Sunday Talkers

By GottaLaff

Paddy still has no computer, so I'll put this up now so you have it first thing in the morning:

Today Olympic athletes; Super Bowl foods. (N) 6 a.m. KNBC

Good Morning America (N) 6 a.m. KABC

State of the Union With Candy Crowley Al Qaeda, Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, healthcare: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. (N) 6 and 9 a.m. CNN

CBS News Sunday Morning Reality television; director Garry Marshall ("Valentine's Day"); Lingerie Bowl. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Fareed Zakaria GPS Middle East peace, Iran: King Abdullah II of Jordan; counterterrorism, presidential power: former Justice Department official John Yoo. 7 and 10 a.m. CNN

Reliable Sources Fox News: Arianna Huffington, Hugh Hewitt; Super Bowl XLIV: James Carville. 8 and 10 a.m. CNN

The Chris Matthews Show (N) 7:30 a.m. KNBC

Meet the Press Terrorism: Deputy National Security advisor John Brennan; the economy: former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan. (N) 8 a.m. KNBC, 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. MSNBC

This Week The economy: Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. (N) 8 a.m. KABC

Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace Tea Party movement, Obama's first year in office, 2012 presidential race: Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska). 8 a.m. KTTV

Face the Nation Super Bowl XLIV: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. (N) 8:30 a.m. KCBS

Amanpour National defense: former National Security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski. 11 a.m. CNN

PhotOh! Sarah the Cheater

By GottaLaff

UPDATE: More from HuffPo:





Go to HuffPo for more!

While we livechatted about BuzzWord McWTF's Big Tea Tantrum Convention speech, several people noticed that, as she dissed President Obama for using a teleprompter, she did something rather odd.

I mean other than burying her face in notes that someone else wrote for her.

I mean other than all the usual odd things she does.

What did she do, you ask?

She appeared to read from her hand. Ryan over at Double Dutch Politics noticed it too.

And now it's been documented:


Who needs a teleprompter when you have a built-in cheat sheet?

H/t: dandavenport, jryanlaw

LIVE CHAT, ENTIRE VIDEO: Sarah Palin babbles, er, speaks at Tea Party convention

By GottaLaff

Update: Blog title changed.

My apologies for posting this drivel, but I know many people are interested, and I feel it is my duty as Snarker in Chief.

Besides, now that we have a live chat going, it will be relatively painless.

Have fun:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Tea Bagger: " I would like to think that Bebe Netanyahu is watching this tonight."

By GottaLaff

Liveblogging the prayer leader at the Tea Tantrum Convention:

If we don't defend the U.S., who will defend Israel... We must stand with the state of Israel... I would like to think that Bebe Netanyahu is watching this tonight.

Yes, I'm sure he's glued to the set.

Party Poopers: Tea partiers attack convention

By GottaLaff

Ruh-roh! A revolution against the revolution:

Four Tennessee tea party activists who said they couldn’t afford the $550 tickets to the National Tea Party Convention staged a guerilla news conference just outside of the event to challenge its representation of the movement.

“There are a lot of citizens in the state of Tennessee today who could not afford to be here… particularly in this economy,” said Antonio Hinton, a 37-year old tea party activist from Knoxville. [...]

All four of the men protesting the convention are part of a recently formed coalition of 34 tea party groups from around Tennessee that does not include the group behind the convention. The four contended the coalition, the Tennessee Tea Party Coalition, www.tntpc.us is more representative of the conservative populist movement, whose members have nonetheless chafed at being associated too closely with the Republican Party and its political leaders.

They're not happy partiers. This could devolve from a poorly run revolution to a civil war. They Tea Tantrumers better grab their firearms and tea bag hats!

The Tennessee group has greater claim to the tea party banner than does the Convention, which was tightly controlled by a handful of organizers, said protester Jim Tomasik, a 47-year-old iron worker from Cordova, Tenn.

Tomasik credited the convention organizers with landing Palin, who he said is “probably not going to show up to talk to us because we couldn’t afford her.”

“We don’t need Sarah Palin to be the face of our movement,” he said. “We don’t need Newt Gingrich or any of these other people, because these people are humans and they can fail. Our values will never fail us as long as we adhere to them.”

