Pach!

Several zeroes in 10 days!

I was surprised to see Susan Collins on that list in the Matzzie thread. I thought she and Olympia Snowe (known as the Maine sisters) have acquired reputations over the years as moderate Repugs.

Roots!

Biodun @ 3

I was surprised to see Susan Collins on that list in the Matzzie thread. I thought she and Olympia Snowe (known as the Maine sisters) have acquired reputations over the years as moderate Repugs.

They still enable the Reich wing. Those are pickup opportunities, should be Dem seats.

Biodun at 3 — They have, and then they quietly vote with Bush anyway. And they live in a state where the public sentiment is not with Bush policies. So they ought to choose: their constituents or Bush. They no longer get to have their cake and eat it, too.

egregious @ 3

Roots!

Seconded.

Ending the occupation alone is not a strategic vision for cleaning up GeeDub’s mess. The region is going to be a chaotic meat grinder for decades. Is it 2009 yet?

Don’t forget Hugh and Tula too. And Donita.

OK I called sunnunu’s office and asked why he is pro-murder. According to the functionaries at the office he does not support murder. I asked what in heaven’s name he was voting for then with his continuing support of the murders in Iraq of both American troops and Iraqi civilians. The eejit in his office said she wpould pass the message along….yeah right!

His time is up in this state!

OT – Chimpy JAR at new low

Hurray, hurray, hurray! Bono belongs on this list, and I’m so grateful to see her here. I’m such a Pach fan, I anticipated this exhortation to action and have already sent my letter to the editor regarding Bono.

Bono votes for Bush again and again. Stem cells mark her only “independence” but as is typical of a Bushie, she only dares those votes when they don’t matter. Let’s send the nice lady (we play nice in Palm Springs) home. She does not belong in Congress, as none of the Bushies belong in Washinton.

My favorite out of the batch is the Sununu ads. The House ads, while informative, seem a bit too general. But House members rarely have the opportunity to distinguish themselves. The Collins ad is effective only because her voice is so annoying. The McConnell ad could have portrayed him more negatively.

But notice how this did not affect their votes yesterday. Now we wait to see if S,C and McC will register their acknowledgement of these ads. I am not holding my breath.

Biodun @
3

I was surprised to see Susan Collins on that list in the Matzzie thread. I thought she and Olympia Snowe (known as the Maine sisters) have acquired reputations over the years as moderate Repugs.

She supported Rick Santorum last time. Enough said.

http://americablog.blogspot.co…..ve-so.html

McConnell is already push polling his district as the polls for him look really bad, with him head to head and under 50% against a hypothetical opponent, a Dem member of congress.

nomolos @ 10

OK I called sunnunu’s office and asked why he is pro-murder. According to the functionaries at the office he does not support murder. I asked what in heaven’s name he was voting for then with his continuing support of the murders in Iraq of both American troops and Iraqi civilians. The eejit in his office said she wpould pass the message along….yeah right!

His time is up in this state!

I called Sununu’s office during the lynching scandal a couple of years back, and his staff was very uncooperative. I simply wanted an explanation for why he could not cosponsor my Senator’s bill, an official Senate apology for never intervening in that ghastly practice of lynching. She accused me of tarring Sununu; she accused me of using race in order to fulfill my own political agenda; she even accused me of being a stalker. And when I finally asked if Sununu has no respect for African-Americans, she shreiked and hung up.

You must love your Senator’s staff.

way off topic…but had to share this:

There is an amazing story at the LAT, by and about one of their very well known sportswriters, Mike Penner:

During my 23 years with The Times’ sports department, I have held a wide variety of roles and titles. Tennis writer. Angels beat reporter. Olympics writer. Essayist. Sports media critic. NFL columnist. Recent keeper of the Morning Briefing flame.

Today I leave for a few weeks’ vacation, and when I return, I will come back in yet another incarnation.

As Christine….

link:

latimes.com link

[Link repaired by moderator]

Great call to action, Pach. I hope everyone will take a half-hour to write an LTE or make some phonecalls, and/or donate to the Roots project today!

See you all later this afternoon.

Plus, McConnell is rumored to be a family man in the mold of Liberace (who was married, as I recall). I expect he and Lindsay Graham have lots to dish about.

gee it’s great to be a gangsta!

just got off the phone with Cornyn’s Austin office where I of course registered my displeasure with his stance on the occupation . . .

even though he’s not on the list above – I thought it important to read his ever softening numbers to the staffer . . .she basically said, cobbler lady, is that you ? ‘oh yeah, we’re hunkerin’ down here’

cobbler lady: “well maybe he could get Ralph Reed to campaign for him again”

bwaahaahaaa!

pointecoupeedemocrat (if you’re still here):

I responded to you late in the last thread–in EPU land.

OT & EPU’d from the previous thread-

That was quick. Moyers’ Buying the War full vid & transcript already up @ this site:

Buying the War

P.S. I’m a little surprised Rep. Joe Knollenberg (MI-09) isn’t on the list. He’s definitely endangered (he was on Rove’s list of loyal Bushies who were vulnerable in 2006), he’s a major neocon enabler (voted to support Bush and DeLay something like 96% of the time), and the Democrats have identified him as a target. I’ve written him several times. He’s my target for a letter in the next couple of days.

landofthefree @ 23

P.S. I’m a little surprised Rep. Joe Knollenberg (MI-09) isn’t on the list. He’s definitely endangered (he was on Rove’s list of loyal Bushies who were vulnerable in 2006), he’s a major neocon enabler (voted to support Bush and DeLay something like 96% of the time), and the Democrats have identified him as a target. I’ve written him several times. He’s my target for a letter in the next couple of days.

Good job!

I’m a little slow (as well as tired), but I dont get why Bush is so adamant that he is going to veto the Iraq emergency supplemental (which, btw, funds the war thru FY 2008). The Conference Committee went with the softer Senate language that says “with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.” What’s the big deal, George? You could drive a truck through this wording, even without a signing statement.

cbl @ 20

gee it’s great to be a gangsta!

just got off the phone with Cornyn’s Austin office where I of course registered my displeasure with his stance on the occupation . . .

even though he’s not on the list above – I thought it important to read his ever softening numbers to the staffer . . .she basically said, cobbler lady, is that you ? ‘oh yeah, we’re hunkerin’ down here’

cobbler lady: “well maybe he could get Ralph Reed to campaign for him again”

bwaahaahaaa!

cbl, that’s priceless.

Sounds like you and that staffer are getting to know each other pretty well. Keep on keeping them honest — no, that might be a bit much. Keep on keeping them worried!

Pach—ygm

OT ~ Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has introduced Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney.
http://alternet.org/blogs/video/#51028

You can help: Saturday April 28th = http://www.a28.org/actions.shtml *See you there.

Biodun @
21

pointecoupeedemocrat (if you’re still here):

I responded to you late in the last thread–in EPU land.

Oui, je parle franais.

And thank you to HotFlash for the link to Qui Tam. Thank you thank you.

TiredFed @ 25

I’m a little slow (as well as tired), but I dont get why Bush is so adamant that he is going to veto the Iraq emergency supplemental (which, btw, funds the war thru FY 2008). The Conference Committee went with the softer Senate language that says “with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.” What’s the big deal, George? You could drive a truck through this wording, even without a signing statement.

Because he wants a fight.

He wants to turn this into a Republicans vs. Democrats, “us versus them” fight. The problem that he has its not shaping up to be Republicans vs. Democrats – it is instead Realists (both D and R) versus a small crowd of ideologues living in a fantasy world.

