Leader of the Free World Gone Fishing

Isn't it amazing, the resemblance betweeen father and son? They both have that famous Commander Guy "Duh" look.

As tensions mount over the prospect of a return to the Cold War, Bush prepares for a visit with President Vladimir Putin by going fishing. But we can always depend on our Bubble Boy to prepare for the important things.

Nor is a little terrorism across the pond a reason to call a halt to our pResident's fun and games.

But isn't it a good thing that Daddy Bush will be on hand for the visit by President Vladimir Putin? Else, Dubya might call President Putin, "Pooty-Poot" to his face.

It takes a special kind of arrogance to assign nicknames to colleagues and world leaders. Like a lot of conservatives, Dubya is nothing if not supremely arrogant. Let's just hope the clueless wonder of a Commander Guy refrains from patting President Putin on his head.

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - After a 90-minute morning bike ride, Bush hopped aboard his father's speedboat, Fidelity III, and sped out into the chilly waters on his second fishing excursion in two days. His dad, former President George H.W. Bush, was at the wheel.

MOSCOW. - An upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush is unlikely to produce significant results, said Vyacheslav Nikonov, the president of the Polity Foundation think tank.

"The U.S. is currently a revolutionary power, which is changing the world, leading two wars, transforming regimes, and spending 25 times as much as Russia on its military purposes. Russia used to be revolutionary and is interested in a status quo now. We are not fighting with anybody and not changing regimes in other countries, and therefore it is quite difficult to reach an understanding given such different approaches," he said.

KENNEBUNKPORT, Me. — President Bush, seeking to change the tone of an increasingly caustic, fraught relationship with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, will urge him on Sunday to support a major escalation of economic pressure on Iran, senior administration officials said.

Washington - . . . Among other things that have irked Moscow are Washington's failure to revoke a piece of Cold War legislation that limits trade with Russia, the Jackson-Vanik amendment, and Washington's withdrawal in 2002 from a Cold War treaty intended to restrain an arms race, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Putin Bush Fishing Photo Politics Daddy Bush Cold War Pooty-Poot Maine Russia News

Cheney's Response to Subpoenas

via

Cheney Subpoenas Politics Bush Impeach Cheney Rogue Nation News

The Black Vote

When Is Enough Enough?
by Bob Herbert

Chances are you didn’t hear it, but on Thursday night Senator Hillary Clinton said, “If H.I.V./AIDS were the leading cause of death of white women between the ages of 25 and 34, there would be an outraged outcry in this country.”

Her comment came on the same day that a malevolent majority on the U.S. Supreme Court threw a brick through the window of voluntary school integration efforts.

There comes a time when people are supposed to get angry. The rights and interests of black people in the U.S. have been under assault for the longest time, and in the absence of an effective counterforce, that assault has only grown more brutal.

Have you looked at the public schools lately? Have you looked at the prisons? Have you looked at the legions of unemployed blacks roaming the neighborhoods of big cities across the country? These jobless African-Americans, so many of them men, are so marginal in the view of the wider society, so insignificant, so invisible, they aren’t even counted in the government’s official jobless statistics.

And now this new majority on the Supreme Court seems committed to a legal trajectory that would hurl blacks back to the bad old days of the Jim Crow era.

Where’s the outcry?


Read more . .

Bob Herbert Affirmative Action Politics Bush Supreme Court 2008 Segregation News Brown v. Board Race Civil Rights

Fred Thompson's Tease May Violate Law

Sam Youngman at The Hill reports that Fred Thompson may be violating the law with his prolonged presidential candidate tease. The former Tennessee senator and million dollar lobbyist is 'raising eyebrows' by fundraising like a candidate while playing cute and coy about coming out as a candidate.

Are they playing the Law and Order theme song at Thompson's fundraisers?

Of course, the prolonged tease means that the low-energy actor doesn't have to overly exert himself by sharing the debate stage with all those other strict daddy candidates.

Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) may be violating Federal Election Commission (FEC) laws by failing to report funds raised in the second quarter, which ends tomorrow — giving his probable presidential campaign a one-month fundraising advantage over his rivals in the third quarter. . .

