Here’s the Sunday Talking Head line-up for today:
C-Span’s Washington Journal – 7:45am – Michael Shear, Washington Post, National Political Correspondent; 8:30am – Zeyno Baran, Hudson Institute, Center for Eurasian Policy Director; 9:15am – James Fallows, The Atlantic, National Correspondent | Article – Blog.
ABC’s “This Week” – Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.
CBS’ “Face the Nation” – Former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.
NBC’s “Meet the Press” – Comedian Stephen Colbert; Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian; Sally Bedell Smith, author of “For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton: The White House Years.”
CNN’s “Late Edition” – Reps. Jane Harman, D-Calif., and Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich.; World Bank President Robert Zoellick; Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese parliamentarian; Ali al-Dabbagh, Iraqi government spokesman; Garry Kasparov, Russian presidential candidate.
“Fox News Sunday” – Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.
Chris Matthews Show: Panel: Kathleen Parker, Andrew Sullivan, Erin Burnett and Joe Klein.
James Fallows could be intriguing on C-Span. You know Stephen Colbert is going to be a hoot. What is catching your eye on the news and on the blogs this morning? Was great to get a little break, although it was odd not blogging every day. Did I miss anything?
Today’s gorgeous shot of a monarch butterfly courtesy of Julie’s Magic Light Show. Absolutely beautiful, isn’t it?
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zed
Good morning Christy!
Good Morning one and all.
True confessions, I only read Talking heads every Sunday because I want to see the pictures. You can tell from the name that I am a birdwatcher, what is not obvious is that I am incapable of watching TV. About 8 years ago, probably when the net addiction really kicked in, I found I could not sit passively and listen/watch. some ADD specific to the tube. So, I just read the summaries posted here, and go watch birds or surf the net!! Happy TV viewing to one and all, it is peak leaf season here in NC mountains and crystal clear, so . .
I want to write something very crass about Steve King (R – Iowa 05). But it’s the Lord’s day and breakfast time.
Hi Christy!
Good Morning, Christy, and Happy Birthday. I missed the actual thread and wanted to be sure to include my voice to the symphony.
Also, belatedly, wanted to just give a little applause for Ian Welsh’s poat from yesterday and the resulting comments, which I am only halfway through. Wonderful.
Have a great day everyone.
I suppose I should be pleased that at least some Sunday booker is “with it” enough to book Colbert. I vaguely recall this isn’t even the first time on Sundays, and certainly not the first time “Colbert” is interviewed straight by the media.
But in fact there’s something really disturbing to me about it. Our political environment is so off the rails that a comedians’ act can get interviewed straight, while someone doing serious political work (Dodd) can’t even manage a slot.
I can’t put my finger on why this bothers me so much. Every logical thing I can think of points to it actually being a good thing. (Because, for instance, I don’t actually think Colbert took Dodd’s spot; it’s just the contrast that bugs me.) Am I just getting old and cranky?
BTW Happy Belated B-Day, Reddhedd!
Millineryman @ 7
You too, Millineryman!
Professor Foland @ 8
I can tell you why it bothers me: I have no problem with Colbert’s interesting run for the PResidency, even if it’s just in SC, but when the media has one weekend morning to use their pulpit to educate and inform, they frequently (continually, cynically??) opt for discussion of the hysteria of the week, the pointless pundit of the week or the least important issue for progressives, not to mention the lopsided choice of guests which is ubiquitous. Full disclosure: I do not watch TV or have cable, but do pay attention to Christy’s Sunday morning lineups and Media Matters’ objective assessments of this.
Wouldn’t this morning be a great opportunity to discuss this issue with Dodd and Reid, in an effort to educate and inform about the controversy and process involved ? Will they talk with Biden, who agreed to support Dodd, about this particular issue? We’ll see, but I’ll be surprised.
Good Morning!
I get a perverse pleasure watching the Fox News All-Stars on Sunday morning.
I’m continually dazed and amazed at what comes out of their mouths.
EPU’d (as I’m posting from Asia intentionally so that the NSA can listen in)
Valley Girl @ 197
Katie Couric to Interview Valerie Plame Wilson on ‘60 Minutes’ Sunday
k, I found a link. holy moly omigod
Already the wingnuts are howling that one of the activities suggested (by Couric) that Plame was involved in, Operation Merlin, backfired.
But I think that it’s just a little bit bizarre that Operation Merlin was leaked to James Risen in 2006…just as the evidence that Plame WAS an active covert agent working on Iranian non-proliferation was being disclosed.
And that leak wasn’t just of the raw program…it included the so-called Russian-Iranian exposure of the “flaws”.
Seems that the leak was intentional to me. Someone wanted to denigrate her activities. So who would have known about the Russian-Iranian link…or was that simply bogus spin by some White House flunky.
I suspect that if the CIA did this (Operation Merlin) they would only have placed a “gimmick” in the system that could only have been detected at the final field testing level. Nuclear testing is essential simply beause the data isn’t there to adjudged the critical levels of explosives necessary to trigger the chain reaction vs. improperly breaching the containment vessel and merely spreading the materials. Each series of bombs have to be tested generally. Only recently have enough tests been performed that simulations on computer can replace physical testing.