Party poopers.

Palin's Excellent Pre-Screened Q & A Adventure

By GottaLaff

Despite all that media attention, this is something I hadn't heard said aloud. If it was, in fact, broadcast on the Tee Vee Machine, it wasn't repeated as often as the ad nauseam, ad infintum promos for her Big Keynote Speech were:

Sarah Palin is expected to take the stage here tonight at 9, and speak for about 30 to 45 minutes. She will then take about 15 minutes of pre-screened, pre-selected questions.

Organizers say they aren’t sure if Palin has seen the questions in advance.

What can she possibly have in to say that will take that long? Then again, one lousy Speaky McWordSalad sentence should cover that entire time span.

And it is not at all surprising that LipSchmutz McBush3 will only take pre-screened questions. But uh-oh! If she uses a teleprompter or notes, there goes another Rushpublic talking point.

Gosh, I wonder if the Tea Tantrumers hired seat fillers for the occasion:

WTF-O'-The-Day: Tea Bagger edition

By GottaLaff

WTF-O'-The-Day:

"A third party is continuing the liberal agenda."

--A convention Tea Bagger after CNN's Don Lemon asked if they would be starting a third party.

Did anyone else hear that? Soon after, Lemon wrapped up by saying something like:

It's good to see women speaking for the Tea Party. You're both very well spoken, thank you.

I'm sorry, but is there a shortage of Tea Tantrumettes I somehow overlooked?

1. Sarah Palin.

2. Michele Bachmann

3.

Oh, and the 2 interviewees weren't all that well spoken. They were adequate.

By the way, CNN, MSNBC (including dedicated graphics) and many media outlets on the Nets have promoted Sarah Palin's speech as if she were making an announcement to run in 2012. I wonder if she ever filled the room. Those 600 convention attendees may still be able to squeeze in if they really hurry.

Your liberal media at work.

(via)

Update, via Tweeter cjoehl:

...the hypocrisy of these loons. They hate the MSM, but they're falling all over themselves to talk to them.

Napolitano offers regular meetings with critical House Republicans

By GottaLaff

This is reminiscent of going back to an abusive lover for more:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is following President Barack Obama’s lead in reaching out to House Republicans.

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, met privately with Napolitano Thursday morning and said he was encouraged by her promise during their discussion to meet with Republicans on the committee once a month.

Oh what the heck. Keep reaching out. It's never hurt us before, right, Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.)?

Wrong. He called for Napolitano's resignation. He's not reciprocating to her reachy outiness in the least:

“At this time, I don’t see anything that makes me more confident about the safety of our country, our lives, and our property while Napolitano is in charge,” he said in an e-mailed response. “Furthermore, last week President Obama made a big show surrounding his meeting with Republicans and then spent the following week mischaracterizing the discussions. I will not gamble away our nation’s security with more of the administration’s PR stunts.”

This from the party of PR stunts. Kettle? Pot on line one.

King would not discuss calls for Napolitano’s resignation within his conference and instead said he was impressed by her offer to meet one-on-one and continue appearing privately before Republicans once a month.

Peter King as the voice of reason. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Senate Will Debate Two More Nominees

By GottaLaff

What, no blockage?

The Senate is set to vote Monday on procedural motions for the nominations of Joseph Greenaway, a judicial pick for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, and Craig Becker, a controversial nominee to the National Labor Relations Board.

You'll excuse me if I don't get my happy dance shoes on just yet.

VIDEO- Pres. Obama to DNC: "Let me be clear: I am not going to walk away from health insurance reform"

By GottaLaff



"So just in case there's any confusion out there, let me be clear: I am not going to walk away from health insurance reform. I'm not going to walk away from the American people. I'm not going to walk away on this challenge. I'm not going to walk away on any challenge. We're moving forward. We are moving forward!"

Transcript here.

American Fascism: Tea Party Speaker Wants Executions For Homosexuals + bonus Daily Show Video!

By GottaLaff

I'll give you an excerpt that should press enough buttons to get you to read the whole thing:

Of course [former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court and current Alabama gubernatorial candidate – Roy] Moore ranted about homosexuals today in his speech. If you’re interested in what he said, you read a summary here. But, two takeaways from this.

