100 DAYS

Obama’s first hundred days – a few assessments

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/apr/28/obamas-100-days-tone

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/100-days.php

http://www.slate.com/id/2217275

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/29/725900/-100-Days

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/29/town_hall/index.html

Video: http://www.openleft.com/diary/13049/cnn-clip-grading-obamas-first-100-days

Pix: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/gallery/2009/04/100-days.php

The worst hundred days

http://slatev.com/player.html?id=21409209001

The GOP is really working hard to deny the devastating implications of one of their most senior senators telling them that he no longer has a home within their increasingly extremist party. But this explanation really takes the cake

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/demint-we-lost-pennsylvania-because-forced-unionization-caused-republicans-to-flee.php

OK, maybe not: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/cnn-and-jim-demint

More nonsense: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/29/specter_gop/index.html
[Bill Kristol] I wonder if today’s Arlen Specter party switch, this time to the president’s party, won’t end up being bad for President Obama and the Democrats. . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/inhofe-specters-switch-is-first-visible-evidence-of-gop-comeback.php
Inhofe: Specter's Switch Is "First Visible Evidence" Of GOP Comeback!

Better

http://www.slate.com/id/2217144
Why Arlen Specter's defection should terrify the GOP . . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/28/AR2009042803840.html
[Dan Balz] How much more can the Republicans take? Demoralized, contracting and lacking their own agenda, Republicans yesterday saw their ranks further thinned . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/opinion/30collins.html
[Gail Collins] The Republican Party has officially moved into nutcase territory. The Republican moderate caucus in the Senate is down to the two women from Maine. And we would all certainly like to listen in on their conversations on the plane ride home.

Olympia Snowe (R?-ME) is sounding pretty disenchanted

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/opinion/29snowe.html
IT is disheartening and disconcerting, at the very least, that here we are today — almost exactly eight years after Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party — witnessing the departure of my good friend and fellow moderate Republican, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, for the Democratic Party. And the announcement of his switch was all the more painful because I believe it didn’t have to be this way. . . .

Another brave GOP governor makes noises about rejecting federal stimulus money, then ends up grabbing it with both hands

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/28/AR2009042803087.html
Sarah Palin. . .

Frustration with Michael Steele as the feckless leader of the Republican party breaks out into open warfare

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/29/rnc-divide-grows-over-finance-battle/
Randy Pullen, the RNC's elected treasurer, former RNC General Counsel David Norcross and three other former top RNC officers have presented Mr. Steele with a resolution, calling for a new set of checks and balances on the chairman's power to dole out money. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/29/AR2009042904341.html

Hey, how’s that Legacy Project coming along?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/29/bush_keeps_sinking.html
Though former President Bush has been out of office for 100 days -- and made a point to stay out of the headlines -- his approval numbers sunk even further in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, from 31% positive just before he left office to just 26% now.

Not surprisingly, Dick Cheney's approval numbers also went down, from 21% positive in January to 18% now.

I think NRO writer Byron York is saying here that black support for Obama doesn’t really count as support

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/york-obama-is-actually-not-so-popular-because-some-people-who-like-him-are-black.php
“On his 100th day in office, Barack Obama enjoys high job approval ratings, no matter what poll you consult. But if a new survey by the New York Times is accurate, the president and some of his policies are significantly less popular with white Americans than with black Americans, and his sky-high ratings among African-Americans make some of his positions appear a bit more popular overall than they actually are.”

Fox News helpfully explains that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed wasn’t really waterboarded 183 times. You see, that counts each “pour,” that is, each time water was poured into his nose and mouth to make him feel as if he were drowning (yes, they actually tabulated such things). Since there were several “pours” during each session, Fox thinks this exaggerates the number of times he was tortured. I say, each time water was poured on him, he was in fear, panic, and agony – that’s the point of course – and so each pour WAS an instance of waterboarding, as far as I’m concerned, whether it happened several times in succession or not. But it’s good to know that Fox is playing its part to minimize the accusation of torture (as if ten times, or twenty times, is any less of a crime than 183 times)

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/28/despite-reports-khalid-sheikh-mohammed-waterboarded-times/

Bonus item: Michele Bachmann, nutjob

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017951.php
[Steve Benen] We should at least consider the possibility that Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is a secret liberal activist, pretending to be a lunatic in order to make conservative Republicans appear ridiculous.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/historian-michele-bachmann-blames-fdrs-hoot-smalley-tariffs-for-great-depression.php
Historian Michele Bachmann Blames FDR's "Hoot-Smalley" Tariffs For Great Depression . . .

[NB: Of course, it was Smoot-Hawley. Maybe she has Al Franken’s Stuart Smalley on her mind]

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/michelle-bachmann-embraces-ignorance-reverse-causation.php
Michelle Bachmann Embraces Ignorance, Reverse Causation . . .

***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 @ 7:22 AM

 
60

Well, well, well. Arlen Specter switches parties, which along with the inevitable Al Franken victory in Minnesota gives Obama his filibuster-proof majority of 60. But I wouldn’t read too much into that: Specter is notoriously unreliable and self-serving, the Republicans’ Joe Lieberman, and along with Ben Nelson he will let the Dems down on lots of key votes. The real significance of his shift lies elsewhere, I think

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/specters-switch-the-bigger-picture.php
[Brian Beutler] But let's assume Democrats do get to 60. What then? Well, arguably, it won't necessarily mean a whole lot. It won't mean the President suddenly gets his way all the time. It won't, for instance, mean that major legislation like EFCA or cap-and-trade will suddenly sail through Congress. Those issues have proven intractable even within the Democratic caucus, and the political complications won't go away just because that that caucus is now one member larger. . . .[read on]

Watch: http://tpmtv.talkingpointsmemo.com/?id=2441027

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017944.php

Why he did it: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/why-specter-did-it----and-had-to-do-it.php

Did Biden make it happen? http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republican-national-committee/happy-hour-thread-biden-had-fourteen-conversations-with-specter-this-year/

Not everyone is happy to have Specter in the party

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/28/specter/index.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/apr/28/republican-arlen-specter-switches-democratic-party

Will Specter switch (again) on EFCA?

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/28/oh-my-d-arlen/

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/specter-and-the-flat-tax.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/29/1150/85545

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/miraculous_compromise.php

What this really shows is the death-wish of the GOP: systematically running moderates out of their party, challenging their own senior senators with ideologues from the right, and insisting on loyalty to narrow conservative doctrine over diversity and “big tent” tolerance. They couldn’t have a better formula for turning themselves into a small, nationally irrelevant regional party. Nice work, boys

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/28/141749/603
[Jonathan Singer] Republicans are doing their darndest today to combat the already growing meme that the their party is so far out of the mainstream that it can't hold onto its moderate members. . . .