The goal would be to screw up the test so that the trigger would detonate at a detectable level, while at the same time failing to initiate the chain reaction. Unfissioned nuclear material would be released after the test and there would be a seismic signature of a significant trigger explosive (and the CIA would know precisely the strength that explosive device was designed to be).
That would tell the US that the Iranians had attempted a test but that the Merlin triggers had screwed it up. Since manufacturing weapons-grade uranium is such a time consuming process the Iranians would likely require another year to sufficiently build up for another test…and without an appropriate trigger. By then the world would be in an uproar about the Iranians testing nukes after they asserted that the regime was only interested in civilian uses. In fact, there might well be internal resentment…since tghis line is even being fed to Iran’s own people.
If what I mention above sounds at all familiar…recall the mysterious nuclear test by the North Koreans that clearly didn’t produce a detonation of a substantial nuclear device…yet apparently did release unfissioned material into the atmosphere or ground water from the explosion.
Then suddenly, despite everyone concerned saying that North Korea was likely to undertake a second test “soon”…it never happened. WHY?
I suspect it was because there was a successful Operation Merlin pulled by the CIA’s counterproliferation group that screwed up the triggers. And once everyone KNEW that North Korea was THAT close it led everyone, including Russia and China, to put great pressure on the North Koreans. The failed test triggered this increased political pressure…while the North Koreans knew that they had “blown their wad” and they lacked operational triggers. A second test would have produced a similarly anemic outcome. They had “outed” themselves prematurely…and had to negotiate away their program (essentially falling back to the Clinton era compromises worked out by Carter and Richardson).
In addition, puzzle me this, if Iran had the imput of someone so adept at detecting disguised technological flaws of nuclear triggers to be able to them in the design…then why did they need the schematics in the first place. THAT individual could have designed the triggers for them!
And why would a Russian do this? Russia and it’s erstwhile Southern Republics are just as much threatened by an Iran with a nuclear bomb as are the Persian Gulf regimes. He could have said…”yeah these are great schematics” and collect his consultancy fee and simply walked away knowing someone had screwed over the Iranians…and this wouldn’t be detected for a decade. But what if “Boris” didn’t actually detect the flaws, but was tasked (by Russian intelligence) to introduce his own flaw into the system. The way to do that would be to assert…”This won’t work…something is wrong here…and here is how you fix it.” Then the “fix” contained the Russian flaw. Thus there might actually be two systemic errors in the system.
BUT if someone in the Bush Administration leaked the information to Risen last year to undercut Plame’s credibility…and there actually was NO Soviet Scientist (Boris) that blew the CIA’s operation…then that leak sacrificed a still viable program that could have seriously impeded the Iranians using these for weapons. It also undercut the CIA/NSA’s ability to monitor WHEN the Iranians reached the point where they had enough fissionable material to test a weapon. The Iranians certainly won’t use those triggers and seek out others. Such a leak would be treasonable… just like the original Plame exposure… and set back our defenses from rogue states and terrorists obtaining these weapons by decades.
I tip my hat to anyone who can suffer the bobblehead shows on Sunday. What a waste they are!
I suppose someone has to get on TV and make a fool / tool of themselves.
Re Ian Welch’s statement downstairs that we attacked the right people in Afghanistan. I am deeply troubled by this for any number of reasons. The Taliban regime admittedly was a misogynistic medieval anachronism and they apparently allowed “terrorist” groups to use some of the real estate. These guys were no angels.
However, launching a pre emptive war seems rather over the top. If the people in those camps, we claimed were there, and were repsonsible for acts of terrorism, why didn’t we got get THEM and bring them to trial and “Justice”? Why did we have to bomb the entire country killy thousand upon thousands of innocents, to kick some ass and get “revenge” for an attack on 911, which cannot and has not and at the the time certainly WAS not proven to lead to some monkey bar camps in Tora Bora.
Why do we progressives ever approve of an attack of that nature?
Progressives are not necessarily pacifists, and we will defend vigorously an attack of our nation. But that is not a defense of our nation. And supporting GWBs approach was only enabling him and others to go after another of their targets – Iraq. Bad strategy, bad move.
I’m shocked at how many people approve of the Afghan war. And we have committed horrific atrocities there as well.
What’s with that?
Professor Foland @ 8
ET – your question make me thing of an interview i listened this weekend with chris hedges… here’s the relevant bit (i just did a rough transcription):
oops on #14! my apologies andy – my crossed eyes thought your comment was from et…. wouldn’t change my response though.
EPU’d from last night…thought it would be of interest as it shows just how DEVIOUS Romney’s team is. I guess the only good thing about it is that it was the Christian Coalition types that were gobsmacked by “Slick Mitt”. [aka Max Headroom]
“Did Romney’s Machine ‘Gimmick’ The Evangelical Vote”
by cinnamonape (adapted and analyzed from the below article)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20…..1020220701
Several thousand Christian conservative and evangelical voters at a massive “Values Voter” conference in Washington rejected Rudy Giuliani Saturday, over his support for abortion rights. Giuliani lagged in eighth, with only 1.85 percent of the vote. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, which hosted the conference, said he could never support Giuliani, even if he was Republican presidential nominee.