Those testing the waters are forbidden from referring to themselves as candidates, advertising or trying to get on a ballot. Perhaps more importantly, the laws forbid such a person from “rais[ing] more money than what is reasonably needed to test the waters or amass funds (seed money) to be used after candidacy is established.”

Thompson attended at least one $2,300 fundraiser in Nashville this week, and as The Hill reported earlier this month, 100 of his supporters were asked to raise a total of about $4.7 million. The Hill reported last week that Thompson has hired a Midwest/Northeast finance director, a move that could be seen as indicating he has made up his mind.

Fred Thompson News FEC Laws 2008 Republicans Nashville Fundraiser Hollywood Politics Lobbyist Tennessee

Bush is Blue -- Abandoned by Senate Republicans

Senate Kills Bush's Immigration Bill

Did Bush look blue yesterday because the self-proclaimed Uniter couldn't get his own party to vote for his immigration bill?

"[M]embers of his party abandoned him in droves, with only 12 of the 49 Senate Republicans sticking by him on the key procedural vote that determined the bill’s fate."

Or did the Commander Guy look blue because rightwing shock jocks and bloggers alike are raging against the pResident?

Or did the Decider look blue because the latest Fox News Poll puts Bushie's job approval rating at 31 percent? And 31% is, um, the lowest ever recorded in a poll by the Republican Party mouthpiece.

And then there's that USA Today/Gallup Poll which finds that "Hispanics, by nearly 3 to 1, say they're Democrats or lean that way."

And what does Michelle Malkin say about Bush feeling blue?

"Boo-freakin’-hoo."

Politics Bush Immigration 2008 Fox News Poll News Republican Senators Democratic Hispanics

Bush Defies Congress on Subpoenas

Bush has nothing to hide, he's just refusing to comply with Congressional subpoenas because he's the Decider, and when the Decider does it, it just can't be illegal.

Mustang Bobby over at Bark Bark Woof Woof has a nice summary of what appears to be an imminent constitutional showdown:

For those of you who missed out on all the fun of Watergate, this is the same battle between the White House and Congress that served as the overture to the events that brought about the resignation of Richard Nixon in August 1974. The president insisted that he was above the law; Congress insisted that they were entitled to the information. The president claimed that it would erode the power of the presidency; the Congress and the voters decided that they could live with that. Nixon lost; we won.

So here we go again.

Politics Bush Nixon 2008 Constitutional Showdown News

Ann Coulter Loses It (Video)

People are being mean to Ann Coulter, says she, on Joe Scarborough's early morning show --

Ann's idea of "one of the greatest columns ever written" is the one where she mocks the grief of John Edwards and Howard Dean. -- via Greg Sargent

You had a column several years ago which ... suggested that my husband had a bumper sticker on the back of his car saying, "Ask me about my dead son." This is not legitimate political dialogue ... I haven't talked to John about this call. I'm making the call as a mother. I'm the mother of that boy who died. My children participate - these young people behind you are the age of my children. You're asking them to participate in a dialogue that is based on hatefulness and ugliness instead of on the issues, and I don't think that's serving them or this country very well. -- Elizabeth Edwards confronts Ann Coulter on Hardball -- Video

Ann Coulter Elizabeth Edwards Joe Scarborough The Dark Side News Politics John Edwards Chris Matthews Hardball Howard Dean Video MSNBC

Rightwing Attacks Sen. Lindsey Graham (Video)

Rightwing bloggers have been making some nifty attack ads aimed at "pro-illegal alien amnesty" rightwing politicos and the RNC itself. Here's Muchas Gracias, Senor Graham - or - What Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Can Look Forward to in 2008.

"Anti-Graham attack for the 2008 election"

Democrats can save their money while the Right eats its own!

More rightwing attack ads:
Senator Switchback, aka Sen. Sam Brownback
RNC Refund attack ad

Politics Lindsey Graham Immigration Bill Republican Sam Brownback News Rightwing Attack Ads South Carolina

The Murdoch Factor

The Journal
by Paul Krugman

In October 2003, the nonpartisan Program on International Policy Attitudes published a study titled “Misperceptions, the media and the Iraq war.” It found that 60 percent of Americans believed at least one of the following: clear evidence had been found of links between Iraq and Al Qaeda; W.M.D. had been found in Iraq; world public opinion favored the U.S. going to war with Iraq.

