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I don't think this gets enough attention. Hugh Bailey in the Connecticut Post:
'Civility' not a valid reason to avoid duties as elected official
Lieberman leads the Senate committee on government affairs, but apparently avoiding the "partisan politics of polarization," as he calls it, is a good excuse not to do his job. Campaigning last year, he said he would make sure the Bush administration turned over records on internal White House deliberations — likely to embarrass the president — from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After the election, he changed his mind.
"We don't want to play 'gotcha' anymore," Lieberman said in January when word came out he was backing off his pre-election promise. "We want to get the aid and assistance to the people of the region who need it," as though the two were mutually exclusive.
The leader of the House version of Lieberman's committee is Rep. Henry Waxman of California. Armed with subpoena power, Waxman has already delved into the Pentagon propaganda operation, which fictionalized the stories of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman; he's investigating the parallel e-mail system that may have allowed White House political staff to avoid laws on preserving communications; and he wants answers from the top about the lies leading up to the Iraq invasion. There is no chance of seeing similar investigations in the Senate committee — Lieberman knows which voters got him back into office last year, and they weren't Democrats. But he can take credit for one achievement. He succeeded in getting Republicans and Democrats to alternate seats with one another around the dais when they meet in committee, rather than splitting up on one side or the other. All the better for civility.
If the self-appointed arbiter of all things bipartisan is going to turn his back on doing the job he was elected to do, he can at least make sure everyone is nice to each other.
Proponents of keeping Lieberman in his position of seniority argue that he would switch parties if it was taken away. If the Democrats take one more seat in 2008, I wonder what they will say. A lot of things that should be happening aren't because Lieberman is chairman of a very important committee and he is keeping them from looking into GOP corruption on a variety of fronts.
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Joe Mama!
JANE!
He is supported by the same slugs who think if we just wait for the next FU to expire we will magically transform Iraq into DisneyWorld.
Maybe playing “gotcha” might actually produce policy recommendations for disaster response and American citizens can then get the help they need when dealing with life and death situations.
Like in Kansas.
Let’s not hold anyone accountable because it might hurt their feelings.
Jane, how ya feeling today? Besides feisty, I mean. *g*
i don’t understand why reid plays nice with him. but i sure as heck know why bush does.
mc @ 6
Feisty. And fesity.
I’d like to say to Sen. Lieberman as nicely as possible, in my strictly bipartisan manner, “Go fuck yourself, dickhead!”
OT:
seriously, what would it take to get lieberman off the government affairs chairmanship — what committee chairmanship could the dems wangle his way?
The organizing resolutions have been set; Lieberman’s defection would not take control of the Senate away from the Dems as far as I can tell. Shouldn’t affect the committee percentages either. I say remove from head of this committee. Offer him something else he can’t harm to bad and challenge the little troll to leave the caucus. He will have no powere whatsoever if he leaves; because the GOP is not going to get control back while Jumpy Joe is still there. Screw the weasel.
The worst thing about Joe is that I supported him for VP. I had forgotten his hackery over the clinton ’scandals’, maybe willingly. Now he wont go away – no resolution to reorganize, no option for impeachment. Angry Angry Angry!
I commented the other day on a thread that I forget which that I think Reid was willing to let LIEberman have the committee he got because he knew that Waxman would be able to pick-up the slack. I also think there is enough evidence that Reid wanted to protect himself and the majority which is why the organizing resolution named specific individuals rather than generic party names. He’s letting HoJo have his final bask in the sun before ‘08, when he will become mostly the Mr Irrelevant we already perceive him to be.
My $.02
“Lieberman’s defection would not take control away”
Sure about that? Seems to me that if he crosses the aisle- the goopers have control.
He succeeded in getting Republicans and Democrats to alternate seats with one another around the dais when they meet in committee
hey Joe, take your f***ing Kumbaya civilty and put it where the sun don’t shine.
The contrast between what Waxman is doing and what leiberman refuses to do could not be more stark.
What an abuse of discretionb
On Lieberman my position has been clear. I want the Democratic Party to get rid of this man. And I am fully aware of what this might mean. Lieberman is a cheap blackmailer. I want him out. I want my Democratic Party to stop allowing him to causus. I want this individual driven from the party.
It seems to me that corruption isn’t something you can be Switzerland on. Either you hate it and try everything in your power to root it out, or you like it and either are corrupt yourself or allow others around you to be corrupt. Ain’t no middle ground on corruption.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 17
I agree 369 percent with this psot.
The money Rove got for RGJoe for the general election came directly from folks who want no oversight of their “government reform,” which primarily involves looting the USTreasury.
Can you imagine the frosty reception RGJoe would get chez Lieberman if he had to explain to Hadassah that his committee was investigating Big Pharma? Can you imagine the flying monkeys Rove would send after him if he investigated Katrina subcontracting? RGJoe’s in office to spy on and paralyze Senate Dems; to stall any and all investigations of BushCo; and to provide the “if Americans wanted the war ended, Joe Lieberman would not have won in Connecticut last year” Cheney/McCain talking point.
Oh, and to re-arrange the deck chairs on his completely useless committee. I hope the 111th Congress, sworn in 1/09, marginalizes him completely. Few deserve it more.
PS — Hope Susan Collins enjoys the RGJoe stink she’s got on her — Maine’s turning blue in 2008!