TiredFed @ 25

I’m a little slow (as well as tired), but I dont get why Bush is so adamant that he is going to veto the Iraq emergency supplemental (which, btw, funds the war thru FY 2008). The Conference Committee went with the softer Senate language that says “with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.” What’s the big deal, George? You could drive a truck through this wording, even without a signing statement.

Before that language appears, the bill says that Bush MUST report to Congress; MUST certify X, Y, and Z; MUST do 1, 2, and 3 . . . and if he doesn’t, then he MUST begin to redeploy the troops as of Oct 1. Completing the redeployment . . . that’s more openended, with a GOAL of 180 days. But that goal only shows up after lots of MUST language.

Bush hates being told what to do. By anyone.

Pachacutec @
15

McConnell is already push polling his district as the polls for him look really bad, with him head to head and under 50% against a hypothetical opponent, a Dem member of congress.

Since McConnell knocked off an incumbent, long time Dem to first win (Dee Huddleston – I think he may have been dealing with cancer at the time but not sure as I hadn’t lived in the state for years and rootz and toobz weren’t around), it is past time to return the favor and knock hom off so he and his wife can both retire to their speaking fees and reich-wing welfare. Too bad the head of KY Dem party seems to be an idiot.

Peterboy @17: the link was broken, but I found the story at the LA Times site:
Old Mike, New Christine
Thank you for pointing us to this story. Terrific article.

It takes a lot of courage to do that as a sports writer. Kudos to the new Christine.

Lou Costello,

have to work Impeachment Saturday – BUT – our family has made 6 giant IMPEACH! kites and will be flying them over town and my job

cost: $12

democracy: priceless

That old tacky rake Kay Bailey is pontificating. Sock puppet. sock puppet.

And kay, try a different shade of lipstick when your dress almost matches your complexion.

And oh yeah: ROOTS! ROCK! {{{{{{{{{{JANE!}}}}}}}}}}, (sorry, no reggae this A and M) :})

Go Pach! Go Roots! Go MoveOn! My BigSis is a good Liberal BigWig in Maine who knows Senator Collins (and Senator Snowe). I’ll make sure she bugs Senator Collins, her being a constituent and all, and Collins will prolly take her call. Doesn’t Collins know she’s shoveling against the tide of history and change, fercripessakes??

OT: Where are other FirePups? – check out this earlier post to see (and join?) an unofficial map.

P.S. Yesterday I was promoted to Grandpa Level for the first time. My daughter and her newbie son are doing great. To Life — and to a better time for our country! Sincerest thanx to FDL and its many denizens and fascinating commenters and (Gabblers) for your part in keeping us all sane and in bringing about the much needed return to national sanity. (((FDL & the WHOLE CREW!))) (((CHS & Peanut))) (((Jane!!!))) w00t!!

http://www.latimes.com/sports/…..-headlines

reposting with good link,
sorry.

[Fixed by moderator]

pointecoupeedemocrat @ 29

And thank you to HotFlash for the link to Qui Tam. Thank you thank you.

Teh google is our friend!

pointee – The folks over at http://www.waynemadsenreport.com were all over the Foley Scandal. You can get lots of info on the un-related Alexanders at that site.

If you are doing investigative reporting on the matter, you may want to correspond directly with the wmr staff.

lotf and Peterr, I agree. but he cant get away with saying Congress is tying his hands, cuz they ain’t.

land of the free…@33
duh. you reposted.

radiofreewill @ 40

pointee – The folks over at http://www.waynemadsenreport.com were all over the Foley Scandal. You can get lots of info on the un-related Alexanders at that site.

If you are doing investigative reporting on the matter, you may want to correspond directly with the wmr staff.

Thanks, cher. I will contact them once I have diaries that pick apart smaller passages posted. the behemoth on the front page right know is too much for someone who did not read the subcommittee report.

Pachacutec @ 15

McConnell is already push polling his district as the polls for him look really bad, with him head to head and under 50% against a hypothetical opponent, a Dem member of congress.

If he’s doing that now, he’s gonna need a bulldozer to push enough of that garbage to last to Nov 08.

Be afraid, Mitch. Be very afraid.

How come Little Normy Coleman gets no respect as a Vulnerable Sychophant. He oughta be the poster child fur chrissake!

TiredFed @ 25

I’m a little slow (as well as tired), but I dont get why Bush is so adamant that he is going to veto the Iraq emergency supplemental (which, btw, funds the war thru FY 2008). The Conference Committee went with the softer Senate language that says “with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.” What’s the big deal, George? You could drive a truck through this wording, even without a signing statement.

TiredFed,

I’ve thought the same thing myself. It just doesn’t make sense. The language in the bill is a nonbinding statement for all purposes. It would appear that only Bush is allowed to make signing statements.

johnSwifty @ 45

How come Little Normy Coleman gets no respect as a Vulnerable Sychophant. He oughta be the poster child fur chrissake!

Go for it!

this from CNN:
The House originally had called for a binding deadline of removing combat troops by August 2008, but the Senate passed a nonbinding bill setting out a goal of withdrawing combat troops from Iraq no later than March 2008.

House leaders agreed to adopt the Senate’s language to get the bill through Congress and to Bush’s desk.

S.O.S. from MA @ 37:

Congrats for achieving grandpa status. (I have a ways to go yet: 18-year-old daughter and 17-year-old son).

Sentiments about FDL and FDL folks seconded.

Bono vulnerable? I’d love to see her go- but that’s a VERY GOOPERY DISTRICT.

Sixty – u funny. I like that “turnabout is fair play” angle.

Now Lieberman announced his intention to vote NO. Someone please pacify him.

The new bill includes a kind of harder start date for draw down than the original House bill did, so it’s weaker than the House bill in some ways, and a tad stronger in some others, as I understand it.

TiredFed @ 41

lotf and Peterr, I agree. but he cant get away with saying Congress is tying his hands, cuz they ain’t.

He can say it, but whether he gets away with saying it is something else.

Cue Jack Murtha, Jim Webb, Pat Murphy . . .

Riverbend is leaving Iraq, and noted this in her post about it:

The wall, of course, will protect no one. I sometimes wonder if this is how the concentration camps began in Europe. The Nazi government probably said, “Oh look- we’re just going to protect the Jews with this little wall here- it will be difficult for people to get into their special area to hurt them!” And yet, it will also be difficult to get out.

The Wall is the latest effort to further break Iraqi society apart. Promoting and supporting civil war isn’t enough, apparently- Iraqis have generally proven to be more tenacious and tolerant than their mullahs, ayatollahs, and Vichy leaders. It’s time for America to physically divide and conquer- like Berlin before the wall came down or Palestine today. This way, they can continue chasing Sunnis out of “Shia areas” and Shia out of “Sunni areas”.

I always hear the Iraqi pro-war crowd interviewed on television from foreign capitals (they can only appear on television from the safety of foreign capitals because I defy anyone to be publicly pro-war in Iraq). They refuse to believe that their religiously inclined, sectarian political parties fueled this whole Sunni/Shia conflict. They refuse to acknowledge that this situation is a direct result of the war and occupation. They go on and on about Iraq’s history and how Sunnis and Shia were always in conflict and I hate that. I hate that a handful of expats who haven’t been to the country in decades pretend to know more about it than people actually living there.

I remember Baghdad before the war- one could live anywhere. . .

