Video- FOX News Interviews VA's Tammy Duckworth About "Death Book For Veterans"

They just can't help themselves.

Laffy UPDATE: Media Matters responds.

VIDEO: Conservatives Blocking More Key Obama Nominees

By GottaLaff

The Party of No strikes again. Have they realized yet, who got elected, by how much, and how popular he is? And when will they stop putting self-interest ahead of their country?

Conservatives in Congress and in the media are attempting to block or delay a growing number of critical nominees for what amount to ideological witch hunts and self-interested horse-trading. [...]

In the last week alone, at least four separate nominees who thought they were on track to be approved will have to wait at least a few more weeks:

Department of Defense: Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced today that “they are blocking President Barack Obama’s nomination of Ashton Carter as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.” The senators want assurances that Carter will not “change the criteria” on which the Pentagon considers a refueling tanker contract that could benefit defense contractors in their state.

Department of Veterans Affairs: Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) asked the Senate Veterans Affairs committee to delay voting on the “nomination of Tammy Duckworth [Laffy Note: See video], an injured Iraq war helicopter pilot, to be an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs.” Contacted by ThinkProgress, Burr’s Press Secretary, David Ward said that Burr is waiting for the answers to several questions he’s put to the White House and Duckworth, but would not disclose what those questions were.

White House Office of Legal Council: Dawn Johnsen’s nomination [Laffy Note: See this post] as head of the OLC has been delayed in part because Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has ideological differences with her. As the Legal Times explained, “citing Johnsen’s criticisms of Bush national security policies, [Cornyn] accused her of lacking ‘the seriousness and necessary resolve’ to fight terrorism,” while “other Republicans have targeted her work as legal director for NARAL Pro-Choice America from 1988 to 1993.”

Department of State: Right wing commentators are working to block the appointment of Harold Koh to the State Deptment’s top legal adviser, smearing him as a “threat to democracy” for his being an international law expert. As the Century Foundation notes, “The fervent opponents of Harold Koh turn out to be enthusiastic defenders of John Yoo.”

Additionally, Chris Hill’s nomination as ambassador to Iraq is still being held up by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) at the behest of the right wing.

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See how patriotic they are? No wonder they're falling apart.

Tammy Duckworth Headed to U.S. Veterans Affairs

By GottaLaff

Nodding my head in approval:

President Barack Obama will nominate Iraq vet and fellow Illinois-resident Tammy Duckworth to serve in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as assistant secretary of public and intergovernmental affairs, heading internal and external communications for the department. She now leads the Illinois V.A.

She will serve under V.A. Secretary Erik Shinseki.

Obama to name secretary of veterans affairs Sunday

Gotta posted about the press conference Obama is doing on Sunday, but here's an added tidbit-

(CNN) – A source in the Obama transition reveals President-elect Barack Obama will announce his choice for Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sunday at a news conference scheduled on Pearl Harbor Day and intended to highlight the service of veterans and current service members.

Someone needs to find out where Tammy Duckworth and Max Cleland are going to be on Sunday.

Poll-itics: Obama Senate replacement edition

By GottaLaff

Tammy's second?

A new Zogby poll in Illinois finds Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) is the favorite among possible replacements to fill the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

"The survey shows that, given a choice of 10 possible candidates, 21% think Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) should appoint Jackson to the seat when Obama leaves it vacant to ascend to the presidency, far more than the rest of the field. Tammy Duckworth (D), a former congressional candidate from a suburban Chicago district, is the only other potential candidate to win double-digit support -- 14% said she should be appointed."

Well, it is Zogby, after all.

Obama's Veterans' Day: The Photo

By GottaLaff

Two real Americans, as opposed to this one...

(Photo of President-elect Obama and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth at wreath laying ceremony at the Bronze Soldiers Memorial by Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP)

Tammy Duckworth Iraq Vet addressing 2008 Dems Convention

Another speech that should have been in prime time.