Lieberputz is annoying. I’m not gonna let him spoil my digestion for six years.
Wayne Madsen is reporting that Deadeye is on Palfrey’s list. Bigtime:
May 8, 2007 — Cheney on DC Madam’s list. Yesterday, WMR reported on the DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s list: “WMR has been informed that the CEO of a major corporation is a former CEO but, nonetheless, the aforementioned extremely high-level official of the Bush administration. The individual, who is definitely “newsworthy,” reportedly engaged the services of Palfrey’s escort firm while he was the CEO and maintained a residence off Chain Bridge Road in the Ballantrae neighborhood in McLean, Virginia, a few blocks from the headquarters of the CIA.”
WMR has confirmed with extremely knowledgeable CIA and Pentagon sources that the former CEO who is on Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s list is Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney was CEO of Halliburton during the time of his liaisons with the Pamela Martin & Associates escort firm. Palfrey’s phone invoices extend back to 1996 and include calls to and from Cheney. Ironically, in 2000 Cheney was appointed by Bush to head his Vice President selection committee, a task that enabled Cheney to gather detailed personal files on a number of potential candidates, including Bill Frist, George Pataki, John Danforth, Fred Thompson, Chuck Hagel, John Kasich, Chris Cox, Frank Keating, Tom Ridge, Colin Powell, and Jim Gilmore, before he selected himself as the vice presidential candidate.
Each thing Waxman finds further exposes Lieberman as the Bushie he wants to be. Holy Joe might want to think about that career choice.
What a useless sack of shite Liebermunch is. He even looks like one, so slack, so flaccid.
What a marvelous legacy to have, single-handedly thwarting oversight and justice for millions of Americans.
I can think of only one other so twisted, slack and flaccid, and that’s the man who called him after the primary to promise him the support of the Republican Party. Only surprised that Rove didn’t send him an email from gwb43.com…
Lieberman is an arshole!
How did he become the dems VP in 2004?
So we kick ol Joe out of the party- even though that means giving control of the senate to the goopers- then Clusterfuck gets another supreme court seat to fill and goopers ram through his candidate…twenty years of gooper domination of the judiciary for a few moments of “feel good”?
Doesn’t make much sense to me.
Perhaps if Katrina had hit Tel Aviv instead of New Orleans there would be hearings.
(See how Angry he makes me?)
Oklahoma kiddo @ 18
The biggest knock I have on Al Gore was that he slected Leiberman for VEEP. I almost didn’t vote that year because I really have never been able to stand Joe.
By nominating him for VEEP Gore raised this worm’s profile in a manner we are still paying for.
Manonfyre at 10: To hear Bobby Kennedy Jr. say that Timothy Griffen, Karl’s protege as US attorney in Arkansas, should be in jail for disenfranchising black voters is a thrill.
rwcole @ 15
This has been discussed in great detail. My understanding is that the organizing resolution for the 110th is set (unlike in past years). Change in majority will not effect a change of control. The tradeoff is that committee chairs are specified by name.
I’d say that Lieberman acts as if he’s bought or being blackmailed. He has a certain power as the vote that puts the Democrats over the top, but only for simple majorities.
For all his talk about bipartisanship, he hasn’t been making any warm fuzzies with the Dems. And he keeps making noises about jumping to the other side of the aisle.
There were rumors about his taking a cabinet position (bipartisanly, of course) when the republicans swept the board in the last election. Too bad it swept the wrong way.
He’s always seemed like a sanctimonious moralizer. All about appearances and niceties.
But maybe he’ll be available to root out corruption at the World Bank? Say, we’d better make sure he doesn’t have a girlfriend working there…
It sounds like Leiberman and Broder got their talking points from the same shop….
And both of them seem to share Grover Norquist’s conception of ‘bipartisanship’- i.e., date rape.
Ed*ard Teller @ 23,
Just imagine, Cheney’s personal MASH unit may be the only thing keeping off the list since he became VP.
Ed*ard Teller @ 23
Edward, please, is this a joke?
Ed*ard Teller @ 23
NO! Don’t toy with my emotions here!
Could it be? Is there finally a blow job? You know you need ablow job for impeachment, now dontcha?
Bay State Librul @ 25
2000
Bay State
He was picked by Al Gore.
Lieberman was always seen as a bit conservative on some issues- like sex in movies and defense spending. Other than that, he has been fairly mainstream I believe.
ET said
Well, well, well.. please let this be true! We may once and for all find out how reliable WM report is.
rwcole @ 38
Mainstream?
On emergency contraception?
On Iraq?
On the Bush administration?
I think not.
If Cheney is on the list and ABC said “trust us there is no one newsworthy on the list”……….????
The Mouse would have some ’splainin’ to do.
This would be too much fun, therefor, it cannot be true. I never have that kind of luck.
Ed*ard Teller @ 23
Oh. My. God. But it figures. I can’t imagine anybody, even “Light Porn” Lynne wanting to do it with Deadeye unless there was adequate compensation.
So Deadeye blackmailed all the rest of the field to stay the hell out of the White House and OVP — and they sat back and they let him use the same ammo to run roughshod over everybody else’s civil rights while retaining the White House and OVP and all the profiteering that went with it.
Wouldn’t it be wonderfully subversive to go to every single dictionary and encyclopedia in public libraries around the country and paste in a picture of Darth Vader next to the entry for Richard Bruce Cheney — or Dick’s pic next to the definition of evil?