It’s a great piece. Maddening, saddening, and absolutely on target.

Meanwhile, ShortRide is speaking on C-SPAN2.

And do not worry, we in Louisiana will nail Boustany, Jindal and Vitter for voting against Hurricane Katrina and Rita funding. The letters to the editors are already written, and the blogs are on fire.

I think the best chance to nail Rove is right now on the political pep talks he and his office ran at government agencies about “the political landscape”. Violation of the Hatch Act it is said. More plainly, we need a special prosecutor to act on this since Mr. Bloch is a creature of the Administration and the White House investigating the White House is more than suspect. Congress should act to invoke a Special Prosecutor now and move fast.

rwcole,
it’s also a very seniory district – someone should ask the gentlewoman from Palm Springs why she doesn’t want Medicare to negotiate prices with Big Pharma

johnSwifty:

I thought of Norm too. But then I thought since MN is no longer a swing state (it’s already turned blue–wishful thinking perhaps?)… Besides, Norm was for the war before he’s now tepidly against it.

We also know he’s such a turncoat opportunist: New York Brooklyn Dem turned MN Repug.

OT – sorry, but has anyone discussed/computed just how many dead US troops there might well be since the warfare bit was over and the Occupation began without body armour and armour, some at least, on the patrol vehicles? Should we think of 5 times more, 10 times more? What a figure for Georgie Boy to think about.

21 GOP/12 Dem Senators up for re-election in ‘08.

You can bet every single GOP Senator up for re-election will want Iraq off the table before primary season.

Today’s vote will go a long way to flushing-out the ‘chicken-hawks.’

hey, has anyone asked Betraeus how it feels to have all that ‘genius’ reduced to being Fred Kagan’s bitch ?!?!?

Betraeus

HAH!

Pachacutec @ 47

johnSwifty @ 45

How come Little Normy Coleman gets no respect as a Vulnerable Sychophant. He oughta be the poster child fur chrissake!

Go for it!

There’s fodder aplenty, fur sure. Here’s one of my fav’s (mostly because I’m a sucker for a Scottish brogue):

BBC report of George Galloway giving the Senate a bollocking

Coleman is SUCH a little prick. But Al Franken will probably make mincemeat of him.

TiredFed @ 48

this from CNN:
The House originally had called for a binding deadline of removing combat troops by August 2008, but the Senate passed a nonbinding bill setting out a goal of withdrawing combat troops from Iraq no later than March 2008.

House leaders agreed to adopt the Senate’s language to get the bill through Congress and to Bush’s desk.

i hope reid and pelosi (and everyone) keeps up the rhetorical pressure on bush…. to make him veto it…. otherwise, i fear we all are screwed – bush will have his war/occupation funded through sept 2008.

p.s. here’s a link to the language we tracked down yesterday.

johnSwifty @ 45

How come Little Normy Coleman gets no respect as a Vulnerable Sychophant. He oughta be the poster child fur chrissake!

I agree. But, he was bought and paid for a long time ago. Why bang your head up against a brick wall? Coleman’s reward and swan-song is the GOP convention in St. Paul in 2008. After that, it’s either Al Franken or attorney Mike Ciresi (gazzillionaire), both Dems. Some say MN was purple, but I never believed it. In any case, the color is trending BLUE.

radiofreewill @ 60

21 GOP/12 Dem Senators up for re-election in ‘08.

You can bet every single GOP Senator up for re-election will want Iraq off the table before primary season.

Today’s vote will go a long way to flushing-out the ‘chicken-hawks.’

Here’s the list. I can see a number of other names here that I’d like to have spend more time with their families. I’m less clear, though, on which are politically vulnerable.

Alexander, Lamar- (R – TN)
Allard, Wayne- (R – CO)
Baucus, Max- (D – MT)
Biden, Joseph R., Jr.- (D – DE)
Chambliss, Saxby- (R – GA)
Cochran, Thad- (R – MS)
Coleman, Norm- (R – MN)
Collins, Susan M.- (R – ME)
Cornyn, John- (R – TX)
Craig, Larry E.- (R – ID)
Dole, Elizabeth- (R – NC)
Domenici, Pete V.- (R – NM)
Durbin, Richard- (D – IL)
Enzi, Michael B.- (R – WY)
Graham, Lindsey- (R – SC)
Hagel, Chuck- (R – NE)
Harkin, Tom- (D – IA)
Inhofe, James M.- (R – OK)
Johnson, Tim- (D – SD)
Kerry, John F.- (D – MA)
Landrieu, Mary L.- (D – LA)
Lautenberg, Frank R.- (D – NJ)
Levin, Carl- (D – MI)
McConnell, Mitch- (R – KY)
Pryor, Mark L.- (D – AR)
Reed, Jack- (D – RI)
Roberts, Pat- (R – KS)
Rockefeller, John D., IV- (D – WV)
Sessions, Jeff- (R – AL)
Smith, Gordon H.- (R – OR)
Stevens, Ted- (R – AK)
Sununu, John E.- (R – NH)
Warner, John- (R – VA)

MNVirginia @ 65

johnSwifty @ 45

How come Little Normy Coleman gets no respect as a Vulnerable Sychophant. He oughta be the poster child fur chrissake!

I agree. But, he was bought and paid for a long time ago. Why bang your head up against a brick wall? Coleman’s reward and swan-song is the GOP convention in St. Paul in 2008. After that, it’s either Al Franken or attorney Mike Ciresi (gazzillionaire), both Dems. Some say MN was purple, but I never believed it. In any case, the color is trending BLUE.

the GOP convention in 2008 should be compared to the Wellstone funeral. Mine it for quotes, and hang them around Norm’s neck.

dude @ 56

I think the best chance to nail Rove is right now on the political pep talks he and his office ran at government agencies about “the political landscape”. Violation of the Hatch Act it is said. More plainly, we need a special prosecutor to act on this since Mr. Bloch is a creature of the Administration and the White House investigating the White House is more than suspect. Congress should act to invoke a Special Prosecutor now and move fast.

Unfortunately, the Repugs have done the same thing with the idea of Special Prosecutors as they did with impeachment. They abused it so badly that the idea is not workable. I get the impression that it was done with malicious aforethought.

Biodun @ 58

johnSwifty:
We also know he’s such a turncoat opportunist: New York Brooklyn Dem turned MN Repug.

True, the man deserves no more consideration than a speed bump in the road, which is all he’ll be as Al Franken cruises over him on his way to the senate.

The best possible thing about getting cookie cutter conservatives out of public office will be to reduce the number of absolutely humorless and unimaginative little minds from the governing process. Wouldn’t it be nice to experience satire and/or innuendo within the hallowed halls of congress again, instead of merely focused at it?

partially o/t but. . .

here’s a thumbnail
sketch, complete with
statutory authorities,
of what the next
few weeks hold for
ms. monica goodling. . .

will alberto gonzales try
to delay, for even 20 days, the
inevitable issuance of the order
compelling her immunized-testimony?

it would be political kryptonite,
in my humble opinion, but he has
done so many other chuckle-headed
things, one must wonder about it. . .

we’ll see. . .