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21802.html
Two leading Republicans say Sen. Arlen Specter's decision to become a Democrat highlights the hostility moderates feel from an increasingly conservative GOP. . . .

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/specter-move-caught-gop-leaders-by-surprise-2009-04-28.html
Senate Republican leaders said they had received no heads-up from Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) about his decision to leave the Republican Party and run for reelection as a Democrat. . . .

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/spectered.html
[Atrios] I'm obviously not very optimistic that this will lead to good. I've lived under the wanktitude of Specter long enough to know that he rarely actually does anything positive. As Harry Reid said to a small group of bloggers last year in Denver, (quote from memory) "Arlen Specter's with us except when we need him." Question now is whether Specter will be with them when they do need him.

On the plus side, Senate staffers inform me that Republicans in the Senate are visibly in agony right now. So at least we have that!

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/why-specter-did-it----and-had-to-do-it.php
Republicans “shell-shocked”

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017946.php

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/watching_conservatives_/2009/04/positivefeedback_loop.php

BEFORE the Specter decision was announced

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/parsing-the-polls/21-percent.html
[Chris Cillizza] The new Washington Post/ABC news poll has all sorts of intriguing numbers in it but when you are looking for clues as to where the two parties stand politically there is only one number to remember: 21.

That's the percent of people in the Post/ABC survey who identified themselves as Republicans . . .

The GOP reacts, showing that they still don’t get it

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017945.php
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he's glad to see Sen. Arlen Specter leave the party. . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/28/725461/-Sanchez-baffled-by-GOP-spin:-What-the-hell
[Jed Lewison] South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint tries to make the case that Arlen Specter's defection is a good thing for the GOP, saying Republicans are "seeing across the country that the biggest tent of all is the Tent of Freedom." . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/28/725441/-McConnells-Response:-Its-Not-Our-Fault
Senate Republican leaders are pushing back hard against the notion that their party is to blame for Arlen Specter’s defection to the Democrats.

"This is not a national story. It is a Pennsylvania story," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters in a news conference following Tuesday’s GOP policy luncheon. . . .

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/28/right-wingers-show-range-of-emotions-as-gop-becomes-even-more-southern-and-wingnutty/
Denial . . . Sarcasm . . . Bitterness. . . Passive-Aggressiveness . . .Self-pity . . . Anger . . . [read on]

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/28/limbaugh_specter/index.html
[Rush] "A lot of people say, 'Well, Specter, take [Sen. John] McCain with you. And his daughter [Meghan]. Take McCain and his daughter with you if you're gonna," Limbaugh said on his show Tuesday afternoon, CNN's Political Ticker blog reports. Media Matters says Limbaugh also suggested that Specter and McCain also bring Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., over to the Democratic Party.

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/28/131655/382

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/28/725529/-Divided-Republicans-grapple-with-Arlen-Specters-defection

The Club for Growth? Or the Club for Extinction?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/go_club_go.php
[Club for Growth] "Senator Specter has confirmed what we already knew - he's a liberal devoted to more spending, more bailouts, and less economic freedom. . . .”

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/28/specter-club-for-growth-overplays-their-hand-again-democrats-arent-even-in-the-game/

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/28/185141/305

http://washingtonindependent.com/40917/chafee-specters-departure-just-latest-sign-of-a-gop-gone-stale

Is she next?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/29/the_last_moderate_republican.html
"It is true that being a Republican moderate sometimes feels like being a cast member of Survivor -- you are presented with multiple challenges, and you often get the distinct feeling that you're no longer welcome in the tribe. But it is truly a dangerous signal that a Republican senator of nearly three decades no longer felt able to remain in the party."

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/28/725495/-Snowe-Next-Up

Wingnut reasoning: Republican loses a winnable House district, but that’s bad news for Obama and the Dems. Huh? (thanks to Mike W. for the link)

http://www.newsmax.com/politics/tedisco_scott_murphy/2009/04/27/207796.html

Kathleen Sebelius confirmed as HHS Sect’y, Obama Cabinet complete

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/28/sebelius/index.html

The kind of people they are

http://washingtonindependent.com/40785/right-wing-restrictionists-blame-illegal-immigrants-for-swine-flu
Right-Wing Restrictionists Blame Illegal Immigrants for Swine Flu . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/bachmann-swine-flu-happens-under-dem-presidents.php
Michele Bachmann is at it again: Attributing flu pandemics to Democratic presidents. . . .

Bonus item: Ahhh, I love it: if Cheney had run for President

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/the-cheney-phase.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 @ 7:20 AM

 
SWINE

Conservatives love to complain about “moral relativism” -- but look at them talk about torture now

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/relatively-appropriate-by-digby-bushs.html

We know the Bush gang’s strategy of using selective intelligence to deceive the public. Dick Cheney wants docs declassified that will help him make the case that “torture works” – but not other docs that say it doesn’t

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/boehner-mum-on-whether-cia-should-release-report-finding-torture-didnt-foil-attacks/

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/who-will-call-for-release-of-cia-report-on-tortures-effectiveness/

Marcy Wheeler, Queen of the Timeline, shows how the Bush gang used dubious information elicited by torture to build the case for the Iraq war

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/27/torture-timeline-and-iraq-al-qaeda-ties/

Putting the “swine” in swine flu

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/430261
[John Nichols] When House Appropriations Committee chairman David Obey, the Wisconsin Democrat who has long championed investment in pandemic preparation, included roughly $900 million for that purpose in this year's emergency stimulus bill, he was ridiculed by conservative operatives and congressional Republicans. . . . But former White House political czar Karl Rove and key congressional Republicans -- led by Maine Senator Susan Collins -- aggressively attacked the notion that there was a connection between pandemic preparation and economic recovery. . . . [T]he Republicans essentially succeeded. The Senate version of the stimulus plan included no money whatsoever for pandemic preparedness.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/27/725122/-Republican-Obstructionism-and-Swine-Flu
We're in a public heath emergency and we don't have an HHS director because of GOP obstructionism . . .

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/flu-or-no-flu-sebelius-nomination-to-dhs-will-still-require-60-votes-gop-says/
Flu Or No Flu, Health Sec’s Nomination Will Still Require 60 Votes, GOP Says . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/27/161920/564
“Some people think that declaring a state of emergency about the flu was a political thing to push the Sebelius nomination through,” said Wendy Wright, President of Concerned Women of America . . . Wright said that she’d heard the speculation “on talk radio,” and wanted to be skeptical, but “there’s too much of a basis in that argument to easily dismiss it.”

