Tweet
Those voting "nay":
Boxer (CA)
Harkin (IA)
Menendez (NJ)
Dodd (CT)
Kennedy, E. (MA)
Whitehouse (RI)
Feingold (WI)
Leahy (VT)
Sanders (VT)
Here it is:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON FUNDING FOR OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.
(a) Findings.–The Senate makes the following findings:
(1) The President is the commander in chief of the United States Armed Forces.
(2) The United States Armed Forces are currently engaged in military operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom on behalf of the national security interests of the United States.
(3) The funds previously appropriated to continue military operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom are depleted.
(4) The President requested more than 100 days ago supplemental appropriations to continue funding for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
(5) Congress has not passed a supplemental appropriations bill to continue funding for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in a manner that the commander in chief believes gives the United States Armed Forces and the Iraqi people the best chance to succeed at establishing a safe, stable, and sustainable democracy in Iraq.
(6) A supplemental appropriations request to fund ongoing combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom should remain focused on the war effort by providing the resources necessary for United States troops abroad and in the United States.
(b) Sense of the Senate.–It is the sense of the Senate that Congress should send legislation to the President providing appropriations for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in a manner that the President can sign into law by not later than May 28, 2007.
According to Mitch McConnell today:
Q: What is the status of negotiations on the supplemental?
McConnell: Reid and I agreed to get the supplemental done before Memorial Day, and that includes a presidential signature.
There you have it. Memorial Day. I guess some benchmarks were met after all.
233 Comments
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zed?
jeepers, zedish…
WHOAA – 3rd zed?
The language above sounds like total Bush-speak. A few heavy hitters on the Nay list and I can understand why.
Can sign or will sign? He can sign a Bill with restrictions but will he… no.
Keep sending him a Bill he can sign if he wants to and if he doesn’t the to h*ll with him.
congress already sent the prez a bill that he could sign before memorial day- but the fucker didn’t sign it- so I’d say this goal has already been met.
Well. Fine. Send him back the same damn bill they sent him in the first place.
I asked this earlier when the vote was going on, but is this “Sense Of The Senate” resolution worth anything more than the paper it is written on?
It sounds like a “Motherhood, Apple Pie, Stand up and salute the flag” bit of nonsense and nothing more.
That’s all the ‘nay’s?
Hmmm
Wheres Durbin?
(otherwsie known as the lone Senator from IL)
I’m sorry – is it just me or is that just wankerifusness* run amok?
*I’d use fuckery but Evil Dr. Puma and TRex would come down on me for infringement.
Regrettably work has kept me from keeping up to date, so I am not sure what this article portends. Certainly the list of those voting nay, plus the posted content, suggest that it is some kind of neocon litmus test or something…
dakine
That’s how it smells ta me- four year old apple pie.
Congress sure knows how to flap their lips and create a bunch of nothingness. Send the original bill back and make him own his own war.
OT, Sorry.
Can I get a link to whomever has a copy of Hugh’s list?
Thanks in advance.
As Mr. Edwards says
Send the original bill back.
(he can mark it up with signing statements and we can find out what *those* are worth)
okayyyyyy now smooth this out – will the funding continue ad infinitum?? or will defunding begin…….. when?
So basically this says, yeah, we’ll come up with another bill before the end of the month?
just what sort of fuckery is this? beggin pardon epu lol
Bustednuckles –
Hugh’s list
Jane,
under the circumstances, I think you post showed remarkable restraint.
I would be inclined to vent in your place.
Bustednuckles @ 14
Hugh’s Bush Scandal List
i would like to know how does my senator kerry explain his vote?
Can’t see why they didn’t ALL vote for it- since it says absolutely nothing at all.
What was the purpose of that amendment… Looks like a Kool aid test..
Speaking of Kool aid.. Jane did you see this?
I don’t get it.
The Cochran Amendment was defeated.
Bustednuckles @ 14
Hugh’s List of Bush Scandals
available through google now
LS @ 13
Yeah, I mean what does the above amendment accomplish??? Oh yeah, it blames the Democrats for the delay in funding…
Keeping the fun in dysfunctional!!
That was the OTHER Cochran amendment (March 28th).
looseheadprop @ 20
Totally. WTF was that??
mffarrow @ 25
That was the amendment in the first supplemental bill that the Chimpenfuhrer veto’d. This was an amendment in the Water bill. It “passed” after the Reid-Feingold amendment failed in cloture vote…
Bustednuckles @ 14
Here ya go
looseheadprop @ 20
I figured I’d leave everyone to their own “insert in the appropriate place.”
Sounds like this Cochran guy REALLY wanted his very own amendment- so now he has one. Wear it in good health.
Is it the sense of the Senate that I should grab my ankles, bite down hard on a hickory stick and drop trau?
Well – sure looks to me like we know where folks stand now – and it’s not where they wanted us to think they stood!
