Some tidbits from the blogs and beyond:
– Even though online registration has expired, you can still register for the Take Back America Conference at the door in DC. Details here – the conference will be held at the Washington Hilton from June 18-20 — and both Jane and Emptywheel will be there, along with a special mystery to be revealed. I attended the conference last year and loved it.
– Tula had a fantastic post for us yesterday that got overwhelmed with the Libby decision. Please take some time to read it, and think about making a few calls. And a huge thanks to Tula!
– I just watched this “Walk A Day In My Shoes” video from the Richardson campaign website, and think it is a great way to start a conversation on the issues surrounding child abuse and neglect issues, foster care, social services and support networks and lack thereof, health care, and all sorts of other social and domestic issues that need to be addressed in our nation. Great idea — love this. Kudos to the Richardson campaign folks for pushing this issue forward.
– In case you missed the Hardball Libby apologia from Boris impersonator Joe DiGenova, Taylor has a copy on her website. Warning — tums may be required. Facts need not apply.
– Wolcott has a chilling Iraq news round-up, with some great links. (H/T to Elliott for the link.) And do check out Anne Garrells’ excellent on-scene reporting on NPR this week. She’s done some exceptional work. (I think kathleen linked up a piece in the comments yesterday — but all of Garrells’ work has been superb lately. If you haven’t been listening to her reports, you should — the human component in them is incredibly compelling.) And Digby has a choice Guiliani non-answer on Iraq.
– Speaking of Iraq, our soldiers are dealing with a sharply increased level of PTSD issues, and a rapidly thinning group of psych personnel who can help them. I heard a disturbing report on NPR this morning while I was taking The Peanut to preschool, and I wanted to link it up for everyone here. When you couple it with this previous report about repeated military response problems to PTSD, as discussed here in an excellent report on Ft. Carson in Colorado, and then think about how many members of our military have been exposed to repeat trips to Iraq and Afghanistan the last few years and the resulting ripples of that sort of untreated PTSD when they finally get home? Our soldiers, their families and our communities deserve a hell of a lot better than this. (And, honestly, if you have missed Daniel Zwerdling’s exceptional reporting on this issue, take some time to catch up on it. This is what journalism ought to be.)
– Just when you thought Alberto Gonzales and the Bush Administration couldn’t get more appallingly power hungry. H/T to Alfred Kilgarries. (And even more from Cliff Schecter about the Bush Administration using your tax dollars, and the DOJ’s civil rights division, to promote the red stripes on candy canes representing the blood of Christ while voter oppression questions are left unanswered. Gotta have your priorities…I’m just wondering where everlasting gobstoppers fit into the mix.) And the Office of Professional Responsibility at the DOJ has added “potential witness tampering by the AG” to its list of things to investigate — which could result in a criminal referral if they substantiate it. But don’t let that stop anyone from more attempts to purge voter rolls — this time in North Carolina. Arrrrgh.
– Speaking of the DOJ, riffed former USAtty Bud Cummins is peeved at former Rove aide Sara Taylor’s insinuation that he be characterized as “lazy,” rather than owning up to the fact that Griffin (his USAtty replacement) was a Rove pal. (H/T to twolf1 for the link.)
– Bob Geiger reports that Sen. Russ Feingold isn’t backing down on Feingold-Reid, and that it will be back for reconsideration, with Sen. Harry Reid’s support.
– Glenn has a great dissection of the 4th Circuit al-Marri opinion, in case you missed it.
– Duncan points out that there was a new record in the housing mortgage market — unfortunately it was for record foreclosures. Fasten your seat belts…it is about to get bumpy.
– TBogg shares this creepy tidbit about how gun legislation is slammed together.
– And, finally, this is just completely hilarious. (H/T to Carpetbagger.)
(What? He’s at the beach, it looks warm…ahem. Photo via omnia_mutantur.)
Related posts:
- The Bush Fairy Tale on the Libby Pardon
- SCOTUS Denies Valerie Plame Wilson Her Day in Court
- Connecting The Eyeliner Dots On the Rove Role In DOJ Firings?
- The Taxpayers Paid Dick Cheney’s Personal Defense Attorney to Obstruct Any Inquiries Into His Crimes
- Turn Maine Blue Confirms Pingree and Michaud “No” On Supplemental
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TGIF, CHS!
Mornin’ Christy!
I hope Iraq veterans who get into trouble with the law due to untreated PTSD and undiagnosed closed head injuries are shown as much compassion by the pro-Libby letter writers. Just Sayin’
Morning gang. It is a gorgeous day here this morning. Spotted a great blue heron flying over our house when I got home from the preschool drop-off — after sending The Peanut off to school in her Tinkerbell dress this morning. (So adorable!) How are things in your neck of the woods today?
Good Morning Christy,
Really wish I could go to the conference next week but our denomination’s annual do is in Portland OR next week and having lived in Portland I grabbed the opportunity to spend a week there.
also, I sent you and Jane an e-mail re Charlie Savage this am.
snipped from Washington Times…
“All but two of the Republican presidential candidates have skirted the pardon issue: Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado said they would pardon Libby. Actor and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, an unannounced Republican presidential candidate, said on Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes” he would “absolutely” pardon Libby if he were president.
“It’s a gross injustice perpetuated in large part by this CIA and this Justice Department and this special counsel who they appointed — and it ought to be rectified,” he All but two of the Republican presidential candidates have skirted the pardon issue: Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado said they would pardon Libby. Actor and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, an unannounced Republican presidential candidate, said on Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes” he would “absolutely” pardon Libby if he were president.
