No drill for you! Few Bush-era energy leases are valid

By GottaLaff

Undoing the ugly, toxic BushCo stain:

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Thursday that only 17 of 77 oil and gas leases on Utah public lands that the Bush administration auctioned off in December were valid and that his agency would prevent development on the remaining parcels, at least in the near future. [...]

Environmentalists contended that the auction of drilling rights on 100,000 acres of federal land in southeastern Utah were a last-minute giveaway to the energy industry. The environmentalists won a restraining order from a federal judge halting the sales.

Salazar revoked most of the leases upon entering office and said his staff would study which were appropriate. On Thursday, he said the review found that few were.

"There was a headlong rush to leasing in the prior administration," Salazar said. "There were areas that should not have been leased." [...]

Energy groups said the findings continued a troubling trend -- a hesitancy in the Obama administration to foster American energy sources. Salazar has also reversed a Bush administration effort to open swathes of Western land to oil shale development. [...]

Environmental groups hailed the report's findings but cautioned that even if the Obama administration wanted to rebid the 17 leases it found appropriate, it would need to follow procedures laid down by the federal judge.

"The report is a resounding rejection of the 'drill here, drill now' approach of the Bush administration," said Steve Bloch of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

But remember: President Obama has no real accomplishments to speak of. Nope. None.

Special Comment Alert: Olbermann to Expose Congressional Opponents of Universal Health Care Tonight

By GottaLaff

Via Michael Moore, we get a yummy, dee-lish taste of what we're in store for on Countdown tonight:

We've just received an advance transcript of tonight's Special Comment by Keith Olbermann on his MSNBC show. It is nothing short of brilliant [...]

Here's a brief section of Keith's editorial tonight:

"Congressman Mike Ross of Arkansas. Leader of the Blue Dogs in the House. You're the guy demanding a guarantee that Reform won't add to the deficit. I'm guessing you forgot to demand that about, say, Iraq. You're a Democrat, you say, Congressman?

"You saw what Sandy Barham said? Sandy Barham is 62 years old, she's got a bad heart, and she's hoping her valves will hold together for three more years until Medicaid kicks in, because she can't afford insurance. Not just for herself, mind you. For her employees. She needs the public option. So do those six people who work at that restaurant of hers, Congressman Ross.

"And why should you give a crap? Because Sandy Barham's restaurant is the Broadway Railroad Café, and it is at 123 West First Street North in Prescott, Arkansas. Prescott, Arkansas, Congressman Ross. Your home town. You are Sandy Barham's congressman. Hers, Sir. Not Blue Cross's and Blue Shield's, even if they do insure 75 percent of the state and they own you."

And here's what Keith has to say about Senator Thune:

"Senator John Thune of South Dakota? You gave the Republican rebuttal to the President's weekly address day before yesterday. You said the Democrats' plan was for '... government run health care that would disrupt our current system, and force millions of Americans who currently enjoy their employer-based coverage into a new health care plan run by government bureaucrats.'

"That's a bald-faced lie, Senator. And you're a bald-faced liar, whose bald face is covered by… your own health care plan run by government bureaucrats."

Yes, yes, yes, yes! Was it good for you?

Countdown airs live at 8pm ET. Rebroadcast at 10pm and 1am.

H/t: Gr8RDH

Larry King's son wants to be black

By GottaLaff

Just now on CNN, Larry King said his 8-year-old son was so impressed with President Obama that he now wants to be black.

If this kind of admiration becomes a trend, it would be one of the best things that ever happened to this country.

And that would be the most exquisite slap in the face to bigots everywhere. Yum.

Obama's Big Pennsylvania Head Fake

By GottaLaff

If this is true, suh-weet!

A Political Wire reader suggests Sen. Barack Obama's campaign tricked Sen. John McCain into competing in Pennsylvania.

1. Obama's campaign learns McCain has just $37 million entering October.

2. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says he's "nervous" that McCain is gaining ground.

3. Obama's team "leaks" an internal poll proving Rendell's anxiety.

4. McCain pulls back in other states to "flood" Pennsylvania with resources.

If he really psyched them out, then he's even more brilliant than I thought.

Happy almost anniversary, Barack and Michelle!

By GottaLaff

From anger and hostility to sweet, sweet love:

Barack Obama would like one simple thing for his 16th wedding anniversary _ a quiet date with his wife.

[...]He's putting his campaign on hold Friday night to fly back to Chicago and take his wife, Michelle, out to an Italian restaurant.

"I've got this whole romantic dinner planned," Obama told a rally in Grand Rapids. "I think it should go pretty well. That's my hope any ways. I've got a gift all picked out."

I'm kvelling.

Obama told reporters aboard his campaign plane that he never forgets their anniversary, after it slipped his wife's mind their first year. Asked for his thoughts on how to maintain a marriage for 16 years, he suggested a sense of humor, listening and "never get so mad that you forget why you love them."

Oy. I'm all verklempt. (Only Yiddish words suffice at times like this.)

"You know what you guys could give us for our anniversary?" he said, turning to the television reporters. "Not have a camera pool outside of the restaurant, so that everybody knows that we're there."

My gift to the Obamas: A tremendously successful debate for Joe Biden tonight, and a win on November 4th. Anyone want to chip in?