Rush helps

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/nothing-to-say-by-digby-in-case-youre.html
After the break, Rush attacked the UN for issuing a warning for a worldwide flu pandemic, claiming that it is "by design" to get people to respond to government orders. The media fall right in line with this stuff, Rush said, amplifying the nature of the crisis. Rush -- in his capacity as public health expert -- added that "the flu's a common thing." [read on]

“Why does God hate the Republicans?”

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/watching_conservatives_/2009/04/why_does_god_hate_republicans.php

The Dems may not use reconciliation to push through health care with a filibuster-proof vote, but they’d be crazy not to at least threaten it to force some Republican sanity on the issue

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/in-letter-reid-sends-warning-shot-at-senate-republicans--cooperate-on-health-care.php

Is the GOP starting to cut its losses in the endless and futile Coleman Senate fight?

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/04/27/franken-coleman-update-042709-pulling-the-plug/

Guess who’s NOT going to telecast Obama’s prime time press conference?

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/27/fox_presser/index.html

Faux News

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/27/724929/-Fox-manipulates-video-to-attack-Obama
Fox manipulates video to attack Obama . . .

Michele Bachmann (R-Looneytunes), another great public face for the GOP

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/national-dems-join-in-on-bachmann-watching.php

Bonus item: Miss California on gay marriage

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/more-from-miss-california.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 @ 6:45 AM

 
GAME OVER

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/66895.html
The CIA inspector general in 2004 found that there was no conclusive proof that waterboarding or other harsh interrogation techniques helped the Bush administration thwart any "specific imminent attacks” . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/26/724717/-Finding-Justice
[McJoan] Here's what we know, based on the public record as represented above. A) Torture is illegal. B) The architects of the torture regime were informed that the "harsh interrogation techniques" they intended to use were torture, and that those methods were unreliable. C) Against that counsel from a military agency, torture was deployed--excessively, and it was used in part to extract information from detainees about ties between al Qaeda and Iraq, ties that the best intelligence the administration had access to had already deemed nonexistent, in order to justify the planned invasion--the chosen war--in Iraq.

We've known much of this for years, actually, and that the moment for deciding on how to reckon for it was coming. The Bush administration certainly foresaw it, and as Mark Danner points out in an essential op-ed in today's Washington Post, they prepared for it . . . [read on]

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/be-careful-what-you-wish-for-by-digby.html

The infamous OLC memos didn’t just rationalize torture; they seem to have made it impossible for CIA members who did object to do anything about it

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/26/did-olc-memos-prevent-cia-field-from-objecting-to-torture/

Does torture “work”? Well, it probably can elicit some true and valuable information, and probably it has. But that’s not the issue

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/torture_/2009/04/were_torture_supporters_moral_cretins.php
[Mark Kleiman] I agree with Megan McArdle about the unwisdom of making the claim that "Torture never works” . . . [read on]

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/why-dont-they-claim-al-nashiris-waterboarding-worked/
Why Don’t They Claim al-Nashiri’s Waterboarding Worked? . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017916.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/the-case-for-more-waterboarding.php
[Matt Yglesias] The orthodox conservative position at this point, it seems to me, is that waterboarding is not torture. Nor is having someone dangle from his shackled arms in a manner so painful as to prevent sleep for a period of days. What’s more, these non-torturous “harsh techniques” are highly effective at gathering intelligence. But if that’s true, and these are legal and effective means of securing reliable information, why are we doing so little of it?

After all, people doing organized crime investigations face a lot of challenges in terms of getting information from people. Maybe cops should do routine undercover drug buys, build a case against low level dealers, and then waterboard the guys they’ve arrested and move further up the food chain. . . .[read on]

The new craven line of defense: we told the Dems what we were doing and they didn’t stop us, so they can’t criticize us now

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/26/724137/-New-GOP-torture-meme:-Dems-fault.

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/26/about-democratic-complicity-the-early-briefings-on-torture/

Why that’s a load of crap: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/25/the-bush-administration-did-not-give-prior-notification-to-congress/
The Bush Administration Did Not Give Legally-Required Prior Notification to Congress . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/25/pelosi-of-hidden-memos-and-covert-ops-hidden-in-supplementals/
Pelosi: Of Hidden Memos and Covert Ops Hidden in Supplementals . . .

John McCain: poor George Bush and his pals just got bad advice. He KNOWS that's not true

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017918.php

David Broder, always consistent: torture investigations would upset the cozy bipartisan tea party that he seems to imagine Washington politics can be, and so they’re a bad idea

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/26/broder/index.html

http://www.openleft.com/diary/13033/david-broder-really-needs-to-hang-it-up

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017913.php

Another victim of torture: Alyssa Peterson

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/26/torture-and-the-united-states-of-alyssa-peterson/

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/26/torture-empathy-and-democracy/

More on the Harman wiretap

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=hsnews-000003103377
Former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert says he learned from a CIA-connected “whistleblower” in 2006 that Bush administration officials were suppressing the existence of a wiretapped conversation between Rep. Jane Harman and a suspected Israeli agent. . . . [read on]

Rick Perry, Gov. of Texas, was hinting at secession a couple of weeks ago. But now that he needs the Federal government’s help, guess what?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/world/americas/26flu.html
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas asked the C.D.C. to send 37,430 doses of Tamiflu. . . .

You tell me: are these the signs of a healthy political party?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/25/724052/-Another-loony-Republican-threat-from-Texas
Another loony Republican threat from Texas . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/25/724161/-Mocking-is-all-the-GOP-deserves
Mocking is all the GOP deserves . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/26/723674/-Rename-The-Republican-Party
Please, make the stupid stop . . .

Fun to watch the abject reversals of Republicans who dare to suggest that Rush doesn’t run their Party

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/photofeatures/2009/04/rushing-to-apologize.php

Fox News does another poll

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017904.php
"Do you believe Barack Obama's three point six trillion dollar budget plan will help stabilize the nation's economy, or not?"