“It’s a gross injustice perpetuated in large part by this CIA and this Justice Department and this special counsel who they appointed — and it ought to be rectified,” he said. End quote.
Nothing will get won back with Thompson as president, that’s for sure.
Nothing will get “won back” with Thom
Good morning Christy!
I hear from a well-informed source that a massive number of angry letters are coming into Congress about the immigration bill. Wonder how it will turn out.
Sharon @ 3
The Borkshowitz 12 will surely be there to litigate for them.
Let me try to quote the Washington Times again…
“All but two of the Republican presidential candidates have skirted the pardon issue: Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado said they would pardon Libby. Actor and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, an unannounced Republican presidential candidate, said on Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes” he would “absolutely” pardon Libby if he were president.
“It’s a gross injustice perpetuated in large part by this CIA and this Justice Department and this special counsel who they appointed — and it ought to be rectified,” he said.
Christy,
I forget which thread it was on yesterday when the news of AGAG using the now removed provision of the Patriot Act to “appoint an interim” in the Cali district. I know there was discussion on whether the Pres was using a “pocket veto” to overturn the removal. I posted a late comment in EPU land with the definition of pocket veto from wiki and as I understand it, since the Congress has been in session for the entire time since the vote and presnetation to the pres, pocket veto does not play here. Rather, it is one of those bills that becomes law without a signature. I would think based on that that Leahy et al wouold absolutely challenge the validity of the so-called USA for CD California.
My $.02
Christy Hardin Smith @ 4
It’s 72 degrees with low humidity in Columbus, CHS. Very nice, I hope it lasts!
I saw that TPM article about North Carolina before I came here. These thugs are shameless.
Good Morning Christy,
In reference to the increase in PTSD, “the Army is planning to increase its ranks of psychiatrists and other medical workers by more than 25 percent.”
Army will add mental health workers
it’s a start
CHS .. you forgot one thing in your link fest … HoJo wrote an article for the WSJ op-ed page today .. banging the war drums once again .. I don’t know if it is available on line.
Deb at 5 — Will take a peek for it. Am just now starting to dig out from under yesterday’s e-mail. Was a little busy with something I like to call the Libby case yesterday. *g*
Speaking of Abu – did y’all see this? From Think Progress:
Bush Finally Signs U.S. Attorney Bill After Installing One Last ‘Loyal Bushie’
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/15/bush-law/
Bastids.
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 13
Here is the link for HoJo’s war mongering:
http://www.opinionjournal.com/…..=110010212
hychka @ 6
You’re right, Thompson’s definitely one of “THEM”
my bold
In yesterday’s WaPo there was an article about how the Virginia Republican party was becoming more divided. Tsk tsk.
“Virginia Republicans appear to be in a funk. ‘We had a terrible time getting known [Republican] supporters to go vote’”
Too bad, so sad.
Oops – that’s what I get for not reading all the links first. Sorry ’bout that.
KestrelBrighteyes @ 15
at least he finally signed it.
Bastids is too a good a word for them!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 14
no problem!
And speaking of the Libby case, does anyone know what the status of the civil case is now that Reggie has done his thing?
KestrelBrighteyes @ 15
I still would contend that the Senate and House can challenge the appointment. If the “interim” continuation is effective 6/16 with the expiration of his previouslimited time duration and the pres signed (or allowed to become law without signature) was done on 6/14 I’d think there was a case to remove him regardless of when AGAG did his schtik
egregious @ 7
Maybe Congress and Judge Walton should share notes.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 4
Heh. When I was 7 years old a Blue Heron flew over the bus stop. I ran home yelling that I’d seen a Pteradactyl. I was so sure, and no one believed me.
On topic: The Iraq Occupation:
This gibberish Op-Ed ink from Lieberman in the WSJ this morning:
No sir, you’re decidedly not a Democraic Senator from Connecticut.
I missed last thread and didn’t get to read the comments but I really have to comment;
look, it’s crystal clear the very purpose of these maniacs is the destablization of the middle east
the pnac even said just that, this is not speculation,this is documented by the very fraternity these morons are members
the president is a dispensationalist, he actually believes armageddon is a good thing and he actually believes if he is the tool that brings armageddon then good
this war, this destabalization, boys and girls, it is deliberate
Ex-schoolboard member here. I’m going to guess that in the candy cane case, the school administration was wrong to suspend the students. The school can’t interfere with personal expressions of religion and devotion. Here’s the questions I would have asked:
1.) Did the givers insist that the school administration help them distribute the candy?
2.) Did the givers require that all students get one?
3.) Did the recipients have the right to refuse the candy?
4.) Was the distribution disruptive? If so, did the school allow for the distribution under less disruptive circumstances?
If the administration took a neutral stance and allowed the students to distribute the candy canes in a non-disruptive manner, what’s the problem? Kids share a lot of controversial ideas a school not all of them religious. As long as no coersion was involved and the school did not actively participate, there was no reason to suspend the students. If Hindu students had distributed colored powder for Holi and included a card describing the celebration of the gods and goddesses associated with this holiday, would the school have suspended them? What about Valentine’s Day cards or Shamrocks for St. Paddy’s Day?
I’m siding with the students on this one. Sounds like the school overreacted unless there is something about the students and their backers that made the candy cane distribution particularly offensive.