Cheney can testify that the escorts only did non sexual favors- like manicures.
We know a lot more about Mr. Lieberman’s character now than way back then. I voted for Gore. I have gotten over Mr. Gore’s choice of putting Lieberman on the ticket. I’d vote for Al Gore for president in a heartbeat. Think Chris Carney perhaps.
Boiston 1775,
Wayne Madsen has been wrong on occasion and sometimes spectacularly right. His record for accuracy is far better than many reporters at the WaPo or NYT. I’d rate him better than Greg Palast, but not as sound as Seymour Hersh.
Joe Leiberman
is an
anti-choice
anti free speech
anti peace
loyal Bushie.
He isn’t mainstream on anything.
rwcole @ 43
but he likes to shoot his load in the face, doesn’t he?
Pity the poor girl who had to ’service’ Mr. Cheney….
Too close to necrophilia to think much about..
Concealing corruption is a form of corruption.
Willful blindness my ass!
Just wait until September when the GOP starts to turn on Dubya. It ought to be amusing to see what Lieberman does then. I’m looking forward to an eventful autumn this year.
Ed*ard Teller @ 45
Ed
You have my heart racing here.
The irony, the irony would be too delicious. Irony is my favorite form of humor.
Here’s part of Lieberman’s April 13th gibberish in response to my ongoing request for his clarification on the Iraq invasion and, as you can see, he has the Repub talking points down pat.
If, indeed, if Joe is worried about Americans’ security he would demand answers concerning:
1. the anthrax attacks 2. Katrina and the lack of preparation and lack of assistance 3. the food contamination from China 4. the lack of preparedness in Kansas post tornado, just to name the most egregious. But HE WON’T because he is bought and paid for and so he prefers selling this country down the river.
Has Lieberman DONE anything since his re-election? Anything useful at all?
This also from Wayne Madson:
ay 8, 2007 — Our White House sources report that the Queen’s visit to the White House yesterday was a protocol disaster. Not only had George W. Bush commenced his drinking routine early in the morning, just in time for the first mid-day visit by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, but his drunkenness continued well into the evening during the lavish state dinner.
Bush dreaded the Queen’s visit and prepared for it by getting drunk. The Queen has never hidden her dislike for Bush who she considers ill-bred, impetuous, and a social boor. The Queen’s dislike for Bush goes back to 1991 when he insulted her during another state visit by inquiring which of her children was the “black sheep” of her family. The Queen told him to mind his own business. The Queen was also unhappy that then-First Lady Barbara Bush failed to control her son during that visit to the White House. In November 2003, the Queen was incensed about Bush’s Marine One helicopter tearing up her flower garden at Buckingham Palace and traumatizing her flock of flamingoes. Bush’s communications staff also damaged expensive fabrics inside the royal residence. Bush never compensated the Queen for the damage and she had to file an insurance claim.
Jane: I have only one small quibble with the post:
A lot of things that should be happening aren’t because Lieberman is chairman of a very important committee and he is keeping them from looking into GOP corruption on a variety of fronts.
I might have said “on all fronts”.
Fozzetti @ 53
Very useful for some folks.
Ed*ard Teller @ 45
And there are quite a few VERY angry intel folks who would love the chance to stick it to Deadeye; Madsen has been an outlet for them.
Heh. Just explained all this to my 13-year-old, who wrinkled her nose in disgust. Who would do that with HIM, she asks. I told her this would be a great way for Palfrey to leak a threat to Deadeye and Co. if Palfrey is being bottlenecked by the Mouse. Want to bet Deadeye’s clot is suddenly worse again?
That’s the question, it seems to me. Lieberman’s “criticality” to the majority has been a real convenience for the corporate Dems. Once that’s not the case, I wonder what they’ll find to excuse the party’s supine failures on civil rights and equal protection.
Establishing accountability and consequences for the horrors of Katrina–that’s “gotcha”?
Shotgun blast eh? Somethin less than a .410
rwcole @ 54
I was lovin’ this until the last sentence.
An INSURANCE claim? The Queen of England??
looseheadprop @ 41
Maybe this is the CIA’s retribution to Deadeye?
I figured there had to be some huge bigwig caught up in this after the promise of at least two more names on 20/20 last Friday night and then Poof! — Mouse magic…no revelations.
LHP……we’re due for this kind of “luck”. I must admit to having wondered why Lynne wasn’t at the ranch during Dead’s hunting trip.
Maybe that’s why Liz is going to the ME with daddy — to keep an eye on him? *g* Got to watch that ticker, don’t ya know.
Oh, and by the way. About Joe’s unwillingness to look into what happened with Katrina (finally back on topic)–there was news report within the last couple days that the new levees they are building are unsafe!
How about some forward looking oversight into how those reconstruction contracts were let or overseen?
What about oversight of current and future contracts????
If his whining excuse is that he thinks the American people don’t want to rehash old bad news, how about doing something proactive to prevent future bad news?
Or would that be too logical and effective? God know, he wouldn’t want to run the risk of being effective.
looseheadprop @ 36
Indeed you do. ‘Scuse me while I take a moment to vomit at the mental image. Thanks. Better now.
