(Geese in an enclosure in Germany. AFP/DDP/Michael Urban.)
Here's the Sunday Talking Head line-up. Read it and weep:
C-Span's Washington Journal: 8:30am – Naftali Bendavid, Chicago Tribune, Deputy Washington Bureau Chief; 9am – Phoner From Baghdad: Steven Hurst, Associated Press, Baghdad Bureau Chief; 9:20am – Tom Baldwin, Times of London, Washington Bureau Chief & Salameh Nematt, Al-Hayat, Washington Bureau Chief.
Meet the Press (NBC): Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) & Sen. Joe Lieberman (I/D-CT); Maureen Dowd of the New York Times and David Gregory of NBC News.
This Week (ABC): Sen. Joe Biden and Sen. Carl Levin; WH Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten; George Will, Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson.
Face the Nation (CBS): Sen. Harry Reid; WH Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten.
Fox News Sunday: DNC Chairman Howard Dean and Dan Bartlett, counselor to the president.
Late Edition (CNN): Josh Bolten: White House Chief of Staff; Sen. Charles Schumer: Judiciary and Finance Committee, D-New York; Sen. Arlen Specter: Judiciary Committee chairman, R-Pennsylvania; Shaukat Aziz: Pakistani prime minister; Army Gen. George Joulwan (retired): Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander; William Cohen: Former defense secretary; Michael Gordon: Chief military correspondent for the New York Times.
Yet another Sunday in a row having to look at the creepy photo of Chris Wallace on the Fox News website. Could they at least find a better picture in which he is not wearing so much pancake make-up? That would be swell.
And not-Karl-Rove-but-the-guy-who-moved-him-to-a-windowless-office Joshua Bolten sure is making the rounds this morning, isn't he?
But there are a few bright spots. Carl Levin should be a very interesting interview, as should Biden, in terms of discussion on what ought to be given serious oversight by the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees. Howard Dean on Fox News Sunday could be fun (no, really!), although Dan Bartlett will most likely be his usual insufferable smarmy lying self, so keep the mute button at the ready.
Here's a suggestion for all the booking folks: more Pat Leahy and more Henry Waxman. You want to talk oversight — those ought to be your go-to guys. If you add in Byron Dorgan or John Conyers or Russ Feingold or Jane Harman to that mix, you might actually get a decent show. Accountability, it's the new black.
I loved this picture of the geese, heads up, checking out the scene. Kind of a wary look on all of their faces. Reminded me of how the media looks at the moment, trying to figure out how to operate in an exvironment where sucking up to Karl Rove gets them absolutely nothing beyond an interview with the L4L candidate. It's going to be an interesting next few months of media evolution, isn't it?
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FITZ!
Certainly will be interesting to see the media evolution. How long can they hold onto their old, tired and false narratives? They’ve stuck to guns so far this week with the “centrist Dems won it” nonsense, all the while never providing any proof of this, which we know there isn’t any. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander!
Strange days indeed. Most peculiar, mama.
New and improved Josh Bolton! He Slices, he dices! Set ‘im and forget ‘im! Apply him directly to the forehead. Remember, with every Josh Bolton you purchase, you get a ginsu knife and a smokeless ashtray. Order one today!* They make great gifts!
*not available in Tennessee
ROOTZ! DEAN!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/11/223911/01
Speaking of Russ Feingold (using the excuse to claim I’m still on topic)–for those who’ve not heard, he’s not running in 2008.
Okay, now that we’ve retaken the House and Senate (happy dance>!), how do we retake the media narrative?
As posts yesterday pointed out, the threats to reality that come from certain Democrats reinforce all the media nonsense we’ve been fighting against.
How do we register our displeaure with the talking head shows? Or, on days when they get it right, how do we reinforce that behavior? (Some of this may happen naturally as more Democrats are invited to the shows, but it depends on what type of Democrat, and what the agenda is …)
(And how do we get certain bloggers MSM gigs? SOMEBODY was very poised on national television Tuesday night … heh heh heh …)
angie @ 22
Don’t forget the Ken Mehlman Pocket Fisherman!
teh geesesters are very affective as a talking head picture…takes time to figure out and actually see the geese even though they are clear as day
as I said on the previous thread, feingold just broke all of our hearts;
he would have been the most electable, but not the best president, gore is unquestionably the best president, he’s already been elected once, we need to get him to run again
if gore refuses, I’m pretty sure we can draft feingold unless he has skeletons, he would serve America mroe as president and his points are really pointless.
hilary is unelectable and i hope she realises that, she would be a great president, but it’s not gong to happen and if she wants a democrat in the oval office I think she needs to realize that
I hope her strategy is to run and watch the pariah form around her, to duck out and let someone like feingold, murtha or gore step in
murtha just got into some nepotism and graft trouble and he’s probably not electable eiter
so who else is there?
If russ stays in the senate whilst hillery crashes and burns in a presidential run the net effect is more power to the progressives
twolf1 @ 2
Ron Co. has teamed with BushCo!
The Bush cabal has fallen and can’t get up! Let’s make sure they stay that way…
i agree! more pat leahy and henry waxman. please, no mo joe.
i hope those geese are not now lining a down filled jacket. buy synthetic fiber-filled products.
twolf1 @ 2
They could use some “Blue Blockers.” OK…I’ll stop now.
Christy,
I really do believe in evolution.
Really!
