Via Josh at TPM (and H/T to reader LJ/Aquaria for the link.)
Can you volunteer for a campaign in your area this weekend? Could you call to help get out the vote? Need more incentive to do some work for Democratic candidates? Boy do I have some for you this morning:
– Bob Geiger has the Saturday cartoons, and they are doozies. (My personal favorites are the Steve Sack and the Mike Lucovich. Pure genius!)
– The US military — every branch — is asking that Donald Rumsfeld be fired. Now. And so are the pro-military newspapers that serve them.
It is one thing for the majority of Americans to think Rumsfeld has failed. But when the nation's current military leaders start to break publicly with their defense secretary, then it is clear that he is losing control of the institution he ostensibly leads.
These officers have been loyal public promoters of a war policy many privately feared would fail. They have kept their counsel private, adhering to more than two centuries of American tradition of subordination of the military to civilian authority.
And although that tradition, and the officers' deep sense of honor, prevent them from saying this publicly, more and more of them believe it.
Rumsfeld has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with Congress and with the public at large. His strategy has failed, and his ability to lead is compromised. And although the blame for our failures in Iraq rests with the secretary, it will be the troops who bear its brunt.
George Bush has said that Rummy has a job until the end of his Presidency, which means that you have a choice, voters of America: vote for Republicans and thumb your nose at the troops — or vote for Democrats and get them some desperately needed oversight. Because the rubber stamp Republican Congress has shown that they are incapable of holding any necessary oversight hearings on anything that would jeopardize their relationship with defense contractor money and their KStreet cronies. Time for a change, for our soldiers' sake. Taylor has more.
– The Bush Administration is trying to prevent any oversight of their actions with prisoners who have been kept in black ops sites, including restricting any and all access to lawyers who represent them:
Gitanjali Gutierrez, an attorney for Khan's family, responded in a court document yesterday that there is no evidence that Khan had top-secret information. "Rather," she said, "the executive is attempting to misuse its classification authority . . . to conceal illegal or embarrassing executive conduct."
Joseph Margulies, a Northwestern University law professor who has represented several detainees at Guantanamo, said the prisoners "can't even say what our government did to these guys to elicit the statements that are the basis for them being held. Kafka-esque doesn't do it justice. This is 'Alice in Wonderland.' "
Kathleen Blomquist, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said yesterday that details of the CIA program must be protected from disclosure. She said the lawyer's proposal for talking with Khan "is inadequate to protect unique and potentially highly classified information that is vital to our country's ability to fight terrorism."
Government lawyers also argue in court papers that detainees such as Khan previously held in CIA sites have no automatic right to speak to lawyers because the new Military Commissions Act, signed by President Bush last month, stripped them of access to U.S. courts. That law established separate military trials for terrorism suspects….
In Maryland, Khan's family was under constant FBI surveillance from the moment of his arrest, his brother said. The FBI raided their house the day after the arrest , removing computer equipment, papers and videos. Each family member was questioned extensively and shown photographs of terrorism suspects that Mahmood Khan said none of them recognized. For much of the next year, he said, they were followed everywhere.
"Pretty much we were scared," he said. "We live in this country. We have everything here."
Think that can't happen to you because you are an American citizen, protected by the legal requirements of our Constitution and our nation's laws and requirements for due process, access to legal representation and prevention of cruel and unusual treatment while in custody? Think again. (Balkin has much more.)
– Bob Ney finally resigns after his plea to federal felony charges, with his full pension intact thanks to the rubber stamp Republican Congress' inaction on preventing federal pensions from being paid to people who abuse their office by taking bribes and betraying the public trust. Hey, what's a few million dollars over a lifetime for…how many Republican crooks have resigned this year? (Ney, Cunningham, DeLay…ah yeah, good times.)
– More science, less idiocy.
– Crooks and Liars has a great clip from a New Orleans singer talking about the importance of voting for her hometown and the nation. And don't miss the Jon Stewart clip. Mwahaha.
– With Democrats holding power in Congress, the media will have to rethink the constant GOP bootlicking. And won't that be a nice change of pace… (Found via Atrios.)
– No hypocrisy here. Shorter Haggard: "I bought meth that I didn't use from a prostitute who just gave me a massage at a hotel, but no happy ending." Um…yeah. Sure. If there is a videotape anywhere of any of this, no one tell me…ever. Because this has the ring of criminals I used to prosecute taking no responsibility whatsoever for anything they had ever done, even when they had been caught red-handed, climbing out of the smashed window with a stolen teevee in their hands. Jeebus. (TBogg has more.)
– This just in: George Bush may have lost his mind. Wow, that is news. I didn't realize he had one. (ba dum bum…sorry, a little punchy this morning…)
– Mr. Illogic, meet Mr. Steamroller. (Some days, you just have to have some LGM.)