Methinks that Shooter is in to the rougher games, and might not require (or be able to provide) the requisite bodily fluids necessary to be legally transgressive. I’d like to think that there’s a blue drress involved…
But, certainly the start of a wonderful rumor. Now, to bat it around, embroidering as you go, providing multiple, unnamed sources. Shop it to the British tabloids, so it can come back to ours, sneak onto the news magazines, be quoted on the blogs, amplified on talk radio and sanctified on the evening news and late night talk shows.
Fire up the klieg lights and print the T-shirts – there’s gonna be some hearings now!
Much as I enjoy piling on Slow Joe whenever possible, the lack of accountability on NOLA screw-ups is pretty clearly not on the front burner for the Dem leadership. There are other committees with potential jurisdiction, the Permanent Comittee on Investigations being just one. Obviously Reid et al. would prefer to avoid opening up that can of worms, and Joe is unaccountably proud of his role as the scapegoat. Maybe it gives him leverage on other issues in the caucus to be holding his finger in the dike, so to speak. The idea that nobody can investigate because Joe doesn’t want to investigate is absurd.
Lieberman is my party’s responsibility. Now deal with him Democrats! Get rid of him.
Deadeye’s doin’ lotsa flying this week for a fellow under treament for deep-vein thrombosis. Jordan, Eqypt, KSA, UAE, and those are the places we’re allowed to know about. Democracy on the march!
ET said
Wayne Madsen is reporting that Deadeye is on Palfrey’s list. Bigtime:
Well, well, well.. please let this be true! We may once and for all find out how reliable WM report is.
If it is true, given Cheney’s various health problems, unless he and Rush share the same prescription for the V*a*g*a – he was pimping for others.
And get rid of the DLC too.
Ed*ard Teller @ 23
That is just dirty freaking hippie gossip…
“Civility”? Not interested. I want results.
Rayne @ 57
If Palfrey was blocked by the Mouse, how ABC agreed to cover up will be almost as big a scandal as the hookers.
In a sane world it would be a much bigger scandal than the hookers, what in hell would Cheney bring to bear to get ANC to take a chance like that?
Wouldn’t they realize that Palfrey would go to other outlets if they didn’t put her truth out?
If Madsen is right, there are several whopping big scandals all rolled into one here.
W. Acton at 64–
Exactly. Joe’s a real convenience for the party. As Jane noted, it’ll be interesting to see what they’ll say about acting on those “tough” issues once the majority is solid.
The addressing in Madsen’s column is absolutely correct — Ballantrae is exactly across the road from the CIA and was where the Cheneys had a home in the 1990s.
This could be the next Intel community thrust, after last week’s letter from former agents asking Tenet to give back the Medal.
Frank33 @ 69 says:
So what? Aren’t we allowed to gossip? Gossip is quite often true, just hasn’t yet been verified. And as a DFH from the day, we’ve been correct on more things than not over the years. ;})
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said on Tuesday the World Bank could continue to be effective with embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz in charge.
“We believe that the World Bank can continue to be an effective development institution with Paul Wolfowitz as president,” White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.
TeddySanFran @ 73
I don’t usually give Madsen much credence, but a person would want to be pretty damn sure he had his facts straight before making a claim like this one. Could be true…
Going back to the “unfortunate” shooting incident, was Shooter’s female companion ever identified???
dakine01 @ 74
So what? Aren’t we allowed to gossip? Gossip is quite often true, just hasn’t yet been verified. And as a DFH from the day, we’ve been correct on more things than not over the years. ;})
I think this is bipartisan gossip and am willing to sit next to a dirty fucking hippie as long as the person on my other side is wearing a tux.
manonfyre @ 10
Yeah! I am hoping for more leaders to stand up and demand that these usurpers be held to account for their actions.
Fern @ 76
Unless he got punked. Remember the guy who claimed to have seen an Indictment with multiple names on it, just before the expiration of the Libby GJ?
Maybe someone wants him discredited. I always thought that the forgeries that Dan Rather relied on, were planted by Bushco to get rid of Rather. And it worked.
Olmert survives no-confidence vote
Israel’s embattled prime minister has weathered three no-confidence votes in parliament.
Monday’s motions were the latest backlash over a scathing report on Ehud Olmert’s handling of the war against Hezbollah in Lebanon last year, but he managed to defeat them by wide margins.
one of the MANY things I find reprehensible about ol’ Joe-mentum
is his bastardization of fine old principles like “civility” and “bipartisanship” by applying them to acts of hypocrisy, betrayal, and warmongering.
dakine01 @ 74
So what? Aren’t we allowed to gossip? Gossip is quite often true, just hasn’t yet been verified. And as a DFH from the day, we’ve been correct on more things than not over the years. ;})
Sorry, I should have put a /s (for snark) at the end. I posted part of the WMR comment this morning. I think Madsen is fairly edgy and reliable, and seems to have real sources inside the government.
It may be a false report-but if true it would immediately require impeachment.
Eureka Springs @ 39
Well, well, well.. please let this be true! We may once and for all find out how reliable WM report is.
I really doubt it. Although, Madsen’s really putting his neck out there to make such a charge (if it isn’t true, couldn’t he be sued?). On the other hand, if it were true it could explain why the ABC story fizzled…but I honestly doubt it. Madsen’s stories are so far-fetched and extreme, and he never reveals any sources.