The prevalence of these misperceptions, however, depended crucially on where people got their news. Only 23 percent of those who got their information mainly from PBS or NPR believed any of these untrue things, but the number was 80 percent among those relying primarily on Fox News. In particular, two-thirds of Fox devotees believed that the U.S. had “found clear evidence in Iraq that Saddam Hussein was working closely with the Al Qaeda terrorist organization.”

So, does anyone think it’s O.K. if Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which owns Fox News, buys The Wall Street Journal?

Read more . .

Politics Paul Krugman Rupert Murdoch WSJ Republican Conservative News Fox News Wall Street Journal

WSJ Reporters Stage Walk-Out Over Fear of Rupert Murdoch

Reporters at the Wall Street Journal are freaking out at the thought of their newspaper being transformed into the Fox News Journal.

Apparently, there are some things that conservatives and liberals can agree on.

Like, for instance: the prospect of working for Rupert Murdoch is a bipartisan nightmare.

Think Progress reports:

Wall Street Journal reporters stage ‘walk-out.’

WSJ reporters “across the country chose not to show up to work this morning” to protest the potential sale of Dow Jones to Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. The paper’s “long tradition of independence…is threatened today,” a press release states.

Politics Rupert Murdoch WSJ Republican Conservative News Fox Wall Street Journal

Obstructionist Republican Senators for Your Viewing Pleasure

"The strategy of being obstructionist can work or fail and so far it's working for us." -- Republican Whip Trent Lott, 4-18-07

Conservative Senate Obstructionism:

via kos

Politics Bush Trent Lott Republican Senators News Obstructionist GOP 2008

Liberal Values on the Rise Among Young People (Poll)

Young people are growing more liberal, and more young people are liberal -- according to the latest Times/CBS News/MTV Poll. This is, in my view, yet another sign that we are drawing closer to the inevitable coming progressive era.

Young people are also paying far more attention to the presidential election than in 2004.

[T]hey appeared to be really familiar with only two of the candidates, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, both Democrats. . .

More than half of Americans between 17 and 29 years old — 54 percent — say they intend to vote for a Democrat for president in 2008. They share with the public at large a negative view of President Bush, who has a 28 percent approval rating with this group, and of the Republican Party. They hold a markedly more positive view of Democrats than they do of Republicans. . .

Forty-four percent said they believed that same-sex couples should be permitted to get married, compared with 28 percent of the public at large... In addition, 62 percent said in the current poll that they would support a universal, government-sponsored national health care insurance program; 47 percent of the general public holds that view. And 30 percent said that “Americans should always welcome new immigrants,” while 24 percent of the general public holds that view. . .

By a 52 to 36 margin, young Americans say that Democrats, rather than Republicans, come closer to sharing their moral values, while 58 percent said they had a favorable view of the Democratic Party, while 38 percent said they had a favorable view of Republicans. . .

The survey also found that 42 percent of young Americans think it is likely or very likely that the national will reinstate a military draft over the next few years — and two-thirds said they thought the Republican Party was more likely to do so. And 87 percent of respondents said they opposed a draft. . .

By any measure, the poll suggests that young Americans are anything but apathetic about the presidential election. Fifty-eight percent said they are paying attention to the campaign. By contrast, at this point in the 2004 presidential campaign, 35 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds said they were paying a lot or some attention to the campaign.

Read more . .

Liberal Values Democratic Party News Politics Barack Obama Hillary Clinton Coming Progressive Era Times/CBS News/MTV Poll 2008

MSNBC: Boosting Ratings with Hate - Send Your Letters to Dan Abrams

If you've been watching MSNBC today, you've heard that Ann Coulter was the "winner" of the Hardball exchange between Elizabeth Edwards and the Queen of the Dark Side. MSNBC judge and jury Pat Buchanan added that the painful exchange between Elizabeth Edwards and Ann Coulter was, in actuality, a political "stunt" pulled by Elizabeth Edwards! (See the Edwards/Coulter Hardball Video )

Making fun of people who cry or talk about their dead family members, calling people faggots, expressing your apparent wish that John Edwards might be killed in a terrorist attack -- in what kind of world does such behavior make a person "a winner"?