– Oh, and the next time someone brings up the "but…but…Republicans protect us from the big bad terrorists," I'm forcing them to read this. (Yes, I know I've linked this one before, but it is well worth a read again today before you start convincing people to get up off their butts and vote.)
Now, let's get out there and get to work, people. It's well past time to give Karl his Maalox moment. Plus, think of how well the economy will be doing from all the additional cheetos sales…it's called emotional eating, that's okay, let it out. Vote. Vote for Democrats — and take your friends with you to vote and do the same.
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FITZ!
Howard Dean!!!
http://teocawki.blogspot.com
Great zero, towlf1!
Woo-hoo! A H/T on FDL.
I knew being confined to doing nothing all day due to bronchitis had to pay off somehow. I’m supposed to be doing this nothing in bed, but it’s boring in there with the hubby at work.
are the Steve Sack and teh Mike Lucovich.
‘teh’ is a web friendly typo :)
United Nations officials said Friday that about 3,000 Iraqis were fleeing to Syria and Jordan every day.
Some more “freedom” created by the chief alchemist, George Bush.
big bad terrorists? It’s because of Iraq.
Read the whole WaPo article and the ABC link on US citizens being held — and see if your stomach doesn’t go all acid on you. Blergh.
Clinton says Republican extremists divided country
DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) – Former President Bill Clinton told Iowa’s Democratic Party faithful on Saturday that the actions of “an extreme sliver” of the Republican Party have backfired and “profoundly divided” the country.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200…..crats_dc_2
On the money, as usual ; )
EPU’d from the previous thread, but I just had to make sure that Christy saw it:
Mad Dogs @ 152
Nice catch CHS and thanks to LJ/Aquaria. I’ve been posting it everywhere I comment.
FREEDOM: http://ogb.wfu.edu/?id=3834_0_8_0_M
Watching the webcast of the induction of Bp Schori at the NAtional Cathedral in Washington.
Losing Ted Haggart and gaining Katharine Jefferts Schori is a net of about 1000 points for Christians in the US.
Bush lost his mind? It’ll be hard to find, literally like looking for a piece of straw in a stack of needles.
Tomorrow:
The Guilty verdict and death sentence of Saddam. Troops, keep yours heads down and the kevlar on.
_
BTW-
In an interview with ABC’s “This Week,” Cheney suggests that the election doesn’t really matter because the White House is going to keep doing what it’s doing in Iraq no matter what happens on Tuesday. Cheney vows to go “full-speed ahead” with the administration’s Iraq strategy whatever the American public might think about it. Acknowledging that the war “may not be popular with the public,” Cheney says that it “doesn’t matter in the sense that we have to continue the mission and do what we think is right. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re not running for office. We’re doing what we think is right.”
- Tim Grieve
This op-ed from Eugene Robinson over at WaPo caught my eye this morning. “How Low Will Bush Go?” bashes Bush for claiming that a vote for Democrats is a vote for terrorists and all that rot:
That’s about halfway in.
From CNN’s Broken Government w/ Cafferty (on now) – “the congressional pilgrimage to rehab…” — made me laugh.
Question for someone who knows something about HTML. How do I get single spaces instead of the doubled spaces that I get with a [/p][p] command? I’d like to do single paces with something, but I can’t remember the coding? Thanks for any help…
Sorry Redd- Didn’t even know that there was a QUESTION like that- let alone an answer.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 17
ampersand nbsp; (no space between & and nbsp;)
..is that what u mean?
rw at 18 — I saw something that will make you cheery this morning. The AZ race has pulled to within a 3 point spread. *g*
twolf1 — what I’m trying to do is have single spacing between sentences rather than double spacing. And I can’t figure out how to do that.
twolf1 @ 19
Isn’t that br?
As in [br] [/br]
To be fair, the various military Times papers aren’t controlled by the military… IIRC, they’re a more-or-less independent Gannett subsidiary.
It’s still a huge development – the papers are very conservative, and are well-connected to the military – but expect pushback from the 101st Fighting Keyboarders claiming that the editorial staff of the Times don’t represent the real military point of view, yadda yadda.
Jayzuz, that video is awesome. Very deftly and cleverly edited and constructed.
Redd–Holy shit! Where is it?
I’m about to give up on Ford- and I gave up on Lamont weeks ago. Arizona? What great news!
Christy: try “< br >“. Without the spaces inside the brackets.
She said the lawyer’s proposal for talking with Khan “is inadequate to protect unique and potentially highly classified information that is vital to our country’s ability to fight terrorism.”
