This is just for fun.

Here is a link to Time Magazine's 50 coolest websites of 2005.

Duh!!

The latest in Time is that Rove DIDN'T find out about Plame through the reporters. Who out there in the blogosphere is surprised to learn of this?

The Numbers Game

Here are some interesting facts about how diligently Republicans have gone after a traitor (which, unfortunately, appears to be Clinton!).

What could he possibly need to take a break from?

Bush is yet again coming back to Texas for a vacation. What the hell does he need to relax from? Does he really do anything?

A bittersweet look at what might have been.

Read this article about what we COULD have had with President Gore.

Vote for me in 2008!

Frist and Bush split at the fork on wingnut road.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist endorsed government-funded research on human embryonic stem cells Friday, breaking with President Bush and the religious conservatives he's been courting for a 2008 presidential bid. He drew praise from former first lady Nancy Reagan.

"It isn't just a matter of faith, it's a matter of science," Frist, a heart-lung transplant surgeon, said in a Senate speech. "The president's policy should be modified."

Buy Blue

Thanks to a Republican friend, I found that the "Choose the Blue" website has changed, for the better. The site's mission is to "lift the veil of corporate patronage" so that we Democrats can more easily support those who support us. I was very happily surprised to find that H.E.B. leans very slightly to the left; the H.E.B. Chairman and CEO contributed a bit more to the Democrats (54%) than to the Republicans. I feel better about my grocery bills now.
Buy Blue also has news articles that relate to where our money goes. One compares Costco to Sam's Club, another looks at auto insurance companies. There is an A to Z search and a ranked company listing, both make interesting reading. One of my favorite online stores is 93% blue.
And when we need a new computer, it sure won't be a red Dell!

And Now, Your Republi-Biblical Passage of the Day...

From Huffingtonpost.com, soothing words for troubled souls...

07.28.2005 Gene Stone
The 23rd Qualm
In case you haven't seen this one yet, it's slowly replacing other, more serious texts....

The 23rd Qualm

Bush is my shepherd; I dwell in want.
He maketh logs to be cut down in national forests.
He leadeth trucks into the still wilderness.
He restoreth my fears.
He leadeth me in the paths of international disgrace for his ego's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of pollution and war,I will find no exit, for thou art in office.
Thy tax cuts for the rich and thy media control, they discomfort me.
Thou preparest an agenda of deception in the presence of thy religion.
Thou anointest my head with foreign oil.
My health insurance runneth out.
Surely megalomania and false patriotism shall follow me all the days ofthy term,
And my jobless child shall dwell in my basement forever.

Why do Republicans hate the troops?

Here is a video of shameful Republican behavior.

And here are the Republicans backing down.

Republican Party Has Absolutely No Shame or Decency

Here's Joe Conason's column.

TurdBlossom a Four-Letter Word?

Apparently, only the president can use this term of endearment!

It may be President Bush's nickname for key political adviser Karl Rove, but some editors don't think it belongs in their newspapers.

About a dozen papers objected to Tuesday's and Wednesday's "Doonesbury" comic strips, and some either pulled or edited them.

The strips refer to Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff, as "Turd Blossom."

Everyone you ever wanted to write to!

I got this huge list from a commenter on AmericaBlog.

Let them know how well they're doing on covering the Rove scandal.

john.donvan@abc.com, terry.moran@abc.com, carole.simpson@abc.com, rfournier@ap.org, jloven@ap.org, dkeil@bloomberg.net, hprzybyla@bloomberg.net, hrosenkrantz@bloomberg.net, richard_dunham@businessweek.com, lettersbwol@businessweek.com, cns@catholicnews.com, melissa.charbonneau@cbn.com, rbc@cbsnews.com, mkx@cbsnews.com, pma@cbsnews.com, weekends@cbsnews.com, bpc@cbsnews.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, 48hours@cbsnews.com, reldmannl@csps.com, mclaughlina@csps.com, hampton.pearson@nbc.com, george.condon@copleydc.com, finlay.lewis@copleydc.com, bobdeans@coxnews.com, llipman@coxnews.com, richard.uliano@turner.com, alex.keto@dowjones.com

jim.angle@foxnews.com, major.garrett@foxnews.com, wendell.goler@foxnews.com, molly.henneberg@foxnews.com, brit.hume@foxnews.com, james.rosen@foxnews.com, collins.spencer@foxnews.com, brian.wilson@foxnews.com

lbivins@gns.gannett.com, fbremner@gns.gannett.com, pbrogan@gns.gannett.com, jcarroll@gns.gannett.com, rchebium@gns.gannett.com, jfrandsen@gns.gannett.com, mgroppe@gns.gannett.com, jhanchet@gns.gannett.com, billy.house@arizonarepublic.com, ekelly@gns.gannett.com, mmadden@gns.gannett.com, jnorman@dmreg.com, aradelat@gns.gannett.com, sroth@gns.gannett.com, kscott@gns.gannett.com

charliepope@seattlepi.com, stewart@hearstdc.com, helent@hearstdc.com, samber@jta.org, bill@watch.org, rbailey@krwashington.com, fdavies@krwashington.com, dgoldstein@krwashington.com, slgoldstein@krwashington.com, rhutcheson@krwashington.com, lmarkoe@krwashington.com, jpuzzangherra@krwashington.com, mrecio@krwashington.com, mstearns@krwashington.com, twebb@pioneerpress.com, kdiaz@mcclatchydc.com, ggordon@startribune.com, rhotakainen@mcclatchydc.com, lruskin@mcclatchydc.com, jwagner@mcclatchydc.com

