in fake blood when the arrest occurred.
EDITED- to add complete video, including joking around.
WASHINGTON - The retirement of a veteran Supreme Court justice will give President Barack Obama his first opportunity to fill a vacancy on the highest U.S. tribunal.
Making a surprise appearance in the White House press room, Obama said, "I will seek someone with a sharp and independent mind."
(snip)
"He consistently defied labels and rejected absolutes," said Obama of the retiring justice.
"I am incredibly grateful for his dedicated service," he added.
Souter informed Obama of his plans in a brief letter Friday. He wrote that he intends to retire when the current term ends — "when the court rises for its summer recess."
Obama says he wants Souter's replacement seated by first Monday in October.
Conservative talker Jay Severin was suspended indefinitely today by Boston's WTKK-FM after using the current swine flu outbreak to attack Mexicans and immigrants. [...]
So now in addition to venereal disease and the other leading exports of Mexico -- women with mustaches and VD -- now we have swine flu. ... We should be if anything surprised that Mexico has not visited upon us poxes of more various and serious types considering the number of cimminalieans already here. [...]
[W]hen scoop up some of the world's lowest of primitives in poor Mexico and drop it down in the middle of the United States. Poor, without skills, without language, not share our culture, not share our hygiene. ... It's millions of leeches from a primitive country. ... Now they are exporting a rather more active form of disease which is the swine flu.
Ron Brownstein: "Specter's switch shows that Republicans haven't yet paid the final bills for Bush and Rove's insular strategy. That price has been especially steep in the Northeast. In 1988, George H.W. Bush won eight of the 11 states from Maryland to Maine. Even as recently as 2000, Republicans won 40 percent of the House seats and held eight of the 22 Senate seats from those states. But amid the younger Bush's polarizing, Southern-inflected conservatism, Northeastern Republicans fell through the floorboards: They now hold only 18 percent of the region's House seats and, since Specter's switch, just three of its 22 Senate seats. In 2008, Barack Obama won all 11 Northeastern states and a combined 60 percent of their votes. Some weakened individual Democrats may provide isolated electoral opportunities for the GOP in 2009 and 2010, but across much of the Northeast, Republicans are now about as relevant as Whigs."
David Shuster, thank you for reminding this punditiot that there are laws against discrimination. And for asking how gay marriage could possibly affect straight marriage. And for pointing out his utter lack of logic to his face.
By the way, my marriage to Mr. Laffy is still intact. I can't figure out how, with all TehGay wedded bliss out there. I better get out my umbrella, because it's raining gays and a bigger, badder storm is a-comin'!
Some of you alerted me to this, but I was one step ahead of you for once. I was one of the first to follow her, but she has yet to post anything worth reTweeting. But just wait...
“This is my official Twitter feed,” Palin said in her first "tweet." “From here I’ll provide updates on issues concerning Alaskans.”
The GOP vice presidential nominee wasted no time using her new cyber platform to explain her side of the story. In her second "tweet," Palin called sharply criticized the Associated Press for a story they wrote about her.
The Associated Press “gravely misquoted my staff, saying I 'changed my mind' on the stimulus package,” Palin wrote.
And Palin is also using Twitter to update residents about the H1N1 flu outbreak. “We still have no reported cases of swine flu. Be vigilant, AK! Wash hands & watch for flu-like symptoms.”
In less than three days, Palin has amassed nearly 12,000 followers on Twitter. She joins the service after the niche site has gone mainstream in recent weeks. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey recently joined, as have a number of high-profile political journalists.
As of now, she's not following me back. That means she can't read my Tweets, but can read Tweets directed to me.... as if she or her staff cares what I write... but they should. Bwhahaa!
By the way, I'll be joining Jim Alger of Capitol Beat (where I occasionally crosspost)-- soon to be called Common Sense, named after the radio show-- on his new online radio broadcast. I was reluctant to be a regular commentator (plus, there was a schedule conflict), so I pitched an idea he liked: I'll be pre-recording what I call My Tweet Spot (wink), a three minute recap of the week in politics via my favorite Tweets.
Jim's goal is to make it to Air America... he has a connection there. I'm not holding my breath, but you never know.