Government lawyers also argue in court papers that detainees such as Khan previously held in CIA sites have no automatic right to speak to lawyers because the new Military Commissions Act, signed by President Bush last month, stripped them of access to U.S. courts. That law established separate military trials for terrorism suspects….
Before I support any candidate in 2008, he/she MUST be on record as saying that this kind of garbage will be repealed. The Military Commissions Act, the John Warner (martial law) Act – hell, everything that these storm troopers have passed – it must ALL be repealed.
Why would any candidate need anything more as an election platform?
My country is now seen as a greater threat to wrold peace, in the eyes of the world, than North Korea.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/…..34,00.html
I don’t recall having voted for that.
protected static @ 24
Well, my reply to that would be “so how often do the editors of conservative chain newspapers go out of their way to stick a finger in the eye of the President AND alienate their readership?” My guess is that the rank and file military are letting the papers know how they feel and this is a reflection of that.
Pachacutec @ 25
I liked how it mached up the “clothes don’t fit the man” lyric with Georgie in his flight suit.
I also liked all the ordinary people there at the end showing their support. That guy must have a lot of friends. :)
Somewhat off-topic, but interesting, nonetheless:
War Games
Putting together an elaborate and detailed study of anything for the purpose of educating GW Clusterfuck is a lot like takin hundreds of pictures for the blind judge in Alice’s Restaurant. Useless.
rwcole @ 32
But, it explains why Clinton wasn’t all hot to trot for war against Iraq after getting the demand letter for same from the neo-cons in 1998.
And these clowns want to attack Iran, twice the territory and three times the population?
That video really is well done. The editing is superb.
Good summary statement from Pelosi on Iraq — thought everyone would appreciate it, even if the media gives it no coverage.
GW Clusterfuck says-
“Well I know that they’ve got thousands of pieces of paper that says it’s a mistake- but I’m a gut level decision maker and my gut says that this will be a cakewalk.- so bring it on”
kung fu monkey: CHURCHILL: Yeah, you keep bombing us. We’ll be in the pub, flipping you off. I’m slapping Rolls-Royce engines into untested flying coffins to knock you out of the skies, and then I’m sending angry Welshmen to burn your country from the Rhine to the Polish border.
Oh THANK YOU Christy for reposting that link, I couldn’t remember from what to the Polish border.
Signed,
Descended from Angry Welshmen and Scots
[temper? me? just call it being passionate.]
My great grandmother was a scottish immigrant. She was about five foot nothin. Never saw her lose her temper- but NO ONE EVER CROSSED HER- NEVER.
Popcorn brand recommendations? Or home additions to standard popcorn? I’ve already got a stupendously good bottle of wine for that 15th House Seat.
Hey if Snoopy can have popcorn and toast for Thanksgiving Dinner, I can have popcorn and wine for Election Feast.
rw at 26 — I don’t have a link, I got the info from someone on the groun in AZ. But I knew you’d be thrilled. :)
egregious @ 39
I suggest adding vodka.
egregious at 39 — Personally, I go for Orville Redenbacher regular old popcorn. And I either pop it on the stove in a little extra virgin olive oil or canola oil or in my microwave popper. (See here.) That way I know exactly what is in my popcorn, and I control the salt and butter. Nummy! BTW, I found my popper at either KMart or WalMart, I forget which…we’ve had it for a while. (Yes, I live in WV, and my shopping pickings are slim…)
REDD- Yep- you were right.
It’s still possible- (but not likely) that dems could take the senate. I think we NEED Virginia now- a few weeks ago it was a cherry on top of a win we could get by winning in Tenn and Mo- but Tenn looks to be slipping away-. One poll does not an opportunity make- but the last promising poll I saw from Arizona showed Kyl at less than 50%. You have to like yer chances in a race that just moved inside the margin of error where the incumbent is less than fifty percent. If you have a confirming poll- then we may have something out there.
Long term I expect Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada to be dem.
http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/154165.php
story in Arizona Daily Star re latest poll showing Kyl leading 45-41.
G’Morning! Hey Christy, I’m always interested in NOLA and the music from therein, but your link takes me to the kungfu monkey story. I didn’t see it on C&L either.
The long term battle lines are drawn in the southwest, the mississippi river- and all along the mason dixon line. That’s where dems have to win to become a national majority- and they can do it.
I’d like to give a shout out to any FDL reader in the Sixth Congressional District of Minnesota.
Michele Bachman was an embarrassment at the Minnesota State Capitol and she would be absolutely nightmarish on the national level.
Please, please, please, Minnesotans of the sixth, do not allow this woman to be elected. She comes down here to my third district to campaign with the fat cat republicans around Lake Minnetonka because she is embarrassed of her own district and doesn’t think it represents the way she sees herself, as a queen. Her religious views are constrictive, controlling and exclusionary to anyone who doesn’t believe exactly as she believes. She will NOT be a good representative of the people in any way.
