CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE

Criminal negligence – or just plain criminal?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/play-money-by-dday-from-boston-globe.html
[Dday] From the Boston Globe, a terrifying report about how the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the agency that insures retirement funds, decided to play in the stock market at precisely the wrong time . . .

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/big_trouble_2.php

And over at AIG

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the_feds_are_closing_in_2.php
The Feds are closing in on a criminal fraud case against Joseph Cassano, reports ABC News . . .

Must see tv: Inside Guantanamo

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/4085/Overview?source=banner_msngc_102

Torture tape update

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/29/cheney-lies-obstruction-of-justice-torture-tape-destruction/
Cheney Lies, Obstruction Of Justice & Torture Tape Destruction . . . [read on]

World War III

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/30/cornyn_says_coleman_challenge_could_take_years.html
Cornyn Says Coleman Challenge Could Take Years
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is threatening "World War III" if Democrats try to seat Al Franken (D) in the Senate before Norm Coleman (R) can pursue his case through the federal courts, Politico reports. . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/minnesota-analyst-cornyns-threat-of-years-without-senator-could-backfire-on-state-gop.php
Minnesota Analyst: Cornyn's Threat Of "Years" Without Senator Could Backfire On State GOP . . .

Obama’s problem with centrist Dems

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/30/chait_senate/index.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017522.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017525.php

Making Sarah Palin the new Rush Limbaugh

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republican-party/dem-strategists-sarah-palin-is-the-new-rush-limbaugh/

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/30/164247/618

Meanwhile, keeping the heat on the old Rush Limbaugh

http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200903300026
"Based on what we've seen with General Motors and the banks, if he fails, America is saved. Barack Obama's policies and their failure is the only hope we've got to maintain the America of our founding."

The billboard: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/dnc-rolls-out-anti-limbaugh-billboard.php

Picking a fight with Bill O’Reilly? http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/rush-no-comment-on-oreillys-desire-for-obama-to-succeed/

How they do “news” over at Fox

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/30/714669/-Catching-Fox-in-the-act

Interesting how we hear a lot more about Paul Krugman’s criticisms now that a Democrat is in the White House

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/shrill-one.html

Bonus item: Michael Steele, comedy genius (unintentionally)

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/30/more_steele.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:53 AM

 
YOU CAN’T DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE

Once a Dick, always a Dick

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/04/06/090406fa_fact_hersh
[Seymour Hersh] American and foreign government officials, intelligence officers, diplomats, and politicians said in interviews that renewed Israeli-Syrian negotiations over the Golan Heights are now highly likely, despite Gaza and the elections in Israel in February, which left the Likud Party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the head of a coalition that includes both the far right and Labor. Those talks would depend largely on America’s willingness to act as the mediator, a role that could offer Barack Obama his first—and perhaps best—chance for engagement in the Middle East peace process. . . .

The Obama transition team also helped persuade Israel to end the bombing of Gaza and to withdraw its ground troops before the Inauguration. According to the former senior intelligence official, who has access to sensitive information, “Cheney began getting messages from the Israelis about pressure from Obama” when he was President-elect. Cheney, who worked closely with the Israeli leadership in the lead-up to the Gaza war, portrayed Obama to the Israelis as a “pro-Palestinian,” who would not support their efforts (and, in private, disparaged Obama, referring to him at one point as someone who would “never make it in the major leagues”).

Michael Steele (RNC) abandons “bipartisanship” he was never committed to in the first place

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/29/steele_done_with_bipartisanship.html

Mitch McConnell (R-KY) cries crocodile tears

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/french-dread-by-digby-boo-hoo-i-must.html
“I must say I'm disappointed,” Senate Minority Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “After two months, the president has not governed in the middle as I had hoped he would. But it's not too late. He's only been in office a couple of months. Still before him are the opportunities to deal with us on a truly bipartisan basis” . . .

Glenn Beck

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/business/media/30beck.html

Rush Limbaugh

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/beavis-and-butthead-republicans-by.html

When will people accept the obvious: Sarah Palin is a lightweight, raised by circumstance far beyond her abilities and accomplishments?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20603.html
A seemingly unending series of public relations gaffes has Sarah Palin loyalists frustrated and worried she is diminishing her stature. And they blame an inner circle they say is composed of not-ready-for-primetime players. . . .

Bonus item: Good question

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/just_a_thought_8.php
[Josh Marshal] Why is [GM CEO] Rick Wagoner getting the boot while the management of the big banks remains in place? . . .

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:34 AM

 
ACCOUNTABILITY TIME

Ticking time bomb, my ass

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/28/AR2009032802066.html
When CIA officials subjected their first high-value captive, Abu Zubaida, to waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods, they were convinced that they had in their custody an al-Qaeda leader who knew details of operations yet to be unleashed, and they were facing increasing pressure from the White House to get those secrets out of him.

The methods succeeded in breaking him, and the stories he told of al-Qaeda terrorism plots sent CIA officers around the globe chasing leads.

In the end, though, not a single significant plot was foiled as a result of Abu Zubaida's tortured confessions . . .

It appears that the CIA is going to have to give up documents relevant to the torture tapes they destroyed – like, who saw them

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/28/the-torture-tape-library-installment-51/

The truth will out

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/28/714113/-Torture-Investigations-to-BeginIn-the-UK-and-Spain
Torture Investigations to Begin--In the UK and Spain . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/can-of-war-crimes-by-digby-dday-is.html

World reactions to Obama’s Afghanistan plan

http://www.juancole.com/2009/03/world-reactions-to-obama-plan-for.html

More: http://washingtonindependent.com/36143/obama-strategy-deepens-us-committment-to-afghanistan-pakistan

Today’s must read: how we got into our economic mess (thanks to Elaine N. for the link)

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200905/imf-advice

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/if-you-read-one-article-about-financial.html

Paul Krugman: the anti-Obama?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20592.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/vision-thing-by-digby-krugman-does.html

Fred Barnes: Obama MUST be stopped!

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/336gisqv.asp

The neo-con “Project for the New American Century,” as responsible as anyone for getting us into the Iraq mess, and now totally discredited, has re-invented itself under a new name

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/theyre-baaack.html

The future of the Supreme Court

http://www.slate.com/id/2214735

I hate the Democrats sometimes – now they’re pretending that Chief Justice Roberts “tricked” them into thinking he was more moderate than he was. Anybody who thought that at the time was either a fool or kidding themselves. In fact, he should have been rejected as soon as WH operatives stole a file containing his early reports on Affirmative Action from the Reagan Library. You just don’t let shenanigans like that go unpunished

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017487.php

The missing files: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1147251932822

http://www.slate.com/id/2141672/entry/2141666/

Playing hard ball on judges

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017481.php
[Steve Benen] The non-partisan Congressional Research Service reported last year that historically, when a president is of one party and both of a state's senators are of a different party, "the primary role in recommending candidates for district court judgeships is assumed by officials in the state who are of the President's party." . . .

Yesterday, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) denounced this and described it as wholly unacceptable. And what kind of process does Cornyn prefer? . . . .

Looks like Minnesota will seat Franken as soon as state court appeals are settled – even if Coleman takes it all the way to the Supreme Court. Plus more

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/27/franken-coleman-update-032709-kazeminy-rears-his-head-and-comes-into-norms-airspace/

The dosey-do between the DC press corps and the WH spokesperson is always fun to watch

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017490.php

UPS pulls its ads from Bill O’Reilly’s show

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/breaking-ups-stops-advertising-on.html

Outing an anonymous blogger

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12537
[Paul Rosenberg] Alaska's top anonymous blogger, AKMuckraker. aka "Mudflats", had her identity exposed by an abusive elected official, State Representative Mike Doogan, who apparently took offense at a critical diary, and then spent several months trying to discover who she was. . . .

[NB: A Democrat, by the way]

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/29/714233/-Sunday-TalkThe-Redcoats-Are-Coming
NBC Meet the Press: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner; Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

CBS Face the Nation: President of the United States Barack Obama.

ABC This Week: Timothy Geithner; Roundtable: Paul Krugman (The New York Times), George Will (ABC News), Cokie Roberts (ABC News), and GOP Strategist Matthew Dowd.

CNN State of the Union: CENTCOM Commander Gen. David Petraeus; Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke; Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND); Rep. John Spratt (D-SC); Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY); Reliable Sources: Chip Reid (CBS News); Ann Compton (ABC News Radio); Kevin Chappell (Ebony Magazine); Attorney Gloria Allred; Ray Richmond (The Hollywood Reporter).

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:20 AM

 
WAR AND REVOLUTION

Obama’s plan for Afghanistan and Pakistan – a range of responses

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/27/obama_afghanistan/index.html

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/27/afghanistan_reax/index.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/democrats-sigh-with-relief-finally-a-plan-for-afghanistan-pakistan.php

http://www.slate.com/id/2214726

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/03/27/ma-nishtanah-ha-lilahazeh/

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/03/27/van-full-of-pakistans/

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/benchmarks-again

http://washingtonindependent.com/35998/the-new-af-pak-strategy

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/obama_administration_goals_in_afghanistan.php

The full speech: http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12515

Harry Reid (D-NV) tells the left, “Back off”

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017478.php

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/27/reid/index.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/reid-to-grassroots-youre-not-helping.php

The GOP, still rerunning the campaigns of the past, invokes 9-11 (again)

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/27/murphy_ad/index.html

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/house-republicans/gop-candidate-on-nrsc-bin-laden-attack-ad-not-my-problem/

And “Joe the Plumber,” of course

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/joe-the-plumber-to-campaign-with-specters-conservative-challenger/

Michele Bachmann (R-MN), decries “Marxism,” calls for revolution

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/bachmann-blasts-obamas-economic-marxism-calls-for-revolution-to-save-freedom.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/bachmann-hearkens-to-american-revolution-calls-on-people-to-rise-up.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/27/153711/215

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/27/713824/-Bachmann-Denies-Being-A-Kook

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/bachmann_and_beck_double_down_on_currency_conspiracy_theory.php

Reactions: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/sabato-bachmann-needs-to-take-a-deep-breath-and-maybe-a-tranquilizer-too.php
Sabato: Bachmann "Needs To Take A Deep Breath, And Maybe A Tranquilizer, Too" . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/dnc-spokesman-bachmanns-rants-discredit-her-more-than-i-could.php
[DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan] "I think I'll pass. Michele Bachmann's rants serve to discredit her more than anything I could say."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/minnesota-dem-chairman-the-revolution-already-happened----bachmann-lost.php
[Minnesota DFL Party chairman Brian Melendez] “The revolution already happened. The old way of doing business -- her way of doing business -- lost.”

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017477.php
[Steve Benen] Bachmann simply isn't well. . . . [read on]

What it costs to have Al Franken’s victory in Minnesota tied up in the courts

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the-importance-of-being-franken.php

The Senate trial they SHOULD be having in Minnesota

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/deposition-businessman-ordered-money-funneled-to-norm-coleman.php
According to the original report, businessman Nasser Kazeminy, a longtime Coleman friend, arranged for money to be paid to Norm Coleman's wife, for no work done, as a way of funneling money to Coleman himself. . . . [read on]

Fox News does real journalism, FOIA’s TARP emails

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the_tarp_email_trail_aig_and_citi_execs_clueless_a.php

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:36 AM

 
PRAY

Real economists analyze the Geithner plan (thanks to Shane S. for the links) – no, I still don’t know what to think after reading them

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/03/25/2009-03-25_give_credit_to_timothy_geithners_new_tox.html

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1bdc2a28-1890-11de-bec8-0000779fd2ac.html

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/big-banks-big-banking-industry

Here comes the Obama financial re-regulation plan

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/regulation-redux

http://business.theage.com.au/business/us-to-plug-gaps-in-financial-regulation-20090325-9al5.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE52P0VH20090326

What’s coming down the road with Afghanistan and Pakistan?

http://washingtonindependent.com/35829/eikenberrys-priorities-for-afghanistan

http://washingtonindependent.com/35836/eikenberry-on-the-insurgency-sounds-like-a-coindinista

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/afghanistan_counterinsurgency_as_counterrorism.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/27/11919/3433

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/the_governance_problem_in_pakistan.php

How did Obama’s online town hall meeting go?

http://www.slate.com/id/2214236
Obama's gimmicky online chat session actually worked. . . .

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/26/townhall/index.html
It took until 2009, but the Internet just got a little more legitimate. . . .

More: http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/assessing_the_obama_online_town_hall_meeting.php

Is Obama “triangulating” himself vis a vis progressive groups? (It’s useful for him politically to be criticized from the left.)

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/congressional-progressives-still-waiting-for-their-turn-at-the-white-house.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/will-the-grassroots-be-happy-with-budget-tweaks.php

You really couldn’t get a better example of empty “moderation” and “bipartisanship” for its own sake

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12492
[Evan Bayh, D-IN] "Our group seeks to work collaboratively with the Obama administration and Senate leadership to make sure legislation is crafted in a practical way that will solve people's problems . . .

We are not ideologues. We are pragmatic. We are not strident partisans. We care about our country more than our party . . .

We literally have no agenda," Bayh shot back. "How can they be threatened by a group that has taken no policy positions?"

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/26/713160/-Leave-Evan-Bayh-Alone

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/because-kicking-around-joe-lieberman.html

The GOP’s “alternative budget” – what you come up with when you don’t have to pass anything, commit to anything, or actually DO anything

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/house-gop-unveils-its-budget-shiny-packet-of-goals.php

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/mar/26/republicans-alternative-budget

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/26/gop_budget/index.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/26/gop-budget-proposal-massi_n_179598.html

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/what-do-you-call-budget-with-no-numbers.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017466.php

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20509.html

“Where’s the beef?” http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/so_few_details_so_much_disappointment.php

Why their little ploy failed miserably

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/26/203854/985

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/it-does-not-have-in-sense-of.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/26/gop-budget-plan-fizzles-a_n_179660.html

Snark: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017468.php

Jonathan Singer is right: you don’t want an RNC head who is running for President – especially when he is the ONLY person floating such ridiculous speculation. (Well actually, WE DO want an RNC head like that, since it only breeds chaos and strife.)

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/26/104914/238

The sharks are eating each other

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/santorum-rips-on-specter-in-new-op-ed.php

John McCain (R-AZ), still a big phony

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/did-mccain-just-flip-flop-on-aig-and-tweet-flop-on-its-bonuses.php

Michele Bachmann (R-MN), still crazy

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/26/yeah-shes-a-keeper-like-a-5-pound-walleye/

Sarah Palin (R-AK), still whining

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/26/palin-unplugged-in-speech-to-alaska-gop-dinner/
Reflecting on the campaign, Palin said there were "a variety of reasons" Republicans lost in November, namely the faltering economy, but she seemed to place most of the blame on the press.

"Some in the media actually participated in not so much the 'who-what-where-when-why' objective reporting on candidates and positions, those five W's that I learned when I had a journalism degree so many years ago in college, when the world of journalism was quite different than it is today," she said.

"No, things have changed," she continued. "But complaining? Or whining? Absolutely not. But I am going to call it like I see it. It doesn't do any good to whine about any of this. But I can call it like I see it. Sometimes it gets me in a lot of trouble when I speak candidly, and I speak from the heart and I do such a thing. But I am going to."

"And there was that media slant this go round," she said. "And unless things change, the GOP had really better can stand together, 'cause we got that on the battlefield also. I call it like I see it and like I lived it on the campaign trail. Not complaining, but dealing with reality." . . .

[NB: OK, just so you aren’t complaining . . . or whining. . . .]

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/26/sarah-palin-continues-to-champion-personal-responsibility-by-constantly-blaming-other-people-for-her-failures/

Bonus item: More Sarah Palin, settling scores – says she couldn’t find anyone to pray with in the McCain campaign

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/26/palin_mccain/index.html

Watch: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/report-mccain-2008-staffers-angered-by-palins-prayer-remarks.php

More trouble: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/26/713477/-More-Republican-Infighting,-Alaska-Style

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 5:25 AM

 
KEEP TALKING

Michael Steele, having laid low for a few days, now apparently thinks it’s safe to start talking again. Keep talking, Mike

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/25/steele/index.html
[Alex Koppelman] Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is back to giving media interviews -- and reminding everyone of why he stopped doing them in the first place.

Talking with CNN's Don Lemon, Steele addressed some of the trouble he's had during his tenure at the RNC, saying, "If I do something, there's a reason for it. Even, it may look like a mistake, a gaffe -- there is a rationale, there's a logic behind it."

Naturally, this prompted Lemon to ask Steele about the most well-known example of one of Steele's gaffes, his criticism of Rush Limbaugh. That, too, was planned, according to the RNC chair, who responded, "I want to see what the landscape looks like, I want to see who yells the loudest, I want to know who says they're with me but really isn't." . . . [watch]

On whether he wants to run for President: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/25/bonus_quote_of_the_day.html
"God has a way of revealing stuff to you, and making it real for you, through others. And if that's part of the plan, it'll be the plan... If I run it'll be because that's where God wants me to be at that time."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-on-rush-flap-its-all-strategic.php
Michael Steele just doesn't know how to stop. . . .

What genius thought it was a good thing for the Republicans to get into an argument with one another about whether they want Obama to fail, or not? Oh, right, that fat genius sitting at his radio microphone in Florida . . .

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/25/jindal.defense.obama/

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/25/jindal/index.html
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal . . . . brought up, unbidden, a question that's been addressed to many Republicans after Rush Limbaugh answered it in the affirmative: Does he want the president to fail? Jindal's response to the question -- which he termed -- "the latest 'gotcha' game" -- was a qualified sort of "maybe." . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/dnc-jindal-has-turned-to-limbaugh-as-his-new-speechwriter.php
[DNC] "We understand that Governor Jindal has had some problems with public speaking lately, but turning to Rush Limbaugh to be your new speechwriter doesn't help. What we know has failed is the reflexive partisan politics of the past that Rush Limbaugh and his Republican party continue to be mired in. Rather than rooting for failure, we urge the Republican party to play a constructive role in moving the country forward and offer a budget proposal” . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/25/712944/-Bobby-Deep-Thoughts-Jindal-Asserts-He-Is-Not-A-Traitor

http://washingtonindependent.com/35648/jindal-on-failure

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017442.php

Keep arguing!