And why is Pat Buchanan the only person MSNBC can find to interview about the Edwards / Coulter exchange?

And why did MSNBC give Ann Coulter an entire hour to spew her vile hatred?

If MSNBC is really so desperate to get their ratings up, maybe they should assault our ears with an hour of Fred Phelps. How about it Dan Abrams?

If you've had it with morally bankrupt money grubbing media, see Southern Beale for a list of email addresses for MSNBC and their supporters. Make certain you include Dan Abrams who seems to be in charge of the MSNBC policy of getting the hate on to increase ratings. [dan.abrams@msnbc.com]

If you're short of time, you might borrow ideas from these letters by TGW readers here and here, as well as Southern Beale's letter.

Update: John Edwards will be on Hardball tonight.

Elizabeth Edwards Ann Coulter The Dark Side News Politics John Edwards Chris Matthews Hardball Video Language of Hate MSNBC Dan Abrams Email

Elizabeth Edwards Talks to Ann Coulter (Video)

Ann Coulter was spewing her famous hatred last night on Hardball, and then she got a surprise -- Elizabeth Edwards Called in to Hardball to Talk to Ann Coulter --

This is very painful to watch, but why am I not surprised that it is Elizabeth Edwards who is challenging the Queen of the Dark Side?

Ann Coulter talks about John Edwards on Good Morning America -- Coulter expresses the hope that Edwards is killed in a terrorist attack!

Elizabeth Edwards Ann Coulter The Dark Side News Politics John Edwards Chris Matthews Hardball Howard Dean Video Language of Hate MSNBC

W. Learns From Students

W. and Students
By MAUREEN DOWD

A group of high school Presidential Scholars visiting the White House on Monday surprised President Bush by slipping him a handwritten letter pleading with him not to let America become known for torture and urging him to stick to the Geneva Conventions with terror detainees.

The president reassured the teenagers that the United States does not torture. Then the vice president unleashed a pack of large dogs on the kids, running them off the White House lawn, before he shut down the Presidential Scholars program and abolished high schools.

Since it’s rare that Mr. Bush ever sees groups that have not been prescreened to be nice to him, he made the mistake of opening the letter in front of the students and was surprised to learn that he has made many Americans ashamed by subverting values that the country has always held dear, like abiding by the Constitution and respecting human dignity.

Read more . . . (or here)

Graphic via WaPo: Scholars Urge Bush to Ban Use of Torture

MAUREEN DOWD Politics Bush Cheney 2008 Dick Lugar News George Voinovich Iraq Torture

Rep. Stacey Campfield Wins Award!

The Awards for Tennessee's 105th General Assembly are in, and Stacey X is a winner!

Our infamous Rep. Stacey Campfield (of 'death certificates for abortions' and 'the Black Caucus is more racist than the KKK' fame) has received the NOT-coveted Simon & Garfunkel Award from M. Lee Smith's Tennessee Journal (subscription only):

"Simon & Garfunkel Award: This goes to Rep. Stacey Campfield, who became accustomed to the sound of silence while waiting on motions, seconds, & general support for his bills. He introduced 50 this year. None passed. Many of them were blocked by Judiciary's Civil Practice Subcommittee."

Way to go Stace! Passing bills is so mundane compared to proposing lunatic legislation and provoking absurd fights with blacks and women and then acting all surprised when the international publicity rains down on this very embarrassed state. Exactly how much do we pay you to tell the world that Tennessee is a stupid state? How much do we pay you to Not pass bills?