But, can the American Media evolve?
Can the “Ugly Duckling’s” of the media turn into “The Swan’s of Impartiality?”
Let’s hope so…
This should be an interesting experiment.
From Letterman:
Top Ten Signs George W. Bush Is Depressed
10. Speaks wistfully of the days when his approval rating was 33%
9. Barely musters a smile when catching Cheney torture detainees
8. Smug, arrogant smirk replaced by smug, arrogant frown
7. Barely laughs anymore during “Happy Days” reruns
6. Falls asleep during intelligence briefings…actually, he always did that
5. No longer pretends he quit drinking
4. Sits in the Oval Office listening to Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” over and over
3. When Rumsfeld left yesterday, Bush pleaded, “Take me with you”
2. At lunch with speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi, he hardly touched his fish sticks
1. Asked Bubba if he still had the big chick’s phone number
snuffy @ 9
ya, and then he steps in
the problem is the republican machine is more sophisticated then that
they will sing hilary’s praises until she is nominated, they already started that strategy…every time a pundit mentions her, they say she is the most formidable oponent
what they meant to say is that she is the oponent they are most happy to run against
Professor Foland @ 4
I had put an “08″ on a Feingold 2004 sign and had it in our yard since the Censure Resolution. Do I take it down now, or put a “12″ on it?
Lou Costello @ 14
number 9 should be number one, and instead of “barely touched his fish sticks” I would have added “and didn’t dare massage pelosi’s shoulders”
(I should appply as a writer, I’m better then his)
you know what?
I’m waiting to see an olberman about “Mr. president, do you even know why America has abandoned you?”
that would be RICH
perris, formerly known as me to me, @ 15
True…we need someone as handy with a lightsabe as darth cheny and rove combined….where oh where is the dem Yodo?
great picture CHS! I was cut off from internet most of yesterday and when I finnally got on, I had to go through sat am thread-it is the best!!
BTW NYT has very intersting no kneed bread on most emailed list for anyone who is interested-looks very good. Lots of time (in a 70 deg room…) very little work.
snuffy @ 19
i will appy for yoda position i will
twolf1 @
3
Now ya’ did it– I am very good at avoiding spews here, but you almost made me do it with my first cuppa here! Hilarious indeed.
Clap on, clap off, the clapper.
Oh, but wait, if you order now we’ll include a mustachioed John Bolton NeoCon doll absolutely free!
perris:
“(I should appply as a writer, I’m better then his)”
Uhhh…that would be ‘than his’ I think.
perris, formerly known as me to me, @ 21
sooo you 3 feet tall,green,with long ears?
EPU’d from the extreme end of TRex — later than usual because I slept in — today’s NYT columnists, from behind the firewall:
http://select.nytimes.com/2006…..amp;emc=th
Frank Rich, “The Year of the ‘Macaca’.”
http://select.nytimes.com/2006…..amp;emc=th
David Brooks, “Talking about Iraq.”
http://select.nytimes.com/2006…..amp;emc=th
Nicholas Kristof, “Bandages and Bayonets.”
bonkers @ 23
i don’t spell so good…not such a good writer after all
Jerelyn has a post about the ChiTrib carrying Rahm’s water with a puff piece about how he single handedly won the House.
We NEED to debunk this crap in a form we can spotlight around the media. Rahm’s candidates 8 for 22. The rest of us worked for and earned the other 21 wins!
twolf1 @ 3
Ah, geeeeezzz, twolf1 – ya just made me inhale a head full of carbonated beverage!
On the other hand, they’re kinda runnin’ out of people to send on the Sunday merry-go-round stump.
snuffy @ 24
yoda comes in all sizes he does, ears need not be the only thing longer then everything else it doesn’t
oh wait, that disqualifies me too
*damn it*
Angie – I responded to your 22 but the response appeared at my #7 — go figure!
this is shaping into a very fun sunday, but it’s tennis weather here in new york and there are too few left, so off to the courtts for me
jeeze, i thought for sure all our work in CT would at least prevent joe from representing dems on sunday morning. what does it take to know this guy off the sunday morning talking heads circuit?
no more joe, i want more waxman, leahy and feingold.
RevDeb @ 26
Right on. This is a crucial time since the public’s attention span is so short. Spotlight, calls to the local TV news, letters to editors…anything that you can do. This can really help set the tone for the next two years.
Uh-oh, twolf1, that happened to me several times this week.
The way I finally found to fix it was to exit and come back in….
but your original #7 was right on target and your 2nd made me LOL yet again!
unfortunately there is some contractors at the local courthouse that need some adult supervision[I am a struc.steel inspector these days]so back to work for me…
Lou Costello @
4
Thanks for letting us know about this. {Going off to rummage through her collection of birthday cards…}
Last night I went to a surprise party for an activist friend. The way we surprised her was, as her and her husband were driving by the recreation center where the party was, we were out side protesting the grim reaper. The best sign said “Demand a Recount”.
There were 2 cars that turned down the street before my friends arrived. The plan was to rush the car as it approached. Can you imagine what was going through the minds of the people in the first 2 cars? I was dressed as the grim reaper, and I’m a big guy (6′4″), and there was a mob of 60 people with signs running down the street chasing me as we all ran towards the cars.
Needless to say, the cars turned around.