But the real story may lie in the way that Mitt Romney obtained the “endorsement” of the Conference. In the straw poll of 5,775 evangelical voters at the conference and online Romney came out on top, less than 30 votes ahead of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.
Romney won the straw poll with 1,595 (27.6%) votes to Huckabees 1,535 (26.5%). Huckabee, a baptist minister, was considered the favorite of social conservatives. The survey appeared to downplay concerns that Romney may be unacceptable to evangelic voters by virtue of his Mormon religion.
However, there is strong evidence the poll may have been susceptible to stacking of online votes by the Romney campaign. Huckabee won 51 percent of votes of 952 people who voted in person at the conference, and Romney took only 10 percent (99 people) of those in attendance. That indicates that 1500 of the pro-Romney votes came from on-line sources, compared to about 600 for Huckabee from internet-votes.
http://www.frcaction.org/
Long-shot Republican libertarian candidate Ron Paul placed third with 865 votes (also predominantly on-line votes…his “in house” support was only 25 votes). Fred Thompson, the actor and former senator who has tried to step into the role of standard bearer for conservatives came a distant fourth.
A recent CBS News survey indicate religious conservatives are not attracted to the 2008 candidates. Over half of white evangelical voters polled wanted more options in the Republican field.
So did the Romney campaign use their non-evangelical and other Campaign resources to bias the “straw-poll”. Well it certainly seems so from this article.
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.co…..value.html
The Romney Campaign encouraged those on its mailing list to participate in the “straw-poll”. It’s also possible that the Campaign Members itself contributed to the polls outcome. It’s clear that Romney needs to suggest to the Christian right that others within the movement are not averse to supporting him. Gimmicking the results of the “Values Voters” poll would serve precisely that function.
Certainly the wide discrepancy between the results on-line vis-a-vis those in attendance hasn’t escaped the eyes of some conservative groups that already found Romney’s ascendance amongst evangelicals and religious conservatives puzzling. But the Mainstream Media have already taken the bait and have suggested that Romney has struck a chord with hard-line Conservative Christians when that doesn’t, in fact, seem to be the case.
Christy,
If you get a chance, you might want to pull this week’s (10/22 with Tom Brady on the cover) Sports Illustrated away from Mr. Redd and read the poignant article by Jack McCallum. He discusses his best friend from childhood who was killed in Vietnam and compares with another young man who was killed in Iraq and the best friend. Tough read but worth it.
SanderO @ 13
i don’t. and i didn’t at the time.
blueheron -
What part of the mountains, if you don’t mind my asking? SW and SE corners here.
Do you have any interest in a meet-up with other pups in our neck of the woods, maybe early winter? Have been keeping a sort of running list of those who’ve mentioned NC (also surrounding edges of TN & GA) as home base with that thought in mind. I don’t do facebook so threads are the only way I have of getting the word out.
You’ve chosen a lovely bird……so nice it can be seen in both ends of the state. ;-)
Oh…and I bet they talk about “Romney’s Amazing Victory” with the Christian Right on “Press The Meat” this morning…but completely ignore how he so obviously gamed the system with his own supporters and campaign team submitting hundreds of votes for him.
And even more interesting…did voting require that the Romney Campaign pay some of the Registration Fees to this “Values Voters” conference. How was that money distributed to his minions. And is this legal…either at the first level or by distributing that money back to the Family Resource Council.
Essentially he “bought” his endorsement! The straw vote was bogus.
I suspect if this stuff is looked into it will create a very real scandal in his campaign! And people like Huckabee and Brownback will demand that the names of those who voted on-line be exposed if they are in the Romney campaign!
As usual, Christy asks what is catching our eye on the blogs and because I am usually working on weekends, I want to respond but am reading the post mid-morning on Monday after opening bleary eyes. It’s fun to be here for a change, for this and also for the Book Salon (yesterday was a blast with Krugman).
One of my favorites is BAGnewsNotes by Michael Shaw, a discussion of media images which began sort of neutral politically but has become a powerful commentary on a number of issues from the election to the Bush regime to the war. You can link anywhere on the site and be enthralled for hours by amazing photo essays, sites and commentary. I highly recommend it, always, and check in there every day.
Michael Shaw also posts at HuffPo.
http://bagnewsnotes.typepad.com/bagnews/
cinnamonape @ 20
I am loving that the Repubs are so split that none of them can get more than 27% in a straw poll, no matter what slimy machinations they execute.
popular bumper sticker in MA the past few years:
“Mitt’s a Twit”
Cinnamonape, thanks for that analysis of Mitt and the poll. This gaming of the poll deserves wider exposure.
Christy:
Can you do me a favor if you ever see John Davison Rockefeller walking through downtown Charleston:
Can you ask him if he’s ever met a Bill of Rights he wouldn’t sell out and give him a really, really, really dirty look.
Thx so much.