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/25/the-creature-from-the-black-lagoon-wants-obama-to-fail/
Count former GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson among the growing chorus of prominent Republicans who want President Obama's policies to fail. . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/35756/gregg-if-the-president-fails-the-country-fails
[Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H)] I really don’t want the president to fail. If the president fails, the country fails. . .

The trials of moderation in today’s GOP. Arlen Specter (R-PA), in the tank against a conservative primary opponent, decides he has to tack rightward to have a chance. So he drops his support for the Employee Free Choice Act. It won't help him with the right, and now he’ll lose labor support, and the election, because of it

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/why_arlen_sold_out_the_unions.php

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/specters-defection-on-efca-fails-to-win-over-right-wing/

Hmmm. . . . the WH says it doesn’t mind? http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12466

Keep trying, boys: the GOP wants us to think that the economic collapse is all the Democrats’ fault

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/where_do_they_get_these_guys.php

Steny Hoyer (D-MD) calls out GOP hypocrisy

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/hoyer-adds-fuel-to-the-budget-fire.php

You’ve read that moderate Dems are taking a meat cleaver to Obama’s budget bill. Here’s what’s really going on

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/white-house-congress-budget-blueprints-arent-setback.php

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/the_great_big_budget_blowup_isnt.php

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/while-nation-is-in-crisis-conservative.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/moderates-for-moderation-behaving.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017440.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/will-republicans-go-nookyoular-over.php

The statute of limitations is running out on Bush/Cheney crimes

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/25/declining-justice-doj-lets-statute-run-on-bush-criminality/

I like this: How often did the Bush gang use the “nobody could have predicted” excuse? (lots)

http://www.perrspectives.com/blog/archives/001357.htm

Obama is using the nontraditional media – and my how the mainstream press establishment whines about it

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=35A4B40B-18FE-70B2-A8270A160EE6690A
At a time when his Washington honeymoon is turning into a hazing, President Barack Obama and his team are launched on a strategy to sail above the traditional White House press corps by reaching out to liberal commentators, local reporters and ethnic media. . . .

More: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/25/enervating/

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/25/10569/4409

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/here-we-are-now-entertain-us-by-dday.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/25/712745/-The-Buzz-From-The-Press-Conference

On the other hand, at least we don’t live in Iran

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/25/25442/7618
Iran Considers A Death Penalty for 'Offensive' Bloggers . . .

Bonus item: Grumpy old man

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/25/712892/-KY-Sen:-Bunning-Still-Wants-You-Off-His-Lawn

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:31 AM

 
FULL COURT PRESS

A few quick takes on Obama’s press conference

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/the_presser_persistence.php
Here are some quick thoughts on President Obama's press conference . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017434.php
First, everyone who asked a question had the chance to ask a follow-up. I don't have the heart to go back and look at Bush's old press conferences, but I don't remember his allowing reporters to ask follow-up questions; in fact, if I recall correctly, he sometimes got annoyed when people tried. This matters, of course, since while a President can just refuse to answer a question twice, it's a lot more obvious when he does so. Allowing follow-up questions makes it harder for a President to be flatly unresponsive, and this is a very good thing. . . .

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/24/obamas_press_conference.html
Obama skipped over the nation's top newspapers. Indeed, there were no questions from the NY Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal or USA Today."

From the beginning, the questions were tough and required thoughtful answers. . . .

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/karl-rove-and-bill-bennett-both-say.html
Karl Rove and Bill Bennett both say the media were tough on Obama tonight . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/out-chuck-todd-chuck-todd-by-dday-we.html
We have a pretty terrible media. The press conference featured question after question of irrelevant, puerile, ill-formed half-thoughts . . .

More: http://www.samefacts.com/archives/_/2009/03/network_reportial_ignorance_presidential_press_conference_edition.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/25/712609/-Your-Abbreviated-Pundit-Round-up-

Obama’s choices in Afghanistan

http://www.slate.com/id/2214515

http://washingtonindependent.com/35462/center-for-american-progress-releases-security-plan-for-afghanistan

http://www.juancole.com/2009/03/us-may-undermine-karzai-with-pm-8.html

Too many ideas?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/24/712550/-GOP-overwhelmed
[Kos] So today we've seen Republicans try out their new line of attack: that Obama is throwing out "too many ideas" on the economy, with little cohesion. A DNC spokesman fires back: “I guess when you have no new ideas, anything more than zero must seem overwhelming.”

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/obama-to-judd-gregg-zing.php

Why can’t the governors spend stimulus money any way that they want?

http://www.slate.com/id/2214508

Norm Coleman calls the unresolved Minnesota election situation “surreal,” as if he’s had nothing to do with it

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/24/coleman_considering_federal_appeal.html
Coleman Considering Federal Appeal . . .

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/minnesota-senate-mess-could-get-new-influx-of-money----and-appeals.php

Arlen Specter (R-PA) – aka “Mr. 60” – was supporting the Employee Free Choice Act. Then the right wing got to him

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/specter_now_against_efca.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/35521/specter-bows-to-conservative-pressure-on-union-bill

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017428.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/24/712496/-It-Appears-Arlen-Specter-Doesnt-Want-to-Get-Reelected

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/specters-defection-from-efca-upends-labors-strategy-gives-foes-new-weapon/

Unions react: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/seiu-and-change-to-win-react-to-specter.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/afl-cio-on-specters-no-vote-a-rebuke-to-working-people.php

Michele Bachmann (R-MN): my incendiary comments were “just metaphorical”

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/bachmann-spokesman-her-remarks-about-revolution-were-metaphorical.php
[Eric Kleefeld] Now this is reassuring. A spokesman for Michele Bachmann told the Star Tribune that the Congresswoman was speaking metaphorically when she said she wanted people to be armed and dangerous" on the issue of energy taxes. . . .

[NB: And when she called Obama “foreign,” “nefarious,” and an “enemy,” was that metaphorical too?]

More idiocy from Bachmann: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/beholdthe-bachmann-effect.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017431.php

Ron Fournier still using the Associated Press to recycle tired old GOP talking points

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/25/1149/15137

I’m up in Canada at the moment, and wouldn’t you know that Fox News manages to offend the folks up here too

http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=18994

Bonus item: Bill O’Reilly, buffoon

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/24/qotn/index.html

Extra bonus item: The ubiquitous Mr. Cheney

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017419.php
[Jon Stewart] "I don't understand this. [Dick Cheney] is vice president for eight years, you barely see a whiff of him. He lives in some subterranean lair, literally has his house removed from Google Earth. Then, when he's no longer accountable to the American people, he's popping up everywhere. I can't get him off my TV. . . .” [read on]

Triple bonus: How to get a tv gig

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/24/how-to-get-a-regular-gig-on-cable-news/
[Attaturk] Are you African-American, under 40, and moderately attractive? Then Cable News Talking Republican Meat-Puppet may just be the job for you! . . .

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:40 AM

 
REMEMBER

A kind of justice

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/23/712057/-More-Torture-Memos-Coming:-Can-It-Get-Even-Uglier
[Newsweek] Over objections from the U.S. intelligence community, the White House is moving to declassify—and publicly release—three internal memos that will lay out, for the first time, details of the "enhanced" interrogation techniques approved by the Bush administration for use against "high value" Qaeda detainees. The memos, written by Justice Department lawyers in May 2005, provide the legal rationale for waterboarding, head slapping and other rough tactics used by the CIA. One senior Obama official, who like others interviewed for this story requested anonymity because of the issue's sensitivity, said the memos were "ugly" . . . [read on]

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/exposing-torture

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/report_more_olc_torture_memos_to_come.php

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/03/23/it-was-against-the-law/
[Spencer Ackerman] President Obama just announced that Harold Hongju Koh, the head of Yale Law School and a human-rights official in the Clinton administration, will be the legal adviser to the State Department. That's big news as the administration proceeds with its review of interrogations, detentions and renditions policy. Koh, recall, dramatically testified at Alberto Gonzales' confirmation hearing to become attorney general in 2005, calling the infamous August 2002 Office of Legal Counsel memo authorizing torture "perhaps the most clearly erroneous legal opinion that I have ever read" and a "stain on our national reputation." With Koh advising the State Department, expect a great deal of emphasis on international human rights law. It'll be especially interesting to see what he says about the legality of rendition in particular, and, relatedly, on the repatriation of detainees to countries where they're likely to be abused . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/35352/ex-cia-official-joins-senate-foreign-relations-committee-staff
[Spencer Ackerman] According to knowledgeable sources, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has hired John Kiriakou, the former CIA official who assisted with the 2002 capture of al-Qaeda detainee Abu Zubaydah and who said the detainee was tortured, as an investigator. . . .

Iran/Contra and Cheney’s assassination squads

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/23/cheneys-assassination-squads-and-iran-contra-and-findings/

GOP asks Cheney: please, please go away

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/go-back-into-hiding-gop-begs-dick-cheney-2009-03-23_2.html

Remember when Bobby Jindal (R-LA), ridiculed the waste of spending for “volcano monitoring”?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/jindals_mockery_of_volcano_monitoring_money_only_lo.php
[Zachary Roth] Remember how, during his big prime-time speech last month, Lousiana's Republican governor Bobby Jindal, in addition to making stuff up about what he did during Hurricane Katrina, also found time to mock the Obama administration for "wasteful spending" in the stimulus bill, including "$140 million for something called 'volcano monitoring'"? . . .

As a slew of observers -- from local officials to geologists to bloggers to Paul Krugman ("the intellectual incoherence is stunning") -- pointed out at the time, volcano monitoring is crucial work. . . .

Why is Jindal's line looking even worse now? Because, as you've likely heard, Alaska's Mount Redoubt, 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, erupted last night. . . . [read on]

Remember when Sarah Palin (R-AK) made this promise to disabled kids?

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Palin_Promises_to_Be_A_Friend_An_Advocate_of_Families_with_Disabled_Kids_23829.html
[Sept. 3, 2008] “I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House,” Palin said. . . .

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/stimulus-package/palin-who-whacked-obamas-special-olympics-crack-turned-down-nearly-40-million-in-special-ed-funds/
[March 23, 2009] Palin turned down nearly $40 million in Federal funding for programs catering to special education kids. . . .

[NB: Well, she didn’t GET elected, did she?]

Remember when Barack Obama did Judd Gregg (R-NH) the honor of inviting him into his Cabinet?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/what_a_guy_1.php
[Josh Marshall] [J]ust a little while ago Gregg was on MSNBC saying the president was bankrupting the country and that Obama was taking a 'Chicago approach' to governing: "You're talking about running over the minority, putting them in cement, and throwing them in the Chicago River." . . .

Remember Michael Steele, feckless leader of the RNC?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/rnc-did-we-mention-our-new-media-director-is-a-christian.php
[Eric Kleefeld] You might get the feeling that Michael Steele is going out of his way to please the religious right -- to the point of really laying it on thick -- in the wake of his flap over abortion.

The RNC just sent out a press release announcing the appointment of former Microsoft executive Todd Herman as the RNC's new media director. This is a key part of Steele's efforts to get the Republican Party tuned in to digital media and its place in modern politics.

Now take a look at the very last sentence: "He currently lives in Washington State, where he works at his most important roles: Christian, husband and father."

Remember how crazy Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/bachmann-i-want-people-armed-and-dangerous-against-energy-tax.php
"I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax, because we need to fight back” . . .

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/23/michelle-bachmann-the-obama-administration-is-foreign-nefarious-the-enemy/
"I’m a foreign correspondent on enemy lines and I try to let everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington."

[Blue Texan] I'm starting to believe Michelle Bachmann isn't actually a real politician at all, but instead, an unusually gifted performance artist who's engaged in a brilliant post-modern parody of an insane wingnut.

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017409.php

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/23/what-if-joan-of-arc-had-a-twitter-account/

Everybody’s talking about this WSJ article: why Obama decided to make nice with Wall Street

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123785266231219605.html

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/must_read_4.php
[Josh Marshall] [O]ver the last three months Obama and his team have learned that they've got to start respecting Wall Street and the big banks if they want to get anything done. As Monica Langley describes it, the Obama team went in with a dim view of Wall Street, didn't bring the big bankers in on key policy decisions etc. But now they're realizing they have to play ball. . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017417.php
[Steve Benen] I think it's important to be really, really clear about what this article claims. Both the stress tests and the attempts to get credit flowing again are essential parts of our attempt to solve the enormous economic problems we now face, problems that these very firms are largely responsible for. If the banks are "slow-walking" the stress tests and threatening not to help get credit flowing, that just is threatening not to help get the country out of the economic crisis.

That would be an absolutely appalling thing to do under any circumstances. It would be doubly appalling since these very people bear a lot of responsibility for that crisis. But the fact that they are making these threats not over some large issue of principle, but over their bonuses -- that's just breathtaking. . . . [read on]

Astounding. Think about reading this headline even a few months ago

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032302830.html
U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms . . .

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/another-mile-down-road
[Kevin Drum] If, several weeks ago, you had charged a task force with figuring out how to successfully nationalize a big bank, what do you think they'd say you had to do? Three things, at least: (1) you have to figure out a widely acceptable way to value the toxic assets on bank balance sheets, (2) you have to set up a fair and consistent test for evaluating bank solvency based on those values, and (3) you need to make sure you have the legal authority to take over a huge, multinational financial conglomerate in an orderly way. Is it just a coincidence that these are precisely the things Tim Geithner has set in motion over the past month? I wonder.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/next_time.php

I certainly can’t tell you whether Geithner’s plan is going to work or not – and the analyses are all over the map

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/23/3449/22272

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/leverage

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/23/geithner_defense/index.html

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/overthinking.html

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/krugman-is-freaking-me-out-again.html

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/geithners_bank_plan_let_it_fail.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/kinds_of_confidence.php

Nuts and bolts: the 50 vote rule

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_fifty_vote_senate
Could an obscure Senate rule free Barack Obama from the filibuster and enable health-care reform? . . .

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/minority_rules.php

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/byrd-rule

Man, they are really stretching to try to create some air of controversy around Obama

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017402.php
[60 Minutes] "Kroft to Obama: Are you punch-drunk?"

"You're sitting here. And you're -- you are laughing. You are laughing about some of these problems. Are people going to look at this and say, 'I mean, he's sitting there just making jokes about money--' How do you deal with-- I mean: explain..." Kroft asked at one point.

"Are you punch-drunk?" Kroft said.

"No, no. There's gotta be a little gallows humor to get you through the day," Obama said, with a laugh. . . [read on]

The wingnuts react: http://washingtonindependent.com/35321/punch-drunk-love

http://washingtonindependent.com/35233/memewatch-obama-laughs-too-much

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/aig_employees_must_decide_today.php

Because the press doesn’t have a cozy enough relationship with the halls of power

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/23/kurtz/index.html

Bonus item: What happens if they don’t approve it?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/23/115033/234
Texas Board of Education to Vote on Evolution

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 5:28 AM

 
FACTS AND FIGURES

Obama takes on Cheney

http://www.juancole.com/2009/03/obama-v-cheney-on-guantanamo.html
"The facts don't bear him out. . . ." [read on]

More: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20312.html

The AIG outrage continues to grow

http://www.slate.com/id/2214407
[Eliot Spitzer] The transfer of $12.9 billion from AIG to Goldman looks fishier and fishier. . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/opinion/22rich.html
[Frank Rich] A charming visit with Jay Leno won’t fix it. A 90 percent tax on bankers’ bonuses won’t fix it. Firing Timothy Geithner won’t fix it. . . . .

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/21/anger/index.html
[Glenn Greenwald] The public rage we're finally seeing is long, long overdue, and appears to be the only force with both the ability and will to impose meaningful checks on continued kleptocratic pillaging and deep-seated corruption in virtually every branch of our establishment institutions. . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/quils-mangent-de-la-brioche-by-digby.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/22/to-bow-or-not-to-bow-to-wall-street/

Defending the Geithner plan

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/valuing-toxic-waste-0

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/eating-it

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/road-nationalization

http://drezner.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/03/18/what_do_aig_and_earmarks_have_in_common

Little conclaves of irrelevant people are staging orchestrated “tea parties” to try to generate the appearance of popular outrage over Obama’s stimulus and budget policies. They’re getting more press attention than they deserve – but they’re mad that they don’t get even more

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/22/conservative-bloggers-furious-at-media-for-absence-of-tea-parties-press-coverage/

http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2009/03/21/everybody-was-teabag-dum-pin-it-was-really-sum-thin/

Getting rid of Karzai in Afghanistan?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/22/us-afghan-plan-to-bypass-karzai

The steep increase of airstrikes into Pakistan

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/airstrikes_in_pakistan.php

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/03/predator-update

Merriam-Webster makes wingnut heads explode

http://lafiga.firedoglake.com/2009/03/21/merriam-webster-goes-with-the-times-updates-definition-of-marriage/
Merriam Webster Upsets Conservatives with Updated Definition of Marriage . . .

Bonus item: How the TV show “24” shapes public perceptions of torture and government lawlessness

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/22/711533/-Twenty-Four

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/may/28/opinion/oe-greenhill28

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 5:49 AM

 
ZOMBIE IDEAS

Tim Geithner: part of the solution, or part of the problem?

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/despair-over-financial-policy/
[Paul Krugman] The Geithner plan has now been leaked in detail. It’s exactly the plan that was widely analyzed — and found wanting — a couple of weeks ago. The zombie ideas have won. . . .

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/more-on-the-bank-plan/
[Krugman] Why was I so quick to condemn the Geithner plan? Because it’s not new; it’s just another version of an idea that keeps coming up and keeps being refuted. It’s basically a thinly disguised version of the same plan Henry Paulson announced way back in September. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017393.php

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/really-bad-ideas.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/buying-off-banksters-by-dday-my-college.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/clap-louder-by-digby-dday-gives-state.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/21/james-k-galbraith-reponds-to-geithners-toxic-asset-plan/

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/21/what-geithners-talf-plan-teaches-us/

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/financial_crises_/2009/03/another_financial_scandal_time_for_a_change_at_treasury.php

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/21/obama_defends_geithner_on_60_minutes.html

Snark

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/cunning-plan.html
[John Cole]
The Illness- reckless and irresponsible betting led to huge losses
The Diagnosis- Insufficient gambling.
The Cure- a Trillion dollar stack of chips provided by the house.
The Prognosis- We are so screwed.