Very FUNNY guys: http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gm…..y_men.html
Jane Harman: several articles have indicated that Nancy Pelosi will not pick her as head of the Intelligence Committee, because she has been too close to the Bush Administration view of things.
Apparently that committee is one where seniority is considered next to irrelevant in picking a Chair.
Pelosi is considering naming Alcee Hastings, who is supported by the Congressional Black Caucus — but the fact that, when a federal judge several years ago, he was impeached by the (Republican) House of Representatives (although not convicted, and also not convicted in a federal trial) may be a drag on that.
Just waking up, so I am wondering, have we had a thread on appointments?
You can’t expect these people in power… the Emanuels, the pundicks, the MSM to be able to read the writing on the wall which would be their demise and irrelevance.
This is a struggle for the heart and soul (and wealth) of the nation. Those who have been feeding on taxpayers teat and not going to let go without lying and whatever else it takes.
If more and more populist, netroots driven candidates win over time, the people will gain control over their government. But this is many election cycles off and it will require enormous work by the likes of FDL and people.
This may have been the first election where the netroots and populism had an legs in a long time.
Keep it up!
Bill Maher from Friday night
Marion in Savannah @ 25
marion, thanx again for those links, i count on them every week
I’mm reading the year of the macaca and it made me think
when did bush’s constituents actually start to see he had no clothes?
when did it begin?
was it the official documents from england telling us he made ip the data? (I hate the term “downing street memo”, it’s to benighn and doesn’t convey the true value of those papers”)
we know katrina sent his approval to the tubes, but I don’t think that was the start of it.
was it cindy’s cry out for a meaning to her son’s death?…was it his cowardice to face this women?
was it the soldier with balls enough to dress rumsfeld down in front of the world, asking why they had to rummage through the garbage for protection?
was it general shinseoki?
was it the 9/11 hearings?
I’ll tell you what I think it was;
I personally think the machine started to break down from clarks brutal indictment of the president and his inaction toward terrorism that gave the wheels momentum
but numero uno, the very first event which gave us the momentum we needed to persue the truth was Joe Wilson.
He wasn’t the only patriot that knew we had a president who wsa obsessed with a war that should never be fought, but people like him and clark were the only men with the courage to to raise the alarm.
so, what was the very first event that turned led to the overthrough of the neo con movement?
twolf1 @ 41, you can’t hotlink to C&L video files.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..monologue/
Lou Costello @ 43
Oh, my bad
twolf1, I got your back. And I LOVE Rachel Maddow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..&eurl=
g’ morning, all… coffee’s ready – hold out your cups!
Is it too late to enter the joke klein quote contest?
“the House of Representatives will be controlled by ancient liberals of Vietnam vintage”
There’s more
nuggets offeces flung by klein here;http://us.cnn.com/2006/POLITIC…..index.html
And has there been a thread on the leadership races?
Apparently Rahm Emanuel decided not to run for the #3 position, Majority Whip, because it would have entailed a bruising fight with the Congressional Black Caucus, which has already settled on Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolyn as their candidate.
So Emanuel runs for #4 — head of the Democratic Caucus. An interesting analysis at Parsing Rahmbo – attempt #2 in MyDD.
What’s the latest on Murtha and all. I’ve been offline.
Joe Bidet just looked “shocked” when George Steph. told him that Russ ain’t going to run for President.
November 12, 2006
Bloggers and the Democrats
An Uneasy Alliance
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE
AMID all the post-election bliss evident within the constellation of bloggers and online Democratic activists known as the “netroots” last week, there was a note of anger and disappointment. Ned Lamont, the antiwar Connecticut businessman who defeated Senator Joseph I. Lieberman in the August Democratic primary with strong support from the netroots, lost to the newly independent Mr. Lieberman on Tuesday, even as antiwar Democrats across the nation romped to upset victories.
It was the fall campaign’s signal clash between the Internet grass roots, which have become a growing political force since the 2004 presidential race, and the Democratic establishment, where big-money donors and incumbency rule. In Connecticut, the establishment won. Some bloggers fumed that Beltway Democrats had abandoned Mr. Lamont.
“The D.C. Senate Democrats and D.C. lobbyists are not on our side,” wrote the Lamont backer Matt Stoller on the liberal Web site MyDD, a major node for the netroots’ self-organizing multitudes. “They have their own side, a side that is out of touch, immoral, and dishonest.” The establishment, he wrote a few days before the election, had stuck a “knife in our back.”
It was the latest round in the long battle between leading netroots activists and their critics, real and perceived, among Washington’s Democratic elite. But such disagreements may soon be on the wane. As the smoke began to clear after Election Day, two things seemed clear. Though the netroots have forever changed how campaigns raise money and find votes, the results demonstrated that they cannot yet win elections on their own. But the Democratic Party cannot win major national elections without the netroots.
[snip]
[Please don’t reprint entire articles, due to copyright considerations. Just do a portion and post a link. Thanks! — CHS]
angie @ 49
He should read the blogs before going out in public.
Lou Costello @ 50
exactly.
he could also check his email.
LOL.
perris, formerly known as me to me, @ 42
It was the combination of ALL of these things…each Item alone resonated with a diffrent part of the population…enrageing ALL eventually….the way to approch the election in 08 is to keep investigations boiling right along to the election….reminding everyone everyday what a cesspool of shit those criminals made the peoples house
Lou Costello @ 50
I still think russ can be drafted, which would be the best way to go, leave the sharks circling the other meat in the water, when they are turned to chump by the republcian machine, he steps magically in, their resources expended on the other candidates
gore/feingold
unbeatable
NEW RULES: http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gm…..ew_12.html
It would be a wonderful ticket indeed, perris!