1. That this man served at such a high level in our judicial system is shameful.
2. Why the fuck is Sarah Palin paling around with people that want to execute homosexuals and/or pull their children away from them? And, more importantly, why is her embrace of such hate being tolerated by the mainstream media – and by us.

There now, provoked? Good. Go read the rest.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Alabama Getaway
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

H/t: StopBeck

Conservatives try to suspend California's global-warming law

By GottaLaff

I cannot fathom how these people can be so shortsighted. It's beyond comprehension. Do they not realize that all that money they'd supposedly save won't do anyone any good if nobody is around to spend it?

Republican politicians and conservative activists are launching a ballot campaign to suspend California's landmark global-warming law, in what they hope will serve as a showcase for a national backlash against climate regulations.

Supporters say they have "solid commitments" of nearly $600,000 to pay signature gatherers for a November initiative aimed at delaying curbs on the greenhouse gas emissions of power plants and factories until the state's unemployment rate drops.

GOP gubernatorial candidates and Tea Party organizers paint the 2006 law, considered a model for other state and federal efforts, as a job-killing interference in the economy. Talk radio is flailing at what John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, drive-time hosts on Los Angeles' KFI-AM (640), call "the global-warming final solution act" promoted by "fascist, Nazi" officials.

"We are on fire," said Assemblyman Dan Logue (R-Marysville), a sponsor of the proposed initiative. "People are calling from all over the country. This will be the most intense campaign the state has seen in 50 years."

"We are on fire." Hey Dan Logue, so is the planet.

The measure would halt proposed regulations until the state's jobless rate dips to 5.5% or below for a year. That's a level that California has not seen since 2007.

This is mind-achingly stupid. California's habit of governing via ballot initiative needs to be broken. Schwarzenegger* is proof of that.

*To be fair, he's fighting this campaign. I'll give him that.

What are white Arizonans so afraid of?

By GottaLaff

(click on image to enlarge)

(close up with added highlighting)

Why do so many white people need so many guns? Are they revving up for that Palin-supported, Tancredo-infested Tea Bagger Revolution?

Or are they just very concerned about an impending uptick in armed Arizona burglars?

Or could it be the New Rules?

Or the Nativists?

Rusty Childress
Jerome Corsi
Robert Crooks
Michelle Dallacroce
Wiley Drake
Shawna Forde
"Buffalo" Rick Galeener
William Gheen
Dustin Gold
Bill Irwin
Kris Kobach
Greg Letiecq
Tom Macklin
Chelene Nightingale
Donald E. Pauly
Rosanna Pulido
Jason "J.T." Ready
Alberto Rodriguez
Vito Vaccaro
Brook Young

I report, you decide.

H/t: Tiggrr1

Note to Readers: Paddyless in Indiana

By GottaLaff

Today may, or may not, be a light posting today. Just a heads up.

Paddy tried to get a good deal on a decent computer today, but still couldn't afford one, even after your generous donations. She's hitting the Sunday sales tomorrow, so for today at least, I'm on my own.

Ordinarily, that's fine with me, but I'm still under the weather (flu is over, long story, this could last a while).

So... being that my energy level is that of the half-cylinder's worth in Palin's brain on a bad day, I'm playing it by ear.

Thank you for understanding.

Beauty & the Beast: Palin, McConnell wage proxy battle in Kentucky Senate race

By GottaLaff

Beauty and the Beast:

The Senate Republican primary in Kentucky has emerged as a proxy battle between two leaders of the factionalized Republican Party, Sarah Palin and Mitch McConnell.

At stake is the direction of the Republican Party, which Republican leaders in Washington fear could turn off middle-of-the road voters if it lurches too far to the right.

Maverick v. Establishment? Rogue v. Entrenched? McBrainless v. McChinless?

[Andrew] Breitbart said people in the Tea Party “love” Sarah Palin because “they sense she’s not beholden to the Beltway [and] they like her independent spirit.”

She's not beholden to ethics either... Dude.

Republican leaders in Washington, in contrast, have had trouble winning over Tea Party partisans.

