By GottaLaff
Who knew Justice Sotomayor was a rightie? No, not that kind:
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was right down the middle with her ceremonial pitch at Yankee Stadium. The newest Supreme Court Justice, a Yankees fan from the Bronx, threw out the pitch before Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox.Those wise Latina women. Is there anything they can't do?
By GottaLaff
You know, I was just sitting here telling myself, Self? I said, what we haven't had enough of lately is hate speech. Where the heck is some good ol' down home bigotry when you need it? And before I could answer myself, look what Paddy sent along:
Several gay-rights groups are protesting a Halloween-night concert at a city of Miami-owned hall by Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton, whose hit song "Boom Bye Bye" advocates shooting gays in the head and setting them on fire.
"The message is that gay people's lives are cheap, and that harming gay people is OK," said Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida, a statewide gay-rights group calling for the concert to be canceled. "Any time a message of violence and hatred against any group is put out there, it has to be challenged."
[...] His South Florida promoter, Andrew Minott of Global Vybz Entertainment, says Banton, 36, stopped singing "Boom Bye Bye" years ago. [...]
A YouTube video, however, shows Banton singing "Boom Bye Bye" during a May 2006 concert at Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami.
If Glenn Blech shows up on the Tee Vee Machine years from now, he'll still be Glenn Blech.
Minott:
"It's a dance hall phrase, 'Let's murder him. Murder the boy over there,'" Minott said. "It's not literal. It's figurative."
So, using Minott's own logic, if I say F you to someone, that's figurative too, right? It's certainly not literal, because, see, it's a physical impossibility. Okay, Andrew, what I'm really saying is, that argument sucks.
But hey, I'll try to be open-minded. Maybe Banton's sharing the bill with someone who will suffice as a sort of counter balance, something to soothe the resentment, someone who can calm the waters a little:
Scheduled to share the bill with Banton: Beenie Man, whose song titles include "(Batty Man Fi Dead) Queers must be killed."Or not.
By GottaLaff
Via:
By GottaLaff
Nope, it's from Trading Places, but it sure is reminiscent of a few people we've been seeing on the Tee Vee Machine lately... except for that whole mansion thing:
H/t: T1theinfamous
By GottaLaff
I just watched CNN's Wolf Blitzer trying everything he could to convince Michael Moore that President Obama is the worst president ever, has doomed just about everything he touches, hired all the wrong people, and is Moore's worst nightmare. Michael wouldn't follow that script.
Instead, in his inimitable way, he made Wolf look even more foolish than Wolf made himself look... as if that were possible. Witness the debacle for yourselves:
Next, the answer: Wolf Blitzer. The question: Which well-paid anchor got his coiffed, bearded clock cleaned by Richter?
H/t: Misha1234
By GottaLaff
Shannyn never disappoints:
By GottaLaff
Laffy --Oh, this should be so good.
In many ways, the fight for health insurance reform comes down to a battle over information. The more people know about how broken the system is and the President's plan to fix it, the more they want change. But there are an awful lot of lies to cut through, and a whole lot of truth to get out.
So today, we're proud to announce a powerful new way for you to help: Organizing for America's Health Reform Video Challenge.
This is your chance -- you ingenious, insightful, funny people out there -- to make a 30-second ad telling the story about why the status quo has got to go, or explaining how the Obama plan will ensure we get the secure, quality care we need without breaking the budget.
The top submissions will be voted on by the public and a panel of experts, with the winning ad aired on national television. This is your opportunity to add your voice and creativity to the debate, get some great exposure for your work, and make a huge difference.
Click here to get started.
No experience is needed -- if you have an idea, we want you to give it a shot. And if you know someone who is especially handy with a camera, please forward this note along right away. Just make sure you submit your ad by October 18th.
Your video could be as simple as you talking straight into the camera, as complex as a full-blown production with a script and special effects, or anything in between.
We're looking for serious videos: You can tell your personal story about how the broken health insurance system has affected you. You can illustrate the big picture about what's wrong now and how the President's plan will help with animations, charts, and facts.
We're looking for funny videos: You can parody those trying to scare us into inaction (between the lying pundits and the insurance company spin doctors, they've given us some good stuff to work with).
And we're looking for new ideas we never would have thought of but we know will blow us all away.
We know that compelling videos can touch people in a way that words alone simply cannot. The messages that regular people put together will make a bigger difference than any false smears or slick ads the other side can dream up. And who knows -- your creative, powerful, or touching video could help tip the balance in favor of health reform.
So go get started today!
http://my.barackobama.com/videochallenge
I can't wait to see what you come up with,
Natalie
Natalie Foster
New Media Director
By GottaLaff
While the performance is seven months old, the outrage is new and came about because of the discovery of a YouTube video.Whoa, stop right there, Superintendent. Don'tcha see? There's the whole problem, right in front of you: "...to recognize famous and accomplished African Americans." Don'tcha see?