Lou Costello @ 54
I wish they would stop posting in quick time only, I hate that player and refuse to install it
How many of these gas bag shows had Newt Gingrich on this week in 1994?
How is it possible that none of them managed to book Nancy Pelosi?
Anyone?
Buehler?
Buehler?
Joe wilson would make a swingin,pres candidate…and his wife could do a hellava jod replaceing “deathsquad” negroponti’
snuffy @ 58
I’m pretty sure the ambasodor has sunday coffee with us;
*waves* Hi Joe!
snuffy, another Diplomat as President?
my dream for America.
(If only Jimmy Carter had prevailed in a second term…)
How come you hate QT? Apple rocks!
perris, formerly known as me to me, @ 57
Prof @ 39
Sorry, he was, of course, convicted by the Senate as well, under D control, and removed from office (1981). He was elected to Congress in 1992.
raven @ 61
it’s fine for apple but the thing tries to go straight to my start up folder every time I launch it
so, are we starting a pool as to when Cheney gets thrown under the bus?
raven @ 61
Will YouTube work for ya? NEW RULES: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNQStKaDe-U
Josh Bolten selling Gates to the people today.
(I feel like I am at an “after the flood sale”– in the extreme markdown aisle)
perris, formerly known as me to me, @ 59
If so?sir,our country really ,really needs you and your lovely wifes skill and smarts to try and repair the damage done by the creatures now in our White house…please consiter going back to work for the people….[please?]
Lou Costello @ 65
angie @ 66
I’m working up a little letter to my senators to say, “not gates”… something smelly there-he seems awful good at “hide the salami” and I’m sure we don’t need more of that…
There have been two great photographs in the news lately, showing Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid meeting with George W. Bush.
In both photographs, the Democratic leaders sit straight up (Nancy) or even lean back in the chair (Harry) and Bush is forced to lean over to shake hands, putting himself in a subordinate position.
Can’t find the links now, but they were both priceless photographs.
Somebody put some thought into those meetings.
Prof – Nancy Pelosi has Excellent Posture… looks good on her… makes quite the statement.
Awwww….Why’dya make me check out Foxnews.com?? I feel all icky now. Must shower. :(
angie @
66
I’d like to see their entire line of products in the Bargain Bin being pillaged, regularly, by newly-frugal WalMarting Conservative holiday shoppers.
hey!..how about a promo dunk tank with a Cheney look-alike to give away the slow sellers?
…a free Coulter book with every purchase to clear out the Scaife warehouses?
hmm,….did someone say coffee?
We greatly need (and appreciate) the Wilsons and Feingolds to continue their dedicated service in any form they can manage…thanks to all.
George Will says that the preznit was being “statesmanlike” by not getting rid of Rummy before the election.
Cokie is hollering about all the poor rethugs that could have won (Nancy Johnson, George Allen(?)) if he had done it before.
What about all the dead, kidz?
dam these fools.
Hope they are all out of jobs soon and that Christy and Jane and more sane people from the rootz are on tv.
‘Rahm’s Losers’: http://counterpunch.org/walsh11112006.html
DEAN! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/11/223911/01
angie @ 74
this is the tail wagging the dog
if he had gotten rid of rummy we would have routed him even more with ‘we told you to do this a long time ago and you waited for the election”
or something similar
then the loosers would have compaigned that he should have waited.
the repuke licans were toast, the only thing that could have possibly saved them was die bold, and it looks like the handlers of those machines were not willing to suffer america through another few years of these morons
btw
does anyone have any idea why the machines didn’t flip the close races?
god, been trying to go play some tennis and keep needign to refresh, I’ll never get there.
catch everyone later
I missed MTP, but this happened?
http://www.dailykos.com/commen…..805/22#c22
The Globule’s Jacoby, a reactionary voice, crying in the GOP desert, mourns that “the GOP loss should begin with rereading the Contract with America?
How about re-reading the Constitution.
Up next, Newt for President…?
66 days to Libby… and the Ambassador’s
truth.
I can’t wait.
Accountability is a bitch!
Jack
perris -
I think the machines DID flip a lot of votes, but because the turnout was so overwhelming, they couldn’t turn enough…
Prof, MTP not on here yet so I cannot answer your question.
Perris,
For a long while I was fond of saying three women started the demise of Bush’s presidency: Cindy Sheehan, Terry Schiavo, and Katrina.
Katrina was the killing stroke from which he and his party never quite recovered, and why redistricting, media in their pocket, more money than god, probably the majority of electronic voting machines just slightly skewed ‘mistakes’ in the Reeps favor still wasn’t enough. Because enough of the electorate woke up and got their behinds to the polls.
Regarding the media, we need to break up the media conglomerates (don’t allow one company to own a slew of newspapers, radio stations, TV networks, etc.) and also bring back the fairness doctrine or something similar.
The media architecture is broken and we need to destroy it.
Bay State Librul @ 79
oh baby, send that to evey democrat and let them use it…NICE
rumi @
73
Sounds like a no-brainer to me!
Very interesting news analysis in the Boston Globe on how Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid laid the groundwork for the D victory by deciding to “take down Bush’s brand” by standing up to him on Social Security and not offering any alternative plan.