See? Twitter can pay off. I met Jim there, and we've welcomed several new TPC readers/donors via Twitter.
I'll fill you in later on the specifics. I believe I start next Friday. And maybe, just maybe Sarah Dearest will tune in when she discovers that I'll be quoting her little gems on the radio in (to start) 7 states, AM and FM, and all over the WeberTubes.
U.S. consumers felt more confident about the economy last month than at any time since the September failure of Lehman Brothers that pushed global banking to the brink of collapse, a survey showed on Friday.
The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its final index of confidence climbed to 65.1 in April from 57.3 in March. That was the highest since September 2008 and the biggest one-month increase since October 2006.
The April reading also marked the first yearly increase since July 2007. Economists polled by Reuters expected a slightly lower final reading of 61.9 for April.
NEW YORK On May 1, 2003, Richard Perle advised, in a USA Today Op-Ed, "Relax, Celebrate Victory." The same day, exactly six years ago, President Bush, dressed in a flight suit, landed on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and declared an end to major military operations in Iraq -- with the now-infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner arrayed behind him in the war's greatest photo op.
Chris Matthews on MSNBC called Bush a "hero" and boomed, "He won the war. He was an effective commander. Everybody recognizes that, I believe, except a few critics." He added: "Women like a guy who's president. Check it out. The women like this war. I think we like having a hero as our president. It's simple."
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Several members of the Republican National Committee are miffed at Newt Gingrich for claiming that they’re a small bunch of egomaniacs who need to be coddled by the party chairman.
“Newt needs to take a breath,” New Jersey committeeman David Norcross told CNN.
Gingrich made the assertion on C-SPAN Thursday when asked about a new resolution put forth by some veteran members — including Norcross and RNC Treasurer Randy Pullen of Arizona — that would limit chairman Michael Steele’s ability to control how the committee spends its money.
(snip)
Defending Steele’s tumultuous start, Gingrich said the chairman might be under fire from some in the committee because he “probably has not yet learned the art of massaging the egos of RNC members.”
Tennessee GOP chairwoman Robin Smith objected to that suggestion, saying that “RNC members, on the whole, are committed individuals who sincerely work for the best of our party.”
“Forming circular firing squads only gives aid to the Democrats who are doing quite nicely in undercutting the public trust in our government,” Smith said.
Ada Fisher, committeewoman from North Carolina, said RNC members are not “as ego driven as some professional politicians and pundits would like to believe.”
Good move, Joe knows what to look for and what could cause problems.
Vice President Biden has been charged with drawing up a list of possible nominees to replace Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, the Washington Post reports.
Five current members of the Supreme Court were confirmed by the U.S. Senate when Biden was chair of the Judiciary Committee.
Bloomberg: "By making his plans known now, rather than waiting until the end of the term as other justices have done, Souter gives Obama extra time to choose a successor and ensure Senate confirmation before the next term starts in October. Souter could stay on the court until his successor is confirmed by the Senate, which is controlled 59-40 by Democrats."
The AP reviews the process for filling a Supreme Court vacancy.
CNN: Immigration agents told to target employers who hire workers The Department of Homeland Security told its immigration enforcement agents Thursday to target employers who hire illegal workers, but also to continue to arrest the illegal immigrants it encounters.
Boston Globe: Severin suspended for comments about Mexican immigrants Jay Severin, the fiery right wing talk show host on Boston's WTKK-FM radio station, was suspended yesterday after calling Mexican immigrants "criminaliens," "primitives," "leeches," and exporters of "women with mustaches and VD," among other incendiary comments.
Nothing to grump about here. Pat Buchanan is very afraid.
WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- The electorate in the 2008 U.S. presidential election was the most diverse in the nation's history, an analysis found.
The Pew Research Center analysis found that nearly one-in-four votes in the Nov. 4 election were cast by non-whites. Blacks, Hispanics and Asians each accounted for unprecedented shares of the presidential vote, the survey found.
Pew said overall, whites made up 76.3 percent of the 131 million people who voted in the presidential election. Blacks made up 12.1 percent of the electorate, Hispanics 7.4 percent and Asians 2.5 percent.
