Orly Taitz booted from Tax Day Tea Party

By GottaLaff

The Tea Tantrumers have finally had a moment of rationality. Well, that's going a little far. But when they demonstrate enough presence of mind to give Mental Taitz the heave-ho, I feel obligated to credit them... just this once:

Orly Taitz, an Orange County attorney who has gone to court many times to try to disqualify Obama, was invited to speak Thursday at a Tax Day Tea Party rally in Pleasanton, Calif. [...]

Late Tuesday, organizers said that they had rescinded Taitz's invitation after questions were raised about her presence by candidates who had been contacted by The Times.

Cheese 'n crackers, even Evil Sheepherder-slash-Bizarro AdMaster Fiorina shared the Clarity Moment!

Who spiked these people's coffee with good judgment pills?

Bridget Melson, founder and president of the Pleasanton Tea Party, said the organization had been "getting calls from candidates like crazy."

Chuck DeVore and Carly Fiorina said they hadn't realized Mental Taitz was scheduled to speak. That's funny, she was listed as a featured guest on the Pleasanton Tea Party website... yesterday. All they had to do was pop over and take a peek.

I wish I'd taken a screen shot, because her name has since been scrubbed. And it's a good thing. She'd clearly be the last one to be picked for the Pleasanton Tea Tantrumer Sports Team:

"I can say emphatically that the Chuck DeVore campaign and Chuck DeVore himself strongly disapproves of Orly Taitz and the crazy theories she continues to advance," said Josh Trevino, a DeVore spokesman.

Fiorina went so far as to vouch for the legitimacy of the Obama presidency. What next, an endorsement of commie fascist socialist Marxism?

John Dennis, who is running for the Republican nomination to oppose House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco:

"The presence of a discredited publicity seeker on the same platform with patriotic Americans distorts the focus of our movement, distracts from our common message and gives ammunition to those who continue to question our legitimacy."

Mmmno, we'd still question your legitimacy, but thanks for confirming Orly's status.

I'm starting to hear strains of "If You Knew Orly Like We Know Orly... Oy, Oy, Oy What a Gal" in my head.

There's more about Dire Taitz here.

Arizona-based border Minuteman group calls it quits

By GottaLaff

Their 15 Minutemen are up:

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is no longer.

The Arizona-based border watch group that burst onto the national scene in 2005 sent an email to its members this week announcing the corporation has dissolved.

They won't be missed.

On March 16, [the group’s president, Carmen] Mercer sent out an e-mail urging members to come to the border “locked, loaded and ready” and urged people to bring “long arms.” She proposed changing the group’s rules to allow members to track illegal immigrants and drug smugglers instead of just reporting the activity to the Border Patrol. [...]

But Mercer decided the Minutemen couldn’t take on the responsibility and liability:

People are ready to come lock and loaded and that’s not what we are all about,” Mercer said. “It only takes one bad apple to destroy everything we’ve done for the last eight years.”

I guess this compensates somewhat for the dissolution of ACORN.

No. No it doesn't. But it is good news.

H/t: Tiggrr1

Harold E. Ford Jr. Decides Not to Run for New York Senate Seat

By GottaLaff

Good news via an e-mail alert:

Under intense pressure from Democratic Party officials, Harold E. Ford Jr., the former Tennessee congressman, has decided not to challenge Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand in the primary this fall, according to two people told of his plans.

He has told friends that, while he is convinced he could
prevail against Ms. Gillibrand, he feared the winner of the
primary would have little money and remain highly vulnerable
to a well-financed Republican challenger at a time when the
Democratic party controls the Senate by a slim majority.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com?emc=na

Don't let the door hit ya.

As Oliver Willis tweeted:

Shorter harold ford: maybe running as a rich, out of touch banker is not the best thing to do in 2010

Or ever.

Crist Ready to Leave Republican Party?

By GottaLaff

Independents are all the rage this year. Just ask Michael Smerconish:

The Hill makes the case that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R), trailing badly in a tough Republican primary, is more and more likely to run for Senate as an independent.

