President Obama has been pushing for both the House and Senate to pass health care legislation before going on their August break — a goal that has appeared increasingly unlikely due to fierce Republican opposition and cost concerns cited by fiscally conservative Democrats.

Reid’s announcement did not change Obama’s timetable, according to a senior administration official. The president still wants the House and Senate to vote before the August recess.

I’m trying to figure out if a) this is just a Pavlovian response to what Obama said — the wingosphere automatically has to disagree with him or b) wingnut bloggers are just racist assholes.

The other day, I was getting my hair cut.

Over the years, the receptionist and I have become fast friends. We lamented and mocked George Bush, and when Barack Obama won in 2008, I brought her a bottle of champagne.This lovely young woman who has carefully watched over the small establishment for many years, has become one of my barometers into the psyche of a large segment of the population. Politics, the economy, how people are cutting back (no pun intended), is what we discuss.

Inside the pyramid at Cholula via El Fotopakismo.

An interesting pattern has emerged among the federal judges charged with reviewing the habeas petitions of Gitmo detainees. Chisun Lee of ProPublica explains:

A close examination of the decisions shows that some of the fears about sending terrorism cases to civilian courts have not been realized.

Did you know that that GOP Congressmen had something called the “Health Care Solutions Group?”

“GOP Rep. Roy Blunt has now said Republicans won’t offer a health care bill of their own, breaking a previous promise.”

In case you missed it…..president Obama held a little press conference last night.

11 down…29 to go.

Now, whip it, yourself! And reward good behavior.

At tonight’s nationally televised press conference, a reporter asked President Obama a question about the July 16 arrest of famed Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates. Obama set off a firestorm by defending Gates; but despite the righteous words, Obama may have hurt Gates with his words.

• Big media reax to POTUS presser here, here, here and here.
• Video highlights, with commentary, at HuffPo.
• Cambridge police “acted stupidly.”
• More shocking revelations in the health care debate.
• Outrageous.

They’re so fly…and other passe phrases.

A new video from Fatoumata Diawara, and and oldie from Bob.