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/deep-thought_21.html
[Atrios] Anyone want to lend me $300 billion so I can go hit the roulette table in Atlantic City?

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/how-gamblers-see-things.html
[George Stephanopoulos] Early read on Geithner plan from plugged in investment source asset managers he knows just won't play until sure WH can control Congress

The Republicans keep trying to find some political leverage here – but they just don’t have the credibility to do so

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/21/711415/-Still-losing

Companies try to derail Employee Free Choice Act

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/21/AR2009032101449.html

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/the_third_way_on_card_check.php

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/21/711236/-Annals-of-Hypocrisy:-The-GOP-and-the-Secret-Ballot

Of course

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/20/cia-refuses-to-turn-over-torture-tape-library/
CIA Refuses to Turn Over Torture Tape Library

Another Republican to setup a legal defense fund? I think you know her

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/21/palins_legal_bills_pile_up.html

Fox News lies

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/21/711335/-Another-inexplicable-lie-from-Fox

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/21/711428/-Fox-Business-News-responsible-for-50-drop-in-Dow

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/television/sunday_show_preview__111918.asp
NBC's Meet the Press: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA), Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and a roundtable with NBC's Tom Brokaw and CNBC's Erin Burnett

CBS' Face the Nation: White House Council of Economic Advisors' Austan Goolsbee, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Slate's John Dickerson and NYT's Jackie Calmes

ABC's This Week: Vice President Biden's Chief Economic Advisor Jared Bernstein, Sen. Ken Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Rep. Michael Pence (R-IN) and a roundtable with ABC's Donna Brazile, George Will, Betsy Stark and former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich

CNN's State of the Union: White House Council of Economic Affairs chair Christina Romer and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH)

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:57 AM

 
THEIR OWN FAULT

No, no, no. Bad on you, Barack

http://www.kansascity.com/444/story/1098375.html
In an appearance Thursday night on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," President Barack Obama made a joke about his lackluster bowling skills by saying: "It was like Special Olympics or something." . . .

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/special_olympics_bowler_obama_couldnt_beat_me.php
Kolan McConiughey, a Special Olympics bowler from Ann Arbor Michigan who has reportedly bowled three perfect 300 games, says he could take President Obama on the lanes. "He's cool, but he can't beat me," McConiughey told TMZ, saying he'd love to go to the White House and bowl against the president at the White House bowling alley. . . .

The braintrust of the Republican party is hard at work planning their reformation and comeback – oh, wait, it just looks like more of the same

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/gopers-re-name-climate-change-bill----now-its-an-energy-tax.php
GOPers Re-Name Climate Change Bill -- Now It's An 'Energy Tax'!

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/20/mccain/index.html
McCain: Obama budget a "threat to the Nation"

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/20/iran/index.html
[Glenn Greenwald] There will be no shortage of people attacking this as a Chamberlain-like capitulation to the Evil Persian Hitlers, and there will be an equally vocal group mocking it as an empty gesture from America's bloodthirsty and war-craving emperor. It's true that, ultimately, this will only be meaningful if followed up by action, but this video -- sent by Obama to Iran, and to Iranians, for Nowruz, a major national holiday, and released this morning -- is, after 30 years of nothing but threats and hateful rhetoric exchanged between the two countries, a palpably different message not only in tone but also in content.

It explicitly repudiates threats and is also deeply respectful not only of the people of Iran but also of its government. . . .

Who will be the first to scream about 1938, Czechoslovakia and Obama's umbrella? There are so many options, but only the foolish among us would bet against the award going to someone from Commentary, The Weekly Standard, or one of the AEI "scholars" . . .

That didn't take long. We now have a winner . . .

Dems still outraising the Repubs

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/20/711098/-Campaign-Committees-Report-Fundraising-Numbers

Their own fault

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/20/quote_of_the_day.html
"Republicans invented this. I don't like it but there are chickens coming home to roost."

-- Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), quoted by the Financial Times, on a parliamentary short-cut which could be employed by Democrats in passing health care reform that had been devised by Republicans to push through the Bush tax cuts.

Nothing to fear? Why is Roland Burris setting up a legal defense fund?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-burrismar20,0,1400654.story

Newt’s new-found godliness

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017382.php

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/religion/2009/03/20/newt-gingrich-steps-up-efforts-to-mobilize-religious-conservatives.html

Sarah Palin, still not ready for prime time

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017371.php

Another Republican dares to question El Rushbo, and has to beat a hasty retreat

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/20/711048/-NY-20:-Rush-Limbaugh-Is-Meaningless

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/house-gop-candidate-nothing-i-said-should-be-construed-as-criticizing-rush.php

Give it up, Norm

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/lead-coleman-lawyer-franken-will-have-bigger-lead-after-trial-then-come-appeals.php
Lead Coleman Lawyer: Franken Will Have Bigger Lead After Trial, Then Come Appeals

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/minnesota-dem-spokesman-its-refreshing-to-see-colemans-lawyer-tell-the-truth.php
Minnesota Dem Spokesman: It's Refreshing To See Coleman's Lawyer Tell The Truth

Their “news”

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/20/brit-hume-admits-fox-news-cribs-nightly-material-from-right-wing-media-research-center/
[Brit Hume, Fox News] "I want to say a word of thanks to Brent [Bozell] and to the team at the Media Research Center...not only just for this wonderfully fine award... but also for the tremendous amount of material that the Media Reseach Center provided me for so many years when I was anchoring "Special Report" -- I don't know what I would've done without them. It was a daily buffet of material to work from and we certainly made tremendous use of it."

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/20/710398/-Fixing-The-Facts-Around-Your-Agenda
[Barbara Morrill] What do you do if reality clashes with your agenda? If you're Politico's Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen, apparently you make it up. . . .

Bonus item: Ick – now I have to wash my brain out with soap

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/20/711171/-Disturbing-News-From-Wingnuttia-

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:58 AM

 
DEBACLES

Happy anniversary

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/03/19/the-anniversary-party/
[Spencer Ackerman] It's eerie and uncomfortable and inappropriate that there isn't much notice that six years ago today the U.S. invaded Iraq. . . .

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/20/well-its-an-anniversary/

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/6_years_later.php

“Why AIG matters”

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-aig-matters-by-dday-i-didnt-think.html

The Obama admin’s uncharacteristically ham-handed approach to the AIG debacle

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/bigger_than_the_both_of_us.php
[Josh Marshall] What is so damaging about this isn't the money -- which is almost trivially small compared to the many hundreds of billions we've already committed. The problem is what appears to be the president's mortifying impotence in the face of bankers and financiers who created the problem. The president speaks and acts for the federal government, which is to say, the American people, who have mobilized more than a trillion dollars and all powers of the state to repair the damage emerging out of the financial sector. And with all that, he's jacked up on a employment agreement between a company the government now owns and derivatives traders who sank the world economy and may quite likely be looking at criminal charges for their activities in the not too distant future?

Anyone can look at that and see that the equation of power and accountability is all screwed up. . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/discordant-lines-by-digby-yesterday.html
[Digby] Yesterday, Rahm Emmanuel was quoted saying that the AIG bonus scandal was a distraction and today David Axelrod says,“people are not sitting around their kitchen tables thinking about AIG, they are thinking about their own jobs.”

I don't think this is correct. . . .

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/they-are-bastards.html
[Atrios] The issue is that Timmeh and friends never distinguished between bailing out the system and bailing out the players. There was a way to do that, and they didn't do it.

More: http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=03&year=2009&base_name=evening_question#113877

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/clerks-by-digby-atrios-nails.html

The Republicans sense some kind of political opportunity, but their own internal fractures and contradictory messaging prevent them from taking advantage

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20207.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/19/710574/-Boss-Limbaugh-short-circuits-the-GOP-brain

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/19/710747/-More-Republican-Hypocrisy-

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017355.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/34742/republicans-mount-populist-campaign-against-aig

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/19/710576/-A-Republican-Explains-The-Outrage-Game-

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/19/republicans-plead-for-perspective-on-aig-bonuses/

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/19/gop/index.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017368.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017366.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/18/710357/-Boehner:-There-was-no-deregulation-of-anything

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12337

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/no_ideas_no_plan_no_nothing.php

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/economy/happy-hour-roundup-explaining-house-gop-leaderships-no-vote-on-aig/

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/bonus-bill-vote-splits-house-gop.html
Bonus bill vote splits House GOP
Passed 328 to 93. 85 Republicans voted for it, 87 against it. Cantor voted for it, Boehner against it. . . .

Who said it?

http://washingtonindependent.com/34870/the-continuing-burial-of-george-w-bush
“The blame for these bonuses rests solely with the Bush and Obama Administrations and those who march in lock step with their irresponsible policies.”

Obama speaks to Iran

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/breaking-obama-reaches-out-to-iran.html

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/obama_directly_addresses_iranian_people_leaders.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/20/23748/1472

In other news

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/19/929/23148
The best news you didn't hear about yesterday . . .

Another GOP gov with Presidential aspirations rejects stimulus money. I think you’ve heard of her

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/palin-rejecting-hundreds-of-millions-in-stimulus-cash.php

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/nothing-says-im-republican-running-for.html

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/19/palin/index.html

Following up on yesterday’s item – Greta’s conflict of interest in covering Sarah Palin

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017360.php

Oh, the things the wingers find to get worked up about

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/19/breaking-president-uses-teleprompter-wingnuts-wet-selves-in-perplexing-fit-of-hilarity/
[Thers] Conservatives think it's just so very hysterically amusing that President Obama uses a teleprompter. . . .

Bonus item: Ho ho ho

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/19/death-and-taxes/
[Raw Story] In a BookTV interview postponed from February and airing last weekend, author Ann Coulter said that she will probably stop writing books, citing increasing taxes on the rich by the Obama administration. . . .

[NB: Not her own plummeting sales numbers, of course.]

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:01 AM

 
ON THIN ICE

White collar crime

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/did_cassano_and_aig_commit_fraud.php

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/too-big-to-be-legitimate-by-dday-i.html

What you don’t know about Guantanamo

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2009/03/some_truths_abo/
[Lawrence Wilkerson] There are several dimensions to the debate over the U.S. prison facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba that the media have largely missed and, thus, of which the American people are almost completely unaware. For that matter, few within the government who were not directly involved are aware either. . . . [read on]

The end of “stop loss”

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017349.php

More: http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12564

The end of the Cuba embargo?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/18/710102/-Bipartisan-Senate-group-take-aim-at-Cuba-embargo-provisions

Our serious economic predicament

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017352.php

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2009/0903.galbraith.html

I love it when they get their hands on GOP talking points

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/new-gop-talking-points-obama-administration-is-most-politically-obsessed-white-house-in-history/
“The budget is a radical proposal that will change the character of our nation, trampling on freedom and liberty.” . . .

The President and Congress may be the same party, but their interests don’t always coincide

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/18/reconciliation/index.html
[Ben Travers] In a move that has incited some anger from both sides of the aisle, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag said Tuesday the administration is thinking about invoking a congressional rule in order to push some of President Obama's more controversial budget items through the Senate without facing a 60-vote threshold. . . .

More: http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/republicans-in-full-whine-mode-because.html

You know, Evan Bayh (D-IN) is kinda full of it

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/18/710222/-Bayh-announces-same-thing-over-and-over

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/18/223514/571

Roland Burris (D-IL) still on thin ice

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/18/burris_investigations_continue.html

Arlen Specter (R-PA) to pull a Lieberman, and run as an Independent?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/18/709921/-PA-Sen:-Specter-inches-closer-to-leaving-the-GOP

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/specter-wont-rule-out-run-as-an-independent-2009-03-17.html

Do the Republicans really think the Supreme Court will invoke Bush v. Gore, and pull another election out for them? Think again

http://www.slate.com/id/2214074
[Richard Hasen] The case is so radioactive that no justice on the Supreme Court has cited it in any opinion in the eight years since it was decided. . . .

More: http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/18/franken-coleman-update-031809-waiting/

The tale of Sarah and Greta

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/sarah-palins-scientology-link-and-greta.html

How dumb is Glenn Beck?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/it-burns-by-digby-from-dave-neiwert-now.html

Bonus item: Unintentional truths

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/heil_bush-isms.php
George W. Bush, on his yet-to-be written memoir: "I'm going to put people in my place, so when the history of this administration is written at least there's an authoritarian voice saying exactly what happened."

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 5:25 AM

 
WOOSH!

Shorty today. I am pushing a deadline – but, hey, it’s quality not quantity, right?

This is a BAD thing?

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/nbcs-chuck-todd-mocks-obama-for.html
NBC's Chuck Todd mocks Obama for relating to the lives of the American people: "This is very, shall we say, populist of the president." . . .

The kind of people they are

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/profiles_in_chutzpah.php
[David Kurtz] In our slideshow of shame, behold the senators and representatives who voted against the omnibus spending bill because it contained too many earmarks, but who made sure they tucked their own earmarks into the bill. . . .

The Republicans face stiff fundraising problems – and Michael Steel is not the person to fix them

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/17/steele_fundraising/index.html

Still shooting themselves in the foot

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/gop-leaders-claim-palin-is-keynote.html
GOP leaders claim Palin is keynote speaker at their big fundraising dinner, but Palin "did not know anything about it"

The GOP is still hoping for a deus ex suprema to pull Norm Coleman’s hopeless election appeal out of the fire

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-are-odds-by-digby.html

Bonus item: This will make you laugh all day -- Bill O’Reilly reading the dirty parts of his oh-so-trashy novel, for the audio book edition

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/17/709664/-Bill-OReilly-talks-sexy

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/17/oreilly/index.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:16 AM

 
R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Shaken by popular outrage over the AIG bonuses, Obama tries to get them canceled

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/16/obama-to-geithner-get-that-bonus-money-back/

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/us/politics/17obama.html

Ooooh, snap!

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/trash_talk.php
Gibbs on Cheney's appearance on CNN: I guess Rush wasn't available. . . . [watch]

More: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/16/cheney_gibbs/index.html

Gibbs gets called disrespectful

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/16/155822/995/632/709244

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/cbs-chip-reid-asks-gibbs-is-this-the-official-tone-toward-cheney.php

But THIS isn’t disrespectful

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/dick_is_still_dick.php

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/16/21035/2823/861/709023

Republican governor wants to reallocate stimulus finds – Obama tells him no way

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/obama-says-no-to-south-carolina.html

Red Cross: the US tortured

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/16/what-yoo-hath-wrought-the-icrc-report-on-us-torture/

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the_international_committee_for_the.php

Looks as if Michael Steele is going to stay on as head of the RNC. This is great news

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/16/steele/index.html
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele just can't seem to stop the wave of bad publicity he's gotten lately. Steele has now, rightly, pulled back from giving media interviews -- a smart strategy, considering that two of them got him in deep trouble, and convinced party faithful he wasn't spending enough time on rebuilding the RNC -- but that might not be enough to save his reputation.

The latest damaging leak about the RNC chair came in Monday's Roll Call. The paper reports that, despite a poor financial situation for the party apparatus generally, Steele is spending on redecorating his office. . . .

One of the big new adds is a Bowflex exercise machine . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/16/153826/716/626/709234
[Steele] What you are seeing here, folks, unfold is nothing short of the Nixon administration played out in a different era and a different style. But the results and the effects are the same. You have H.R. Haldeman and Rahm Emanuel, these guys, the master manipulators, the master controllers in the background, moving and shaking the pieces, creating an enemies list, putting together the targets on our side. . . .

Well, this is what happened in Watergate, this was the whole Watergate thing. . . .

I love this battle because what I see right now is leading to the ultimate political Armageddon between conservatism and liberalism. And the idea that free enterprise, free markets, free people are going to battle an oppressive, repressive, domineering government. I love that. That's what we are lining up for you folks. So you better get ready, strap it on, because it's coming. And you better pick your sides, you better choose now. . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-the-supposed-global-warming-is-part-of-the-global-cooling-process.php
Michael Steele has taken the GOP's global-warming denial to a new height: "We are cooling. We are not warming. . . .” [read on]

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/16/mr-steele-is-our-republican-leaders-learning/

http://washingtonindependent.com/34095/michael-steele-global-warming-is-part-of-the-cooling-process

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/michael_steele_warming_is_really_cooling.php

Hmmmm . . . ?

http://www.politico.com/playbook/0309/playbook618.html
WORD ON THE STREET: The next RNC chairman will be Norm Coleman, after he loses his recount fight and big donors see Michael Steele’s March numbers.

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/democratic-national-committee/norm-coleman-as-next-rnc-chair-democrats-not-taking-the-bait/

During the election, we talked about how Obama was going to use his tremendous data base of supporters and donors to support his ongoing political project. Here it comes

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/16/13132/3763

The Democrats are finally learning how to play this game

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/16/12635/3969/854/709014



Yet another example of how the Village press does “reporting” that is really about their own mood and pronouncements

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/17/34042/4846
[David Broder] Two months into his presidency, it is far too soon to make any judgments about Barack Obama's prospects. All we really know is that he has assembled the rudiments of an administration and launched a batch of ambitious but unproven initiatives.

But it is not too soon to say that the Obama honeymoon is over. . . . [read on]

Bill Kristol’s replacement in the designated winger slot at the NYT

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/watching_conservatives_/2009/03/the_higher_a_monkey_climbs_the_better_you_can_see_his_.php

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 8:12 AM

 
DICK

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/the_cheney_factor_4.php
[Matt Yglesias] If I were Dick Cheney, I’d be laying low thanking my lucky stars that I’m not on trial for war crimes not going on television to talk smack about the new administration. But talking smack it is. It’s really remarkable when you think about it that anyone would listen to Cheney on the subject of national security. His administration was by far the least successful in American history in terms of preventing international terrorists from murdering Americans. Also by far the least successful in American history in terms of preventing international terrorists from murdering NATO allies. And the military action his administration pursued in response to the terrorist attack we suffered under their watch has come to be mired in problems, teetering on the brink of failure, almost entirely thanks to a second—but completely unnecessary—war his administration chose to undertake in favor of successfully completing the first one.

