Blogs

March 13, 2006

17:09

Feingold calls for presidential censure

Senator Russ Feingold, a potential presidential candidate, introduced a resolution today calling for President Bush to be censured for his domestic wiretapping program. Feingold said that a censure would "send a clear signal" that Bush's actions were "wrong." He also told CNN that the surveillance program is illegal and that he will fight against the "intimidation campaign" that the Bush administration has launched to defend it.

Bush puts positive spin on Iraq war

Just ahead of the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, Bush has set out to counter suggestions that Iraq is plunging into civil war. Today, Bush delivered the first of three speeches timed to coincide with the war's anniversary. Picking through the recent reports of chaos in Iraq, Bush offered "a carefully constructed account of progress toward a unity government in which Shiite and Sunni Muslims are already working together to defeat militias and other insurgents promoting sectarian violence."

Former White House aide arrested

Claude Allen, former adviser to President Bush, was arrested in Maryland last week, charged with swindling two department stores out of more than $5,000 in a refund scam. Conviction on these charges can result in a 15-year prison sentence. Allen was accused of going to stores on more than 25 occasions and buying items, taking them to his car, and then returning to the store with his receipt, selecting the same items, and returning them for a refund.

—Meredith Adams

Categories: Blogs
16:57
Sam Rosenfeld discusses the McCain issue. One thing which has been left out of the conversation is the internet caucus. A little internet history is in order. Obviously the Free Republic is no longer the primary nexus of online Republicans, but it still has its place. Back before the 2000 election Freeperville's Leader, Jim Robinson, was a hardcore McCainiac. There was a big spat and all the Bushies, including Lucianne and Matt Drudge, fled to Lucianne Goldberg's new place. At the time Lucianne tried to pass it off as a moderates vs. the extremists spat, though Ldotters these days are more batshit crazy and extreme than Freepers, as hard as that is to believe.

Then, of course, Bush won the primaries and Robinson had to retool the place back into Bush worship central. Another round of purging and fleeing, yada yada.

The Freepi themselves hate McCain generally, though I'm not sure where Robinson is on the issue. In any case, as I said, freeperville is not the force it once was, with conservative blogs becoming more relevant and influential.

Still, one important point remains. As David J. reminded me in comments, Matt Drudge cannot stand McCain. That's a big hurdle of McCain to get over. One wonders if he's even aware.

Trivia: Michelle Malkin's onetime freeper handle was Little LuLu.
Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
16:53

Yeah, yeah, another stupid open thread.

Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
16:39
Hard to believe, but apparently true.

It seems that Christmas came early for Maury Elementary of Alexandria, Virginia last year. In the spring of 2005, only 5 of Maury’s 19 third-graders passed the state’s “Reading/Language Arts” test, a passing rate of 27 percent. (Statewide, 77 percent of third-graders passed. We’ll call this test “reading” from this point on.) But yes, Virginia—there is a Santa Claus! Thanks to bizarre statistical manipulations, the state ended up reporting that 17 of Maury’s 19 third-graders had passed—and Maury was soon at the top of the Washington Post’s front page, hailed as “a study in pride, progress” (full links below). How did five out of 19 become seventeen? How did an abysmal passing rate become a source of community “pride?” Simple—according to Alexandria testing director Monte Dawson, an undisclosed number of Maury fourth-graders also were given the third-grade test. When 12 fourth-graders passed the third-grade test, they were added to the third-grade total. We know, we know, it sounds impossible—but no, we’re really not making this up. Indeed, Dawson sent us a lengthy excerpt, apparently from a technical manual, which outlined the absurd procedure. What do you do when a school’s passing rate exceeds 100? The excerpt even explained that!

(tip from Stunt Woman)
Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
16:19
If I were McCain I'd be thrilled about this:

Is John McCain a lesbian? Maybe we'll learn the answer from Edward Klein, who insinuated as much about Hillary Clinton in his 2005 biography -- largely a clip-job of hit pieces, reviewers said -- and is apparently hard at work on a poison-pen book about the Arizona senator. According to Crain's New York Business, Klein claims he'll chronicle the Republican presidential front-runner's "sexual infidelity, chronic gambling and anger management." I can hardly wait.