Are other folks cruising the CM for news analyses worth sharing?
somebody through me out of here, I CAN’T LEAVE DAMN IT
More from the Boston Globe article:
perris, go on with your bad self and hit a few tennis balls for me…
it’s misty and foggy and cool here– we’re going for a walk.
we’ll still be here when you come back all fit and relaxed!
and a bit more:
and the result of this clever political strategy?
perris, formerly known as me to me, @
18
All week, I’ve been thinking of the “Home Alone” movie… ‘cept that kid was smarter.
bbuster @ 82
I noticed the same trend and we could add other strong, influential women. The Jersey Girls have always had my respect and gratitude. Sibel Edmonds and Bunnatine Greenhouse are just a few more of many.
As for the Rummy timing, I think the Cons would have done well enough to prevent losing control if Junior had made that move before the election.
The control (MSM exit poll data) and monitoring/awareness of the election seemed to prevent e-voting manipulation and vote suppression to win.
Prof 89–I’ve been trying to find it again, but I can’t-I recently read an article on how Pelosi wanted Murtha out in front for several weeks. She thought he’d be seen as a token if she went first, and he supported her. But if he were out alone for a while, it would look like a very solid, principled position that was leading the party.
I recall a lot of online ill-will was generated toward Pelosi because she didn’t support Murtha right away. But I’m beginning to think she did exactly exactly the right thing.
And you’re right–if you didn’t know who was #1, #2, and #3 beforehand, from the pictures, you’d sure pick her out as the #1.
I’m really beginning to like our next speaker.
At this point, republicans would give Joe the ‘world’ to caucus with them. That would switch it to 50/50, exactly the scenario we dreaded. And he is obviously threatening. Give me my chairmanship or I walk. Bow down to me or I walk. He will be insufferable.
Exactly as the republicans planed.
Here on the wet coast MTP comes on while it is still dark, this time of year. Timmeh’s show is like some kind of Time Machine, did Tuesday even happen – I’m greeted with John “the Weasel” McCain and Joe “Slime” Lieberman.” Same old, same old!
Same old crap coming out of their mouths as well! McCain talking as a man with “experience” in military matters. Well, personally I don’t think a person dropping bombs on people from 30,000 feet overhead gains much understanding of events on the ground. I also doubt he was running a spy ring from his suite at the Hanoi Hilton, so when you get right down to it, the Vietnam War is something he mostly read about.
The only change I see in McCain lately is he realizes he can remove his lips from their permanent place on the butt of Bu$h.
He insists that if the Americans leave Iraq, chaos will happen, Duh John, what would you call present day Iraq. Then he shares his plan – in order to get rid of the Shia Militias, he will first go into the Sunni areas and clean them up – then I guess once he has cleaned up the Shia Militias there won’t be anybody left but the Kurds, who will be busy fighting with the Turks by then most likely.
Then we were treated to Mr. “Independent Democrat” Liarberman. He feels that he owes his election to no one (did you catch that Karl and Kenny Mehl(t in your mouth)man? your millions and abandonment of the real RePub candidate were irrelevant) and thus need answer only his own “conscience.” Well, in other words whatever works for Joe and his buddies in Israel. Conscience just isn’t a word that comes to mind when thinking of Joe Lieberman without also using the word “lack.” I consider Joe nothing more than a Republican Mole in the Senate Democratic Caucus. I feel the party still owes the country an apology for ever nominating him to be Vice President (though we wound up with an even worse VP).
My nomination for best line of the show was Mo Dowd’s picture in words of Nancy Pelosi telling the crew who have tried to be the stern daddy to the world – “Who’s your Mommy?”
OT- on cspan 2 is a heartbreaking narrative of a nurse who served in Iraq, Cheryl Ruff.
Morning all…the dear Mr. ReddHedd got up with The Peanut again so I could sleep. Bless him. :)
Two words….
Al Gore!
As to the geese, in Germany they are a favorite bird for Xmas dinner. These suckas are for the chop…
Jes like the corporatist media.
GrandmaJ @ 93
Is there some kind of ‘pre-nup’ the Dems can get him to sign?
I’m sure that now the democrats have the majority in both houses, we’ll see a shift in the balance of the guests on the talking head programs from now on in favor of the democrats.
Hahaha.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 96
G’morning, thanks for the coffee and for having a welcome place to scatter my thoughts. This site has more than it’s fair share of exceptional. intelligent and friendly people.
I try to keep up but y’all move pretty quick.
:-)
WTF? Why are none of the newly elected Dems on the teevee yet? One would think,ya know,if”the media” wanted to perhaps,INFORM people,they’d do a little bit of profiling some of these folks so people could have a look see. Wouldn’t have to be an in depth policy discussion or anything,just a look at the people and the states they’ll be representing and a bit about the challenges they face (unemloyment,min.wage,environmental concerns,treatment of the troops,etc)at home.
I can’t help but feel if there were a bunch of newly elected wingers,we’d be seeing them all over the place.
Ack,who am I kidding? I keep forgetting common sense and normal expectations have flown the coop when it comes to the TeeVee these days.
Rumi at 101 — you are welcome any time. And great screenname — love “your” poetry. *g*
Father knows best, my sweet a*s. If he did, he would have stopped the shrub before the invasion, before one more son or daughter from another family would die. He would have sacrificed his son in the public arena, and gone, against the war, the constitution rape, as so many other families have done over and over again only not in face but in blood.