Meanwhile, during this time hostile nations such as North Korea and Iran have become bigger proliferation threats than ever!

http://washingtonindependent.com/33903/cheney-ending-torture-puts-us-in-danger
[Daphne Eviatar] I don’t know if former Vice President Dick Cheney just misses being in the spotlight, or if he actually believes the stuff he spews on television these days, but he conveniently skipped over at least one important problem when he told CNN’s “State of the Union” today that President Obama’s changes to the Bush administration’s anti-terrorism policies has made Americans “less safe”: we now can’t prosecute all those terrorists tortured with Cheney’s approval. . . . [read on]

Watch: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/15/105640/766/87/708764

More: http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/cheney-is-back-to-lead-gop-attack-on.html

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/15/obama/index.html

Credibility gap

http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200903150003
John King cites Human Events headline, asks Cheney, "Is the president of the United States trying to brazenly deceive the American people?" . . . [read on]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20007.html
Vice President Cheney, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" articulated the harshest conservative case against the president's plans, accused the Obama administration of "using the current set of economic difficulties to try to justify a massive expansion in the government, and much more authority for the government over the private sector."

"I think the programs that he has recommended and pursuing in health care, in energy, and so forth, constitute probably the biggest or one of the biggest expansions of federal authority over the private economy in the history of the republic," Cheney said.

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/16/31949/7343

[NB: Yeah, we need to be lectured by Dick Cheney about government deception and the unauthorized expansion of government powers]

Heh. Cheney’s still ticked off that Bush didn’t pardon Scooter Libby

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/15/dear-w/

Torture experiments: how the Bush gang tested out their methods

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/15/the-abu-zubaydah-experiment/

More: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22530

Poor AIG – they HAVE to pay big bonuses, they just don’t have any other choice

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/why_its_cutting.php
[Josh Marshall] Secretary Geithner found out about the bonuses. He told AIG CEO Edward Liddy it wouldn't fly. And Liddy, in a curiously imperial letter, tells Geithner that much as he is pained by the situation -- to blow it out his ass. Which he apparently proceeded to do.

There's really no other way to describe it. . . .

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/15/letter-from-aig-chairman-ed-liddy-to-timothy-geithner-we-have-to-pay-100-million-bonuses/

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/15/aig-speaks-with-forked-tougue/

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/15/aig-is-teh-funny/

http://washingtonindependent.com/33888/aig-still-living-in-denial-as-it-pays-out-millions-in-bonuses

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/aig-is-doing-it-again.html

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/15/the-semtex-in-the-aig-retention-contracts/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017300.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017301.php

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/robert_reich/2009/03/the-real-scandal-of-aig.php
[Robert Reich] The Real Scandal of AIG . . . .

Alice is back from Wonderland, apparently, just in time to tell us that last week’s stock market gain was . . . . because of George Bush!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017299.php
[Steve Benen] Just so we're clear, here's a helpful guide to the rules of market watching, as they relate to partisan politics:

When the market went down on Bush's watch before the 2008 elections, this was Bill Clinton's fault.

When the market went down on Bush's watch between November 2008 and January 2009, this was Barack Obama's fault.

When the market went down during Obama's first seven weeks in office, this was definitely Barack Obama's fault.

And when the market rallies on Obama's watch during the second week in March, George W. Bush deserves at least some of the credit.

Education reform

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/why_education_reform_cant_wait.php

Passing health care reform

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/2009_democratic_agenda_/2009/03/whatever_works.php
Whatever works . . .

Good news

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20007.html
The White House on Sunday began harnessing every part of the Democratic Party’s machinery to defend President Obama’s budget and portray Republicans as reflexively political, according to party strategists. . . .

Michael Steele turns his attention from interviews and media appearances, at which he sucks, to begin to rebuild the infrastructure of the Republican party. One little problem . . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/14/AR2009031401601.html
Michael S. Steele, the man tapped six weeks ago to run the Republican National Committee, had never been known as a successful manager. . . .

Right-wing idiots

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017295.php
[Steve Benen] Erick Erickson, a far-right blogger at Redstate, argued the other day that President Obama is not only similar to Bernard Madoff, but is in some respects worse. . . . [read on]

“The vast left-wing conspiracy”

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/15/13302/5523/197/708654

The decline of right-wing talk radio

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/as-california-goes-by-digby-i-hesitate.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:28 AM

 
DUMB AS A POST

Stay tuned, it appears, for a blockbuster story from Sy Hersh

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Hersh_US_has_been_running_executive_0311.html
[Muriel Kane] Stories have been coming out about covert Pentagon assassination squads for the last several years. . . .

However, it appears that Hersh is now on the trail of some fresh revelation about these squads and their connection to Vice-President Cheney that goes well beyond anything that has previously been reported. . . .

Strange piece in the Washington Post, breathlessly telling us that Obama has a dastardly plan to blame the nation’s current problems on Bush era policies. Uh, isn’t that stating a FACT?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/14/125729/423

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017287.php
[Steve Benen] The problem, if I'm reading the article right, isn't that the president is saying anything untrue. Rather, we're dealing with a dynamic in which one president hands off a catastrophe -- several catastrophes, actually -- to a successor, and the successor isn't supposed to talk about it. . . . [read on]

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/leave_george_w_bush_aloooooone.php
Leave George W. Bush Aloooooone . . . [read on]

More. According to the Post, only Republicans oppose earmarks, even though (a) they really don’t oppose earmarks, (b) the number of earmarks exploded under their leadership, and (c) plenty of progressive Dems have spoken out against earmarks too

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/your-liberal-media.html

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/14/12153/4735/97/707729

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/not-just-wingnut-media.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017285.php

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/14/ron-paul-republicans-and-progressive-democrats-agree-on-earmarks-transparency/

The real motivation behind the “Obama is trying to do too much” line. The new permanent minority realizes that he has a powerful electoral mandate and the public mood at his back; he has an ambitious transformative agenda; and so far he’s getting almost everything he wants. So of course they want him to “slow down”

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/pare-down-agenda.html

But why in the world do DEMOCRATS want to enable that meme?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017288.php

More on Obama’s education policies

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/3/14/83816/6049/436/708415

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12222

The Villagers’ lust for “bipartisanship” as some kind of abstract good – but why, if you think about it, is bipartisanship more likely to produce better policy (especially when one side is negotiating in bad faith)?

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/fantasies_of_bipartisanship.php

The Post, again. During the Bush US Attorney scandals, how many times did his defenders tell us that a new administration gets to put their own people in these jobs, and they can fire EVERYBODY if they want to? Where are those voices today?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/13/141610/060/689/708154

Is it something in the water in Iowa?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/14/95920/4778
[DesMoinesDem] Yesterday I posted here that Representative Tom Latham (IA-04) has been taking credit for earmarks in the 2009 omnibus spending bill that he voted against.

An alert Bleeding Heartland reader informed me that Representative Steve King (IA-05) has been playing the same game . . .

Why do Repubs call everyone who disagrees with them “socialists”? Is it because calling them “liberals” doesn’t have enough poison anymore?

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12205

A Supreme Court opening coming soon?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017282.php

Norm Coleman’s appeal strategy

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003074882

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the-sunday-show-line-ups.php
• ABC, This Week: Lawrence Summers, Director of the National Economic Council, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

• CBS, Face The Nation: Lawrence Summers, Director of the National Economic Council, and Thomas Friedman of the New York Times.

• CNN, State Of The Union: Former Vice President Dick Cheney, in his first TV interview since leaving office.

• NBC, Meet The Press: House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), and Dr. Christina Romer, Chair of the President's Council of Economic Advisers.

Made-up news

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/scholarly-gentleman-by-digby-via-county.html

Bonus item: Glenn Beck, weirdo freak

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/14/breaking-glenn-beck-iz-surroundin-yr-base-seein-u-nood/

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:28 AM

 
TIME MANAGEMENT

Reforming Gitmo

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/13/enemy_combatant/index.html
The Department of Justice has just announced a significant break with Bush administration policy: It will no longer be employing the "enemy combatant" designation as the rationale used to hold suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay.

Observers are still figuring out exactly what this will mean . . .

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/did_obama_change_the_national_security_paradigm_today.php
Did Obama Change The National Security Paradigm Today? . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/13/17486/0261/611/708232
No More "Enemy Combatants"

http://washingtonindependent.com/33843/obama-doj-withdraws-enemy-combatant-definition-but-maintains-right-to-hold-prisoners-indefinitely-anyway
Obama DOJ Withdraws ‘Enemy Combatant’ Definition, But Says It Can Hold Prisoners Indefinitely Anyway

http://washingtonindependent.com/33829/obama-doj-aliens-held-at-guantanamo-do-not-have-due-process-rights
Obama DOJ: ‘Aliens Held at Guantanamo Do Not Have Due Process Rights’

More: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/13/mcconnell/index.html
[W]hen asked to point to one Obama decision he saw as the most grievous mistake, [Republican Mitch] McConnell first paused. . . "If I had to pick one mistake, that I think he'll have a hard time figuring out how to handle, it's to announce that Guantanamo is going to be closed in a year."

More on Bush/Cheney assassination squads

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/13/pixie-dust-and-cheneys-assassination-squads/
[Attytood] By the way, in case there's any ambiguity on the subject, President Gerald Ford in 1975 signed an executive order that said this: : "No employee of the United States Government shall engage in, or conspire to engage in, political assassination." It's been upheld by every subsequent president. Apparently vice presidents are another matter. . . . [read on]

A progressive consensus on Afghanistan?

http://washingtonindependent.com/33789/closer-to-a-progressive-consensus-on-afghanistan

I’m lovin’ this: the GOP can’t decide whether it’s politically better to offer an alternative economic plan, or just gripe about the one Obama proposes

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/us/politics/14budget.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/senate-gop-happy-to-let-that-party-of-no-clock-run-indefinitely.php
Senate GOP Happy to Let That 'Party of No' Budget Clock Run Indefinitely . . .

Is the economic crisis even more serious than we think? (thanks to Elaine N. for the links)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article5891045.ece
[Anatole Kaletsky] This could be the week when the greatest financial crisis in history finally reached its nadir. Then again, it could merely be another week in which a brief rally in global stock markets has suckered more investors, politicians and commentators into assuming that the worst is over, when the tentative improvement in financial confidence is just another false dawn.

So which will it be? . . .

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/03/12/surviving_the_great_collapse/
[Robert Kuttner] THIS ECONOMIC CRISIS doesn't have to be a second Great Depression - if government does nearly everything right, and soon. But if government doesn't do more, and fast, this could be worse than the 1930s. Why? Three big reasons . . .

Smart Digby

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/principles-by-digby-im-pretty-sure.html
I'm pretty sure everyone gets this, but in case you don't, the reason that Governors Rick Perry and Mark Sanford are "refusing" to take the stimulus money is because they are running for president. . . . [read on]

How some Republicans spend their time

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/gop-rep-submits-bill-to-require-birth-certificates-from-prez-candidates.php
[Eric Kleefeld] Rep. Bill Posey, a freshman Republican from Florida, is now putting forward a bill that should be good news for a particular demographic that cares a whole lot about their issue: Those folks out there who insist that President Obama hasn't offered a birth certificate to prove he's a natural-born U.S. citizen.

CNN reports that Posey has submitted a bill to require all presidential candidates to submit a birth certificate . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/13/125631/027
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has been tracking House Republicans who try to take credit for provisions in the economic stimulus or 2009 omnibus spending bill, even after voting against both measures. . . .

How some Democrats spend their time

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/41-senators-defend-the-right-to-filibuster-climate-change.php
[Elana Schor] When President Obama submitted a budget that predicted passage of a revenue-raising climate change bill, hopes rose that Congress could successfully rein in carbon emissions this year.

But a cap-and-trade climate bill is almost certain to be filibustered by Republicans -- and in a letter delivered to the Senate Budget Committee yesterday, eight Democratic senators joined 25 Republicans to defend the GOP's right to set a 60-vote margin for passing emissions limits. . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/democrats-we-have-by-dday-for-too-long.html

Here comes the Employee Free Choice Act

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/13/91828/9008

Joe Lieberman and Arlen Specter: separated at birth?

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/13/lieberman/index.html
Lieberman may run as Democrat in 2012

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/smart_chess.php
SEIU's Andy Stern is hinting that that SEIU might endorse Arlen Specter next year if he supports EFCA. And reps from the AFL-CIO have suggested the same. . . .

The Minnesota Senate trial wraps up: final arguments

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/minnesota_senate_trial_ends.php

More: http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/13/franken-coleman-update-031309-am-edition-franken-rests-coleman-squirms/

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/minnesota-trial-wraps-up----but-the-spin-keeps-going.php

Coleman plans to appeal after losing, and may take it all the way to the Supreme Court. Aside from stalling for time, do they really think the Bush Supreme Court will interfere in a state election result?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/13/bonus_quote_of_the_day.html
"We all remember Bush v. Gore."

--Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by Politico, urging Norm Coleman to take Minnesota's U.S. Senate election dispute all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.

If you’re a Republican, you know you’re in trouble when Fox News starts taking shots at you

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/13/15853/8083/673/708170

The sad decline of Ann Coulter

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/13/coulter/index.html
Is this the end for Ann Coulter?
For a little while now, it's seemed like Ann Coulter's career has been on a downswing. . .

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 8:14 AM

 
THE EMPTY TENT

More on Bush/Cheney assassination squads and CIA domestic spying – this isn’t a “truth and reconciliation” matter. If true, it violates numerous laws, including previous Executive Orders

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#29666798

Hard times for Michael Steele – I hope he stays on!

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/the_knives_are_being_sharpened.php
The Knives Are Being Sharpened . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/perkins-at-this-rate-gop-will-become-big-empty-tent.php
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins was sharply critical of Michael Steele comments in the GQ interview, elaborating on his statement today that Steele had assured him earlier this week that he would uphold the party platform.

"Well, I mean he said as party chairman he would be upholding the party platform. The interview he did with GQ was done from the chairman's office," said Perkins. "And if in fact his personal views are subordinate to the party platform, the evidence is pretty thin that that's the case. In every interview I've seen, I've heard him talk about his personal views, and have yet to hear him talk about the party platform." . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/former-rnc-candidate-blackwell-steele-needs-to-re-read-his-bible.php
Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio Secretary of State and ex-rival of Michael Steele for the chairmanship of the RNC, just made this statement to TownHall.com, positively lambasting Steele's comments in the GQ interview . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/huckabee-steeles-abortion-comments-a-violation-of-the-most-basic-of-human-rights.php
Mike Huckabee is also slamming Michael Steele's comments about abortion in the GQ interview . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/gop-strategist-roger-stone-steeles-gq-interview-one-more-nail-in-the-coffin.php
[Eric Kleefeld] I just spoke with Republican political strategist Roger Stone, and he predicted that Michael Steele's latest foul-up over abortion and gays could cost him dearly.

"Well, it's just one more nail in the coffin," said Stone, after I read the relevant quotes to him. "He just doesn't seem to understand his role as party chairman, which is not to criticize any wing of the party. I mean, three weeks ago he was offending moderates, now he's offending conservatives. . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/chameleon.php
[JC] I think that with a lot of Michael Steele's gaffes, he seems to say whatever he perceives to be the opinion of the person to whom he is speaking at the moment. Then later he has to backtrack because it doesn't match the conservative orthodoxy. Take a look back at all the misstatements he has made and to whom he has made them. The man is a mirror. He just reflects back what he thinks you want him to say.

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/timebomb.php

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/gop-chair-steele-opposes-constitutional.html

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/12/162531/267

The RNC once again shows their keen understanding of how the Internet works

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/12/04956/3628/348/707502
Since it's YouTube, these uploaded videos are very much public. . . . [watch!]

GOP governors start rejecting stimulus money

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/republicanism.php
[American-Statesman] Gov. Rick Perry will announce today that he is blocking the state from accepting $550 million for expanded unemployment benefits as part of the federal stimulus package. . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/nice_touch_2.php
[David Kurtz] If you're the governor and a prominent black congressman from your state says refusing to take stimulus money will disproportionately hurt black citizens of your state, would you turn around and compare the stimulus plan to the economic policy of ... Zimbabwe?

Only if you are Mark Sanford (R-SC).

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/mark_sanfords_war_on_south_carolina_teachers.php
[Think Progress] John Cooley, deputy superintendent for finance and operations at the South Carolina Department of Education, explained that the stimulus funds would help fill a 15 percent budget cut already inflicted on the school system. Without those funds, Cooley estimated that up 7,500 teachers (15 percent of the state’s 50,000 teachers) could be negatively impacted. . . .

The GOP tries to gin up a fabricated controversy over Nancy Pelosi’s use of military planes for travel

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017265.php

Guess whose idea it was? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#29667187

Norm Coleman’s really, really bad day

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/12/2489/23886/304/707522
Coleman posts credit card numbers online, doesn't warn donors, and then blames hackers . . . [read on]

He can’t win: http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/norm-coleman-still-cant-win.html

I love political apologies

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/12/bonus_quote_of_the_day_.html
[Jim Bunning R-KY] "I am sorry for taking the Lord's name in vain. After 59 years of dealing with the media sometimes they get under your skin, but that is no excuse."

Still lying!

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/worst-person-in-world.html
[Ari Fleischer] But after September 11, having been hit once, how could we take a chance that Saddam might not strike again?

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/revisiting-codpiece-by-digby-chris.html

I warned you, I warned you, Jim Cramer: don’t take on Jon Stewart

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/4182

Bonus item: The winning slogan for Rush Limbaugh’s neighborhood billboard

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/democratic-national-committee/dncs-winning-slogan-americans-didnt-vote-for-a-rush-to-failure/

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:14 AM

 
“ADULT SUPERVISION”

Government policy for grown-ups

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#29645698



The juveniles: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/not_working_out_so_well.php

The phony fight over earmarks

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/11/earmarks/index.html
[Ben Travers] [E]armarks shouldn't necessarily be demonized in the first place. Admittedly, they can be a source of "waste and fraud and abuse," as Obama acknowledged in his remarks Wednesday. Plus, nobody wants pork barrel spending that benefits only politicians and corporate interests, and certainly those corporate interests shouldn't take precedence over the general public. But earmarks serve an important function as well. Scream about "pork" if you want, but members of Congress are, in theory, supposed to be serving the people who elected them, and many of the projects funded through earmarks are important locally, whether it's because they provide needed infrastructure, fund research for a problem plaguing the area or just create a few construction jobs. . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/11/18335/7742
[Jonathan Singer] Earmarks make up a miniscule proportion of expenditures, and don't significantly increase the budget. Rather, they shift decision making power on certain projects from the executive to the legislative branch, which isn't necessarily the worst or most nonsensical thing as Congress is elected to legislate on matters like funding of programs. . . . [read on]

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003071404
GOP Faces Obstacle in Earmark Fight: Themselves . . .