Oh, and I’m not sure when it is/was, but Happy Birthday!
gonna say this again as far as clinton;
the stations sre giving her as much play as she wants and the radio hosts are pretty close to laying off of her
they want her to be our candidate, they are gathering their data and knowledge, they are formulating their swift boat lies, they are congregating a barrage of “new” political activist groups that will each tell their own lies, lies that havce enough historical referance for the people inclined to hate her will become animated
they will call her a socialist, they will call her an adulterer, they will say she used the bedroom to gain political capitol, they will say her companies are theifs, they will look at her campaign contributers and say she is a corporate tool
she is their easiest target
if you guys remember that awfull show, “the weakest link”, the contestants that used the best strategy used to pick off the contestants they thought would give them the most trouble
in other words, they did whatever it took to leave them heads up with the person they considered the weakest link so in heads up competition it they gained a huge advantage
this is true with the republicans and hilary
I am hoping their strategy backfires, I am hoping she is prepared for the onslaught and has writters at the ready to PUNISH the ADMINISTRATION every time they come after HER
that is her only chance, everytime there is even the slightest attack against her she has to take the lead, address the attack and turn it around
she has to not only block, not only parry, but in the parry she has to have guns loaeded for bear and in her move she has to fire away with CANNONS
she has to fire away with things like stark said, she has to fire away with the kind of talk russ feingold uses
I don’t think she can pull it off, I think her corporate sponsors won’t “allow it”, though they will frame that “allowance” by telling he it’s not good strategy
she has to embrace the “bitch” in her when they call her a bitch and she has to prove their point so much so their very manhood is challenged
all that advise from me and I don’t want her to be the candidate because in my heart of hearts, if the republicats have any chance at all it will include hilary being the the democratic candidate
zennurse @ 21
there was a rash of exceptional posts last night, starting with Scarecrow’s debate with Jane & Digby, then Krugman, and Ian Welsh which I’m reading now.
could someone clear my nimber 25, I inadvertantly used that “soc*al*sm word
much appreciate it
Waccamaw @ 19
Alas, Waccamaw, we, like the birds, migrate to warmer climes after Halloween. I am Highlands-Cashiers area, but puhleze do not tell my neighbors that you saw me on this site. I live incognito amongst the heathen and worse. Only once seen a blue heron here; in FL they fish in our pond. I do not do Facebook either, I have enough to keep up with. BUT come next May, keep me in mind.
What’s catching my eye? Well, the lovely and exceptional citizen Mrs. Valerie Wilson.
Does anyone know when her must-see-tv 60 minutes show airs?
Hi Zennurse. Nice to see you in real time.
I just looked at the last thread and found the first firedoglake post from 2004, what a wonderful thing to have in my bookmarks.
Another issue I am reading about, mostly for pleasure, is TPM on the Wilkes trial. This is sheer retribution on my part, as I remember spending many hours here reading about and discussing the extremes of Congressional corruption and ethics violations which are, finally, coming to the courts as the peripherals begin their self-serving tesimony and defenses. Many an evening at FDL was spend dissecting the evidence of wrongdoing by Cunningham and Abramoff and DeLay, (the list goes on ad nauseum) and it is just a pleasure to see these trials happening as Republicans try to point their fingers at Democratic Senators and accuse them of anything.
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/ar…..unningham/
and
http://sethhettena.com/blog/?cat=12
zennurse @ 30
could you post?
would love to go and read that
Okay I found it.
Public Service Announcement: 60 Minutes, Valerie Plame Oct. 21, Sunday, 7 pm ET/PT.
First post at FDL December 4, 2004
cinnamonape @ 12
And I’m posting from an AT&T line intentionally so that the NSA can listen in. Don’t ya love the smell of freedom in the morning!
perris @ 31
ditto. please. another question. Beside Wikipedia article on Jane, is there any other history of the site?
T- @ 29
Thanks, I appreciate it.
I’m a little sad that we will not have had a chance to read Valerie’s book before she visits us, my audiobook is pre-ordered but won’t arrive until Tuesday. Without TV, I will only have the toobs and C&L to inform me about the 60 minutes interview. At this point, one of my many questions would certainly be, “Did you have any control over your interviewer? Did you feel comfortable with the choice of Katie Couric, given the problems with her reporting on her trip to Iraq?” The one positive thing is that she will certainly know she is in supportive company here, as she will undoubtedly be the subject of many a fainting couch throughout the upcoming week.
Morning all — it was a lovely time away, but it is good to be back and see you guys, too. :)
egregious @ 33
you beat me to it, egregious.
good to see you.
Hi Christy! We missed you.
Hey zennurse!
egregious @ 33
December 3, 2004
Hi Christy! :)
qg’morning everyone!
having my internet at panera bread today, for those that provided the first firedog link I much appreciate it
is there any way to acces the halo thingy we used to use for comments?
I would love to figure out the date I first posted, back then I was “metome” or “me2me”, I forget which one
cinnamonape @ 12
This is…..intriguing.
Good morning, everyone.
perris @ 42
Didn’t you used to post on Huffpo, too?
gonna be off for one of the last days of out door tennis, then my weekly trip to ct
hopeing everyone has a good day and will catch up later
blueheron -
Too funny……we’re within spitting distance of each other by well less than an hour. Know the heathens et al well. *g* At least the university community mitigates the problem a little; you shoulda seen the “w” bumper stickers in SE NC before the last election. GAK! Had to head west to find any Kerry signs.
