VIDEO: Ken Blackwell no match for Jon Stewart

By GottaLaff

Blackwell Schmackwell... Nobody is a match for Jon Stewart:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Ken Blackwell Extended Interview Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Ken Blackwell Extended Interview Pt. 2
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Ken Blackwell Extended Interview Pt. 3
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Blackwell: "You gotta let me finish,"

Stewart: "Oh you're finished, all right."

Quickie: Woman Who Beat Sarah Palin Enters Politics

By GottaLaff






Today's Quickie:

The woman who beat Sarah Palin for the beauty queen title of Miss Alaska in 1984 is running for the Georgia state legislature, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.


Blackburn’s entrance is a happy development for Democrats. The 34th District has some rapidly shifting demographics.

Maryline Blackburn voted for Obama in 2008... and didn't quit in the middle of her Miss Alaska reign. That's two reasons to vote for her in 2010.

That was today's Quickie. Was it good for you?

VIDEO: Introducing the founder of "The Right Network"

By GottaLaff

(click on all images to enlarge)

Yesterday I posted about a brand spanking new network coming to you, courtesy of Comcast! (Yes, that would be the same Comcast that's trying to acquire NBC). This little endeavor is called The Wrong, er, Right Network!

I did a little digging with the help of Twitter pal JamieHarbor, and thought I'd introduce you to its founder, David "We need new program ideas" Jaget:

Here he is on Twitter:

Apparently, he's really into getting thousands of free Twitter followers... or he's oblivious to having been hacked.

Jaget mentions that he is proud to be Jewish in his Twitter bio, here at a rally in D.C. (at 1:59), and in the following video of his appearance in Lansing, Michigan. I'm not sure why he feels it necessary to emphasize that, but, well, he does:



And here he is in Wisconsin, once again, drumming up business for his new venture with Comcast, and using others to further his mission:



And finally, here's documentation of a rather modest donation to Rudy Giuliani:

It's comforting to know David, his BFF Kelsey Grammer, and Comcast are doing everything they can to "protect this country against Liberalism."

Time to switch your cable provider, if you haven't already.

UPDATE: Seems he may be a Las Vegas chiropractor who's trying to sell an $800,000 home. Or not. But if not, there are two David Jagets living in Vegas (his Facebook page references Las Vegas as his "current city"):

Dr. David Jaget and Laura Jaget have listed for sale a five-bedroom, 3.5-bath home at [xxxx xxxxxxxx Dr.] in Las Vegas for $799,900.

Dr. Jaget bought the property for $395,000 in Dec. 2000. The 3,315-square-foot house was built in 1995.

Frank Napoli of Prudential Americana Group Realtors is the listing agent for the property.

Dr. Jaget is a Las Vegas-based chiropractor and owner at Spinal Rehabilitation Center.

Mrs. Jaget is the co-owner of Spinal Rehabilitation Center.

Some digs:
Looks like they were going for the Voyeur club look.

UPDATE: Comcast denies any involvement.

VIDEOS: Fox News caught in a lie... again

By GottaLaff

When will the ClusterFoxers realize there are ways to reproduce and archive their lies?

After Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) told a town hall audience that they shouldn't believe everything they hear on Fox News, Bill O'Reilly had Coburn on his show to reprimand him for wrongly using Fox as a "whipping boy." [...]

Props to TPM's former video editor Ben Craw for putting together this reel over at Huffington Post:

Oops.

Of course, Keith Olbermann had a thing or two to add:

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Bobby Jindal: I won't run for president

By GottaLaff

From February 2009:

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Shorter Ba-Ba-Ba-Bobby Jindal: There is no way in hell I can win.

Why? There are any number of reasons, the least of which is how he's destroying access to mental health care in his own state.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told a hometown crowd Friday that he will not make a bid for the White House.

"I am not running for president of the United States,"Jindal said at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. "I've got the job I want."

And the job he wants is privatizing health care and destroying lives in the process.

Rachel's initial reaction to Ba-ba-Bobby back in 2009 still works today:

Obama will name a Supreme Court replacement with a "similar mind"

By GottaLaff

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President Obama's lawyers were ready for Judge Stevens' retirement, including a short list of possible replacements:

A decision on who will replace Stevens will be made "in the coming weeks."

Top candidates: Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Judge Diane Wood and Judge Merrick Garland.

"The crucial calculation that Obama will have to make is what kind of political capital he wants to spend on potentially contentious nomination hearings. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have signaled that a candidate with a paper trail on divisive social issues could create a firestorm."

But here's the most intriguing part:

Speaking at the White House, Obama praised Stevens for his "independent mind, record of excellence and integrity, [and] fierce dedication to the rule of law." He pledged to move "quickly" to name a replacement with "a similar mind."