Pachacutec @ 53

The new bill includes a kind of harder start date for draw down than the original House bill did, so it’s weaker than the House bill in some ways, and a tad stronger in some others, as I understand it.

as far as i can tell, the conference report is much weaker than the house bill…they both have equally hard withdrawal start dates. the only thing stronger in the conference report is that the withdrawal is supposed to begin earlier – but that could be done by bringing home a very small number of troops, with no material impact on ending the war. on the downside the language of the conference report makes the completion of withdrawal a goal (non-binding), where in the house version is was binding.

will post details in a moment …. would love to have others read through the bills for additional takes on it…

Are Bush’s signing statements ever made public?

maunga @
59

OT – sorry, but has anyone discussed/computed just how many dead US troops there might well be since the warfare bit was over and the Occupation began without body armour and armour, some at least, on the patrol vehicles? Should we think of 5 times more, 10 times more? What a figure for Georgie Boy to think about.

Still OT but John Bolton (remember him?) was on BBC two nights ago doing the current neocon bit about how the US got rid of the dicatator for the Iraqis and it really isn’t our fault if the Iraqis are too stupid/ bad/ Islamic (delete to taste) and all that the US will do is stay till the Iraqis are in charge to succeed or fall by themselves(!) and BBC’s Gavin Essler asked him how many US lives he thought that remaining task was worth. Bolton got REALLY angry and called it an offensive question, but he had no response.

“kryptonite“. . . dag.

[Fixed by mod]

Hey- I was wrong on Bono’s district- it’s only plus three gooper according to the Cook rating- sounds good!

OT – Durbin up on CSPAN2…

Are Bush’s signing statements ever made public?

Badwater,

don’t know yet. look here

Pulitzer Prize Winner Charlie Savage

here’s what TiredFed and i worked it out in epu land yesterday… alternative views info welcome…

my bold.

here are permanent (i think) links to the bills (versions of h.r.1591) -

conference version – link here.
house and senate versions – links here

from the conference bill, section 1904:

b) If the President fails to make any of the determinations specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq no later than July 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.

c) If the President makes the determinations specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq not later than October 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.

from the house version, in section 1904:

c) If in the transmissions to Congress required by subsection (a) the President determines that any of the conditions specified in such subsection have not been met, or if the President is unable to make the certification specified in subsection (b) by the required date, the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq and complete such redeployment within 180 days.

(d) If the President makes the certification specified in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq not later than March 1, 2008, and complete such redeployment within 180 days.

from the senate version, in section 1315 (b):

(2) COMMENCEMENT OF PHASED REDEPLOYMENT FROM IRAQ- The President shall commence the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, with the goal of redeploying, by March 31, 2008, all United States combat forces from Iraq except for a limited number that are essential for the following purposes:

(A) Protecting United States and coalition personnel and infrastructure.
(B) Training and equipping Iraqi forces.
(C) Conducting targeted counter-terrorism operations.

radiofreewill @ 40

pointee – The folks over at http://www.waynemadsenreport.com were all over the Foley Scandal. You can get lots of info on the un-related Alexanders at that site.

If you are doing investigative reporting on the matter, you may want to correspond directly with the wmr staff.

One quote stands out on that site today:

British government secret memo summation on Bush: “He’s a madman.”

The Kansas Republican party is fighting a very un-civil war. In the suburbs of Kansas City on the Kansas side of the KS/MO border, the GOP is fleeing the wingnuts elsewhere in KS who are doing things like pushing the anti-science curriciulum on the state Board of Education.

Pat Roberts is sitting on a powder keg of discontent in the GOP in KS. If the Phase II intelligence report can ever get out, it might just light that keg.

This is a race that bears watching. Moderate KS GOPers (and yes, there are some) are ripe for the picking, and I think many are just itching for a way to express their disdain.

I say we give them a way to do it.

selise @ 64

TiredFed @ 48

this from CNN:
The House originally had called for a binding deadline of removing combat troops by August 2008, but the Senate passed a nonbinding bill setting out a goal of withdrawing combat troops from Iraq no later than March 2008.

House leaders agreed to adopt the Senate’s language to get the bill through Congress and to Bush’s desk.

i hope reid and pelosi (and everyone) keeps up the rhetorical pressure on bush…. to make him veto it…. otherwise, i fear we all are screwed – bush will have his war/occupation funded through sept 2008.

p.s. here’s a link to the language we tracked down yesterday.

so we should ixnay on the anguage-lay?

A28: Nationwide Impeachment Protests April 28, 2007: http://www.a28.org/actions.shtml *100 plus and counting

nolo @ 70

partially o/t but. . .

here’s a thumbnail
sketch, complete with
statutory authorities,
of what the next
few weeks hold for
ms. monica goodling. . .

will alberto gonzales try
to delay, for even 20 days, the
inevitable issuance of the order
compelling her immunized-testimony?

it would be political kryptonie,
in my humble opinion, but he has
done so many other chuckle-headed
things, one must wonder about it. . .

we’ll see. . .

jeebus, cant Abu spell “recuse?”

Go Roots! Thanks Pach for the work you do. I wished I believed we could take out Walden (OR-02) but I’m don’t at this time.

Go to CNN and vote on the question of the day: “Do you think Bush should veto the Iraq spending bill if it has withdrawal timetables?”

It’s already at 65% No and 35% Yes.

just remembered – the trial for the 2 Brits who leaked the ‘Bush wanted to bomb al-jazeera’ memo was supposed to start this month – anyone ?

It’s amazing how the GOP is defining criminality down, day by day.

pointecoupeedemocrat @ 67 – on election day, just before or after voting, I visit Wellstone’s grave at a cemetary in uptown Minneapolis; I’m not alone, since it’s a beautiful spot overlooking a lake. Don’t know about the others, but I’m usually thinking, “Paul, we’re doing our best to carry on without you. It isn’t easy.”

what did Dick Durbin say?

Badwater @ 72

Are Bush’s signing statements ever made public?

Absolutely. That’s the whole point of the statement — to make public just what Bush’s thinking on the bill in question is, so that if/when it comes to a court case, the court can weigh his views against the “legislative history” when determining intent. Of course, the courts have never said that executive intent mattered at all — it’s legislative intent that is critical.

Having said that, the statements are not exactly easy to find. Here are two sites that I’ve found helpful:

American Presidency Project

Coherent Babble

rat bastahd @ 84

Go Roots! Thanks Pach for the work you do. I wished I believed we could take out Walden (OR-02) but I’m don’t at this time.

Go to CNN and vote on the question of the day: “Do you think Bush should veto the Iraq spending bill if it has withdrawal timetables?”

It’s already at 65% No and 35% Yes.

Done. (Thank heavens for conference calls…how else can I keep up with you all and work at the same time?…)

Peterr @ 80

The Kansas Republican party is fighting a very un-civil war. In the suburbs of Kansas City on the Kansas side of the KS/MO border, the GOP is fleeing the wingnuts elsewhere in KS who are doing things like pushing the anti-science curriciulum on the state Board of Education.

Pat Roberts is sitting on a powder keg of discontent in the GOP in KS. If the Phase II intelligence report can ever get out, it might just light that keg.

This is a race that bears watching. Moderate KS GOPers (and yes, there are some) are ripe for the picking, and I think many are just itching for a way to express their disdain.

I say we give them a way to do it.

Traditional Republicans of the Plains States seems to be experiencing an identity crisis. Yes, fuel the divison, exacerbate it, and you just might send another Boyda, who I respect, to Congress.

Me, I want someone to say, in front of live news cameras, that Bush’s idea of supporting the troops is to send them to Iraq (and Afghanistan too) until they die. Because those who survive one tour get sent back for another, and on and on and on.

Troops Home Now. Please.