Father did not want to interfere, son of a bi**h, would you let your son burn the neighborhood for ideas that you had better information about, and knew were twisted and bent out of reasonable shape, while everyone else was taken on a blood ride.
Father knows best, f**k you, after 60% of the people are saying it is wrong, is too easy, Father should hide in shame to have allowed more than 2800 of ours to die in vain, to say nothing of more than 150,000 of others. Oh.. let us not forget the more than 20,000 wounded of ours, father knows best, hell….
Time For A Big Ol’ Cup Of ‘Shut The F*** Up’:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..33857.html
*from C&L
OldCoastie @ 80
I think the machines DID flip a lot of votes, but because the turnout was so overwhelming, they couldn’t turn enough…
The real pessimists think they had to lose this one to point to in ‘08 when they intend to steal the White House again and resteal Congress. Following this line of thought, maybe they manipulated the machines to assure loss – long term strategy to set up for ‘08. Would certainly help explain Allen’s surprisingly quick concession.
Then there’s those who think there is such a poo poo storm coming (and they know it) that they need some dems to share the blame!
An Angry Old Broad @ 102
I found an adjustment knob for Brightness on my TeeVee but I guess it doesn’t work. I turned that sucker all the way up and the guests/hosts didn’t seem a bit smarter.
Saturday on Huffington Post, Raymond Learsy was campaigning for Harman saying she may not be the Chair of the House Intelligence Committe because of Pelosi’s “personal animosity” toward Harman (who reminds me of a female Lieberman). The commenters were waiting for him and most had choice words shooting him down.
Senator Finegold not seeking the Presidency
Prof — did you post the link to that Boston Globe article? I’m not finding it scrolling back up…but I’m only on my first cuppa coffee, so I may have missed it.
Thank you, whoever above mentioned the Sat. morning FDL thread, Pull Up a Chair. I wasn’t online, but went back to start reading through it now, and came across a gem from RevDeb. It linked me to Booman, which brought be to this: Media Just Doesn’t See the Tsunami :
Yes, take a look at the full article. Perhaps the best summary of it is this:
Dear Friends and Supporters,
On Sunday, November 12th in Racine, I will hold my 1000th Listening Session with the people of Wisconsin. Before reaching that milestone, I want you to know that I’ve decided to continue my role as Wisconsin’s Junior Senator in the U.S. Senate and not to seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2008.
Like many Americans, I am excited by the results of the November 7th election. My fourteen years in the Senate have been the greatest privilege of my life and I am extremely pleased with what we have accomplished. During so much of that time, however, we Democrats have not only been in the minority but have often been so deeply mired there that my role has often been to block bad ideas or to simply dissent. That is a very important role but I relish the thought that in this new Congress we can start, not only to undo much of the damage that one-party rule has done to America, we can actually advance progressive solutions to such major issues as guaranteed healthcare, dependence on oil, and our unbalanced trade policies. The Senate of the 110th Congress could also well be a place of greater bi-partisan opportunities for change; something I am very proud to have been effective at in both Republican and Democratic Senates.
I hope all of you know how much I have appreciated the incredible response you have given me and the efforts of our Progressive Patriots Fund since January, 2005. In addition to all of our work in Wisconsin and D.C., I have traveled to seventeen states trying to promote the election of progressive Democrats in all states. At every stop from Birmingham, Alabama to Burlington, Vermont, to Ft. Dodge, Iowa, to Las Vegas, Nevada, people have agreed with my view that we need to stand up for a strong, principled Democratic party that is willing to replace timidity with taking the risks of promoting a platform of bold solutions to our nation’s problems. Unfailingly, people responded well to my positions: opposition to the Iraq war; calling for a timeline to redeploy our troops from Iraq so we can focus on those who attacked us on September 11th, 2001; my opposition to the flawed provisions of the USA Patriot Act that threaten the freedoms of law-abiding Americans; my call for accountability for the Administration’s arrogant disregard for the law especially with regard to illegal wiretapping; fighting for fiscal responsibility including tough common sense budget rules that will help end the reckless policies that have heaped a mountain of debt on our children and grandchildren; as well as my strong belief in guaranteed healthcare for all Americans and substantial investment in alternative energy sources and technologies.
Yet, while I’ve certainly enjoyed the repeated comments or buttons saying, “Run Russ Run”, or “Russ in ‘08″, I often felt that if a piece of Wisconsin swiss cheese had taken the same positions I’ve taken, it would have elicited the same standing ovations. This is because the hunger for progressive change we feel is obviously not about me but about the desire for a genuinely different Democratic Party that is ready to begin to reverse the 25 years of growing extremism we have endured.
Prof @ 78
Well, I’m popping in and out while I work so I am sparing myself Timmeh, but is ANYONE, ANYONE AT ALL surprised that L4L will bolt at the first opportunity??? Anyone….?
I am less generous in my assessment of TV in the USA than you are. I think the beautiful geese are much more cunning, but good actors. They are asking: now how can we fling right-wing goose shit at people and still look like we are doing our job?
theExile @ 106
The real pessimists think they had to lose this one to point to in ‘08 when they intend to steal the White House again and resteal Congress. Following this line of thought, maybe they manipulated the machines to assure loss – long term strategy to set up for ‘08. Would certainly help explain Allen’s surprisingly quick concession.