Bonus item: Interesting – which Senators like each other?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/26/724765/-Working-Across-The-Aisle

***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 @ 7:27 AM

 
NO PBD TODAY - I'M TRAVELING. BACK WITH A NEW EDITION ON MONDAY

Nick
- posted by Nick Burbules @ 6:49 AM

 
FILE MANAGEMENT

The classified reports Dick Cheney wants released, which show what a great job torture did of keeping the country safe, were commissioned well after the events took place and kept in a file in Cheney’s office. Now, why would they have commissioned those reports, if not to use as a defense in cases just like the present situation?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/a_glimpse_of_the_dark_side.php

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/what-dick-cheney-wants-dick-cheney-is-going-to-get/

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/aclu-lawyer-its-striking-that-cheney-requested-only-two-torture-documents/

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/cheney-seeking-doc-that-details-what-khalid-shaykh-muhammad-revealed-under-torture/

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/cheney-cherry-picks-intelligence-again/

Why Cheney (I assume) asked for those reports to be developed in the first place

http://washingtonindependent.com/40382/context-behind-cheneys-detainee-review-requests

John Boehner takes up Cheney’s cause

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017889.php
[Greg Sargent] John Boehner and the House GOP leadership have adopted a new position on torture: The only classified info Obama should release about the torture program is that which could prove Dick Cheney's claim that torture worked to be true. This is not an exaggeration. It really is their position. . . . [read on]

Who taught the CIA how to torture?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/senate_report_accidentally_reveals_sere_instructor.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/cheney-says-techniques-taught-in-torture-resistance-classes-cant-be-torture.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/24/724175/-SERE-Methods-Torture,-Said-Agency-that-Runs-Programin-2002

More internal docs showing the Bush gang knew the torture legal defenses were just a fig leaf

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/yet-another-warning-ignored/

Boo effin’ hoo: now Judge Jay Bybee says “so sorry” for his pro-torture work. How did he think he got to be a federal judge? Is he going to resign that too?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042403888.html

Interesting speculation: Jane Harman, while not the most reliable Dem on some policy issues, is a firebrand against torture. The timing of the release of information about her dealings with the Israeli agent raises the question: why now?

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/is-the-harman-story-an-attempt-to-silence-her-about-torture/

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/24/723741/-The-Harman-Story:-Whats-Behind-it-All

Paul Krugman, America’s conscience?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/opinion/24krugman.html
“Nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past.” So declared President Obama, after his commendable decision to release the legal memos that his predecessor used to justify torture. Some people in the political and media establishments have echoed his position. We need to look forward, not backward, they say. No prosecutions, please; no investigations; we’re just too busy. . . . [read on]

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/the-defining-moment/

Well put

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/past_as_predicate.php
[PB] I think something else tends to get lost in the current arguments about torture. The whole issue has been framed as "moving forward" and looking to the future (good) versus doling out "retribution" and dwelling on the past (bad). This is not merely the Republican framing of the issue, as Obama and many Democrats seem to have accepted this framework.

But this framing is entirely wrong. A better way to look at is that we can either choose to do something about the fact people were tortured by the United States government, or we can choose to ignore it. Either outcome will have a profound effect on what happens in this country "moving forward." . . . [read on]

http://washingtonindependent.com/40361/torture-works-is-not-a-defense
‘Torture Works’ is Not a Defense . . . [read on]

The other reasons not to torture

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/its_all_about_us.php

More word games

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017893.php

Reconciliation: some inside baseball. The short version is that the Dems are preparing to push through health care in a manner that doesn’t allow GOP filibusters, and only requires 50 votes to pass. The Repubs are irate, but then, they did it when they had the upper hand – why shouldn’t the Dems?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/senate-names-budget-conferees.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/if-you-want-health-reform-reconciliation-must-be-on-the-table.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017895.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/24/202922/849

Why would a Democrat oppose Obama’s nominee for the OLC? Over abortion rights?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017892.php

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/white_house_worried_about_johnsen_nomination.php

Whee! The nut from Minnesota is back in action

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/right-wing-extremist-congresswoman-denounces-attacks-against-right-wing-extremists.php

Sigh. Minnesota Supreme Court sets a long date to get around to hearing the Coleman appeal. They’re in no hurry, apparently

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/minnesota-supremes-set-schedule-for-colemans-appeal----giving-him-more-time.php

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/04/24/franken-coleman-update-042409-pm-edition-the-glorious-first-of-june/

Take a hint, Norm

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/24/724136/-NY-20:-Tedisco-Concedes
[Jim Tedisco, NY-20] "This was a close campaign every step of the way. Ultimately, it became clear that the numbers were not going our way and that the time had come to step aside and ensure that the next Congressman be seated as quickly as possible. In the interest of the citizens of the 20th Congressional district and our nation, I wish Scott the very best as he works with our new President and Congress to address the tremendous challenges facing our country.”

Sarah Palin kisses future presidential aspirations goodbye?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/24/724002/-Huge-bummer

CNN, which just hasn’t done enough to hire tired old Republican operatives as their “analysts” (yes, they hire tired old Democratic operatives too), just added another one

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017896.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 @ 6:52 AM

 
WORD GAMES

The Republicans are in the difficult spot of trying to pull off an argument that goes something like this: Whatever the Bush gang did, it can’t be called “torture,” because the US doesn’t torture – and even if we did, it was necessary and good that we did it. But we didn’t, and anyone who says we did hates America. And anyone NOT willing to torture, if that’s what it takes to keep the country safe, hates America too. Got that?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/23/142058/100
Charles GRODIN: You're for torture.

Sean HANNITY: I am for enhanced interrogation.

More disputes over “verbiage”

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/boehner-admits-bush-admin-used-torture.html
Boehner admits Bush admin. used "torture"

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017883.php
[Steve Benen] It's safe to assume he'd like to take this one back. . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/liberals_verbiage.php
House Minority Leader John Boehner's spokesman Michael Steel, explaining away his boss' use of the word "torture" to describe U.S. interrogation practices: "It is clear from the context that Boehner was simply using liberals' verbiage to describe these interrogation techniques. The United States does not torture."

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/shepard_smith_we_are_america_we_do_not_f---ing_torture.php
Shepard Smith: 'We Are America, We Do Not F---ing Torture!'

Obama keeps leaving the door open to investigations of Bush/Cheney torture policies, but also keeps saying he doesn’t want them. Well, he might get them anyway

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/us/politics/24cong.html
The White House and the Democratic leadership in the Senate signaled on Thursday that they would block for now any effort to establish an independent commission to investigate the Bush administration’s approval of harsh interrogation techniques. . . .

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/obama_on_second_thought_scratch_that_commission_id.php

It’s probably going to happen: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/23/723540/-Pressure-Mounts

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/its-not-if-there-will-be-torture.html

A Torture Timeline

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/23/723565/-What-We-Know-So-Far:-A-Torture-Timeline-(Updated

35 missing CIA prisoners: what happened to them?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/23/723629/-Where-Are-the-CIAs-Missing-Prisoners-

Apparently the requests for extra “latitude” (ahem) in interrogations came not from CIA personnel, but from the private contractors the Bush gang relied on so heavily

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/torturers_for_hire.php

There is growing evidence that the Bush gang KNEW torture elicited false information, but they wanted an Iraq/Al Qaeda link come hell or high water

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/rivers-coming-together-by-digby-ron.html
[Digby] All day I've been seeing torture apologists all over TV frantically trying to block this particular line of inquiry. They know that it's potentially the most explosive revelation of all. If the White House ordered torture to try to get the prisoners to falsely confess to links between al Qaeda and Iraq ... well all bets are off. . . . [read on]

So now we have the State Dept, the FBI, and the service branches all speaking out against the Bush gang’s justifications for torture

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/23/fbi-werent-the-only-ones-objecting-to-torture-so-did-the-army-marines-air-force/

Yeah, that’ll work

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/23/723450/-Bush-proves-Rove-and-Fox-are-lying-about-torture
[Jed Lewison] Over the past couple of days, Karl Rove and Fox News have offered a new argument in defense of the Bush administration's torture policies.