TiredFed @ 81

so we should ixnay on the anguage-lay?

i confess, that thought has not been absent from my thinking.

but, ultimately, i think truth telling is important. i’m not willing to hide the truth as i know it in order to acheive a poltical goal. truth matters, and i’m not willing to substitute my judgment for other peoples.

we make better decisions when we make them together with respect for the truth.

truth isn’t just the engine of our judicial system (as fitz says), it’s also the engine of our political system.

give truth back!

rat bastahd @ 84

Go Roots! Thanks Pach for the work you do. I wished I believed we could take out Walden (OR-02) but I’m don’t at this time.

Go to CNN and vote on the question of the day: “Do you think Bush should veto the Iraq spending bill if it has withdrawal timetables?”

It’s already at 65% No and 35% Yes.

I’m inclined to vote yes, then Congress can send him a clean bill to fund every month or so, rather than giving him a virtual blank check thru Sept 2008.

Is McConnell really vulnerable?- or is this just an attempt to stir some feathers?

EPU’d

Christy Hardin Smith @
108

GSD — I have heard some rumbles that John Sununu’s folks are getting worried about his internal numbers in advance of the 2008 election — even though the state Dems have not identified anyone to run against him as yet. (Lots of speculation about Shaheen, but she hasn’t publicly bitten that I’ve heard.) You hearing anything like this on the ground up there? What I’m hearing is that his stance on Iraq and his ties to several Bush rubber stamp votes are really cutting into his base in a huge way and that they are contemplating an “I’m such an independent thinker” style campaign (modeled perhaps after the McCain run in 2004?!?). Anyway, just wondering if you or any other NH readers have heard anything on this?

Jay Buckey is most likely to run against Sununu. He is a former astronaut, physician, Major in the Air Force Reserves (retired), engineer and Dartmouth Medical School Professor. Right now he is in the early stages of his exploratory committee, but is definitely a name to watch. For now check out his website and the very good climate change video he just distributed

http://www.buckey08.com/

http://www.buckey08.com/video.html

(Thanks, Peterr @ 229)

MNVirginia @ 87

pointecoupeedemocrat @ 67 – on election day, just before or after voting, I visit Wellstone’s grave at a cemetary in uptown Minneapolis; I’m not alone, since it’s a beautiful spot overlooking a lake. Don’t know about the others, but I’m usually thinking, “Paul, we’re doing our best to carry on without you. It isn’t easy.”

We have a comparable icon in Louisiana, but I have only made pilgrimage to his grave twice. Did you leave a stone at his grave?

Helpless Dancer @
68

dude @ 56

I think the best chance to nail Rove is right now on the political pep talks he and his office ran at government agencies about “the political landscape”. Violation of the Hatch Act it is said. More plainly, we need a special prosecutor to act on this since Mr. Bloch is a creature of the Administration and the White House investigating the White House is more than suspect. Congress should act to invoke a Special Prosecutor now and move fast.

Unfortunately, the Repugs have done the same thing with the idea of Special Prosecutors as they did with impeachment. They abused it so badly that the idea is not workable. I get the impression that it was done with malicious aforethought.

Plus, toothless Mitch would just declare a filibuster so it wouldn’t go anywhere in senate even if house went along.

McConnell.

on the floor of the senate:

senator kennedy up – support for reid. support for a withdrawal timeline.

Sununu should go- he’s among the last of a vanishing species- moderate goopers in the northeast.

Pachacutec @
99

McConnell.

Kentucky 2008: The Political Reckoning

nolo @ 74

“kryptonite“. . . dag.

[Fixed by mod]

thanks! sweeeeet!

We’re going to need help to keep another Joe Liebermann out of the Senate. Texas has a real chance of electing a Democrat to the Senate in place of Bush sycophant John Cornyn. One announced candidate seems an awful to like ole Joe – Mikal Watts.

For details, please see South Texas Chisme.

peterr at 66

I’m with you! As far as I can see, all of the R’s on the list are vulnerable except Dole, Hegel and Warner.

Because of that, imvho, I think Warner is the key to mass-defections from Bush. Once John says ‘enough is enough,’ Bush is toast.

So, it looks to me that up to 18 R’s could have *epiphanies* on the wisdom of withdrawing from Iraq and re-engaging regional diplomacy as their feet get held to the fire in votes like today’s.

Bush is certain to be a ‘bitter-ender,’ but many are just waiting for an opportunity to leave the sinking ship.

Today’s vote is on a totally reasonable supplemental. It’s non-binding in its ‘goal’ of complete withdrawal by Oct.

What today’s vote really accomplishes is that it points out brightly and clearly that the problem isn’t the ‘reasonableness’ of the Supplemental – but rather the problem is Bush’s reluctance to let go of a military victory in the face of all evidence to the contrary.

As Bush sees it – if he doesn’t veto the Bill, he’s admitting defeat. Others are less and less likely to see it that way as time goes by.

pointecoupeedemocrat @ 97

MNVirginia @ 87

pointecoupeedemocrat @ 67 – on election day, just before or after voting, I visit Wellstone’s grave at a cemetary in uptown Minneapolis; I’m not alone, since it’s a beautiful spot overlooking a lake. Don’t know about the others, but I’m usually thinking, “Paul, we’re doing our best to carry on without you. It isn’t easy.”

We have a comparable icon in Louisiana, but I have only made pilgrimage to his grave twice. Did you leave a stone at his grave?

No, but the monument itself is a large rock.

TiredFed @ 83

nolo @ 70

partially o/t but. . .

here’s a thumbnail
sketch, complete with
statutory authorities,
of what the next
few weeks hold for
ms. monica goodling. . .

will alberto gonzales try
to delay, for even 20 days, the
inevitable issuance of the order
compelling her immunized-testimony?

it would be political kryptonie,
in my humble opinion, but he has
done so many other chuckle-headed
things, one must wonder about it. . .

we’ll see. . .

jeebus, cant Abu spell “recuse?”

no — but “e x c u s e s. . .”
he surely can. . .

In light of the news-out last week, I put up some fairly good video including Bill Clinton on Iraq, Obama and his wife, Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment about Rudy Giuliani saying that only Republicans will keep America safe, Al Franken on everything, David Shuster on Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman and a fact-filled segment about Giuliani’s horrible record:

http://tinyurl.com/2lszcr

Bill Clinton On the Dems

Franken On Everything

Olbermann’s Special Comment

Giuliani’s Abysmal Record

Jessica Lynch/Pat Tillman

JT

nolo @ 70

partially o/t but. . .

here’s a thumbnail
sketch, complete with
statutory authorities,
of what the next
few weeks hold for
ms. monica goodling. . .

will alberto gonzales try
to delay, for even 20 days, the
inevitable issuance of the order
compelling her immunized-testimony?

it would be political kryptonite,
in my humble opinion, but he has
done so many other chuckle-headed
things, one must wonder about it. . .

we’ll see. . .

Thanks for the cite, nolo!

Thanks Pacha- big surprise..on McConnell

Well I just sent an email to my Representative who appears on this list. Here is the letter:

You voted against the supplemental funding our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Why, Mr. Johnson, are you not supporting our troops?

Is it support to send them into a war in Iraq based on lies? Lies which it was your job to know as such.

Is it support to send them without the proper numbers, equipment, and training?

Is it support to keep them there when the President’s own NIE says their presence is creating more terrorists than it is eliminating?

Is it support to keep them there in the middle of a civil war?

Is it support to keep them there extending their tours, shortening their down times, and reducing their training?