Crist has recently stood up for President Obama on Fox and Friends and is beginning to defend the stimulus once again. He has also "parted ways with some key campaign staff" over the past few weeks.

Wave bye bye to the Party of No, Charlie.

Jan Schakowsky, Bernie Sanders push to phase out wartime contractors

By GottaLaff

Long overdue:

Democratic Representative Jan Schakowsky and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders said they planned to introduce the "Stop Outsourcing Security Act" on Tuesday.

"The legislation would restore the responsibility of the American military to train troops and police, guard convoys, repair weapons, administer military prisons, and perform military intelligence," their offices said.

"The bill also would require that all diplomatic security be undertaken by US government personnel," they said.

While they're at it, how about including mandatory prison terms for all those Blackwater thugs?

The party's over: Michael Smerconish quits Republican party

By GottaLaff

I'm watching Smerconish, newly "independent", on MSNBC now. Here's the story of his defection in his own words:

The national GOP is a party of exclusion and litmus tests, dominated on social issues by the religious right, with zero discernible outreach by the national party to anyone who doesn't fit neatly within its parameters. Instead, the GOP has extended itself to its fringe while throwing under the bus long-standing members like New York Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, a McCain-Palin supporter in 2008 who told me she voted with her Republican leadership 90 percent of the time before running for Congress last fall. [...]

Where political parties once existed to create coalitions and win elections, now they seek to advance strict ideological agendas. [...]

Collegiality is nonexistent today, and any outreach across an aisle is castigated as weakness by the talking heads who constantly stir a pot of discontent. So vicious is the political climate that within two years, Sen. John McCain has gone from GOP standard-bearer to its endangered-species list. All of which leaves homeless those of us with views that don't stack up neatly in any ideological box the way we're told they should. [...]

I think President Obama is earnest, smart, and much more centrist than his tea party caricature suggests. He has never been given a fair chance to succeed by those who openly crow about their desire to see him fail (while somehow congratulating one another on their relative patriotism).

Well said.

And he nailed it on Obama's being more centrist. I've been saying that since 2007, but the "liberal" label has stuck, because the media/punditiots insist on doing their misleading thing.

119 and counting: Glenn Beck loses 3 more sponsors

By GottaLaff

My pal StopBeck has some more good news he wants to share with us:

Today, we are announcing three additional sponsors that have pulled their advertisements from Glenn Beck’s show: Weight Watchers, George Foreman Cooking and Sylvan Learning.

These additional sponsor losses bring the total number of sponsors to drop Beck to 119.

Many thanks to all those participating in this effort! Your tweets and emails are truly having an effect. Keep at it!

Statements from these three advertisers follow:

George Foreman Cooking advertisements began appearing on Glenn Beck’s show on February 11. After being notified about the presence of these advertisements and Glenn Beck’s incendiary rhetoric, George Foreman Cooking advised that they were pulling their ads. Their statement:

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. George Foreman Cooking adheres to a set of media buying guidelines for syndicated programming and for local stations that promote inclusion and help our company reach a broad range of diverse customers. Placement of ads in connection with any program that is contrary to this purpose is in violation of this policy. We have so reminded our advertising agency and have been assured of strict adherence to our policy.

Sylvan Learning advertisements began airing on February 16. On February 17, they advised that they were pulling their advertisements. Their statement was short and sweet:

“Sylvan Learning does not support Glenn Beck’s political views. Sylvan will exclude future Fox News Channel commercials from The Glenn Beck Program.”

Weight Watchers advertisements aired several days on Glenn Beck’s show in the U.K. (prior to the past 9 days of sponsor-less shows). After reaching out to Weight Watchers, they advised that the advertisements were run in error and would no longer appear. Their statement:

Thank you for contacting us. We apologize if we offended you in any way. The ad that ran in the “Glen Beck” program was unintentional as it is not a part of our media buy. Thanks again for sharing your perspective.