Other awards received and almost received by Stacey X:

Tom Humphrey's Least Likely to Succeed Award
Fucktard of the Week Award
Golden Campy Award
Keith Olbermann's Worst Person Award
Top Ten Conservative Idiot Award

And last but never ever least, the prestigious:

Black Bar of Redaction with Crossed Sharpies and an Incontinence Device for Pusillanimity in the Face of Embarrassment Award

Graphic via The Freedonian

Politics Stacey Campfield Stacey X Awards Tennessee Legislator Republican Simon & Garfunkel Award Knoxville News Tennessee Journal

Bush Was Against Amnesty Before He was For It

Lou Dobbs is going to love this one. While denying that the immigration bill grants amnesty, your inarticulate Commander Guy admitted that the immigration bill grants, um, amnesty:

"You know, I've heard all the rhetoric -- you've heard it, too -- about how this is amnesty. Amnesty means that you've got to pay a price for having been here illegally, and this bill does that," Bush said, according to the official White House transcript.

Tony Snow says the pResident "misspoke" -- we doubt that Rush Limbaugh and his angry mob of enraged listeners will concur.

Bush Amnesty News Politics Immigration Bushism

Hollywood Fred Fundraising in Nashville

Fred Thompson is flying into Nashville on a private jet today. The Hollywood actor is doing some fundraising here in Nashville, just in case he ever gets energized enough to declare himself a candidate and stand on the stage with the ten other white Republican guys.

The million dollar lobbyist is only asking for $2,300 per person at his first Nashville fundraiser.

Mike Allen, over at Politico, reports that Democrats are attacking poor flip-flopper Fred Thompson. Mike Allen -- famous for gushing over Drudge and calling Democrats "dogs" -- thinks the DNC is picking on the million dollar lobbyist and Washington insider.

But not to worry, Fred has been endorsed by his ex-girlfriends, and over at the The New Republic we learn that Fred Thompson has a talent for playing at being a strict daddy, and that's good because "conservatives understand" that the ability to act "is a valuable asset to have in a nominee."

No word yet on whether Fred's phony red truck will be parked outside his new campaign headquarters at the Fall Business School on 8th Avenue, just blocks from downtown Nashville. If you see it, send me an email.

Fred Thompson News Nashville Campaign Headquarters 2008 Republicans Fundraiser Politics Lobbyist Tennessee

CNN Dumps Moore for Paris

If you were looking forward to seeing Michael Moore on Larry King Live Wednesday night, well, you'll have to settle for Paris Hilton.

CNN dumped Michael Moore in order to bring you "the first post-jail interview with Paris Hilton."

Cause what's a little health care crisis compared to the gripping story of how 23 days in jail for wreckless driving brought Paris to Jesus?

Thank you, sicko CNN!

Michael’s interview with Larry King has been moved to Friday.

Moore's line-up for the week:

'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' Tuesday Night!
'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart' Wednesday
'Larry King Live' This Friday

Michael Moore Sicko News Politics Paris Hilton CNN Larry King

Radio Ads Urge Al Gore to Run

A radio ad urging Al Gore to run is now playing in Iowa and set to go national in July. The ad is from the Draft Gore Committee at DraftGore.com and is dubbed "You Who."

Read the story in the Des Moines Register: Iowa radio ads urge Gore to run.

Listen to the radio ad.

Sign up at Al Gore's Journal to host a Live Earth Party!

And here's a song by Paul Kaplan: Run Al Run!

Send your letters urging Al Gore to run -- because "our future is at stake" -- to: The Office of the Honorable Al Gore, 2100 West End Avenue, Suite 620, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.

"Al Gore: Right on Iraq, right on global warming, right for the 21st Century."

Al Gore Politics Iowa Radio Ads 2008 President Gore News Tennessee Run Al Run Live Earth Party

Elizabeth Edwards Leads on Gay Marriage and More

By now, I'm sure you've heard that Elizabeth Edwards has become the first major candidate or spouse to attend the San Francisco Gay Pride festivities.

To "thunderous applause," Elizabeth Edwards then became the first major candidate or spouse to openly support gay marriage!

"I don't know why somebody else's marriage has anything to do with me," she said. "I'm completely comfortable with gay marriage."

Like every other major Democratic candidate, John Edwards does not openly support gay marriage. Instead, Edwards and the other Dems openly support the second-class citizenship alternative of civil unions.