Patty Wetterling is a good, hardworking person with a fine personal ethic and a sense for her constituents. She will represent the 6th district well. Please support her and tell anyone you can to do the same. Knock on doors, shout it from rooftops, “Elect, Patty Wetterling. Do not allow Michele Bachmann’s narrow view of reality to speak for you.”
Thank you, and god bless.
John
Mwahaha!
New video:
My Red State Blue (to the tune of Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue)
lina- thanks- that’s the one I had already seen I think. Great news- but we need a couple of confirming polls.
winning the Senate will happen like this:
RI
PA
VA
MO
MT
OH
voila.
egregious – Orville Redenbachers or Newman’s Own are good. On the stove in a little vegetable oil, then a bit of salt and real butter.
Billmon has a great take on the Miltary TImes calling or Rummy’s dismissal.
I don’t think you can lump these papers in with the msm.
If I may suggest Paul Newman’s brand of popcorn since he did cut a commercial for Ned.
rat bastahd at 45 — Oops — sorry, here’s the correct link. Will fix the post. Thanks for the heads up.
BobbyG @ 14
Shorter Grieve: “Dick Cheney endorses Democrats.”
The Pacemaker Putz is long past due for a wake-up call.
lina- agree- that’s the road to victory- let’s hope it happens! Some say that Lieberman will causus with the goopers- in which case we need one more. (I don’t think he will- I think he has a crazy idea of becoming president as a conservative dem).
http://downwithtyranny.blogspo…..ce-of.html
Howie gives Carol Voisin another good writeup. Thanks Howie! And Tom, our campaign manager is an FDL’er, and with the help of the Roots Project that’s how him and I and Old Gardener originally hooked up and plotted to help Carol take on Rubber Stamper Walden.
Millineryman @ 53
Brilliant! I prefer to pop mine on the stove, with a little olive oil mixed with the regular oil. How funny, Christy that you do that too. I’ve had people look at me like I was insane for suggesting it, until they try it.
rwcole @ 56
i would think he covets his seniority too much to caucus with the Rs.
Me, I love popcorn with salt and black pepper sprinkled liberally on it while it’s hot.
from Antigua when I was a real sailor.
yummy.
I will make my most favorite popcorn Tuesday nite, late.
lina @ 59
That’s a point, but I’m not so sure that Holy Joe isn’t so delusional as to believe that the Republicans will let him have his seniority. He knows he’s useful, but I don’t think he’s noticed that he’s an idiot.
TheOtherWA @ 58
Peanut oil has the highest flash point of commercially available oils and will leave you fewer old maids. My personal fav…an old Sunbeam electric popper with a plastic dome top inlcuding butter reservoir that slowly drissles as it pops :)
Butter up and get out and stump for your candidate. In my district, I need to overcome a problem with Jim Ramstad. He’s spent years looking like a friend of the people when his voting record shows he’s nothing other than a straight republican shill. Gotta go!
Peace all!
EvilDrPuma @ 55
we have to continue the mission and do what we think is right
Shouldn’t one unequivocally KNOW it’s right before you send thousands of young Americans to their deaths and waste $10,000 per minute? They THOUGHT there were WMDs, there weren’t (unless you ask assbag santorum). They THOUGHT there was a connection between Iraq and 9/11, there wasn’t. They THOUGHT we would be greeted with flowers as liberators, we weren’t, and no flowers. They THOUGHT the terrists were in their last throes, they weren’t and aren’t. America has suffered enough from BushCo’s thinking. I hope they don’t THINK I am going to vote for any of them. Sadly, they probably do, and sadly, they’d be wrong… again. [/rant]
EvilDrPuma @ 61
or that he’s insufferable.
Hmm, that’s sounds interesting.
lina @ 64
I find that idiots often are.
Thanks Christy! For everything you do!
Everybody feeling optimistic out there? Military Times on Rummy, right after Dumbya give him and Cheney the old “Heckuva job” treatment, Iraq still violent as can be, the firing of the Iraq Auditor, the brazen attempts to muzzle tortured detainees, the Perle VF article, Haggard’s ecstatic ride, the polls still swinging strongly towards the D’s…and Rove is putting all his chips on a Saddam verdict that will only remind everyone…of Iraq. Bwahaha. Bring it on Losers!
I live in MN 6th and Patty is fighting hard. Yesterday there were 3 anti-Patty fliers in my mail — today, there were 3 pro-Patty fliers. Way to go Patty and her team. The problem here in the 6th is there are way too many mega churches that agree with her 100%.
I am doing some phone calling tomorrow night for Amy Klobachar.