Is it support to ignore them when they come home wounded and are dumped in Walter Reed, a few minutes from your office, when the military rates their grave wounds as minor to avoid taking on the costs of their disabilities, or when they must struggle to get coverage through the VA?

Is it support to follow blindly a failed President (and the strategies and generals that he selects) and his history of now more than 4 years of failure in Iraq?

Is it support to be more a partisan than a patriot? To set the good of your party and your President above the good of the country and its troops?

Saying you support them is easy. Unfortunately for us all, your record shows otherwise.

radiofreewill @ 105

peterr at 66

I’m with you! As far as I can see, all of the R’s on the list are vulnerable except Dole, Hegel and Warner.

Because of that, imvho, I think Warner is the key to mass-defections from Bush. Once John says ‘enough is enough,’ Bush is toast.

So, it looks to me that up to 18 R’s could have *epiphanies* on the wisdom of withdrawing from Iraq and re-engaging regional diplomacy as their feet get held to the fire in votes like today’s.

Bush is certain to be a ‘bitter-ender,’ but many are just waiting for an opportunity to leave the sinking ship.

Today’s vote is on a totally reasonable supplemental. It’s non-binding in its ‘goal’ of complete withdrawal by Oct.

What today’s vote really accomplishes is that it points out brightly and clearly that the problem isn’t the ‘reasonableness’ of the Supplemental – but rather the problem is Bush’s reluctance to let go of a military victory in the face of all evidence to the contrary.

As Bush sees it – if he doesn’t veto the Bill, he’s admitting defeat. Others are less and less likely to see it that way as time goes by.

Dole is far from safe. She cannot clear 50% in polls where she is matched with a generic Democrat, and North Carolina’s Senators are now reported in the press as the least effective. This does not help her mitigate the charge that she is a carpetbagger who is out of touch with NC, and it does not help her address the general opinion that she does not visit the state as much as a Senator should. Dole will have a difficult reelection. In other words, she will have to work for it, and Dole is no fan of work.

rwcole @ 101

Sununu should go- he’s among the last of a vanishing species- moderate goopers in the northeast.

and the ladies from Maine. sorry, but no more RINOs.

Good Morning, Firepups!

Read a great response to Broder this morning:
Memo to the Dean: The war is lost!

Pretty much sums up how I feel, but with clarity and fire!

Work for peace, every day.

fed–As I recall Snow won going away- I’m not sure about Collins. Maine’s strange politically.

rwcole @
95

Is McConnell really vulnerable?- or is this just an attempt to stir some feathers?

From BlueGrassReport.org in re: McConnell

Peterr @ 80

The Kansas Republican party is fighting a very un-civil war. In the suburbs of Kansas City on the Kansas side of the KS/MO border, the GOP is fleeing the wingnuts elsewhere in KS who are doing things like pushing the anti-science curriciulum on the state Board of Education.

Pat Roberts is sitting on a powder keg of discontent in the GOP in KS. If the Phase II intelligence report can ever get out, it might just light that keg.

This is a race that bears watching. Moderate KS GOPers (and yes, there are some) are ripe for the picking, and I think many are just itching for a way to express their disdain.

I say we give them a way to do it.

I lived on the Kansas side of K.C. for twenty years, my parents still live there. I now live on the Missouri side. My mother says she wants to throw up every-time she even hears the name Phil Kline. The fundies are thick here in Missouri and especially Kansas.

Let’s not forget that Dr. Vic Wulsin is running against Mean Jean Schmidt in OH02. This republican seat is very vulnerable since Wulsin took 49.5% of the vote in 06. Ole scrunchie is a big Bush Iraq ware supporter.

rwcole @ 110

Thanks Pacha- big surprise..on McConnell

Never underestimate the yahoo vote in Kentucky. Kentucky has a history of producing real honest to goodness feet on the ground progressives who get trounced by Republican sleazebags backed by Big Coal and Big Tobacco, and look at us shoot ourselves in the foot yahoos.

rwcole @ 115

fed–As I recall Snow won going away- I’m not sure about Collins. Maine’s strange politically.

not sure about Olympia but Collins is up for reelection in 2008. Kerry carried the State with 53%. Surely there’s someone up there who can beat her.

hey pach – any chance this mobilization can also be targeted at some of the blue dog D reps who voted against the house bill (obviously not the anti-war “no” votes, D or R)?

this was something that was brought up in the conversation with tom.

TiredFed @ 120

rwcole @ 115

fed–As I recall Snow won going away- I’m not sure about Collins. Maine’s strange politically.

not sure about Olympia but Collins is up for reelection in 2008. Kerry carried the State with 53%. Surely there’s someone up there who can beat her.

Because of staggering of the seats, only one US Senate seat in a state would be up in any election year. Believe Snowe was re-elected last year but mmay be wrong there.

My understanding is that the list of targeted folks above is the first pass on this. There is a lot more to come, and we’ll bring it to you as it gets rolled out. Several of the folks that y’all would like to see will be likely in the next wave. :)

TiredFed @ 120

rwcole @ 115

fed–As I recall Snow won going away- I’m not sure about Collins. Maine’s strange politically.

not sure about Olympia but Collins is up for reelection in 2008. Kerry carried the State with 53%. Surely there’s someone up there who can beat her.

i’d love to go to ME to help with that!

OT:

“The Arizona Republican said that people upset by his comments about IEDs to Jon Stewart on Tuesday night’s “Daily Show” should “lighten up.” After being grilled by Stewart , McCain jokingly told him that he had a present for him — an IED that he could place under his desk.”

Murtha said something about this – GOOD. And as for him saying that after being grilled – no, HE OPENED with this joke.

He also seemed to try and paint himself as a victim (used to love me, now they hate me).

EPU’ed from last thread but the leadership in this country…we have such a deficit. Anyone on either side is turned to rubble with a mear minute or two with tDS J Stewart. After seeing McCain on the show I was wondering if he would even bother to run.

We’ve come full circle. How quickly time passes, and how swiftly many have died, both American and Iraqi. From AP:

Filed at 11:01 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is expected to pass a bill today that would order the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq to begin this fall. Last night, the House voted 218-208 to pass the $124.2 billion supplemental spending measure containing the provision.

President Bush is expected to receive the bill next week, and swiftly veto it.

The legislation is the first binding challenge on the war that Democrats have managed to execute since they took control of both houses of Congress in January.

”The sacrifices borne by our troops and their families demand more than the blank checks the president is asking for, for a war without end,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said.

Democrats said the bill was on track to arrive on the president’s desk on Tuesday, the anniversary of Bush’s announcement aboard the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln that major combat operations in Iraq had ended.

”The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on Sept. 11, 2001, and still goes on,” Bush said on May 1, 2003, in front of a huge ”Mission Accomplished” banner.

(snip)

My bold.

Yeah Snow was re-elected last year- and by a sizable margin as I recall.

selise @ 121

hey pach – any chance this mobilization can also be targeted at some of the blue dog D reps who voted against the house bill (obviously not the anti-war “no” votes, D or R)?

this was something that was brought up in the conversation with tom.

Would you like to post a list in the comments giving some names? That would help, so we can get a scorecard set.

pointee at 112

Thanks for the info on Dole! I thought she was a safely ensconced carpetbagger in a fundy State…

If Bush vetoes today’s Supplemental, he’ll likely lose his moderate R support and be down to the hard corps(e).

On topic, I will write him again – but a snowball has a better chance in hell than Sununu changing his mind on anything to do with power and war (for the rich, and the right).