Sincerely,

Vicki Taylor
Corporate Affairs Representative
Weight Watchers International, Inc.

StopBeck has more here.

Why, I do believe I'm tearing up over this news... without even using any Vick's!

Florida Republican Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart calls it quits

By GottaLaff

18-13:

Florida Republican Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart will call it quits today, retiring after nine terms representing a heavily Cuban-American district in the Miami area, according to a source briefed on the decision.

Diaz-Balart, whose younger brother, Mario, also holds a congressional seat in Florida, is the 18th Republican to retire this cycle and the second in two days. [...]

The seat -- thanks to the Republican lean of most Cuban Americans -- favors the GOP. [...]

[ Miami-Dade County Democratic Chairman Joe] Garcia is reportedly interested in running again and would give Democrats a genuine pickup opportunity in the 25th if he did decide to make the contest. One complicating factor for Garcia is that he is currently working in an appointed post in the Obama Administration. [...]

There are now 31 total retirements in the House -- 18 on the Republican side and 13 for Democrats.

Yep, those Dems are dropping like flies... at least according to the Newsotainment Dee Jays.

"Reid is done; he's going to lose."

By GottaLaff

From the Dep't. of C'mon, Tell Us How You Really Feel:

"Reid is done; he's going to lose."

-- Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), quoted by Politico, on the re-election prospects of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

Conservative: Go away, JD Hayworth

By GottaLaff

(via)

Yesterday on Hardball, J.D. Hayworth defended Birthers.

Now a conservative writer points out that J.D. also defends Henry Ford who defended Nazis:

In his 2006 book, “Whatever It Takes: Illegal Immigration, Border Security, and the War on Terror,”, Hayworth wrote;

the ever-so-successful process that used to be called ‘Americanization’ was a major movement in the early 1900s … Henry Ford, a leader in this movement,

These men of many nations must be taught American ways, the English language, and the right way to live.’ Talk like that today and our liberal elites will brand you a cultural imperialist, or worse. But if you ask me, Ford had a better idea. [...]

What the former Congressman failed to mention was that ‘Ford’s idea’ was based on xenophobic and anti-Jewish beliefs. [...]

Hayworth also failed to mention that Ford was one of the German Nazi parties earliest foreign supporters. In Hitler, Ford saw an individual who was willing to adopt many of the same Americanization policies towards “Jewish bankers”, non-whites and immigrants in Germany and the axis occupied countries. [...]

I am not suggesting JD Hayworth is promoting Nazism in Arizona and America, (as I am sure the liberal media will have plenty to say about this if Hayworth were to win the nomination), but for the former Congressman not have not found a better example than Ford’s Americanization doctrine, when suggesting solutions for America’s cultural and security issues, should be troubling for all republicans.

Go away, JD Hayworth.

Ditto.

And thank you, Kristofer Lorelli.

H/t: Tiggrr1

Arkansas Rep. Marion Berry to retire

By GottaLaff

You know what's coming:

Arkansas Rep. Marion Berry is expected to announce his retirement tomorrow morning, according to three sources briefed on the decision.

Berry will become the sixth Democrat in a competitive seat to leave in the last two months but the first to announce his retirement since the party's special election loss in Massachusetts last Tuesday.

Here it comes:

"The message coming out of the Massachusetts special election is clear: No Democrat is safe," said National Republican Congressional Committee communications director Ken Spain.

There it went.

Where's Mitt? Fading....

By GottaLaff

Where's Willard, er, Mitt?

Former Massachusetts governor and likely 2012 presidential contender Mitt Romney (R) has not appeared publicly with the Republican candidate Scott Brown since late October, "when almost no one thought Brown had a chance of winning."

"Romney's absence from the campaign trail, several pollsters and political operatives said, is no comment on Brown. Rather, it's a reflection of Romney's diminished political standing in Massachusetts, where he held the governor's mansion for one term before leaving to seek the White House."