Now, they say, waterboarding Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) yielded intelligence that led to the disruption of an al Qaeda plot to attack the tallest building in Los Angeles, the Library Tower (which both Bush and Rove called the Liberty Tower, for some reason). There's just one problem with Rove's new story: it couldn't possibly be true.

As Timothy Noah pointed out in Slate, the Los Angeles attack was foiled in February of 2002. KSM was not captured until March of 2003, however -- more than a year later. . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/23/723640/-The-torture-prevented-a-west-coast-9-11-lie

Discussions of torture make the he said/she said brand of journalist uneasy – after all, what is the pro-torture position? Well, Dick Cheney has given them an out. “The two sides disagree about whether torture produces useful intelligence or not.” At last, “objectivity” reigns

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-reframe-by-dday-greg-sargent-is.html
[Dday] Greg Sargent is right - the media has managed to find a "he said, she said" entryway into the torture debate by focusing on the irrelevant data point of whether or not torture works. It doesn't - ask Bush's FBI Director - but turning this into a debate humanizes the tactic, turning it into some option that's open to reasonable disagreement instead of a universally rejected, illegal action. We don't have a debate over whether stealing from rich investors through a Ponzi scheme "worked." It's illegal and that's the end of the story. . . [read on]

More: http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200904230014
What's the difference between the "harsh interrogations" I keep reading about in The Post and actual "torture"? If it's the same thing, then why not just call it "torture"? I don't get it. . . . [read on]

Torture doesn’t work: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017875.php

It really doesn’t: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/torture-still-doesnt-work-2.php

Hard to find many willing to take Dick Cheney’s side on this one – but MSNBC managed to find someone . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/23/liz-cheney-im-proud-of-daddys-torture/

http://www.juancole.com/2009/04/revised-transcript-liz-cheney-defends.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/23/723774/-We-let-people-do-this-now
[David Waldman] On what planet does it make any sense for Liz Cheney to be on national television telling everyone that torture isn't torture because her daddy told her so?

Here’s another way for the media to play it safe on torture – you see, it’s just the lefties who are upset about it. If it’s just another partisan squabble, the press doesn’t have to take sides on it

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/23/prosecutions/index.html

Fox News is very upset about torture . . . when other countries do it

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017879.php

More from Fox: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017871.php

Why the vehement GOP opposition to Dawn Johnsen to become head of the DOJ Office of Legal Counsel (OLC)? Worried that she’ll be too tough on her Bush-era predecessors?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/conservative-opposition-to-johnsen-ramps-up.php

The last time I looked, abortion was LEGAL

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/23/republicans_stall_vote_on_sebelius.html
[Taegan Goddard] Senate Republicans refused today to allow a confirmation vote on his health secretary nominee Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, the Washington Post reports.

She is the last Cabinet member awaiting Senate approval.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) objected, "arguing that lawmakers needed more time to consider her 'fairly contentious' selection. A handful of Republicans have complained about Sebelius' support for abortion rights . . .”

More: http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/senate-republicans-are-filibustering.html

The exile of the GOP into the political wilderness: an historical analogy

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/another_view_2.php
[JB] I know it's a little boring, but if you're looking for an analogy for today's Republican Party, the best one may be the most obvious: the GOP of the early 1930s, which suffered electoral disasters after a long period of electoral success, faced a popular Democratic President who succeeded a violently unpopular Republican one, and was unhealthily dependent on a base concentrated in one area of the country. . . . [read on]

Wait! The Repubs have found a way back. This is brilliant strategy!

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/23/rnc_socialist/index.html
RESOLVED, that we the members of the Republican National Committee call on the Democratic Party to be truthful and honest with the American people by acknowledging that they have evolved from a party of tax and spend to a party of tax and nationalize and, therefore, should agree to rename themselves the Democrat Socialist Party.

How will future generations judge the willful ignorance and denial of the Republicans over the growing crisis of global warming?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017878.php

Here’s one Republican who won’t be apologizing to Rush Limbaugh

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/okay_he_probably_wont_be_apologizing.php

Bad news for the GOP in 2012 – these are percentages AMONG REPUBLICANS

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/23/many_republicans_would_vote_for_obama_over_palin.html
In a head-to-head match up, Obama would beat Palin, 53% to 41%.

The survey also shows Obama beating Mike Huckabee, 49% to 42%, Newt Gingrich, 52% to 39%, and Mitt Romney, 50% to 39%.

Bonus item: My head’s spinning

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/hard_to_keep_track_1.php
[MM] Last week, conservatives were complaining Obama was establishing a socialistic fascist dictatorship.

This week, conservatives are complaining Obama does not want to torture his opponents.

Extra bonus item: the most outrageous media moments of Obama’s first hundred days

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/plethora-of-possibilities-by-digby-from.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 @ 6:18 AM

 
A QUESTION OF ILLEGALITY

This is much too big a story to be trying to do long-distance. But it is becoming crystal clear now that the Bush gang’s torture PRECEDED any legal “justification” for it, that when they did get the justifications they knew they were a sham, that they knew torture wasn’t effective, and that they knew that some of the victims had already told pretty much everything they knew. This is why an investigation is needed – this is NOT a mere squabble over policy, or good intents gone wrong

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/administration_military_knew_techniques_were_tortu.php
Administration, Military, Knew Techniques Were Torture, Ineffective--Pressed Ahead Anyhow . . .

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/only-liars-and-idiots.html
[Atrios] The Saddam-al Qaeda-9/11 connection was always transparently false. It was an obvious fabrication. I don't know if all involved with torturing the shit of people knew that, but certainly the people pushing for the "information" did. So false confessions were, you know, what they were looking for.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042203141.html
Condoleezza Rice, John D. Ashcroft and other top Bush administration officials approved as early as the summer of 2002 the CIA's use at secret prisons of harsh interrogation methods, including waterboarding, a technique that new Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has described as illegal torture . . .