More: http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12146

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/he-said-earmark-by-digby_11.html

More on Obama’s education policies

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/obamas_grand_education_plan_can_it_really_work.php

The dangers of Afghanistan

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/10/afghanistan/index.html

What was the JSOC? You will want to know

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/11/cheneys-assassination-squads/

Michael Steele, oh-so hip

http://men.style.com/gq/blogs/gqeditors/2009/03/the-reconstruct.html
I actually listen to a cross section, because I like to hear what the medium is saying, what the voice is. . . . P. Diddy I enjoy quite a bit.

I guess I’m sorta old-school that way. Remember, I came of age with the DJ and all this other stuff, so I’m also loving Grandmaster Flash, and that’s not hip-hop, but… Um, you know, I like Chuck D. And I always thought Snoop Dogg was—he just reminded me of the fellas back home. So I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed him. . . .

I like Sinatra. I like old-school. You know, Bing Crosby, Sinatra, Dean Martin. Love Dean Martin. He was one of these guys who just didn’t give an F. He just didn’t. Life was a party, and you either want to party or you don’t. But yeah, I like those. I’m a big Pack Rat. I love the Pack Rats from the 1950s—Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, those guys. . .

[NB: Uh, you mean, the “Rat Pack”?]

From rats to mice

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/11/steele_mice/index.html
[Alex Koppelman] If you've started wondering whether Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is trying to get fired, well, it'd be hard for anyone to blame you. Steele is reportedly facing a vote of no confidence at the end of this month, and in this economy you might think that report would lead the RNC chair to at least attempt to appease some influential members of his party. Apparently, though, Steele doesn't think that kind of behavior would be off the hook.

In Cal Thomas' Washington Times column today, the RNC chairman does his best rendition of how to lose Republican friends and alienate a wide spectrum of the party. Thomas writes that Steele is:

I]n stage two of a two-stage process to reform and transform the Republican Party. He won't reveal details, because, 'The mice who are scurrying about the Hill are upset because they no longer have access to the cheese, so they don't know what's going on."

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/steele-adviser-issues-bizarre.html
[John Aravosis] In a rather bizarre update, an adviser to embattled GOP chairman Michael Steele issued a clarification to an incendiary statement Steele made to columnist Cal Thomas, in which he appeared to suggest that Republican members of Congress were "scurrying mice." The adviser now says that when Steele referred to people on "the Hill" as "scurrying mice" he really meant . . .

The fight to undermine Steele continues – and if the GOP switches to the close runner-up for his position (Katon Dawson), we have all sorts of new fun to look forward to

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/dawson-denies-plotting-to-overthrow-steele.php
[Eric Kleefeld] It may well be true that Dawson isn't behind any attempt to boot Steele. On the other hand, he hasn't done a particularly sterling job of supporting him, either, recently telling the Politico that he would be doing things differently -- that it wouldn't have taken him as long to transfer some money to the House and Senate campaign committees. And Geraghty has heard conflicting accounts from GOP insiders -- that Dawson either doesn't seem inclined to challenge Steele, or that he's likely to do it.

But again, it is absolutely true that saying you'd be doing a better job is not necessarily the same as actively plotting against somebody.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/11/dawson-steele-no-confidence/
[Ben Armbruster] The RNC won praise following Steele’s victory for electing its first African-American chairman. Former Bush aide and RNC chair Ed Gillespie said his election “injected a shot of adrenaline into the party” and that Steele can open the GOP “to minorities and white moderates.” But now, in going with Dawson, the GOP appears to be heading back to what it knows and ditching its first African-American chairman for someone who, until recently, was a member of a whites-only country club . . .

Who is Katon Dawson? http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/11/131635/163/653/707197

Michael Steele = Roland Burris? http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/how-steele-could-go.php

The last straw?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/waht-is-michael-steele-saying-about-abortion-and-gays.php
Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?
Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/pretty_daring.php
[Josh Marshall] [W]ill Steele beat the Roberts' record for shortest RNC Chairmanship ever? . . .

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/all_she_wrote.php

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/11/steele_gq/index.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/12/02754/4063/336/707490

Eric Cantor (R-VA), rising star of the GOP?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/big_fibbin_1.php

David Vitter (R-LA): “Do you know who I am?”

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/report-of-vitter-in-airport-rage-do-you-know-who-i-am.php
Roll Call reports that Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), the staunch social conservative whose career became bogged down in the 2007 D.C. Madam prostitution scandal, was sighted this past Thursday night having an incident of airport rage at Dulles Airport.

Vitter arrived 20 minutes before the plane was scheduled to depart, and found the gate locked. He then opened the door, setting off the alarm . . .

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/11/somebody-fetch-david-vitter-a-binkie-stat/

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2009/03/tsa_probing_vit.php
The Transportation Security Administration is examining Sen. David Vitter's much-reported decision to open the closed gateway door to his plane -- even though he was warned against it by an airline worker. . .

Theocracy watch: according to Politico (grain of salt, there), the Christian right is oh-so disappointed with Obama (“What, you mean we don’t have a veto over government policy any more?”)

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19818.html

More: http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0310/p09s01-coop.html
The coming evangelical collapse . . .

Fighting to preserve the Bush/Cheney legacy

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/11/mike-allens-punditry-ether/

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/how_dare_you.php
“How dare you?”

Limbaugh, pulling down the GOP

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/11/limbaugh_drags_down_gop.html

A man with three ex-wives: http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200903110025

Bonus item: Okay, okay, we’re not supposed to care about stuff like this, but . . .

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/royal-wedding-is-off.html
Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston have broken off their engagement. . . .

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 5:56 AM

 
SOME STRAIGHT NEWS, THEN A FEW PUNCH LINES

Deep thought: from those who have been using the stock market as an indicator of the success of Obama’s stimulus package (a silly idea, anyway), did we hear a peep when it shot up almost 6% yesterday?

Obama’s education agenda

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017234.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017235.php

Organizing for victory

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/center-for-american-progress-launching-big-war-room-to-drive-obama-agenda/
[Greg Sargent] The Center for American Progress — which has emerged as perhaps Washington’s most influential idea factory in the age of Obama — is launching a major new war room, to be staffed by nearly a dozen people, that will focus on driving the White House’s message and agenda . . .

Blocking Obama’s nominees

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/conservative-group-planning-aggressive-attack-on-obamas-justice-nominees/

Making votes disappear

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/vote_fraud_/2009/03/45_million_lost_votes.php
[Mark Kleiman] 4-5 million lost votes . . . That's the estimate from what looks to be a respectable academic study based on a survey with a sample size of 33,000.

Main problems: registration errors and absentee-ballot problems. Another 2-4 million were "discouraged" by long lines or ID requirments. . . .

The report was prepared for the Senate Rules Committee. So it seems likely we're going to get some action on this.

More: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2009/03/10/first_provoter_id_expert_witne.html
Hans von Spakovsky, slated to appear before senators today as the lead expert witness in favor of a voter ID law, is listed on a GOP handout as a former member of the Federal Elections Commission.

True, though von Spakovsky was never confirmed by the U.S. Senate for the post and withdrew from consideration. . . . [read on]

The Co-President

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/10/mccain_preparing_economic_plan.html
Sam Stein obtained an email from Sen. John McCain's chief of staff that suggested the Arizona senator was putting together a major economic plan structured, in some ways, off of Newt Gingrich's famous "Contract With America."

The email asked an outside adviser for help with a "ten principles" program that the senator could use as a "definitive" platform to rescue America's economy. . . .

More: http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/boehner-botches-economic-talk.html

Newt on Republicanism

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/10/quote_of_the_day.html
"Remember, the Republican Party right now is in the shadow of the Bush administration. We're in the last stage of digesting the tummy ache of having bad Congressional leadership; the worst Treasury Secretary in history; a bad economy. The Republican Party got fired for good reason; it deserved it."

How’d those poll numbers turn out, Sen. Bunning?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/10/bunning_refuses_to_release_poll_results.html
Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) conducted a private poll on his 2010 bid for re-election but he refused to make the results public, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.

Said Bunning: "Let's say I did the polling... That means it's none of your god damn business. If you paid the 20 grand for the poll, you can get some information out of it."

The court will soon rule on the Minnesota recount

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/09/franken-coleman-update-030909-all-over-bar-the-shoutin/
[Phoenix Woman] Geez, no wonder Bogus Ben Ginsberg looked and sounded dispirited in his afternoon presscon today. . . .

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/legal-expert-minnesota-court-likely-to-rule-by-end-of-month----for-franken.php

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/10/republicans_seek_to_drag_out_minnesota_fight.html

Michael Steele – on the way out already?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/10/steele_may_face_no_confidence_vote.html
[Taegan Goddard] Republican insiders tell Political Wire that a no confidence vote on RNC Chairman Michael Steele is likely to be called after the NY-20 special election on March 31 -- regardless of whether Republicans win the seat or not.

Katon Dawson, who came in second in the January RNC vote, is said to be quietly organizing a vote and is getting the support of several state party chairmen who want to dump Steele.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/steele_out_by_april.php
[Josh Marshall] More importantly, how much more humor can Steele produce over the next three weeks?

And more trivially, has an elected party chairman ever had such a brief tenure?

And will Steele be able to blow all the money on the new website before the end of the month?

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/gop-senator-specter-on-gop-chairman.html
[Arlen Specter, R-PA] National Chairman Steele, well he’s said so many contradictory things I wouldn’t pay a whole lot of attention to him. . . .

More: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/10/steele/index.html

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/-2009-03-09.html

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/03/steeles-fate-likely-hinges-on-ny-20.html

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/10/131424/961

Nailed it! http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/i_think_shes_got_him.php
Michael Steele = Michael Scott

The Fox News/wingnut news loop

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/10/153148/415/960/706866
[Devilstower] Yesterday, Fox News claimed that President Obama's Wikipedia entry was being edited to take out all the important "facts" of his controversial past and mysterious birth. The source of this story? WorldNetDaily's Aaron Klein, so you know it was douple-dipped in truthiness.

Wired then looked into exactly what was being edited in the entry and made a interesting discovery. . . . [read on!]

Jim Cramer ought to know by now that you can never win complaining about satire that lampoons you – and that you certainly don’t want to pick a fight with The Daily Show

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/stop_whining.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/stop_whining_part_ii.php

It gets worse: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/10/cramer_stewart/index.html



The original piece, in case you missed it: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/with_the_intelligence_of_a_box_of_parrots.php



Bonus item: Today’s stupid humor

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/10/when_the_laughing_doesnt_stop.html



***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 5:43 AM

 
FAULT LINES

Obama says to officials, don’t depend on Bush’s signing statements

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/us/politics/10signing.html
Calling into question the legitimacy of all the signing statements that former President George W. Bush used to challenge new laws, President Obama on Monday ordered executive officials to consult with Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. before relying on any of them to bypass a statute. . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017216.php
[Steve Benen] It's hard to know where to start when detailing George W. Bush's assaults on constitutional norms, but near the top of any list would have to be his signing statements. The former president used them to give laws passed by Congress a little "touch up," explaining which parts of the law he didn't like, which parts he'd ignore, etc. . . .

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/09/tell-us-how-they-were-used/

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/9/21113/56675/260/706557

Obama reverses Bush stem cell policy

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/9/144426/1417

The Right responds: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/09/stem_response/index.html

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/09/reed_fox/index.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/science-adviser-holds-update-not-martinez-not-vitter.php

Mark Halperin – is there any reason to take him seriously? Aping the GOP line on Obama’s stem cell policy:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the-medias-meme-obamas-too-distracted.php
Halperin is joined by Louis Burgdorf from MSNBC who says this question of distraction is a big deal and suggests that if Obama put other things aside it will "restore confidence in the consumer." . . .

Right on schedule: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/9/18593/17648/314/706511
[Eric Cantor, R-VA] [T]here’s a reason why this discussion is coming up this week. Why are we going and distracting ourselves from the economy? This is job number one; let’s focus on what needs to be done. [...] We’ve got a new Congress now. And certainly that is something that we ought to be talking about, but let’s take care of business first. People are out of jobs. And, again, there is a reason why all this is happening right there — right now.

The Supremes water down the Voting Rights Act

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/washington/10votes.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/9/155234/8668/372/706445

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/09/bartlett-v-stickland-why-vote-dilution-matters/

Another stimulus package?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/09/a_second_stimulus_package.html

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/question-isnt-whether-obama-gets-it-its.html

Want to see where your stimulus money is going?

http://www.propublica.org/ion/stimulus/item/seven-more-states-unveil-stimulus-transparency-web-sites/#8995

Can we explain something about earmarks, please?

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/cutting_earmarks_doesnt_save_money.php
[Stan Collender] An earmark simply is a congressional decision to allocate part of appropriation for a particular purpose. Eliminating the allocation doesn’t reduce the appropriation, it simply leaves the allocation decision to a federal department or agency rather than to Congress.

Hypocrisy watch: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/why_republicans_need_earmarks.php

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/2009_democratic_agenda_/2009/03/no_more_earmarks.php

This is all the Democrats’ fault: GOP leader shoots self in foot, blurting out that all they care about is winning the daily “message” battle

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/the_gop_plan_for_the_economy_gop.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/9/134212/7946/423/706394

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017214.php
What's that line about "Michael Kinsley Moments"? As I recall it's when politicians commit a gaffe by accidentally telling the truth. . . .

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/house-republicans/gop-rep-our-goal-is-to-bring-down-approval-numbers-for-dems/
[Greg Sargent] It’s likely that Dems will grab on to the quote today to bolster their charge that Congressional Republicans aren’t interested in playing a constructive role in governing and see their hope for political revival in the eventual failure of the Democratic majority’s policies.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/opinion/10brooks.html
[David Brooks] The G.O.P. leaders have adopted a posture that allows the Democrats to make all the proposals while all the Republicans can say is “no.” They’ve apparently decided that it’s easier to repeat the familiar talking points than actually think through a response to the extraordinary crisis at hand. . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/losing-their-discipline-by-digby-ive_09.html
[Digby] I never thought I'd see the day when Republicans would be as undisciplined as Democrats, but there it is. They just can't seem to help themselves.

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12116

This is all the Democrats’ fault too: turmoil among the Republicans over Michael Steele

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-adviser-the-empire-struck-back.php
[Eric Kleefeld] One of Michael Steele's top advisers, Curt Anderson, has a new op-ed piece in the Politico arguing that Republicans are attacking Steele for one reason: he's shaking up the party's organization, and the entrenched powers don't like it.

"Steele's election as chairman of the Republican Party was a shock to the system for many of the Republican ruling class, the old guard in Washington," Anderson writes . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/joe-the-plumber-blasts-michael-steeles-hip-hop-ambitions.php
[Eric Kleefeld] Michael Steele now has another high-profile Republican publicly bashing him: Samuel "Joe The Plumber" Wurzelbacher.

At a meeting of conservative activists in Milwaukee, Mr. The Plumber had some tough words for the RNC chairman: "Unfortunately we have a chairman up there who wants to redefine conservatism; he wants to make it hip hop, put it in a new package and sell it."

"You can't sell principles; either you have them or you don't," he added . . .

More trouble for Steele (and, yep, it’s the Democrats’ fault)

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/ive_speculated_as_to_whether.php
[Josh Marshall] I've speculated as to whether God created Michael Steele's tenure at the RNC simply for the purposes of cosmic comic relief, seeing as the financial crisis appears so bleak. You can see in our feature we've got this story about a bizarrely thrown together request for proposals Steele's team sent out looking for bids for rebuilding the RNC website. . . . [read on]

It’s all the Democrats’ fault, again: Rush and Newt go after one another

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/09/rush_newt/index.html

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/limbaugh-attacks-gingrich.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/09/its-jets-vs-sharks-in-the-rnc/

The GOP: irrelevant on foreign policy too

http://washingtonindependent.com/32929/gop-lacks-leadership-on-foreign-policy

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/republicans_and_the_obama_foreign_policy.php

The GOP keeps thinking they can make John McCain some kind of co-President

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/9/05530/67985/601/706224

Joe Joe, Joe

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/lieberman-i-never-meant-to-say-obama-doesnt-put-country-first.php
Lieberman: I Never Meant To Say Obama Doesn't Put Country First
"When I said those things not only did I believe them, but I believe looking at the records of the two people then, they were right," Lieberman said.

On the other hand, he says he never meant to suggest that Barack Obama doesn't put his country first -- but he does say his remarks were "too subject" to that interpretation and he wishes he'd said it differently.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/lieberman_obama_has_not_always.php
[Lieberman] "In my opinion, the choice could not be more clear . . . between one candidate, John McCain, who has always put the country first, worked across party lines to get things done, and one candidate who has not. . . .”

Karl Rove . . . sorry, I . . . says that . . . can’t stop laughing . . . the Obama White House is. . . oh my. . . TOO POLITICAL

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12106

More nonsense: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/spare_me.php

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/rove_on_siegelman_answers_check_my_website.php

Boo hoo: guess which Bush lawyers are having a rough time finding a job?

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/09/unemployed-bush-lawyers-and-the-opr-report/

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/09/john-yoos-wrestling-match-with-the-first-amendment/

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 8:18 AM

 
CONSERVATIVES AND SOCIALISTS

GOP economics I: let the banks fail

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/oy_15.php

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/gop-pleads-for-total-economic-collapse.html

GOP economics II: freeze federal spending during a recession

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/8/164753/6834

David Brooks calls out the Republicans

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017205.php
"The problem with them and the problem with Limbaugh in terms of intellectual philosophy is they are stuck with Reagan. They are stuck with the idea that government is always the problem. A lot of Republicans up in Capitol Hill right now are calling for a spending freeze in a middle of a recession/depression. That is insane. But they are thinking the way they thought in 1982, if we can only think that way again, that is just insane." . . . [read on]

Watch: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/david_brooks_spending_freeze_is_insane.php

Rush tells us what “conservatism” is, and who is and who isn’t a real conservative

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030409/content/01125114.guest.html

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030609/content/01125107.guest.html

Modern conservatism, so simpleminded a 14 year old is now a major spokesman (spokesboy)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/fashion/08conserve.html

We’re all socialists now

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/8/201129/3443/686/706147

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/is-there-anything-wrong-with-saying-yes.html

Who gets to vote? The difference between Dems and Repubs

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/08/the-ultimate-wedge-issue-in-a-democracy/

The head of the Texas Board of Ed doesn’t believe in evolution

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/08/texas-board-of-education-chairman-believes-earth-is-less-than-10000-years-old-could-influence-your-kids-textbooks/

Another AP article pasted together out of GOP talking points (thanks to Josh Marshall for the link – and thanks Rob Fournier, AP Washington Editor)

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/03/analysis_obamas_ambitious_plans_raise_questions.php
President Barack Obama offered his domestic-policy proposals as a "break from a troubled past." But the economic outlook now is more troubled than it was even in January, despite Obama's bold rhetoric and commitment of more trillions of dollars.

And while his personal popularity remains high, some economists and lawmakers are beginning to question whether Obama's agenda of increased government activism is helping, or hurting, by sowing uncertainty among businesses, investors and consumers that could prolong the recession. . . .

The Fred Barnes version (can you tell the difference?): http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/255ykuzy.asp

Bonus item: Fox News breaks a big story!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/08/mccain-laughs-off-daughters-claim-his-campaign-killed-her-love-life/
Sen. John McCain is laughing off daughter Meghan’s claim that his presidential campaign has taken a toll on her love life. . . .

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:36 AM

 
WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

A history of Daylight Savings Time

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/7/112231/6234/78/705738

“Grim reality” and “hope” – how long can Obama keep pulling that off?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/7/903/63037/234/705574

Health care reform: can Obama do it?

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/a_promising_convergence_on_health.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017195.php

More: http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12070

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12060

Yes, it stinks

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017194.php
[Steve Benen] I know I've mentioned this before, but Jon Chait's item the other day drove the point home nicely: "What's on display is the worst elements of political demagoguery meeting the worst elements of the instant-reaction internet culture. They think the very idea of trying to learn about something before you take a position on it is a joke." . . . [read on]

The Wall Street con game

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/its_the_political_economy_stupid.php

Talking to the Taliban?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/8/12244/16577

John Yoo explains himself

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/john_yoo_i_was_dishonest_when_in_office.php
[Yoo] “Now that I’m not in the government, part of my role, because I have a certain amount of expertise, is to try to keep the government honest.”

[Matt Yglesias] That’s funny. But it’s also outrageous. It’s not as if Yoo’s job in government was as a press flask. The Office of Legal Counsel really is there to try to keep the government honest.

Hmmm. . . . none of my blogger sources have picked up on this

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-burris-report-07mar07,0,4598077.story
A document U.S. Sen. Roland Burris promised would explain how he got appointed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been sent to a prosecutor investigating perjury charges, the senator's attorney said Friday.

Burris lawyer Timothy Wright said he finished the summary of events and legal argument and gave it to Sangamon County State's Atty. John Schmidt, who declined to comment.

Wright said last month that the release of the report to the public would be up to Burris, whose Washington office declined to comment. . . .

Remember? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/17/burris-reportedly-open-to_n_167662.html
"There was never any inappropriate (contact) between me and anyone else," Burris said. "And I will answer any and all questions to get that point across . . .”

Al Franken (D-MN): it’s only a matter of time now . . .

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/franken-coleman-update-03609-pm-edition-franken-wins-by-losing/

A case study in media “framing.” During the stimulus debate, the only real issue discussed was “Is the stimulus package too big? What was the largest size the ‘moderates’ would let pass? Could the size be reduced in conference to gain more bipartisan (ha!) support? Now, as it becomes apparent that it might have been TOO SMALL, the possibility of going back again for more becomes a serious issue

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/consequences.php
[Josh Marshall] While the bill was being debated, the news media -- and particularly television -- focused almost entirely on the question of whether it was too big. The possibility that it was too small -- which now seems likely -- was seldom raised. As Krugman argues, it's a mini-version of the press failure in the lead up to the Iraq War, with depressingly familiar dynamics. . . . [read on]

More: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/the_excluded_option.php

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/financial_crises_/2009/03/another_stimulus_coming_feldstein_says_we_need_one.php

The Washington Post – once a great newspaper

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/07/no_news_on_the_front_page.html
[Harry Jaffe] "Today's news is there is no news on the front page of today's Washington Post. Not one of the six articles on page A1 begins with a hard news lead that imparts real news to readers.

"Welcome to the new age of daily newspapering, where the actual news of the day has migrated to the Internet or TV or radio or the inside pages of the paper. Bye-bye to the old 'who-what-when-where-why.'"

More idiocy from the Post: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/7/122144/2869/63/705753
Obama Just Like Dubya . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/7/121229/7658/59/705749

More media silliness

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/you-go-logo-by-digby-administration.html
BLITZER: Supporters of President Obama helped make his campaign famous with logos like these. Now, the administration is rolling out more graphic designs to help his causes. But not everyone is giving them rave reviews. . . .

“Are you a socialist?” What kind of question is THAT?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017199.php

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/07/AR2009030701599.html
STATE OF THE UNION (CNN): Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) and Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag.

THIS WEEK (ABC): Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) and Thomas Donohue, president and chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce.

FACE THE NATION (CBS): Orszag and Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio).

MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and former representative Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.)

Michael Steele: going down?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/us/politics/08steele.html

Can we say it out loud? The current crop of GOP leaders is full of morons

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/rep_kevin_mccarthy_currently_reading_atlas_shrugged.php
[Matt Yglesias] Something I think most liberals don’t understand is exactly how stupid many conservative leaders are. There is, yes, a condescending tendency to believe that no smart person could be on the right ideologically at all. That’s dead wrong. Plenty of bright people on the right. But the way their movement works, intelligence or understanding of politics and policy has no meaningful role in advancement. If anything, there’s something of a negative correlation between knowing what you’re talking about and being able to get ahead in right-wing politics.

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017196.php

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/07/whos-the-more-foolish-the-fools-or-the-fools-who-fluff-them-or-fred-hiatt-you-ignorant-cretin/

I’ve said this myself, but never so well

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/03/useful-idiocy.html
[Thers] I'm in fact myself in favor of the "Democrat Party" coinage -- if someone makes a point of using it, it's a useful way of figuring out right away that they're a douchebag and you don't have to pay attention to them anymore. It's a time saver!

Tell us what you really think, Paul

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/weekend-opinionator-the-party-of-limbaugh-a-conservative-debate/
[Paul Begala] “Rush is the bloated face and drug-addled voice of the Republican Party . . . [A]long with lots of others, I intend to continue to turn up the heat until every alleged Republican either endorses or renounces Rush’s statement that he hopes our president fails.” . . .

Welcome home, Rush

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-rushmar07,0,5921555.story
[T]he DNC is asking Democrats to contribute potential slogans for a billboard ad they plan to purchase in West Palm Beach, Fla., Limbaugh's hometown.

"We need you to come up with a slogan, in ten words or less, that we'll put on a billboard where he can't miss it," says DNC executive director Jen O'Malley Dillon . . .

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-talk-rush-listmar07,0,825948.column
[Steve Johnson] Rush Limbaugh: Opiate of the Minority . . . [more]

Bonus item: Leave Limbaugh Al-o-o-one!!

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/leave-limbaugh-alooooone-by-digby_06.html



***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 8:18 AM

 
COMING AND GOING

Seventeen key vacant spots at Treasury – just when we need them. Why?

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/treasury_takes_its_time.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/thumbs_twiddling.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/22501/73635/691/705101

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/05/obamas-anti-lobbyist-poli_n_172244.html

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12065

More: http://money.cnn.com/2009/03/05/news/economy/geithner_deputy/index.htm

Was the stimulus package TOO SMALL?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/bleak_house.php

Good

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/03/president-oba-7.html
President Obama to Sign Executive Order on Stem Cell Research Monday . . .

How much of the AIG bailout went to foreign banks?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/now_were_getting_somewhere.php

Well, we knew it, but now we KNOW it

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/some_destroyed_cia_tapes_showed_enhanced_interroga.php
[Zachary Roth] In new court documents filed today, the Justice Department acknowledged that twelve of the destroyed CIA interrogation tapes depict "enhanced interrogation techniques" -- what most people call torture . . .

In an earlier Freedom of Information Act request, the ACLU asked for information on the treatment and interrogation of detainees in U.S. custody. It filed a motion in December 2007 to hold the CIA in contempt for its destruction of the tapes, which it argued violated a court order requiring the agency to produce or identify all the records it was asking for.

More: http://washingtonindependent.com/32891/cia-confirms-12-destroyed-videotapes-depicted-enhanced-interrogation-methods

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/a-few-thoughts-on-the-torture-tape-inventory/

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/what-lies-underneath/

Is the GOP easing Michael Steele out?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steeles-ex-rivals-step-up-criticism.php
GOP criticism of Michael Steele is now intensifying, with his former rival for the chairmanship now going on the record in badmouthing his performance. . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/6/151528/5869
[Todd Beeton] Michael Steele was presumably elected as RNC chair because he filled a couple of demographic niches where Republicans are generally weak (i.e. he's African-American and northern.) Plus Steele had the added benefit of NOT being the southern white guy with a country club problem -- they have plenty of those.

But, as I believe Seth Myers said at the time: "You guys know it doesn't work with just any black guy, right?" And now that Michael Steele's gaffe-prone ways have become somewhat of an embarrassment to Republicans, Joe Scarborough reiterated just that sentiment on Morning Joe the other day and other Republicans are piling on their criticisms of Steele. . . [read on]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19706.html
With Republican criticism of Michael Steele intensifying following his dust-up earlier this week with Rush Limbaugh, the new Republican National Committee chairman’s high command is moving to rebut claims that he’s not up to leading the party.

The RNC announced Thursday that it would transfer $1 million apiece to the cash-hungry National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee—contributions that could buy Steele good will among party operatives and GOP members of Congress. . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/wow_that_should_do_it.php
According to Mike Allen, the people around Michael Steele are thinking he should bring on a co-chairman who will focus on organizing, management and fundraising and let Michael stay focused on TV appearances where he's doing such a bang-up job . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/13929/87207/379/705429
[Think Progress] STEELE: It’s been a good week, it’s been an instructive week. That’s really what I take away from a week like this. … The instruction is particularly for republicans is that you need to stay focused, other wise you get scapegoated . . .

CALLER: I hope that Paul Bagalla and Emanuel and Carville don’t convince you to resign your position.

STEELE: Aww, trust me. Not me Baby! Nuh-uh. Not happening. No way, no how!

The Republicans keep eating their own

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/big_hill.php
Is switching parties Sen. Specter's only hope of remaining in the senate? . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/10368/68667/439/705361

When you’re a minority party with almost no influence over policy, you can say just about anything without consequence, because you never actually have to DO anything and take responsibility for it

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/just_a_joke.php

The polls

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/20455/04130/212/705588
[Newsweek] Despite the tumbling economy, Barack Obama continues to enjoy a honeymoon with the American public in the face of the most trying crisis any newly inaugurated president has encountered since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The GOP, meanwhile, is viewed by a majority of Americans as the party of "no," without a plan of its own to fix the economy, and even rank-and-file Republicans are concerned about the party's direction . . .

No, just LOSER

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/us/politics/07mccain.html
Senator John McCain is rewriting the part of presidential loser. . . .

Put up or shut up: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/155343/2070/290/705502

I can wait

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/123351/5205/414/705402
[Barbara Morrill] The deal for Karl Rove's unsworn, behind-closed-doors chat with Congress is looking more and more like a joke. Now his attorney says it will be "several weeks" before turdblossom will be ready to talk.

More: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/rove_lawyer_testimony_wont_happen_for_several_week.php

The Republicans’ false memories of Ronald Reagan

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017170.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017177.php

Roland Burris, not out of the woods yet

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/06/prosecutor_wants_tapes_of_burris_phone_calls.html
A county prosecutor exploring the possibility of perjury charges against Sen. Roland Burris has asked federal officials for FBI tapes of phone conversations between Burris and ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brother, . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/134231/8983/357/705443
[Sun Times] On the same December day then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich named Roland Burris to fill President Obama's U.S. Senate vacancy, Burris' right-hand political man, Fred Lebed, phoned an associate and told him, "We'll have to do some things for the governor." . . .

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/burris-partner-fred-lebed-spoke-of-favors-for-blagojevich/

http://www.propublica.org/article/has-burris-the-immovable-object-won#8892
Has Burris, The Immovable Object, Won?

[NB: No]

Why Norm Coleman can’t win

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/franken-coleman-update-030609-norms-incredible-shrinking-ballot-universe/

Newt seems to like to encourage rumors he might run for President from time to time. He’ll never do it, but he likes to have people talking about it

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/newts_fake_presidential_run.php

The kind of man he is

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/142936/7579/345/705463
Rush Limbaugh: "The Ted Kennedy Memorial Health Care Bill"

Eric Cantor (R-VA) becomes the latest to utter a peep of criticism of El Rushbo, and then to go crawling back to kiss his ring

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/162336/7715/301/705515

Heh

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/house-dems/dems-start-calling-rush-leader-limbaugh/
Dems Start Calling Rush “Leader Limbaugh” . . .

Glenn Greenwald on anonymous govt sources

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/06/anonymity/index.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/legacy-media-and-bloggers-alike-why-its-important-to-expose-sources-who-lie-to-you/

Fox News: Facts be damned!

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=12039
Polls Show Big Majority Trust Obama - Fox News & Bill Kristol Say America Doesn't . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/6/1442/86192/364/705452

Bonus item: Go get ‘em, old girl. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Senator Jim Bunning – “I ain’t dead yet”

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/justice-ginsburg-i-wanted-that-senator-to-see-im-alive.php

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/justice-ginsburg-to-senator-bunning-screw-you/

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:53 AM

 
INTELLIGENCE MATTERS

Investigating CIA interrogations

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/senate-intel-committee-announces-broad-investigation-of-cia-interrogations.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/32637/senate-announces-cia-probe-now-what-about-justice

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/cia_will_get_investigated.php

More on Truth and Reconciliation . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/32480/senate-gopers-press-for-prosecution-of-bush-officials

What’s the old saying? “Military intelligence” is an oxymoron

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/6/11116/73932

The Rove/Miers deal

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/rove_can_only_claim_privilege_when_asked_about_bus.php
Rove Can Claim Privilege Only When Asked About Bush . . . [read on]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the_scudder_memo_half_a_loaf_better_than_none.php
The agreement declares that the famous "Scudder memo" will be made available "for Committee review only". In other words, the committee won't get to keep a copy, nor will it be able to release the memo publicly. . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/05/the-hjc-agreement-with-rove-and-miers/
[Marcy Wheeler] I wonder whether there isn't someone else in the White House who was the real fulcrum of the effort? Rove's denials have always been couched to say he didn't talk to DOJ, but leaving open the possibility that someone else did (at least on these issues). . . . [read on]

Text: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2009/03/congress-bush-administration-agreement-on-rovemiers-testimony-3409.php

More: http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/03/05/rove-and-miers-to-testify-what-would-you-ask/
Rove And Miers To Testify: What Would You Ask? . . .

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/anticipating_testimony_rove_begins_the_spin.php
Anticipating Testimony, Rove Begins The Spin . . .

I guess “incendiary” and “ugly” weren’t meant as criticisms

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/steele_there_was_no_attack_on_rush.php
Steele: "There Was No Attack on Rush"

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/mar/05/republicans

Greasing the skids for Michael Steele . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/bmwsteele_harmonic_convergence.php
[Josh Marshall] Oh, this is getting good. A RNC national committeeperson is calling on Michael Steele to step down. But it's better than that.

It's a black supporter of the crypto-segregationist RNC candidate Katon Dawson. But wait, it's better than that too. . . . [read on]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/5/14326/41389/741/705059
[Arjun Jaikumar] RNC members are officially calling for Steele to resign, amid his endless series of screwups, misstatements, and apologies. . . . [read on]

Classic GOP-ism. When they have a scandal that makes them look bad, their defense for the indefensible becomes, “The Democrats are taking political advantage of it”

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/boehner-keeps-up-gop-pushback-against-dems-limbaugh-strategy/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017157.php

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/05/boehner/index.html

http://washingtonindependent.com/32666/limbaugh-i-beg-you-to-stop-helping-me

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030503770.html
Rush Limbaugh is a clear winner this week: His ratings have nearly doubled . . .

Let’s take a moment to parse the words, “I want Obama’s policies to fail.” Limbaugh could have said, “I think they will fail.” He could have said, “I think they should fail.” He could have said, “I think they won’t accomplish their intended purposes.” But what he said – and what has been clear for weeks now – is that he is HOPING they fail, because if they are successful Obama and the Dems will be stronger for it (as of course THEY SHOULD BE, if their policies help solve the present crises).

You really can’t find a clearer statement that Limbaugh and the Repubs are prepared to see the country suffer in order to buttress their own failing political position

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/since-media-has-now-jumped-to-rushs.html

A more aggressive GOP

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000003066581

It’s not working: http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/06/think-small/

The GOP is blocking lower-level Obama appointees – just because they can

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/deputy-ag-nominee-held-by-gopers-as-conservative-activists-plot-strategy.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/please_grow_up.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017168.php

How things work: Can you filibuster a budget bill?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/can-you-filibuster-a-budget-bill-and-other-pressing-questions.php

Thank god we have Michele Bachmann (R-MN) to keep us safe

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/5/202620/4083/601/705207
BACHMANN: If you want to look at economic history over the last 100 years. I call it punctuated equilibrium. If you look at FDR, LBJ, and Barack Obama, this is really the final leap to socialism. … But we all know that we could turn this around and we can turn this around fairly quickly. We’re still a free country.