As I mentioned yesterday, Obama and Clinton issued statements saying they would vote yes on cloture – but the real issue is whether they would co-sponsor or vote yes on Feingold-Reid if it came to a vote. I’m checking to see if we can get a statement from Obama, but …
Here’s Hillary’s statement on it all:
Don’t know ’bout everyone else, but I am livid – this kind of political gaming is not what we elected Democrats to do!
Jane Hamsher @ 32
The outhouse would be an appropriate location but the paper’s probably a bit rougher than a corn cob.
(I can’t believe I just typed that. Jeebus! Sorry folks)
What is this? Sense of Congress? WTF is that?
Now that this fine piece of legislation has passed, can we impeach Gonzo now?
Pachacutec @ 34
Yes, but if there is anyone behind you when you do so, it is the sense of the Senate that they must be a Republican.
Jane, I really hope you are doing well. Thanks for continuing to hang in there with us. We need you so much.
Why did this even come up for a vote? I thought the Democrats were in the majority.
By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
3 minutes ago
WASHINGTON – The Senate, spending the spring mired in divisive debate on Iraq, sharply rejected legislation Wednesday to cut off money for combat operations after March 2008.
The vote was a loss for Sen. Russell Feingold and other liberal Democrats who support taking the drastic step to end the war. But the effort picked up new support from members previously reluctant to limit war funding — an indication of the conflict’s unpopularity among voters.
Okay at the rate we’re all going this constitution is going to hell in a handbasket….Those idiots such as AG, and the other ****tards are the ones carrying the handbasket…
OT: Sen. Whitehouse coming up on Hardball.
Take a close look at #5 and #6 in Cochran … tell me those are not the Republican talking points!
And Harry Reid said “you all know we’re all going to vote for this”
looseheadprop @ 20
I believe we’ll make up for it in the comments section.
.
.
What a bunch of wankers*!
*not my first choice
OT – Tweety/Schuster covering the Comey testimony.
I think they said Whitehouse would be on later.
dakine @ 36: Ha, ha! I’m glad you did! Needed a little levity here.
So let’s see, what does this say:
The president is responsible for the armed forces. check
The armed forces need money. check
There is no more money. hmmm.
The president asked for more money. check
The president got a bill and he didn’t like it. check
Congress should continue to focus on giving the armed forces the money they need. check
and…ta, da:
(b) Sense of the Senate.–It is the sense of the Senate that Congress should send legislation to the President providing appropriations for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in a manner that the President can sign into law by not later than May 28, 2007.
It means….make sure the bill is on paper and that a pen is placed in his hand so he can sign it. Remember how long it took him to prepare his pen to veto the bill. That must be the problem.
mffarrow @ 25
See this from today
Tester voted for this? Webb? WTF? I need to be more careful with my campaign contributions in the future.
OT: Shorter John Yoo from last night’s Frontline: I’m truly evil and need to be stopped.
Mutant Poodle @ 38
lol
For a minute, I thought I was reading satire.
Where are my supposedly liberal Marylanders, Cardin & Mukulski?
RagingGurrl @ 45
I guess we all have to get over our shock before we can get our groove back.
Comey’s testimony on Hardball discussing thuggery of Card and Abu.
Go Schuster.
Siun @ 44
Zackly! I’m real proud of Leahy and Boxer. Did anyone see the smackdown Boxer did on Lindsay Graham when he said Reid said troops are losers. She went through step by step Iraq War Justification versions 1, 2, 2.1, 3, etc. She must just be fit to be tied after reading this crap.
Okay, I really try to stay out of this stuff, and I await public statements and explanations, but. . .
Obama and Clinton voted to end debate on two different approaches, but did not commit themselves in any way that survives parsing to either approach. Likewise, they voted for this squishy resolution that gives them enough wiggle room around the definition of “what the president can sign,” but which, in effect, endorses the Republican position that Dems should cave in to the president in betrayal of the public and their electoral mandate.
If I’m understanding this correctly, how are they not both cowards intent on deception? What do they stand for? Do they stand for anything?
I don’t want to jump to conclusions. What am I missing?
allan_in_upstate @ 50
tester and webb also vote AGAINST Reid-Feingold (for redeployment). full list of dems voting against is here.
one question:
how is the language of the amendment NOT to be read a wholesale capitulation to the Chimp’s demands?
./
selise @ 22
He probably voted against it before he voted for it.
Sheldon Whitehouse on MSNBC now…
(((Siun))) I am beyond livid
You know, the Dodd folks called this one precisely right – vote on Feingold-Reid not on cloture. Dodd said:
“This is the most important Senate debate since the original vote to authorize the war. This simply cannot be the occasion for hiding behind procedural tactics.”
But we got tactics, not substance.