IANAL but I’ve had to deal with this stuff before. In general, as long as students are not disruptive and are doing this stuff in a non-coercive manner, the school should not interfere.
So, students should be able to wear crosses and headscarves. Should be able to leave the classroom to pray (ala muslim students). Should be able to give gifts and other symbols of their holidays/faith to one another. Should be able to discuss their faith with others as long as these activities are not coercive or disruptive.
Teachers should be able to wear crosses and headscarves, etc. Should not engage in discussions of their faith except in an informative or neutral way when asked. Should carefully consider the impact to all students before planning a holiday party.
Schools should allow students to engage in devotional exercises if their faith requires it. In this sense, the school neither promotes or coerces students but allows them to carry out the duty that the faith requires. The school should do this in the least disruptive or coercive way possible. It should neither sanction nor prohibit but should remain neutral towards all faiths or lack thereof.
I don’t know why the DOJ felt like it had to get involved in this. Some school administrators are haughty “educational professionals” and they think their values are better than the community’s. This is where there is conflict. They provoke the religious right with the outright banning and suspensions. It’s really not necessary and does more harm than good when those religious right leaders stir up their supporters and run for the board. Sometimes school administrators are their own worst enemies.
Regarding Tula’s post. Nows the time to repost, I guess maybe. I sent an email to my Senator(s) to support the employee free choice act. On the AFL-CIO site there is a list of congressional cosponsors of the bill. All congresscritters in CT were listed *including* crazy Chris Shays and HoJoe Lieberman. I am having a “get out of town moment.” Questions besiege the mind . . .
Christy – here’s a tidbit by way of Truthout: ACLU Wants Bush Documents Unsealed
In other news, and sort of on topic about Thompson, it doesn’t seem that George Will thinks too much of him.
When you keep in mind that George Will’s idea of a towering political giant is Ronald Reagan, that makes his Thompson-dissing even more damning to those of us who never drank the Reagan kool-aid.
Check out this modest proposal:
Heh. Indeed.
Re: Lieberman and Iran. I am sorry I missed this email yesterday:
TELL JOE LIEBERMAN — ‘NO’ TO MILITARY ATTACK ON IRAN
Balrog @ 24
Balrog, if you hadn’t eaten it, they you could have shown them.
How are the WeeRog and MomRog doing?
Balrog @ 24
otherwise known as Old Cranky
and they sure do look like pterodactyls!
Peterr @ 33
Both are great. Thanks for asking.
tommy yum @ 31
Very Johnathan Swift (the 18th c. guy).
On the Cummins story, from Sara Taylor’s email:
“Taylor said in another e-mail to Sampson: ‘I normally don’t like attacking our friends, but since Bud Cummins is talking to everyone, why don’t we tell the deal on him?’”
I can’t wait to hear her explanation on this one. I never knew subpoenas could be so much fun…
The California Republican Party is violating the law by using H-1B visas for political rather than scientific jobs. That is they are outsourcing political party jobs, and they have not demonstrated that qualified citizens are not available. There is a connection to Grover Norquist as well.
Even worse, they want to bring another “Chris Matthews” here, from Canada. (”don’t give me no hand me down Chris Matthews, got one already…”)
———————————————-
The California Republican Party has decided no American is qualified to take one of its most crucial positions — state deputy political director — and has hired a Canadian for the job through a coveted H-1B visa, a program favored by Silicon Valley tech firms that is under fire for displacing skilled American workers.
Christopher Matthews, 35, a Canadian citizen, has worked for the state GOP as a campaign consultant since 2004. But he recently was hired as full-time deputy political director, with responsibility for handling campaign operations and information technology for the country’s largest state Republican Party operation, California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring confirmed in a telephone interview this week.
Matthews was hired by Michael Kamburowski, an Australian citizen who was hired this year as the state GOP’s chief operations officer. But neither new official has experience in managing a political campaign in the nation’s most populous state — and as foreign citizens, neither is eligible to vote.
Nehring was a senior consultant to Americans for Tax Reform and has listed Norquist as a client of his own consulting group. State GOP officials insist Matthews has never had any connection — professional or volunteer — with Norquist or his organization.
tommy yum @ 31
ymmm Soylent Black!
mui @ 36
Then they offered them soylent green’s for a snark…er, snack!
Time changes everthing. From Lahoma and me to our party, the Dem Party:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD42nCMIHsI
Tommy yum. I want that man on the sidebar of modest proposal. What a hottie.
Media Matters reports that O’Reilly really said this:
But on my program, I don’t do a lot of Iraq reporting because we don’t know what’s happening. We can’t find out.
—————–
Is O’Reilly just lying or delusional?
Scarecrow @ 23
Angry letters? In what way? Pro-bill? against the bill? People wishing Reid would stop handing Commander Codpiece political victories?
I listened to the NPR report on mental health, um, problems this morning too. 40% of our soldiers who have been to Afghanistan and Iraq are returning with mental health problems. 40% of 160,000 is 64,000.
That would be a lot of psychiatric services and providers, n’est ce pas?
And the providers are leaving in droves. No mention of why that is happening.
As if. We can’t imagine it.
More myriad of train wrecks looming.
dakine01 @ 10
I should hope so. S214 passed by veto-proof majorities in both houses of Congress (94-2 in the Senate, 306-114 in the House). It should have been law the moment it passed the House. This is one for the Con-Law folks to handle, but Leahy will have a case for calling for the dismissal of the new USA in CA.