Democratic U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder of Arkansas to retire

By GottaLaff

Another Blue Dog says so long, but the GOP will still not get control of the House. (UPDATE: Via an e-mail from Politico, "Snyder was one of the most vulnerable House Democrats up for re-election, with a public poll released today showing him trailing Republican challenger Tim Griffin by 17 points.")

Rep. Vic Snyder made the announcement today in the following statement:

“2010 will be a robust election year during which great forces collide to set the direction for our country for another two years. Over the last several weeks Betsy and I have had discussions with family and friends including other members of Congress (Rep. David Price, Rep. Susan Davis, and our own Sen. Mark Pryor) regarding the appropriate balance between family and Congressional service when a family has very young children. I have concluded that these election-year forces are no match for the persuasive and powerful attraction of our three one-year old boys under the leadership of their three-year old brother, and I have decided not to run for re-election. It is the greatest professional honor of my life to represent Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I am so grateful to the people of Arkansas to have had this wonderful opportunity. That honor will now pass to someone else at the conclusion of this term.”

“This decision has not been an easy one. Two weeks ago my campaign manager came on board, but that first morning I advised him to do nothing to begin the campaign because of my doubts regarding running. The onset of the new year, the time I always begin organizing my campaigns, did nothing to remove these doubts.”

“I have put very little thought into what the work side of my life will look like at the end of this term, although it is clear from observing how much our four little boys eat that I will be working for a long, long time.”

Rep. John Shadegg (R-Arizona) to retire

By GottaLaff

Yeah, there's a flood-- a flood I tells ya!-- of Democrats jumping ship:

Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), who briefly announced his retirement last cycle but then opted to seek another term, will not run for reelection in 2010, a GOP source confirms.

Shadegg becomes the third Republican to announce his retirement in recent weeks. He joins Reps. Henry Brown (S.C.) and George Radanovich (Calif.).

I'm sure his family will love spending more time with him.

Now the Rushpublics will have to find someone else who's willing to use a baby as a prop to score political points:

His statement, in part, here.

Schwarzenegger Will Not Be Back

By GottaLaff

I live in California, and I will be thrilled to say hasta la vista, baby to Ahnold:

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) "won't say what his plans are when his term expires next year, but it won't be running for another office," the AP reports.

Said Schwarzenegger: ''I have never labeled myself as a politician, so I am not going to run for anything else."

Buh-bye now.

Undoing BushCo: Strike against politicization of government by Obama administration

By GottaLaff

For now at least, say buh-bye to "burrowing":

In what may be another small dose of that precious change we can believe in, the Obama administration is taking steps to crack down on one of the Bushies' favored tactics for politicizing government: burrowing.

In the waning days of the Bush administration, we told you about some political appointees who had landed career jobs, with civil-service protections, at their departments -- allowing them to continue to exert influence under the new government, and making them difficult to remove. [...]

[S]tarting January 1, his office will have to sign off every time a political appointee who was appointed during the last 5 years is hired for a career position. Right now, OPM approval is only required during a presidential election year.

Paul Light, an expert on the federal bureaucracy at the Brookings Institution:

... [B]ecause the Obama administration, when it leaves office, will inevitably want to burrow its own appointees into career jobs, "they will rue the day they did this."

For now, though, count this as a strike against the politicization of government that the Bushies raised to an art form.

Chipping away at the toxic BushCo stains. That is change we can believe in.

H/t: muttlikemeblog

Sarah the Quitter quits Reagan Library engagement

By GottaLaff

Wowzers! Sarah the Quitter is one big sinkhole of self-destruction:

As repeatedly stated to several in the media over the last week, former Governor Sarah Palin is not committed to attend the Simi Valley Republican Women’s event at the Reagan Library and in fact is not attending the event. Neither the Governor’s state staff nor SarahPAC has ever committed to attending this event or speaking at this event, and even requested that the Governor's name be removed from the invitation several weeks ago. The Governor has other work and commitments to take care of at that time. She looks forward to visiting her friends in California soon.