kbegos@media-general.com, kepstein@mediageneral.com, jhall@media-general.com, phardin@mediageneral.com, kmitchell@media-general.com, info@thenation.com, campbell.brown@nbc.com, david.gregory@nbc.com, balpert431@aol.com, jim.barnett@newhouse.com, robert.cohen@newhouse.com, terence.kivlan@newhouse.com, blieberman@patriot-news.com, mary.orndorff@newhouse.com, scott.orr@newhouse.com, sean.reilly@newhouse.com, bill.walsh@newhouse.com, deborah.barfield@newsday.com, ken.fireman@newsday.com, letters@newsweek.com

themail@newyorker.com, jane_mayer@newyorker.com, makers@npr.org, pfessler@npr.org, dgonyea@npr.org, jludden@npr.org, steve.holland@reuters.com, editor@reuters.com, randall.mikkelsen@reuters.com, arshad.mohammed@reuters.com, editor@reuters.com, patricia.wilson@reuters.com, jtapper@salon.com, hargrovet@shns.com, sergentj@shns.com, straubb@shns.com, syoung@stephensmedia.com, lrabin@sni-news.com, dougstephan@radioamerica.org, letters@talkradionews.com, letters@talkradionews.com, letters@time.com, letters@time.com, kgambrell@upi.com

nhorrock@upi.com, conniel@usaradio.com, mhall@usatoday.com, lmcquillan@usatoday.com, kwalsh@usnews.com, jridgeway@villagevoice.com, jeanne.cummings@wsj.com, greg.hitt@wsj.com, les@wcbm.com, mcoleman@abqjournal.com, hargrovet@shns.com, newshoundone@hotmail.com, lruskin@mcclatchydc.com, syoung@stephensmedia.com, gedmonson@coxnews.com, meversley@coxnews.com, clindell@coxnews.com, julie.davis@baltsun.com, david.greene@baltsun.com, hargrovet@shns.com, fbremner@gns.gannett.com, a_kornblut@globe.com, ekelly@gns.gannett.com, kfischer@dailymail.com, churt@charlotteobserver.com, mdorning@tribune.com, jgreenburg@tribune.com, bkemper@tribune.com, cptkilian@aol.com, wneikirk@tribune.com, csimpson@tribune.com, mtackett@tribune.com, hwitt@tribune.com, jzeleny@tribune.com, easuter@plaind.com, tdiemer@plaind.com, seaton@plaind.com, jtorry@dispatch.com, bhillman@dallasnews.com, msoraghan@denverpost.com

jnorman@dmreg.com, rbailey@krwashington.com, bailey@freepress.com, dprice@detnews.com, rryan@detnews.com, lzagaroli@detnews.com, rlorente@sun-sentinel.com, mrecio@krwashington.com, rchebium@gns.gannett.com, blieberman@patriot-news.com, ddepledge@gns.gannett.com, bennett.roth@chron.com, julie.mason@chron.com, mgroppe@gns.gannett.com, aradelat@gns.gannett.com, dgoldstein@kcstar.com, dgoldstein@krwashington.com, mstearns@krwashington.com, kscott@gns.gannett.com, tbatt@stephensmedia.com, kevin_freking@adg.ardemgaz.com, edwin.chen@latimes.com, richard.cooper@latimes.com, james.gerstenzang@latimes.com, jack.nelson@latimes.com, maura.reynolds@latimes.com, jcarroll@gns.gannett.com, fdavies@krwashington.com, tjohnson@krwashington.com, kskiba@journalsentinel.com, kdiaz@mcclatchydc.com, ggordon@startribune.com, rhotakainen@mcclatchydc.com, sean.reilly@newhouse.com

robert.cohen@newhouse.com, scott.orr@newhouse.com, balpert431@aol.com, bill.walsh@newhouse.com, kbazimet@edit.nydailynews.com, bblomquist@nypost.com, brinkley@nytimes.com, letters@nytimes.com, adclym@nytimes.com, dasang@nytimes.com, rstevenson@nytimes.com, icemandc@msn.com, kscott@gns.gannett.com, ccasteel@oklahoman.com, matt.kelley@owh.com, llipman@coxnews.com, slgoldstein@krwashington.com, pnicholas@phillynews.com, sbustos@gns.gannett.com, billy.house@arizonarepublic.com, kmacpherson@nationalpress.com, mwoods@nationalpress.com, bjansen@pressherald.com, jim.barnett@newhouse.com, jwagner@mcclatchydc.com, dabrahms@gns.gannett.com, phardin@mediageneral.com, kbranch@post-dispatch.com, pdine@post-dispatch.com, blambrecht@post-dispatch.com, twebb@pioneerpress.com, jbalz@sptimes.com, leed@dgsys.com, george.condon@copleydc.com, finlay.lewis@copleydc.com, zcoile@sfchronicle.com, eepstein@sfchronicle.com, lochheadc@nationalpress.com

milbankd@washpost.com, 5tips@cnn.com, AM@cnn.com, connected@msnbc.com, crossfire@cnn.com, daybreak@cnn.com, DowntoEarth@CNN.com, inthemoney@cnn.com, Kathleen&Renay@cnn.com, Kolbermann@msnbc.com, livefrom@cnn.com, livetoday@cnn.com, loudobbs@cnn.com, hardball@msnbc.com, next@cnn.com, OntheStory@CNN.com, question@msnbc.com, wolf@cnn.com, jackson@globe.com, emink@post-dispatch.com, dkeil@bloomberg.net, rfournier@ap.org, jbalz@sptimes.com, leed@dgsys.com, zcoile@sfchronicle.com, eepstein@sfchronicle.com, nhorrock@upi.com, conniel@usaradio.com, mhall@usatoday.com, lmcquillan@usatoday.com, ccasteel@oklahoman.com, matt.kelley@owh.com, jim.myers@tulsaworld.com, arshad.mohammed@reuters.com, editor@reuters.com, midsouthcm@aol.com