Let's hope by "similar", he means not only intellect, civility, ability to draw support/interact with the other justices, but also so-called "liberal" leanings.

Jonathan Turley:

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VIDEO- CNN's Kyra Phillips: ‘Is homosexuality a problem in need of a cure?’

By GottaLaff

Remember this interview from The Rachel Maddow Show a few months ago?

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Let's compare and contrast Rachel to Kyra's.

Via Raw Story:

To be fair, the CNN anchor poses the question in the context of discussing a 1950s-era California law which requires health experts to seek a "cure" for gayness. But the segment elevates discredited author Richard Cohen as a serious defender of the law despite the fact he was kicked out of the American Counseling Organization and practices without a license of any kind.

Here's the video of one of CNN's Best Political News Team on Television:

Rachel probes while Kyra... well, she works for CNN. She gives someone credibility where there is none.

VIDEO- Ex-Steele Adviser: "Change in leadership" would be good for the RNC

By GottaLaff

Michael Aluminuminum is in a pickle of his own doing:

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On the one hand, there is Rachel Maddow who believes Michael Steele is not long for the RNC chair. On the other, there is Chris Hayes, who thinks he'll stick around.

Now Alex Castellanos thinks he should go. This from the man who helped shape Steele's public image. This is not a good sign:

Alex Castellanos, who was hired late last year by the RNC to help reform Chairman Michael Steele's image, said on CNN moments ago that he thinks "a change in leadership" would be good for the RNC.

I may go with Rachel on this one. The rats, they are leaving the ship.

John McCain says he's the Not Maverick vs. Hypocri-VIDEOS

By GottaLaff

Stumpy McWrongMesssage used the word "maverick" when she campaigned on behalf of her old palsy walsy John Sidney McCain in Mesa, Arizona. But now her bff is essentially calling her a liar, because he now says he's not mavericky at all!

Newsweek reports that Sen. John McCain has explicitly repudiated one of the most carefully crafted and maintained images in politics, product of many years' work by, above all, Mark Salter [...]

[H]e now denies he ever was one. "I never considered myself a maverick" ...

To quote J Sid, "Heah??"



And ooooopsie daisy! At 6:26 or so, Stumpy contradicts the very candidate she claims to support. I guess J Sid forgot to fill her in on his new talking points. Then again, since when has she not been clueless:



Maybe Stumpy was just being plucky. She's so roguey mavericky that way.

H/t: Lensman23

VIDEO- Tea Partiers in Searchlight, Nevada: Obama Flag with Bullet Hole in it

By GottaLaff

What's that LieFace McHellNo? Time to incite again? That is so 2008 ago....

Palin urged people to make clear their opposition on health care reform, though without violence. "We're not going to sit down and shut up."

Say what, again, Mappy McCrossHairs? Was it you or your ghost writer who came up with this:

"The crossfire is intense, so penetrate through enemy territory by bombing through the press, and use your strong weapons -- your Big Guns -- to drive to the hole. Shoot with accuracy; aim high and remember it takes blood, sweat and tears to win," Palin wrote. In the headline of her update, she mockingly predicted that the message would be "subject to new politically correct language police censorship." [...]

"When we talk about fighting for our country, let's clear the air right now about what it is that we're talking about. We're not inciting violence. Don't get sucked into the lame-stream media lies," she said.

Well, when you put it that way...

How could we have been so wrong?

I'm sure the bullet holes next to Obama's head are just there to provide an extra special artsy touch. It's creativity o'clock. Do you know where your firearms are?



H/t: EricGrant, Gr8RDH

Rachel Maddow strikes back at Scott Brown with full-page ad + TRMS VIDEOS

By GottaLaff

The Maddow Blog

Why anyone would want to mess with Rachel is beyond me:

The full-page ad explains that she's not running against Republican Sen. Scott Brown in 2012. Brown sent a fundraising letter suggesting that he'd be facing the "liberal MSNBC anchor" and needed donations to fend her off. "I'm sure she's a nice person -- I just don't think America can afford her liberal politics," he wrote.

Scott Brown hasn't acknowledged Rachel's denials (by admitting his statements were untrue), and he continues to perpetuate a lie. He may rile up his base a little, but by alienating and smearing a constituent, he can't be making new friends.

As for Brown, his spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said: “It was an open secret that the Democrats were trying to recruit Rachel Maddow to run against Scott Brown in 2012. Now that she’s said no, I’m sure they’ll scurry around looking for someone else. Maybe Keith Olbermann’s available.”

Yes, we were all begging Rachel to run. Where was I during all this? I never heard a word.