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/new-report-bush-admin-was-determined-to.html
[WP] Intelligence and military officials under the Bush administration began preparing to conduct harsh interrogations long before they were granted legal approval to use such methods -- and weeks before the CIA captured its first high-ranking terrorism suspect . . .

The smoking gun: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/66622.html
The Bush administration applied relentless pressure on interrogators to use harsh methods on detainees in part to find evidence of cooperation between al Qaida and the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's regime, according to a former senior U.S. intelligence official and a former Army psychiatrist. . . . [read on!]

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/building-fact-pattern-by-dday-i-dont.html

Carl Levin’s (D-MI) blockbuster

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/levins_torture_report_a_round-up.php
“Intelligence and military officials under the Bush administration began preparing to conduct harsh interrogations long before they were granted legal approval to use such methods -- and weeks before the CIA captured its first high-ranking terrorism suspect, Senate investigators have concluded." . . . [read on]

ANOTHER release from the Senate: a torture timeline

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/senate_releases_declassified_narrative_of_olc_tort.php

Abu Zubaydah: waterboarded at least 83 times (in one month)

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/how-bush-administration-waterboarded.html
How the Bush administration waterboarded a low-level operative, who was brain-damaged, 83 times . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/22/ssci-torture-document/
[Emptywheel] One thing this narrative makes clear is that the July 10, 2002 intelligence from Abu Zubaydah came before the interrogation plan for Abu Zubaydah was done. . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/23/abu-zubaydahs-fbi-interrogator-removes-the-legal-cornerstone-of-the-torture-regime/
Abu Zubaydah’s FBI Interrogator Removes the Legal Cornerstone of the Torture Regime . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/40140/fbi-agent-who-interrogated-abu-zubaydah-the-torture-advocates-are-lying-to-you
FBI Agent Who Interrogated Abu Zubaydah: The Torture Advocates Are Lying to You . . .

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/zubaydah-interrogator-torture-was-unnecessary-and-ineffective.php
Zubaydah Interrogator: Torture Was Unnecessary and Ineffective . . .

What did they get out of him? Not much: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/22/abu-zubaydah-waterboarded-83-times-for-10-pieces-of-intelligence/

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/22/did-cheney-order-up-abu-zubaydahs-83rd-waterboarding/

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2009/04/levin-torture-interrogation-senate-report.html

“Inconvenient” – that’s how the Bush gang characterized Philip Zelikow’s legal analyses showing that torture really WAS illegal, and that’s why they tried to destroy all copies of them

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/condi_aide_bushies_told_me_anti-torture_memo_was_i.php

Watch: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/22/723201/-The-Alternate-Torture-Memo

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/22/zelikows-destroyed-memos/
[Emptywheel] The destruction of Zelikow's memos is clear evidence of criminality. . . .

The State Dept still has copies: http://washingtonindependent.com/40052/state-department-unaware-of-zelikows-torture-dissent

The FBI too

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/golden-shield-by-digby-following-up-on.html
[Digby] Following up on my post yesterday about the Bush administration being very well aware that the FBI and others in the administration objected to the use of torture and refused to allow their agents to participate . . .

The point in bringing this up isn't to say this stuff is news. It isn't. But the torture apologists are behaving as if government experts were of one mind on this and that any patriot would have gone along. But the FBI disagreed and withdrew themselves from the program entirely because they believed it was illegal. This was something that people in the Justice Department knew, the Pentagon knew, the NSC knew and certainly the White House knew. And it meant nothing to them. Theyjust had some lackeys write a couple of secret memos and went right on torturing.

Giving Bush administration officials any credit for acting in good faith --- or out of ignorance --- is totally absurd in light of this. The FBI's adherence to the rule of law in this situation (and the fact that the Bush administration let them do it without reprisals) proves that others could have done the same thing. It's quite clear that Bush and Cheney knew they didn't really have a leg to stand on.

The missing 2007 memo

http://washingtonindependent.com/40064/so-why-didnt-the-obama-administration-disclose-the-2007-olc-memo

http://washingtonindependent.com/40090/senate-intelligence-committee-publicly-confirms-existence-of-2007-olc-interrogation-memo

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/torture_who_was_in_the_key_meetings.php

Key torture apologist still employed by CIA

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/grown-ups-by-digby-marcy-reported-this.html

http://washingtonindependent.com/40110/key-player-in-enhanced-interrogations-still-at-cia

People seem to be taking the Cheney line seriously, that if torture produced (some) useful intelligence that made it okay. But anyone who has thought about this for two minutes already has rejected that line of excuse. Moreover, we know that even if it were a legitimate justification, it can’t be used in cases like Zubaydah’s

The press helps shift the debate: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/cheney-succeeding-in-shifting-torture-debate/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/us/politics/23detain.html
Even the most exacting truth commission may have a hard time determining for certain whether brutal interrogations conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency helped keep the country safe. . . .

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/apr/23/us-national-security-torture

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017854.php
[Steve Benen] Adm. Dennis C. Blair, President Obama's national intelligence director, . . . . had he been in a position of authority when these interrogation techniques were approved, "would not have approved those methods." Got that? He knows the abuse led to some "high value information," but despite this, Blair still would have rejected the tactics.

Dick Cheney’s credibility – let’s keep him front and center as the face of the Republican party

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/feeling_safer_yet_/2009/04/cheneys_assertion_that_torture_works_hillary_nails_it.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/22/144817/023

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/torture-debate-ensures-that-cheney-will-continue-to-define-gop/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017858.php

The Junta Party

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/this_analogy_isnt_close_to.php
[Josh Marshall] In former Banana Republics, in their post-transition- to-democracy phases, you'll often have a Junta Party. It's an opposition party whose main goal isn't to get elected so much as to maintain the legacy of the former junta regime, defend its record of service to the state and most of all keep its former leaders from being put on trial or shipped off to the Hague. . . [read on]

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017862.php

Three blind mice

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/trio_of_senators_ask_obama_not_to_prosecute_bush_a.php
Trio Of Senators Ask Obama Not To Prosecute Bush Attorneys . . .

Investigate!

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/22/723175/-Leahy-Determined-to-Launch-Torture-Probe
CQ is reporting that Senate Judiciary Patrich Leahy is determined to proceed with a torture inquiry. . . .

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/22/205618/329

Hillary Clinton calls out the GOP’s stupidity

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/kickin_ass_and_takin_names.php

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/happy-hour-open-thread-torture-torture-and-more-torture/

Yes, stupidity

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/what_thinking_folks_are_up_against.php

Atrios sums up today’s Republican party

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/breaking-news.html
Irrelevant Lunatics Throw Pointless Tantrum

On ousting DHS Janet Napolitano: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21606.html

On the environment: http://washingtonindependent.com/40082/the-top-5-environmental-whoppers-of-2009-an-earth-day-retrospective

On secession: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/22/723081/-Texas-Republicans-to-U.S.:-Cease-and-desist

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/22/723113/-Some-GOPers-think-neo-secessionism-is-brilliant-politics

A “clownish, vindictive amateur” (guess who?)