Rove in Love

This story just gets juicier and juicer!
Visit this site to learn more about Rove's romantic side.

This ol' dog won't let go of his chew toy!

Hmmm. I guess "Ambassador" Bolton will be his new name:

Frustrated by Senate Democrats, the White House hinted Monday that President Bush may act soon to sidestep Congress and install embattled nominee John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations on a temporary basis.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Bush has used his power for temporary appointments when “he has to get people in place that have waited far too long to get about doing their business.” He said that “sometimes there’s come a point” when Bush has decided he needs to act.

Lord forbid he should actually come up with an acceptable person for the job!

The Modern-Day 18 missing minutes?

This is a very interesting part of the Rove/Plame/Everybody in the White House story:

On Face The Nation, Gonzales said the Justice Department contacted him at 8pm and, after responding by saying something to the effect that everyone had gone home for the night, Gonzales asked if it would be okay if he waited until 8am the next day to notify The White House Staff to "preserve all records" etc. Gonzales got permission to do so, but then - again this is Gonzales speaking on Face The Nation - he said he contacted Andrew Card to informally tell him what had happened.

Parody Likens 'W' to Fictional 'Idiot'

The winner of the 2005 Faux Faulkner Award is Sam Apple, who wrote a parody of William Faulkner's 'The Sound and the Fury', called 'The Administration and the Fury'. Read the parody for a good laugh.
United Airlines magazine, Hemispheres, the sponsor of the contest, has been accused of 'playing politics' by only putting the parody on-line, not in its print issue. See the Washington Post article for more details.

Want a Real Good Time?

Then mark your calendars, he's coming back: Real Time with Bill Maher has been on hiatus for months, but his show will return to HBO on August 19th. Here's a few reasons why it's important.

1. Real Time With Bill Maher is one of the very few places where right and left and center collide in true, uncensored glory. CNN, Fox, MSNBC present many of the same people but their presentation is antiseptic and very talking-point oriented. Bill Maher doesn't let 'em get away with that crap on his show. He calls 'em on it, and they either end up looking foolish (Senator Norm Coleman's appearance comes to mind), or they step up to the plate and begin making actual sense.

2. If you're one of the many who would like to watch, but get hung up because you don't know how to pronounce his name, this should put an end to it: Think of marr...or starr (like...say...Kenneth).

3. Don't have HBO? Yeah, that's a problem. Talk to your friends and see if they have HBO...and if they'd like a 10pm Friday night guest! Offering to bring desserts is a good start!

4. Real Time is a great way to end a workweek. After all the stress of your job, it's a great release, full of humor and great debate.

Just as I recommend listening to Air America or KRPT in San Antonio, I recommend Real Time With Bill Maher. It's television that engages your brain and involuntarily causes you to think. And that's always a move in the right direction.

Ivins' Column is also cheerful fare!

This news makes me want to kill myself!

Then, of necessity, we have spent huge amounts of time on Sept. 11, terrorism, Iraq, and related and ancillary problems. It is not necessary to review the bidding here, but Iraq is becoming as divisive and unpopular as the Vietnam War.

While we have been absorbed in the silly circus of cultural issues and the and riveting questions of the war, we've also been getting our pockets picked. Big time. I am impressed that cartoonist Lloyd Dangle in the strip "Troubletown" managed to get the whole problem into 12 panels, each announcing some piece of economic news accompanied by an American saying, essentially, "What, me worry?" The U.S. is over $7 trillion in debt (no problem); China buys $1 billion worth of U.S. treasury bills a day (thanks for floating us); Americans love the prices at Wal-Mart (made in China, cute!); the Chinese save 50 percent of their domestic product; the average American has $9,000 on his credit cards; our economy is fueled by a fragile housing bubble; the minimum wage is $5.15 per hour … ; taxpayers who earn over $1 million saved $30K under Bush tax cuts; the war in Iraq costs $9 billion a month; by 2040, our kids will be unable to do more than pay the interest on the national debt … ; bankruptcy reform makes it impossible to escape your debts; in Darfur [Sudan], people earn $1.25 a day.

Mmmmm. Tasty news with your breakfast.

Remember, folks, Jesus is working through this good, decent man.

Here's TurdGate in a nutshell...

We are encouraged to visit DailyKos for a nice wrap-up of the last 24 hours in Rovelandia.

Did you even KNOW there were hearings today?

What with all the London excitement, SCOTUS stuff, Rice being roughed up, questions about the shuttle launch, we almost forgot that Rove is in some pretty deep poo-poo. Here's an article about today's hearing on the Rove mess.

