Video- Birthers prepare to march on Washington

Dave has the official press release and more here.

Washington man charged with threatening Sen. Murray

By GottaLaff

Here we go again. As we've posted here repeatedly, it just takes one extremist, one nutcase, one desperate person with the means (in this case, a gun) and motive (even a baseless one).

This time it was via voicemail from someone who had been harassing Senator Murray for months. He said it would take "just one piece of lead":

A Washington state man has been charged with threatening to kill Democratic Washington Sen. Patty Murray over her support for health care reform.

Court documents say federal agents arrested Charles Alan Wilson in Yakima on Tuesday.

Let's wait together as the GOP either blames Patty Murray for her preexisting Democratic condition, blames health care reform, blames President Obama, or calls it a figment of our imaginations. It shouldn't take long.

I bet Eric Cantor will be first.

Mid Day Distraction

Washington man wants tapeworm "attached to the taxpayer's rectum" on state seal

By GottaLaff

Some things just shouldn't be said out loud:

James Vaughn of Orting filed an initiative this week with the office of Secretary of State Sam Reed to replace the current seal, an image of George Washington, to a picture of "a tapeworm dressed in a three-pieced suit attached to the taxpayer's rectum," The Seattle Times reported Wednesday.

The papers filed by Vaughn, which include a few pages complaining about the taxes paid by residents and business in the state, said the tapeworm image would be surrounded by the grammatically awkward phrase: "Committee to sucking the life out of each and every tax payer."

Sounds suspiciously like a Tea Bagger to me.

I could be wrong, of course.

But to their detriment, the Tea Baggers have associated themselves so strongly with extreme measures to fight taxes that I now make that connection more often than not.

The reputations of regular folks with legitimate gripes have been tarnished. That's some legacy, Tea Tantrumers.

VIDEO: President Obama on Dr. King's Legacy

By GottaLaff



In case you missed this earlier:

The President speaks about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the importance of persistence in achieving broader goals in remarks at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.

D.C. mayor signs same-sex marriage bill

By GottaLaff

Good news time!

District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty signed a measure recognizing such marriages as legal. The city council overwhelming passed the bill on Tuesday, following a similar vote on December 1. [...]

The measure now goes to Congress for a 30-day review period, but it's considered unlikely that the Democratic majority on Capitol Hill would block the bill. By law, Congress has the right to review and overturn laws created by the District of Columbia's council.

Just had to drop this moment of sanity into our day. Now back to the usual media-perpetuated rancor already in progress.

D.C. Council passes bill legalizing same-sex marriage

By GottaLaff

Great news:

The measure allowing gays and lesbians to marry in the city is approved 11-2 and will be sent to Mayor Adrian Fenty, who is expected to sign it before Christmas. The bill will become law next spring if, as expected, it survives a 30-day congressional review process.

"We are on the verge of history," council member David A. Catania (I-At Large), the lead sponsor of the bill, told about 350 same-sex marriage supporters at a pre-vote rally Monday night in Shaw. "For the world to see gays and lesbian couples equal to straight couples in the nation's capital, that is an important message."

And what a wonderful message it is.

Yes, now two people can love each other, express their commitment, and vow a lifetime of devotion to one another without the indignity of punishment. And they say this isn't a progressive nation.

Another Democrat Calls it Quits

By GottaLaff

Not good:

Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) announced his retirement tonight, The Hotline reports, "becoming the third Democrat in a vulnerable seat to announce his departure in the last few weeks."

The district, with a Cook PVI of EVEN, "is a very fertile open seat for GOPers to attack."

2010 is looking a little bleak. <--- Follow that link to see why.

Same-sex marriage closer in D.C.

By GottaLaff

11-2:

The Washington D.C. city council Tuesday passed the first of two votes needed to legalize same-sex marriage in the nation's capitol.

In a couple of weeks, the second vote will take place.

Two adults who love each other should be able to get married. Discrimination is wrong. It's that simple. Honest.

Raw Video: Obamas Attend Church Near White House

Some tell the bohunks all confused over that anti-christ thing that the church is still standing.

Video- Austan Goolsbee: Funniest Celeb In Washington

More fuel for the fire of the Goolsbee Groupies.

Raw Video: Obamas Visit Washington Landmarks

I think it's really neat how they seem to really enjoy the sights in D.C.

At Capitol, a Day of Muslim Prayer and Unity

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."

Video- Michelle Obama Visits the Farmer's Market

Six Lobbyists Per Lawmaker

No way that would sway the scale. Via Taegan.

"If there is any doubt that President Obama's plan to overhaul U.S. health care is the hottest topic in Congress, just ask the 3,300 lobbyists who have lined up to work on the issue," Bloomberg reports.

"That's six lobbyists for each of the 535 members of the House and Senate, according to Senate records, and three times the number of people registered to lobby on defense. More than 1,500 organizations have health-care lobbyists, and about three more are signing up each day. Every one of the 10 biggest lobbying firms by revenue is involved in an effort that could affect 17 percent of the U.S. economy."

Washington, D.C. Thrives During Recession

At least someone/somewhere is doing well.

New Geography: "No matter how far the economy falters, there is always a winner. And no city does better when the nation is at the brink of disaster than Washington, DC. Since December 2007, when the current recession formally began, the nation has lost approximately 6 million jobs. Only two states, Alaska and North Dakota, have lost a smaller percentage of jobs than Washington, DC, which has seen a job loss of 0.6%, or 4,400. Simply put, Washington has done better in this recession than 48 of the fifty states when it comes to job performance."

SHOOTING AT HOLOCAUST MUSEUM IN D.C.

