Former TX GOP chair: Bush "was a lousy president of the United States"

By GottaLaff

Once upon a time, Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken, a former chairman of the Texas Republican Party, wrote a book.

And in this book, he wrote about Boy Georgie, who he has known since he was a “young man”.

There go the souvenir sales:

George W. Bush might have made a terrific Major League Baseball commissioner, but he was a lousy president of the United States.

The former Texas Republican Party chair has spoken, er, written.

For more, plus a radio interview, go here.

Memos: Destroying C.I.A. Tapes Wasn’t Opposed by Republican Senator Pat Roberts

By GottaLaff

Qeqzadjkwrksdazttt!!!

At a closed briefing in 2003, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee raised no objection to a C.I.A. plan to destroy videotapes of brutal interrogations, according to secret documents released Monday.

The senator, Pat Roberts, Republican of Kansas, also rejected a proposal to have his committee conduct its own assessment of the agency’s harsh interrogation methods, which included wall-slamming and waterboarding, the documents say.

But Mr. Roberts, through a spokesman, denied having approved the destruction of the videotapes, which is under criminal investigation, and defended his record in overseeing the interrogation program.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, a very special WTF moment:

“Senator Roberts listened carefully and gave his assent,” the C.I.A. memo says.

Of course he did. And after he listened carefully, too.

So what can be done?

A prosecutor, John H. Durham, is trying to determine whether it violated court orders to preserve evidence related to detention and interrogation or violated any laws.

Last August, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. directed Mr. Durham to expand his inquiry to consider whether the interrogations themselves broke any law.

Of course, this isn't surprising, but it's still jaw-dropping.

Yeah. We're all thinking the same thing here.

Much more at this link.

UPDATE: I should have added this in:

The same document says that Senator Bob Graham of Florida, the Democrat who had preceded Mr. Roberts as chairman, had proposed that the committee “undertake its own ‘assessment’ of the enhanced interrogation,” the C.I.A.’s term for coercive methods. Agency officials told Mr. Roberts that they would oppose allowing any Senate staff members to observe interrogations or visit the secret overseas prisons where they were taking place.

Emptywheel (Marcy Wheeler) pointed out to me that "more importantly, Roberts shut down Bob Graham's efforts to actually exercise oversight torture. We knew he approved tape destruction."

Thank you Marcy.

More from Marcy, who scooped the Times, here.

VIDEOS: Michael Steele, attempting leadership, embraces the tea bag + Olbermann's take

By GottaLaff

First, the speech. It really is worth a look, it's just. That. Laughable:




Now, here's Keith's take:

Virginia GOP chair: Obama bows to dictators

By GottaLaff

Flatterers:

Pat Mullins was elected to lead the party earlier this month by the state GOP central committee after the former chairman, Jeff Frederick, was ousted after a series of embarrassing missteps. Frederick garnered national attention during last year's presidential race for drawing a comparison between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden. [...]

"I'm particularly excited I'm not a Democrat," Mullins told the audience. "Since I'm not a Democrat, I don't have to defend a president who goes overseas and bows to dictators that would like to destroy this country. I'm delighted I don't have to defend him."

And we Dems are delighted we don't have to defend you, Pat the Brat.

Fulfilling his role as the state's Republican partisan-in-chief, Mullins also disparaged Democratic National Committee chairman and Virginia governor Tim Kaine as "a part-time governor who's making a full-time salary." He called Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, who earned a Navy Cross and two purple hearts in Vietnam, an "embarrassment to everybody in this commonwealth."

Can he sound any more immature? I'm the sponge and you're the glue...

A spokesman for the state Democratic Party said Mullins "ought to apologize to Virginians for personal attacks on the commander-in-chief and a decorated war hero."

And then send him to his room without supper. And no Tee Vee for a week.

Steele, under fire, walks back 'choice' remark

It may be too late. Steele sure is doing alot of apologizing. Via Ben-

I am pro-life, always have been, always will be.
I tried to present why I am pro life while recognizing that my mother had a "choice" before deciding to put me up for adoption. I thank her every day for supporting life. The strength of the pro life movement lies in choosing life and sharing the wisdom of that choice with those who face difficult circumstances. They did that for my mother and I am here today because they did. In my view Roe vs. Wade was wrongly decided and should be repealed. I realize that there are good people in our party who disagree with me on this issue.

GOP leader Steele's campaign spending questioned

Tsk tsk. The ink is barely dry on his GOPer King certificate.

WASHINGTON - Michael S. Steele, the newly elected chairman of the Republican National Committee, arranged for his 2006 Senate campaign to pay a defunct company run by his sister for services that were never performed, his finance chairman from that campaign has told federal prosecutors.

Federal agents in recent days contacted Steele's sister, a spokesman for Steele said yesterday.

The claim about the payment, one of several allegations by Alan B. Fabian, is outlined in a confidential court document. Fabian offered the information last March as he was seeking leniency for himself during plea negotiations on unrelated fraud charges. It is unclear how extensively his claims have been pursued.

GOP mum on 'Magic Negro' parody

But of course they are!! Democrats haven't figure out that whole "outraged" thing that the R's have learned so well.

A candidate for the Republican National Committee chair sent out a holiday CD to committee members that includes the song "Barack the Magic Negro," a parody first aired on Rush Limbaugh's radio show.

(snip)

To date, no Republican officials have condemned the CD.

Original story here.

UPDATE- Seems someone finally checked their Blackberry. But note that Duncan is one of Saltsman's rivals for RNC Chair-

Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan issued a statement Saturday distancing the party’s leadership from one of the GOP’s best-known operatives, Chip Saltsman, who distributed a CD containing “Barack the Magic Negro” as part of his campaign to be elected chairman of the Republican National Committee next month.

(snip)

Duncan's statement, in full: "The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party. I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."

Update to the Update- Saltsman is toast.

Candidate for RNC chairmanship was member of whites-only club

By GottaLaff

How perfectly consistent. What a warm welcome for our first African American president:

South Carolina's GOP chairman, Katon Dawson, who announced his candidacy to be chairman of the Republican National Committee Sunday, was a member of a whites only country club until September, Talking Points Memo revealed Monday.

South Carolina's The State reported that Dawson had resigned from the Forest Lake Club after concerns about its "whites only" deed. He said that he'd fought to change the restriction over the summer, though he'd been a member for 12 years.

Per Think Progress:

In August, Dawson did indeed send a letter to the country club calling for it to open its doors to minorities. But Dawson, who had been a member for 12 years, only sent the letter after reports of the club’s racist membership rules appeared in the The State newspaper.

Read the full story here.

Then bang head here: