OK, I really can’t keep up with St. John’s narratives on Iraq. After the spike, he’s now flagging himself for excessive celebration. (updated)
From Mr. Party of Death at The Corner:
I just got back from a journalists’ lunch hosted by Senator McCain…McCain notes that corruption and the lack of political progress are continuing problems. “Whoever designed that government ought to be taken out and shot,” he said, referring to the large number of Iraqi ministries…
“If there is no political progress over the next three months or so, McCain said, “some very tough calls would have to be made.”
Someone ask Atrios when McCain’s last F.U. expired.
Meanwhile, Kevin Drum wonders,
Does this mean the New York Times will now run a story telling us that Republicans have been changing their tune on Iraq, suddenly emphasizing political progress as a benchmark instead of the level of violence?
As for the “taken out and shot” part, no comment from Rummy or Bremer.
UPDATE
My bad. As someone correctly pointed out, 3 months is only 0.5 Friedmans. But I have a feeling McCain is going to reboot after the 0.5F, so tomato, tomahto.
Related posts:
- In Iraq, As in So Many Contexts, Withdrawal is Victory
- Too Fa$t, Too Furiou$: Wall Street’s Speed Freaks Crank It Up Again
- Surprise! Redux: AMA Folds Half-Way On Its Opposition to Public Plan Option; Obama Keeps Up Pressure
- Health Care: How the Other Half Scrambles
- Frank Rich: McCain Was Wrong On Everything. CNN Treats Him As Sage
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Blue Texan!
Man, I’m havin’ trouble following all this. So what *does* McCain think?
McCain’s f*ckery!
McCain and Huckleberry Graham are reading from the same script.
“We need to pick a more supplicant bunch of lackeys.”
Paging Ahmed Chalabi.
-GSD
Great post, Blue Texan! Particularly liked this part:
Hahahahaha! That was my first thought, too!
Congrats to you, too, Biodun!
Drum also pointed out that critizing the # of ministries for the problems seems pretty deckchairish.
Maliki is a Republican!!!!! White is BlackTPM
Hmmmm….so…I wonder if Cheney’s gonna resign for health reasons….maybe…maybe not…
I guess there’s no conflict here. McCain is sayin “This thing’s a fuckin mess—but the surge is workin and democrats are weenies?
Thanks, Ann in AZ!
I guess McCain can’t shoot straight. I wonder what else he can’t do straight.
LS @ 9
He will just as soon as Jeb’s fake southern accent gets good enough to be heard in public.
Naomi Klein’s recent book has some background on Bremmer. How he could accept any award is beyond me.
Bride, groom stopped in Iraq actually terror suspects Yeah things are going great over there alright.
Now take a look at what Juan Cole has to say about the Middle East and then listen to the idiots mantras about how successful Iraq has turned out.
Not working so well.
-GSD
the surge is working because Sadr has pulled his forces off line for 6 mos, Al Anbar Sunnis and Shiites got together because they were fed up with AQI bombing/hitting both sides…thant and decreased ud troop patrols and the fact that the surge was only for Baghdad….McCain is one of these vets who love to play soldier all their lives, sorta like the VFW & AMVETS…they are children still playing with GI Joe….
From CNN breaking:
This Darth might not last in Chimpy’s admin till January 2009… That’s why he’s in a hurry about Iran.
LS @ 9
Atrial Fibrillation is the diagnosis according to MSNBC. But, who knows? The Bush/Cheney staff lie about everything else, why not Cheney’s health? Like we’re supposed to believe the guy even has a heart.
link
The guy is a medical train wreck…it must be meanness that keeps him going. He had his first MI in his late 30’s. Also helps to have unlimited health care.
What are we to make of this NY Times article from yesterday? It is written as if the common knowledge is now that the surge is working at least militarily. It is written uncritically and with no backup context to explain how in the heck we know this. It is also written as if though this is common knowledge among dem candidates for POTUS and the Dem congressional leadership. I heard Wes Clark on Stephanie Miller last week espousing the same basic view, and suggesting that Bush may declare victory next year and go home, so to speak.
Is anyone else saying WTF?
Senator Dodd submits a Q for R YouTube debate:
http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/11/26/143537/52
Oh, and nobody in Big Media aside from Damien Cave at the NYT is telling us that the Big Iraqi Refugee Return a) has already stopped, b) was fueled by Syria’s closing its doors to new Iraqi immigrants and said immigrants running out of traveling money and having nowhere else to go but home, and c) is a bit of a joke as 27,000 people a month are still leaving Iraq.
Paul “Jerry” Bremer…
I like your handle. Hedy Lamarr, one of my favorite actresses.
Cheney has been hooked up to an IV of piss and vinegar.
He was a few quarts low.
-GSD
calscientist @ 20
If things were really going that well in Iraq, Bush wouldn’t be planning to keep us there forever.