Re. the herons – have seen them on the Tuckasseegee but guess the creeks are a little too tightly bound for their liking up your way. Friend of mine over toward Bryson had the same problem of keeping any fish in his pond as well.
Love to go to Cashiers/Highlands for a bum-around day every now and then so maybe if the larger meet-up doesn’t get off the ground, the two of us could do lunch come spring. Fall is lovely but green-up time is my very most favorite season in the hill country.
egregious @ 33
And the two (yes…only two) comments in response are timeless! The first shows just how much FDL has grown, in exposure and importance. The second contains just the first of thousands of complements that Jane must have received since!
Here’s one more…Keep It Up, Jane!
And when you read her initial post you can see that she has kept to the goals of that post…despite the fact that she now would likely say that the goals were to elect progressives in the South (and elsewhere). No more Blue Dogs need apply!
Does anyone remember when Firedoglake started blogging about the Plame leak? Looks like the archive is still functional. I’d love to read some of those old posts and threads again.
PeteCO @ 44
a few times but not regularly, this site is the first blog besides my the tech site i write for that I became an addict
I forget how I got here too, I think maybe c&l linked to jane, I don’t know
or a better possibility, I was researching plame and the her organization and I think the googles might have sent me here
I just can’t remember
I used to get all of my political fix from a tech site I write for…during the run up to the war I was the only person pointing out the lies that were getting us there and I am pretty proud of what I wrote
since it was a tech site and most of the people didn’t want to get involved in politics or read the title threads I made the political section opt in only as soon as the democrats one their majority, i felt like we accomplished what needed to be done and the site was better off leaving politics as opt in only
the political section has since died out
now this is my venting venue
the worst part about this site is on my only days off it becomes so addicting I cannot quit it even though I absolutely have to
now if someone would throw me out please, I would like to get some tennis in on this fine summer day at the end of october
blueheron –
Waccamaw –
You do live in a wonderful area of the world! Waccamaw, you may remember a Sunday morn exchange when Christy asked us for plans to do something different or the like, and I mentioned a planned September trip to an Elderhostel at the Mountain Retreat in Highlands for hiking and whitewater rafting. T’was fantastic.
I don’t do Talking Head shows because I find that for the most part, the hosts/interviewers are too fearful, partisan or stupid to ask proper follow-ups.
I’m not the type who can just sit there for long hours feeling like throwing a brick through the screen.
Good morning. I thought I would share my recent moment of zen. They are quite rare these days.
I was riding my horse (a wonderful older mare, both of us with much grey hair) by myself in a large field of newly mown hay. the smell was absolutely wonderful. In an open field I saw several monarchs flying heither and yon, and one came close to the horse.
I was wearing a bright red shirt. The buttterfly tried to sit on my shoulder, but as I was ‘moving’ on the horse, it quickly flew away. But not far. It actually continued to try to ’sit’ on me and followed all the way across the field.
The sun was warm, the horse riding was relaxing, the smells of earth and newly mown hay delicious, and the sight of nature at its best — both in beauty and peacefulness — filled me with serenity. I need all I can get these days. I savor those moments and treasure them in my mind’s catalog of ‘best’ of life moments.
Hope everyone has a good day.
T- — When we were doing trial coverage back in January/February — I put together a series of posts with links back to the archives. Will see if I can dig a few of those up for you…hold on a sec.
Waccamaw @ 46
Now you have me guessing universities! Exactly how do we exchange email addresses without announcing to the whole world? and who was that chimed in about the Mountain? have to scroll back through?
Did you know?
That WalMart between 1993 and 1995 secretly took out life insurance policies on many employees.
WalMart has collected on a minimum of 453 deceased employees.
Source: Daily Oklahoman.
T- — Here you go:
Part I
Part II
Part III
That’s just the start on these.
GrandmaJ @ 53
Thanks for that.
Yesterday, I was out running errands on my bike; 70 degrees & sunny. This morning; snow. It’s actually starting to stick to cars out in the street as I type.
Welcome to Colorado!
recoveringlurker -
Memory like a sieve these days but remember that well, now that you mention it. Delighted to hear you had an enjoyable visit to our neck of the woods; it *is* a passing fair part of the country in so many ways.
Where’d they take ya’ll rafting?
GrandmaJ @ 53
GrandmaJ, it’s a treat to see you, what a great experience.
My son and a friend went to a particular mountain in Mexico where the Monarchs hang out, and he said that after a long hike, they got to the top, lay down to rest and were literally covered with butterflies. It is one of my favorite stories of his numerous early-20’s traveling experiences. I’m still smarting that I had to cancel my trip to Taos to hug him and hang with him for this stupid eye surgery.
John Edwards is projected to win the Oklahoma Democratic primary. Lahoma and I are pleased.
‘morning, all… coffee is ready.
boy, extra windy here this morning!
Caught my eye…
snip of transcript from Gary Kasparov on Maher this past Friday night… begins a bit more than halfway down.
The entire interview is and funny and slap-in-the-face chilling.
Waccamaw @ 59
First time, Natahala – where people on the train took our pictures. Second – longer – Chatooga Part IV (Deliverance site) but not the end. This was a change due to low water. Unbelievable this isolated (”wild and scenic”) area. My first time.