Since Klein discredited himself so badly with his Clinton hack job that even conservatives who will believe literally anything about Clinton distanced themselves from him, this book will serve McCain well. If there's anything that's actually seedy and true in the book it'll be lost in the bullshit and McCain will be inoculated.
Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
15:37
National Latino group endorses Cegelis for Congress FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 13, 2006 LOMBARD (IL) — Latinos for America Political Action Committee (LFA-PAC,) representing one of the nation’s fastest growing and most ambitious grassroots advocacy organizations, has endorsed Democratic Congressional candidate Christine Cegelis and has pledged the resources of its political action committee and nationwide activist network to [...]
Categories: Blogs
15:35
Having first decided that Congress is irrelevant, Specter now concludes that the Supreme Court is too.

Nice endorsement there, Philadelphia Inquirer.
Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
15:33

Yeah, yeah, another stupid open thread.

Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
15:25
Apparently the market has spoken:

DCRTV has run rumors for the past few months that Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group will shutter its Hunt Valley-based News Central. Now, News Blues confirms that the national news operation, which feeds dozens of Sinclair-owned and operated TV stations, will close at the end of March. The employment status of news anchors like former Fox 5er Morris Jones (left), Jennifer Gladstone, and Alison Kosik, and weather forecasters Kristin Emery, Scott Padgett, Tony Pagnotti, Vytas Reid, Susan Schrack, Lisa Teachman, and James Wieland remains unclear. Sinclair launched its $50 million News Central in 2002. Says NB: "Designed to cut costs by eliminating or greatly reducing the size of existing news departments at Sinclair stations, News Central became the focus of much criticism because it shifted control of news content away from the individual stations and into the hands of Baltimore news managers." However, News Central newscasts produced low ratings and have been dropped by many Sinclair stations. NB adds that Sinclair is "scrambling" to maintain local news broadcasts on its major network-affiliated stations like Baltimore's Fox 45, WBFF, which produces a morning and a 10 PM newscast.....


Oh, and Limbaugh got canned in Baltimore too.
Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
15:15
Still searching for rock bottom.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released on Monday put President George W. Bush's approval rating at 36 percent, a new low for that poll but similar to his rating in other recent surveys.

The poll, taken Friday through Saturday, showed Bush's approval rating dropped from 38 percent in late February-early March, while his disapproval rating remained steady at 60 percent.

Source: Daily Kos Blog
Categories: Blogs
15:01
One of the potential benefits to the Feingold Censure Resolution, besides standing up for the Constitution, the rule of law, and our system of government  (like anyone in the DC establishment [sorry for the offense to DC citizens] actually cares about that), is an unintentional one -- it will expose the hypocrites and phonies in the DC establishment.

"The Rule of Law! The Rule of Law!" How many time have we heard politicians, DC pundits, and partisans pontificating on the "Rule of Law" and restoring "Honor and Dignity to the White House"? We know from too many of their actions that they are mendacious hypocrites and sanctimonious suck-ups. And the biggest one of all? Media hero John McCain. What do you think McCain will say about Feingold's resolution? It probably won't sound anything like this:

Mr. Chief Justice, I intend to vote to convict the President of the United States on both articles of impeachment. To say I do so with regret will sound trite to some, but I mean it sincerely. I deeply regret that this day has come to pass.

I bear no animosity for the President. I take no partisan satisfaction from this matter. I don't lightly dismiss the public's clear opposition to conviction. And I am genuinely concerned that the institution of the Presidency not be harmed, either by the President's conduct, or by Congress' reaction to his conduct.

Indeed, I take no satisfaction at all from this vote, with one exception--and an important exception it is--that by voting to convict I have been spared reproach by my conscience for shirking my duty.

The Senate faces an awful choice, to be sure. But, to my mind, it is a clear choice. I am persuaded that the President has violated his oath of office by committing perjury and by obstructing justice, and that by so doing he has forfeited his office.

You all remember, of course, what that was about. THE RULE OF LAW! THE RULE OF LAW!