Aside from his own, I ask you, who’s interests does Lieberman serve?
looseheadprop @ 80
Rather and Madsen? Madsen has a pretty high regard for himself, but I can’t imagine any WH operative targeting him. He’s basically a smaller fish than Jane or Redd or Marcy, let alone Rather.
TeddySanFran @ 66
Aren’t all of those places that have so kindly done our torturing for us? (Maybe no the UAE)
Do you think if we crossed a few palms they might be willing to hang onto him for a while, in one of those ‘undisclosed locations’?
LS @ 84
I really doubt it. Although, Madsen’s really putting his neck out there to make such a charge (if it isn’t true, couldn’t he be sued?). On the other hand, if it were true it could explain why the ABC story fizzled…but I honestly doubt it. Madsen’s stories are so far-fetched and extreme, and he never reveals any sources.
he could be sued….it is slander per se to impute unchastity to a virgin, heh heh
Frank33 @ 83:
That’s kinda what I thought which is why I had the ;})
jon @ 87
Hmmm…last time there was a scandal, they flew him all over the place…verrrrry interrresting.
my last 2 cents on this before I head off to turn in grades – I was the first person here to question whether or not the pic of Rove with the folder in Chatanooga might be photo-shopped. Three days later it turned out I was right. I detect a real story in the Madsen posting on Cheney.
Nothing at yardbird dot comm, William Keisling’s site. He is the investigative author looking into the brutal murder of Jonathan Luna, assistant US attorney in Maryland.
For a reason I still do not understand, Deborah Jeane Palfrey contacted Keisling (who has written a 500 page book – report of Luna’s disappearance from his office leading to his death) and asked him to accompany her to the latest hearing in DC with her lawyer.
According to Kiesling’s report, Palfrey spoke with him about the death of a former professor at a university in Maryland who worked as one of Palfrey’s escorts. It is reported as a suicide. However, Luna’s violent death was initially reported as a possible suicide and he was stabbed 36 times, including in the back.
Looking for confirmation of this story is paramount. I’ll write to Keisling. Any other ideas?
I never liked Loserman. As far as I’m concerned, he lost the Gore election. He’s always whining about Hollywood. But he really went off the deep end when he supported Bush in 2004. Him and McCain, who I never liked either, went right off the tracks into lala land.
Let’s face it. It’s a bad idea to have religious conservatives in Government, whatever their religion is.
My dear friends, while I would LOVE to see Cheney in a pinch…..relying on ole Madsen is a fool’s errand. Good Mr. Teller, I must respectfully disagree with your endorsement of WM…..but I usually agree with you on everything else, good sir.
Madsen has also written extensively about how most CIA agents are Christian fundies who fly around in private jets loaded with cocaine purchased by Daddy Bush. Ahem. WM is wrong on his CIA interpretations.
But, beyond a back-and-forth on dear Wayne, the ultimate solution is for us all to encourage our dear Madame to dump all her records onto the internet. The internet sharks will feast and feed…and have answers within one week. Anyone got Palfrey’s phone number? And….WHY do you have her number???
Ghostman
LS @ 83
I really doubt it. Although, Madsen’s really putting his neck out there to make such a charge (if it isn’t true, couldn’t he be sued?). On the other hand, if it were true it could explain why the ABC story fizzled…but I honestly doubt it. Madsen’s stories are so far-fetched and extreme, and he never reveals any sources.
I read this somewhere today but can’t find it now.
The reason I doubt this story is that Cheney would have known he was vulnerable and would have taken great pains to quash the story before it ever came out. Don’t you think that they would have pulled strings to get the Madam off before they would let her leak the phone numbers?
I agree that it is strange that someone with DVT would be given the go ahead by any responsible physician to sit on an airplane for a lengthy trip. Something is up, but it could easily be oil related, or Iran related. Although, why not send Condi?
Well, ISTM one can be civil AND do one’s job! Civility is a shiny object here. It really has nothing to do with the real issue which, as you point out, is doing one’s job.
So, when Sherlock Holmes is busy working on a case, is he playing “Gotcha”? Isn’t that what investigators are supposed to do?
Bob in HI
Well, Sherlock was always a gentleman, Bob.
And always civil.
Leiberman, the guy who went on Imus?
Not so much.
fwiw, I don’t believe the Dick in chief is the type to cavort with hookers. He’s too ice-blooded.
And I am NOT just saying that because the very idea of an actual human being doing THAT with him is soooooooo……totally………..yucky.
Eureka Springs @ 39
Well, well, well.. please let this be true! We may once and for all find out how reliable WM report is.
My, my, how the chicken(hawk)s are coming home to roost!!! Say, It ain’t so, Joe!!!! Bwahaha!!!!
Ghostman @ 94
Good points – and thanks! Again, Madsen has been wrong, and this may be one of those times, but ABC has sorta dropped the ball and there are people out there who would like to see it picked up and carried on.
oddmommy @ 100
Why would Cheney need a hooker? He has a harem of slaves in the basement of the WH. Bush just thinks it’s cute.
Ed*ard Teller @ 23
Oh, goody. I’d rather see him impeached for treason and undermining the Constitution, but I’ll settle for something lesser to get him out of the OVP.
Bob in HI
Ed*ard Teller @ 9
That works.
