Mid Day Distraction

Video- Decade's Top 10 political stories

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Video- Must see moments of 2009

Via Politico.

Decade's Top 10 political speeches

As interpreted by the guys at First Read. I can't think of any to add.

1. Obama's race speech in Philly (2008)

2. Bush after 9/11 (2001)

3. Al Gore's concession (2000)

4. Obama's keynote at the 2004 Dem convention (2004)

5. Bush's "Mushroom Cloud" (2002)/State of the Union-"Axis of Evil" (2002)/Colin Powell on WMD to U.N. (2003) (tie)

6. Palin's convention speech (2008)

7. Hillary Clinton's concession (2008)

8. Zell Miller's keynote (2004)

9. The Dean Scream speech

10. Hugo Chavez at U.N.; Khaddafi at U.N.; Ahmadinejad at U.N., then Columbia (tie)

Time's Top 10 Political Gaffes of 2009

Time's list of all things inconvenient or stupid seems a little administration heavy. What gaffes that the R's have made did they leave out?

1. Joe Biden's Swine Flu Hysteria

2. Barack Obama's Bowling Blooper

3. Joe Wilson's Unwanted Outburst

4. Hillary Clinton Gets Lost in Translation

5. Michael Steele's Abortion Aberration

6. Larry Summers' White House Sleepover

7. Barack Obama Opens the Floodgates

8. Joe Biden's Stimulus Stumble

9. Sarah Palin's Coin Conspiracy

10. Michelle Obama's Buckingham Brush with Etiquette

Top Political Stories of the Decade

Via Taegan. Can you think of any they missed? I'd add the rise of the internet in fundraising and organizing.

Marc Cooper of the USC Annenberg School makes his picks:

1. The unconventional election process of 2000
2. The attack on the Twin Towers, September 11, 2001
3. The invasion of Afghanistan, 2001
4. The invasion of Iraq, 2003
5. The introduction of torture techniques as official American policy
6. The unprecedented expansion of executive power
7. Hurricane Katrina
8. The election of Barack Obama
9. The global financial crisis of 2008-2009
10. The media revolution

The Top 10 Political Scandals of 2009

What about Edwards? That one was pretty salacious. Anything else he missed?

The Washington Whispers Top 10 Political Scandals of 2009:

1. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's extramarital tryst in Buenos Aires with an Argentine mistress.

2. Nevada Sen. John Ensign's extramarital affair with an aide who is the wife of a former aide.

3. State dinner gate crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi.

4. Undercover video of ACORN workers advising conservative activists posing as a prostitute and her pimp on criminal activities.

5. Sarah Palin's unexpectedly quitting as Alaska governor months after a trying vice presidential campaign.

6. The arrest of Obama pal and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates by a white Cambridge, Mass., cop.

7. Sen. Chris Dodd's sweetheart Countrywide loan for a Capitol Hill townhouse and approval of AIG bonuses.

8. South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson's shout of "You lie!" during President Obama's joint session address on healthcare.

9. Impeachment of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich

10. Climate-gate.

Is Rudy Giuliani Done with Politics?

By GottaLaff

Signs point to yes:

New York Daily News: "Further proof that Rudy Giuliani is less than focused on running for office has emerged in an unlikely spot -- Rio de Janeiro."

He's just been hired by the city as a long-term security adviser for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Security adviser, perfect... Because, as we all know, he did so well on 9/11.

Fran Drescher in Talks With Fox, MSNBC

By GottaLaff

For those who haven't heard this one, it's time for a personal tie-in to this story, just for fun: I think I've told you that I used to work with Fran Drescher. No, not as actors. She had a line of homemade croutons, I used them in my gift baskets, a business I started during the WGA strike to keep us afloat. She was genuinely nice, generous, and easy to be with.

When she sat next to Mr. Laffy at the Cable Ace Awards one year, she sent her love (I didn't get to go. They wouldn't provide a seat for spouses.), which surprised me, because it had been at least a year since we'd spoken. I'm impressed if someone remembers me after a week, let alone a year.

Next thing I knew, she was all over the Tee Vee Machine supporting Hillary Clinton for president. That didn't end too well, but at least she wasn't a McCain spokesperson.

Look out! Here she comes again!

She's a Democrat with snap, but that doesn't mean Hollywood activist Fran Drescher—TV's The Nanny—isn't sweet on Fox News. In giving up her ambition to run for office in New York, she's opened negotiations with Fox for a talk show. And why not? she says with that trademark nasal giggle. "A lot of my fans watch Fox News," says Drescher, who is also talking to MSNBC. The possible topics the cancer survivor and State Department envoy wants to explore: politics, healthcare, world affairs.

Just because she's been so sweet, I'd tune in to Faux, but only once, if she landed a show there.

Video- Best Political Brawls

Watch CBS Videos Online

I love the ominous music in the last one. What are they beating each other with, twigs?

Obama Offered Irish Ambassadorship To Rep. Pete King (R-NY)

Other than the straight up loveliness of the politics behind this, the fact that King plans to run for the Senate (and should have his butt handed to him) makes it even sweeter. Believe me, come 2010 when King ends up with nothing to do with his days, that gorgeous residence in Phoenix park is going to make him very sad.

Still not convinced President Obama wants to sabotage the Republican party by luring all moderates** to his side?

The New York Daily News reports the White House "dangled the ambassadorship to Ireland" in front of Rep. Pete King (R-NY).

However, King "chose to remain in Congress despite the Democrats' desire to wipe out all the Republican members of Congress in the Northeast."

**Pete King a moderate?

Real Time New Rules June 5, 2009

Almost forgot about this with my crazy weekend- thankfully Heather reminded me.

Quote-O'-The Day: Republicans have sex? edition

By GottaLaff

Rushpublics have sex?

"We'll assume that most of the candidates who ran in 2008 will run again. It's like sex -- once you do it, it's pretty hard to stop."

-- Former Bush media strategist Mark McKinnon handicapping the 2012 Republican presidential field for the Daily Beast.