It's been fodder for conservative opinion leaders such as columnist and blogger Michelle Malkin and Fox News Channel host Glenn Beck. [...]
News about the song brought a quick response from New Jersey's Department of Education. Spokeswoman Beth Auerswald said the department wants "to ensure students can celebrate the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month without inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom."
Auerswald said the state would also look into whether posting the video online violated the privacy of students.
Superintendent Christopher Manno defended the performance in Friday's editions of the Burlington County Times.
"There was no intention to indoctrinate children," he said. "The teacher's intention was to engage the children in an activity to recognize famous and accomplished African Americans."
The song medley was presented to Carney-Nunes, who had been invited to the school, as a demonstration of a project the children had put together, her public relations firm said in a statement.Cooler heads prevail? Where was Charisse last August? Or September 12th? Under an ::dun dun dun-n-n!:: acorn?
"Charisse feels it is unfortunate that an event put together with sincere intentions to encourage literacy while celebrating the contributions of African Americans to our great nation has become political fodder and hopes cooler heads will prevail," the hoverFly media statement said.
There wasn't much protest, though. One man, Chris Concannon, from nearby Magnolia, was outside hoping to speak with school officials about what happened....said the attitude-laden, small-minded male with nothing better to do than to hang around elementary school grounds.
"It's just like the Hitler Youth all over again," said Concannon, an unemployed 26-year-old former National Guardsman. "They should be learning history, but instead they're being taught to worship the president."
I've been on the email list for our area freecycle for quite a while, and recently there's been an addition to offers of guinea pigs-
"For free to a good home, not for pet food or people food."Yeah us!!! We're headed to a Peruvian economy!! I don't dare mention this to my sister because I'm sure she'll tell me they're quite tasty. {{shudder}}
By GottaLaff
Great segment:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
By GottaLaff
The public option is not dead.Check out this interesting quote in today’s New York Times from Senator Chuck Schumer on why the GOP’s continued opposition to Dem health care proposals makes a public option more likely to happen, rather than less likely:
“One of the strongest arguments against a public option has been that the Republicans will never go for it,” Mr. Schumer said. “Well, the Baucus bill doesn’t have a public option, and they’re still not for it in any way, with the possible exception of Olympia Snowe,” a moderate Republican senator from Maine, who has not ruled out supporting the overhaul that Mr. Obama is seeking.
[...] The GOP’s refusal to back even the dramatically watered down version of reform that’s emerged from the Senate Finance Committee makes it more likely that the final product will look a good deal more like what many Dems originally wanted.
By GottaLaff
The UpTake's video of Ron Paul’s speech:
It's nearly too much to take, both of them at one event:
Writing for The Daily Beast, Maureen O’Connor notes that the event melded two “wingnut worlds“: “the fanatically religious Bush-era neocon, a flag-waving patriot who likens gay sex to bestiality and fantasizes about lobbing nukes at Iran” and the libertarian “Ron Paul Revolution.” Indeed, for Bachmann, the presence of Paul created numerous awkward moments, particularly as the Texas congressman sermonized at length about his isolationist views. [...]I guess Michele yelling, "You da man!" at Ron Paul wasn't an option then.For Bachmann — a typical neoconservative on foreign policy issues — Paul’s rhetoric stunned her into stone-cold silence. O’Connor describes the scene:
Bachmann issued a very simple statement saying that she believes in “the mission of our men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.”As Paul spoke passionately about ending all military operations and keeping government out of people’s “lifestyles,” a lone heckler began to shout, “Tell her!” Bachmann remained serene, hands folded in her lap, facing Paul. Bringing up Obama’s announcement that Iran had secret underground nuclear facilities, Paul announced that he had had enough of “fear-mongering” for the sake of the “military-industrial complex.” Bachmann, who once advocated nuking Iran, kept her eyes trained on Paul as her heckler repeated, “Tell her! Tell Michele! Tell her!”
By GottaLaff
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
By GottaLaff
U.S. intelligence agencies developed deep suspicions about the site while President Bush was in office. But there are reasons that Bush may have been reluctant to launch a military strike, including the heavy demands of the war in Iraq and concern that his administration's prewar claims about that country would undermine its ability to make a new case against Iran. [...]The ObamAdministration was wise to wait until they were sure they had their facts right, so in that regard BushCo's little antics provided us with a silver lining. By that I mean that the complete and utter lack of credibility from the previous administration is forcing the current one to earn international trust, avoid the recklessness of the past, and provide leadership instead of mindless, dangerous swagger.
Iran's ability to construct such a complex underground facility -- apparently with little or no outside help -- also heightened questions about whether the country's nuclear program can any longer be crippled by a military strike. [...]
Even so, Gates said, "the reality is, there is no military option that does anything more than buy time."
Others were more skeptical. "We may be past the point where the military option is viable anymore," said John R. Bolton, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Bush administration. [...]
Wary of lingering embarrassment over the United States' erroneous pre-war assertions about Iraq, administration officials said they held back until they had complete confidence in the intelligence.
Yep, sure is wonderful for the black folk in "Obama's America" Mr Limbaugh.
Derrick Thomas was on his bike with home in his sights, returning about 1 a.m. Wednesday from hanging out with his girlfriend and cousin in Brooklyn Park.Pic via Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune
Before he knew to be terrified, Thomas, who has autism, found himself flying over his handlebars and writhing on his back on the concrete. Standing over him, he said, were three men armed with an ax, brass knuckles and a gun.
They beat and kicked the 18-year-old while screaming a racial epithet, and they ordered him to strip naked, he told police. Then they robbed him of everything he had, including his Air Jordans, blue jeans and shirt. Police said Thomas has a mental capacity of someone 8 to 10 years old.
"They were saying stuff like, 'We hate the president; we're gonna kill the president, his wife and his kids,'" Thomas recalled from his front stoop Friday, his left eye puffy and discolored. "They said every black person that comes through our park, we're gonna kick their butt. We don't like black people, period."
The assault, and another on a second black man -- Thomas' uncle -- just blocks away, led authorities Friday to file assault and robbery charges against Anthony P. Kilpela and Bryan C. Westerlund, both 21 and both white, of Minneapolis.
(snip)
The alleged comments about the Obamas drew the attention of the Secret Service, whose agents interviewed Thomas on Friday, according to his family.
Barack Obama's amazingly consistent smile from Eric Spiegelman on Vimeo.
Holy crap his face must hurt after this shit. Kudos to Eric Spiegelman for catching this.NOTE- The audio started very loud on this for me.Ladies and gentlemen, your President is a robot. Or a wax sculpture. Maybe a cardboard cutout. All I know is no human being has a photo smile this amazingly consistent.
On Wednesday, the Obamas hosted a reception at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, during which they stood for 130 photographs with visiting foreign dignitaries in town for the UN meeting. The President has exactly the same smile in every single shot. See for yourself — the pictures are up on the State Department’s flickr. And, of course, compressed above into 20 seconds for your viewing pleasure.
Dude, I'm telling you people I've got to be related to Obama, Kilkenney is like 30 miles from my family's ancestral home. (Castledermot)
President Barack Obama's Irish American ancestors were pioneers in 19th century health care reform.Pic via Reutters.
Film-maker and historian Gabriel Murray, who found Barack Obama's great-grand uncle's tomb in Kilkenny, Ireland, uncovered the surprise links while he was researching his new documentary, "Obama's Irish Roots" (visit www.olympia-films.co.uk for more information).One of Obama's Irish American cousins Jackson Brown Baxley (1814-1896) founded the Maryland College of Pharmacy and succesfully lobbied for the registration of pharmacists.
He was the first commissioner appointed and the first president of the Maryland Board of Pharmacy.
(snip)
So, Obama's (other) ancestors pushed for new public hospitals funded by the state to provide cheap health care for the poor.
In total 22 members of the Baxley dynasty practiced in Maryland as doctors, chemists, and health reformers.
Obama's cousins would also go on to push for other improvements in medical care.
They lobbied for the introduction of clinical medical education and practice which gave students first-hand experience in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
You've probably seen or heard this already, but if you haven't... Don't know quite what to think about it yet.
BIG CREEK, Ky. (AP) -- A part-time census worker found hanging in a rural Kentucky cemetery was naked, gagged and had his hands and feet bound with duct tape, said an Ohio man who discovered the body two weeks ago.
The word ''fed'' was written in felt-tip pen on 51-year-old Bill Sparkman's chest, but authorities have released very few other details in the case, such as whether they think it was an accident, suicide or homicide.
Jerry Weaver of Fairfield, Ohio, told The Associated Press on Friday that he was certain from the gruesome scene that someone killed Sparkman.
''He was murdered,'' Weaver said. ''There's no doubt.''
(snip)
''The only thing he had on was a pair of socks,'' Weaver said. ''And they had duct-taped his hands, his wrists. He had duct tape over his eyes, and they gagged him with a red rag or something.''
Two people briefed on the investigation said various details of Weaver's account matched the details of the crime scene, though both people said they were not informed who found the body. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.
''And they even had duct tape around his neck,'' Weaver said. ''And they had like his identification tag on his neck. They had it duct-taped to the side of his neck, on the right side, almost on his right shoulder.''
It always kills me when Christians yabber on about religious based violence from Muslims. Yeah, no Christian based violence evah.