And as the Democrats are about to institutionalize cartels — that’s what they’re very good at — they’re trying to consolidate power, so we need to do everything we can to thwart them at every turn to make sure that they aren’t able to, for all time, secure a power base that for all time can never be defeated.

More: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/05/bachmann/index.html

I’ve been waiting for this

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/05/franken-coleman-update-030509-am-edition-the-motion-to-dismiss/
[Phoenix Woman] As expected, the Franken legal has filed a Motion to Dismiss the Coleman contest in its entirety. . . .

The bad news is that Franken's motion will likely be denied, as the Election Contest Court doesn't want to give the Coleman side anything on which to base an appeal to the Federal courts system. The good news is that this twenty-nine-page motion is so tightly constructed that the ECC will likely base a good chunk of its case ruling on the points laid down therein. It sets forth all the elements of proof, then goes ballot by ballot on each element, ending up with nine ballots that had some evidence on each element, in a rather impressive display . . . [read on]

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/franken-has-good-day-potentially-netting-over-30-votes.php
Franken Has Good Day, Potentially Netting Over 30 Votes . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/coleman-camp-on-defense-as-team-franken-brings-up-ballot-vetoes.php
Coleman Camp On Defense . . .

Bonus item: Jon Stewart takes down CNBC – an instant classic

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/5/10622/32020/866/704926

Extra bonus item: I’m not one of the those who ever found Sarah Palin particularly good-looking. But I do find this amusing

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/05/palins_looks_hurt_gop_ticket.html
[Journal of Experimental Social Psychology] Participants who were more positive in their assessment of Palin's attractiveness also "rated her far lower in terms of competence, intelligence and capability” . . .

Triple bonus: Michael Steele’s hip-hop GOP

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/05/steele/index.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:14 AM

 
WATCH AND ENJOY

Limbaugh’s enormous ego and bottomless appetite for self-promotion are pulling down the GOP. Thanks Rush

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/indulge_me_a_lot.php
[David Frum] Rush knows what he is doing. The worse conservatives do, the more important Rush becomes as leader of the ardent remnant. . . . . [read on]

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/frum_takes_on_rush_conservatives_leap_to_condemn_frum.php
Frum Takes on Rush; Conservatives Leap to Condemn Frum . . .

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/mar/04/republicans-limbaugh
[Michael Tomasky] Well, His Oxy-ness may indeed be loving every minute of it, but five weeks on, does Obama's invocation of Limbaugh look like such a mistake? I think not. Events have unfolded more or less exactly as Obama surely hoped they would. Limbaugh has indeed been elevated, and it's been a p.r. nightmare for the Republican Party.

One presidential mention has exposed to public scrutiny something that only political insiders have known for a long time. Limbaugh is the emotional leader of the GOP. We – we Beltway intellectual types – have talked up figures who give conservatism a face that is, to one degree or another, respectable. It's David Brooks, or it was Irving Kristol, or Norman Podhoretz, or Leo Strauss.

We have done this because, well, because at various points it may have been sort of true. But we also did it because we want to think that we've been engaged in a war of ideas conducted on a high intellectual plane.

That notion, unfortunately, is fatuous. . . .

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/04/limbaugh.mocked/index.html
Democrats plan to launch a Web site Wednesday that mocks GOP leaders for apologizing to radio host Rush Limbaugh for criticizing or publicly disagreeing with him. . . .

Heh: http://www.dccc.org/content/sorry

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/labor-group-ad-attacks-rush-as-gop-leader.php

The gift Limbaugh gave the Dems: lining up Republicans on the can’t-win question, “Do you want Obama to fail?”

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/leading-house-goper-agrees-with-rush-limbaugh-wants-obama-to-fail.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-wont-say-whether-he-wants-obama-to-fail.php
Steele Won't Say Whether He Wants Obama To Fail

And it’s all Obama’s fault (??!!???)

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/ahhh_the_evil_plan.php
[Josh Marshall] These are trying times. So I appreciate the right wing media's efforts to keep me rolling in laughs. I happened over to Drudge's site to see "Enemies List: White House Plots Limbaugh Coverage". That links through to Jonathan Martin's piece in The Politico. And Michael Scherer picks it up in Time in a sort of broad-ranging homage to the greatness of David Broder.

It seems the Obama White House is mobilizing the vast power of the federal government to make Rush really popular among GOP nutball dead-enders, then coax various Republican officials to criticize Rush and then compel these same officials to issue craven and humiliating recantations of those criticisms.

The right's capacity for gonzo victimhood really knows no end. . . .

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/new-media-meme-obama-team-solely-to-blame-for-rush-story/

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/white-houses-secret-strategy-to-destroy.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017144.php

Rush wants Obama to come “debate” him – i.e., acknowledging him as a political peer (yeah, THAT’LL happen)

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/rush-is-having-fun.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/limbaugh_obama.php

Michael Steele, Leader of the Republican Party (whee!!)

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-no-one-has-any-idea-what-im-doing----and-i-like-it-that-way.php
Steele: No One Has Any Idea What I'm Doing -- And I Like It That Way!

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/steele_on_rush_flap_thats_the_nature_of_this_job_b.php
Steele on Rush Flap: "That's the Nature of This Job, Baby!"

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-cutting-off-pro-stimulus-republicans-absolutely-on-the-table-for-me.php
Steele: Cutting Off Pro-Stimulus Republicans "Absolutely On The Table For Me"

GOP criticism of Steele grows

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/viguerie-on-steele-and-rush.php

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/more-gop-attacks-launched-on-michael.html

http://washingtonindependent.com/32278/anonymous-republicans-attack-michael-steele

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017136.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/thats_one_angle.php

Rove and Miers will finally testify (sort of). Don’t get your hopes up

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/agreement_sets_stage_for_rove_testimony_on_us_atto.php
[Zachary Roth] The committee says in a press release that it has forged a deal with the Bush White House which will see Rove and Harriet Miers conduct transcribed interviews before the committee, under penalty of perjury, on the subject of what they know the about the White House's role in the firings. If the committee wants to follow up by with public testimony by requiring public testimony, it has reserved the right to do so.

By the terms of the agreement, Rove and Miers' ability to invoke executive privilege -- a privilege that President Bush has been claiming exists in perpetuity even after a president leaves office -- will be "significantly limited", though the announcement does not indicate the nature of those limitations.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/the_rove_agreement_what_we_still_dont_know.php
The Rove Agreement: What We Still Don't Know . . . [read on]

Will we have a Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Bush/Cheney crimes?

http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/03/04/open-questions-truth-commissions-accountability-and-immunity/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/better-than-hitler-by-digby-tpm-reports.html

http://www.propublica.org/article/after-memos-release-push-for-torture-commission-grows#8808

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/too_true_specter_and_cornyn_oppose_truth_commissio.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/32406/republicans-make-a-case-for-prosecuting-bush-officials

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/gop_witness_by_historical_standards_bushies_war_on.php

Will Democratic senators block Obama’s agenda?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/the_big_deal.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/evan_bayh_ben_nelson_join_overclass_revolt_against_obamas_tax_plans.php

Bonus item: Heh

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/nope_1.php
Reid spokesman on Coleman: "Just because Mr. Coleman is not happy with the results of the election/recount doesn't mean he gets to schedule another one."

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/very_weird.php
[Josh Marshall] Are the Republicans trying to lay the groundwork for filibustering any effort to seat Franken, even after the state of Minnesota tells Norm it's over and he has to go home? Keep an eye out for it.

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:09 AM

 
REVEREND WRONG

More on those Bush-era Office of Legal Counsel memos

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/experts_weigh_in_on_bush_justice_memos.php
[Zachary Roth] The key news seems to be that at least ten of the opinions issued by the department's Office of Legal Counsel in the early years of the War on Terror -- outlining an expansive view of executive power -- were later deemed flawed and ordered withdrawn . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/covering_their_backsides_til_bitter_end.php
[David Kurtz] In those Office of Legal Counsel memos released yesterday is a telling footnote that appears to try to exonerate the DOJ crew that gave the now-discredited legal advice on things like torture, domestic surveillance, and the scope of executive power. . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/162038/0212/567/704216
Scott Horton calls it George W. Bush's Disposable Constitution . . . [read on]

More: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/03/yoo/index.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/03/was-yoo-spreading-pixie-dust-on-the-geneva-convention/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017121.php

More memos to come: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/03/AR2009030303902.html

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/03/where-are-the-other-memos/

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/more_olc_memos_to_come.php

What’s Obama doing with Russia?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/washington/04russia.html

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/russia_/2009/03/why_did_obama_write_that_letter_to_medvedev.php

The return of the Endangered Species Act

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/164334/0581/575/704224
[McJoan] One of the worst of the Bush midnight regulations is history today. . . .

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/scientists_conservationists_cheer_obama_at_interior_dept.php

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/03/esa/index.html

Good. Play it like this

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/poker-by-digby-this-is-good-president.html
[The Hill] President Obama’s budget director said the White House would consider using a Senate procedural tactic so that only 50 votes would be rquired to pass major healthcare and energy reforms. . . .

Blocking Obama’s judges (here it comes)

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017124.php

The Republicans hate earmarks (except when they want them)

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/2/95226/43267/178/703580

Look at the numbers: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/15314/55076/614/704169

[NB: That would be, the top two, four of the top six, and seven of the top 11]

What Republicans KNOW to be true (which is not in fact true)

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/19052/46549/500/704283

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017129.php

Rush Limbaugh is the GOP’s Reverend Wrong – they don’t want to have to repudiate him, while the Dems are determined to force them to

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/1019/30231/844/703955
[Barbara Morrill] As we continue our search for Republicans willing to utter the four little words, "Rush Limbaugh is wrong," let's take a few moments to look at some other deep thoughts from The Voice of the Republican Party . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/tight_spot_eric.php
[Josh Marshall] House Minority Whip Eric Cantor criticized Rush's 'fail' rhetoric about Barack Obama without going so far as to criticize the Great Leader directly. And then today Rush is saying that Cantor really didn't criticize him. So we called up Eric Cantor's office. And we asked, were you criticizing Rush or not? He ducked the question. . . .

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/cantor-responds-to-rushs-latest/
[Greg Sargent] GOP House minority whip Eric Cantor is declining to comment directly on Rush Limbaugh’s claim to me that ABC News falsely reported that Cantor disagrees with Rush’s desire to see President Obama fail.

Asked to clarify his position on Rush’s “fail” hopes, Cantor spokesperson Brad Dayspring replied by suggesting that Obama administration officials should go talk to Rush. . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/12502/26886/702/704097
[Barbara Morrill] Rush Limbaugh, the de facto leader of the Republican Party, has called House Minority Whip Eric Cantor gutless. . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/11302/22996/965/703818
[Robert Gibbs, WH press sect’y] Well, I think the question is a good one. I think that -- I think maybe the best question, though, is for you to ask individual Republicans whether they agree with what Rush Limbaugh said . . .

More: http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/limbaugh_as_leader_dems_love_it.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/box.php

Limbaugh’s fixation

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/smoking-wreckage-of-limbaugh-nation-by.html
[Digby] Limbaugh is now calling people "butt boys." This is on top of his adorable comments that Republicans are being asked to "bend over and grab their ankles" because Obama is black. I realize that the term "butt boy" is fairly common in junior high locker rooms as a synonym for sycophant, but when did it become ok to say this on radio? . . .

http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200902280021
Limbaugh mocks "the voice of the new castrati" . . .

Polling Limbaugh

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/32253/79030/806/703977
[Jed Lewison] Other than about 3 out of 5 Republicans, nobody really likes Rush Limbaugh -- and among independents and Democrats, he's actively loathed.

It's enough to make you ask what kind of idiot would want to make Rush Limbaugh the de facto leader of their political party.

The answer is simple: they're same idiots who got this country into the very mess we're in today.

No, not all conservatives embrace Limbaugh

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/conservatives-take-on-rush-limbaugh.html

Heh

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/1488/49216/647/704136
Question: How do you know when the powers that be at Fox News Channel think something is bad for the Republican Party?

Answer: They ignore it. . . . [read on]

Bobby Jindal, an abject tool

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/jindal-calls-limbaugh-a-great-leader-for-conservatives-is-glad-steele-apologized.php?ref=fp2
[Eric Kleefeld] Check out this excerpt from Bobby Jindal's appearance last night on Larry King Live. Jindal was asked about Rush Limbaugh's declarations of wanting President Obama to fail. He not only couldn't bring himself to repudiate Rush's remarks, but also praised Rush as a "great leader for conservatives" -- and he said he was glad that Michael Steele had apologized . . .

Michael Steele: a disaster for the GOP

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/3/3/gop-to-michael-steele-quiet-about-rush-limbaugh-or-youre-fired.html
GOP to Michael Steele: Quiet About Rush Limbaugh or You're Fired . . .

Pitiful: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/03/03/steele_call/index.html
[Alex Koppelman] Here's what I love about Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele: Even when he's suffered a major embarrassment, he still sticks to his usual pseudo-hip rhetorical style.

Take a statement Steele gave to CNN about a call he made to Rush Limbaugh on Monday night in order to apologize for his criticism of the radio host. "We had a nice conversation last night," Steele said. "We are all good."

I told you, it was only a matter of time. The long knives are out . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/how_long_does_this_guy_last.php
The WBAL TV 11 News I-Team is raising new questions about the campaign spending of former Maryland lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate candidate Michael Steele . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/3/164528/1152/574/704225

You know that if the recount had Norm Coleman ahead by two votes, he’d declare victory and be on the first plane to DC. But because he’s behind, the whole election is no longer legitimate and needs to be done over

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/coleman-spokesman-declares-that-court-cant-certify-election-result.php
Coleman Spokesman Declares That Court Can't Certify Election Result . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/coleman-continues-to-cast-doubt-on-election-result.php
Coleman Continues To Cast Doubt On Election Result . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/3/132439/6795
Coleman Camp Wants Election Results "Set Aside" . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/set-it-aside-by-dday-norm-coleman.html

The return of the angry John McCain (who still seems to have trouble accepting the fact that HE LOST)

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/news-flash-john-mccain-is-angry-man-oh.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/02/AR2009030202465.html

Bonus item: An ABC news story on Obama and taxes that makes you dumber

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/possibly-dumbest-story-ever.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 7:16 AM

 
MAN OF STEELE?

I am really enjoying Michael Steele’s tenure as head of the GOP. He lashes out at Rush Limbaugh’s extremism, but when Rush fires back, Steele meekly backs down. This is the fight over who speaks for the party – and I think we’re finding out who that is

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-rush-isnt-the-gops-leader----hes-an-entertainer.php
"Let's put it in the context here," said Steele. "Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Rush Limbaugh, his whole thing is entertainment."

"Yes, it's incendiary," Steele added. "Yes, it's ugly."

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/2/163527/7429
[Rush Limbaugh] "So I am an entertainer and I have 20 million listeners because of my great song and dance routine," Limbaugh said. "Michael Steele, you are head of the Republican National Committee. You are not head of the Republican party. Tens of millions of conservatives and Republicans have nothing to do with the Republican National Committee . . . and when you call them asking for money, they hang up on you. . . .

It's time, Mr. Steele, for you to go behind the scenes and start doing the work that you were elected to do instead of being some talking-head media star. . . .

Why are you running the Republican Party? Why do you claim you lead the Republican Party when you seem obsessed with seeing to it that President Obama succeeds? I frankly am stunned that the chairman of the Republican National Committee endorses such an agenda . . .

I don't understand why you're asking Republicans to donate to the Republican National Committee if their money is going to be spent furthering the agenda of Barack Obama? If we don't want Obama and Reid and Pelosi to fail, then why does the RNC exist, Mr. Steele? Why are you even raising money? . . .

I'm not in charge of the Republican Party, and I don't want to be. I would be embarrassed to say that I'm in charge of the Republican Party in a sad-sack state that it's in.”

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republican-national-committee/no-apology-to-rush-limbaugh-from-rnc-chair-michael-steele/
[Greg Sargent] It doesn’t look like RNC chair Michael Steele is going to apologize to Rush Limbaugh, who unleashed an on-air tirade against Steele this afternoon for the RNC chair’s earlier description of Rush’s show as “ugly” and “incendiary.”

I just checked in with RNC spokesperson Alex Conant, and he said that all the RNC would be doing in response to Rush was referring back to an earlier statement that the RNC sent out before Rush’s rant today. The statement didn’t say anything about the battle between the two men, instead trying to change the subject to Democratic criticism of Rush.

So that means no apology to Rush from Steele or the RNC — for now, anyway. . . .

[NB: Well, THAT didn’t last long.]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/steele-apologizes-to-limbaugh-praises-his-leadership.php
[Michael Steele] "My intent was not to go after Rush - I have enormous respect for Rush Limbaugh. I was maybe a little bit inarticulate...There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/steeles_re-education_already_complete.php
[Michael Steele] "I went back at that tape and I realized words that I said weren't what I was thinking," Steele said. "It was one of those things where I thinking I was saying one thing, and it came out differently. What I was trying to say was a lot of people ... want to make Rush the scapegoat, the bogeyman, and he's not."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/im_loving_michael_steele.php
[Josh Marshall] This guy has to be about the worst, most embarrassing party chair we've seen in recent memory. It's embarrassing enough that Steele is like, what? ... the third Republican to criticize Rush and then make it less than 36 hours before being forced to undergo the 21st century Republican version of a Maoist self-criticism session. It's sad for the Republican party that no one can criticize Rush without having to be hauled out for this sort of humiliation a day or so later. But for Steele not to have realized that or not to have been sufficiently in control of his mouth to avoid saying this just shows once again that this dude is really, really not ready for prime time.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/03/non-custodial_visits.php
[Tim Kaine, head of the DNC] "I was briefly encouraged by the courageous comments made my counterpart in the Republican Party over the weekend challenging Rush Limbaugh as the leader of the Republican Party and referring to his show as 'incendiary' and 'ugly.' However, Chairman Steele's reversal this evening and his apology to Limbaugh proves the unfortunate point that Limbaugh is the leading force behind the Republican Party, its politics and its obstruction of President Obama's agenda in Washington. . .”

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017116.php
[Steve Benen] Democrats would, under normal circumstances, work very hard to drive a wedge between the Republican Party's leadership and its activist base. Over the last couple of weeks, that's happening anyway, without Dems having to lift a finger.