Would be amazing to unseat the senate minority leader in a state where dems couldn’t even dislodge a senator with Alzheimers a few years ago.

Pachacutec @ 128

selise @ 121

hey pach – any chance this mobilization can also be targeted at some of the blue dog D reps who voted against the house bill (obviously not the anti-war “no” votes, D or R)?

this was something that was brought up in the conversation with tom.

Would you like to post a list in the comments giving some names? That would help, so we can get a scorecard set.

you bet! it will take me a bit to go through all the comments from tuesday, but will post it here… even if in epu land..

kinmo @ 117

Peterr @ 80

The Kansas Republican party is fighting a very un-civil war. In the suburbs of Kansas City on the Kansas side of the KS/MO border, the GOP is fleeing the wingnuts elsewhere in KS who are doing things like pushing the anti-science curriciulum on the state Board of Education.

Pat Roberts is sitting on a powder keg of discontent in the GOP in KS. If the Phase II intelligence report can ever get out, it might just light that keg.

This is a race that bears watching. Moderate KS GOPers (and yes, there are some) are ripe for the picking, and I think many are just itching for a way to express their disdain.

I say we give them a way to do it.

I lived on the Kansas side of K.C. for twenty years, my parents still live there. I now live on the Missouri side. My mother says she wants to throw up every-time she even hears the name Phil Kline. The fundies are thick here in Missouri and especially Kansas.

I used to live on the MO side, and have relatives on both sides of the border. I was there over Christmas, and was delighted to see an op-ed in the KC Star by the head of the JOCO GOPers, essentially begging them not to leave the party to the wingnuts. The letters that followed in the next couple of days from disgruntled GOPers were fun to read.

Blue Tide Rising is a blog I check out from time to time on KS politics. Just last week, they had a little item on Pat:

Pat Roberts snubs Party, builds shadow campaign organization

Revealing his utter lack of confidence in the Kansas Republican Party’s 4 Congressional District Committees, Pat Roberts has announced the formation of an alternative campaign organization based on the same districts. . .

Click through for more.

Sounds like someone is worried, all right.

on the senate floor, iraq war/occuupation funding debate – jim webb up!

Webb C-Span now

egregious @
135

Webb C-Span now

CSPAN 2

jim webb – we won the war 3 years ago. the question now is – when are we going to end the occupation.

selise and pach

Are we certain that our vote counter in the House, Steny, isn’t showing some skill here?

Engineering a party-line vote a la the Hammer seems rather granite-handed and clumsy.

What if our team ‘knew’ they had the vote won, and then decided to ‘fan-out’ some Blue Dog cards as a centrist stepping stone for cross-overs?

Peterr @133

Thanks for the link, I’ll check it out. Yes, I love my city and will stay planted. We need all of the counter balance we can get.

dakine01 @ 122

TiredFed @ 120

rwcole @ 115

fed–As I recall Snow won going away- I’m not sure about Collins. Maine’s strange politically.

not sure about Olympia but Collins is up for reelection in 2008. Kerry carried the State with 53%. Surely there’s someone up there who can beat her.

Because of staggering of the seats, only one US Senate seat in a state would be up in any election year. Believe Snowe was re-elected last year but mmay be wrong there.

correct. Olympia Snowe is up again in 4 years. She won in 2006.

Hugh @
119

rwcole @ 110

Thanks Pacha- big surprise..on McConnell

Never underestimate the yahoo vote in Kentucky. Kentucky has a history of producing real honest to goodness feet on the ground progressives who get trounced by Republican sleazebags backed by Big Coal and Big Tobacco, and look at us shoot ourselves in the foot yahoos.

Yeah, go figure. We got the terrific Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN01) and crazy Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN06) in the same election. Can’t blame either Big Coal or Big Tobacco, though. Hope the 6th can do better in 2008. Couldn’t do much worse.

fed- well six years isn’t it?

Fresh thread up for the ready for you all.

dude @ 56

I think the best chance to nail Rove is right now on the political pep talks he and his office ran at government agencies about “the political landscape”. Violation of the Hatch Act it is said. More plainly, we need a special prosecutor to act on this since Mr. Bloch is a creature of the Administration and the White House investigating the White House is more than suspect. Congress should act to invoke a Special Prosecutor now and move fast.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the “Special Prosecutor” law was allowed to elapse. Congress would have to put a new one in place in order to appoint a new Special Prosecutor.

The Dems might want to do so, but the Repugs aren’t likely to co-operate.

McCain just doesn’t get it. From AP (apologies for long citation, but necessary for sequence of events):

Filed at 11:31 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential contender John McCain dismissed a demand by a prominent House Democrat that he apologize to U.S. troops in Iraq for making a joke about an explosive device, saying critics should ”lighten up.”

In an appearance Tuesday night on Comedy Central’s ”The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” McCain joked that he had brought a gift for Stewart back from a recent trip to Iraq.

”What do you want to start with, the bomb Iran song or the walk through the market in Baghdad?” Stewart asked McCain, referring to two recent controversies involving statements by the Arizona senator.

”I think maybe shopping in Baghdad,” McCain responded. ”… I had something picked out for you, too — a little IED (improvised explosive device) to put on your desk.”

On Wednesday, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., demanded in a speech on the House floor that McCain apologize to troops for joking about the explosive devices that are responsible for many of the casualties in Iraq.

”Imagine a presidential candidate making a joke about IEDs when our kids are getting blown up,” Murtha said.

”I don’t know how to respond to that kind of hysteria,” McCain said when asked about Murtha’s demand during an appearance on ABC’s ”Good Morning America” on Thursday. ”When I was in combat and tough situations we used humor all the time, and all I can say to Murtha and others is lighten up and get a life.”

(snip)

OT? Wow – my very first busted margins moment.

The wider line length makes reading so much easier (IIRC, longer line lengths increase comprehension and reading speed).

Even the comments box got wider….

Totally cool. A feature, not a bug!

Can we keep it, mods, can we keep it? Pleeze?

selise @ 137

jim webb – we won the war 3 years ago. the question now is – when are we going to end the occupation.

ah yes. framing the issue. a fresh wind is blowing. keep up the comments folks.

Webb—The administration has failed in Iraq. People are talking about whether this supports the troops. Everybody in this chamber wants to support the troops.

People are saying there will be chaos if we leave. This is a chaos we brought to Iraq when we invaded, as I and others predicted in advance.

Why are we talking about a war, our troops won the war years ago. It has become an occupation. Now who are we fighting?

Osama? Not in Iraq.

Saddam? Captured.

Al-Qaeda? Not in Iraq before we invaded; the Iraqis hate them and will work to expel once we leave

The Insurgency? What are we talking about here, the Sunnis? the Shia?

[egregious note—ties in really well with that Scarecrow analysis of who is the enemy in Iraq from maybe 3 weeks ago]

Webb—
The Sunnis and the Shia and the Iraqi population are fighting against US because we are there. They all want us to go home, as measured in poll after poll.

Are we fighting smaller factions within the larger ones with our own military, as we did 20 years ago in Lebanon? [egr—he didn’t use the word madness but his facial expression was one to behold here]

Webb—
I have serious reservations about some parts of this bill as many of you are aware, but these reservations pale in comparison to the failure of the Administration. And so I support this bill.

[egr—excuse inexact phrases, I watched him first and am trying to reconstruct it now.]

