Do I have to…? ;-)

Yeah, I’m disappointed too. I’m getting real nervous that we’ll just see a Clinton Administration Part Deux, rather than any real change.

I guess that no one has heard that Obama is set to hire a Leakmaster General
http://www.scholarsandrogues.c…..r-general/

So drama notwithstanding, is this a deal Obama cut with Hillary back in the day? Someone needs to find Bill something to keep him busy.

On ABC’s This Week yesterday, Huffington was saying over all she liked Obama’s picks. There seems to be a lot of this going on. Even Glenn Greenwald is doing it. I’m more pessimistic but then I have been since Obama’s flip flop on the FISA Amendments Act.

When Ariana was subbing for Rachel Maddow the other day, did you hear her say, as I did, “Connect-ee-cut” for Connecticut? I mean golly, Ariana, don’t you have any friends out East?

If Rachel must go away now and again, I much prefer Alison Stewart as her sub. Alison has Rachel’s schtick down pretty good– because her own style is not all that different, anyway: smart, savvy, and witty. Funny, engaging, and they both look like they’re actually enjoying their work.

Bob in HI

Indeed, Arianna has that ineffable, je ne sais quoi, that former Cambridge Union president’s ability eloquently to inform and reassure, while being quite clear where, when and with what effect that knife will penetrate. More maitre d’ in her house of opinion than short order cook. That said, I prefer the uncluttered flavors at Chez Jane’s.

Watkins’ impression of Arianna failed because you can actually understand what she is saying. With Arianna’s heavy accent, I can never understand what that woman is trying to say. She makes me crazy as I am usually only able to make out every fourth or fifth word.

Jane, where is the YouTube of you doing Arianna if what you say is true? Don’t deny us! :)

Arianna and her Huff-Po have been Clinton haters from the get go. Not surprising she is disappointed now.

I don’t think Glenn likes his picks any more than I do — which is to say, pretty much not at all.

But I’ll reserve judgment til the hacks start telling us why Obama can’t fulfill his campaign promises. If and when that happens (and I’m hoping it never does), I don’t have any reason to believe that they won’t help him do what he was elected to do.

In the mean time, I’m not interested in being used as a tool of the right to promote the notion of “netroots at war with the Democratic party.”

Digg is open Pups! So get to it and Digg to the bottom of this!

I think I will have to do an Arianna YouTube one day.

Glenn posted a pretty strong defense of one of the picks recently.

Can’t Wait!!

what? huff wanted the job fer hersef?

Media MAtters had a good E-Mail today comparing what the MSM was saying about the lack of experience in Clinton’s early years in office and how they are now saying that there is to much experience.

Jhaorge Booosh

Obama surprised us with the quality of his campaign. Maybe he’ll surprise us again by somehow forging this Team of Egos into a cohesive unit.

Thanks for the link.

Thanks Jane.

Arianna did a nice job of deflating George “Hell Toupee” Will on This Week yesterday.

Greenwald on Holder:

The bulk of what I’ve read about and from Holder suggests, with a couple of ultimately marginal exceptions, that this appointment would be a very positive step.

Stephanie Miller does a hilarious Arianna, usually using only the words “dah dah dah dah dah dah dah dah dah dah .. “

SNL kid is too wooden, plus lame writing .. didn’t even watch to the end

I don’t think Glenn likes his picks any more than I do — which is to say, pretty much not at all.

But that is not what he has been writing. He has been doing a lot of need to suspend judgment stuff. I disagree. From where I’m sitting it’s less “netroots at war with the Democratic party” and more Obama at war with the netroots. He’s making these awful choices, not us.

I don’t have any reason to believe that they won’t help him do what he was elected to do.

historical president?

In the mean time, I’m not interested in being used as a tool of the right to promote the notion of “netroots at war with the Democratic party.”

i want to be at war (not literally with bombs and stuff) with the democratic party. lots of people spent more time and money than i did in 2006, but i spent enough to be seriously pissed that the dems did not end the war in iraq – instead they want to escalate in afghanistan? no oversight, no accountability – all the things they promised in 2006.

and now they are aiding and abetting in the biggest rip off of the american taxpayer – $7.7 trillion and nothing yet done to address the problems? and obama goes and nominates a bunch of hacks that helped create the problem?

here’s what i want to know. what does it take? when do we get to go to war?

because it sure as hell looks like war has been declared against me, and i’d like to start defending myself.

need to suspend judgment

the next 6 months will be critical. it’s irresponsible not to be quiet for 6 or 9 months – do we want to give it/him a chance to work or not?

Is Condoleeza Rice going to exercise a peaceful transfer of power with the new Secretary of State and hand over the black bondage boots for her to wear on diplomatic trips?

Well Hillary is going to have to get her own piano to entertain foreign dignitaries.

*sigh* You’re always after my heart, eh? ;-)

Obama says plan from automakers required from Congress.

(No plan needed for Citigroup.)

The Clintons are bad reality and certainly Obama is better off with them at SOS than in the US Senate where they could only screw up health care and whatever else. At least Obama has turned the Clintons into faux subordinates and it remains to be seen how much more damage the Clintons can still do. Surely, they will do something bad.

But call their appointment as SOS, plain and simple damage control.

((CT!)) – many platonic hugs to you sir.

… at least she’s not going to keep having to ’splain to Bush that Chopsticks is not an implement ..

Condi knows good shoes and leather goods. Leadership skills – defer to Cheney.

I disagree, I think her(and Bill) being in the inner sanctum lends to the ability to create more havoc than Hill being in the Senate and Bill completely out of the loop…!

It was always going to be easy to sing in tune when we all were against something (Repugs, Iraq War, Loserman, etc.), but now when the car keys are in our hands, everybody wants to drive to their place.

Condi, unofficial Secretary of War(drobe).

I’m content to be a backseat driver…! ;-)

I’ll go to your place as long as it’s not center right.

Tiger Woods loses his $7 million a year fee for pimping Buick.

Well, the only thing we can do at this point is see what the Clinton assholes people do once they’re in next year. If they turn out to be neocon-lite in everything they do, then we’ll pounce on them and Barack for being such an ass in appointing them in the first place!

Poor Tiger. Things are tough all over.

Who bought a Buick because of Tiger Woods?

That’s probably because they’re a bank and that’s what the original $700 GAZILLION DOLLAR BAILOUT was intended for. Doesn’t make it right, though. Don’t the Saudi royals own a good portion of Citibank/Citigroup?

Tiger?? Or did he get his free?

I thought the Buick nameplate was going with Oldsmobile to the Scrapyard of Old Lady Cars nobody wants (cerca 10 years ago).

i’m still against the wars. i’m still against economic advisors who counsel policies that at best foster more economic inequality and at worst kill. i’m still against an imperial foreign policy. i’m still against torture and black prisons. i’m still for transparency and responsive, responsible government. i’m still for single payer health care. i’m still for preventing run away global warming…..

NONE of that has changed.

there is only one thing that has changed – and that’s the people i have to fight about these things are now the democratic party leadership instead of the republican party leadership.

He has won a few outright amongst his numerous cup victories…!

And 2 1/2 page plan from Paulson to congress for $700 billion. The bar shouldn’t be to high.

Wanna bet that he doesn’t drive one of ‘em, except to fulfill some silly contractual obligation ?

We need to start giving our money only to Moveon.org or a PAC set up by FireDogLake. LOL Yeah, yeah, when the Democratic Party calls and asks for money, we’ll say, “How much do you need?”, and when they say, “Well, $25.00 would be terrific!”, then we’ll say back, “Alrighty then! $25.00 to Moveon.org! Thanks for the idea!”, and then hang up.

That is change I can’t believe…! Tragic, no?

donated to charity, i suspect.

The chinese love buicks.

don’t fight em right now. too early. there will be time.

Citigroup/Bush Family/Saudi Royals

they call em opals?

Heh, Do I have ‘Sucker’ written on my forehead? ;-)

Btw, how’s the weather doing? Any Indian Summer in the forecast?

Christy is upstairs

please my comment @24 – especially the links.