Sandman @ 43
He is lying. He talks to Geraldo all the time. I am sure he talks to Ollie North as well. So O’Lielly is full of it, as usual. Hell, why doesn’t he ask his BFF’s McCain and HoJo?
Congress should not go on recess this summer until they pass a get-out-of-iraq measure.
no recess.
men and women are dying. no vacation.
stop the war. No Recess.
Sandman @ 43
Is this a trick question? Isn’t he both?
Sandman @ 43
Is he crazy or just a psychopath, or just a human pitbull with a frontal lobotomy? Hard to tell. He apparently said that in “rebuttal” to a poll that reported that Faux News covers the War waaaay less than any CNN, MSNBC and probably others.
from over at TPM
Marcy wrote about this earlier today.
Any speculation on how explosive this can be and where it will go from here? I’m thinking it could make the Libby saga look like child’s play.
KestrelBrighteyes @ 15
I understand the sentiment, but it’s occasionally useful to know a fact or two.
“Loyal Bushie?” Sorry, no. Not hardly. Cardona is a career prosecutor, and a good one (I know this from conversations with former AUSAs who have worked under him). Mentioning Cardona in the same sentence as Bud Cummins borders on slander. Had one bothered to click through the ThinkProgress piece to the bio on the UCLA faculty website, one would have known that.
How can we, as progressives, expect to gain any traction with the middle if we fall into the same lazy habits of mind that characterize the radical Right? We have to be better than this, all day, every day.
Sandman @ 43
Yes.
mui @ 42
If you need my permission, mui, he’s all yours!
mui @ 42
in a caveman sort of way ;)
peterboy @ 48
congress should also use this oportuninty to impeach the latest appointment from abu torture
this is clearly a slap in their face and I believe even the republicans will get on board
then if we can get the latest appointment impeached it will act as a stepping stone to impeach abu tortture
Re: foreclosures:
From the NYTimes:
From Lie-berman’s WSJ piece:
They are fighting because a failed state in the heart of the Middle East, overrun by al Qaeda and Iran, would be a catastrophe for American national security and our safety here at home. They are fighting al Qaeda and agents of Iran in order to create the stability in Iraq that will allow its government to take over, to achieve the national reconciliation that will enable them to pass the oil law and other benchmark legislation.
Shorter Lie-berman – “We’re fighting them over there so we can have their oil over here.”
peterboy @ 48
They can’t afford to recess period. Every time they do that the Chimperor finds someone to give a recess appointment to that makes our skin crawl. The Senate (Harry Reid are you listening?) needs to find a way to avoid letting him do that again.
tommy yum @ 54
Thanks
Respective of the pix at the top. From me and the sweet thing’s second ‘homa’: “Down in the Caribbean”. ;0)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..mp;search=
Sandman @ 43
O’Reilly also said that about why he doesn’t report about Libby; doesn’t know what’s going on. Charlie Gibson said that too. Something like “The Libby case is too complicated; that’s why we don’t report about it.” Um, shouldn’t someone tell him that it’s his, you know, job to figure it out and then report it?
RevDeb @ 59
think Harry already figured this out. will go look for it now.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 14
Morning Christy.
Please wave to the heron for us. They’re so graceful in flight, & hilarious insisting on nesting in the treetops.
You guys were absolutely awesome yesterday.
Can’t thank you all enough. This place never felt more like a real community! ;->
Can the bushies actually hang onto that last min. atty appt in CA, in spite of the bill sitting on himself’s desk??? I’m serious. Anyone? This just seems so terribly W.R.O.N.G!
It’s coming clearer & clearer. They have no bounds of conscience. Even little Peanut in her Tinkerbells (cute?!!!) has a deeper, truer sense of right and wrong than these thugs!
Thanks for all the linkies. Looks as if I’ve got my reading for the day all set. Ahem, this has been quite a week for “making” me hog the toobz. Poor dear, patient hubby, sigh. ;->
*settles back w/ cuppa & homework*
RevDeb @ 51
that’s an awful and awfully big rug over at DoJ, and it’ll be extra lumpy as this all gets swept under it.
It would be wonderful if the international arms market were disarmed, it would be a lot more peaceful across the globe, too.
I hope this does blow wide open, RevDeb, but I doubt it.
you know how reid can get some bi partisant work accomplished?
say there will be NO vacation unless they pass a resolution that IF congress goes on vacation they will impeach ANY recess appointment
BING, bi partisant participation and the stage set
RE: Recess appointments. There was a flurry of articles about a month ago centering on Harry Reid’s strategy to stay in session throughout the summer. Here’s one: No Recess. Have not seen anything since.
Meanwhile, doughboy John Dickerson over at Slate claims to have a scoop on a Bush pardon for Libby:
An ectoplasmic tip of the hat in return to CSH for the mention in the opening text. But as one poster noted (and in and of itself this is living proof of why blogging is so much more effective than msm) chimpy HAD to sign the law, otherwise it would have become law OVER HIS OBJECTION, and chimpy is pathological on that. So he signed it and issued a two line signing announcement. No indication of a signing statement, such as “except that I intend to ignore this lay on all days that end with a y. Pbtpbtpbtpbt!”. Pity. I suspect he thought he COULD pocket veto it, and was disgusted he couldn’t.