McCain really is the biggest phony of them all. Oh, and when he starts the inevitable "time of war," "helping the enemy" nonsense, let's remind him about what was going on in Kosovo when he voted to remove Clinton:

  • 16 January 1999: 45 ethnic Albanian civilians are massacred at Racak in Kosovo, amid an upsurge in violence in the province.
  • 30 January 1999: The Contact Group demands that all parties agree on a political settlement for Kosovo by 20 February 1999. The NAC agrees that NATO's Secretary General may authorise air strikes against targets on FRY territory.
  • 1 February 1999: NATO's Secretary General reaffirms that, if no agreement is reached by the deadline set by the Contact Group, NATO is ready to take whatever measures are necessary to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.
  • 6 February 1999: Negotiations on the future of Kosovo are opened at Rambouillet, France, involving the warring parties and the Contact Group.
  • 12 February 1999: The United Kingdom sends an Armoured Battle Group to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to enable UK readiness to participate in a peacekeeping mission.
  • 12 February 1999 : Republican Senators, led by "Maverick" John McCain vote to remove the Commander in Chief  from office on the eve of war, thereby aiding and comforting the enemy. [/snark]
  • 20 February 1999: The Contact Group extends negotiations until 1400 GMT on 23 February 1999.
  • 23 February 1999: With partial agreement having been reached on a future political settlement for Kosovo, to be policed by a NATO peacekeeping force deployed in the province, negotiations are adjourned until 15 March.
  • 15 March 1999: Negotiations resume in Paris.
  • 19 March 1999: The Paris peace talks break down following Yugoslav refusal to accept the Rambouillet Accords.
  • 22 March 1999: The NAC authorises the Secretary General to decide, subject to further consultations, on a broader range of air operations if necessary.
  • 24 March 1999: Operation Allied Force begins at 1900 hours GMT

Update [2006-3-13 17:26:24 by mcjoan]:: Hahahaha!!! Lieberman doesn't scold Presidents!! Well, maybe just Democratic presidents. In a significant break with his president, Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman took to the Senate floor Thursday to condemn President Bill Clinton's marital infidelity as immoral, disgraceful and damaging to the country.

Lieberman of Connecticut said he was angered and disappointed in Clinton's behavior, and what he called Clinton's "premeditated" deception.

Lieberman said Clinton "apparently had extramarital relations with an employee half his age and did so in the workplace in the vicinity of the Oval Office. Such behavior is not just inappropriate. It is immoral."

Source: Daily Kos Blog
Categories: Blogs
14:33

Yeah, yeah, another stupid open thread.

Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
14:23
  • CT-SEN: Lamont makes it official, saying "I'm the guy who is going to stand up to the Bush administration."

  • Britain is reducing its Iraq force by 10 percent, about 800 troops, by May. Wishful thinking, denial, or getting out while the getting is relatively less bad?
    "This is a significant reduction which is based largely on the ability of the Iraqis themselves to participate and defend themselves against terrorism, but there is a long, long way to go," he said.

  • Violence in Iraq today has killed five more, including a U.S. soldier, and injured 31. This included vigilante slayings:
    Shiite vigilantes seized four men suspected of terrorist attacks, interrogated them, beat them, executed them and left their bodies hanging from lampposts in a Shiite slum today, according to witnesses and government officials.
    Meanwhile, Bush is launching a PR initiative on Iraq, marking the third anniversary this week of the invasion. He must not have read been briefed on the news out of Iraq over the last week.
    "The Iraqi people made their choice. They looked into the abyss and did not like what they saw," he said. "By their response over the last two weeks, Iraqis have shown the world they want a future of freedom and peace and they will oppose a violent minority."

  • Coincidentally, this is Sunshine Week, an open government iniative. Turns out that the American public "equates open government with effective democracy and is concerned about the rise in official secrecy at the national, state and local levels."

Source: Daily Kos Blog
Categories: Blogs
14:15

By David Swanson

When we watch a video of Bush being informed of the danger of Hurricane Katrina and recall that he claimed that there was no way he could have known of that danger, our faith in his good intentions may be shaken.

And when we learn that Bush has long since authorized wiretapping without court approval, what are we to make of his public statements (such as last June 9, or July 14, 2004, or April 20, 2004) when he reassured us that all wiretapping requires court approval?

Categories: Blogs
14:04
36% in new CNN/Gallup poll.



41% disapproval among conservatives.

16 point lead for Democrats on generic congressional ballot.
Source: Atrios Blog
Categories: Blogs
13:53
Amid charges that she took illegal money, the recount-wrecking Republican's Senate campaign looks to be crashing and burning.

Categories: Blogs
13:48

Senator Feingold is introducing a resolution in the Senate today to censure President Bush for wiretapping American citizens without a court warrant. You can hear Senator Feingold introduce the resolution live on CSPAN2 at 4:00 p.m. EST.

Click here to watch the speech

Use the comments to discuss Feingold's speech.

Categories: Blogs
12:54