Richardson and Edwards gave us clear statements, but Hillary and Obama said “we’ll support cloture” rather then we support Feingold-Reid and then everyone gave them a pass … lesson learned.
Pachacutec @ 57
Nothing. Not one damn thing.
Pachacutec @ 57
It’s called hedging their bets.
So is there some way we can get an actual, you know, Democrat as Senate Majority Leader? Other than by doign a massive election operation next year, I mean. Because the way things are going, IMO, any election next year is likely to be totally meaningless. (Someone remind me which party DiFi says she belongs to again?)
twolf1 @ 61
Can you liveblog for those of us whose TV is restricted to football season?
Okay am I talking out of turn to say that photo op with Abu and Fitz looks like it was taken under duress?
allan_in_upstate @ 50
They also both voted against Cloture on the Reid-Feingold measure which I found VERY surprising.
Tweety trying to fob it off on Shooter, but it was Bush who called and got Card and Abu into Ashcroft’s room.
Sorry, Tweety. Dirty little Codpiece fingerprints all over this one.
twolf1 @ 46
I’m at the office. No TeeVee. Would appreciate a synopsis
Can’t we just put Leahy and Feingold in the Whitehouse, now?
Dunnno if anyone remembers when we had some 500 coments asking for Comey to testify before judiciary that we got to senators on the committee, but it was Specter who blocked subpoena at the time and he should have to answer for it.
I beg permission to revise and extend my speculative remarks:
I don’t like to and should not use GOP buzz words like “coward.”
I would like to say that my preliminary impression of the Obama and Clinton statements and votes leaves me entirely muddled, and unable to discern signs of leadership or fidelity to the will of the voting public.
Jane Hamsher @ 55
What’s he saying? Schuster often gets it right.
Cause he visits the LAKE more than I do
Jane Hamsher @ 68
Was that the photo op from the Project Safe Neighborhoods? If so, yes. It was, as I understand it, a total waste of time and a pure photo-op.
Jane Hamsher @ 73
that’s not all he should answer for.
Pach: There’s gotta be something more here if Webb voted against. He hates this goddamn war.
I remember asking Kos who he liked in the RI race early on and he said he was very impressed with Whitehouse. Whitehouse has lived up to that.
Tweety asked about getting the e-mails. Sheldon said that defiance of the subpoenaes will wind up in court and they can probably stall long enough until they are out of office.
Siun @ 35
livid does not come any where close to describing my pissed-off-ness.
Ya know, God bless Feingold. The man who was repudiated by his own party like a year ago for even mentioning withdrawal. They ran away from the guy like he had a deadly communicable disease. Seems like not much has changed in the end.
I really cringe at the cowardice of this Congress on this day. I feel I have been very patient, considering my profound feelings about this war.
To put it in clinical terms, they are nothing more than enablers.
I’m really hoping for someone smarter than me to put this into a perspective that will make me feel better about this.
emptywheel @ 76
Okay you have a bigger mouth than me.
heh heh
it seems we’re being PLAYED again – damn!
Jane Hamsher @ 79
And then some.
Looking at Hardball. Looks like Gonzales is going places.
I’m glad Teddy voted nah….
I’d love to shove this bill up Bush’s arse…
We have a War Czar now…
How about a Peace honcho…
Jane Hamsher @ 68
Ah, but WHOSE duress?
Pach – Clinton commented to the NYT – see my #35.
I’ve called Obama’s Senate press office but apparently no one was available to give a statement on the Senator’s position on Feingold-Reid as opposed to cloture. I’ve asked for a call back and will let folks hear if I do.
Jane Hamsher @ 68
Is that the one from the Chicago meeting with the 6 other USAs?
Fitzgerald looked like he hadn’t slept all night–or maybe several nights.
That kind of stress is not good for a guy whose arteries have been on the recieving end of a steady diet of day old pizza
is it becoming/has it yet become common-place here, also, to equate skepticism about hillary and/or obama with sexism and/or racism, in the same way that criticism of the israeli state is conflated–by the Israel lobby and (e.g.) Marty Peretz– with anti-semitism?
just askin?
So, let me get this straight.
Comey and Ashcroft didn’t want to certify the legality of a secret “program” that needed to be certified by 3/11.
Gonzo and Card make a “horse in your bed” hospital visit to Ashcroft in intensive care – on 3/10.
Comey and the FBI rush to get there first.
Schumer points out to Comey that the London bombings happened on 3/11.
3/12, Comey meets with Bush. Mueller meets with Bush. They tell him something and he agrees to change something, but continues to do whatever it is that is not certifiably legal for another 2-3 weeks before Comey or Ashcroft maybe signed it.
Whatever IT is, might not be eavesdropping. Comey never says that it is. What else could that thingy be??? Why does Schumer point out the London bombings? Why make that connection?