I tossed this into the lake last night on a drive by (and I just woke up so if there are typoes, blame lack of caffeine), but I think we might want to all consider it in light of the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
Shortest distillation is this. Cheney is determined to get a war with syria and iran, “draining the swamp” as was said right after the invasion of Iraq. Bush has decided this would be bad for his “legacy” and his family’s oil interests and apparently told Cheney “no” for the first time. Cheney didn’t accept it, and as we have noted in various posts here and around the blogs, is busily stirring up his own “private little war”. Bush is, I suspect, furious. He cannot move openly on Cheney, for obvious reasons. But he can signal his irritation by letting Libby do his time. And the fact that just today Manly Mitt Romney flexed his chiseled granite features, squared his FAA landing approved shoulders, and said “Libby’s case needs careful review.” indicates that the word is getting out to the Rethug campaigns that Libby will not be helped. All the pressure from various water carriers was intended to pressure not Bush 43, but Bush 41, hinting at long term trouble for the family firm if a loyal servant is allowed to suffer. They will be ignored.
Which leaves us with Cheney. The tossing of Libby under the bus is a shot right over his head and he knows it. Therefore, he will do one of two things. Behave, in which case the middle east will settle down. Or move openly to force the full conflict, as a “cheney you” to chimpy and his family business.
We need to be adamant to our political leaders that CHENEY MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO PLAN B. We cannot survive a holocaust in the middle east with our current way of life. It is just that simple.
And, as icing on the cake, we may have lost the ISS, due to some bushco aerospace contractor ignoring the needs of the russian computers for power conditioning (they’re German made, btw). Without those computers the ISS cannot survive, and at this point no replacements are available. They may have to abandon the outpost inside two months. without humans onboard, it will deorbit, although I don’t know how fast. Ooopsie.
TiredFed @ 67
I quote myself cuz I JUST came up with this and I am CERTAIN it will work
perris @ 66
burnspbesq @ 52
Actually, I DID read his bio, and the other links as well. True, in that brief summary he comes off as well experienced and competent. HOWEVER, the bill sat on Bush’s desk since June 4, Gonzales KNEW the ability to install attorneys under the provision in the Patriot Act was about to come to an end, and Bush signed the bill just AFTER Cardona was installed. It’s not a far stretch to believe that it’s more than coincidence that he came in “just under the wire”.
And THIS is a prime example of why politicizing the Justice Department is so very wrong – from now on we have to look at EVERY SINGLE DECISION coming out of the DOJ with suspicion.
Helen @ 62
Charlie Gibson really said that? So why is he even on the air? Is the media that dumb? Or are they just playing dumb to cover the butts of their fellow cocktail weenie crowd brethren?
mui @ 60
You can pick the nits out of his beard!
KestrelBrighteyes @ 71
and wont Republics just love it when the shoe is on the other foot in 2009?
Sandman @ 43
Maybe someone should send him the link to FDL.
No matter who gets ‘in’ in 2008, the legacy of Goerge Bush and the GOP will be that they led us into world war III.
Biodun at 68 — I observed Barbara Comstock cozying up to Dickerson on several occasions while in DC at the trial. I’d take that with a large grain of salt — but then, I’m generally a skeptic on unsourced, unnamed “inside scoop” tidbits on this case, because so many of them have turned out to be flat out wrong, self-serving spin plants.
RevDeb @ 51
Thanks, I’ll go read Marcy’s piece. It’s important to remember that the Saudi royal family is extremely corrupt so nobody should be surprised that one of the higher level princes was using this contract as his personal piggybank. Nor should you be surprised at how this money gets used. Job number one for them is survival, and when you are as corrupt, incompetent, and repressive as they are, that’s a big job. So they buy influence among both their friends and their enemies, depending upon whom they are more afraid of at the time.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 4
Good morning from L.A. A bright, warm morning here. I’ll be indoors all day in a windowless archive working on film research, so your image of the blue heron in flight is something I can take w/me, Christy. Thanks. It reminded me that once I was lucky enough to see two egrets doing a lovely “how about it, babe” dance around each other in a marsh outside of Lompoc CA…
Re: 71 & refs
Would jr. have made this last min. appt. out of spite? just to have one last dig to infuriate his many nemeses [the other branches of govt]?
If so #1, what an awful thing to do to the atty involved, assuming he might otherwise be a stand-up fella. What a stoopid stoopid thing, to impose this burdon of shame on him – tarnishing his service before he ever gets out of the gate.
If so #2, jr is a sick, twisted child indeed…
Since Scooter’s pending incarceration was announced, has there been any comments by Valerie Plame or Ambassador Wilson???
Christy Hardin Smith @ 77
And Dickerson is nothing if not self-serving so he swims in the waters with like-minded creatures.
Ken Lay, David Safavian, Jack Abramoff, Claude Allen, Scooter Libby, now Prince Bandar.
The nexus of corruption and Washington is George W. BUsh.
-GSD
CHS @ #77:
I wasn’t buying Dickerson’s scoop claim for a NY minute. As you, Jane, and emptywheel have pointed out, from the get-go, he has been trying to write a bigger role for himself in the Libby narrative. I do believe, however, that he might be right about Cheney putting on the pressure. The question is whether Cheney will succeed.
Biodun @ 68
People keep saying these guys have nothing left to lose so they will do anything they want.
NOT SO!
Currently the administration is “veto proof.” That won’t last much longer as people get angrier and angrier. A pardon will reduce support as the act of self-protection added to everything else will make moderates angry. How many votes are needed? Seven?
Alaska State Representative Vic Kohring, recently indicted by the DOJ for taking bribes in the Veco scandal, will probably be announcing his resignation at next Wednesday’s Wasilla Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The governor and the heads of the Alaska senate and house have all asked for Vic to step down.