The Clintons can now be “fired” and, for sure, in the Senate, they cannot be “fired”. At least that is a possibility. And while the Clintons professed their faux support for health care reform their potential “input” on that important issue is now moot. It was some form of irony, when the Clintons touted their “surplus” in the 2008 campaign after “failing” to achieve health care reform which would have severely dented their “surplus”

Obama says plan from automakers required from Congress.

(No plan needed for Citigroup.)

The plan for Citigroup is to throw money at it.

thanks

Time Magazine is reporting Tiger Woods and Buick have mutually agreed to part ways even though there is still a year left on his nine year contract. Woods agent says Buick is looking to cut spending anywhere they can, and Tiger Woods has decided he would like to have more time to spend with his family. Where have we heard that line before?

http://www.time.com/time/busin…..75,00.html

This is why Citigroup got two bailouts. LOL

Well, that too.

We’ll be at war with the Democrats soon enough when we try to pick off the Blue Dogs promote progressives in congressional districts where their representatives have grown unresponsive to their needs.

If you’re worried about kumbayah settling in here, let me reassure you.

In India, prolly … *g*

We’re right at freezing with lots of sleet on tap …

Interesting. Well, that’s something. If the talking heads keep pushing bankruptcy (white-haired Ted Baxter look-alike was pushing the auto bankruptcy meme on PBS news just now) the Chinese can buy something they covet.

i don’t mean to be rude to you – but i’d seriously like to know when it’s ok to fight. there always seems to be a reason i’m supposed to wait a little longer…. and i don’t get that.

sure, go fer it. i’ll wait fer a couple of months to trash the decisions. there is nothing fer me to see right now. no offense.

Me, I’m gonna hold my fire until I see what is actually done.

Not said mind you, but done!

As for the people picked, unless I’m faced with undisputed malefactors, there too I will wait until I see what they actually do.

lol. please let it be known that the antiwar folks are NOT into kumbayah.

i don’t want to suggest that the blue dogs aren’t important, but i think the problems go much deeper than that. the blue dogs have so obviously been used as an excuse by the democratic leadership for doing what they want to do.

you don’t hafta wait fer nothin but it does seem to me to be a slight waste of your time right now.

Me, I’m gonna hold my fire until I see what is actually done.

fisa? wall street bailout? biden as vp?

As for the people picked, unless I’m faced with undisputed malefactors, there too I will wait until I see what they actually do.

how exactly does summers and his crew not count as undisputed malefactors?

Every time I see Arianna get in her HillaryBashMode – which is anytime Hillary is press visible – I have to swear off visiting The Huffington Post for a few days in hopes of letting it burn itself out. As much as I may respect Arianna and her opinion/perspective about many things, i think her obsession with HillaryHate is abnormal.

Of course, I think many folks obsession with hate and/or contempt for Everything/Anything Hillary is abnormal. Although she was actually my 3rd choice during the primary season, I consider Hillary an incredibly smart woman with something of value to offer. She isn’t as progressive in her political leanings as I’d like her to be, but I’m glad she’d not a Republican. (Nor do I think that the Republicans have a woman that could be considered her peer.)

my $.02,
~itunkala

fisa? wall street bailout? biden as vp?

1. FISA Immunity – Done on Junya’s watch. And yes, with Democratic complicity including Obama’s. We’ll see if it gets revisited by either Court and/or Congress. This story has yet to be concluded.

2. Wall Street Bailout – Done on Junya’s watch. And yes, with Democratic complicity including Obama’s. But so what? Are you suggesting we allow the world’s financial sector to fail, thereby making the Great Depression but a tiny financial hiccup? Give me a break!

Do I wish they had given haircuts to the offending greed merchant prince? You bet! Still may happen.

3. Biden as VP – Huh?

how exactly does summers and his crew not count as undisputed malefactors?

Compared to Cheney, Rumsfeld, Yoo, Addington, Gonzales, Junya himself? You’ve got to be kidding!

The blue dogs are what I’d call an “entry point.”

the dems actions don’t get a pass in my book just because they did them while bush was potus. the dems did what they did and bush did what he did. they are all responsible for their own actions.

1. the dems gave att et al. immunity. tell me how that is going to be undone?