My son cooks his popcorn in toasted sesame oil with some soy sauce and tops it with wasabi and sea salt. Go figure.
Goopers won’t give Joe shit- unless they NEED him- any chairmanship- or whatever- would come out of the hide of a gooper.
If he were to flip- he would never again win an election for public office.
If he were to flip- he would make a mockery of his entire career.
I don’t think he’ll do it- but he’ll sure as hell bluff if he gets into the power broker position. Would be stupid not to.
JohnSwifty – I responsed to your callout for Patty, but also agree 100% on fighting the Jim Ramstead mirage. His ads are talking about him being all for conservation and being endorsed by the ‘League of Conservation Voters’. I thought to myself ’self, was that the Conervative Voters’ you were endorsed by?
He is truly one that likes to stay under the radar. He needs to be targeted. Is anyone even running against him? He has just put ads up in the last week so must not be much of a race.
rat bastahd @ 67
I don’t do optimism. Been burned too many times.
The only thing I’ll believe is seeing Nancy Pelosi taking that speaker’s gavel for herself. I don’t know how she’ll resist the urge to crack it on Denny Hastert’s pumpkin-headed noggin.
carolyn urban @ 65
It was; I love sailing and racing and was lucky enough to crew on a very fine >100 ft Ron Holland luxury sailboat all over the Caribbean. No rest at all because I was a nurse, too, with really sick clients. Very sick ones and that was the draw on our ship. People who had terminal disease and wanted to be assured they would have good care and communication with the “civilized world” while living one of their dreams.
I am forever grateful I did it.
Umm on my #68 – that would be ‘way too many mega churches that agree with Bachmann of course. Typing too fast, or reading too poorly, take your pick.
Love these variations of popcorn. You could try squeezing some fresh lemon and using black pepper for a zesty version.
LJ
Historic re-enactment of the caning of one congresscritter by another in the days just before the civil war. I’d pay for a ticket to that play.
EvilDrPuma @
55
Anyone know what frequency that pacemaker is on?
Ah, Christy, the Editor & Publisher link was great…Especially this:
But it wasn’t only endangered Republicans who have been calling for Rumsfeld’s ouster who may have blanched. Andrew Sullivan, the conservative writer who was once a key media supporter for the Iraq war, denounced the latest Bush statement on CNN on Wednesday night, stating that the president is so delusional, “This is not an election anymore, it’s an intervention”
GrandmaJ @ 68
You go Grandma! If there is any upside, Amy is worth TEN M. Bachmanns!
I can’t believe the Catholic constituents of the 6th don’t realize that Michele and her religion consider the Pope to be the anti-Christ. That’s just not good for a rep, is it. I went to School at St. Johns and I KNOW there are honest, good people up there who will not find anything in common with her brand religion. She is, at best, misguided and, at worst, legitimately hateful!
OK–
Here’s the best thing for popcorn.
1) Pop yer corn (I use Orville’s regular in an air popper but suit yerself)
2)Pour on a bit of melted butter and shake the popcorn until each kernel has been lightly coated.
3) Dust popcorn with salt, pepper, and PARMESAN cheese
You won’t be able to stop.
HotFlash @ 77
It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that Dick Cheney’s is the only EMP-shielded pacemaker in existence.
He’s that paranoid.
HotFlash @ 77
Judging by his public appearance, lethargic.
Frequency? One beat per scowl!
rwcole @ 80
It is my firm belief that anybody who thinks properly made popcorn requires anything but salt has been probed by too many aliens.
After the last 3 elections, I can certainly understand that LJ/Aquaria! I have plenty of friends who feel the same way. So do I, depending on the day. However, optimism can also lead to a mental image of being Winners for plenty of voters who want to vote for Winners. There is something contagious about it that has helped the GOP and this time it’s going to help us.
Thanks to the blogospshere and being directly involved with a campaign, I see people across the nation pushing hard right on through the finish line. I’m just trying to do my part in pushing that contagious winning feeling :)
A new NEWSWEEK poll shows that the GOP has lost more ground. Will rallying the base stem a Democratic tide?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15…../newsweek/
Chaney’s pacemaker is set to the beat of the Imperial March from Star Wars… Darth Cheney
Angie: nice. Combining sailing adventures with helping people: good gig.
I had a friend who used to sail out of English Harbour in the wintertime.
I used to sail a bit myself. Miss it.
Aliens prefer salt only.
rwcole @ 89
Don’t tell Lou Dobbs
Marion in Savannah @ 29
Yeah, sure, but I agree that a little editing of the main post is in order.
“The US military — every branch”
should be changed to “The conservative editors of the newspapers for the US military — every branch.”