Friday Night Critter Blogging

This elk lives down the street from me, and I recently went to chat with him. As we were discussing this Rove/Plame scandal, he remarked that the story was more multi-pronged than his beautiful rack. He also told me to pass along that we shouldn't let up on this story. He thinks that Rove and his elk--I mean ilk--will get what's coming to them!

Breaking News on TurdGate

This story should be in full blossom tomorrow:

Bloomberg's Richard Keil will reveal tonight: "Two top White House aides have given accounts to the special prosecutor about how reporters told them the identity of a CIA agent that are at odds with what the reporters have said, according to persons familiar with the case." The story reflects one given written by Murray Waas for the American Prospect.

Lewis “Scooter'’ Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, told special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald that he first learned from NBC News reporter Tim Russert of the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame, the wife of former ambassador and Bush administration critic Joseph Wilson. Russert has testified before a federal grand jury that he didn’t tell Libby of Plame’s identity.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove told Fitzgerald that he first learned the identity of the CIA agent from syndicated columnist Robert Novak, who was first to report Plame’s name and connection to Wilson. Novak, according to a source familiar with the matter, has given a somewhat different version to the special prosecutor.

A Great Lady has Left Us

Sally Sonneland, a wonderful lady and great activist, passed away today following a brief illness. We in the Kendall County Area will miss her greatly. Tonight, please keep Sally's family in your thoughts and prayers.

Ooops. Rove's already front-page news again!

Here are two Rove stories in papers today so far:

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and from the Washington Post.

Plus, MSNBC is running the Post story has its lead on the website.

Keith Olbermann brings it on home...as usual

I'm not sure why Keith Olbermann is allowed to continue his quest for, and his acknowledgment of the real and obvious truth! I guess I shouldn't look a gift Keith in the mouth, eh?

Read his take on the Rove slash Plame slash SCOTUS newswave.

Montana Governor For President?

This guy sounds pretty good!

Pay no attention to the little fat man (who happens to be pure evil)

Even the media is reporting this rushed nomination as a diversionary tactic!

President George W. Bush's nomination of a new Supreme Court justice may give White House adviser Karl Rove a temporary reprieve from public scrutiny of his role in the disclosure of an intelligence operative's identity.

About six in 10 Americans who are paying close attention to reports about who leaked information that helped unmask a covert intelligence agent say Rove should resign, according to a poll conducted last week by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

The Supreme Court announcement may freeze things, ``and that's probably a good thing for the White House,'' said Carroll Doherty, an editor at the Washington-based Pew Center.

Bush accelerated his search for a Supreme Court nominee in part because of special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation into the leak of a CIA agent's name, according to Republicans familiar with administration strategy.

As long as the FBI continues to pay attention....

Most of the media is off and running in another direction today (SCOTUS); however, as long as the FBI keeps its eye on the ball, the Rove fiasco will continue to unfold.
Here's a great story about what Rove neglected to tell the FBI:

White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove did not disclose that he had ever discussed CIA officer Valerie Plame with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper during Rove’s first interview with the FBI, according to legal sources with firsthand knowledge of the matter.

The omission by Rove created doubt for federal investigators, almost from the inception of their criminal probe into who leaked Plame's name to columnist Robert Novak, as to whether Rove was withholding crucial information from them, and perhaps even misleading or lying to them, the sources said.

The Dark Lord of Shrubtown

Here's a good op-ed piece about Rove:

And maybe, if you're like me, deep inside your cynical Bush-ravaged heart you already know it won't actually happen, because no way is the world aligned correctly right now, and no way is there any true justice happening anywhere near the White House. What's more, the man in question is perhaps the slipperiest and sweatiest and most powerful adviser of a major world leader since an invisible purple demon hissed sweet nothings into Mussolini's ear, and therefore, if anyone could finagle his way into remaining Grand Overlord Puppetmaster for as long as he damn well pleases, it's Karl Rove.

But despite all my doubts, the astonishing news remains: Rove, a.k.a. Bush's Brain, a.k.a. the Architect, a.k.a. the most powerful and brilliant and deeply unlikable political thug most people have barely heard of because he's just that kind of secretive nefarious genius the likes of which makes women recoil and flowers wilt and moderate politicians break out in hives, well, Rove might have stepped over the line just far enough to end his current reign as Dark Lord of Shrubtown.

New SCOTUS Nominee appears to be a partisan hack

We couldn't expect any less of this president, could we? This guy has been a judge for only two years, and he's publicly supported Bush. Gee, what a great pick!

P.S. DON'T STOP TALKING ABOUT ROVE!!!

Polls are doin' the downward slide!

Bush and his crime family aren't going to be too happy about these numbers!

The goalpost moves yet again

Pretty soon, Karl would have had to kill two people, kicked a puppy, and raped someone in order to be fired!

President Bush said on Monday his administration would fire anyone found to have committed a crime in a federal investigation of the leak of a covert CIA agent's name, shifting from a broader vow to simply dismiss the leaker.

September 29, 2003:

McClellan: "If anyone in this administration was involved in it [the improper disclosure of an undercover CIA operative's identity], they would no longer be in this administration."

September 30, 2003:

Bush: "If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action."

Today:

Bush: "If someone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration."

DailyKos Hits the Nail on the Head

From his blog:

The Democratic majorities were undone in large part to the endemic corruption that afflicted the long-entrenched Democratic majorities in the House and Senate. It's the curse of any party that rules for too long, the insidious creep of hubris, corruption, and sense of entitlement which we, as a species, can't seem to avoid.

