Out On A Limb

And there are plenty of people willing to wield an axe.

Lieberman thinks ‘the tide has turned’ in Iraq

It seems a memo went out to war supporters everywhere, issuing a collective call for the “stay the course” crowd to declare victory. Joe Lieberman is the latest to jump on the bandwagon that’s traveling in the wrong direction. “I’m proud to say that the tide has turned in Iraq and we’re winning that war,” Lieberman said. [...]

Pay No Attention

It’s the the United Nations, after all. 

U.N.: Blackwater contractors are ‘mercenaries.’

“Private security companies operate without supervision or accountability in war zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and represent a new form of mercenary activity,” according to a new U.N. report. As Spencer Ackerman points out, Blackwater CEO Erik Prince recently said that he didn’t like his employees being called “mercenaries,” which he coined “a slanderous term, [...]

Now That The Dust Has Settled

It seems Hillary Clinton was hurt by her last debate appearance.

Poll Finds Debate Performance Hurt Clinton

A comparison of WNBC/Marist Poll interviews conducted before and after last week’s Democratic debate reveals Sen. Hillary Clinton’s support among Democratic primary voters was 52% before the debate and 43% after the debate. Combining the interviews, Clinton still holds [...]

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Bill’s busy inserting foot into mouth.

WTF? Clinton compares drivers license question flub to Swiftboat attacks

Um, this exhibits really, really poor judgment: Yesterday in Las Vegas, per the AP, Bill Clinton compared the dust-up over his wife’s answer on the drivers’ license question to … the 2004 Swiftboat campaign against John Kerry and the GOP ad in 2002 that linked Max Cleland to Osama bin Laden. Over the weekend, it was [...]

Your Government At Work

There’s just something inherently wrong with accepting what amounts to gifts from people you may have to anger in the future.

Free industry trips OK, says U.S. consumer chief

Nancy Nord, embattled head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, came up with an unusual defense today for accepting free trips from the industry she regulates. Her agency’s budget is so limited, she said, that she’d rather take free travel and spend the rest of enforcement or research [...]

Again?!?!

Didn’t they just do this?  How low can the requirements go?

Military may ease standards for recruits

Faced with higher recruiting goals, the Pentagon is quietly looking for ways to make it easier for people with minor criminal records to join the military, The Associated Press has learned. The review, in its early stages, comes as the number of Army recruits [...]

Measuring Emotions of Voters

Interesting technology at work here.  A new political poll from a company that claims to measure “the emotional connection between voters and hot issues”.  Okay.  It caught my attention enough to warrant its own post!

Republican Voters Becoming Less Accepting of War Effort; Many Issues Emotionally Shaping Candidate Positions

Republicans are ambivalent about U.S. involvement in the war in Iraq, and have no strong feelings either way about troop withdrawal. That is in opposition to the Republican leadership, which has been preaching patience, and no rush to [...]

The Clinton Stories

One year to go and the “authors” are lining up.  We’re in for a deluge of ugly allegations, I’m afraid.

And It Starts

WingNutDaily: In a new book alleging a campaign of slander and intimidation orchestrated chiefly by Hillary Clinton, Kathleen Willey points a finger of suspicion at the former first couple for the death of her husband, who was believed to have killed himself. Willey, who claims she was groped by President Clinton in the White House, acknowledged in [...]

Waterboarding – The Poll and KO

Here’s the deal, does it really make an difference WHAT the American people think?

Poll: Waterboarding is torture (CNN)

A majority of Americans consider waterboarding a form of torture, but some of those say it’s OK for the U.S. government to use the technique, according to a poll released Tuesday.  —  Asked whether they think waterboarding is a form of torture [… ]

And, sadly, it doesn’t make much difference what Keith Olbermann thinks about it, either. But, it is a good chance to reprise last night’s Special Comment..

Keith Olbermann comments on Pres. Bush and Michael Mukasey’s response to allegations of waterboarding in the Bush administration. Why was an  Acting Assistant Attorney General forced out – just because he had the guts to do what Pres. Bush couldn’t? [...]

Because this still happened today:

One Step Closer for Mukasey

And there we have it: Michael Mukasey was recommended to the full Senate this morning by the Judiciary Committee, on an 11 to 8 vote, with Senators Schumer and Feinstein (as expected) tipping the scales in the AG-to-be’s favor. MSNBC does an excellent job recapping and expanding on the basics, here and here, including the [...]

What’s next?  Much.

After Confirming Mukasey, Will Dems Pass Law Making Waterboarding And Other Torture Illegal?…

…Did you know that Congress was considering a law that would “explicitly ban” waterboarding and other extreme techniques? This has flown kind of under the radar, but it turns out that there are two such bills before Congress right now. One is a measure being sponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy; the other is being sponsored by Senator Joe Biden. Both unequivocally ban waterboarding and other [...]

NOLA Evictions

You thought Hurricane Katrina was an old story, didn’t you?  Nope.  Not with stuff like this showing up. It really does make one think they’re trying to create a new New Orleans, with only certain people allowed in.