All event requests must be confirmed with Meghan Stapleton of SarahPAC. Additionally, all invitations bearing the Governor’s name must be approved by her attorney before proceeding.

Thank you.
Meghan Stapleton

Does this poor excuse for a public figure know how to commit to anything? Apparently Clear Channel doesn't think so. They were smart enough to realize 3 measly hours was too much for her.

Note to Readers: The Sequel

By GottaLaff

Just a very animated reminder that Paddy's flying solo for the next 5 days... unless my new mini-laptop gets a signal up in the Lake Tahoe area mountains ... and I'm inclined to interrupt a beautiful, badly-needed break to write posts.

Here is your assignment, should you choose to accept it. First, wave bye-bye to me, like this:

Well done!

Next, treat Paddy kindly. She needs TLC when I'm not around to whisper sweet nothings in her cell-phoned ear.

And please remember that there will be much lighter posting while I'm away.

And finally, know I'll miss you all, even more than I did last weekend. There will be some posts I've pre-scheduled to go up, so you'll see my name here even though I'm AWOL.

Everyone have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend! Eat and drink yourselves silly! I'm counting on hearing about the many hangovers you'll undoubtedly experience in my absence.

See you Monday!

Love, Laffy

Virginia GOP chief asked to leave

By GottaLaff

And now it's time for another episode of "Rushpublics Eating Their Own". In our last episode, everyone in the party realized they had no future. Today we join a circular firing squad already in progress:

Leaders of the Republican Party of Virginia are asking Chairman Jeff Frederick to resign or face ouster at the party's State Central Committee meeting next month.

"I think it's something that has to be remedied, and remedies have to take place," said Michael Wade, chairman of the 3rd Congressional District Republican Committee.

Mr. Frederick said Thursday afternoon that he is not going down without a fight and has the votes to stay in his position. At a meeting of the group's governing body April 4, a three-fourths majority vote could remove him.

"I will not retreat from the commitment I made to the core of our party who clearly and unmistakably expressed their will at last May's convention," he said. "I have every intention of continuing as chairman and completing my term in May 2012."

And now it's time for a commercial break. Tired of that run-down feeling? Wish you had your old pizazz back? Take Obamatol! Yes, folks, just one dose of Obamatol and you'll feel good as new! Get some today!

Now back to our program:

The 33-year-old, who announced last month that he would not run for a fourth term as a Prince William County representative in the House, pledged to rebuild and mobilize a state party struggling to stem Democratic gains.

Under his leadership, however, Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state since 1964; former Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, won the seat of a retiring Republican; and Democrats reversed the Republican majority among the state's congressional delegation in November elections.

Mr. Frederick was criticized during the presidential campaign for saying Mr. Obama and Osama bin Laden "both have friends that bombed the Pentagon."

Will Mr. Frederick survive? Will he be ousted? Will all the Democrats in Virginia stop what they're doing at a predesignated time and point and laugh? Will I stop asking meaningless questions? Stay tuned.

Former Attorney General Bob McDonnell, the party's lone candidate in a crucial governor's race this year:

"It is clear to me, after hearing from Republican leaders across the state, that as we move forward with our campaign, as well as the other statewide and House of Delegates races, it would be helpful for the Republican Party of Virginia to have more effective leadership in this pivotal year," he said.

Leadership issues? The Rushpublics have leadership issues? Who knew? Since when? Oh yeah. But that's not important now. What is important is this:

More than 75 percent of the GOP committee's roughly 76 voting members have signed correspondence calling on Mr. Frederick to be removed from the chairmanship, a source said.

Egad! Yoiks! Zounds! What a cliffhanger!

Now here's a preview of next week's all-new episode:

VIDEO: Jon Stewart to Boss Limbaugh: "Get the F*** Out of" NYC

By GottaLaff

Lerve!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Rush Limbaugh Leaves New York
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

H/t: TPM