The GOP is now facing those very same pressures, and exposing that corruption and hubris in spectacular fashion to the American public. A party that believes it holds a "permanent majority" is under no pressure to behave ethically and work for the common good above all else. Their missteps have been big. Their crimes increasingly brazen.

And their own partisans, their foot soldiers, refuse to hold their party accountable. Rather, they join in the rationalizations and embolden their leaders to stay the course. No crime against the nation is bad enough for these guys. No ethical violations too distasteful. They applaud and cheer from the sidelines, as though their nation and their party is somehow well served by such shenanigans. Neither are.

Any One of Us Could be Targeted for Speaking Out

This is more frightening than anything else this White House has done. Any one from any group could be targeted as terrorists for speaking out against this administration.

The documents were released by the FBI in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of civil rights, animal rights and environmental groups that say they have been subjected to scrutiny by task forces set up to combat terrorism. The FBI has denied targeting the groups because of their political views.

"It's increasingly clear that the government is involved in political surveillance of organizations that are involved in nothing more than lawful First Amendment activities," said Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU. "It raises very serious questions about whether the FBI is back to its old tricks."

Harsh Talk from CBS's Bob Schieffer about Rove

Go to this link to see the video.

Another case of "Not Sure What This Means"

This seems to be important, but I'm just not sure how and why. You, Dear Reader, can decide!

Just Reporting What I've Seen

I honestly wasn't aware of these so-called interactions between Saddam and Osama, so I don't know what to make of this, but it seems to be old news anyway. Anybody out there familiar with these meetings?

A Nice Little Movie to Watch

PlameGate--The Movie

Dean Does Denver

Dean was a big hit in Denver, as he landed some great knockout punches!

Stewart on Fire Again!

Once more Jon Stewart of the Daily Show hits it out of the ballpark! His interview with Newsweek journalist Michael Isikoff was outstanding. After the two of them spoke, Jon basically announced that Karl Rove must go! He has gradually moved from being a casual, cynical observer of politics, and now talks as if he is a fellow American who also has a huge stake in what happens to his country. I love that he has an ever-growing following so that more ears will hear the truth. Way to go, Jon!

Hey, I'm trying to keep up!!!

The Republican talking points are so pervasive this week that it's hard to keep up with all the bizarre stuff they've been spouting about how Rove is a hero, and Wilson is a lying sack of crap. How did we become a country where up is down, right is wrong, and treason is heroic?

KARL ROVE IS A LYING, TRAITOROUS VILLAIN WHO NEEDS TO GO AWAY!!!! Don't listen to these bleating sheep as they sell their souls to the devil in order to remain on Bush's "winning team."

Help a Republican friend who just doesn't know what to believe anymore! Remind him/her about the fact that Bush apologized for the 16 words in the State of the Union address, NO WMDs were found, and for two years Republicans have been denying any involvement by Rove. Now we've learned that Rove did indeed out Valerie Plame, and agents may have died as a result, and what do our Republican wackos say? That he's a frickin' hero. What a world, what a world!

For up-to-the minute coverage, visit AmericaBlog or Atrios. They both have done a great job keeping up with it.

Hutchison is doing the mindless talking points as well

Call Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and let her know your feelings regarding Turdgate. Her Washington phone number is (202) 224-5922.

Let Chimpy know how you feel!

Here's the White House phone number: 202-456-1111. Call them and tell them what action you would like them to take with Rove.

Beware!!! Babs, Dean, and Jimmy Carter on the loose in America! Aaargh!!!!

Jon Stewart has really been on a roll the last couple of nights! His guest tonight on the Daily Show was Bernard Goldberg who has written a book called The top 100 people who are screwing up America. Guess what? There're about 8 conservatives on the list and none of them are household names! Jon did a great job conveying his bewilderment that Barbra Streisand and Jimmy Carter were on the list, but nobody in the current administration was! He really did a great job tonight! Check the above link to find out when it's going to rerun tomorrow.

The Politics of Unaccountability

Great article by Howard Fineman about the Turd Blossom Express and the Mainstream Media's Role in all this mess:

Take my word, there has been a lot of soul searching in the so-called Main Stream Media (MSM) over its performance, or lack of performance, in the months leading up to the American-led ouster of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. Specifically, did we replace what should have been professional skepticism with a certain mindless credulousness in assessing the reality of the Bush administration’s claims of imminent danger to the country and the world from Saddam’s supposedly vast stash of weapons of mass destruction, including — only months away, it was said — the nuclear kind?

If we failed, was it out of a misplaced sense of patriotic duty, or political cowardice or sheer incompetence — or all three? The press corps was spring-loaded with self-doubt over the WMD issue, and ready to snap over any story that would allow it to revisit what now looks to have been a massive — and embarrassingly successful, from the press’ point of view — propaganda campaign.

So Rove was a spinner on the WMD front? After him!

Today's (first) Turd Blossom Update

Chimpy's response to questioning today:

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush said Wednesday that he will withhold judgment about top aide Karl Rove's involvement in leaking the identity of a CIA agent until a federal criminal investigation into the matter is complete.

"This is a serious investigation," Bush said at the end of a meeting with his Cabinet, with Rove sitting just behind him. "I will be more than happy to comment on this matter once this investigation is complete.

"I also will not prejudge the investigation based on media reports," he said, when asked whether Rove acted improperly in discussing CIA officer Valerie Plame with a reporter.