By GottaLaff

MSNBC is reporting a suspect with a rifle entered the D.C. Holocaust Museum and shot a guard. The alleged shooter was also shot.

UPDATE: 3 people wounded, shot... by a guy with a shotgun. The suspect is in custody, as is the gun. One of the wounded is critical.

All the patients were adult males. They were transported to the hospital quickly. One person was injured by broken glass, no needed to be hospitalized.

Per a Tweet by Mark Knoller, CBS: Holocaust Museum opened in 1993. Pres. Clinton spoke at its dedication ceremony on April 21 that year as did holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

Per one witness, nobody panicked, ran, anything like that, where he was on the fourth floor.

The suspect is in the hospital.

A security guard returned fire, hit the shooter in the head. It is being reported that he probably will not survive.

It's too soon to determine motive. There is nothing known about him at this point. The witnesses said he fired indiscriminately, so possibly no personal vendetta here.

UNCONFIRMED: This had nothing to do with terrorism.

The suspect shot two people, and the suspect was the 3rd who was shot. White male... born in 1920. !! That makes him 89-90 years old.

The scene has been secured, the staff and others inside are safe.

Suspect has possible ties to white supremacy group.

Surprise.

Connected to anti-government and white supremacist groups. In 1981, he walked into Fed. Reserve headquarters in DC with several weapons, wanting fed hostages because of high interest rates. Was captured by a guard, carrying a handgun, sawed off shotgun. Arrested, convicted. On his website, had anti-Semitic remarks about the criminal justice system... Jewish judge, members of court.

James Whitaker Von Brun (from what I could understand... not sure if accurate)

Served sentence, settled on eastern shore.

I guess the Rushpublics owe us an apology about that DHS Report.

TV Newser tweets: MSNBC way ahead of other cablers w/ suspect reporting. Not even a mention on CNN or Fox News of who it appears to be, MSNBC has the name.

No surprise there either.

Jews and blacks in the White House at the hightest level of government: Fuel for people like this, says D.C. police on MSNBC right now. Latinos targeted too, because of immigrants.

ROBERT GIBBS ON NOW: Didn't say much, what you'd expect. Says they're gettingt FBI, other law enforcement reports in regularly.

D.C. Police just now: Some of this is due to the economy. Unprecedented number of immigrants... add that to black, Jews in White House... Organized hate groups "have to blame" someone.

Added-



Added- Gotta called to say that Thom Hartmann said the shooter was a Birther, and low and behold, he was.

Sarah Palin Snubs Washington Insiders at Senate-House Dinner

By GottaLaff

Snubby Sarah needs some face time with Miss Manners:

[I]t's not the Washington big shots she's wooing: It's her grass-roots backers outside the Beltway.

Several Washington Republicans contacted by Whispers said that Palin was quick to leave the Senate-House Dinner, apparently ignoring a line of those who wanted to meet her. (Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in contrast, stayed late to shake hands.) "She came, she stayed the entire event, then at the end, a buddy and I headed to her table—my buddy actually set eyes on her—and then, poof, she was gone," said a GOP source with ties to House and Senate conservatives. "There were 40 people standing around her, just wanting to say hello and wish her well, and she just ran out the back door."

Snubby Sarah, aka Poof! Palin, may be in for some bad press if she's not careful. Why, here come some sneers now! Heck!

A big deal? Yes, for the Washington crowd that likes to control the party. "For a 'woman of the people,' she has got some learning to do," sneered the insider. "Heck, she has a whole lot to learn. And get some decent staff around her. Most of the mistakes since November are not people out to get her. They are 99 percent self-inflicted by her own staff who are simply not up to the job of effectively serving a national political figure, which is what she has become."

But should she be worried? Not if many of those same Washington insiders waiting to see her are right, because most say that Palin's base of power in the party is what we'll call the Carhartt set: working parents and suburban-rural voters way outside the Beltway who could be influential in early primary and caucus states like Iowa. [...]

[A] former aide to Ronald Reagan tells me: "She had a gut connection with the base at one point. It was instinctive. Almost tribal. She was outside D.C., normal, refreshing."

Yeah, refreshing like week-old white bread.

Her allies say to stay tuned because she is fast moving to take on the GOP establishment, especially Mitt Romney , who's acting like it's his turn to be the nominee.

Speaking of Mitt and Poof, that whole Rushpublic re-branding effort needs re-branding.

Tim Gunn: Obamas saving D.C. fashion

I take it that this Gunn person should know? Not that I'm arguing about the Obama's style, but they've saved D.C. fashion in just over 100 days? If you care, the podcast is here.

"Project Runway"'s Tim Gunn knows a thing or two about fashion, but he traditionally doesn't expect to see much fashion sense out of D.C. ... until now.

When Gunn was last in D.C. two years ago, "I was woeful about how dowdy and frumpy and matronly and saggy everybody looked." But when he visited recently, "They looked polished. They looked sophisticated. Their clothes fit. It was really remarkable. And I thought, Michelle Obama, are you responsible for this? ... I can't help but think that the Obamas have had a huge impact on how people present themselves to the world. The message comes from the top and we haven't had an administration that embraces fashion for many decades."

D.C. council votes to recognize same-sex marriage

By GottaLaff

Slowly but surely (and don't call me Shirley):

The Washington D.C. City Council voted 12-1 Tuesday to recognize same-sex marriages from states that allow those unions.[...]

Former Mayor Marion Barry cast the lone dissenting vote.

Imagine all the hetero marriages that will fall apart now! I'm panicked! What if I suddenly get the urge to hook up with someone named Susie!? And it'll all be the fault of Teh Gays.