Nearly 3,000 people gathered on the west lawn of the Capitol on Friday for a mass Muslim prayer service that was part religion and part pep rally for the beleaguered U.S. Muslim community.
As faint shouts of "Repent!" from Christian protesters floated across the gathering, dozens of long rows of men in robes and white knit caps and women in head coverings prostrated themselves to God, gave praise and listened to sermons as part of the congregational prayer that occurs about noon Fridays.
(snip)
The service comes as the Muslim community has been rocked by verbal attacks from conservative Christians that have grown stronger since the election of President Obama and by the recent arrests in a terrorism investigation involving several Muslim men, including an imam.
"We wanted to bring people out to show you don't need to fear America," said Imam Ali Jaaber of Dar-ul-Islam mosque in Elizabeth N.J., the service's main organizer. At the same time, he said, he wanted to remind non-Muslims that "we are decent Muslims. We work; we pay taxes. We are Muslims who truly love this country."
Across the street from the service, Christian protesters gathered with banners, crosses and anti-Islamic messages. One group, which stood next to a 10-foot-tall wooden cross and two giant wooden tablets depicting the Ten Commandments, was led by the Rev. Flip Benham of Concord, N.C.
"I would suggest you convert to Christ!" Benham shouted over a megaphone. Islam "forces its dogma down your throat." A few Christian protesters gathered at the rear of the Muslim crowd, holding Bibles and praying.
At one point, organizers asked them to tone it down.
"We would never come to a prayer meeting that you have to make a disturbance," Hamad Chebli, imam of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey, said from the lectern. "Please show us some respect. This is a sacred moment. Just as your Sunday is sacred, our Friday is sacred."
Well, everything seems okay with the computer this am, so keep your fingers crossed. Also I wanted to let you know that today is Museum Day, so grab someone as nerdy as yourself and get some of that effete liberal knowledge stuff in ya on the cheap-
This Saturday, September 26, is Museum Day, when hundreds of museums and cultural centers around the country are waiving normal admissions fees. The event is sponsored by Smithsonian magazine, and museum visitors must download and print a fee admission card to gain entrance. Details here.Four-winged dino may be missing bird link
By GottaLaff
I'm afraid Ken Morris will be disappointed once again. After all, Palin has never considered giving to others-- much less giving in to others-- a priority, so that whole charity thing? Not so much.How to generate interest from Camp Palin? To that end, if it’s a question of numbers, I’m prepared to up the ante. I originally wanted to post a challenge to the hundreds of readers who have expressed a willingness to contribute to veteran charities if this meeting of the minds came about. My thought was to match public contributions up to an additional $100,000. However, there are many logistical problems beyond my ability to address, so I’ll simply double the offer to $200,000 and suggest to Ms. Palin that there are many people who will add to the total. The $200,000 minimum might well be something substantially larger.
The only change I’d like to make in the original proposal is to add one additional name to the list of potential attendees. As Ms. Palin claimed in her speech that de-regulation and lower taxes would end the financial crisis, it would be useful to invite Paul Krugman. From a recent interview with Rachel Maddow, I gather he isn’t in full support of that economic analysis.
While I’ve not quite matched the reported $300,000 China fee, with public help we might yet reach that level and Ms. Palin won’t have to travel across the world to attend. Best of all for her, the visibility and good will should be priceless. As I said before a win-win and tres cool.
Ken Morris
http://www.financialthrillers.com
Author: Man in the Middle (Best Mystery of 2003)
Author: The Deadly Trade (”Too good to miss!” Minneapolis Star Tribune)
By GottaLaff
These are just the highlights:
Oh boy! Anyone can anyone loan me 30 bucks?
Yes, it's come to this. Time to drag out O Fortuna:A new birther infomercial running on a CBS affiliate in Texas and elsewhere around the country tells viewers a "got a birth certificate?" bumper sticker can be theirs for the low price of $30.
The 28-minute program -- quite possibly the first ever birthermercial -- features community access production values, heavy use of foreboding strings soundtrack, and standard-issue Birther ideology.
By GottaLaff
NBC News president Steve Capus fired back at Americans for Limited Government Friday, after the conservative group published an email allegedly from NBC producer Jane Stone to its director of media outreach Alex Rosenwald, with one line: “Bite me Jew Boy.”Family values at work again. Those wacky groups and their pranks!
“I’m still in shock, and outraged that this reckless organization would go out with such a defamatory, irresponsible statement,” Capus told POLITICO.
Stone did respond to a mass email from ALG. You can see his original, non-anti-Semitic content below.
“Somebody, on the other end, I’m assuming, took the return stamp from the email and then put in this hateful message,” Capus said. “I don’t know who did it. It’s outrageous to suspect that somebody from NBC News would do it.”
Don't these conservative groups remember that the Jews run the entertainment industry? Time for a refresher course:
It's time for Pretending to be A Jew for Dummeez! Lesson #1: A Jewish e-mailer would most likely avoid sending blatantly anti-Semitic messages. Now really, basic common sense dictates that one gets one's bigoted stories straight. Come on!
Capus said he contacted the group and asked them to rescind the press release that accompanied publication of the email. He said that ALG would not agree, and the instead responded with a “politically-fueled rant against NBC, and a completely irresponsible diatribe."The real e-mail, verified by NBC, reads like this:
From: Stone, Jane (NBC Universal)Let's get to know ALG better, shall we? Here's a little something that's currently on their front page:
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 1:57 PM
To: 'arosenwald@getliberty.org'
Subject: Re: ALG Calls on Congress to "Put Up or Shut Up" on Defunding ACORN
Take me off this list!
By GottaLaff
The TSA is striking back against Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), saying he chose to use a machine that would allow guards to see him naked.
And they say Obama is overexposed:
Chaffetz was involved in a confrontation in Salt Lake City Airport Monday, where he said TSA agents forced him into a full-body imaging machine that would produce a naked image of the subject on a small screen.
It goes without saying that a small screen was, well, appropriate in this case. But anyway..
The American Federation of Government Employees re-um...butted:
“It does seem odd that Congressman Chaffetz would choose to use an image machine that he would like to see banned,” said Sharon Pinnock, the organization’s membership and organization director, in a news release. “We are hard-pressed to understand his thinking on this since he previously had been given a tour of the (imaging machine) lane to this incident and knew quite well what the process could involve.Here's the skinny:
The Congressman also said he was targeted because of a vote he took to not allow TSA agents to unionize for collective bargaining agreements.
Time to, well, uncover the whole truth:
Wrong again, the union says. The agent just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq and didn’t even recognize the Congressman.
I smell a cover-up! Sorry. Had to.
I'm done now. Barely.
H/t: mparent77772, Gr8RDH
By GottaLaff
Way to improve America's image, Rushpublics. And way to show yourselves as the open-minded, inclusive party that you are...n't.Papua New Guineans have reacted angrily to an image depicting US President Barack Obama as a witchdoctor [...] but the original image is actually that of a Huli wigman in PNG's southern Highlands.
The National newspaper reports expatriate Papua New Guineans have been voicing their disgust in emails to friends back home.
One blogger called for those responsible to apologise for insulting PNG culture.
Another said "keep my country out of your foolishness".
By GottaLaff
After struggling to turn Khadafy’s insane ramblings at the UN into English for 75 minutes, the Libyan dictator’s personal interpreter got lost in translation.
"I just can’t take it any more," Khadafy’s interpreter shouted into the live microphone – in Arabic.
At that point, the U.N.’s Arabic section chief, Rasha Ajalyaqeen, took over and translated the final 20 minutes of the speech.
"His interpreter just collapsed – this is the first time I have seen this in 25 years," another U.N. Arabic interpreter told The Post.
It takes a particular kind of talent to have that effect on your own guy. Whaddya think, does Khadafy make it into Guinness?
Breaking with protocol, Khadafy brought his own interpreters from Tripoli for Wednesday’s speech rather than use one of the 25 Arabic translators supplied by the United Nations, staff interpreters said.
Maybe the interpreter should have gone through some kind of endurance training. Or maybe he caught sight of his boss's hair and faked it just to have an excuse to leave the room.
Those who have translated for Khadafy in the past said they could empathize with his interpretator’s exasperation. [...]
"He’s not exactly the most lucid speaker," another Arabic interpreter said. "It’s not just that what he’s saying is illogical, but the way he’s saying it is bizarre. However, I think I could have made him sound a lot better."
By comparison, even Sarah Palin could make him sound better.
"Sometimes he mumbles, sometimes he talks to himself," he said.’
I take it back. Sarah could benefit from a session or two with him. She's just. That. Bad. At least Moammar's outfits keep us interested.
And an hour and a half earns you a gold medal.Ajalyaqeen, who had to rescue the bealegured interpreter, was given the day off yesterday.
"Ten minutes with Khadafy earns you a lot of annual leave," one interpreter said.
By GottaLaff
President Obama is at the podium:
Too many Americans still out of work. Global economy is now interconnected, so we need to create new jobs, industries. No more abuse.
Pittsburgh picked itself up, creating jobs.
Key to future prosperity lies in places like Pittsburgh, as well as L.A., N.Y, etc.
New framework for growth:
Sustain plans until growth is restored. Coordinated stim plan. Now, we must make sure jobs return too.
Can't stop there. We can't grow complacent. New framework allows each to assess others' policies, consensus...
Next, we agreed to tough new financial regulations. No more schemes by a reckless few putting system at risk. A strong set of reforms. Transparency to derivatives market, standards, create powerful tools to hold firms accountable, tie exec pay to long term performance. In other words, more security.