I believe Elizabeth Edwards has also earned the distinction of becoming the first wife of a major candidate to actually express a controversial opinion that differs from that of her husband.

What kind of role model is this woman?

Elizabeth Edwards Politics John Edwards Democrats 2008 Gay Marriage News Feminist News Gay Pride San Francisco Gay Politics

Michael Bloomberg in Gay Pride Parade Photos

New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn, left, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, wave as they march down Fifth Avenue in New York's Gay Pride Parade, Sunday June 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg marches in the annual Gay Pride parade in New York June 24, 2007. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES)

Photos via Yahoo Gay Pride Parades



Michael Bloomberg News Gay Pride Parade New York Politics Photos

Fred Thompson is 'a Soft, Safe Place to Be' (heh)

Fred Thompson's ex girlfriend doesn't know an insult when she delivers one. I'll let you decide whether Lori Morgan's mouth droppings are more of an insult to Fred or to Republican women.

Warning: This has a puke factor rivaling the 'wisdom' of Phyllis Schlafly.

Lori Morgan (see photo) thinks women will vote for Fred Thompson (aka, the "Tennessee Stud") -- Not because he's the best candidate, but because:

“I think he has a great chance of capturing the women’s vote. He’s majestic. He’s a soft, safe place to be and that could be Fred’s ticket. Women love a soft place to lay and a strong pair of hands to hold us.”

via Patrick Ruffini

Fred Thompson News Lori Morgan Photo 2008 Republicans Fred Thompson's Girlfriend Politics GOP Women Tennessee Stud

Richardson in Tennessee, But Dems Like Gore More

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson spoke to Tennessee Democrats yesterday at the annual Jackson Day fundraiser. The Democratic presidential contender expressed his desire for support from Tennessee Dems, while acknowledging that he does not possess the star power or the millions held by first tier candidates.

Bill Richardson got his biggest applause from Tennessee Democrats when he praised Al Gore.

"'Let's not overdo it,' Richardson joked. 'I don't want him in this race!'"

Run Al, Run!!

Send your letters urging Al Gore to run because "our future is at stake" to: The Office of the Honorable Al Gore, 2100 West End Avenue, Suite 620, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.

Al Gore Politics Gore Obama Bill Richardson 2008 President Gore News Tennessee Democrats Jackson Day Nashville

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) May Lose in 2008

The Nashville Post reports that Tennessee Democrats appear to be deadly serious about taking Lamar Alexander's senate seat in 2008.

Michael Ray McWherter, 51, son of former Tennessee Gov. Ned McWherter, is considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Lamar Alexander, according to NashvillePost.com sources.

. . . Most political observers had anticipated Tennessee Democrats to put up a sacrifical lamb against Alexander. Should McWherter enter the race, it will be apparent that they are not taking the election lying down.

Lamar Alexander is one of 22 Republicans who face the prospect of fighting to hold on to their undeserved senate seats in 2008.

Lamar Alexander News Michael Ray McWherter 2008 US Senate Tennessee Democrats Politics

A Vice President Without Borders, Bordering on Lunacy

Invisible Cheney
by Maureen Dowd

It’s hard to imagine how Dick Cheney could get more dastardly, unless J. K. Rowling has him knock off Harry Potter next month.

Harry’s cloak of invisibility would be no match for Vice’s culture of invisibility.

I’ve always thought Cheney was way out there — the most Voldemort-like official I’ve run across. But even in my harshest musings about the vice president, I never imagined that he would declare himself not only above the law, not only above the president, but actually his own dark planet — a separate entity from the White House.

I guess a man who can wait 14 hours before he lets it dribble out that he shot his friend in the face has no limit on what he thinks he can keep secret. Still, it’s quite a leap to go from hiding in a secure, undisclosed location in the capital to hiding in a secure, undisclosed location in the Constitution.

Read more. . .