What? No fake Presser?…FEMA quietly closing New Orleans trailer sites

The Times Picayune reports that FEMA is quietly evicting residents of nearly half the trailer parks in NOLA… Neither the city nor FEMA has publicly announced any park closures in New Orleans. But during the past [...]

Happy Voters (Or Not)

I guess, for the next year, we’re going to be seeing a poll-a-day! Or more. This one seems to reflect thoughts that I’ve been reading from a lot of different sources..

Poll Finds Democrats Happier With Choices

A recent Gallup poll found that enthusiasm for primary presidential candidates is up significantly for Democrats from the same time four years ago and slightly down for Republicans. 73% of Democrats are satisfied with the crop of potential candidates they have to choose from, compared to 52% this time last cycle. For Republicans the satisfaction has dropped from [...]

It’s a two-fer Tuesday!

Poll: Support For Iraq Withdrawal Hits Record High

Recent reports of fewer casualties in Iraq haven’t altered most Americans’ perceptions of the war: Fifty-nine percent still don’t think the United States is making significant progress restoring civil order there, and a record six in 10 want the level of U.S. forces reduced. Those results in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll seem to reflect a [...]

Going for a trio.  And this may be the biggest of them all today:

Bush beats Nixon’s disapproval ratings.

The Came Up With The Cash

Ron Paul’s supporters gave an outstanding show of support yesterday, coughing up a TON of cash in a short period of time.

The Significance of the Ron Paul Fundraising Haul

Ron Paul may have raised over $4 million yesterday, in a gambit that apparently set some kind of single-day GOP fundraising record. Its real significance is this: Paul is still terribly unlikely to [... ]

From RP’s poiint of view, it all comes down to one factor: Ron Paul Explains Fundraising Boom: Americans ‘Don’t Like The War’

Yesterday, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-TX), who has “a libertarian tilt and an out-of-Iraq pitch,” set a single day fundraising record for the Republican field by hauling “in more than $4.2 million in nearly 24 hours.” Asked by MSNBC’s Norah O’Donnell this morning about what he “attribute[d]” the “success” of the effort to, Paul [...]

Bloggers are not universally excited in response: Am I the only person…

…who cannot abide the unqualified statement that Ron Paul is such an awesome advocate for civil rights and personal freedom, or even that his is a coherent, consistent, and/or principled ideology, when he is virulently anti-choice? There is absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing, even remotely consistent about  [...]

Our Dollars Are No Good

The good old American greenback is slipping in popularity and reliability.  And value. 

Today’s Housing Bubble Post – Model Refuses Dollars

This is actually a very big story. The world’s richest model (earned $30 million in 6 months this year) is now refusing to take her pay in dollars. She is insisting on Euros. This is huge because it will penetrate past the financial pages and cause people to start understanding what is going on – possibly starting a stampede from the dollar [...]

Or, perhaps not: The Lede: Supermodel’s Dollar Diss Disputed

Watching TV

What does MSNBC have up its sleeve? A full-fledged slant to the left, apparently! But, Rosie?  How about Rachel?

MSNBC: Going Our Way?

Jacques Steinberg (great name!) writes in today’s New York Times that MSNBC wants to create a nightime lineup that liberals can love. I’m not sure they’ve figured out how to do this, however. “Riding a ratings wave from “Countdown With Keith Olbermann,” a program that takes strong issue with the Bush administration, MSNBC is increasingly [...]

MSNBC – right track, wrong conductor

MSNBC is on the right track in thinking that there’s a market for a liberal POV on the talking head programs but Rosie O’Donnell on prime time? They should think again before spending gagillions on signing such a contentious celebrity. She’s not widely loved by the left and besides she’s a stand up comic, not a political pundit. I have to admit I never watched The View but I get the impression from [...]

And, from cbsnews.com, this thought: Prime Time Rosie?

Hey, it gets better from there!  We have contract demands!

Still More Rosie/MSNBC…

Jossip weighs in … Meanwhile, the question on everyone’s mind seems to be just how desperate is MSNBC to land Rosie? As it turns out, very. Sources tell us the network is frantically trying to scrounge up the cash to bankroll her outlandish list of demands (Think a gold-plated trapeze and a private chopper to take [...]

Evaluating the Evangelists

Chuck Grassley has a new campaign and it could prove mighty interesting. These outfits rake in an untold amount of cash with little or no accountability.

Senate Panel Probes 6 Top Televangelists (Turn Over Financial Records Within One Month)

CBS News has learned Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent televangelist ministries for possible financial misconduct.  Letters were sent Monday to the ministries demanding that financial statements and records be turned over to the committee by December 6th.  According to Grassley’s office, the Iowa Republican is trying to determine whether or not these ministries are improperly using their tax-exempt status as churches to shield lavish lifestyles.  The six ministries identified as being [...]

Iraq Tonight

A rather confusing collection of information from Iraq tonight.  Some of what we’re hearing seems positive; moments later, something negative.