Hi Christy! Belated Happy Birthday!
We missed you, but egregious filled in with a wonderful thread about our childhood friendships.
Bobby Jindal wins Louisiana gubernatorial race.
The Republicans profit from their own disasters, yet again (in this case, the ethnic cleansing of New Orleans).
BTW I think Colbert is a more effective opposition to the GOP than, say, Jay Rockefeller. I guess part of my annoyance is that the Sunday shows are confirming that sad fact.
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 66
It’s called soft partitioning.
Get your Orwellian language straight.
Professor Foland @ 67
sad but true
Happy belated birthday Christy…
Kate O’Beirne alert on MTP (and remember that yelling at your teevee is healthy)(so is throwing things at the teevee, though not so healthy for the actual teevee).
My cat is a bigger threat to the republicans than Jay Rockefeller.
allan_in_upstate @ 68
It’s quite aggravating. “I don’t think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees“, right?
Muchas Gracias, Christy.
Had to pull up a few horse racing youtubes for my 2.5 yr. old boy. I can’t for the life of me figure out where he gets his fascination with horses. He is obsessed. Had to take him to the races last weekend in Lexington. It was his 2nd trip. He has a ball.
blueheron -
Western. Share your qualms wrt info sharing, even to writing it out long-hand. There’s a pup in TN with her own site who might be willing to serve as go-between; will try to remember to ask next time she shows up at the Lake. Worse comes to worse we could simply pick a day, place, time and show up.
Recoveringlurker was up your way for an Elderhostel late summer.
Please to make your acquaintance, btw.
recoveringlurker -
Guts you have in full measure to do white water. Guess after pushing forty years in that part of the country I’ve heard a few too many horror stories about people getting caught and not living to tell about it. Some nice lakes thereabouts for flat water sports tho’ for the less adventurous.
jayt @ 70
Whenever I start to get mad at Kato I just think back to election night in ‘92. I’ll never forget that sour look on her face as the results came in.
Yes, she can get even more sour-looking than she already is. And it’s a wonderful thing to behold.
smapdi @ 71
Is your cat a democat?
If you are going to go whitewater rafting, you really should come to WV at some point and try the Gauley River and the New River.
recoveringlurker @ 64
What fun! I used to work for the NOC.
Another giant for justice has passed from the scene. That would be Cathrine Roraback, a pioneering attorney.
twolf1 @ 76
All my cats are radicals.
Waccamaw
share your feelings about whitewater, but in my youth I did both that section of Deliverance and Nantahala, in both canoe (C-2) and raft. Except for the falls, which you can skip, Nantahala is just Six Flags, but I know the episodes of which you speak.
OK, I will keep lurking around, but with reduced time as migration nears, and O,BTW the blueherons are feeding in a natural pond, I do NOT feed them. BUT it is fascinating to watch how they align those fishies to swallow them whole! AGAIN, I love the pictures Christy chooses for Talking Heads and I forward the text on to my email group, who DO watch TV so they will know what to watch and report back to me. Nice to know that you know why I am incognito in this area!!
How is this possible? Oklahoma kiddo @ 56
Frank Rich with a good piece on war profiteering & corruption.
Now we have snow with lightning and thunder. The Rockies are in the World Series. Truly, the End Times are upon us.
Moments of zen…I live in Nebraska. Yesterday we took our 97′ black mustang, top down, with our two kids in the back and drove through the loess hills. The loess hills are ancient Indian territory. We drove through council bluffs, cresent Ia, missouri valley, and pisgah Ia. It was 70 degrees and absolutely beautiful. Orange glow every where. Warm sun on our faces.
We visited old grave yards, some established in 1853, and 54. It was so fun to walk through the grave yards looking for the oldest tombstones. It was a perfect halloween thing to do with the kids. My husband kept saying how romantic it was…and it was.
We were singing old songs and the kids were looking at us like we were nuts.
Beautiful october day!!! It was so nice to get away from politics, t.v, and just drive. These are the memories that will take me through the winter. Plus it was nice to put into perspective what life must have been like when those people were buried in 1854.
Happy sunday everyone.
snowbird42
YOU worked for NOC?? long ago?? recent? golly my first trip had to have been in the mid-70’s– the tourist here abouts always want to know if why we turned off the waterfalls this year (I am NOT kidding.) And I tell them the only falls that get turned on and off are at Nantahala–vividly remember planning trips and calling ahead to see if the river was going to be running. Does the name Holden ring a bell?
Katie Jensen @ 84
That’s so great, but with regular gas now over $3.00 a gallon, my days of enjoying driving are long gone. When oil companies report record profits yet again, I will be amazed once more that people give Bush a pass on this. He crashed the dollar and it is indeed his fault.
Yah, snowbird -
Just the person I was hoping to see! :-)
Any chance you’d be willing to let blueheron and me contact you via your site so we could share contact info safely? Hope this request does not offend.
Dang, I completely forgot you’d worked for the NOC.
