Obama Jobs Speech Conflicts With GOP Debate

Is Obama trying to pick a fight? This sure doesn't sound like the Appeaser-In-Chief we've come to know so well. The President's greatly anticipated jobs speech is set for the same date and exact same time as the forthcoming GOP debate.

It's basically going to be a State of the Union speech presented before a Joint Session of Congress! Which event will the GOP Congress critters attend? Too funny.

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Justice Ginsburg: If I Were Nominated Today, My Feminist Work For The ACLU Would Probably Disqualify Me

In a testimony to the current regressive anti-woman political climate, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg observes that her historic work on behalf of women's rights would no doubt disqualify her from serving on the High Court if she were nominated today. But, of course, President Obama would never nominate a famed feminist such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

As director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, Ginsburg was literally the single most important women’s rights attorney in American history. She authored the brief in Reed v. Reed that convinced a unanimous Supreme Court to hold for the very first time that the Constitution’s guarantee of Equal Protection applies to women. And her brief in Craig v. Boren convinced the Court to hand down its very first decision holding that gender discrimination laws are subject to heightened constitutional scrutiny. It is possible that modern doctrines preventing gender discrimination would simply not exist if Ruth Bader Ginsburg hadn’t done the work she did for the ACLU.

Tribute: The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and WRP Staff

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Hurricane Irene: No Evacuation for Prisoners on Rikers Island

While New York waits for Hurricane Irene, some 350,000 New Yorkers in low lying areas have been ordered to evacuate, but no such relief has been provided to the prisoners on Rikers Island. Reportedly, said prisoners include juveniles, the mentally challenged and individuals waiting for their day in court:

Rikers already has a pretty rotten reputation, but letting prisoners wallow in half-flooded cinderblock cell buildings would be taking it to a whole new level.

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Hillary Rodham Clinton: Politics Is Harder for Women

Quote of the Day

“I’m not going to mislead anybody. Politics is really hard. And it is harder for women. There’s a double standard, and you can’t complain about it. You just have to accept it, and be smart enough to navigate it. And you have to have a pretty tough skin.”

-- Hillary Rodham Clinton,
Glamour, September 2011

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Happy Women's Equality Day

Bonus Quote of the Day

August 26 is Women's Equality Day. Most Americans don't even know what it is. . .

Recently renamed the Women's Equality Amendment by its chief sponsor, Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), the ERA is the essence of brevity: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." That's the whole thing. A simple concept that had the blessing of both political parties until the Republicans struck it from their platform in 1980.

It's high time the ERA was put back in the center of public debate, and the long 2012 election season that's already underway is the perfect opportunity. . . Equality Day? Not yet. Ask your candidate why.

-- Martha Burk

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Labor Distances from Democrats

According to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Democrats should expect some painful payback from Labor for failing to keep a long list of promises involving core Democratic values:

The growing rift between labor and their Democratic allies was on full display Thursday, as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters that labor groups are planning to scale back their involvement with the Democratic Party in advance of the 2012 elections.

Going forward, Trumka said, the labor movement will build up its own political structures and organizations rather than contribute to and depend on the Democratic Party’s political operation. Trumka articulated a broader critique of the Obama administration, telling reporters that the president has allowed Republicans to set the terms of debate — focusing on what he called a manufactured debt crisis instead of a jobs agenda.

“I think he made a strategic mistake when he confused job crisis with deficit crisis,” Trumka said. “He started playing on the Republican ground.”

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World's Most Powerful Women

Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton top Forbes' list of the World's Most Powerful Women of 2011.

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Geena Davis on Female Presidents, Sexism, Etc. (Video)

via Melissa Silverstein

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Hillary & Bill Clinton Holding Hands on Madison Avenue

Hillary and Bill Clinton caught holding hands as they walk down Madison Avenue . [8/20/11]

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Daily Show: The Two-Party System Sucks (Video)

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

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Fairness Doctrine Killed on Allegedly Democratic President's Watch

How many right-wing dreams can one allegedly Democratic president fulfill? Another day, another Ronnie Reagan dream fulfilled on the watch of President Obama. The Fairness Doctrine was officially axed in:

response to a White House executive order directing a "government-wide review of regulations already on the books" designed to eliminate unnecessary regulations.