For blacks, the voter turnout rate increased 4.9 percentage points from 2004, researcher said -- from 60.3 percent in 2004 to 65.2 percent in 2008.
I want to note that if you go to the graph at the link (not good enough quality to put up here properly), half of those polled didn't even know there was a controversy.
A just releasedPew poll on the Obama/Notre Dame controversy finds that about half of Roman Catholics support the university's invitation to the president, while only 25 percent oppose it. Among white, weekly attending Catholics, however—among whom Obama did much better than expected last November—about half oppose Notre Dame's invite, while just a third support it.
This poll speaks to the importance of seeing Catholics, who constitute about a quarter of the country, as a population that is a part of multiple political constituencies, rather than as a single voting bloc.
"The case of the missing law clerks is this spring's most-watched mystery at the Supreme Court," the AP reports.
Eight justices are known to have hired the four law clerks who will work with them in the Supreme Court term that begins in October, but Justice David Souter appears to be the lone holdout.
"Why does this matter? Under the scenario that counts, Souter, 69, would not be hiring clerks because he isn't planning to be in Washington in the fall. A retirement would give President Barack Obama his first chance to nominate a justice and the next few months would bring Senate confirmation hearings."
Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY), "the most endangered Republican up for reelection in 2010, appears headed for retirement after giving his leading GOP rival the blessing to prepare to run for his seat next year," Politico reports.
"Bunning's retirement would be a huge victory for national Republicans who have grown increasingly nervous that the 77-year-old two-term senator would lose a critical race as the party tries to cling to its diminished minority in the Senate."
However, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal, a Bunning spokesman insisted late today that nothing has changed: "Senator Bunning has every intention of running," he said.
To preferably count more ballots that are presumably for Coleman, or else subtract ballots that are presumably for Franken, or declare the whole election null. [...]
In one passage, the choices are phrased succinctly. "If the trial court's standard is the correct one," it says, "the Court would have to remand for a proportionate reduction of the vote tally on a precinct-by-precinct basis or, more likely, a determination by the trial court that on this record it cannot certify a winner."
Another choice is offered: "on the other hand, if the trial court is not free to impose its strict compliance standard ... then common law and the same constitutional guarantees dictate the remaining uncounted absentee ballots be judged by the same substantial compliance standard, meaning that on remand thousands more absentee ballots would be counted."
The brief makes clear that "Coleman urges the Court to choose the latter approach," but nullifying the election is still held out as an escape hatch of sorts.
The Franken reply brief is due by May 11.
Because allowing Minnesotans to have full Senate representation is wrong. Clearly.
He argued that neither Congress nor anyone else is up to the task, and that any investigation would “lead to acrimony and blame-gaming” and “devolve into the worst type of partisanship.” While noting that “no one likes to get a subpoena,” Fleischer said, “I’ll be proud to testify if I get a subpoena. I’m proud of what we did to protect this country.” Those wanting to see Fleischer—or at least some of his former colleagues—on the witness stand include his fellow panelists Noonan, who called for a 9/11 Commission-style investigation, and Tina Brown, who quoted Senator Patrick Leahy’s contention that “before you can turn a page, you want to read it.” When moderator (and Media Project host) Gideon Yago brought up the idea of a special prosecutor, Fleischer sternly pointed out that “that assumes a crime has been committed.”
Ari just admitted he's proud of being part of the gang of thugs that committed war crimes. That was big of him. Remind me to thank him with a smile as he's carted off to prison.
Today, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) also demanded an investigation into Bush's torture program. "To continue to ignore the mounting evidence of clear wrongdoing is a national humiliation," writes Byrd.
Yes, let's try that. Let's investigate, just to give Ari a chance to show us how proud he is when he's convicted of war crimes. And as he's being cuffed and chained, can someone please read him the definition of "protect"?
In case you missed this... Could she be any whiter? Cringe Factor: 1000. "Let's hug it out"?? ... and do the bump? Really, Kyra? Here's a thought: Be who you are, and who you are is not cool, or black, or hip.