Curious in central Texas
see:http://www.courttv.com/news/20…..t_ctv.html
Katie,
Very cool. One of my “things to do before I die” is to head to the Black Hills and check out the Crazy Horse monument and seek a spiritual connection with the first people to live on this land.
i just finished the list of congressional hearings for next week, if anyone want an early peek (i still have to make most of the links to bills in thomas)…
two big hearings i expect will be: condi tesitifying before the house foreign affairs committee and the house judiciary committee on politically-motivated prosecutions (including the siegelman case).
I want to see how clearly Jane Harman explains Cantor’s poison pill amendment to the FISA bill. Then I’ll be interested to see how Hoekstra spins it.
Just surfing today and found a nice divertimento.
What’s the NOC?
Am I dense?, or just from New England?
zennurse @ 93
not dense, it is the Nantahala Outdoor Center, a commercial establishment, at least I think they hope to make a profit, that outfits groups to kayak, canoe, or raft the Nantahala. I have always been told that Nantahala means land of the noonday sun, and having done the river after 2 pm one early fall day, I guarantee that is true, and the water is cold.
Hi Snowbird42 – You were part of that conversation about my pending trip. Were you a guide? Gads are they good, especially on the Chatooga.
blueheron @ 88
that’s ghoulish.
I can see insuring key principles as a matter of course, but secret policies on the rank and file?!
Good Lord. Parker, McCain, Huckabee, Hoekstra, and Romney.
Wondrous new Christy goodness re Plame
OldCoastie @ 62
I don’t know what it’s like in your neck of the non-woods, but up here in the NW SF Valley, it’s really blowing. Had to dodge downed branches just to get out of my parking lot (someone’s avocado tree, too bad the fruit’s too green to eat), and there was plenty more on the streets. Also there’s a tinge of smoke on the breeze where I live, although that may be just someone’s fireplace.
Oh, and watch for ‘em.
Pronounced Bi-zon, not Bisun….
Bison beat MN Gophers 27-21! Wowzah!
Another Big Ten team drops to the mighty I-AA.
h/t to Appalachian State’s win over Michigan
Professor Foland @ 8
Prof, i just want to comment about your comment. Colbert is a brilliant mind. the fact that he is a comedian doesn’t alter that. Colbert sees things clearly where the Village either doesn’t, isn’t willing to take the heat, or has a clearly immoral agenda.
Colbert is not Jay Leno or David Letterman or even Jon Stewart.
there is nobody, ever, who has been able to do what Colbert did to Fuckwad and the Village at the 2006 White House Correspondent’s Dinner. Colbert is not just doing comedy. He is Jeremiah with shtick.
yellowdogD @ 91
hard for me to write to write the words… but cantor has my thanks. the fisa bill pushed (and rushed) by the house leadership was a fucked up bill (prospective immunity for telcos and basket warrants). the decent bill (by holt and other members of the house intelligence committee in consultation with the aclu) was blocked in committee by the same leadership that pushed the fucked up bill.
we’re better off with no bill at all than the so-called “restore act”
tw3k @ 92
Love this, thanks, you might enjoy this: Incredible snow sculptures in China. I can’t remember who gave it to me, over at Dependable Renegade, a long time ago:
http://www.rtoddking.com/chinawin2005_hb_sf.htm
selise -
Not happy to see the scheduling of HJC with same committee in back-to-back sessions on Tuesday…..assume the morning hearing will be cut short to allow for lunch. :-( Vedddy poor planning on their part.
Heavy duty thanks again for everything you do, especially pulling together the hearings schedules. You’re a treasure!
Frank Rich’s article up at NYT
…Charles D. Riechers, 47, the second-highest-ranking procurement officer in the United States Air Force — killed himself by running his car’s engine in his suburban Virginia garage……Mr. Riechers, a decorated Air Force officer earlier in his career, told The Post: “I really didn’t do anything for C.R.I. I got a paycheck from them.” The question, of course, was whether the contractor might expect favors in return once he arrived at the Pentagon last January.
….Its essence was summed up by Col. Ted Westhusing, an Army scholar of military ethics who was an innocent witness to corruption, not a participant, when he died at age 44 of a gunshot wound to the head while working for Gen. David Petraeus training Iraqi security forces in Baghdad in 2005. He was at the time the highest-ranking officer to die in Iraq….
Colonel Westhusing’s death was ruled a suicide, though some believe he was murdered by contractors fearing a whistle-blower….“I cannot support a msn that leads to corruption, human rights abuse and liars,” Colonel Westhusing wrote, abbreviating the word mission. “I am sullied.”
em&ex=1193112000&en=2a2d86d5022a57ae&ei=5087″>NYTimes link
How many more “Good Men” must die before do nothing “impeachment off the table” Pelosi realizes the stench of death and corruption will soon cling to her inactions?
zennurse @ 103
here’s some amazing origami – including a Guy Fawkes mask
zennurse @ 103
just found this update link to the 2007 Harbin (China) Ice and Snow World. Enjoy.
http://www.rtoddking.com/chinawin2007_hb_if.htm
Waccamaw @ 104
yeah, i wouldn’t be surprised if we see a time change on one of them (i’ll check again on monday)…
and your are most welcome… but i always have to remind folks that it was scarecrow’s idea that i do it… so we have him to thank too!
fahrender @ 101
it’s a book promo waste of time.