2. no, i’m suggesting, as i have done from the beginning that the dems should not have given a blank check. some real accountability and transparency and process for reregulation.

3. re biden. was any D senator – including lieberman – more responsible for lying congress and the american people into the iraq war?

4. ah, i was confused because you said undisputed malefactors – not undisputed malefactors who are worse than bush’s worst. well, all i can say is that’s not my standard for acceptable nominations – undisputed malefactor is bad enough.

The blue dogs are what I’d call an “entry point.”

like this?

Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.
— Archimedes

Yes, the platitudes are coming home to roost. Obama repeatedly stated that he was a neoliberal/third way kind of politician, in so many words. If it walks like a duck…, you know the rest.

1. the dems gave att et al. immunity. tell me how that is going to be undone?

EFF has been and is continuing to challenge FISA immunity in Judge Walker’s court (See here for all the details). This isn’t over yet in Federal Court, and also the new Democratic Congress could repeal the immunity. We’ll see.

2. no, i’m suggesting, as i have done from the beginning that the dems should not have given a blank check. some real accountability and transparency and process for reregulation.

This still may occur. We’ll see.

3. re biden. was any D senator – including lieberman – more responsible for lying congress and the american people into the iraq war?

I’m still coming up with a big “Huh?” on this one. More responsible than any other D Senator? Plenty of blame to go around on the Democratic side, but let’s not forget none were in the actual driver’s seat.

And they were lied to by this criminal Administration. Not saying that they shouldn’t have seen these lies for what they were (as many here including myself did).

4. ah, i was confused because you said undisputed malefactors – not undisputed malefactors who are worse than bush’s worst. well, all i can say is that’s not my standard for acceptable nominations – undisputed malefactor is bad enough.

Sounds like Mother Teresa wouldn’t get a pass from you either. Is there anyone who passes your smell test? Don’t look to closely because you may find that all have feet of clay.

Could be some really qualified candidates don’t want any part of cleaning up the mess that Junior left.

re fisa – and for that you give the dems a pass? because eff is working their ass off to undo what the dems did? wowl

i don’t understand how there can be accountability after all the players are long gone.

biden – the guy to lobbied for war with iraq when clinton was president? the guy who as chair of the foreign relations committee orchestrated the hearings to sell the war in the summer of 2002? that biden.

there are plenty of people who pass my smell test for economic advisors. and i’ve been suggesting them in the comments for some time now. as have others. but people who have a history of getting it all wrong and who are responsible for promoting things like the repeal of glass-steagall, preventing regulation of otc derivatives and the enron loophole – like summers – don’t pass my smell test. why should they?

Exactamundo.

Rather than continue to argue this with you, I’ll instead do what I originally suggested in my # 68.

I’m more pessimistic but then I have been since Obama’s flip flop on the FISA Amendments Act.

Wow, Hugh, you captured my sentiments exactly. I watched Keith & Rachel tonight and came out more bummed than I’ve been in a long time.

(No plan needed for Citigroup.)

Nor a request that Citigroup send back the $400 million it’s currently using to fluff its image:

Citi’s paying the Mets $400 million over the course of 20 years just to have their name plastered on [the Mets’ new stadium].

It has been at least since 2006 election we have not given one dime to the DNC or any of the “party” organizations. DNCC, DSCC, all that.

When they called we’d say Nope, we are donating directly to candidates. Why? Because we have been uniformly disappointed in the Democrats in Congress, from top to bottom, as a group.

Sputter, but we want to get more Dems elected… Yes, so do we, and we have no confidence in your organization, so we can cut out the middleman (your committee) and donate directly. You don’t represent us much and you have failed for eight years. Buh-bye.

And man, did we send money this time. I kept thinking, oh gee that’s really quite enough. And then I’d think of McCain, or in my state, Gordon Smith, and I’d haul out the credit card again. I used to be horrified at how much elections have to do with money; that was when I was naive and had no money.

I love donating money to things I care about. It feels like I can go beyond what a regular votes-every-time person does, and I no longer think of it as paying for a candidate or cause. I consider it sharing my extra with all the other people who believe as I do and don’t have any extra.

Hail to the chief! One democrat, one party. Not.