Accuracy counts. It’s all our side has left in this corrupt Republican world.
(Well, that and G O T V)
GrandmaJ @ 71
Wendy Wilde, a liberal talkshow host from our local Air America station. She got in late and really didn’t have time for momentum; but, my god she speaks well and has reduced Ramstad to nother other than, “I agree, I agree, I agree… ” with all the major issues in their public debates. Up at our local high school he (a man over six feet and loud) attempted the republican ’shout down’ tactic on Wendy. She, (a five two, mom type) took everything he had to offer–which wasn’t much–and responded with well reasoned logic. She’s a good candidate. I wish to God we could have gotten her message out sooner. But we gotta do what we can now and work for the future. I know I said it before but I gotta go knock on some doors. Good luck and keep up the fight!
John
OT – update on my medical tests. Surprise, suuuurprise – they want to do more. Are there any doctors around who are satisfied with just a few tests? The doctor told me my case was ‘interesting.’ Um, not necessarily what I wanted to hear but I don’t have stomach cancer. Hoooray.
P.S. they give me a drug that interfers with the thinking process. They told me to get dressed and I did. OVER my hospital gown and I went out to breakfast with my daughter like that. With the gown trailing down behind me like some ghost from Rose Red.
That was my yesterday.
Prof at 91 — that’s only if you are referring to the articles in a vaccuum. From what I have been hearing from every military person I know — current and retired — it’s a sentiment that is pretty univeral across the board. And that’s the honest truth.
See this on Larry Johnson’s blog for more.
Upbeat summary from Rothenberg- if yer lookin fer a lift:
The Senate:
“While Senate control is in doubt, with Democrats most likely to win from 5 to 7 seats, we do not think the two sides have an equal chance of winning a majority in the Senate. Instead, we believe that state and national dynamics favor Democrats netting six seats and winning control of the United States Senate.”
The House:
“Going into the final days before the 2006 midterm elections, we believe the most likely outcome in the House of Representatives is a Democratic gain of 34 to 40 seats, with slightly larger gains not impossible. This would put Democrats at between 237 and 243 seats, if not a handful more, giving them a majority in the next House that is slightly larger than the one the Republicans currently hold. If these numbers are generally correct, we would expect a period of GOP finger-pointing and self-flagellation after the elections, followed by a considerable number of Republican House retirements over the next two years.”
Hope Rothenberg is wrong about the massive gooper self flagellation. Whadda MESS that would be.
I got completely sidetracked over at Kung Fu Monkey. Thanks. I needed that.
BTW, it seems Fox News is doing its very best to help out this weekend….
rwcole @ 76
Proof that conservatives were just as silly (and dangerous) when they were Democrats as they are now as Republicans.
For those who don’t know the ref: Preston Brooks of SC caned Charles Sumner on the Senate floor, back in 1856 over a fiery anti-slavery speech the latter made. Sumner’s mistake was disparaging the character of one Andrew Butler (I think a former Senator) during his speech. Brooks was the nephew of Butler.
More info here.
Christy Hardin Smith @
40
Was that katymine?
GrandmaJ @ 93
I am sorry. :( We have many miles to go as a human race, much less a country.
Hoping for you that only good news follows you.
rwcole @ 96
On the bright side, the Dems will have the clout to make them clean it up!
sofistic at 100 — nope, if it had been katymine or anyone I could publicly quote, I would have said.
Redd- The military has hated Rummy from the very beginning. It all started when he had a task force on how to remodel the military- AND DIDN’T INVITE ANY MILITARY.
My ex neighbor- a retired army colonel who is perfectly reflective of the “general view” despises him- and now hates Clustefuck to. These are GOOPERS- but they know they’re fighting for their lives.
EvilDrPuma @ 81
He’s *not* paranoid, everyone really does hate him.
EvilDrPuma @ 84
Garlic with the salt. But you-all have to be eating it, or you gonna sleep alone.
LJ/Aquaria @
15
And reading this whole column is a delight. The ending is perfecto…..
Dr. Puma sounds strangely like my son. Where do ya live doc?
Thanks angie for the good thoughts. Actually my worst worry has been allayed. But beware of doctors in problem solving mode.
rwcole @ 108
Iowa City, Iowa, at the moment. But I’m pretty sure you don’t sound like my father.
“Search your feelings! You know it to be true!”
“Nooooooooo!”
doc- guess not. My son’s in Texas.
Cozumel @
9
So, Clinton’s still subscribing to the ‘partisan hijack’ theory, eh?
Bullshit. When the tide, swirling with mendacity and cheap smears was high for Republicans, they all went along. Lockstep.
They wanted what happened to happen, no questions asked.
They wanted power, access to it, or to bask in its space cadet glow at any cost.