Maureen Dowd Dick Cheney Power Grab Politics Tyranny US Government Vice President Bush News Darth Cheney

‘Surge’ Propaganda or Severe Pentagon Blackout

They’ll Break the Bad News on 9/11
by Frank Rich

Last week Iraq rose to No. 2 in Foreign Policy magazine’s Failed State Index, barely nosing out Sudan. It might have made No. 1 if the Iraqi health ministry had not stopped providing a count of civilian casualties. Or if the Pentagon were not withholding statistics on the increase of attacks on the Green Zone. Apparently the White House is working overtime to ensure that the September “snapshot” of Iraq will be an underexposed blur. David Carr of The Times discovered that the severe Pentagon blackout on images of casualties now extends to memorials for the fallen in Iraq, even when a unit invites press coverage.

Read more. .

Frank Rich Bush Iraq Politics News Darth Cheney

Democrats Get Snarky with Lord Cheney

The Office of the Vice President is no part of the executive branch, says Lord Cheney.

The Office of the Vice President shall receive no executive branch funding, says Rahm Emanuel and his band of snarky Dems!


Atrios:

Washington, D.C. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel
issued the following statement regarding his amendment to cut funding
for the Office of the Vice President from the bill that funds the
executive branch. The legislation -- the Financial Services and General
Government Appropriations bill -- will be considered on the floor of
the House of Representatives next week.

"The Vice President has a choice to make. If he believes his legal
case, his office has no business being funded as part of the executive
branch. However, if he demands executive branch funding he cannot
ignore executive branch rules. At the very least, the Vice President
should be consistent. This amendment will ensure that the Vice
President's funding is consistent with his legal arguments. I have
worked closely with my colleagues on this amendment and will continue
to pursue this measure in the coming days."

There's more at Think Progress about Cheney's mythical 4th Branch of Government and Your Lying Thieving White House.

Lord Cheney Blues graphic via Seeds of Doubt

Rahm Emanuel Dick Cheney Power Grab Politics 4 Branches US Government Executive Branch Funding Bush News Democratic Congress

About that NY Times Hit Piece on John Edwards

About that front-page New York Times hit piece on John Edwards, which alleges that Edwards might have, could have done something wrong -- like talking about poverty while running for president, Greg Palast over at TPM Cafe reports that the Times refused to talk to any of the folks who have actually benefited from Edwards' antipoverty programs:

The Edwards campaign is pushing back hard against today's today's enormous front-page New York Times piece alleging that there was something untoward about the fact that the antipoverty programs set up by John Edwards provided a "bridge" to his Presidential campaign. The story has already come under fire here, here, and here.

But we've just learned something new and surprising about the story. The Edwards campaign has just told us on the record that The Times refused the chance to talk to any real, live beneficiaries of Edwards' programs.

We've asked the reporter and a Times spokesperson for comment. If we hear back, we'll let you know.

Towleroad for Modern Gay Men: John Edwards gets the Annie Leibovitz treatment, flaunting his dashing self (and a haircut of undetermined cost) on the July/Aug cover of Men's Vogue.

John Edwards Politics Media Democrats 2008 AntiPoverty News Men's Vogue Cover

Mr. Mayor, the Nader of ’08?

Nader of 2008
By BOB HERBERT

A huge ego and a few billion dollars can cause an awful lot of mischief.

Michael Bloomberg is weighing a possible run for the White House. This is frightening for a couple of reasons. First, consider the prospect of a half-billion-dollars worth of 30-second Bloomberg-for-president ads running all day and all night on television screens in every part of the country.

Americans of every persuasion will have images of the mayor of New York all but burned into their retinas.

For Democrats, the other reason is much more frightening. If Mr. Bloomberg actually decides to run, he risks becoming the Ralph Nader of 2008, drawing votes away from the Democratic nominee and helping to install yet another Republican in the White House.

Read more. .

Bob Herbert Politics Bush Gore 2000 Bloomberg Ralph Nader 2008 News

The Problem with Hillaryland as Seen by David Gergen

The caption of this remarkable photo found on the front page of yesterday's Washington Post reads:

A Stroll Through 'Hillaryland' -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has brought together a powerful group of women from her White House days to drive her campaign for the presidency.

But the Clinton campaign made a mistake when it released this photo, said political pundit, David Gergen last night on CNN's Anderson Cooper show.

Gergen's problem?

The photo has too many women in it!