Then there’s those who think there is such a poo poo storm coming (and they know it) that they need some dems to share the blame!
I think there’s a good case to be made that, whatever cheating might have been attempted, the electoral results were a genuine surprise.
If it hadn’t been, the Republican media blitz afterwards would have been much less chaotic. They still haven’t settled on a narrative.
theExile -
I don’t think they are that smart or that clever… really…
Marion in Savannah @ 113
From SNL / Weekend Update (No clip yet)
707
http://www.boston.com/news/nat….._of_shift/
Can you delete my comment 120? What a mess.
Kathryn in MA @ 112
thanks for that kathryn… i wish all senators would meet with their constituents like russ does. something for the roots to lobby our senators for? i think so.
Prof @ 122
That’s the boston article. Please delete 120. It’s an embarrassing mishmash, brought on by not clicking my ctrl-c properly and pasting an old link.
on J4J – I don’t think he’ll cross over… who’s the Senator just diagnosed with the leukimia? and the governer in that state is a Dem? he may be retiring and considering the trouble so many repugs are in, indictments could be coming… liarman would be very stupid to cross any time soon… he likes the power, baby – he’s not going to jump to the loser repugs…
Two more winners from SNL:
I…can’t…breathe…
Joe just doesn’t get it, “If we leave, we’ll have a real hell in Iraq.” Maybe he hasn’t noticed hell is already there. God, what an insufferable, prevaricating putz!
Glenn Greenwald has a good post up this morning about the media and Russ, he points out that they simply cannot understand his actions in any other context than “What position is good for for my career.”
The idea that one could pursue the common good is so outside their world view that it is not just considered and rejected, but is never considered at all.
There is more that is wrong with the media narrative than just this, of course. They are so involved with the inside the beltway machinations, the horse race, the self serving lies taken at face value, that “the common good” is seen as just another position to be used for advantage. They see it not as a moral framework for action, just another tool in the box.
McCain is re-fighting his Vietnam war and running a campaign for the Preznit in 2008.
on MTP.
I’ll take Mr. Kerry, thank you very much.
More good stuff from the CM:
Liberal groups expect postelection results from the LA Times.
such as:
The article itself is written from the standpoint of “Oh, how dangerous those progressive demands will be to the Democrats preserving their majority,” but some of the info in the article is worth being up-to-date on.
And pair it with the list of progressive committee chairs in the Booman posting that I linked above.
CHS @ 103 – Thanks. I’m sometimes confused with another so I use the small ‘r’ to show my respect. ;) …although mine’s not too shabby. I’ve been thinking I might ought to get myself one of these blogger thingies cause they look like they might just catch on.
LC @ 119 – What did you think of the opening that featured Pelosi’s comments? That was (imho) so hilariously over the top and scartastically spot on that it could be quoted by rightwingnutters as gospel.
When does ABC wake up and realize that Cokie, Sam & George are out of touch with mainstream America — and don’t speak for anyone, but Washington insiders and the WASPY uppercrust. It is time for all three to be put out to pasture and retire to one of their many homes.
I got to hear Bill Clinton speak yesterday at a girl inc. event in Omaha. He said of Pelosi that she was not the “san franciscan” that so many people think she is. He talked about the conservative hit job on her and the fact that she is highly organized and bi partisan. He listed a number of bills that she co-sponsored with conservative republicans who many felt were too difficult to work with. He said she is very tough, reviewed her family background and all the smarts she gained from her baltimore roots.
He predicted that she would be a very strong and influential house leader. Her biggest accomplishment on the resume in Clinton’s opinion “raising 5 kids”. “Anyone who has successfully raised 5 kids has to be highly organized”.
I feel we are in better than average hands. Also, I have been pondering her anti impeachment comments and see that they could work in our favor in this way:
1) investigations crystallize the crimes and motivate the “people” to ask for the pres. head. People led instead of legislatively led. The investigations will be for real, but if she leaves the “reaction” to the American people, then she can concede and say “the people have spoken”.
2) setting high hurdles will only work to our advantage if the crimes are as bad and obvious as we suspect. The biggest one, in my opinion, would be lying to the house and senate about the WMD worries and starting a war on false premises. The cia leak trial may shed considerable light on this issue.
3) She looks rational and flexible with regard to letting facts lead her instead of emotion. (something a woman in high position must do to overcome the bias that she will be reactive).
4) This position will only add credibility to the charges because they will not be able to distract the public by blaming her for being reactionary. I think the crimes are serious enough to speak loud and clear to the American people. She is doing the reverse of what the republicans did to Clinton. She is letting the crime speak through the facts as they are gathered. If there is an impeachment, it will be led by the people not the house.
5) if there is an outcry as long as she remains flexible with her choices and lets the facts lead the way, the behavior of the administration will be the primary focus. This is good.
I am really looking forward to watching her work. Keeping an open mind.
Well LIEberman is back to being a hawk on Iraq….
I hope the voters of Connecticut are happy!!!!!!
He was just disgusting with timmeh and …timmeh let him slide….
This whole independent democrat crap has got to be shot down……
I say let ‘em all beat their gums… The voters did what they did and came to the conclusions they did with NO help from the media, so we should continue to focus on doing the right thing for the voters and marginalize the media. Fairness doctrine anyone?