That is just brilliant. The NYT Patrick Healy article in question was really irritating.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11…..5dems.html
It isn’t about reporting anymore but manufacturing the narrative that suits the White House. The WH declares there is progress in Iraq, so there is progress. Naturally, if there is progress, the Democrats must respond to this new factualized fact, so they must change their tune. QED. Did someone give McCain a faulty set of liner notes? The “blame the lack of a political settlement on the Iraqis” is next week’s meme. Didn’t he get the message?
Steve-AR @ 19
I certainly hope he’s oK, but like you said, who can trust these guys? I don’t believe a word out of any one of their mouths
I say let them eat fontainebleu.
Love and kisses,
-Jerry Bremer
Biodun @ 18
Being Cheney’s doctor presents a hippocratic dilemma similar to being Hitler’s doctor.
The OK certainly brings up the usual ethical/moral debate, doesn’t it?
That would be Liz Cheney. And Feith and Wolfowitz and Chalabi and William Luti. William Luti, was a former Newt Gingrich “aide”.
http://newsmine.org/archive/wa…..errors.txt
Steve-AR @ 30
Of course there’s no debate, I want him healthy and out of office. And both right now today.
Everything was going so well until the Dimmycrats tanked the economy and lost the war on terra.
-Frank Luntz’ Hairpiece
OT..but an excellent “inside baseball” look at the upcoming FISA debate:
Do people hate Congress because there are never any clear answers? Well, yes and no.
by Kagro X
kos
Biodun @ 18
Cheney’s heart only beats when somebody dies for no good reason. It’s been getting a hell of a workout.
GSD @ 32
Is that the working title for the Bush “autobiography”?
Badwater @ 29
BadH2O, Biodun and GSD – you guys just keep knockin’ em outta the park today. LOL :)
[I guess it’s sarcasm or tears, right?]
kdh22 @ 37
Add EDP to the line up too.
Cheney’s health is the best argument against socialized medicine.
Elliott @ 32
On the other hand, he is the prime mover for policies that could kill 6,000,000 people.
link to cnn cheny heart
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/
in case you want to check it out
I still can’t make any sense out of whatever it is McCain is trying to say/do. But then again, I begin to question if McCain himself is fully in charge of his own faculties.
Off subject: for you Clinton-phobes out there-
Big Dog, a/k/a “Bill” is here in the Big D at this very moment. He attends a fund-raiser. Monied folks from all across Texas have flown in. But it’s all very hush-hush. Ssssshhhh! Don’t tell anyone.
Ghostman
“heart procedure”
Oil and filter change? Who the fuck they kiddin? So who’s the next Veep?
eye cheney’s heart
rwcole @ 42
Without a doubt it’s Jeb!
It’s a routine procedure- they hook Cheney up to a bucha wires an wait fer a lightning bolt- worked great last time they tried it- on the Frankenstein monster.
I’ll tell you that BlueTexan is alright in my book.
Badwater @ 45
Would that be prohibited by the “RFK” law?
Cheney’s heart’s got no rythm so they’re gonna give it break dance lessons. No problem.
As for the “taken out and shot” part…
it’s all a misunderstanding: “shaken out and taught”.
Ghostman @ 42
The reason it is so difficult is because the message is contradictory. Everything is going hunky dory on the military front but no progress is being made on the political front. The WH finds this surprising. As I have said ad nauseum in terms of Iraq’s civil war, these two events are expected. The various sides are building up their strength now for the struggle later. Fighting us at this point would be counterproductive to that purpose. But because the civil war is still going on, there is no movement on a political settlement. It is a little like wondering why there were no moves toward a political settlement in 1863 in our own civil war.
Steve-AR @ 48
I don’t believe that Little Boots could muster a majority in either house for Jeb as the VP.
Hugh @ 51
Agreed.
Ghostman
OT..Ruh..Roh..
(snip)
Over the weekend, The New York Times revealed the details of another one of those deals. In 2003, while Kerik was on his short stint with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, Israeli billionaire and industrialist Eitan Wertheimer loaned Kerik $250,000.
But it wasn’t what you’d call a straightforward loan. The money went first to Kerik’s friend and Brooklyn businessman Shimon Cohen, who then passed it on to Kerik. It was provided with no interest, no conditions, and seemingly no questions asked.
(SNIP)
TPM
OT — jeepers, it’s raining Repug Senators today.
Hastert finally faxes his final fax, resigning today.
Hmm.
Steve-AR @ 47
I don’t think so. That law does not apply since the office of VP is not a cabinet office.
Well Hastert ain’t a senator- but his resignation opens up a lot of room in the house—twenty seats at least.
dakine01 @ 51
That should be true, but the Democrats have shown that they will fold under duress.
rwcole @ 57
Ugh, I was thinking about Lott when I wrote that, meant Congressional delegates. Jeebus, what thread ties them together? I never thought I’d see the day that they turned in their resignations, let alone at the same time.