Al-Qaeda on the Run in Iraq

More good news from the front lines in the War on Terrorism: “WASHINGTON – Al-Qaida may not yet be defeated in Iraq, but the group’s terrorists are on the run, a senior official in the area said. “We’ve taken out [...]

2007 Becomes Deadliest Year Yet For U.S. In Iraq

Five more U.S. troops were killed in Iraq, the military said Tuesday — making 2007 the deadliest year for American forces in Iraq, according to an Associated Press count. At least 852 U.S. military personnel have died in Iraq so far this year — the highest annual [...]

Poll: Views on Iraq Unchanged Despite Better Casualty Reports (60% Think Forces Should Be Decreased)

Iraq: “Heart” not “Statistics” Required

I read some posts rejoicing that the killings have come down in Iraq. Thereby implying that the US administration’s policy is on the verge of success. Beware… Read the latest report: “The U.S. military on Tuesday announced the deaths of five more soldiers, making 2007 the deadliest year for U.S. troops despite a recent downturn,” according [...]

Number of Iraqi Displaced Persons Skyrockets

Despite the surge, sectarian and other violence has forced over two million Iraqis to flee their homes for safer harbors inside Iraq, the Iraqi Red Crescent reports: “The number of Iraqis fleeing their homes has more than quadrupled since the U.S. troop buildup began in February, leaving 2.3 million Iraqis displaced and further dividing [...]

Here’s another way to look at it: Terrorists nearly ‘out of people to kill’

If violence is decreasing in Iraq, it may be because insurgents “are running out of people to kill,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) said Monday. “There are fewer targets of opportunity,” Obey said in a speech to the National Press Club. Obey was responding to a question about reports touted by Republicans that security is improving in Iraq and that President Bush’s “surge” strategy is working. He stressed that military success has not led to [...]

Free Market System At Work

I don’t know about you, but I feel like somebody punched me in the stomach every time I drive by the gas stations down the street from home. John, at AMERICAblog, has a good point today.  Why aren’t we yelling more about $3.00 a gallon gas?

What is Bush’s plan to deal with oil at nearly $100/barrel?

…why have Americans been so willing to accept a doubling of gas prices since Bush has come to office? I suspect Americans have taken the gas price rise in stride, attributing it to yet another post-Sept-11 sacrifice. The only problem is that gas prices actually dropped after September 11. So, just like the budget deficit, that is in large part due to [...]

Offensive Party

I woke up to hear the Morning Joe crew on MSNBC talking about this one. Honestly, I thought they’d been sucker-punched by a blogger with a fake story.  Sadly, it was true.

PEEK: Immigration Director Hosts Party With Guest In Blackface

The Department of Homeland Security will investigate a Halloween costume party hosted by a top immigration official and attended by a man dressed in a striped prison outfit, dreadlocks and darkened skin make-up, a costume some say is offensive, the department’s secretary said. Julie Myers, head of [...]

First Brush With Fall/Winter

Brrrr.  It was brisk this morning and this evening promises an even closer brush with winter; freezing temperatures in the neighborhood.  Coupled with our earlier loss of daylight, it’s really feeling like the dark, cold, months.

Here’s something to get your blood warmed up!

Bush Has Access to Private Hillary Files — Will He Use Them in the Election?

An unspoken political vulnerability of Sen. Hillary Clinton is that she is the first presidential candidate to have both her and her spouse subject to regular, long-term surveillance by an Executive Branch under the control of an opposing political party.  Since they left the White House in 2001, Bill and Hillary Clinton — as the former President and First Lady — have been under the protection of the Secret Service, a branch of the Treasury Department. Records are maintained showing where they go and, to an extent, whom they meet. Ordinarily, those records are kept as closely held secrets, but theoretically at least, President George W. Bush — with his expansive view of his powers as “unitary executive” — could gain access to them, either [...] 

The Early Show

If  you needed any proof of why the CBS “Early Show” consistently finishes in 3rd place, look no further than right here. Journalism students-pay attention. This is NOT good…

Professional Woman Anchor Asks Idiotic Questions of Professional Woman?

This really is beyond the pale. Even after Dennis Kucinich reminds Hannah Storm that his wife, Elizabeth, is a professional woman, and then relays his wife’s Master’s Degree in International Conflict Resolution, let alone her vast charitable work in Africa, the CBS talking head persists in asking to see the tongue stud. [...]

Speaking of bad broadcasters, let’s look at Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh Attacks!

Rush Limbaugh went after a young HS graduate on his radio show because she broke down and cried talking about the environment and Global Warming. via email: An 18-year-old Inuit from Alaska sobbed through her congressional testimony before Edward Markey’s committee this morning as she described Global Warming’s disastrous effects on her community. Of course, [...]

There Goes The Family Image

This isn’t going to be good for Copperfield’s career.

Revealed: Copperfield’s Secret Document On How To Pick Up Chicks

TMZ has obtained portions of a secret document from David Copperfield’s shows, outlining in extreme detail how the magician’s assistants were supposed to rope in the women that David found attractive — and hold their boyfriends and husbands at bay. The document, titled “Show Participation,” requires [...]