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Karl Rove: Sarah Palin Will Run

The more presidential candidates in the whackjob party, the better. I admit it - I'd like to see Sarah Palin kick Rick Perry butt. And she sure would liven up the dreary almost-entirely old boring white male conservative debates. With 2 women on the stage more people will tune in and discover just how insane the GOP is:

Maybe Palin's Iowa video is an ad after all. Karl Rove says he believes the former Alaska governor will enter the Republican presidential race some time around Labor Day. On Fox News this morning, the former George W. Bush advisor said Palin "has a schedule next week that looks like that of a candidate, not a celebrity." Palin will be the keynote speaker at the Tea Party of America's “Restoring America” rally in Iowa Sept. 3. Rove said the engagement “is her last chance.” "She either gets in or gets out [after the Iowa visit],” he said. “I think she gets in."


Palin Iowa video: “Thank you Iowa! See you again September 3rd.”

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Christine O'Donnell's Bizarre Pierce Anthony Interview (Video)

She may not be a witch, but Christine O'Donnell is still nuts. Despite her strange and unfounded accusations of sexual harassment, it's clear in the video clip below that she really really does not want to talk about gay marriage.


Christine O'Donnell: Piers Morgan was sexually harassing me

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Poll: Obama's Base Demoralized

Thanks to Obama's most recent spectacular sell-out of core Democratic values during that international joke of a debt ceiling drama, Democratic enthusiasm about voting has fallen to "a record low:"

The debt deal really does appear to have demoralized the base, and the weird thing about it is that this is one issue where if Obama had done what folks on the left wanted him to do, he also would have had the support of independents. The deal has proven to be a complete flop in swing states where we've polled it like Colorado, North Carolina, and Ohio. And in every single one of those states a majority of voters overall, as well as a majority of independents, think new taxes are going to be needed to solve the deficit problem.

Confidence in Obama, and in the Economy, Declines

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Have You Had Sex With Rick Perry? Ewww!

A full-page ad ran in an Austin alt-weekly, asking the question: "Have you had sex with Rick Perry?" Truly a revolting thought.

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Democratic Rep. Defazi Rips Obama

Quote of the Day

“Fight? I don’t think it’s a word in his vocabulary. I mean, come on — he pledged as a candidate to make the Bush tax cuts for people making over $250,000. He repeatedly said that as president. Then the Republicans telegraphed to him they were going to use a fake crisis over the debt limit in order to muscle some major spending reductions or other things on to him. And what happens? Suddenly he flip flops and concedes everything to the Republicans.”

-Congressman Peter DeFazio, (D-Oregon)

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Obama Camp Attacks Paul Krugman & 'Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere'

Attacking Paul Krugman and liberal bloggers ('Firebagger' = Firedoglake+ Teabagger?) is one way to further alienate your liberal base and strengthen your chances of becoming a one-term president:

Jane Hamsher: OFA Director Attacks “Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere,” says “Paul Krugman is a Political Rookie” - "[I]f this is a brilliant political strategy on the part of OFA, someone is going to have to explain it to me. I know the goal is to attract the much-prized Independent for 2012. But who do they think is keeping Obama's poll numbers afloat? ... What exactly does OFA think they stand to gain by ridiculing Krugman as a 'political rookie,' a hysterical 'fanatic' and an 'idealogue'? Do they think they hold so much sway with liberals that they can discredit Krugman and thus neutralize his criticism? This smacks more of narcissism and personal vendetta than any sound political 'strategy.'"

Amanda Terkel: Obama Campaign Staffer Sends Out Email Bashing Paul Krugman And The 'Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere'

Greg Sargent: Does Obama camp see upside in pissing off the left?

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26% Approve of Obama on the Economy

You have to wonder what the 26% are smoking:

Gallup: New Low of 26% Approve of Obama on the Economy

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Scary Liberal News: Sex Ed Returns to New York City Schools - After Nearly 2 Decades

Ever wonder why other countries call us stupid?

For the first time in nearly two decades, students in New York City's public middle and high schools will be required to take sex-education classes beginning this school year, reported The New York Times Aug. 9. The curriculum will include lessons on how to use a condom and the appropriate age for sexual activity. The new mandate is part of a broader strategy the Bloomberg administration announced last week to improve the lives of black and Latino teenagers.

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Another Mind-Numbing Unending Presidential Campaign Begins

Oh to be in one of the grown-up countries where elections last 6 weeks instead of the USA's usual 15 to 24 plus months. Glenn Greenwald points out some of the disadvantages of our utter stupidity:

From now until next November, chatter, gossip and worthless speculation about the candidates' prospects will drown out most other political matters. Obviously, at least in theory, presidential campaigns are newsworthy. But consider the impact from the fact that they dominate media coverage for so long, drowning out most everything else.