ThinkProgress post: Gonzales angered when WH ties to firings were exposed
Bob Schacht @ 104
That would be just perfect!
the real question for me is why is lieberman behaving like this – on both domestic and foreign issues?
the civility and bipartisianship business is nothing more than his verbal cover for his real motives.
is he looking for a gop vice-presidential slot with mccain?
maybe.
but i would guess that a lot of his behavior since january has to do with his having received large amounts of money and political aid from right-wing republicans and the white house during his race to retain his senate seat.
i’d bet he made a pre-election pact to get that aid.
Nothing about the hooker story makes sense. A woman who has no qualms about selling flesh just gives this information away? Palfrey said that she gave the records to ABC so that the “Johns” would come forward and back up her story that everything her girls did was legal. Why didn’t she just name names herself? Can she now come forward? I dunno, the entire story is fishy from start to finish.
French rightist Sarkozy gets punk’d.
Since you are a rightist, and I am a conservative and (US) President George W. Bush is too, I would like to invite him to dine with us too,” the prankster says, adding: “I’ve always dreamed of hosting a dinner of fools.”
-GSD
Lynn Cheney’s existence lends credence to this report.
I can’t look at her and not think of Angie Dickenson chewing scenery in the misbegotten “Wild Palms” miniseries of yore. Detestable and dishonest. She ’set up’ the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities to take conservative hits during her chairmanship.
Surely those two didn’t mate…
Ed*ard Teller @ 45
How would you rate him compared with Jason Leopold?
Bob in HI
Ok. What do you think the Republicans have on Liberman? Secret spying by NSA has revealed…
?
and they are using it to blackmail him into being the most spineless whiney flip flopper ever.
:)
We are in the soup now. Major severe thunderstorm in progress. Extreme winds, hail, tornado watch. Thinder and lightning. I love weather with a personaility!
I agree that Joe’s motivation is far from clear. Is he just payin back all the goopers who supported him- inluding Rove? Beats Me.
Another failed run at Veep doesn’t seem worth much- nor does a seat as a rat on a sinking ship seem worth much.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 106
Gonzo and Goodling upset…Kyle Sampson, on the other hand, didn’t seem the least bit upset to me.
will read comments in a moment
OT: Newshour on fire tonight with war funding debate!!! Just heard it on the radio.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 115
In the immortal words of many others:
Protect thyself!
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 105
Nothing like humor after a lieberman post :)
Oklahomans east of the Red River by Texas. Take cover, this is a bad one.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 106
You know – I was going to write a little joke along the lines of “don’t ask Gonzales; he can’t recall.” But, you know, if he is asked this on Thursday, that’s gonna be his answer. This is ceasing to be funny.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 121
Take care!!!!
Liarman is protecting the scum that elected him for another term, he knows once the ‘08 elections are done he’ll have to declare himseld what we all know he is. (A member of the republic party)
1. I think everyone here knows my feelings on Joe BENEDICT ARNOLD Lieberman. Nuff said.
2. the “why” question:
a. I think he’s an egomaniac, completely lost in his own hubris.
b. he also wants to protect the millions his wife makes via Pharma.
c. he also wants to protect his huge future income stream post-Senate. Surf over to fightingterror dot org…..click members….view the rogue’s gallery.
Ghostman
Not many things will please me more in ‘08 than seeing the Senate majority extended and Liebermann with an office in the BASEMENT!
This is from William Keisling’s website concerning his trip with Palfrey to the hearing in DC:
Talk turned to the newly deceased Baltimore prostitute, Brandy Britton. ABC News had found many instances of Britton’s phone number among the records, Rood told us.
Palfrey said she thought she could remember talking with Britton. She remembered Britton looking, “like Cameron Diaz, from the neck up.”
Part of Palfrey’s confusion about her employee Brandy Britton was a sad fantasy of age. Britton, a Ph.D. sociologist-turned-hooker, had lied on her escort service resume. On her web page Britton advertised her age as 29. She had actually been in her forties.
I asked producer Rood about concerns I’d read on the web that only Republican johns were being outed.
“What’s on the list is what we have to work with,” Rood shrugged. ABC had been given only the last four years of Palfrey’s list. Republicans had been controlling Washington for six years, and it was slim pickings for Democrats, with hookers and other largesse.
Rood explained they had been successful in identifying “the vast majority” of the numbers on the list, “about 90 percent,” he estimated. “We’ve gone to the limits of what we can legally do,” to identify owner of the numbers, he said.
One problem was, he explained, that cell phone numbers turn over, sometimes several times. Today you can’t necessarily discover who may have owned the number, say, in 2002.
If there was any cherry picking going on, I discerned, it was a spoken desire to expose the bigwigs and the hypocrites, and to protect the little joes.
“The vast majority of the numbers are ordinary guys,” Palfrey said, “who don’t deserve to be outed.” Rood shook his head in agreement. I got the idea that Palfrey, the rest of the list up her sleeve, exerted a powerful influence in the selection of whom to name.
The problem was, I reminded them, some of those “little joes” might actually be making the call for a powerful boss. In the case of Congressman Duke Cunningham, a limousine driver on behalf of an obscure defense contractor procured hookers.
A lot of the little joes could also be up-and-coming party operatives in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Shouldn’t the public know about them?
It seemed like these concerns could be worked out over time.
For the most part I was satisfied that Rood and ABC News were handling things in a fair, even-handed manner, and that the network was overall doing what seemed to be a trustworthy job.