OMIGOD, they're all women!

Gergen grudgingly acknowledged that 'the photo' has 'historic value' -- but damn it, what will the men think?

Maybe David Gergen should stop for a moment and think about the outrageous fact that women have been putting up with male campaigns, male candidates, male presidents, male mayors, male governors, male judges, male justices, male popes, male CEOs, and, yes, male pundits for lo these many millennia.

Maybe David Gergen should stop and think about the fact that women comprise the majority of the population and the majority of voters. Maybe David Gergen should stick it up his obtuse male ass.

Gatekeepers of Hillaryland: They are acutely aware their work is making history. Once seen as a tight little sorority, today the group -- happily self-described as "Hillaryland"-- is at the center of a front-running presidential campaign. Never have so many women operated at such a high level in one campaign, working with a discipline and a loyalty and a legendary secrecy rarely seen at this level of American politics.

Hillary Clinton 2008 News Gender Politics Feminism Hillaryland Photo David Gergen Patriarchy Scared White Men

Kroger to Ban Nashville Mayoral Candidates?

Rob Robinson over at Thinktrain reports that Kroger may decide to ban Nashville's three leading candidates for mayor.

David Briley, Karl Dean and Howard Gentry are all featured in "large full-color ads" in the current issue of Tennessee's gay newspaper, Out and About.

Out and About is the gay newspaper that has been banned in Nashville Kroger stores.

via Katherine Coble at NIT

Gay News Out and About Kroger Nashville Tennessee Homophobia GLBT Politics Banned Gay Newspaper

Dick Cheney -- Your New Founding Father

Dick Cheney's Power Grab

I guess you heard that snarling Dick Cheney has made a few more modifications to the Founding Fathers' little project.

Sure, Congress is required to provide for the oversight and accountability of the executive branch of our government, but there is nothing in the Constitution about providing oversight of the Dick Cheney branch!



This handy little chart illustrates snarling Dick Cheney's New Modified U.S. Government, and it comes to us from Rahm Emanuel, who has some choice words for your wannabe new Founding Father:

"Today, we discovered that everything we learned in U.S. government class was wrong. Evidently, the Vice President does not consider himself a part of the executive branch, and therefore believes he can obstruct meaningful oversight and avoid being held accountable. If the Vice President truly believes he is not a part of the executive branch, he should return the salary the American taxpayers have been paying him since January 2001, and move out of the home for which they are footing the bill."

Dick Cheney Power Grab Politics 4 Branches US Government Executive Branch Exemption Rahm Emanuel Bush News

Michael Moore: Eliminate For-Profit Health Insurance Companies (Video)

Michael Moore argues that it is time "to eliminate private, profit-making health-insurance companies." In other words, how come Dennis Kucinich is the only Democratic presidential candidate calling for a first class, aka SINGLE PAYER, universal health care system?

Health-care Industry Braces For Michael Moore's 'Sicko'

SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones) -- Fans of Michael Moore's movies aren't the only ones eagerly awaiting the release of "Sicko." The U.S. health-care industry has the film's late-June premiere circled on its calendar as well.

For-profit providers of health care are the controversial and award-winning filmmaker's latest target.

"I don't think Michael Moore set out to make a balanced movie," said Karen Ignagni, president America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group. "He set out to make a movie about government-run systems and imposing them on the United States as the solution to the health-care crisis."

"We will have a lot to say about the movie when it comes out," she said.

. . . Nonpartisan or not, though, Moore is hoping the film will have a significant impact. "I'm hoping that the candidates will come forth with plans that provide true universal health coverage, free of charge, to every American, and plans that eliminate the private health-insurance industry," he said.

He also hopes, he said, that the film sparks a movement "to eliminate private, profit-making health-insurance companies.

"There's absolutely no room for them in this country," he said.

Michael Moore Conquers Capitol Hill with “Sicko”

“The need for universal health care has never been more urgent,” Conyers said, citing the 47 million Americans without health insurance and 50 million more who are underinsured. “According to the Institute of Medicine, 18,000 Americans die each year as a direct consequence of being uninsured. These facts are unacceptable in the richest country in the world.”

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