A presidential term is 48 months; that the political media is transfixed by campaign coverage for 18 months every cycle means that a President can wield power with substantially reduced media attention for more than 1/3 of his term. Thus, he can wage a blatantly illegal war in Libya for months on end, work to keep U.S. troops in Iraq past his repeatedly touted deadline, scheme to cut Social Security and Medicare as wealth inequality explodes and thereby please the oligarchical base funding his campaign, use black sites in Somalia to interrogate Terrorist suspects, all while his Party's Chairwoman works literally to destroy Internet privacy -- all with virtually no attention paid.

-- Glenn Greenwald

Photo of President Obama's campaign bus via

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Wisconsin Dems Survive Recall

Wisconsin Dems easily held on to their senate seats in yesterday's recall election. The Wisconsin state senate is in GOP hands by one seat. The campaign to recall union busting Scott Walker continues.

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Ed Rendell: Hillary Clinton Can't Resist White House Run

Quote of the Day

"It's going to be Hillary Clinton in 2016."

-- Ed Rendell, former Pennsylvania Gov.
and Democratic National Committee Chairman

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Andrew Sullivan Blogs About Sarah Palin's Toes

Poor old crazed Sully is so obsessed with Sarah Palin that he blogs about her toes!

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Feminist HBO Documentary: 'Gloria: In Her Own Words' (Trailer)

HBO Documentary Films: Summer Series - Gloria... by HBO
Television review: 'Gloria: In Her Own Words' - The film clips alone are wonderful — including Harry Reasoner's patronizing denunciation of Ms. and Henry Kissinger's public flirtation with Steinem — and it does provide a brilliant if brief and narrow glimpse of the American women's movement. But this is Steinem's tale, not America's or even feminism's.

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Michele Bachmann Wins Iowa Straw Poll

Ooops. The Republican good old boys are in a whole lot of trouble:

“We did this together,” Mrs. Bachmann said, standing outside her campaign bus after she was declared the winner. “This is the very first step toward taking the White House in 2012.”

And:

AMES, Iowa — The line to get inside Michele Bachmann’s tent was nearly two hours long. By 1 p.m., her campaign had given out its 4,000th ticket. By 3 p.m., its 6,000th. On stage, the congresswoman was dancing in her heels. Confetti cannons were firing.

And as Bachmann led a golf-cart caravan to the voting stations, across the grounds of Iowa State University here, Tim Pawlenty’s half-empty tent was tinged with the aroma of barbecue and desperation.

NATE SILVER: Why the Ames Straw Poll Actually Matters

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Mitt Romney: "Corporations Are People" (Video)

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Obama Grants Interviews to Bill O’Reilly, But Not to Tavis Smiley

Tavis Smiley notes that President Obama grants interviews to Bill O’Reilly, but not to Tavis Smiley. Smiley also observes that Obama is the first president in his career who has failed to invite him to the White House:

“Once he got elected and my critique of him about holding him accountable to various things didn’t sit so well with him or the people around him, he has not at this point come on my TV or radio programs one time since he’s been in the White House. This is the first president in my professional career that hasn’t invited me to the White House.”

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Colbert’s Super PAC Launches First TV Ad (Video)

via Think Progress

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Wisconsin Democrats Intend to Recall Scott Walker

Wisconsin Democrats are proceeding with their plan to put union-busting Governor Scott Walker on the 2012 ballot and recall his ass.

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Wisconsin: Dems Win in 2 Recall Elections

Democrats won in 2 of the 6 recall elections in districts which are, with the exception of 1, heavily conservative - considerably more conservative than the state. Dems are now 1 seat short of controlling the state senate. They needed 3 wins to take control. Two Democratic state senators are up for recall next Tuesday.

Is this win encouraging enough to put Governor Walker up for a recall when he becomes eligible for one next year? I think so.

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Recall Election Day in Wisconsin

It's Recall Election day in Wisconsin - the day that Wisconsin will hopefully give Governor Walker notice about his soon-to-be-aborted career by taking the State Legislature away from extremist Republicans:

Madison - Tuesday brings a series of recall elections unprecedented in the history of the state or nation. Since 1908, there have been 20 recorded state legislative recall elections held in the United States, according to one recall expert. Wisconsin is in the process of holding nine such elections in the space of a month. With control of the Wisconsin Senate in the balance, six Republican state senators will face a recall vote Tuesday.

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