You seem to be suffering from amnesia. Don’t you remember that for YEARS after the 2000 election, Al Gore was asked his opinion about every issue of the day and how he would have handled it differently? Oh, wait… that wasn’t in this universe, was it?

This is unprecedented. Even during the last Democratic administration, the Sunday shows didn’t feature Bush Sr. or Bob Dole giving us their take on every issue. I’m not a fan of Obama but this smacks of racism. “Eek! Look at what the black man is doing! We need to get a white guy’s opinion on this”!

Good morning, pups. It’s Brooks and Nocera today. Bobo is being a bit of a scold this morning. In “A Choice, Not a Whine” he snaps that opponents of Obama’s health care law should stop venting about John Roberts and instead provide a credible alternative. He then trots out a series of GOP talking points. In other words, typical Bobo. Mr. Nocera, in “Filling the Skills Gap,” says a high school diploma is no longer enough in today’s economy, so community colleges need to step up.

Here they are.

The coffee and tea are ready, the cold drinks are in the fridge, and I’ve got apple cranberry muffins this morning. For some reason I didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m a bit tired and cranky. I’d better keep my office door shut today… Have a great day.

I sure don’t understand why McBush is so popular with the media. The last time I saw him on TV, he made me think of senility.

I think part of this might be the Dems fault, they have seemed hesitant to speak out on anything and those that do speak out seem to do little about whatever they’re speaking. They’re either afraid to support Obama because of reelection concerns or thye know Obama is full of it and are dutifully keeping their mouths shut.

Boxturtle (The GOP has held Holder in contempt. That’s more than the Dems ever did to Gonzo)

Oddly, I had the same impression. Like they were looking for a white perspective.

Boxturtle (I wonder why the GOPers don’t use Condi against Obama more often)

a high school diploma is no longer enough in today’s economy, so community colleges need to step up

The community college in my are is EAGER to step up, however the GOPer in the statehouse keeps cutting their resources. They can’t do it with nothing.

Boxturtle (FWIW, the McD’s in town do not require a bachlors degree)

I think part of this might be the Dems fault, they have seemed hesitant to speak out on anything and those that do speak out seem to do little about whatever they’re speaking.

That is a fair point. The Dems seem like they are so afraid of saying anything “controversial” or giving any ammunition to Republicans that they no longer have any principles outside fund raising. Hell, in the midst of more record heat and enormous wildfires, terrible storms and long term power outages, we still can’t even seriously discuss climate change seriously because the Repugs might use it during the election.

I wouldn’t say “oddly”. Just means that you’re perceptive. The same can be said of birtherism. Would a white Democrat from Hawai’i have faced that particular accusation and would it have gained such traction in the msm? I don’t believe s/he would have or that if so, it would have been anything but dismissed by our intrepid press corps.

There’s a clean coal commercial running in my area. It’s key point is that people who get electricity from coal pay less than for any other source. Oh, that point is surrounded by daisies and environmental talk but the message is clear.

The coal companies have finally figured out the easy to beat global warming issues is to make it clear that coal is cheapest and that doing anything will raise your utility bill.

Boxturtle (besides, those wildfires were clearly caused by overregulation and high taxes anyway)

Will Rogers said something to the effect that he wasn’t a member of any organized party, he was a Democrat. In a 21st century, anemic, two party system, you are going to have the authoritarian seeking lemmings that watch the news, and then everyone else who are busy out doing stuff. Now Gregory is no Tim Russert, but he starts at the depleted journalistic standard that Russert descended to as he embraced and helped define the beltway media mindset. That’s one thing, but the love affair with McCain is a mystery in my mind, particularly after the Keating-5 crap in the eighties. No one else survived that, nor should they if the story was properly reported. I remember a RollingStone article in the 2008 (Tim Dickinson, Make Believe Maverick) run that did a pretty serious dive into McCain’s petulant little, admiral son’s history, and it was disgusting.

I think that was just the issus the GOPers decides to flog Obama with, given that their other issues (Rev. Wright, etc) hadn’t really gained traction. I think if they hadn’t had the birther issue, they’d have flogged something else.

If Hilary had been elected, you have seen Fox, Rush and Trump dive eagerly into her finances. And Bill’s fooling around.