Anybody interested in me live blogging the luncheon-resignation?
Adie @ 80
***
Another bright shiny object? As in “See? We appointed Cardona, and HE’S not a loyal Bushie! It’s just a partisan fishing expedition”
And, as a bonus, Abu gets to thumb his nose one last time at Congress.
And yeah, it’s a really sh***y thing to do if the guy really is as good as his creds make him look – but AGAG isn’t exactly known for doing the right thing.
Biodun at 84 — I have no doubt about the Cheney pressure. Fox reported on it yesterday as well — C&L has the clip from them. But honestly, who didn’t think that Cheney would pressure for a pardon for the man who provided him with CYA, but whose wife is not at all happy at the prospect of a husband being incarcerated for same? If I were in Cheney’s shoes, I’d want to keep Libby and his wife happy at all costs at this point but, then again, I’d be smart enough not to order the outing of a covert CIA operative and jeopardizing national security operations just to be a spiteful, vindictive, termperamental, self-serving old coot. But maybe that’s just me. *g*
Joe Klein at 72
Yep he said it to Imus in the middle of the trial. It’s what prmpted Imus to ask Schuster to explain the issue in 30 seconds or less. Schuster did a pretty good job, given that ridiculous restraint.
Quebecois @ 81
Not that I know of. A cruise on their website turns up nothing so far.
Charlie Gibson’s role in life is to wrinkle his furrowed simian brow.
This nation is filled to rim with shitheels and snake oil salesman.
-GSD
The flap flap flap of chickens coming home to roost department:
“Trent Lott complained that Talk Radio is running the country and that’s why the Immigration Bill got defeated once and may get defeated again.”
linky.
The Rethugs created talk radio to counter “the liberal media” back when there was such a thing. Wouldn’t it be amusing if the THE RETHUGS had to ressurect the Fairness Doctrine to kill their own Frankenstein?
hychka @ 85
not so, the moderates have been hypnotised that skooter should be pardoned
we won’t get the moderates on our side until we frame the discussion to call libby the trader he is
until he’s referred to as a traitor, until he’s depicted as covering the tracks of treason, the moderates will agree he should be pardoned
even democrats that are uninformed believe he should get a pardon…we live in a unique iniverse here where we are all informed and we believe other democrats are equally informed
they are not
Ed*ard Teller;
liveblogging from the solstice –
Ohh…please do.
Marie Roget @ 79
Mornin’, MR – just drove through the westside on my way home. It’s already steamy up here in the hills…
I was in Alaska last week and got to see many Bald Eagles perched and in flight…that was quite something. Pictures here, amidst the glaciers and whales…
one graduation down (middle school, yesterday) and one to go (high school, today)…
Re the Cardona kerfluffle, I think he is qualified. He was Yang’s number 2 at one point so appointing him would make sense. It seems he may not want the job long term so there is at least a comprehensible rationale for naming him as an interim.
However, Yang announced she was leaving November of last year. Abu could have named Cardona anytime in the last 7 months or come up with a permanent replacement if he had wanted to. Instead he names Cardona at the last minute just before his authority to do so runs out.
All of which raises the perennial question with this Administration: Was it corruption or incompetence? To which the answer always seems to be: Yes.
Blank Kludge @ 94
I just bought a pontiac solstice gxp!!!
best car evah!
punaise @ 96
Don’t cheer too loudly and proclaim “FINALLY” too fervently. Ya don’t want the school to keep the diploma now…
Marie Roget @ 79
Watching birds is a stress reduction activity..I’m sitting on my sister’s front porch with a laptop watching the Osprey nest in the front yard. The three babies are three weeks old and mom and dad Osprey on full time fishing duty. I am waiting for the Republican’s to say that Osprey are a threat to the fishing industry and the population needs to be reduced by 90%.
And, somewhat on-topic, the ACLU tells me that Habeus Corpus is 792 years old today.
You can send the old and threatened writ birthday greetings here.
[Mod Note; Link deleted by Mod.]
punaise @ 96:
Felicitations, even if I mispelled “maintenant” yesterday…*g*
Hugh @ 97
either way, he’s going to be gone soon after 1/20/09, so why wouldn’t he want the position after being fully confirmed rather than have the cloud over this interim cr*p?
Quebecois @ 81
Not that I’ve seen. Could be that because the civil case is underway, they have been advised not to make public comments on the situation.
punaise @ 96
Congrats! 2 more fledgling liberals? ;->
Alfred Kelgarries @ 92
heh, heh, heh!
Mutant Poodle @ 95
Good morning, MP. Another hot one today for sure, but I’ll be where the AC makes me wear a sweater :-) So glad you had a good trip to Alaska- beautiful pix (that one of the whale breeching is breathtaking)!
Got to run…
Adie @ 105
raised in Berkeley. need I elaborate?
___
Biodun says:
pas de probleme!
Brisingamen @ 104
Besides, their statement after the original sentence would still hold true and really not need any embelishments at this point.
Meanwhile, time’s arrow cuts short for Libby:
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 11
Sure aren’t an easily discouraged bunch, are they?
(Cool, cloudy in upstate SC)
Alfred Kelgarries @ 69 –
your analysis (tealeaf reading/ kremlin watching) makes more sense than many i’ve read….
dakine01 @ 10
You’re right
So the question is when the law becomes law…immediately upon passage…or at the end of the ten-day period for signing. I would think it would only become law after the 10 days have passed. This is just like the situation where Congress must take a second vote to over-ride a veto. The bill becomes law only after Vongress takes a second vote…not the days of the original passage.