I guess this means that Rove will never go away--at least for quite some time! This makes my stomach just roil!

When you go to the link for this article make sure to look closely at the picture that accompanies it.

Duh!!!

An obvious point made in this MSNBC news story:

Supporters of the biological explanation for homosexuality have the weight of science on their side. All of the major medical and psychological professional organizations — from the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association on down — state that sexuality is predominantly determined by chemical, hormonal and genetic conditions in the womb. They are clear in declaring that homosexuality is not a disease or a pathology that can be changed; most go a step further and strongly question whether it is even ethical for a medical professional to help clients try to change their sexuality.

Siriusly Unhappy with Air America Radio!

I discovered much to my dismay on Monday that Air America Radio no longer broadcasts on Sirius Radio. Apparently it's a money issue. Part of that dismay stems from the fact that I just bought Sirius Satellite Radio two weeks so that I could listen to Air America any time I wanted to. Because it's gone, I've begun listening to other left-wing radio shows, and I must say that they're pretty good! I've been tuned in to the Bill Press Show this morning, and he's done a great job on the whole Turd Blossom Affair. For those of you who don't know, Turd Blossom is the term of endearment by W for his evil henchman Karl Rove.
Part of my point this morning is that there are more and more liberals out there speaking for us. If you have the chance, listen to what they have to say.

John Gibson's Personal Hero is Karl Rove

Check out this video of Fox News Wacko John Gibson giving his twisted perspective on the whole Rove/Plame affair.

Prevaricators R Us, Scottie McClelland...

See the press gaggle question Scottie boy and watch him squirm.
link to video
Gosh is the sky blue today although yesterday you said it was red? When is the truth the truth, and when is a lie a lie? And for heavens sake, what woke up the Washington media? They came out of their collective comas, not because Bush lied to the American people, but because McClelland lied to them. What skewed priorities!

Actual Visual Evidence of the Media REALLY doing its job!

Go to the most excellent Crooks and Liars site for great video on the Rove/Plame affair.

1400 days and counting

The Randi Rhodes Show makes a daily announcement of how many days it's been since Bush said he wanted Bin Laden dead or alive. It's been 1400 days!

It's Just a Democratic Smear Campaign....Right?

Got this from Raw Story:

The document, emblazoned with the words "Special Edition" and dated Tuesday, seeks to discredit claims put forth by Ambassador Joseph Wilson, whose wife was 'outed' as a covert operative by a conservative columnist. After obtaining copies of emails sent from a Time reporter to his editor, Newsweek fingered Rove as a source for the leak which disclosed the agent's identity.

The talking points mirror a release by Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman earlier Tuesday, in which he declared the attacks on Rove were spawned by the 'MoveOn' wing of the Democratic Party. MoveOn later accused the White House of a 'cover up.'

Bush Backs his Boy!

On MSNBC:

After two days of questions, the White House said Tuesday that President Bush continues to have confidence in Karl Rove, the presidential adviser at the center of the investigation into the leak identifying a female CIA officer.

Prominent Democrats are calling for Rove to be fired.

OK--This is just for good laughs.

Enjoy!

More Wisdom from Wingnut World!

Just when we thought the Schiavo matter had ended! This is from the freaky U.S. senator from Oklahoma:

"I have on my desk a complete medical file of Terri Schiavo, and I would challenge the accuracy of many of the statements by people involved in that case in terms of her medical condition, and I would also challenge some of the autopsy findings based on what I have on my desk in Washington," Coburn said.

Coburn is an obstetrician and gynecologist and is not trained as a pathologist or medical examiner. He said he had reviewed Schiavo's medical file but had not examined her body.

CNN is definitely NOT the Clinton News Network

Go to Media Matters to see how CNN and other news outlets are dealing with the Rove/Plame outrage.

Puffy is red in the McMoonface!

Oh my God! This is good stuff! Read how the reporters, for once, were relentless in their questioning of McClellan about Karl Rove.

A Rovian Sunday Morning

Newsweek links Rove to the Plame outing. Let's see if we can shake up our neighbors and get them to understand that their beloved administration committed treason.

July 18 issue - It was 11:07 on a Friday morning, July 11, 2003, and Time magazine correspondent Matt Cooper was tapping out an e-mail to his bureau chief, Michael Duffy. "Subject: Rove/P&C," (for personal and confidential), Cooper began. "Spoke to Rove on double super secret background for about two mins before he went on vacation..." Cooper proceeded to spell out some guidance on a story that was beginning to roil Washington. He finished, "please don't source this to rove or even WH [White House]" and suggested another reporter check with the CIA.

It's Only Just Begun?

Some disturbing news from MSNBC:

The experts aren’t encouraged. One prominent terrorism researcher sees the prospect of “endless” war. Adds the man who tracked Osama bin Laden for the CIA, “I don’t think it’s even started yet.”

Some wise words from Arianna

Click here for Arianna's reaction to the Republican boneheads' words following the London bombings.

An excerpt:

For an outrageous example, check out today’s Wall Street Journal, where Dan Henninger tries to make the case that what happened in London proves the need for keeping our troops in Iraq, keeping the Patriot Act intact, keeping Guantanamo open, and -- I kid you not -- confirming John Bolton (supposedly because of his expertise in dealing with nuclear proliferation.)

Operation Yellow Elephant

You gotta love it! Oh, you should hear the lame, very lame, excuses our young Republican friends come up with on why they aren't going off to the fight the war they love so much!