Rood mentioned the kinds of men who shortly would be exposed. A White House economist. A think tanker. A CEO. Unfortunately, not much of a showing from Congress, he seemed to sigh.
The story was about to morph yet again, I learned. Almost all the discussion in the press till then concerned the men on Palfrey’s list. As this story was taking off, particularly after Brandy Britton committed suicide, I’d noticed that editors had taken to assigning mostly women reporters to cover Palfrey.
Was it just PC cover? Or do they suppose women reporters are more attune to the travails of the Working Gal, and can better punish those beaver-pounding dogs called men on behalf of all the wronged, fairer sex?
Some of these girl reporters can even spin a saucy line. But do they get what’s going on?
Carol D. Leonnig, for example, in the May 3, 2007 Washington Post, writes, “how nervous some men in Washington are….”
That’s only half the story, isn’t it? ABC News producer Rood explained that some of the next shoes to drop would be high heels. Among the phone numbers were those belonging to the women working for Palfrey, he noted.
ABC News found the numbers of a Howard University professor, a paralegal in a prominent Washington law firm, and other highly placed women, he said.
Loneliness, despair, and deceit, after all, are not limited to men.
OT – Condi told Charlie Rose yesterday that “We are not leaving Iraq.”. WTF?
“ABC News producer Rood explained that some of the next shoes to drop would be high heels.” Hmmmm.
What does the Secretary of State do for her pay check? I’m serious. Name one positive accomplishment by this individual.
I think Madsen’s reference predates the four years of telephone numbers referred to by Rood in this report.
String him out until November 2008, and then kick his butt out of the caucus. Civility was always George H.W. Bush’s cry, when criticism was turned on him.
Mr. Kiddo: I do not participate in challenges I cannot win.
Ghostman
Oklahoma kiddo @ 130
She makes the Preznit happy. Nothing else matters.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 130
Oh, about as much as the AG does for his, the VA secretay does for his, the Labor Secretary does for hers, the Education secretary does for hers, etc, etc, etc. = NOTHING!
Badwater @ 134
She serves at the pleasure of the President?
Helen @ 109
She didn’t have names, just phone numbers. And she claims that she didn’t have the time to do the reverse lookup stuff to match names with numbers, so she gave it to ABC who offered to do that job for her.
I guess to her, a john is just a john.
Bob in HI
LS @ 127
cheney likes wearing high heels!?!?!
LS @ 136
She serves Pleasure to the Preznit?
rwcole @ 116
I linked to something last week that quoted him as saying the country is HUNGERING for an Independent candidate in 2008.
Now, if I were a betting man……
tw3k @ 138
Somebody must like high heels!
With apologies to the Coasters:
Fe-fe, fi-fi, fo-fo, fum
I smell smoke in the Senatorium
Hojoe Brown, Hojoe Brown
He’s a clown, that Hojoe Brown
He’s gonna get caught
Just you wait and see
(Why’s everybody always pickin’ on me)
That’s him on his knees
I know that’s him
Yeah, from Bush to McCain
Down in the boys’ gym
Hojoe Brown, Hojoe Brown
Heckuva job, that Hojoe Brown
He’s gonna get caught
Just you wait and see
(Why’s everybody always pickin’ on me)
Who’s always writing on the wall
Who’s always whining in the hall
Who’s always throwing spit balls
Guess who (who, me) yeah, you
In those shoes?
oddmommy @ 138
Unity 08!!! lol
tw3k @ 138
That is a frightening image.
oddmommy @ 140
So you’re betting that the Unity08 ticket will be McCain/Lieberman? or Lieberman/McCain?
Re: Pamela Martin & Associates (the DC Madam).
I’m waiting for this to come full circle with Cunningham/Foggo/Shirlington limo scandal. My guess is that Josh and the fine folks at TPM are looking into that.
LS @ 141
Giuliani?
Someone has access to the list of phone numbers which predate Rood’s list… or Rood decided to say that he only had four years of numbers.
I wonder which one it is?
LS, tw3k, and Helen –
Please look at this Time story for which a link appears in the ThinkProgress post: Who’s Afraid of the White House Attorneys Connection?
LS @ 127
Maybe Gouliani’s number was located.
Lieberman IS corruption.
Plain and simple.
“Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” – Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr
dakine01 @ 146
I guess that’s a possibility. I hadn’t particularly thought of the two of them in bed together (!)…..just that Joe has something of the sort up his own slimy little sleeve. Don’t know about McCain.
No apologies necessary, Hugh, the Coasters would have approved of your “rendition.” especially the part: Fee Fee
manonfyre @ 10
This tape is appalling.
Jane (nyc) @ 147
Almost an hour ago, Josh Marshall posted this: Breaking: Bradley Schlozman to testify before Senate Judiciary Committee May 15th
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 148
Margolis coaches McNulty to throw Sampson and Gonzales under the bus?
Senator Lieberman, do you really believe that the Bush administration has walked the straight-and-narrow so much that it’s inappropriate to even investigate?
How do you reconcile this with the high standard you set for Pres. Bill Clinton?
Lieberman, putting the LIE in the Man.
tw3k @ 157
What I notice is that the description of what Margolis was originally quoted as saying about Goodling’s emotional implosion has apparently morphed, and the wording about serving the president has since become the quote. Is that what you mean?