Boxturtle (The GOPers work with what the Dems give them)

This is not surprising because the Republicans actually represent the Oligarchy, the Democrats are there by the grace of the overlords. The Dems don’t stir things up much because they know their place. BO is a perfect reflection of the crystalized fascism that now pervades our society. Don’t pity the poor Dems, they get what they covet most, contributions and a golden parachute after their “service” is complete.

Good morning.

Final episode of Assange program is playing on RT-tv. Interview with Anwar Ibrahim.

Ooops. Forgot link.

Yes, and don’t forget when those great

clean coal? no such thing

ads were running, the counter from the coal industry was clips of Obama talking about clean coal . . . as usual, no one to vote for on this . . .

“…and instead provide a credible alternative.”

Here you go….

1) Legislate the mandate unconstitutional, now deemed a tax because, use of a punitive financial penalty to coerce Americans into contracts with corporations is servitude

2) Amend the act to tax and fund ACA with a .0003% tax on every Wall Street transaction.

3) Revoke tax exempt status of every not for profit, public charity, like BCBS, Kaiser, et als and use tax code to control corporate behavior. A legitimate use of the ICC!!!

4) Revoke tax exempt status of every provider and use tax code to control via incentives and disincentives. A legitimate use of the ICC!!!

5) Cogent energy / transportation policy so Americans don’t continue to waste a billion plus dollars a day driving to work and back and decimating commerce and trade, life and liberty! End America’s servitude to energy corporations

6) Adopt Jefferson’s and Madison’s original 11th Amendment and put the monopoly seeking corporate entities back in their rightful place. Subordinate to men! Not men enslaved to corporate.

Put all that in your peace pipes and puff it this fourth of July. Then understand why it is all necessary! Protect the republic. Protect Americans. Control corporations hence politicians. I know Jefferson smiles at this post. I know corporate dirt-bags (bordering on fascism) shake at the thought, being the cold hypothermia creeps we have come to know! For those responsible corporate leaders, thank you, and please speak up it is a matter of duty……

Enjoy the 4th America. Get ready to rumble.

The fact that these styleless, soulless mofos like to hang with McCain says it all for them. But the fact that we obsess about it. . . possibly still lamer. We DON’T NEED these shitbirds, folks. We got our own world to make.

The revolution is not being televised. If there’s nothing to write about today, it’s no longer a question of filling column inches.

“We got our own world to make.”

That is exactly what America’s founders said to a King and his corrupt cadre of corporate assholes. Now America needs to remind our “enthroned corporate fascists” that the founders provided remedies for the “tyranny” they seek to impose on America, all in the name of greed, profit and power? The King found out Americans are unrelenting tough bastards. As did the Nazis bastards…

It’s partly racism and sexism. Nancy Pelosi was downplayed even when she was Speaker, and ever since Oompa-Loompa Don Draper succeeded her it’s like she died or something.

But it’s mostly corporatism. The corporate interests that run the big media outlets favor the GOP and always have.

I agree. Perhaps add in the handful of Dem Reps & Sens who are demurring away from the Convention. “Too busy” isn’t a reason, so that adds to a credibility problem. It means “too busy to think up a better reason to stay home.”

I think the Dem absentees really need to reconsider, bite the bullet, and go.

When we complained about similar media-coverage statistics, particularly the Sunday shows, during the time the GOP had a Senate majority, we were told “well, the GOP is in the majority, they make the policy, that’s who we cover, DFHs!” Then when control switched in 2006 but the coverage remained as lopsided and we complained, we were told, “It’s important to hear the minority views!”

I think by now the media has just stopped answering the question.

And as for Ace Gluehorse, I think it comes down to Jane Hamsher’s recipe for spots on cable news gasbag shows: McCain lives alone in DC, and is probably available and brings his own makeup crew. He’s happy to be called at the last-minute, doesn’t mind substituting when actual newsmakers go missing (because they are actually making, you know, news) and probably doesn’t attend church on Sunday. As Jane pointed out, making cable producers’ life easy is the best way to get on their shows: be prompt, understand their systems, wait patiently, smile, be polite. I’m sure McCain mastered that all a long time ago.

In other words, the Sunday shows love the one they are with. Why bother breaking in a new trick pony when the Gluehorse you have on speed dial knows all the tricks?