They should count themselves lucky on that score.

The emergence of the Tea Party and the hostility of its members toward the GOP establishment gives party leaders cause for concern because it reflects growing estrangement with the party base. [...]

It’s questionable whether Tea Party conservatives could develop enough strength and unity to upset the leadership hierarchy in Washington, but they certainly threaten to play havoc in primaries.

A "DC insider":

“McConnell truly sees the prospect that the tea baggers could veer his party further to the right, far enough to the right to turn off moderates trending his way,” said Cross, using a derisive term for Tea Party activists.

“The Democrats best chance of winning the seat is for Rand Paul to be the nominee,” he said.

Meanwhile, generally speaking, the D Party could do a little unifying itself, and in the process, attract a few independents and moderates their way.

Mid Day Distraction

Video- Tea Party speaker Farah pushes birtherism to loud applause: "one of the most important questions" we can ask

Yeah, they're not kooks. Via Media Matters.

Video- Secretary Clinton names biggest threats to U.S.

Amid all the hoopla, she just keeps plugging along. I wasn't sure at the beginning about this, but she has proven me wrong.

Important Reminder

I just didn't want anyone to forget that today is the 99th Anniversay of Ronald Reagan's birth, as Fox News was happy to remind me yesterday with a lengthy segment on King Ron. So dust off your astrology flag , check the branches on the ketchup tree and prepare to give the day the gravitas and solemnity it deserves. You know you should.

Cartoon of the Day

Click to enlarge, via.

Saturday Links

Not awake yet, need more coffee.

Served with ice ... Shackleton's 101-year-old whisky found under Antarctic hut

Site picks 'Unusual Places for Romance'

Fireball lights up the Irish sky as 'extremely rare' meteorite falls to the Earth at 100,000mph

Anti-Abortion Ads Split Atlanta

The battery's dead: Scientists invent wafer-thin plastic that can store electricity

Disney's free ticket program spurs more volunteering in Northeast Ohio

Curry spice saffron 'could stop you going blind'

Video- President's Weekly Address: Opening Doors for Small Business

VIDEO: Entire unedited Bill O'Reilly/Jon Stewart Interview

By GottaLaff

Here 'tis in full:




H/t: Broadway Carl

What's that under President Obama's robes?

By GottaLaff

Chess, not checkers. Strong closer. You've heard the various descriptions of how President Obama plays the political game.

And that brings us to the Quote-O'-The-Day:

[T]he president is giving a decent impression of the Dalai Lama on a quiet day. But he's done that before, only to reveal a Ninja under the robes.

--Andrew Sullivan

Let's leave what's under Prez O's robes out of this, mmkay? Mmkay.

President Obama Did Not Concede Reform Might Die

By GottaLaff

Everywhere I look on the Internets, I see headlines that President Obama is admitting that health care reform might die. I ignored them. That sounded way too dire to me, especially after watching him on the live feed of the Organizing for America event.

Greg Sargent posted the following, which many of us needed to hear straight from the White House... and we did:

White House spokesman Reid Cherlin emails me this:

“This is a fundamental misinterpretation of the President’s comments. Last week the he stood before the nation and said he ‘will not walk away’ from health insurance reform. That was his position then, it’s his position now, and he’s said as much in stops across the country nearly every day. He used his remarks last night to motivate Democrats to come together and get this done, noting that the public will judge their leaders on what they accomplish.”

And:

“The President has made it abundantly clear –- before and since the Massachusetts special election -– that he intends to sign comprehensive legislation along the lines of the House and Senate bills. The White House, House, and Senate are working every day on the best way to achieve that goal.”

Maybe the predictions were starting to hit home, or maybe he stands by his original convictions, but whatever the reason, he needs to be loud and clear about his positions. This was a welcome response.

VIDEO: Bill O'Reilly Interviews Jon Stewart - Conclusion 2/04/2010

By GottaLaff

Bill-Ew the Clown concludes his interview with Jon Stewart:



You can watch the first part of the interview from the previous day is here.

PhotOh! Charting the economic recovery

By GottaLaff

Let's see how long it takes the right wing talkers to turn this upside down and backwards:

The red bars are the accelerating rate of job loss during President Bush's last year in office; the blue bars are the decelerating rate of job loss during President Obama's first year of office.

(click on image to enlarge)

A picture's worth 1,000... jobs.

Tea Party Leader Launches Political Outfit + bonus Tea Bagger videos!

By GottaLaff

Mark Scoda is one enterprising, busy, corporation lovin' Tea Bagger:

A leading organizer of the National Tea Party Convention here announced the launch of the Memphis-based Ensuring Liberty Corporation, a political outfit that will include a political action committee to help fund candidates supported by Tea Party activists. [...]

Scoda said the group intends to target House and Senate races this November, in particular the Senate seat held by Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, as well as House races in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. [...]

He said the PAC will seek out small donors and will accept corporate donations—which may not sit well with some of the movement’s activists. He also offered a bold prediction: “I think we can raise $10 million this year.” Ensuring Liberty will also partner with California-based Win by Cell, which helps candidates and movements organize and raise money from supports through their cell phones.

He claims he's not into that whole third party thing, and wants to work with the GOP. That would be the same GOP that's so enamored with big, fat, wealthy, enormous, now-officially-people corporations. Hence, the expected infusion of cash to the tune of $10,000,000.

Ten million? Really? Those are some high expectations.

He sure couldn't get that from a few thousand costumed Tea Tantruming grassrooters:



"We will all give Sarah Palin a kiss." He also wants to "rejoice, encourage the dissolution of this tyrannical government and kick them all in the butt in 2010. What say ye?"

Ye say, "You betcha."



"It ain't no tea cup," said the wise Tea Bagger of his new megaphone.



"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."

Well at least, "You can't blame Bush any more."

Oh yes, yes we can.

VIDEO: Climate isn't weather. Weather isn't climate. Neither is an opportunity to lie.

By GottaLaff

Via Mother Jones:

Nonetheless, the Virginia GOP sees a blizzard as the perfect time to start the mid-term elections battle with lies and opportunism.

Rushpublics aren't that bright, are they? As the article says, it's supposed to snow in winter.

And of course, there's this little lesson that they have yet to learn:

Main Entry: ¹weath·er
Pronunciation: \ˈwe-thər\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English weder, from Old English; akin to Old High German wetar weather, Old Church Slavic vetrŭ wind

Date: before 12th century

1 : the state of the atmosphere with respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness
2 : state or vicissitude of life or fortune
3 : disagreeable atmospheric conditions: as a : rain, storm b : cold air with dampness

VS.

Main Entry: cli·mate
Pronunciation: \ˈklī-mət\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English climat, from Middle French, from Late Latin climat-, clima, from Greek klimat-, klima inclination, latitude, climate, from klinein to lean — more at lean

Date: 14th century

1 : a region of the earth having specified climatic conditions
2 a : the average course or condition of the weather at a place usually over a period of years as exhibited by temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation b : the prevailing set of conditions (as of temperature and humidity) indoors climate-controlled office>
3 : the prevailing influence or environmental conditions characterizing a group or period : atmosphere

Study those words, GOP. Read them. Memorize them. Learn them. They're in the dictionary. It's not hard, honest it isn't.

Expanding one's vocabulary can be fun!

And educational!

And can ruin all their lying talking points.

Focus on the Family to air second ad during Super Bowl pre-game

By GottaLaff

My previous posts on this subject are here (scroll).

So!

One Super Bowl spot wasn't enough.

Nor was collaborating with CBS on writing the ads enough (something that CBS does with no other advertiser).

Now Focus on the Family is getting outright piggy. Their second ad-- yes, second-- will air during the pre-game show, starring the Tebows:

More details on the organizations ads:

Although Focus on the Family won’t reveal its ads’ details, CEO Jim Daly says the original ad was rejected by CBS. In it, Pam Tebow, who was advised by a doctor to have an abortion for medical reasons when pregnant with her son, said, “Both of our lives were at risk.”

“They felt that was too much,” he says. “So we dropped the line. We didn’t fight them.” The word “abortion” is never used.