These “resignations” will give the goopers the opportunity to run candidates as incumbents.
RIP for the singer of one of the greatest party tunes of all time:
http://www.reuters.com/article…..7420071126
Feel the noize, indeed.
Badwater @ 58
Well, maybe they could check what Miss McConnell has under his dress
rwcole @ 60
Don’t know the pertinent law, but Illinois has a D governor which could make the D the incumbent. From what I’ve read on the MS, they have to call a special election so may not have anyone in that seat until after the election is held.
Whoops
The gov of Illinois is a dem- he can name a replacement for the seat I guess. That seems like a loser move for the goops.
RENO, Nev. – Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, an underdog Texas congressman with a libertarian streak, has picked up an endorsement from a Nevada brothel owner.
Dennis Hof, owner of the Moonlite BunnyRanch near Carson City, said he was so impressed after hearing Paul at a campaign stop in Reno last week that he decided to raise money for him.
“I’ll get all the (working girls) together, and we can raise him some money,” Hof told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “I’ll put up a collection box outside the door. They can drop in $1, $5 contributions.”
Hof and two of his prostitutes, Brooke Taylor and a woman who goes by Air Force Amy, attended a Paul news conference.
The women said they liked Paul’s message, but wanted to learn more about other candidates before making a decision. “
So management supports Paul- but labor’s not so sure.
Badwater @ 56
rwcole @ 64
IIRC Congressional seats usually filled by special election..example Gilmore’s Ohio dist. on Dec 11.
mc @ 61
RIP for the singer of one of the greatest party tunes of all time:
http://www.reuters.com/article…..7420071126
Feel the noize, indeed.
I knew that guy – we dated the same girl – never liked him much… but I guess I should feel bad.
ok, I’m over it.
Steve-AR @ 66
I would wager that it varies state-by-state depending on their laws. Like the Wyoming law that required the replacement be from the same party when their senator died earlier
“Vacancies in the House, however, take far longer to fill. The Constitution requires that member of the House be replaced only by an election held in the congressional district of the former representative. “
So senate vacancies can be filled by the governor (in most states) but house seats have to be filled by special election. That makes more sense.
rwcole @ 69
Senator Barbour, anyone?
He announced he wouldn’t appoint himself.
Badwater @ 70
According to The Fix on the WaPo0 Barbour has said not interested.
Think Haley’d like to get the hell out of Mississippi?
rwcole @ 73
Not if he’s the boss of Mississippi
WEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
DOW down 237….I have read that 12,500 is the “dead line” after that it is program trading fee fall…
Well if it has to happen better one year before the election than after 01/20/09.
Bein the boss of Mississippi’s about like bein the HEAD shit shoveler in a shit factory—
rwcole @ 75
been there?
rwcole, don’t forget we’re talking about Haley Barbour here.
Steve-AR @ 75
Why isn’t Bush demanding more tax cuts to fix the economy this time?
Twain @ 77
Kinda describes me!!
Twain
Yep- lotsa times. Have a friend there who retired to have his own chicken ranch- got fucked over by the chicken company and still votes gooper. Go figure.
rwcole @ 81
Perhaps because they stand strong and ready to protect him from gay marriage.
Badwater @ 79
Give him time. give him time.
Twain @ 77
Many time..makes my skin crawl..BTW the International Ballet Competition is in Jackson every four years..quite good.
Freddie Thompson’s decided to be a flat taxer– he’s got a Ponzi scheme he’s huckstering which bout eliminates taxes on rich folk….Nice goin Freddie-
Christy upstairs….
Steve-AR @ 75
They won’t let it go into a freefall and there is no such thing as a free market.
They will let people be homeless for years and not do anything to help the people of New Orleans, they don’t care if you lose your house, they don’t care if you get a devastating illness.
But they’ll game the system for tax-shelters and government buyouts to save their own ass, because they’re the ones who control the money and government policy.
Exhibit A: The Plunge Protection Team
Badwater @ 82
We watched Torchwood on the Beeb this weekend, and that steamy gay kiss? Well, our 37-year marriage felt a trembling in the force, I tell you. Or not….
The Dems must make the rethugs wear the baggage of the coming economic market recession. Reason: re regulatory appointment are the fox guarding the hen house. SEC should have regulated the CDO securities issued by the big banks like Morgan Stanley secured by no equity home mortgage paper that is causing the world market to tank.
Biodun; if Cheyney goes, for ANY reason, we can start practicing saying “Preznint Lugar”, because Dick’s deprature will greatly increase the chances that the GOP will decide that mustering up the Goldwater Swat Team will be their only chance to moderate a democratic tsunami, and hang on to some vestige of influence in government.
That is, unless we’re stupid enough to nominate Clinton; in which case the republicans will be rejuvenated and made as whole (and intractible) as if they’d received the miracle of Lourdes.