This is one of the stickers you can download and print. Too funny!

This Just In...

From the Drudge Report:

SECRET PLAN TO QUIT IRAQ
Sat Jul 09 2005 19:16:16 ET

BRITAIN and America are secretly preparing to withdraw most of their troops from Iraq - despite warnings of the grave consequences for the region, the SUNDAY MAIL in UK is reporting.

A secret paper written by UK Defence Secretary John Reid for Tony Blair reveals that many of the 8,500 British troops in Iraq are set to be brought home within three months, with most of the rest returning six months later.

The leaked document, marked Secret: UK Eyes Only, appears to fly in the face of Mr Blair and President Bush's pledges that Allied forces will not quit until Iraq's own forces are strong enough to take control of security.

If British troops pull out, other members of the Alliance are likely to follow. The memo says other international forces in Southern Iraq currently under British control will have to be handled carefully if Britain withdraws. It says they will not feel safe and may also leave.

Embarrassingly, the document says the Americans are split over the plan - and it suggests one of the reasons for getting British troops out is to save money. Mr Reid says cutting UK troop numbers to 3,000 by the middle of next year will save GBP 500million a year, though it will be 18 months before the cash comes through.

The document, Options For Future UK Force Posture In Iraq, is the first conclusive proof that preparations for a major withdrawal from Iraq are well advanced.

The British Government's public position is that UK troops will stay until newly trained Iraqi forces are ready to take control of security. Less than a fortnight ago, Mr Blair said it was 'vital' the US-led coalition stayed until Iraq stabilised, and Mr Bush endorsed his comments.

Mr Reid's memo, prepared for Mr Blair in the past few weeks, shows that in reality, plans to get them out - 'military drawdown,' as he puts it - are well advanced.

It says: 'We have a commitment to hand over to Iraqi control in Al Muthanna and Maysan provinces two of the four provinces under British control in Southern Iraq in October 2005 and in the other two, Dhi Qar and Basra, in April 2006.

Developing...

Not Sure if Chimpy Will Change His Strategy Over This....

From The Guardian:

And in the privacy of their extensive suites, yesterday's atrocities should prompt heart-searching among some of those present. President Bush is given to justifying the invasion of Iraq on the grounds that by fighting terrorism abroad, it protects the west from having to fight terrorists at home. Whatever else can be said in defence of the war in Iraq today, it cannot be claimed that it has protected us from terrorism on our soil.

A Nice Little Commentary on "Citizen Journalists"

This is in regard to how the London bombings were covered by bloggers and other online journalists and photographers.

Edgware Road attack in the heart of Arab London

AN ATTACK ON ARAB LONDON

. News reports are in about the location of the Tube bombs, and the stations picked for the horrific rush-hour assaults are especially chilling. These attacks were not just attacks on our closest ally, but on the very idea of Arab and Muslim integration into the West. Among the targets in the worst attack on London since World War II was the Edgware Road station, located in the heart of wealthy, assimilated Arab London. Middle Easterners of a variety of religions and South Asian Muslims are a substantial minority of the population in London, and the Edgware Road area is the pre-eminent Arab neighborhood in the city, with a fantastic variety of Lebanese coffee shops, Saudi grocery stores, and Persian restaurants. Some even call it "Little Lebanon," though the residents and shop clients come from all over the Middle East and North Africa, and the area especially attracts a young, hip crowd that compares it to Amman or Dubai. Edgware Road is Arab London's main street.
Though we have no idea yet whether the stations or train lines that were bombed were specifically targeted, it's hard to imagine that whatever terrorist organization or cell was behind the attacks failed to consider the symbolic power of an attack on Edgware Road.

Furthermore, the timing of the attacks and their location along the arc of the Metropolitan and Circle lines spreading along in time and space from East London -- where 60 percent of London Muslims reside -- suggests a specific intention with regard to targets. After all, the Circle line can just as easily take riders to Westminster's collection of government buildings as to Edgware Road. And Al-Qaeda has a history of engaging in symbolically significant attacks against financial centers, banks, military installations, and government buildings. Why not against Arab allies of the West, as well?

The New York Times is now reporting that the other underground bombs appear to have detonated close to the Liverpool and King's Cross stations, which are transportation hubs connecting overland trains to the underground. But Edgware Road is not a hub in the same way.

In recent months we've seen Islamic jihadists increasingly going after targets in the Arab and Muslim world who have allied themselves with the west. The victims of the bombing attacks and terrorist incidents in Iraq are overwhelmingly Arab Muslims. Al-Qaeda in Iraq has just claimed that it killed the Egyptian envoy to Iraq, after condemning him as "the ambassador of the infidels." When the casualty count is in, I suspect some fraction of the victims of today's henious attacks will be Arab or Muslim, as well.

--Garance Franke-Ruta

London terror attack, the right wing viewpoint

Fox News' Brian Kilmeade: London terror attack near G8 summit "works to ... Western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together" »
"And he [British Prime Minister Tony Blair] made the statement, clearly shaken, but clearly determined. This is his second address in the last hour. First to the people of London, and now at the G8 summit, where their topic Number 1 --believe it or not-- was global warming, the second was African aid. And that was the first time since 9-11 when they should know, and they do know now, that terrorism should be Number 1. But it's important for them all to be together. I think that works to our advantage, in the Western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together, just 500 miles from where the attacks have happened."
link to source

Two Vacancies!!!???