What it says:
What it means:
Commander Pissypants is stomping his feet calling us pu$$ies and threatening to keep calling us even more names, and we’re crawling into a corner, in the fetal position saying “stop it bully”
What it says:
What it means:
The “opposition” party is saying , stop it, stop it, we’ll give you anything you want, please don’t hit me anymore, I’ll even buy your whiskey for you”
What it says:
What it means:
We’ll give it to The Decider (TM) in time to sign on Memorial Day so he has a fantastic photo op moment
RevDeb @ 80
well that’s not the answer I want to hear. we need some expediticity
A sense of the senate vote means nothing. How angry can you get about someone voting one way or the other on nothing? Don’t mean nothing unless it’s all about posturing.
cross and double-cross – this is why folks dont want to vote
Jane Hamsher @ 70
Oh No!!! My boyfriend is a thug.
Though to be fair, this is precisely what the entire gang of 500 did today, try to find a way to exonerate Bush.
Pachacutec @ 57
Ding!
Jane Hamsher @ 73
That was the thread that got me to delurk. I remember it well
“…to the President providing appropriations for some more American soldiers to die horrible, painful deaths because of a lie in a manner that the President can sign into law by not later than May 28, 2007.”
There. Fixed it.
Pachacutec @ 74
Equivocation is what they’re all about. And the public loves ‘em. Go figger.
we can only hold our noses and vote just soooooo many times
I still don’t think we’re going to get anything better than we have with this AG from a Bush appointed replacement. It would take a miracle worker to clean this mess (DOJ) up, and restore confidence. I have someone in mind though, who could do the job.
a tad confused
the vote linked above was cloture on the ammendment to the water bill
i don’t see that the actual bill has passed
am i missing something?
RevDeb @ 80
Not if they send in the Sargent at Arms to arrest the person in posession of them.
randiego @ 78
I just sent him an e-mail asking for an explanation. I was wondering the same thing.
I love it when Marcy and Jane chat. I’m off to make a donation to FDL!
juslin @ 102
That’s what I said in 1972.
Tweety “very taken” by McCain’s words against torture last night.
Of course, McCain forGOT his convictions against torture when the Chimpenfuhrer played him for a fool/tool.
randiego @ 78
yes, but webb has said many times he is against an “arbitrary” withdrawal timeline… and that was how he “explained” his vote today against reid-feingold
Mack @ 104
The Reid-Feingold amendment was withdrawn after the Cloture vote failed.
McCain
I was against torture before I was for it and might be against it again.
Jane Hamsher @ 70
Tweety wishes Tweety’s fingerprints were on Codpiece’s codpiece.
Siun @ 89
Did anyone else see Dodd’s campaign ad saying something to the effect that we shouldn’t wait until we’re president to do something, we (congressmen) should be voting now
sorry, recall isn’t what it used to be. anyway, I thought he made a good point esp. given the discussion here about hrc and obama…
selise @ 110
oh.
looseheadprop @ 105
nagahapun…they aint got the votes to compel any appearance, given the inevitable defections–vide, today’s votes–of the bluedogs and the liebermen…
/
raven @ 108
you too?
i haven’t voted FOR a candidate since George McGovern….
/
I presume this has certainly been mentioned about Ashcroft illness. He was incapacitated and medicated. Are legal contacts valid when the person is intoxicated? Why would Karl’s Shop want a signature to legalize their illegal program when the signature is also illegal?
Rerunning Tweety on tivo. Tweety likens the hospital scene to that in the Godfather. Whitehouse is incredulous.
about Abu “Makes his tenure as AG hopeless from any objective perspective.” . .
“If you are interested in the well being of the DOJ this kind of thing is lethal.”
Tweety trying to pin it on Darth Sheldon saying they haven’t figured that out yet. Brings up security clearances issue.
E-mails as time goes by they are getting harder and harder to retrieve.
A matter of urgency to get DoJ back on its feet.
Asked about Wolfie Sheldon knows nothing about it.
Where is the AG story going to end? May be other ways to get hands on e-mails. Office of Inspector General looking into the firings. People in the DoJ are probably wanting to reach out and tell all to clean up their rep.
Tweety says no way to get rid of him but impeach him. WH is asked if there is enough weight to impeach and get rid of him. Right now focus is on getting to the bottom of it. “It would be in the interest of America, the DoJ and the Pres. to get rid of him.”
Totally OT = but, not really. I’ve lost my *00 list of phone numbers….called 800 information, but they won’t give me the numbers for congress.
This is regarding the 500 rovemails that Palast has and I’m trying to make sure the House and Senate Commitees have those emails.
Could someone, PLEASE, give me those 800 numbers again.
It’s come to my attention, that the commitees, in fact, Do Not have those Emails, yet.
You (Us) would think that because some of the missing emails are Public Domain, that the Right People have the Right Docs, but, I’ve talked to Greg today, and I’m not convinced that the people we have given the power to ask questions, are, in fact, holding All The Evidence.
dakine01 @ 109
True. But it still needed to be said. sad.