The ad is “an open discussion on the sanctity of human life — not just the issue of abortion,” Daly says. It was made for less than $100,000 with “a bit of humor in it — in fitting with the Super Bowl theme.”

I bet it's a real laugh riot. Maybe they'll even do a CBS Tebow sit-com spin-off, "The Peoples' Anti-Choice Awards".

Oh, and in the interest of fairness, since CBS won't air this Planned Parenthood pro-choice response ad, TPC will:

Who the Tea Baggers really are

By GottaLaff

(via)

Nothing says "patriotic" and "diverse" like the Tea Bagger Party... at least that's what they keep telling us.

Reports from the Big Convention tell a different story.

Via Think Progress:

And outside the convention hall, entrepreneurs sold souvenirs: sterling silver tea bag necklaces ($89.99), bags of “Freedom Coffee” ($9) and T-shirts emblazoned with a bald eagle ($20).

The convention’s first day lacked the orchestrated staging of most modern political events. The convention host delivered a meandering welcome speech without notes, saying he misplaced them. Former congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) offered a fiery defense of Judeo-Christian faith and traditional American values, but there was no prayer or Pledge of Allegiance to open the convention — nor was there an American flag in the convention hall. (Skoda blamed the oversight on the hotel staff.)

Yep, them Tea Tantrumers are real Amurkins.

Via The Grio, seems the Big Tent Party-o'-Tea isn't all that Big and Tenty:



H/t: Zaxxon23

WE DID IT! Thank you!

Glitter Graphics

We made it! The fundraiser is over and Paddy will have a computer again!

We both want to thank you over and over again for your donations. It was tough this time around, we know that.

What would we do without you? Well, I can tell you what. Not blog.

We will now be able to continue bringing you stories, news, and quirkitude, thanks to your overwhelming generosity!

We love you all.

And BasADD gets the last Going Rouge Activity Book for pushing us over the goal!

The GOP mindset, courtesy of Michael Steele

By GottaLaff

Brought to you by the RNC Chair, Michael Steele, in a debate with Harold Ford Jr. :

"Trust me, after taxes, a million dollars is not a lot of money."

One: We will never trust you.

Two: Thank you for putting things into perspective for us.

Three: A million dollars is a lot of money... you insensitive, bubble-headed, out of touch dimwit.

Final Push

And now for the Homestretch update:

We're 1%, one measly %, away from meeting our goal. Thank you to every single generous one of you who has donated! Especially during tough times like these.

Paddy is only a few dollars away from being able to buy a new computer (her old one got eaten by viruses), so the fundraiser is nearly over.

Push us over, donate that last 1%, and.... well:

Micheal Stinson, who co-wrote Going Rouge: The Sarah Palin Rogue Coloring and Activity Book with his amazing wife Julie Sigwart, has generously donated autographed copies to our donors!

So if you want one, be the person who gets us past 100%! Think of all the fun you'll have:

We set up a monthly subscription button for PayPal for those who would be willing to pay $5 a month to help support us.

Obama to address the Democrats while Palin rallies the right

By GottaLaff

Saturday will be a busy one for the media:

[...] President Barack Obama, as well as DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, will be addressing the Democrats on Saturday. [...]

On the right, the Tea Party Nation convention is congregating in Nashville and will hear from former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday evening. Palin will also appear the next morning on "Fox News Sunday."

One guess who gets more Tee Vee Machine coverage.

VIDEO: Cook defends fried chicken choice for Black History Month menu

By GottaLaff



I previously wrote a piece about a controversial menu honoring Black History Month that was posted at the NBC commissary.

There have been valid arguments for both sides of this story. However, I think Leslie Calhoun, the chef, wins the day on this one.

And now, thanks to GrrrlRomeo, we have a wonderful video that explains Ms. Calhoun's decisions, in her own words.

There's more here, follow the link:

One person who doesn't understand how offense could be taken: Chef Leslie Calhoun. It was her decision to select the menu items and create the sign. TheGrio caught up with her minutes after the tweet fiasco erupted and she seemed genuinely upset by the whole thing. Calhoun is an African-American and employee of Flick, a catering service that runs the NBC commissary. She said that for the last eight years she's been seeking approval from Flick management for a special Black History Month menu, and had finally been told that every Thursday for the month of February, she could serve whatever she chose. [...]