Bartlett: Medicare Doesn’t Need To Negotiate Lower Prices Because Drugs Are Already Cheap Enough.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/…..te-prices/
Really? Let’s go to the facts…
The new LIEberman and RetHUGlican meme is …the voters didn’t say get out of Iraq right away…I guess they went to a psychic and got that information!
Here’s the picture of Bush having to reach, reach, reach in order to get to Nancy Pelosi’s politely but only slightly extended hand.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/wor…..97736.html
Who is the Alpha here?
I am gonna barf now that Lieberliar is on and don’t think I can listen anymore to the warbler.
I am a lamenting for Lamont.
http://www.swingstateproject.com/frontPage.do
An complete list of what happened with the state legislatures.
nobody to play at the park, a little damp, but good tennis weather and I’m surprised
anyway, Lou Costello I can’t get enough of your links..this one though takes the fucking cake and instead of linking, I’m gonna post it, it is TOO GOOD;
McCain vs. Clinton for 2008. Oh boy! Oh girl!
Feingold says he won’t run. Starting to clear the way for who knows?
Steve @ 139
thanks, Steve! Been looking for that. Beautiful chart.
Short version: We now control 23 state legislatures completely. The R’s control 10. The others are split.
This week’s “Newsweek” features a big picture of Poppy in the foreground, a small picture of Junior in the background, and the headline “Father Knows Best”. W’s going to have a stroke if anyone reads it to him.
Feingold declines to run. The arm-twisting begins. Gore or Clark!
OldCoastie @
65
I was lying in bed this morning and thinking that if any one thing characterized our Preznit it is his ability to sacrifice anything for himself. His name should be George U. Bus, U for Undertha. Solution for everything, big or small — Rumsfield, Cheney (probably), Powell, Tennant, our troops, the truth, Mary O. McCarthy (remember her? think she’ll ever get her pension?), New Orleans, Constitution. The quintessential irresponsibilty.
Maeme at 132 — it’s the 25th anniversary of This Week today, so they are doing a “classics” panel discussion. *g*
Frank Probst @ 144
I guess this hasn’t been mentioned, but I’m sure of it;
jr is no longer the president, it’s sr. running things again
this is to my mind not an opinion, but a fact, it’s seniors staff making the decisions and they are going to contact daddy on everything, and if junior makes a boy king suggestion daddy is gonna say “HAVE A CUP OF SHUT THE FUCK UP”
daddy is the president of the united states of america right now, so he got a second term after all
New thread, gang.
Join us upstairs on a new thread.
Oklahoma kiddo @
144
Russ Feingold is a class act. Not perfect, but the man has class. Reid and Schumer and Hillary: Take note.
perris, formerly known as me to me @ 140.
You’re welcome. I’m just a linker at heart. My friends call me Israel Bissel, the poor man’s Paul Revere.
Maybe Feingold would consider VP..He is young enough to position himself for Prez 10 years from now. Gore-Feingold or Clark-Feingold. I personally think Clark-Feingold would be a strong combo.
2007 will prove to be an interesting year I think. Bush sr. getting involved and wanting to blame everything on Cheney. Bush jr. wanting Cheney to get the blame for everything but not wanting daddy to get credit for positive changes so jr. will probably try to alter things to show he’s still in charge. And in the process, messing things up. Cheney not wanting to take the blame so he fights both of them.
Franco @ 133
But no one wants to bring the soldiers home from Iraq more than Joe…..
On This Week the new conventional wisdom seemed to be the rise of populism in the Democratic party. That way they avoid having to prove the new Democrats are more conservative or less liberal. No, they are populists.
Aren’t populists just liberals who don’t swing as far to the left on unpopular issues but are more vocal about income only rising at the top and more vocal against large corporations?
We’ve got the “Mainstream” in our criosshairs begging for mercy.
DON’T GIVE IT TO THEM!
Blogistan RULES!
And takes no prisoners.
All that Steffi, Timmeh, Leslie and the other whores care about is John McCain and Joe Lieberman — two clowns who should have been given the hook eons ago.
Neither is of any political relevance whatsoever.
It’s a shame about Russ Feingold, but one can hardly blame him.
SamTheLurker @ 117
This is an excellent point. The GOP has been so good at staying “on message” in general that when the machine breaks down, it’s a good sign that something has taken them by surprise. If they anticipated losing the House, it might be that they didn’t anticipate losing it by so much; and I have my doubts that they ever expected to lose the Senate.
The real credit for this one goes exactly where it should: the voters. They marched in and mowed down the GOP cheating machine beneath their New Balance cross-trainers (jackboots being so 109th Congress).
OldCoastie @ 118
I don’t think they are that smart or that clever… really…
Perhaps even more importantly, I don’t think their egos could stand the notion of taking a strategic loss. These guys play a zero-sum game, all the time.
EvilDrPuma @ 157
Perhaps even more importantly, I don’t think their egos could stand the notion of taking a strategic loss. These guys play a zero-sum game, all the time.
I hope you guys are correct. However these guys play by rules that say whoever has all the marbles in the end WINS. Congress is just window-dressing to them anyway, hence signing statements, Military Commisions Act, Martial Law Authorization and all the other blocks of the “Urinary Expletive” being assembled as under the radar as possible. Congress is too quaint of a reminder of “democracy” and that “damned piece of paper” – the Constitution!