The one person rank-and-file Republicans follow with the most enthusiasm is using his show to bash the Republican Party, insult the RNC chairman, and undermine the party's fundraising efforts. What's more, with his comments yesterday, Steele effectively baited Limbaugh into launching today's tirade, which only keeps the right-wing blowhard front and center for another day.

If the DNC were writing the script, it would look quite a bit like this.

The next step will be the RNC's efforts to mend fences and make Limbaugh (and his audience) happy again. We'll see how that goes.

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/separated-at-birth-by-digby-oh-my.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/02/limbaugh-to-steele-all-your-republicans-are-belong-to-me/

Tick, tick, tick . . . somebody’s out to get Steele

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/2/163233/2148
[Judd Legum] RNC Chairman Michael Steele is under fresh scrutiny for more suspect expenditures from his 2006 Senate campaign . . .

The Root for Failure Caucus

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/28/santorum-cpac-obama/
TP: What do you think about what Rush said about, I mean, do you hope, should we hope that President Obama fails?

LEVIN: Yes.

TP: Yes?

SANTORUM: If . . . absolutely we hope that his policies fail. . . . I believe his policies will fail, I don’t know, but I hope they fail . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017105.php

The latest CW is that the GOP is holding off attacks on Obama, preferring to go after the less-popular Congressional Dems instead. Don’t believe it for a second

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017117.php

The dying conservative movement

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/01/dying_conservative_intellect/
[Jon Taplin] I was of course, presumptuous in declaring the "Death of Conservatism", but to watch a movement fall apart intellectually and emotionally is like been an observer of a car crash. There is nothing you can do to stop it. All you can do is pray no one gets killed. So here are the latest party identification stats and for Republicans and conservatives, it's not a pretty picture, especially among women and the young. . . .

Note that in no category do the Repubs get much more than 30%. And then there are the Limbaugh Republicans who at 18% are so marginalized that the best they can do is go hear Rush mouth off about Socialism at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Having no ideas of their own about fixing our country, the Right has revived the McCarthy era taunt. . . .

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/current-gop-strategy-echoes-kristols-1993-memo-urging-obstruction-of-dems/
[Greg Sargent] With the GOP gearing up to defeat President Obama’s big-ticket initiatives, a lot of folks have been trying to track down a copy of the full memo that Bill Kristol famously wrote in 1993 urging Republicans to block Bill Clinton’s health care reform plan at all costs. Bits and pieces of the memo are floating around but the full one has been elusive.

Well, I have obtained a PDF copy — you can read the whole thing right here. And it’s really a striking read, because it demonstrates two things. First, how much the current GOP strategy seems to echo the strategic objectives Kristol articulated 15 years ago. And second, how much worse off the GOP is now than it was then in terms of being able to achieve those objectives . . .

Read it: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/bill-kristols-1993-memo-calling-for-gop-to-block-health-care-reform/

Kathleen Sebelius is the new head of HHS – but not the “Health Care Czar”

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/its_sebelius.php

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/still-more-good-news-for-health-care-reform/

Destruction of evidence

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017111.php
[Steve Benen] The New York Times reported in December 2007 that the CIA "destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agency's custody" in 2005. The videos in question included the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, and remain the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation.

As it turns out, "at least two" was a dramatic understatement. . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2009/03/cia_destroyed_92_interrogation_videos_official.php
[AFP] The CIA has destroyed 92 controversial interrogation videos, a US attorney said in a letter Monday . . .

The tapes reportedly showed "war on terror" Al-Qaeda suspects undergoing waterboarding . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/2/115955/1526/141/703641
In December 2007, the ACLU filed a motion to hold the CIA in contempt for its destruction of videotapes recording the harsh interrogation of prisoners in violation of a court order requiring the agency to produce or identify all the requested records. That motion is still pending . . . [read on]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017111.php
[Steve Benen] Destroying two interrogation videos is obstruction of justice. Destroying 92 interrogation videos is a systemic cover-up of widespread lawbreaking.

As the ACLU noted, the U.S. Attorney's letter "provides further evidence for holding the CIA in contempt of court. The large number of videotapes destroyed confirms that the agency engaged in a systemic attempt to hide evidence of its illegal interrogations and to evade the court's order."

And let's also not forget that the CIA's explanation for all of this has never made a lick of sense.

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/02/92-destroyed-tapes/
[Marcy Wheeler] Who Watched the Torture Tapes? [read on]

More Bush-era legal memos released

http://www.propublica.org/article/bush-detainee-memos-now-found
[Christopher Weaver] The newly released memos asserted broad powers for the executive branch following the Sept. 11 attacks, and include several that drew harsh criticism from Congress and civil rights groups. One argues that if the president deployed the military within the United States to fight terrorists, Fourth amendment protection against warrantless searches would not apply.

Another memo concludes, "The President has since the Founding era exercised exclusive and virtually unfettered control over the disposition of enemy soldiers and agents captured in time or war."

Several of the newly public memos were repudiated by the Bush administration’s Justice Department days before they cleared out. . . .

More: http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/03/02/doj-releases-olc-memos-why-hide-bradburys-legal-smackdown/

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/02/olc-restores-4th-amendment-after-hounding-from-congress/

http://washingtonindependent.com/32133/olc-authorized-pentagon-to-ignore-bill-of-rights-on-us-soil

Bipartisanship at last: the interest in painting the Bush years as a failure has joined Democrats and Republicans together

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/03/02/portraying_bush_as_a_failure.html
Ron Brownstein notes that "literally from the first moments of his presidency, Obama has repudiated Bush in unusually pointed terms. . . .”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090228/pl_politico/19433
[I]f there’s one thing those attending the annual Conservative Political Action Conference this week agree on, it is this: They don’t want another George W. Bush. . . .

More: http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/the_authority_to_repudiate.php

The Godmother

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/02/pelosi-shes-got-a-little-list/
[Phoenix Woman] I swear, there are times when I think the RNC-talking-points distributors over at The Politico exist solely to boost my blood pressure. Just get a load of this bit of dreck from Glenn Thrush about how Evil Nancy Pelosi evilly keeps evil lists of people . . . .

Wow! She's doing what she should be doing if she wanted to win any sort of elective office beyond school board member! Let's paint her as frickin' Tony Soprano!

Funny how it's somehow considered wrong for Pelosi to want to smack down Heath Shuler, yet it's perfectly OK and reasonable for Boehner, Steele, and McConnell to try to threaten Specter and Snowe and Collins with primaries. Oh, and somebody call me when Pelosi gets even a tenth as hardball as did Tom DeLay, who used his power as de facto Speaker of the House (Denny Hastert was his tool) -- and his friendships with Pat Robertson and Jack Abramoff -- not just to threaten primaries against GOP congresscritters, but to force K Street lobbyists to donate almost solely to Republicans.

Norm Coleman’s lawyers rest their “case”

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/02/franken-coleman-update-march-2-2009-am-edition-case-what-case/
Case? What Case? . . . [read on]

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/02/franken-coleman-update-030209-pm-edition-two-to-three-weeks/
So how much longer will Minnesota be down one senator? According to Al Franken, who is going to be that senator, the Coleman contest trial will be over in "two to three weeks" and he hopes to be seated soon afterwards. . . .

Roland Burris: how much longer?

http://www.propublica.org/article/new-promise-were-tracking-burris-explains-it-all#8723
Roland Burris has said for weeks that he never made an inconsistent statement about how he became a senator and that he is preparing a document to prove it.

On Feb. 17, Burris told reporters there was "never any inappropriate conversation between me and anyone else" leading to his appointment last year and his lawyers were "working on a concise document that will be provided to the public later this week."

But now, two weeks later, the memo still hasn’t been completed. Burris’ lawyer, Tim Wright, said in an interview that it might be finalized this week but will not immediately be made public, despite Burris’ pledge to do so. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017106.php

Bonus item: The end of PBD?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/business/media/02scrape.html
When the popular New York business blog Silicon Alley Insider quoted a quarter of Peggy Noonan’s Wall Street Journal column in mid-February, the editor added a caveat at the end: “We thank Dow Jones in advance for allowing us to bring it to you.”

The editor added “in advance” because Dow Jones, the publisher of The Journal, had not given the blog permission to use the column. The excerpt was published with the assumption that it would be permitted under the “fair use” statute of copyright law.

Generally, the excerpts have been considered legal, and for years they have been welcomed by major media companies, which were happy to receive links and pass-along traffic from the swarm of Web sites that regurgitate their news and information.

But some media executives are growing concerned that the increasingly popular curators of the Web that are taking large pieces of the original work — a practice sometimes called scraping — are shaving away potential readers and profiting from the content. . . .

“A lot of news organizations are saying, ‘We’re not willing to accept the tiny fraction of a penny that we get from the page views that these links are sending in,’ ” said Joshua Benton, the director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard. “They think they need to defend their turf more aggressively.” . . .

The legal disputes are emblematic of a larger question that has emerged from the Internet’s link economy. The editors of many Web sites, including ones operated by the Times Company, post excerpts from competitors’ content from time to time. At what point does excerpting from an article become illegal copying?

Courts have not provided much of an answer. In the United States, the copyright law provides a four-point definition of fair use, which takes into consideration the purpose (commercial vs. educational) and the substantiality of the excerpt.

But editors in search of a legal word limit are sorely disappointed. Even before the Internet, lawyers lamented that the fair use factors “didn’t map well onto real life,” said Mr. Ardia, whose Citizen Media Law Project is part of the Berkman Center at Harvard Law School. “New modes of creation, reuse, mixing and mash-ups made possible by digital technologies and the Internet have made it even more clear that Congress’s attempt to define fair use is woefully inadequate.” . . .

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:02 AM

 
OBAMAISM

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/obamas_opportunity.php
[Charles Krauthammer] If Barack Obama succeeds, his joint address to Congress will be seen as historic—indeed as the foundational document of Obamaism. As it stands, it constitutes the boldest social democratic manifesto ever issued by a U.S. president.

Obama sees the current economic crisis as an opportunity. He has said so openly. And now we know what opportunity he wants to seize. Just as the Depression created the political and psychological conditions for Franklin Roosevelt’s transformation of America from laissez-faireism to the beginnings of the welfare state, the current crisis gives Obama the political space to move the still (relatively) modest American welfare state toward European-style social democracy. . . . [read on]

Skepticism about Obama’s Iraq withdrawal plans, from the left (thanks to Ahmad S. for the link)

http://www.ips-dc.org/articles/1117

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/01/leaving-iraq-really/

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/03/obamas_retreat_on_iraq.html

Juan Cole: http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/03/02/obama_iraq/index.html
Some Iraq war critics are fretting about Obama's speech on Friday, and his plan to stay a little longer. But here's why there's no reason for alarm. . . . [read on]

The party of ideas?

http://www.slate.com/id/2212454/
[Christopher Beam] He has been described, in ascending order of hyperbole, as a "right-wing master strategist," "right-wing strategist par excellence," "master of the conservative domain," "bearded conservative guru," "conservative sultan," "Republican eminence," "GOP mastermind" . . .

But the ground is shifting. With the ascendancy of Obama and Democrats in Congress, [Grover] Norquist's all-tax-cuts-all-the-time philosophy has never been further from the mainstream. . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017099.php
[Steve Benen] Newt Gingrich told the CPAC audience the other day, "It's not our job to be the opposition party. It's our job to be the 'better solutions party.'" Sounds good to me. Let's hear some of those "better solutions." . . .

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/03/the_revolution_devours_its_children.php
[Rush Limbaugh] Everybody asks me — and I’m sure it’s been a focal point of your convention — well, what do we do, as conservatives? What do we do? How do we overcome this? . . . One thing we can all do is stop assuming that the way to beat them is with better policy ideas. . . .

Rush Limbaugh: Obama’s race doesn’t matter – except that it does. . . to Limbaugh (read on)

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017098.php

Hanging Rush around the GOP’s neck

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/01/emanuel-rush-limbaugh-is-the-face-of-the-gop/
[Rahm Emanuel] "He is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican party, and he has been up front about what he views, and hasn't stepped back from that, which is he hopes for failure . . .”

"He said it, and I compliment him on his honesty," Emanuel said. "But that's their philosophy that's enunciated by Rush Limbaugh and I think that's the wrong philosophy for America."

More: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19460.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017102.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/3/1/141151/4237

http://firedoglake.com/2009/03/01/erick-erickson-reduced-to-quivering-fanboy-after-brief-encounter-with-unpopular-radio-host/

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/1/184454/4181/322/703436
[Illinifan17] Rush Limbaugh is like a drug to the GOP: he makes them feel better about themselves. . .

George Who?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090228/pl_politico/19433
Conservatives aren’t sure who’s the Republican presidential frontrunner in 2012. They disagree over how sharply to attack President Barack Obama and on the question of whether a back-to-basics approach is the path back to majority.

But if there’s one thing those attending the annual Conservative Political Action Conference this week agree on, it is this: They don’t want another George W. Bush. . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/cpac-queen-by-digby-it-was-quite-day.html

Jon Huntsman for 2012?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19455.html

Killing the “Obama’s not an American” myth (if facts can kill myths)

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/the_wayward_press_/2009/03/ben_smith_shows_how_its_done.php

More: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=BF547975-18FE-70B2-A85A7CB6F7889EED

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:15 AM

 
YOUR SUNDAY PAPER

Two tales from the Sunday papers: pour another cup and read them

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/28/business/28nocera.html
[Joe Nocera] Next week, perhaps as early as Monday, the American International Group is going to report the largest quarterly loss in history. . . .

At the same time A.I.G. reveals its loss, the federal government is also likely to announce — yet again! — a new plan to save A.I.G., the third since September. So far the government has thrown $150 billion at the company, in loans, investments and equity injections, to keep it afloat.

I don’t doubt this bit of conventional wisdom; after the calamity that followed the fall of Lehman Brothers, which was far less enmeshed in the global financial system than A.I.G., who would dare allow the world’s biggest insurer to fail? Who would want to take that risk? But that doesn’t mean we should feel resigned about what is happening at A.I.G. In fact, we should be furious. More than even Citi or Merrill, A.I.G. is ground zero for the practices that led the financial system to ruin.

“They were the worst of them all,” said Frank Partnoy, a law professor at the University of San Diego and a derivatives expert. Mr. Vickrey of Gradient Analytics said, “It was extreme hubris, fueled by greed.” Other firms used many of the same shady techniques as A.I.G., but none did them on such a broad scale and with such utter recklessness. And yet — and this is the part that should make your blood boil — the company is being kept alive precisely because it behaved so badly. . . . [read on]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/us/01survival.html
[Michael Luo] Mark Cooper started his work day on a recent morning cleaning the door handles of an office building with a rag, vigorously shaking out a rug at a back entrance and pushing a dust mop down a long hallway.

Nine months ago he lost his job as the security manager for the western United States for a Fortune 500 company, overseeing a budget of $1.2 million and earning about $70,000 a year. Now he is grateful for the $12 an hour he makes in what is known in unemployment circles as a “survival job” at a friend’s janitorial services company. But that does not make the work any easier.

“You’re fighting despair, discouragement, depression every day,” Mr. Cooper said. . . . [read on]

Hey, we’ve all embellished a story now and then to make it sound better – but it’s dumb to do it in your big national coming-out speech. Bobby Jindal, you screwed the pooch

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/02/drip_drip_drip_2.php
[Josh Marshall] Jindal's staff now admits that that actually didn't happen. Instead of being there and being part of the story, Jindal's reps now admit that days later Jindal overheard Lee telling the story to someone else. And Jindal retold the story he'd been told while inserting himself into it as part of the story. . . .

Now, Jindal's reps are still in high dudgeon over this, saying Jindal was totally on the level, claiming some mix of it not making any difference whether Jindal made up his role in the story or not or that what Jindal actually said was never meant to imply that he was part of the story rather than someone who heard about it later. But that's pretty preposterous if you look at what Jindal actually said.

But now there's this. TPM Reader EA just flagged this youtube video that appears to show Jindal telling the same story last year, only with even more embroidery about his own part in the drama . . . [watch]

CPAC, national convention of the kind of people they are

http://firedoglake.com/2009/02/28/breaking-cpac-convention-goers-smear-selves-with-excrement-garbage-congratulate-selves-on-smelling-like-roses/

http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200902280021
Limbaugh mocks "the voice of the new castrati"

The GOP, party of Limbaugh (practice, repeat)

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/_/2009/02/rush_limbaugh_albatross.php
[Mark Kleiman] Can the Democrats hang him around the neck of the GOP?

Doesn't hurt to try.

And of course any time Michael Steele or John Boehner or Mitch McConnell wants to distance himself from the guy who's rooting for the country to crash and burn because he doesn't like the current pilot, they're welcome to do so. . . .

Hoping for failure: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/017095.php

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/democratic-national-committee/top-dems-planning-amped-up-efforts-to-elevate-rush-as-gops-public-face/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_02/017090.php

More from Rush

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/fatuous-demagogue-by-digby-im-watching.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/28/rush-limbaugh-at-cpac-dou_n_170792.html

The CPAC straw poll: early GOP stalking horses for 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/28/romney-wins-cpac-poll-pal_n_170787.html

And one nobody is talking about (yet) http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/2/28/162721/778

The Washington Post: sometimes a great newspaper

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/02/washington_post_still_dodging_core_issues_in_george_will_scandal.php
Washington Post Still Dodging Core Issues in George Will Scandal . . .

http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200902270004
WashPost's Fred Hiatt plays dumb for George Will . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/decline-and-fall-by-dday-this-week-we.html

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/02/28/the-vaunted-wapo-fact-checking-process/

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/1/04044/93331/585/703189
Meet the Press: Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; Roundtable: Former Rep. Harold Ford, Jr (D-TN), GOP Strategist Mike Murphy, Dee Dee Myers (Vanity Fair), and Joe Scarborough (MSNBC).

This Week: OMB Director Peter Orszag; Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA); Roundtable: Republican Strategist Karl Rove, Democratic Pollster Stan Greenberg, Katrina vanden Heuvel (The Nation), and George Will (ABC News).

Face the Nation: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

State of the Union: Mike Mullen; Suze Orman (CNBC); Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI).

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com).

I don't get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don't run ads, etc). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a "mission," it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:56 AM