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017867.php

I keep telling you, the comments from Bachmann, et al. are hinting at armed insurrection – they know JUST what they’re playing with

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/thatll_be_so_cool.php
[Josh Marshall] In what I guess you might call another sign that the GOP is getting back in touch with the grassroots, an outfit called the "Ohio Militia" is calling for a Million Armed Militia Members March on Washington.

The organizers hasten to point out that this will be a "peaceful demonstration. No shooting, no one gets hurt. Just a demonstration. The only difference from any typical demonstration is we will all be armed."

The faces of the GOP

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/22/dnc/index.html
Cheney, Rove, Gingrich . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/22/723173/-GOP:-Party-Of-No-New-Faces

Rush throws his (considerable) weight on the side of torture

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/blowing-off-steam-by-digby-conservative.html
"We have allowed — we have allowed these guys, Obama and his buddies over at the CIA and in Congress, to water down the definition of torture to mean anything that makes a person uncomfortable. . . . " [read on]

Health care reform is coming, one way or another

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/us/politics/23health.html
Democrats Consider Bypassing G.O.P. on Health Care Plan

What? You mean it ISN’T “fair and balanced”?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/22/195443/781

Bonus item: I guess they have bureaucrats and lawyers in the UAE too

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/just_a_one_time_thing.php
[David Kurtz] ABC News obtained a videotape smuggled out the UAE showing the crown prince's brother torturing a man with whips, electric cattle prods, and wooden planks with protruding nails before pouring salt in the man's wounds and running over him with a Mercedes. A man in police uniform also appeared on the tape, aiding the sheik.

Confronted with the tape, the UAE had this peculiarly candid yet defiant response:

In a statement to ABC News, the UAE Ministry of the Interior said it had reviewed the tape and acknowledged the involvement of Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, brother of the country's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed.

"The incidents depicted in the video tapes were not part of a pattern of behavior," the Interior Ministry's statement declared.

The Minister of the Interior is also one of Sheikh Issa's brother.

The government statement said its review found "all rules, policies and procedures were followed correctly by the Police Department."

***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 @ 12:38 PM

 
DAMN THEM ALL

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/us/politics/22detain.html
The program began with Central Intelligence Agency leaders in the grip of an alluring idea: They could get tough in terrorist interrogations without risking legal trouble by adopting a set of methods used on Americans during military training. How could that be torture?

In a series of high-level meetings in 2002, without a single dissent from cabinet members or lawmakers, the United States for the first time officially embraced the brutal methods of interrogation it had always condemned.

This extraordinary consensus was possible, an examination by The New York Times shows, largely because no one involved — not the top two C.I.A. officials who were pushing the program, not the senior aides to President George W. Bush, not the leaders of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees — investigated the gruesome origins of the techniques they were approving with little debate. . . . [read on]

More stunning revelations in a newly released Senate committee report

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/us/politics/22report.html
The report focused solely on interrogations carried out by the military, not those conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency at its secret prisons overseas. It rejected claims by former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and others that Pentagon policies played no role in harsh treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq or other military facilities. . . .[read on]

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/21/the-sasc-smoking-gun-on-waterboarding/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/wish-list-by-digby-it-metastasized.html

http://washingtonindependent.com/39933/report-details-origins-of-bush-era-interrogation-policies

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/22/23258/2664

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/21/722968/-Rumsfeld-Began-Post-9-11-Torture-Long-Before-Abu-Ghraib

So Dick Cheney, the Dark Lord of government secrecy, is perfectly happy to release classified information when it serves him politically. Hey Dick, let’s make a deal: full release of everything, documents, tapes, videos of torture sessions. Then we can let the American people decide

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/bring_it_on.php

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/04/21/aint-no-half-stepping/

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/21/722755/-Cheney:-Release-the-Memos

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017848.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/39701/cheney-calls-for-release-of-torture-works-memos

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/probes-of-bush-administration/cheney-doing-damage-control-calls-for-release-of-classified-info/

Liar

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/21/quote_of_the_day.html
"It's important not to personally attack the new president. I've never done that."

-- Dick Cheney, in an interview on Fox News, defending his critical comments on the Obama administration. He later suggested President Obama was weak.

Down the memory hole

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/disappearing_the_historic_record.php
[David Kurtz] Via Spencer Ackerman, I see that former Bush State Department official (and 9/11 Commission executive director) Philip Zelikow now says that not only did the Bush torture architects solicit terrible legal advice from the likes of Bybee, Yoo and Bradbury -- but they actively worked to erase any evidence that dissenting legal advice was given . . . [read on]

More: http://washingtonindependent.com/39787/ex-rice-aide-blasts-torture-program

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/state_dept_lawyer_white_house_tried_to_destroy_my.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/the-rule-of-law.php

Other memos we haven’t seen yet . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/21/olc-cia-cya/

Hmmm. . . is prosecution of the authors of the bogus legal advice that rationalized torture still on the table?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/obama_torture_prosecutions_for_bushies_is_a_questi.php
Obama: Torture Prosecutions For Bushies Is A Question For AG . . .

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/white_house_rahm_didnt_mean_what_he_said_on_not_pr.php
White House: Rahm Didn't Mean What He Said On Not Prosecuting Bushies For Torture . . .

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/21/prosecutions/index.html
Obama recognizes: whether to prosecute is not his decision . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/bobbing-and-weaving-by-dday-white-house.html

But if you’re going to prosecute the memo authors, don’t you also have to go after the officials who told them to do it?

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/prosecuting-torture-0

I don’t know if the Bushies were blackmailing Jane Harman or not – but she certainly carried their water for them

http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/04/21/even-more-hot-water-for-jane-harman-nytimes-corroborates-cq-story/
[Christy Hardin Smith] Boy, wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall when Jane Harman runs into John Kerry after this choice bit from Jeff Stein:

According to two officials privy to the events, Gonzales said he "needed Jane" to help support the administration's warrantless wiretapping program, which was about to be exposed by the New York Times.

Harman, he told Goss, had helped persuade the newspaper to hold the wiretap story before, on the eve of the 2004 elections. . . .

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/dem-rep-harman-did-urge-times-not-to-publish-wiretapping-expose/

Joe Lieberman, back on Fox

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/21/lieberman/index.html
Lieberman: Memo release "helps our enemies" . . .