Frank33 @ 118
Yeah. I seem to recall something about “capacity of the parties” re contracts. No good re legislation?
I guess it’s time to go shopping again.
Nothing is going to change until they leave office. We are stuck with them. If we can’t get rid of them now, how are we going to make sure they go during the next election? I’m depressed, and I need to eat a bunch of chocolate to have the mind-set to keep fighting.
OT, but does anybody know the date that Monica Goodling will testify to Congress?
Many thanks for any enlightenment in that regard!
wgg @ 117
I would have voted in 68 but I was in Vietnam and only 19 so I couldn’t vote!
LS @ 123
UUUMMMMM!!! C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E!!!
Mack – the vote in the post is the vote on the Cochran amendment. It’s all very confusing which I think is actually the idea – imho.
The Senate used the Feingold-Reid *cloture* vote to give cover to Senators who did not want to vote for Feingold-Reid but who wanted to look anti-war. Then they happily voted for an amendment – from the Republicans – that said W will get what he wants.
I hope I am wrong and that they will all come back with a real vote to get the troops out but I’m sure not holding my breath.
raven @ 125
Unless your HOR had been Georgia or Kentucky. Which it sounds like it wasn’t…
Frank33 @ 118
It’s all just a matter of form as to why they want someone else to sign off. Just like Abu jumping for joy say Paul McNulty signed the list!
I hope the WH press gang stoned Tony Snow with his I heart Tony bracelets yesterday when he dissed Ashcroft’s condition.
dakine01 @ 126
It’s gonna be dark chocolate snickers!!
*xyz @ 107
good call. need to do something productive with my anger.
And what’s the significance of Memorial Day? Certainly they’re not going to recess…
dakine01 @ 128
Illinois, Ft Campbell for basic, then Korea, then Nam in Georgia now. Whoo hoo.
It looks to me that the (tcit) strategy settled upon by Cheney/Rove is to make Abu Gonzo appear SO outrageous that the Congress will HAVE to impeach him–cuz he AINT gonna resign…
which will, in turn distract the Congress from further inquiries into Executive malfeasance, and provide that perfect blanket of silence behind which all regime officials may then hide: the on-going investigation…
yeah, i’m a cynic…
LS @ 130
Mine will either be the Reese’s minatures in the freezer or the Haagen-Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip ice Cream
Loo Hoo @ 132
hope not, RevDeb has been warning against taking a recess…
dakine01 @ 135
Dove’s “Give In to Mint” ice cream.
Frank 33, 118:
“Why would Karl’s Shop want a signature to legalize their illegal program when the signature is also illegal?”
Same reason Karl’s shop might have wanted “stamped” Gonzo signatures on the DOJ authorization documents that gave Goodling and Sampson all that power. ???????????
Feinstein on Abu on Hardball coming up…
Poll after poll shows the majority of the American people are fed up with the war in Iraq. For me this is not a difficult concept to understand. A portion of my party, the Democratic Party is so concerned about appearing not strong on defense.
raven @ 133
It still surprises me that GA and KY were so progressive in that one small area. They both had 18 YO vote legal in the ’50s long before the rest of the country (GA was the first). I voted the first time in the D primary in ‘70 when I was still 17 – legal as I was 18 prior to general election.
Frank33 @ 118
What if they were not actually after his signature?
What if when they arrived (if Comey and the rest of the cavalry were not there)they merely asked Mrs. Ashcroft to leave the room so they could discuss classified information, forged his signature and left?
If he contradicted him, it would be 2 against 1 in a he said/she said and they would undercut his testimony by asserting that the meds made him forget.
It was the presence of witnesses that twarted them. Remember, Muller said don’t let Comey be removed from the room?
Witnesses. Sunshine-baby
dakine01 @ 135
chocolate choclate chip would be sooo good right now, and soothing, too.
Is this supposed to be a demonstration of what having a backbone by committee looks like? I would be surprised if the whole party of the Dems could come up with an even dozen amongst the lot. Speaking of which …. don’t look back come 08.
I shall seriously consider never voting in another election again and certainly not for any professed Democrat who subscribes to DLC and feeds out of big money troughs.
As for Republicans, wouldn’t vote for GOD if on the ticket as one.
All the best…..
Shorter Cochran Amendment:
Those who voted for this are not fit to serve in the legislature of a free people.
looseheadprop @ 142
Bingo. Not to mention that they wouldn’t even let Ted Olson in the room for the follow-up meeting.
dakine01 @ 141
But you had to be 21 to vote in the presidential, right?
looseheadprop @ 142
and Card and Gonzales never acknowledge Comey’s presence in the room, either
looseheadprop @ 142
Yes. Also, what if they were prepared to threaten him if he refused to sign? They didn’t get away with their thug tactics because Comey stayed.
raven @ 147
Nope! Although the 18 YO vote national amendment had been pass’d by ‘72 I would have been legal even without, my brother voted in the ‘64 election at 20. Perfectly legal in those two states.