Next: Phase out subsidies for fossil fuels. Increase energy security, transform economy, combat climate change threats. All nations need to meet this challenge.
Finally: Agreed to reform global cooperation and governance. No more 20th century approaches. New approach to cooperation: Shift more responsibility to emerging economies. Build new markets, establish new world trust fund... Keep commitments, take stock of our efforts going forward.
Shate mutual interests. A new era of engagements.
Stop nukes... unite in stopping Iran... But there's more work to be done. But we leave here more confident, united.
Q, A.P.: Iranian prez said your statement was a mistake, worked in Iran's favor. How can you negotiate w/ him? Military option?
A: Important to see what happens today... Show of unity in world community. Even China, Russia calling for IAEA investigation. Not your typical solidarity! New rapid response. Iran is on notice... when we meet Oct. 1, they'll have to come clean, make a choice. Willing to go down path (leading to greater security) giving up nukes, deciding to abide by international rules? Or will they continue down path to confrontation. What has changed is the international community has spoken. Up to Iran to respond. I won't speculate on what will happen. They have til Oct. 1. The choice they make will redetermine whether they're isolated or not. Military: We don't rule out any options when it comes to security, but reemphasize that I want to use diplomacy, up to the Iranians to respond.
Q: Reuters: Afghan War one of necessity. Meeting objectives possible? How does flagging support affect your decisions? Election fraud?
A: Goals: We went in not because we wre interested in entering or positioning ourselves regionally, but because Al Qaeda killed and vows to cont. killing Americans. My goal is to dismantle them, destroy their capacity for harm. Stability there and in Pakistan are critical. After several years of being adrift there, we have strong commitments from NATO allies. But after so many years of being adrift, we have to deliver. Waiting for report... But there is a sense of legitimacy of Afghan govt. Without that... After election, I said we have to reassess strategy, Afghans must provide for their own training, security. I'm doing what I said in March. McChrystal gave me his assessment. But my belief: Our military strategy is only part, must include civilian, diplomatic components. I'll decide based on what'll meet that core goal, to dismantle, disrupt, destroy Al Qaeda. Public opinion: I understand their weariness, just as I did re: Iraq. Just as they are, I'm asking very tough questions. I want best answers possible before I make decisions, esp. about sending troops.
Q: 5000+ demonstrators out there, protesting.
A: It's important to keep things in perspective. Other summits, in London, 100s of 1000s of people on streets. Most summits get more tumultuous response. This is a very tranquil G-20 summit. Protests are mostly generically against capitalism, object to financial system, free markets. In US, you can protest. I disagree with their view, that free market is source of all ills. Ironically, inside summit, strong recognition from most diverse collection of leaders in history, that it's important to make sure that market is working for ordinary people, that govt. has role in regulating in ways that don't cause current crises, that emphasis on balanced growth, bottom up: Workers can pay bills, make living, send kids to college.
Q: Why meet with Iranians on Oct. 1? And what happened in 2007, intel that Iran pursuing nukes?
A: Intel to IAEA: This was product of 3 intel agencies, not just one. They checked painstakingly, no ambiguity. The response today indicates the degree to which this intel is solid, and that Iran was constructing facility against rules. Meeting: I've said that we'll operate on 2 tracks. Preferably, diplomatic. If that doesn't work, other consequences may follow. By keeping diplomacy open, that'll strengthen world unity, then hold Iran accountability. You're seeing product of that strategy. Non-prolif. agreement, IAEA strengthened, unity too... So if diplomacy doesn't work, we're in stronger position to apply sanctions w/ bite. Not preferred, I'd rather Iran be responsible. It's up to their leaders.
Q: Chip Reid: Sanctions w/ bite? What kind would have bite w/ Iran? Would any affect him? And is this announcement a victory? If so, why not announce earlier since you've known since you were pres. elect.
A: This isn't a football game. I'm not interested in victory, I'm interested in solving a problem. Iran's actions contradict its words, so security threatened. My job is to try to solve that. We will explore, w/ allies, a wide range of options. You're right, I won't get into details about sanctions. But if international community is united, Iran will have to pay attention. Why not sooner? It's important in high stakes situations to make sure that intel is right. Make sure that all 3 intel agencies scrubbed it, make sure info is accurate.
By GottaLaff
A major Senate probe of the CIA's interrogation and detention practices was seriously derailed Friday when Sen. Kit Bond, the ranking GOP senator of the Senate Intelligence Committee revealed in a statement that he had pulled the entire GOP staff out of the investigation. [...] The move appears to be part of a broader campaign by congressional Republicans and the U.S. intelligence community to pressure Holder to rescind his recent appointment of a special counsel to investigate allegations of torture during the Bush administration.