Here are Rachel's segments on this ridiculous matter:

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VIDEOS: President Obama signs health care into law, reaction

By GottaLaff

I don't know about you, but I teared up. This was an amazing moment in history:

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

VIDEOS: Rep. Anthony Weiner smacks down Peggy Noonan, GOP Rep. Garrett

By GottaLaff

Start watching at about 8:00:

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I lerves me some Weiner .... er, Anthony.

All Joe and Peggy could come back with is that he "raised his voice". That's it? They got nothin'.

Smackdown #2, this time of Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), courtesy of Good Day, New York:

VIDEO- Pete Sessions Agrees That ‘Deem And Pass’ Is Legitimate

By GottaLaff



Petey concedes:

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) is now the second Republican to reluctantly admit that “deem and pass” is a legitimate procedure that Republicans have used is the passed.

Hyp. O. Crites:

As Norm Orenstein reminds us, “in the last Congress that Republicans controlled, from 2005 to 2006, Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier used the self-executing rule more than 35 times, and was no stranger to the concept of “deem and pass.”

The Party of NOthing... because that's all they've got. All they can do is try to gum up the works (while contradicting themselves), because on substance:

The Loon Rangers ride again- Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann Photo Op: $10,000

By GottaLaff

The Loon Rangers ride again:



photoop -

Put your eyes back into your head, the price includes dinner. See? Worth every very red cent:

According to the invitation, attendees at the April 7 event in Minneapolis are asked to spend $500 per person for attendance at the General Reception and Dinner; $5,000 for a table of ten; and $10,000 per couple for a "Private Reception with Photo Opportunity. (Included in the latter is a table for ten as well).

A bargain at twice the price! After all, who wouldn't want to lose their appetite at a very special fancy schmancy Minnesota-Bachmann Victory Committee gala while feasting their eyes on Batty McCrazyEyes and Corrupta McWTF? Bonus photo included!

All for a measly ten grand!

Hey Tea Tantrumers and Palin/Bachmann fans, imagine all the people without health insurance dying... dying because they can't afford to buy their way to a higher life expectancy, wishing they too had scads of spare cash to blow on pricey photo ops.

Those would be the very same people who the Loon Rangers care nothing about, which Batty proved today at the "Code Red Kill the Bill Rally".



Kill. Nice choice of words.

That's right, attendees, as you pose with Batty and Corrupta, think of this person:

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

Enjoy your private reception! Eat up! Smile for the camera!

VIDEOS: Jon Stewart shoots holes through Karl Rove's "Meet the Press" lies

By GottaLaff

Meet the Press, this morning:

Addressing a Congressional panel, former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz claimed that Iraqi oil revenues would help pay for reconstruction of the country. Sunday, Karl Rove denied the Bush administration ever made that claim.

"[T]he suggestion that somehow or another the administration had as its policy, 'We're going to go in to Iraq and take their resources and pay for the war' is not accurate," Rove told NBC's Tom Brokaw.

"With all due respect", KKKarl:

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

Once again, it took The Daily Show's Jon Stewart to provide us with accurate reporting.

You know what they say, "there are no jokes." Touché, BushCo.

Thanks to my Twitter pal Steve Kimura, we have more evidence:

VIDEOS- Obama's health care summit: CNN v. Daily Show

By GottaLaff

CNN:



Now let's see the same summit through Jon Stewart's eyes:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Bipartisan Health Care Reform Summit 2010
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Vancouverage 2010

My favorite moment comes at about 5:40. I want that audio as a ringtone so-o-o badly.

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- CPAC: All the Breitbart lunacy you can stomach

By GottaLaff

Kerfuffles, shouting, sour-faced name calling, rants... Breitbart just can't seem to keep from losing it on a regular basis.

First, this from Dave Weigel (story here):



Next, this from Mike Madden at Salon:

Breitbart yells, defends ACORN investigation: The conservative media honcho says -- loudly -- it doesn't matter whether ACORN aided any real prostitutes.

And what's with the crazed fast-motion head shaking?

You have to admit, he gets all the attention he wants, and, as KagroX puts it, with gusto:



UPDATE: Here's one more, courtesy of my Twitter/Blunt pal, Tommy Christopher and Colby Hall, both of Mediate:



What an ego Breitbart has. If only he earned the right to have one.

Evening distraction: Don't blink!

By GottaLaff

My dear friend and former student, Alex Nester, made it into a promo for American Idol! Now don't blink or you'll miss her (at :15), but you sure won't miss her voice:



Here's a reminder of who she is, including a video I put together during the 2008 elections, using her vocals (singing with the Four Tops) under the visuals of the Obama family.

Judge for yourself.

(Alex and her husband Eddy-- another of my former students, wonderful friend-- right after getting word she was going to Hollywood)

Want more American Idol videos? Click here.

If the interview video doesn't show up, try clicking here.