One thing that struck me with Comey’s testimony is that he knew to dash to the hospital and to get Mueller in the loop … the behavior of the thugs was not a surprise – he knew he was going to need protection.
I know sitting at the witness table (and clearly exhausted) Comey didn’t look that formidable on TV, but in person, when he is standing up, and when he is pissed
could make you quake in your boots
dmoore @ 120
Hey, I love chocolate too. Well, I prefer Milk to Dark chocolate, but I wouldn’t kick it outta bed…but as soon as I have those 800 numbers, I’m gonna be making some phone calls…as I have done in the past. E-mails too.
Nobody has the 800 numbers for congress? Well, my husband is working with me to get those numbers too.
And, since no one at Firedoglake responded to my suggestion that someone there call Greg Palast for a Book Live-Blog interview, I suggested to him today that he call YOU.
dakine01 @ 150
I loves me some learning experiences up on the lake!
Monica Goodling to testify next Wednesday, per Josh Marshall:
LS at 92 (this is a drive-by, back later)
The train bombings (Madrid, I believe) were given as the reason for Comey not resigning on the 11th.
The key issue as I see it is:
Comey and Ashcroft present Bush with a ‘not legal’ opinion from OLC – whose opinions are legally binding on the Executive Branch – and refuse to sign the “it’s legal” certification line on Bush’s Presidential Order.
Bush, apparently, directs Comey and Mueller to “do what needs to be done” to make the program certifiable – BUT -
He signs the “it’s legal” certification line himself – on his own Presidential Order.
He certified “Law-ful,” by himself, a program the OLC had determined to be un-lawful.
Whatever the substance of the legally binding “not legal” finding may be, Bush trumped it as the Unitary Executive, saying his ‘decisions’ are beyond even the reach of clearly pre-determined Criminal conduct.
Bush can’t just sign his own opinions into Law without the judicial process and legislative oversight mandated in the Constitution – think of the potential for abuse?
The hospital scene is the perfect example of how the UE can go wrong – Bush thinks he can authorize his own “not legal” program outside the checks-and-balances of the Constitution.
Siun @ 151
Mueller knew to order the FBI to prevent Comey from being removed from the room. And what was the FBI doing in this if it was an NSA deal that had to do with international communications?
Siun @ 151
Also, card knew that night about the possibility of mass resignation.
There had to have been an earlier confrontation.
Comey talked about Cheney and Addigton disagreeing with his decision. I think there was a prior blowup on the Tuesday when he told them
Excuse me, but I have a problem with this:
And it’s just downhill from there……
Tithonia @ 155
***
Great! Thanks for the info, T.
radiofreewill @ 156
It’s more thanthat. The findings of the Office of Legal Counsel are binging onthe entire Executive branch. Including the President.
Siun @ 151
Protection is indeed the word. What if Ashcroft had died from his “illness”? Who would have signed? Would Bush immediately have placed Gonzo in his position at that time, or would Comey continue to be “Acting AG”? Comey referred to a “run around”. His actions and comments reveal that he was and is aware of how literally dangerous they are.
Soooo
What did Schuster say?
Wordsmith @ 159
thanks wordsmith, i had a problem with that too!!! I think that’s why Boxer didn’t sign.
What fuckery is this???
dmoore @ 153
Good going!!
Wordsmith – you got that right!
LS @ 162
IANAL but have to believe that Comey would still have been “acting” AG, even if Ashcroft had died and would have continued as such until abu had been nominated AND confirmed by Senate. LHP?
raven @ 154
I first voted in ‘72. I had turned 18 at the end of the summer. The last time I voted Republican was in 1964 for Goldwater (heavily influenced apparently by my parents) while in grade school. Haven’t done it since.
Siun @ 151
they were afraid this would happen. and it did.
Yellow God Democrat has a long and distinguished, even honourable usage.
Times change, a new designation appears to be needed, YSD for Yellow Streaked Democrats – those backboneless enablers of the most criminal, RICO administration conceivable.
Still, even so, Democrats have reflected their constituants far better and accurately than the “toe the line, lockstep, fascist republicans have over the last fifty years.
Elliott @ 170
‘they’ – they’ as in the WH ‘they’?
I missed Schuster…Feinstein said listening to the hospital bed testimony was like watching TV. It struck her that it was surprising at best, sad at worst, that all this effort was going into getting these programs in place outside the law, when they should be working inside the law.
Tweety wanted to know what the next steps were now that Rove and the emails have not been forthcoming. Feinstein maintains that Rove could still testify and that they may still deliver the emails, to which Tweety scoffed. But I think F’s point was that they are taking it step by step.