Bond contends that the Intelligence Committee investigation had effectively become pointless and the panel was "spinning our wheels" because current and former agency officials will now refuse to cooperate with any congressional probe when they face potential prosecution by the Justice Department. [...]
But Sen. Diane Feinstein, the committee's Democratic chairman, insisted the probe will continue regardless. Saying "I very much regret" the GOP's decision, Feinstein said her probe "is being pursued, additional staff are being hired, and the Committee is continuing the work with all due diligence."
I never thought I'd say this, but: Go, Feinstein!
The flare up is significant because, whatever the results of Holder's criminal probe, the Senate panel's investigation offered perhaps the only opportunity for a full public accounting of the U.S. intelligence community's conduct in the aftermath of Sept. 11 attacks. [...] [...] But the withdrawal of the Republican staff is likely, at a minimum, to set the panel's timetable back and embolden resistance to cooperating with the probe among lawyers representing CIA officers. That resistance was already an obstacle-and is now likely to intensify. [...] Egged on by former Vice President Dick Cheney, Bond and other congressional Republicans have repeatedly attacked Holder for suggesting that anybody in the Bush administration or the U.S. intelligence community might have engaged in illegal conduct when, as they see it, they had simply been protecting the country.
Obstruction of justice? Look no further than Dickless McHeartStent.
All my previous posts on this subject matter can be found here; That link includes one specific to only Fayiz al-Kandari's story here. Here are audio and video interviews with Lt. Col. Wingard, one by David Shuster, one by Ana Marie Cox, and more. My guest commentary at BuzzFlash is here.
If you are inclined to help rectify these injustices: Twitterers, use the hashtag #FreeFayiz. We have organized a team to get these stories out. If you are interested in helping Fayiz out, e-mail me at The Political Carnival, address in sidebar to the right; or tweet me at @GottaLaff.
If you'd like to see other ways you can take action, go here and scroll down to the end of the article.
Then read Jane Mayer's book The Dark Side. You'll have a much greater understanding of why I post endlessly about this, and why I'm all over the CIA deception issues, too.
More of Fayiz's story here, at Answers.com.By GottaLaff
Senator Paul Kirk:
The Boston Globe reported that when Kirk arrived in Washington today, he first paid a visit to his late friend's grave, in Arlington National Cemetery.Tears.
By GottaLaff
Dems today have been jumping on the fact that the new CBS/New York Times poll finds that an astonishing 76% of respondents say Republicans in Congress haven’t clearly explained their plans to reform the health care system.
But there’s an even more interesting number in the poll’s internals: Nearly as many Republican respondents — nearly three out of four — say the same thing.
Here’s the poll’s question: “Do you think the Republicans in Congress have clearly explained their plans for changing the health care system, or haven’t they clearly explained their plans?” And the answers, among Republicans:
Have explained 17
Haven’t explained 73
Don’t know 10
By GottaLaff
Better late than never."I was against the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage nation-wide, and I still think that the American people should be able to play this out in debates," Clinton said. "But me, Bill Clinton personally, I changed my position.
I am no longer opposed to that. I think if people want to make commitments that last a lifetime, they ought to be able to do it."
By GottaLaff
Oh-h, suh-nap!
If Kyl needed maternity care, he'd be the first man who ever did. But I digress.
My maternity care was 100% covered between the Writers Guild and S.A.G. plans, and it was a good thing. The minute it was determined I was carrying twins, I was considered "high risk" and I was visiting doctors and labs every two minutes. Between all that and the actual delivery, it would have cost me a fortune.
I think the Senate needs a Kylectomy. I wonder if that's covered.Maternity care, in fact, is a perfect example of why Kyl’s amendment is so bad. Most individual health insurance markets don’t cover maternity care. [...] Anthem Blue Cross — which has been actively fighting health care reform — considers pregnancy optional and therefore not necessary to insure:
“The point of insurance is to insure against catastrophic care costs. That’s what you’re trying to aggregate and pool for such things as heart attacks and cancer,” said an Anthem Blue Cross spokesman. “Having a child is a matter of choice. Dealing with an adult onset illness, such as diabetes, heart disease breast or prostate cancer, is not a matter of choice.”
“A well defined minimum benefits package would compel health insurers to provide basic services to all Americans,” adds Volsky. “The Kyl amendment, which ultimately failed, would have allowed the industry to continue profiting from discriminatory practices.”
By GottaLaff
Nope, no racism here. Yelling "This is the ugly face of ACORN" at African Americans is just some white guy's way of expressing his affection:
One People's Project has the full-length version of this video, taken from the big 912 rally in Washington, D.C., showing a middle-aged white man and his Asian wife chasing after and harassing a trio of black people -- primarily two teenagers and an adult guardian (possibly their mother) who were selling "Don't Tread on Me" flags along the long grassy mall.