FYI, new thread
Or, did Margolis coach Sampson to throw McNulty and Gonzales under the bus? Why did Monica come crying on Margolis’s shoulder and speak about her personal life? It is all so convoluted.
LS @ 160
Samson throw himself under the bus?
Siun new thread upstairs
HEY! New thread up! And I got the first 5 spots! It’s starting to feel a little like masturbation, and not in a good way. It’s an interesting post, too!
tw3k @ 163
Sounds like a snake pit to me.
Awwww…don’t blame Joe. He’s old and wolves are after him. He and McCain remind me of Grandpa Simpson. 707
LS @ 164
yeah :/
LS @ 136
She serves to pleasure the preznit?
Badwater @ 128
Why should that surprise you?
Billions of dollars into enormous self sufficient military bases. The largest, most heavily fortified embassy on the planet. All that sweet, sweet oil.
And the Iraqi Army couldn’t protect the country from the rentacops at my supermarket.
Iraq is an enormous aircraft carrier. From it you can project power throughout the middle east and Africa. If the government says ‘boo’ we can throw them to the militias and stick in a new crop. You don’t just walk away from a half a trillion dollars.
This could be a year for a genuine moderate third party candidate- but Lieberman ain’t it and he’s gotta know that.
New Thread
quaranteed that having his chairmanship is the ONLY thing keeping LIEberman in the democratic party. So if they take that away, he switches to republican, keeps his chairmanship and the democrats lose the other chairmanships they have. As detestable as it is, short of getting Smith or some other republican to switch to democrat, there does not seem to be much to do about LIEberman until 2008.
.
Apparently not all of Joe’s new friends share his quest for civility.
Kinda late to do anything about it now, Hugh. Maybe if you could have persuaded some of your fellow nutmeggers that the canvassers weren’t dirty f%^&ing hippies, we might have been taken more seriously last summer.
You gives em books and gives em books but alls they do is chews on the covers.
dakine01 @ 146
oddmommy @ 140
rwcole @ 116
I agree that Joe’s motivation is far from clear. Is he just payin back all the goopers who supported him- inluding Rove? Beats Me.
Another failed run at Veep doesn’t seem worth much- nor does a seat as a rat on a sinking ship seem worth much.
I linked to something last week that quoted him as saying the country is HUNGERING for an Independent candidate in 2008.
Now, if I were a betting man……
So you’re betting that the Unity08 ticket will be McCain/Lieberman? or Lieberman/McCain?
Or Lieberman/anyone who’ll have him.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 18
Come come now, don’t hold back. Tell us what you really feel. :-)
Seriously, consider this possibility: what if the Kucinich indictment of Cheney catches fire and it is going to be sent to the Senate. Would Lieberman switch to Republican to blunt the conviction? Would his switch turn power back to the Republicans, so they could use the Senate rubber stamp to put more Repug judges in for Bush?
There are ramifications to consider, and it isn’t all pleasant, however much it might satisfy in the short run.
We are in a terrible pickle of damned if we do or damned if we don’t. But, all in all, I’d rather keep the Senate.
question:
can you get deep-vain thrombosis from wearing high heels?
>
I read this somewhere today but can’t find it now.
Vilains and Vilians thread post #150, chuckle, chuckle!
DUMP THE CREEP!
Oklahoma kiddo @ 65
If it were just one Senate seat I’d agree whole-heartedly.
However, I’ve been watching the Bushies and in my opinion they’ve been planning and hoping to get rid of Cheney to put JEB in as Veep. That’s too scary to allow.
Even this recent attack on Cheney is probably coming more from the Bushies than from independent sources.
What I’d want to know before we go down this road is who has Lieberman’s vote locked up.
My preference would be to NOT trust Lieberman or our guess-work and instead create a perfect storm of political disgust for Republicans, related to their involvement with (ownership of) the Iraq war. Then, Lieberman wouldn’t really have much choice but to stay with the Dems and let us get rid of Cheney.
If we could pull off all that, then we could more-or-less control which Jerry Ford to ‘promote’ out of Congress (and out of government Jan. 2009).
*ilbo @ 179
*ilbo @ 179
Re the Madsen report;
He likes to put on a diaper while the woman pours orange juice on him.
And a pony, please.
Uh, it’s not called gotcha… it is called oversight…
Oklahoma kiddo @ 18
Take it up with Harry Reid who assured and guaranteed Lieberman all privileges to this non-democrat!
I know I am a day late to this thread, but I am surprised that no one has mentioned the unmentionable elephant wrt Lieberman.
I.S.R.E.A.L.
Lieberman is a Sharon/Olmert guy. He does not represent the state of Connecticut but rather the state of Israel. And the reason he is not a Dem anymore is because he is first and foremost a member of the Likud party. When you take this into account, ALL of his actions and statements vis a vis the War in Iraq makes sense. When he says that he wants to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq so that we don’t have to fight them at home, you have to realize that by home he means Israel. And Saddam did fund Palestinian Suicide bombers in the form of payments to their families. The Likud party in Israel has wanted the US to take Saddam out for a very long time. And now they want us to go after Iran for them.
The voters of Connecticut got exactly what they deserve, and Israel got the best senator money could buy.
2008 is critical. the democrats should gain more seats then kick this traitor out. THANK YOU VERY MUCH CONNECTICUT!