This isn't the first time this year that fried chicken and collard greens on a menu have created a stir. Last month, Denver Public Schools experienced a backlash after announcing they would serve fried chicken and collard greens in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It's good to have both sides aired. Fair and balanced and all that, right?

Obstruction 101: GOP leader rejects White House terms for deficit commission

By GottaLaff

This Party of No thing got old about a year ago. Keep it up, Rushpubstructionists, because the White House is finally hitting back.

Check out the latest brick wall courtesy of The Boehner:

House Minority Leader John Boehner on Friday rebuffed a request from the Obama administration to work with Democrats to rein in soaring budget deficits, aides said. Instead, the Ohio Republican argued, the White House's plans for a bipartisan commission to address the deficits should be scrapped and redesigned.

Boehner told Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner in a telephone call that Republicans would refuse to participate on the 18-member commission unless it were comprised equally of Republicans and Democrats, and unless all GOP members were appointed by their caucus leaders, according to a top Boehner aide.

As Rachel and Keith remind us daily, these tin-eared, negative, filibuster-happy, naysaying Party of Wall Streeters are siding with the banks and Big Biz against "ordinary" Americans. And they're admittedly blocking everything. That's their strategy.

Good luck with that.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

VIDEO- Mock and Awe: Westboro Baptist "Church" protesters outnumbered by snarkmasters

By GottaLaff

WBC Tries to Protest at Twitter from Ed Hunsinger on Vimeo.

Priceless. A must-read:

Westboro Baptist Church showed up to protest in front of Twitter’s San Francisco office on Thursday, but found themselves severely outnumbered by a crowd of absurdist pranksters...

photo by Rubin Starset

Dee-lish.

photos by Chad Armstrong

This is the same hate group that tried to harass the Obama girls' school.

H/t: GregOstravich, RyanNewYork

White House: Shelby’s Obstruction is a Threat To National Security

By GottaLaff

I posted earlier about Richard Shelby's jaw-dropping hostage-taking of 70 of President Obama nominees.

On the Thom Hartmann Show just now, I heard that Robert Gibbs is livid, justifiably so.

Now the White House is going for a twofer: Calling this a national security threat as well as obstruction:

Yesterday, just hours after the Senate voted 96-0 to confirm Martha Johnson as the Administrator of the GSA after a pointless 9-month delay, we learned that Sen. Richard Shelby from Alabama has placed a blanket hold on all nominees, including national security nominees, to use as leverage for some projects in his state. He's holding up 70 nominees, among them top intelligence officials at the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. According to the National Journal, he’s holding them up until two defense contracts that would benefit interests in his state can be fast-tracked.

Let's be clear: Sen. Shelby is preventing qualified nominees who will help protect the American people from being confirmed. He’s not alone, though. This is just the latest example of this kind opposition for opposition’s sake that the President talked about earlier this week.. This strategy of obstruction is preventing qualified people from doing their jobs on behalf of the American people and it’s preventing real work from getting done in Washington. Every minute spent needlessly blocking noncontroversial nominees, many of whom go on to be confirmed by 70 or more votes or by voice vote (nine of the President’s nominees so far), is a minute not spent on the issues that matter to American families.

As I noted yesterday, this is true of the legislative process, too. The Senate cast more votes to break filibusters last year than in the entire 1950s and '60s combined, making it nearly impossible to come to agreement on key legislation.

Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director

Make that a threefer: He threw in the F word: Filibuster.

More like this please.

President Obama to throw bipartisan Super Bowl party

By GottaLaff

Groundhog Day (well, plus a few):

President Obama will hold his second bipartisan Super Bowl party this weekend, his aides announced Friday morning. [...]

White House aides say House and Senate lawmakers, both Democratic and Republican, representing competing states on behalf of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts have been invited. So far those who've accepted the invitations include Indiana Democratic Reps. Andre Carson, Baron Hill, and Brad Ellsworth, and Louisiana Republican Rep. Joseph Cao.

So far, only one Republican is attending, who, by the way, happens to be an independent thinker. How novel.