As you can see, the man -- who identifies himself as Tim Jones -- shouts after them: "ACORN! These people are ACORN!!! They are frauds!!! ACORN is fraud!!! Obama sucks! This woman sells signs for profit of ACORN!!"
It attracts more harassers, and it verges on the point of an outbreak of violence when the D.C. bicycle police show up and break up the scene.
[...] The older woman tells him flatly they're not from ACORN, but he keeps shouting it anyway. [...]
The bigger question is: Why target African Americans when there are are hundreds of vendors at these things? And why assume that they have anything to do with ACORN?
Because, to the teabaggers, ACORN is synonymous with scary black people. [...]
As Susie says, ACORN is just the new wingnutspeak code for the 'N' word. It's now become an epithet -- one you can chase black people around with and accuse them angrily. Just what America needs right now.
[H/t Max Blumenthal.]
My pal Jason Leopold will be writing in depth about all these ACORN "revelations" very soon. I can't wait for the-- What's it called again? Oh yeah-- truth to start seeping out.
UPDATE: Speaking of truth about ACORN, here's some now! (H/t: FereJohn and Philanthropy)
H/t: Pigboy
By GottaLaff
Kimberly Young of Oxford, Ohio, died Wednesday morning a few days short of her 23rd birthday. Hospital officials have said she appeared to have the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.
But here's why Young's death is news beyond her northwest Ohio community: people who knew her are saying she resisted treatment that could have saved her life -- because she didn't have health insurance.
This is beyond appalling. Is this what it will take to convince people like The Boehner to stop their asinine campaign against decent health care reform?
And adding to the political resonance: Young's member of Congress is Rep. John Boehner, who as the House Republican leader has led the effort against reform.
However:
It's by no means confirmed that Young's death was caused by a lack of insurance. Even assuming the accuracy of what her roommate's mother said -- that she resisted treatment because of the lack of insurance -- there's no way to be sure that timelier care could have saved her.
Still, if Young's lack of insurance did contribute to her not seeking treatment sooner, it would be hard to find a starker or more compelling example of the need to fix our broken health insurance system. And the fact that she was a constituent of the man who's leading House Republicans' in their effort to block reform only underlines the point.
By GottaLaff
"The lowest circle of hell are for people who are disloyal in the way this guy is disloyal and the very lowest point Satan chews on their bodies. Maybe Scott McClellan will chew on this guy's leg in the after life. So creepy and so disgusting."Speaking of creepy and disgusting...
-- Bill Bennett, quoted on CNN, about former Bush speechwriter Matt Latimer and his new tell-all book, Speech-less.
By GottaLaff
A Massachusetts court has rejected a request from the state Republican Party to put a temporary hold on Sen.-designate Paul Kirk’s (D-Mass.) swearing-in Friday, clearing the way for Democrats to have a 60th seat in the Senate. [...]Original post about the lawsuit here.
The court ruled early Friday afternoon that the appointment would proceed.
"The [Republican] Party has not shown that it has a chance to succeed on the merits and, therefore, any risk of harm to the party will not outweigh the risk of harm to the governor and the commonwealth,” Judge Thomas Connolly said, according to WCVB-TV in Boston.
By GottaLaff
Did Joe just serve up a tasty morsel to the Rushpublics on a silver platter? Aw shucks, that's okay. It's part of his charm. Anyway, by comparison, this was minor. I say we pardon him.Attending the fundraising event [in Virginia] on behalf of three Democratic House members from Virginia — Reps. Glenn Nye, Gerry Connolly and Tom Perriello — at the home of former Virginia Sen. Chuck Robb, an off-script Biden suggested competence doesn't stretch across the entire Democratic Party.
"These guys are smart, "Biden said of the three Virginia congressmen. "Some of the guys Chuck [Robb] and I have campaigned for are turkeys. Not all Democrats are created equal, while most Republicans are."
Biden went on to say the candidates are "independent minded" and "damn competent," and all share the party's core principles of health care and energy reform.
By GottaLaff
Re “Conserva-care,” Opinion, Sept. 20Brought to you by the Department of Driving while Rome Burns.
What nonsense. William Frist wants to "incentivize" folks to live a healthy life, thereby shrinking costs. OK -- but try getting couch potatoes to do it. And those like me -- living the healthiest of lives, yet I've fought back cancer twice only because Medicare authorized the right tests.
David Frum wants non-state-regulated insurance companies that will "squeeze" their suppliers. If doctors like my son are squeezed any further, most will quit medicine.
And Richard Viguerie: "Don't discourage profit ... [it] drives better prices, service and products." Ridiculous. When our local, nonprofit hospital became for-profit, all the best nurses were fired. Their incompetent replacements burned up equipment in the autoclaves. However, within weeks, a dozen administrators had new cars.
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