And now, the bill for living in a fantasy empire has come due, payable in factual ‘coin of the realm’, not fictive.
Republicans, neoconservatives, or whatever name they wish to conjure up on short notice to make the casual observer think that they are not what they seem can search for the escape hatch as frantically as they please…Their complicity in what has occured will not go away.
Let them be necklaced with the truth. Adults who make adult decisions bear responsibility for the results of same, individual predilections toward suspension of reality notwithstanding.
GrandmaJ @ 93
Grandma J, congratulations re the first round. My first set came back OK, too. I guess we just keep studying and hope the rest go OK too. Best wishes!
HYmm, I think I am on that drug. I can’t believe how stupid I am these days, and cannot remember anything that I haven’t already known for at least 10 years. Sometimes I feel a little sorry for Chimpy if they have him on that one.
On Sunday Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Rahm Emanuel will appear on NBC’s Meet the Press to engage in his final debate with Tom Reynolds, the embattled Chairman of our Republican counterpart, the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC). The last two years have been a brutal battle between the two parties and an inspirational effort on behalf of all Democrats, both in Washington, D.C. and in the grassroots all across the country.
GrandmaJ @ 93
Yeah, it’s frustrating, but… One more test sometimes makes all the difference, when a diagnosis is difficult to pin down.
I was diagnosed with leukemia when I was 11. I was scheduled for chemotherapy, but something about my symptoms nagged at my doctor. He ran one more test. I had cat scratch fever (yes, it really does exist), not leukemia, much to my family’s relief. My grandfather was at that time dying of leukemia. To have me succumb to it as well would have been… well… we can imagine how that would have gone over.
My brother had his rare form of cancer properly diagnosed and treated, thanks to one more test in the early stages of the disease. If he hadn’t, he would have died.
Some doctors are test-happy, and some do it for the money. But most of them really are trying to nail down the exact disease you have, so that they can best treat you.
GrandmaJ @ 109
I got the esteemed professor/doctors at UCLA wanting to cut, major technical surgery on the base of my tongue that has the potential for radical changes in my lifestyle with anything at all slightly out of the plan, or my local docs (backed up by other experts in the country) wanting to go with radio-chemo alone, with much more minor surgery later on the side of my neck.
They all think they’re right, of course.
Christ on a cupcake! I’m supposed to make this decision? Problem solving mode indeed. Hell I went out and ran eleven miles over the last two days just to get my head a little straight.
raven @ 114
Get ready, Rahm. As soon as we can afford to eat a few of our own, you’re going out on the brunch buffet.
GrandmaJ @ 93
I do hope you get better too. I don’t know why that part didn’t show up in my comment. Grrr…
EvilDrPuma @ 117
Blech. Who would eat that slimy toad?
I know. Let’s feed him to Dick Cheney! He hates everything!
rwcole @
70
rw,
hasn’t he already made a mockery of his entire career?
darkblack @ 112
You’re conflating then to now, huh uh.
The Libertarian and fiscally conservative, small government Republicans want nothing to do with this bunch
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/s…..d_religion
marksb @ 116
(((hope))) marksb– it’s very hard to navigate this, running toward the truth is good. I wish our government would invest in a bit of it.
I am hoping and working for all of us that will be faced with decisions that are not well- informed and unscientific choices.
Be well, friend.
GrandmaJ @ 93
“Interesting”? I hate that. But the mutliple tests are often really excellent. My MRI wasn’t really necessary but it turned out to provide some key visualization on the tumor. And the gown story was funny—we need to laugh as much as possible at this stuff that happens to us. After working in the computer industry, focused on hardware and software, I call us wetware. Messy, messy. Best of luck this week.
EvilDrPuma @
81
Mr. HazMat Suit …….
Thanks angie and all,
It’ll all be good, I’m so healthy and fit, I can recover with the best of them. But it’s hell on my family. We go through weeks of tests and consultations and I can see my wife looking at me and thinking “it’s in there. I want it out. Now.”
fahrender @ 124
Hmm…does this hazmat/EMP suit make me look fat?
montag @ 98
GOP projection, at its finest. I just early voted here in Columbus. I never wrote a Kos diary yet, maybe I’ll give it a try.
To HotFlash and Marksb – returning all good thoughts to you. Yeah, we keep on ‘keeping on’. My doctors problem, and it is a legtimate one, is that we all believe the problem currently is stemming from a a series of 4 surgeries I had in the mid-1970s. There are no surviving records of the surgery notes and the clinics are no longer in existence. They cannot tell what was done other than to rely on my memory.
I believe some of the tests are to establish a base line for the physical makeup of my ‘innards.’ All I know is that I have at least 30 staples up and down my middle. The xrays are hillarious.