Is there another case?
OT..no pocket veto on USA law..
Bush signs bill to preserve US Attorneys’ ‘independence’
http://rawstory.com/
Steve @ 100
Ospreys in the front yard- you are so lucky!
Now I really have to get in the car- traffic into W. Hollywood is probably the usual ugly…
dakine01 @ 103
every single thing that’s happened has indicated the administration has no intention of relinquishing their hold
just a week or so ago they passed a law where the president is the soul protector of this country in the event of an emergency, where he is the sould decider on what consists of an emergency
and we are silent
there should be RAGE, that bill MUST be repealled AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Steve @ 100
Steve, what part of the country are you in? I was just at the Delaware shore and there are tons of osprey there this year.
selise @ 112
great analysis wrapped around a snarky gem re Romney.
Mutant Poodle @ 101
you’ve got to change that link right away, your personal info !
mods can you help with #101
[Mod Note; Link in offending comment deleted.]
Steve @ 100
Sounds incredible! Enjoy!
This part-a OH, humanoids are in such a fever to pave everything in sight…, the wetlands are disappearing so fast…, and guess who gets the blame from joesixpak, you ask???
Why, that’d be the poor starving herons that are showing up at backyard ponds & garden puddles, trying to keep their chicks alive on hors d’oeuvres!
no. not kidding… wish i were… *sigh*
perris @ 116
bush to be dictator in emergency
you think he’s just gonna up and go?
think again
punaise @ 108
I GIVE YOU JOY!
Steve @ 114
After Scumzales squeezed out one more appointment. I have never seen such malfeasance.
-GSD
perris @ 116
Actually that was a presidential executive directive he signed over a month ago, superseding one that Clinton had signed in the 90s.
But the rage part is valid. The helpful thing is many true conservatives are as distressed by that directive as you are.
dakine01 @ 22
Where I think this makes Bush vulnerable is that THIS APPOINTMENT can ONLY have been done with Bush’s knowledge and compliance. So if this required the forced retirement or resignation of an AUSA for political reasons BUSH himself has to be involved.
merci, Adie!
cinnamonape @ 125
This was the replacement for Yang I believe in CA who left last year after getting a $1.5M bonus to join the law firm handling Jerry Lewis iirc (whom she was investigating).
Christy Hardin Smith @ 88
gee whizzie Redd. Ya make it all sound so cold & calculated…
sick stuff here
kystol has been wlrong on EVERYTHING…does lirbrtmsn hsve s clue
Will Traitor Joe Lieberman call for war with China now?
How about Cheney or Bush?
What’s wrong, no balls?
-GSD
Oh, fer the love of God, can MSNBC please stop playing the creepy Obama chick fangirl video?!?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 131
Christy! can you change the link in 101
Christy Hardin Smith @ 131
I though that was news…
new threadage up top
This may be big:
Sen. Ted Stevens is following in the footsteps of Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who are both under federal investigation, by asking for a review of his financial records from last year, allowing him to put off filing his official disclosure forms.
The forms were due to the Senate Ethics Committee by May 15, but Stevens’ were not among them . The Washington Post and McClatchy report that the request for a review could be a sign that Stevens is in trouble with the law.
tommy yum @ 73
I’ve always wanted my very own daddy blue beard.
David Schuster (fresh from his honeymoon) to Mike Barnacle on Hardball yesterday:
Fresh thread on the next Libby steps, up and running.
And Elliott, if you’ll refresh your whole screen, you’ll see that the lovely mods already got whatever problem there was. :)
GSD @ 130
didn’ that ct fer hojo git-er-dun guy resignate recently? how’s that workin’ out for ‘im, more time ta’ absorb all that luv & attn from family & fiends ‘n all… heh?
ewwww… that’s gotta hurt, i hope…..
twolf1 @ 117
On the Patuxent River, about five mile up from the Chesapeake Bay. There is a large creek with wet lands in the side yard..Blue Heron gigging frogs and large white Swans doing what-ever Swans do. Unfortunately I have to hit the road in the AM, back home to the middle of the country.
Thank you Christy for the delicious post, this will keep me from getting ANYTHING done today ;)
and thanks, as ever, lovely mods!
dakine01 @ 103
AFAIK, Cardona was named the Acting US Attorney toward the end of November 2006 about 10 days after Yang announced her resignation. If Gonzales had moved at that point to confirm Cardona, it would be 7 months on a done deal. But he didn’t. Having not done so, Cardona’s term as Acting USA probably was nearly up. It may have been and this is supposition on my part that a federal judge might have then had input into whether Cardona stayed on or not. Part of what sparked the creation of the interim USAs was precisely Abu’s distaste for allowing the judiciary into the selection process for actings. I think to avoid this he went the last minute “interim” route. It may simply be that Cardona sees himself only as a caretaker and may not want a permanent appointment that would expose him to the rigors of the post-scandal confirmation process and leave him little time in which to leave his stamp upon the office.
Which still allows for Abu being incompetent and thumbing his nose at the Congress at the same time.
Elliott @ 12
Actually, if you listen to the NPR report it appears that mental health workers are leaving the armed services in droves. They are too overwhelmed. Another disastrous result of piss poor planning by our great leaders.