Tweety brought up Domenici but F steered it back to the real issue of why were these USA’s fired. She said she looked at their backgrounds and wished they were Dems, so capable and outstanding, etc.
AG didn’t make the list, DAG didn’t make the list, Kyle was the aggregator, so who made the list? Tweety asks about the WH and she smiles
The DOJ has been “sullied” by Guantanamo, USA firings, lists other nefarious dealings. It has lost credibility.
Not very accurate, sorry. Gives you some flavor though.
Screwed on “free” trade.
Betrayed on Iraq.
Denver=Seattle
dmoore @ 153
1-800-459-1887
This goes to the Congressional Switchboard ask the nice person there for the Senator’s or Congress-person’s office.
Tweety just smacked down Kingston. He told him he could not compare the peaceful presence of US troops in Japan or Germany to the combat operation occupation in Iraq. He called it a dishonest comparison!!
Tweety on a rant on Iraq – good stuff!
MSNBC – some Rove emails have been turned over to the justice dept
DOJ has turned over some Rove email to Judiciary committee – breaking.
Tweety just said DOJ has turned over some of Roves emails…
Some of Karl Roves Emails being turned over!
TWEETY BREAKING NEWS!
dakine01 @ 168
yes
Wordsmith @ 172
sorry.
Comey and Mueller thought the White House might do this, and the White House did try to get an impaired Ashcroft to sign it.
forgive me, as you can tell IANAWS: I am not a wordsmith ;)
dmoore -
Glad someone finally had the phone number(s?) you needed; sorry I did not have to provide. And I, for one, would very much like to have Palast at the Lake. Wonder why he has not already supplied the e-mails to the appropriate people?
LHP
If you’re still on, you’ve got mail.
do-si-do @ 173
very much appreciated. thanks!
kirk murphy @ 174
hopefully the denver police won’t riot.
lolo @ 181
whoa!
Breaking ABC: Paul Wolfowitz will not resign “under this cloud” and would rather push the issue of his tenure to a vote by the World Bank Board, his lawyer says
Siun @ 167
LOL – Actually it started with this”(1) The President is the commander in chief of the United States Armed Forces.”
But I know it’s only because it’s Doofus in charge and not like ‘the president of the U.S.’ These are the times where I employ every profanity in repertoire repeatedly and passionately, and the cats held for the highest level of the cat tree.
Eureka Springs @ 180
One email. One we already had.
Here’s my take on what we’re getting–or rather, how they’re parsing the subpoena.
LS @ 176
However tweety allowed the whole Paul/ Giuliani debacle from the debate to stand without question or clarification.. Paul spoke the truth and Giulianni lied…Tweety called Giuliani a hero for it. and allowed the pundit to say Giuliani owns 9-11….
Like the bill in this post…everything is based on lies, everything.
This just in on the Rove-mail, from TPM…
Or is this a separate issue from the one they’re reporting on TV?
twolf1 @ 189
Why am I not surprised. What a sicko and embarrassment – dare I hope the vote by the World Bank Board is a resounding “Get Lost” you pathetic parasite.
Eureka Springs @ 192
You’re right. He also wants Ted Olson to be AG. (spit)
Brisingamen @ 175
Thank You. Thank You. Trying to get through on that number. Either it’s busy, or I get the “We’re Sorry…your call did not go through….
I’m gonna keep trying.
Does anyone have that link to the website where the Palast Rovemails are? Wanna try different angles.
Damn! I can’t get through. It worked the day I was calling about reinstating the Habeus Corpus Amendment.
Arggh!
So what’s the scoop. I just called the judiciary committee and they said they HAVEn’t gotten the emails yet.., that it was “news to him” anyway. Also they don’t make documents public like the House. Only way to find out content is when it is introduced into Hearing…I want to know what the real scoop is, this kid sounded like he was about 18 years old and was relieved when I said I would call my Senator who sits on the committee.
Arnie @ 144
When you stop voting, they’ve defeated you. Keep voting, because you aren’t alone any more.
New Phoenix Woman upstairs.
WWaccamaw @ 184
When asked, he said that when he called Leahy’s office, they weren’t interested. Said that Griffen was an interim appointment and blah blah. But, he’s got an interview with Conyers and is turning them over to him.
Just what I’m saying.
Thank you, Marcy..
FYI, New thread
dmoore – http://www.gregpalast.com/index.php
and remember, google is your friend
Wordsmith @ 159
The “national security interests of the United States”. That perchance wouldn’t happen to be *Council for Foreign Relations* the Rockefeller funded folk? who coincide with A*P*CT and PN*C policy?
hmm i bet they’ll take memorial day off but theres so much unfinished business to see to – i’m just sick of all the posturing- dems are constantly overmatched by slick repugs it seems to me
Kerry, ever the slimy worm, voted for Cochran’s crap. I had called his office yesterday about Reid-Feingold, and this morning they eagerly called back to say that Yes! — the Senator was certainly going to vote for Reid-Feingold! They didn’t mention this turd in the punchbowl.