Military service members who've been injured fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will also be guests, along with their spouses and children.

Yeah, Prez O sure hates the troops, doesn't he?

There will be a more complete list of attendees posted later today.

Which daring Rushpublics will venture into the Kenyan House of Muslim Marxist Commie Fascist Socialists... and make it out alive?

UPDATE: A list of expected attendees:

Members of Congress:
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA)
Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA)
Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN)
Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN)
Rep. Baron Hill (D-IN)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)

Cabinet Members:
Secretary Shaun Donovan
Secretary Arne Duncan
Attorney General Eric Holder
Administrator Lisa Jackson
Secretary Janet Napolitano
Ambassador Susan Rice
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary Eric Shinseki
Secretary Tom Vilsack

Hey Dude

By GottaLaff

To the tune of "Hey Jude":

Hey Dude,
You made it worse.
Shared your wife's job
So you both blew it.

The Quitter who took you into her heart
Had a brain fart
And you both knew it, knew it, knew it, knew it!

Nearly 3,000 pages of e-mails "draw a picture of a Palin administration where the governor's husband got involved in a judicial appointment, monitored contract negotiations with public employee unions, received background checks on a corporate CEO, added his approval or disapproval to state board appointments and passed financial information marked 'confidential' from his oil company employer to a state attorney."

First Dude, you and the wife be in a heap o' trouble.

Other revelations from the emails:

• Palin "coached her staff on how to disguise the amount of electrical work needed at the mansion to hook up her new tanning bed."
• Palin and her staff "stewed over the refusal of the state Public Safety Department to provide a plane so the children could fly to Todd's family's home in Dillingham."
• A Palin aide searched for a public event to use as justification -- "I just need one" -- to charge the state for an airplane flight for Palin's daughter.

Ethics McWhoMe? was the very same person who vehemently denied ethics abuse/abuse of power charges, remember?

Dudes! WTF?

Shelby Blocks All Obama Nominations In The Senate Over AL Earmarks

By GottaLaff

No, they're not the Obstruction Party at all. They're just doing what they feel is Right. Yeah... Far right:

According to the report, Shelby is holding Obama's nominees hostage until a pair of lucrative programs that would send billions in taxpayer dollars to his home state get back on track. The two programs Shelby wants to move forward or else:

- A $40 billion contract to build air-to-air refueling tankers. From CongressDaily: "Northrop/EADS team would build the planes in Mobile, Ala., but has threatened to pull out of the competition unless the Air Force makes changes to a draft request for proposals." Federal Times offers more details on the tanker deal, and also confirms its connection to the hold.

- An improvised explosive device testing lab for the FBI. From CongressDaily: "[Shelby] is frustrated that the Obama administration won't build" the center, which Shelby earmarked $45 million for in 2008. The center is due to be based "at the Army's Redstone Arsenal."

Confirmed:

Sen. Richard Shelby's (R-AL) office has confirmed to TPMDC the reports that Shelby has placed a hold on President Obama's nominees over a pair of government programs set to be based in Alabama. He did not confirm that Shelby has taken the rare step of blocking all of Obama's nominees, as was reported yesterday.

We have a hostage situation.

Brought to you by Earmarks, Inc.

VIDEO: BLUNT 4

By GottaLaff

You have a voice, now use it.

Let the world know how you feel, just like you do here at TPC in Comments. This is one more way to be heard:

(Click on image to enlarge)

For more information about Blunt, follow this link. If you think a video file is too big to email, then go here and use YouSendIt.com.

Please include a name you'd like to use, and a "title", if any, in your e-mail, as you'll see I did in the video graphics.

Remember: Try to keep the videos at 20 seconds or under.

Mid Day Distraction

Scott Brown to campaign for McCain

Oh oh, I don't think this will do any of them any good with their rabid base. Looks like JD has that all sewn up.

(CNN) - The newest member of the Senate will soon hit the 2010 campaign trail for Arizona Sen. John McCain.

A McCain source confirms Sen. Scott Brown, R-Massachusetts, will campaign with the 2008 Republican presidential nominee in early March. McCain is facing a primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth.

(snip)

Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin will also hit the campaign trail for McCain at the end of March.