Sorry for the interruption. Just consider it venting and I am devouring all political news even as I get more and more nervous about Tuesday. On this I am aligning more with Kos’ skepticism rather than unbounded anticipated joy.
Christy Hardin Smith @
94
Damn good read, General, Ma’am!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 94
I agree with you, Redd. I am talking only about where you placed the link. It makes it seem that the military is speaking in that link.
Alternative:
“The US military — every branch — is asking that Donald Rumsfeld be fired. Now. “
could be
“The US military — every branch — is asking that Donald Rumsfeld be fired. Now. And so are the pro-military newspapers that serve them.”
Anyway, on to other amazing things. In particular, the reaction of even some Republicans to George W. Bush can be seen in this photograph of people yawning, falling asleep, and staring away from him in embarrassed silence at a GOP rally.
Hooboy, Americablog is on fire.
First up, we get a peek into why the military newspapers came out against Rumsfeld:
Republicans in Congress have passed legislation giving some of the military’s generals and admirals a whopping 8% (plus) raise come this January. What does everyone else get? 2.2%.
Yeah, that’s one of those things that can cause a whole lotta bad morale in the military. This is gonna get ugly.
Americablog includes some of the letters from the grunts.
And now the Dems are capitalizing on that military editorial. Hey, why not? Republicans dug this grave, they can put their own coffins in it for a change. Too bad it’s only the coffins of their careers.
Also…
Seems that US Scientists warned the Bushies about those nuke plans on the internet and were….blown off. European diplomats warned about it. Only when the NYT latched onto the story did it get anyone’s attention. Heckuva job, Georgieboy.
rwcole @
96
you don’t suppose they would have one of those parades with chains like the Shi’ites do, do you?
marksb– just lost my response to you in the ether. Probably a good thing, cause it was voluminous.
HOPE is what matters and miracles have confounded science.
I have seen “miracles” happen.
I promise you.
HotFlash @
105
“just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that everybody isn’t out to get you ……”
Prof at 130 — good point. I switched it. Thanks.
GrandmaJ @
71
Wendy Wilde is opposing him – she is a great candidate and has done well against him in debates. She is sadly out-monied, however. Last night,someone stole my lawn sign for her, one for my MN house rep, Maria Ruud, and knocked down my Hatch sign! Grrr! I have had them out there for a month! Live on a quiet street in Minnetonka. I have to go out around see if they hit other houses as well.
GrandmaJ @ 128
Holy smokes, GrandmaJ, did they leave ‘em in? I’ve have line of staple-scars down my middle (makes me want to wear a bikini just for spite) but it’s the scars only. If you still have the staples, I guess that makes you a recyclable?
GrandmaJ, Hotflash and Marksb: Test and waiting is a tough spot. This too shall pass. Good luck, and best wishes for healing for all of you.
Marksb, perhaps one more opinion is the way to go. I highly recommend an opinion at least from a National Cancer Institutes Designated Cancer Center.
Here’s a link to find the closest one to you:
http://www.3cancer.gov
New thread, all — Howie’s making his election predictions today. :)
Cozumel @ 121
Funny how that fine bit of nuance wasn’t so much in evidence at the ‘04 Republican convention, eh?
As far as ‘…fiscally conservative, small government Republicans‘, as they pertain to this administration thay have been doing business under the name of Grover Norquist, et al for years with nary a peep of protest at method or manner.
I’m sorry for such worthies as you refer to above that their pleasantly dreamy idyll of prudent management has been rudely awakened by the realities of colossal ineptitude in the service of flagitious malfeasance, but ‘better late than never’, I suppose.
I would just like to point out that as the penultimate EPU-er two threads down, I did post video too.
moe
I would like to point out that as the penultimate EPU-er two threads down, I did post this video too.
Bill Maher’s New Rules from last night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRz-yWPEcNE
rwcole @ 80
Bingo! The parmesan is magic on popcorn.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 135
Yeah, that’s what I was getting at, only better stated…
The Founding Father’s never thought about TV.
They never thought about “Right-wing” radio. Or, consolidation of media…
They never thought that ALL three branches (four now – The President, the House, the Senate, and the Court’s) would be ruled by bat-$#!t insane people.
Is Barry Goldwater the last “Liberal?” I mean, besides me?
Jesus, did I just say I’m a “Liberal?” I meant “Progressisve Centrist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
WHERE’S THE ERASE KEY???????
OH, $#!t….
I can’t get enough of the video Freedom!
How fabulous. The new anthem!
I saw this video on another site and had my husband watch it. It’s the best and I still say we need to get it to the DNC and all major media outlets and try to get it so the mainstream public sees it and knows exactly why this election is important and not to vote wrong.