While we are on the topic of elections, we should remember that we have had some problems with vote-counting and such that should be addresses. Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman at FreePress.org have noticed that Karl Rove’s missing e-mails and GWB’s astonishing come-from-behind win over Kerry in Ohio share some dates and the RNC server in a Tennessee basement. The evidence is scary and the blank spots are scarier. H/t TruthOut.

If our votes aren’t counted, we are lost.

rwcole @
50

Bono vulnerable? I’d love to see her go- but that’s a VERY GOOPERY DISTRICT.

True, but our demographics are trending Democratic. This time, we’re working on voter registration NOW, not waiting for the pre-primary season. Remember JC Sanchez of the Roth campaign? He’s now the political chair of the Democrats of the Desert, and voter registration is priority one.

Not to mention, Howie Klein is coming on May 16th to talk netroots with us. So Bono has much to worry about, especially if we can get the early dough.

New thread

Balancing Test

anyone else having trouble loading FDL? My dial is spinning and I’m a T1 line here.

egregious @
148

Webb—The administration has failed in Iraq. People are talking about whether this supports the troops. Everybody in this chamber wants to support the troops.

People are saying there will be chaos if we leave. This is a chaos we brought to Iraq when we invaded, as I and others predicted in advance.

Why are we talking about a war, our troops won the war years ago. It has become an occupation. Now who are we fighting?

Osama? Not in Iraq.

Saddam? Captured.

Al-Qaeda? Not in Iraq before we invaded; the Iraqis hate them and will work to expel once we leave

The Insurgency? What are we talking about here, the Sunnis? the Shia?

[egregious note—ties in really well with that Scarecrow analysis of who is the enemy in Iraq from maybe 3 weeks ago]

Webb—
The Sunnis and the Shia and the Iraqi population are fighting against US because we are there. They all want us to go home, as measured in poll after poll.

Are we fighting smaller factions within the larger ones with our own military, as we did 20 years ago in Lebanon? [egr—he didn’t use the word madness but his facial expression was one to behold here]

Webb—
I have serious reservations about some parts of this bill as many of you are aware, but these reservations pale in comparison to the failure of the Administration. And so I support this bill.

[egr—excuse inexact phrases, I watched him first and am trying to reconstruct it now.]

I am glad to see he has been reading his mail!

TiredFed @ 152

anyone else having trouble loading FDL? My dial is spinning and I’m a T1 line here.

I’ve seen it myself from time to time, and I think this happens when (a) someone is doing some major work behind the scenes to prepare a new post, (b) site traffic is high, or (c) the filters start filling up with high traffic spam.

I’m betting that right now, the issue is/was (a). I saw the same thing here (on dialup), but once Christy’s post came up, things improved.

Peterr @ 154

TiredFed @ 152

anyone else having trouble loading FDL? My dial is spinning and I’m a T1 line here.

I’ve seen it myself from time to time, and I think this happens when (a) someone is doing some major work behind the scenes to prepare a new post, (b) site traffic is high, or (c) the filters start filling up with high traffic spam.

I’m betting that right now, the issue is/was (a). I saw the same thing here (on dialup), but once Christy’s post came up, things improved.

Thanks Peterr. I think the timing was right about when Redd put up the new post.

Called Greg Walden and got someone who takes messages. I felt like I was talking to a wall. God, it pisses me off. We are being led down hill to hell and it is time for those who lied, or said nothing to pay the piper. ITMFA
If this is about oil, how are we supposed to get it if we keep fighting those who have it, making it logistically difficult, if not impossible. we cannot fight the whole world, there is a better way and it is called talking.

TiredFed @ 25

I’m a little slow (as well as tired), but I dont get why Bush is so adamant that he is going to veto the Iraq emergency supplemental (which, btw, funds the war thru FY 2008). The Conference Committee went with the softer Senate language that says “with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.” What’s the big deal, George? You could drive a truck through this wording, even without a signing statement.

sorry if everyone is already off to work and/or another thread. I’m in California and it’s true: we sleep in three hours longer than the nation…

also forgive me if someone else has already pointed this out. And if anyone can steer me to any relevant articles (brain cells left on beach, dude!): Bush doesn’t care about the war itself. I think the war is solely a tool to keep his commander-in-chief status to keep his expanded unconstitutional power. Has anyone else drawn a comparison to silly, scary, unpopular Czar Peter III of Russia?

This is the only thing I can come up with to explain the unexplicable.

Also, what you all have also pointed out time and again (I think) is that the Republicans have to be firmly and kindly reminded that Bushco changed the rules. They are being lied to as much as the Dems. They are being used as much as Pat Tillman. If they show any small amount of deviation from the Bush line, they should be loved up and down to continue to grow in courage. Like a recovery group hug. Hope this makes sense.

do-si-do, I think we’re concerned the analogy is Nicholas II.

landofthefree @ 30

TiredFed @ 25

I’m a little slow (as well as tired), but I dont get why Bush is so adamant that he is going to veto the Iraq emergency supplemental (which, btw, funds the war thru FY 2008). The Conference Committee went with the softer Senate language that says “with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.” What’s the big deal, George? You could drive a truck through this wording, even without a signing statement.

Because he wants a fight.

He wants to turn this into a Republicans vs. Democrats, “us versus them” fight. The problem that he has its not shaping up to be Republicans vs. Democrats – it is instead Realists (both D and R) versus a small crowd of ideologues living in a fantasy world.

It can’t be said enough: Bush/Cheney/Rove is a crazy three headed despot. (like Fluffy in Harry Potter). Do Repubs want to support a crazy admin which is alienating the entire globe including their own US citizens?

egregious @ 159

do-si-do, I think we’re concerned the analogy is Nicholas II.

I see your point about imcompetence and opportunity to wreak havoc. the scene in Catherine where Peter is playing with his toy soldiers is what haunts me. The immaturity & role-playing and over all not “getting it.”

Well, either way, Russia isn’t the country I grew up in. Bush has done more to promote terror than the terrorists.

Another target needs to be PELOSI,
–unless she recants and comes out strong in support of IMPEACHMENT, NOW!

robb rogers @ 162

Another target needs to be PELOSI,
–unless she recants and comes out strong in support of IMPEACHMENT, NOW!

Ds should choose their battles carefully and there is no shortage of them currently without adding impeachment to the agenda. Pelosi is doing a good job with a very diverse caucus. She and Reid are helping to turn the Ship of State and it’s a very big ship. IMHO, as long as the Ds continue the investigations and try to stop the war and bring our troops home, the political landscape will continue to change in the Ds’ favor. Relax about impeachment. Wait a while.

“The members of the House listed above all voted “nay” on the Iraq withdrawal bill Roll Call 265 last night”

You need to add Michele Bachmann (R-MN)to your list.

Thank God somebody finally noticed Tim Johnson,R-IL 15. I live in his district and we have been trying to get rid of him for several cycles with no help from anyone. Even though Illinois is a strong blue state, downstate IL is very Republicon. Johnson has done absolutely nothing since being in office except for whatever Bush told him to do and naming post offices. The guy has 11 kids by 3 or 4 wives and doesn’t even pay child support on some of them. He has never introduced any serious legislation and yet keeps getting re-elected. Dr. David Gill has run two very good campaigns against him but the DCCC has done nothing to help us. Yes it is an uphill battle with so many farmer voting Republican without even wondering why, buy hey we need help here. Please Pach get the ball rolling and help us out here on the prairie. Weller is also vulnerable and we need some press and some $ in 08.