Supposedly, Renquist is making an announcement tomorrow.

Terrorist Attack in London

This is from a British source. It includes a map of where the explosions took place. Please keep watching the news for updates.

Ed Klein didn't know what hit him!

The author of the horribly obnoxious book about Hillary got bitch slapped by Joe Conason and Al Franken last Friday, and here's the audio clip! Please click the link below Al's show and enjoy hearing a man being exposed for the a-hole that he is. It's quite satisfying.

Not Dominion, but Liberty

Reflection on this Independence Day, from The Nation
...America was founded in opposition to empire. The Declaration of Independence was a manifesto against colonialism. And the founding generations abhorred imperialism.

Their opposition to empire was not merely rooted in their own bitter experience. It was, as well, rooted in a faith that American freedoms and democracy would suffer in the nation embarked upon a career of empire.

So, while Bush suggests that other lands must be occupied to preserve liberty at home, the patriots of our time recall will do well to recall words spoken on another July 4. ..on Independence Day, 1821, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams appeared before the US House of Representatives:

She has, in the lapse of nearly half a century, without a single exception, respected the independence of other nations while asserting and maintaining her own.

She has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to the last vital drop that visits the heart.

She has seen that probably for centuries to come, all the contests of that Aceldama the European world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging right.

Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be.

But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.

She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.

Psst...Pass it Along

Impeachment's in the air.

Happy Birthday to You...and Me...and All Americans

I really do love my country for all its faults. I wouldn't want to live in or be a citizen of any other country in the world! On this birth anniversary of America let's all pledge to get her on the right track again.

DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT YOU HATE YOUR COUNTRY! IF YOU LOVE AMERICA, DO SOMETHING TO MAKE HER A LITTLE BETTER TODAY.

Soldiers getting all they need?

Press conference, McClellan answering questions on July 1st regarding Bush's visit to Walter Reed (a hospital on the BRAC closure list, I might add).

"The President asked them if they're getting everything they need, and asked their family members if they're getting everything they need. He talks about how proud he is of them and how honored he is to see them."

Ok so Bush asked if they were getting everything they needed...the reporter never got McClellan to expand on that...a big missed opportunity. These guys at Walter Reed may be getting everything they need, but what happens when they are discharged from the military? Then they have to wait in line for a VA appt. The VA with funding cuts, the VA that has lost many facilities. Do you know how far a Veteran has to travel to VA care in some areas? In Texas, it's far.

Not to mention the other long term consequence, PTSD, The VA admits the following: "The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are the most sustained combat operations since the Vietnam War. A wealth of research has shown convincingly that the frequency and intensity of exposure to combat experiences is strongly associated with the risk of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; APA, 1994) and related impairment (Kaylor, King, & King, 1987). As a result, there is good reason to be more concerned about the long-term mental health toll associated with these new wars"

For more on this press conference, a list of VA facilities in Texas and a link to the PTSD article check progressive grannie's blog

Surprise Surprise!

Can you just picture Gomer Pyle saying that as he finds out about this ?:

NEW YORK Now that Time Inc. has turned over documents to federal court, presumably revealing who its reporter, Matt Cooper, identified as his source in the Valerie Plame/CIA case, speculation runs rampant on the name of that source, and what might happen to him or her. Tonight, on the syndicated McLaughlin Group political talk show, Lawrence O'Donnell, senior MSNBC political analyst, claimed to know that name--and it is, according to him, top White House mastermind Karl Rove.

Friday Night Critter Blogging

This pudgy puss in New York knows all about the American Fat Cats. He says it's unfair that his buddies are getting all the tax breaks, while the rest of us are losing our pounds of flesh!

Meanwhile, Specky the Progressive Pussycat says this whole Supreme Court Justice battle has given him some real food for thought. Will all our courts be packed with complete right-wing wackos?

Protesters at the funeral of a soldier

What is the world coming to? I read this on my Texas Democratic Veterans email and I was totally apalled. There is absolutely no excuse for this behavior. Wonder how many of these hippocrites have support your troops magnets on their cars? Idiots.

Protesters To Disrupt Soldier's Funeral Mon Jun 27,12:19 PM ET

A Marblehead soldier who was killed in Afghanistan is scheduled to be laid to rest Monday, but a church group from Kansas is expected to try to disrupt the services and police are on alert for any problems.

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that Staff Sgt. Christoper Piper, 43, served in both Afghanistan and Iraq and was awarded a bronze star for his combat service. The Green Beret died when his convoy was bombed June 3 in Afghanistan and a right-wing Protestant Christian church group from Topeka, Kansas is planning to demonstrate at Piper's funeral services at the Old North Church. They claim U.S. soldiers like Piper are dying because the country is being punished for its tolerance of what they see as immoral behavior, such as homosexuality.

The group, from the Westboro Baptist Church, protested several weeks ago in Dracut and Lexington, Mass., carrying signs depicting homosexual sex, with slogans such as "Pope In Hell" and "God Hates Fags," and "God Hates The U.S." Police called in extra officers to handle the demonstrations.

"I had 30 motor units, I had 12 to 14 mountain bike officers, plus I had a complement of 37 of my officers," Lexington Police Chief Kevin Richardson said.

There were no serious problems. Police plan to escort the Kansas group to the funeral services at 9:30 a.m., and will escort them away again. The police said they are protecting the group's free speech rights.