I wanna know why Mueller and Olson would drop what they were doing when Comey hit the Panic button. Whatever that bedside gambit was about wasn’t some technical violation of the law. BushCo has done something REALLY bad that we still haven’t heard of.
Pachacutec @ 57
I think the Democratic Senators want to hide behind the skirts of the Democratic Representatives, who will not agree to this fuckery. This fight is not over, even in the Senate, but we need to let our Reps AND Senators know what we think about this.
Our Senators from Hawaii let us down on this.
Bob in HI
Siun @ 202
Yuh huh. I said I talked to HIM today.
dmoore @ 207
Sorry, didn’t mean to sound so unappreciative, but I have his numbers. I’m just sitting here getting busy signals at Congress. And Maybe, someone else has some Other 800 numbers???
Really, sorry. But, I’ve already got more than google has. Friend or not.
Jane Hamsher @ 68
When? Where?
Bob in HI
radiofreewill @ 156
Just like Napoleon crowning himself!
Dubya needs to be spanked sooo bad, and in public at that.
LS @ 92
Good questions!!! Inquiring minds want to know!
Bob in HI
selise @ 187
They will.
We will again have casualties (wounded).
The medics who were there in Seattle, Quebec, LA, DC, and Miami will again be there to help.
Wordsmith @ 159
Geez, I read that and it didn’t sink in until you quoted it again. You’re right. Voting YEA for that says Bush was right, that it was in our national security interest, whatever the specific rationale, to attack Iraq.
Damn Republicans. Vote against anything they put up for a vote.
Kirk … please keep me updated offline on Denver planning … I see a trip in my future.
Elliott @ 94
Expediticity! The very word I was looking for!
Applies to greasing the skids under Gonzo, I think.
Bob in HI
Georgesimian @ 40
I no longer know how to tell.
P J Evans @ 198
Real practical reason – am living overseas for too long, therefore don’t know which
scoundrelpolitician to pick, leave it to those having better information at hand. Uninformed or ignorant voting is irresponsible voting; prefer desisting under those conditions.Waccamaw @ 184
I have been reading Armed Madhouse & cannot put it down. I would LOVE to see Palast here. That is a book that is a must read. It is the back-story to Comey’s recounting of the late-night hospital visit. Big Oil, neo-cons (who were conned, ha!), price gouging, Saudi Princelings, and stolen elections in Ohio, Florida and New Mexico. And I haven’t even finished the book yet!
Truly outrageous. Just simply outrageous.
The Real Raven @ 219
I beg your pardon, the Real Raven?
raven @ 220
Yes, and don’t you know it.
Every Democrat should have voted NO on this sense of the Senate resolution, because of finding #2.
We are engaged in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, but that is NOT
on behalf of our national security interests.
Being engaged there is against our national security interests.
I’m afraid I don’t fully understand the ins and outs of this amendment, but Kennedy, Feingold, and Leahy are 3 of the few Senators left that I trust to do the right thing. If they’re all against it, I figure there’s something wrong with it, especially with all that loaded language about “national security”. Any time they drag out that old canard, chances are they’re hiding something.
Well, for the past couple of years the real raven here was my little cocker spaniel
The Real Raven’s Shrine
kirk murphy @ 212 -
i wouldn’t be surprised… but i will still hope for enlightend self interest.
in addition to medics, we’ll need legal observers (maybe we can get jeralyn at talkleft!) and lots of nonviolence training….
Siun @ 214
me too, please! my email is at speakeasy dot net. an fdl affinity group would be very nice.
raven @ 224
No doubt it’s true that your cocker had input in what you’ve said.
I’ve read your comments.
And yet, I remain the real Raven.
And yet, I remain the real Raven.
A Real Raven perhaps but not THE Real Raven.
Basically these Senators just voted away the ability to declare the Joint Resolution 0f 2002 that allowed Bush to send troops in to “compel Saddam Hussein to comply with UN Resolutions” defunct.
They have just given Bush a green light for a perpetual war.
FOOLS!
raven @ 227
A Real Raven perhaps but not THE Real Raven.
Dude, when your dog starts typing, you’ll be onto something.
Meanwhile, stop imitating.
It’s so cocker-like.
[Mod Note; let’s take a step back from this one please or the mods will step in.]
cinnamonape @ 228
But it failed!
Is it safe?
selise @ 225
Will do!
Would Ned The Fighting Koi be available for mascot duty?Hmmm – mile above sea level and dry -
Would Ned The Fighting Koi’s picture be avaialble…?
Not one Republican or Democrat has the guts to say what our “national interests” are in Iraq. I guess like any addition they cannot admit we have an “oil” habit we cannot break.