Ouch. It's like being in ninth grade... at a dance... and your parents are the chaperones.. and they decide to join in and dance... like teenagers... in front of your friends... and your secret crush. ::shudder::
And no, that never happened to me. But that video did.
Here's some advice, Brownie: Never open your mouth publicly again. Ever. You were already a laughingstock, and now you are an even bigger one, if that was even possible:
BROWN: Here’s what I really think is going on. I think they want to raise this level because that gives them more attention, it gives them more, you know, more legitimacy, and allows them to get out there and say ‘oh look at us, we’re in control we've got this thing taken care of.’ It legitimizes what they’re doing. We shouldn’t be scaring the public. [...]
Neil, my theory always was after Katrina that the Bush administration and now the Obama administration will do it too. They will come out and they will do everything including the kitchen sinkbecause they don’t want to get caught with their pants down. But what that does is, that’s the same as crying the sky is falling, chicken little. And next time people will be less inclined to believe it.
Host Neil Cavuto tried to rehabilitate Brownie's image by telling him that he was a "sacrificial lamb" for the Bush administration's Katrina failures. [...]
Despite Brown's attacks, the Obama administration has been praised by experts for its response to the flu outbreak. Officials have made rapid moves to dispel "unjustified fears about the flu virus," while "stressing the need for precautions, such as washing hands, covering sneezes and seeking medical attention for flu-like symptoms."
Brownie has officially crossed the nincompoop line. And Cavuto helped him right over.
It has come to my attention that some people have been led to believe that I think the terrible crimes that led to Matthew Shepard’s death in 1998 were a hoax. The term “hoax” was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill. Mr. Shepard’s death was nothing less than a tragedy, and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received. I am especially sorry if his grieving family was offended by my statement.
“The larger context of my remarks is important. I was referring to a 2004 ABCNews 20/20 report on Mr. Shepard’s death. ABC’s 20/20 report questioned the motivation of those responsible for Mr. Shepard’s death. Referencing this media account may have been a mistake, but it was a mistake based on what I believed were reliable accounts.”
This is about as civil as I can get right now: Suck it.
I hate to sound naive, but this ain't my parents religion.
WASHINGTON (CNN) — The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new analysis.
More than half of people who attend services at least once a week — 54 percent — said the use of torture against suspected terrorists is “often” or “sometimes” justified. Only 42 percent of people who “seldom or never” go to services agreed, according the analysis released Wednesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
White evangelical Protestants were the religious group most likely to say torture is often or sometimes justified — more than 6 in 10 supported it. People unaffiliated with any religious organization were least likely to back it. Only 4 in 10 of them did.
I had a pair of shiny silver sneakers I wore for years back in the 80's. Who knew I was so fashion forward? I love the response from Michelle's press people.
Spotted: Michelle Obama ditching her trademark flats for a pair of metallic sneakers at yesterday's event at the Capital Area Food Bank. Whispers caught up with the first lady, who wore a casual outfit to help bag food for area children, and got some shots of her new plum-and-silver shoes. MIA: the belt she typically sports.
(snip)
When reporters asked for details about them, Michelle Obama's press people simply replied: "They're shoes."
WASHINGTON (CNN) — House Republican leader John Boehner released a lengthy Web video Thursday suggesting Democrats are not keeping Americans safe — part of what GOP sources tell CNN is a renewed political effort to push a historically winning issue for Republicans: national security.
"We're quite happy to be talking about national security," said a House GOP leadership aide, who requested anonymity to speak freely about internal strategy.
The aide insisted that Republicans have substantive, serious policy differences with President Obama on national security– especially with regard to his approach to dealing with detained terror suspects.
But the GOP aide also conceded Republicans believe those differences have a political upside for them.
"It's an issue that traditionally plays well for us," said the aide.
For the first time in a Washington Post/ABC News poll, supporters of gay marriage outnumber opponents: 49% are in favor versus 46% opposed.
In addition, 53% believe gay marriages held legally in another state should be recognized as legal in their states.
Why must there always be a "but"?
However, a new Quinnipiac poll finds different results: American voters oppose 55% to 38% a law in their state allowing same-sex couples to marry, but support 57% to 38% allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.
Incrementally, yes, but we will eventually get there.
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