I also want to point out that refering to the Stress Injuries as PTSD is a way the military and we as a society in general have of ignoring this problem. Stress injury is an injury to a vital organ, the brain. A disorder is well, kinda fuzzy, we don’t really know what or even if it is, you might just be a complainer after all, etc… There is starting to be brain scan and postmortem work being done that demonstrates the actual structural changes resulting from high levels of sustained stress. The fact that this is not treated as an injury is due in part to our whole screwed up way of looking at mental health but that is a long, off-topic topic. The point here is we should start moving the language to speak the truth rather than mask it and talk about stress injuries.
Christy:
Is there anyone out there who can explain the difference in time commitment for the National Guard units that have been called up vs. the “regular” enlistees?
Is there no “contract” that limits the duration of one’s stay in the military or the number of times one can be sent back to Iraq/Afghanistan?
And what about all those troops with the relatively cushy jobs @ the North Korea/South Korea border or in Germany? Are they rotated through Iraq, or would it take too long to train them to get them combat ready?
You’d think at some point time would “run out” on guys who’ve previously enlisted or whose National Guard unit has been called up. On the other hand, I see guys re-enlisting and signing up anew; at least a couple of the services met their monthly goals, although others did not.
Since I got a note asking when we’d have a new thread, I thought it might be worth my while to say that we already have one up and running. Cheers!
Kudos indeed!
Did y’all see this diary post on DailyKos yesterday? Really wonderful, heartfelt stuff from this mother of 4 in NM:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/14/181858/223
Marie Roget @ 115
There’s a little hotel on the North Fork of Long Island that has an Osprey nest on it’s property…In the early spring, they train their Osprey cam on it and you can watch as the adults come and go and feed the chicks. Very relaxing.
Sadly, it’s about 9-10 months from the next show.
KestrelBrighteyes @ 71
Cool. My apologies for inferring, from what you originally said, that you hadn’t looked at all of the relevant facts.
You’re not wrong about the big picture, but some of us have to live and practice law in the Central District of California, and I am frankly skeptical that the Bushies will appoint anyone who would be remotely as good as Cardona.
Elliott @ 12
Elliott, I so hope the troops and vets – and the Iraqi civilians traumatized by the US invasion and the US Iraq Occupation – all receive the health care and mental health care they need.
They’ll need it for years, if not decades.
Many will need life-long care.
The DOD annoucement treats the Army’s PR problems, but little else.
WASHINGTON — Overwhelmed by the number of soldiers returning from war with mental problems, the Army is planning to increase its ranks of psychiatrists and other medical workers by more than 25 percent.
A contract completed this week but not yet announced calls for spending $33 million to add about 200 psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers to help soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health needs, officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.
If the AP did their sums right, the additional 200 mental health positions represent a 25% increase in staffing.
Umm – so the Army has 800 mental health practitoners…
and they’re adding 200.
Surveys of troops in Iraq have shown that 15 percent to 20 percent have signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress, which can cause flashbacks and other severe reactions.
Total forces in field are 150,000 (roughly?).
The low range estimate of 15% leaves us around 22,500 troops with acute PTSD symptoms in the Iraq theater.
And – if I understand the data (please help if I don’t, pups) the total forces deployed in theater under the “surge” are roughly one-third of the total US forces rotating through Iraq.
So we’re up to 67,000 US Army troops with PTSD symptoms.
And -
IF the Army can find psychologists who choose to join knowig they can be ordered off to assist Gitmo torture, and psychiatrists who will turn a blind eye to the DOD’s redeployment of acutely ill vets to combat duty –
– there will be 1,000 Army “psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers” to treat 67,000 Army patients with PTSD symptoms.
A clinican : patient ratio of 1 : 6,700.
Even Kaiser of Northern California gives their psychiatrists – fully assisted by other mental health professionals – a caseload of around 1,000 patients (or that’s what the recruiter said).
Those are ambulatory adults capable of working. Civilians in peacetime.
Treatment of one single patient with severe PTSD can require dozens – and sometimes hundreds – of clinician hours.
OK – in the DOD’s future Hire-in-Wonderland world, they’ll have 1,000 mental health clinicians inured to the prospect of assisting in torture.
Just the sort of compassionate clinicians you want for your sister, mother, or uncle, right?
And if all the compassionate 1,000 work eighty hour weeks for a year (no vacation) -
they’ll have 1.19 hours per PTSD patient.
Per year.
That’s not enough time to take a trauma history, let alone provide treatment.
NO time for follow-up.
See you in a year, soldier.
Next patient.
PS – Why I am having to calculate this for the AP? Are J-school grads no longer required to comprehend basic arithmetic, much less question “offical” announcemnts?
Why spend tens of thousands of dollars in J-school simply to transcibe Newspeak?
Surely “court reporter” training would give them the same skillset.
CNYAlison @ 146
AND…..
…..Bill Richardson promptly accepted the invitation for Prez on the Rez , along with Mike Gravel.
The “Take Back America” confab sounds great. But why do they have to schedule something like this right in the middle of the week? If at least one day of the conference was on a weekend, it would be easier for those of us who have day jobs to attend things like this.
I’m betting that this is where we finally get to meet Digby, which means I’d really really be there if I could. Whichever gender Digby is, I’ve been saying for years that Digby’s the new Dylan.
I like your thinking, low-tech, and I hope you are right – but my money’s on discovering who was the “horse” of Media Whores Online. I’m thinking/hoping that one of our hostesses can tell us something.