Elliott @ 109
Yet it’s better than having another gooper like Joe Lieberman on again.
I just watched Colbert on MTP…it looked and sounded rehearsed to me. One funny line involved Stephen inviting Larry Craig to be his running mate…
OT – re NC meetup…I’d be interested as well…I’m in Raleigh.
T- @ 89
We saw it a few years back. It’ll be cool when it’s finished.
holleahock @ 111
Super! I’ll put your name on my list. Having some problems trying to figure out how to get hold of people (other than highjacking the thread like I did this morning) for planning purposes.
You can usually find me present or lurking most mornings from 5-9-ish.
If it weren’t for Colbert’s book, they wouldn’t let Colbert on. Minus the book, he’s a guy who will condemn the DC-system aided an abetted by shows like MTP. (These people were sitting in the audience when Colbert tore them a new one at the Press Correspondence dinner in 1996 – it’s doubtful they forgot). With the book though, he can pitch himself as just wanting to flog it, so he becomes ‘respectable’ in their eyes. I hope he uses the opportunity to skewer them.
Two pieces caught my eye this morning.
The first:
Sam Smith: Why Hasn’t John Edwards Done Better?
Sunday, 21 October 2007, 1:31 pm
Opinion: Sam Smith
Why Hasn’t John Edwards Done Better?
By Prorev.com Editor Sam Smith
When Democrats talk about things they don’t like about John Edwards, they typically express skepticism about a wealthy trial lawyer advocating populist positions or his $400 haircut or the size of his 10,000 square foot home and 15,000 square foot barn. These same Democrats – and the media – never talk about Hillary Clinton’s $1200 makeup job or the fact that when you add up the size of her Washington and Chappaqua homes, they surpass 10,000 square feet, not to mention her husband’s 8300 square foot office with a $30,000 a month rent is picked up by taxpayers.
The difference is another example of how some politicians get away with the same things that do others in. In the end, it isn’t about the haircut or house at all; it’s about who is getting it or living there.
In fact, John Edwards falls into one of the smallest and most appealing classes of politicians: a reformed sinner who is better than he used to be. Hillary Clinton is not only unreformed, she has never uttered the slightest words of remorse for behavior that almost got her prosecuted, let alone for all her other offenses against integrity and decency. And Barrack Ohblahblah is still trying to convince people that he deserves the White House primarily by regurgitating endless bromides like a bulimic fortune cookie.
Go here for the rest of the story
The 2nd piece was Frank Rich’s column
Suicide is Not Painless
By FRANK RICH
Published: October 21, 2007
IT was one of those stories lost in the newspaper’s inside pages. Last week a man you’ve never heard of — Charles D. Riechers, 47, the second-highest-ranking procurement officer in the United States Air Force — killed himself by running his car’s engine in his suburban Virginia garage.
Mr. Riechers’s suicide occurred just two weeks after his appearance in a front-page exposé in The Washington Post. The Post reported that the Air Force had asked a defense contractor, Commonwealth Research Institute, to give him a job with no known duties while he waited for official clearance for his new Pentagon assignment. Mr. Riechers, a decorated Air Force officer earlier in his career, told The Post: “I really didn’t do anything for C.R.I. I got a paycheck from them.” The question, of course, was whether the contractor might expect favors in return once he arrived at the Pentagon last January.
Click here for the rest of the story
gov. huckabee wishes canada ‘congratulations on saving your national igloo:’
i.e. the gov. is ‘punked’ by cbc’s rick mercer:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BhTZ_tgMUdo
PeterB@114,
I agree that Colbert’s appearance is book promotion as well as cross promotion – Comedy Central and NBC are both owned by GE. A nitpick, the Correspondent’s dinner in question was 2006.
Anyway, it was an awkward appearance, Russert did not seem happy to be doing it.
Ah, beautiful photo. Thanks, Christy. Hope your birthday was splendid!
“To talk about him is to drain the vocabulary of superlatives…”
Great quote from a UTube about a football player posted by Bonddad @dailykos this a.m. on Pelosi and Reid. Take a look, highly recommend it. If you’re not into football, you’ll still enjoy it, I’m sure.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyo…../1271/2933
“here’s some amazing origami – including a Guy Fawkes mask”
twolf1, this is amazing, and wonderful. Beauty does feed the soul! Thank you!
cinnamonape @ 12
Well, as I’ve previously said, you can’t have a war if the other side isn’t armed. And without the war there’s no war profiteering or reconfiguring of the Middle East or glory or whatever.
I don’t know who’s doing it, but they oughta hang.
newtonusr @ 63
Kasparov is very bright about Soviet and Russian politics, but doesn’t really understand America very well. He was also a big supporter of Boris Yeltsin (without Kasparov Yeltsin might never have been prez). Still, his own political efforts can’t be successful as long as Putin is around.
BTW, Kasparov isn’t originally Russian. He was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. He and his family ran for their lives when the Azeris had their civil war.
Also, curious is that Kasparov’s name comes from his mother’s side of the family. His father died when he was young. His original name was Harry Weinstein (honest to God). Apparently the first letter is pronounced like GH and he was Harry, but as Kasparov he became Garri.
I like him.