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/21/164718/095

Another Republican has to kowtow to El Rushbo

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/been_a_while.php
[Josh Marshall] Another Republican congressman has to issue apology to Rush. This time it's Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS).

Sometimes I wonder if Rush just gets one of these guys to stick his head above the parapet every month or so so he can ritually take them down and make sure everyone still knows who's boss.

And another? http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/apology-worthy.php

Newt Gingrich, still sucking up to the theocrats, accuses an Obama judicial appointee of preferring Allah to Jesus

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/apr/21/obama-hamilton-jesus-allah

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/obama-appointee-given-second-hearing-after-republicans-boycott-first.php

Bonus item: Heh

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/first_as_tragedy_then_as_farce.php
[DP] If only Saddam Hussein had been smart enough to solicit a legal opinion from his government lawyers that gassing people was within the law, he could have been playing golf in Myrtle Beach right now.

***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 @ 10:48 AM

 
“THIS CONVERSATION DOESN’T EXIST”

What a story: Jane Harman (D-CA), allegedly caught on tape making deals with a suspected Israeli agent. But the equally big story is why the Bush gang never went after her

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/harman-aipac-wiretapping.php
[Matt Yglesias] Here’s a triple-wow story from Jeff Stein at CQ. It seems that back during the heady days of the AIPAC spy case, Representative Jane Harman (D-CA) had a conversation with a “suspected Israeli agent” in which Harman promised to intervene on behalf of the suspected spies in exchange for AIPAC lobbying on Harman’s behalf against Nancy Pelosi’s efforts to get Harman removed from the top slot on the House Intelligence Committee in favor of someone without Harman’s record of poor hawkish judgment.

Only problem: The conversation was caught on tape by an apparently-not-illegal wiretap. Which then moves us to the second phase where Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales quashed the investigation in which she’d been embarrassingly caught up in part because Gonzales thought Harman would be helpful to the administration on the warrantless wiretapping issue. . . . [read on]

The CQ article: http://static.cqpolitics.com/harman-3098436-page1.html
Seemingly wary of what she had just agreed to, according to an official who read the NSA transcript, Harman hung up after saying, "This conversation doesn't exist." . . .

A handy timeline: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/the_harman-aipac_story_a_timeline.php

More analysis: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/must_read_5.php
[Josh Marshall] This story is so radioactive it's hard to know which of fifty different directions to go with it. . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/20/722339/-Harman,-Gonzo,-and-the-NSA:-Lots-of-Questions
[McJoan] The layers on this story just keep peeling and peeling away. At this point, there are more questions than answers and I want to lay some of them out . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/20/722243/-Jane-Harman-Shilled-For-Bush-To-Avoid-Investigation

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/20/1005/66287

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/more_on_that_suspected_israeli_agent.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/another_key_question.php

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/20/alberto-gonzales-blackmail-notes-and-jane-harmans-support/

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/20/revisiting-jane-harmans-over-reaction-to-partisan-pressure-on-fisa/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/apr/20/congress-jane-harman

http://www.juancole.com/2009/04/harman-scandal-all-about-war-on-iran.html
[Juan Cole] Harman Scandal: All about War on Iran . . .

The Republican hissy-fit machine is in full gear: as we all know, one of their standard memes is that the Dems are all Neville Chamberlains, weak in the face of standing up to tyrants around the world. This time, it ain’t working

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/smiles-latest-greatest-threat-to-global.html
[D-day] The fauxtrage of the day concerns Barack Obama doing this country the terrible dishonor and shame of shaking a foreign leader's hand. IMPEACH NOW . . .

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/20/obama_chavez
Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., for one, called Obama's greeting of Chavez "irresponsible," saying, "When you're talking about the prestige of the United States and the presidency of the United States, you have to be careful who you're seen joking around with." Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, on an anti-Obama tear of late, said the president is helping "enemies of America," and compared him to former President Jimmy Carter. ""This does look a lot like Jimmy Carter. Carter tried weakness and the world got tougher and tougher because the predators, the aggressors, the anti-Americans, the dictators, when they sense weakness, they all start pushing ahead," Gingrich said. . . .

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/conservatives-obama-kowtows-to-america-haters.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017832.php
[Steve Benen] This seems to happen with increasing frequency lately. Something rather mundane relating to President Obama will occur late in the week; the weekend will go by with minimal excitement; and the president's Republican opponents erupt on Monday with rage and disgust. . . .

Obama treats this attack with the scorn and ridicule it deserves

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/20/722329/-Obama-mocks-GOP-criticism

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/obama-begins-mocking-gop-criticism-of-his-international-outreach/

I’m off to Argentina later today, and this is a good time to note the significance of Obama’s new overtures to Latin America

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/20/25558/2628
[Charles Lemos] I must say that for the first time in my life I am truly awed by change in the United States and thus it doesn't surprise me that the American right is beside itself. If I am happy, they must be truly miserable. Let them rot in their misery, the rest of us deserve better than the failed neo-liberalism that they continue to proffer in their orgy of self-enrichment. President Obama's pledge to "seek an equal partnership" where there is no senior partner and junior partner in our relations is being greeted across the continent as a sign that this is really the historic change that Latin America has been seeking with the United States. . . . [read on]

A torture memo we haven’t seen (yet)

http://washingtonindependent.com/39692/doj-sits-on-secret-2007-cia-interrogation-memo
[Spencer Ackerman] [A]t least one other memorandum on CIA interrogations remains undisclosed: a 2007 opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel on what a new interpretation of the Geneva Conventions’ Common Article 3 meant for the agency’s “enhanced interrogation program.” . . . [read on]

Republicans (especially those who were part of the Bush gang) are up in arms about the release of the torture memos. You see, they’re proud that they were prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep the US safe, but they don’t exactly like the idea of people finding out what that was

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/safe-by-digby-as-i-read-these-accounts.html
[Digby] As I read these accounts from former Bush officials who are vociferously and angrily accusing the Obama administration of making the country vulnerable to its enemies by releasing the torture memos (and also see the entirely predictable bandwagon effect in the media) it becomes clear what the fundamental difference of opinion about this really is. Michael Hayden, once hailed as an eminently reasonable, decent man but now revealed to be a staunch torture apologist, is probably the best example of the kind of thinking that is represented by those who think torture is a positive good . . .

Dick Cheney flips out

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/vice-for-life-by-digby-uh-oh-daddys.html
"I haven't talked about it, but I know specifically of reports that I read, that I saw, that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country," Cheney said. "I've now formally asked the CIA to take steps to declassify those memos so we can lay them out there and the American people have a chance to see what we obtained and what we learned and how good the intelligence was.” [read on]

[NB: Right – Cheney has no standing any more to “formally ask” any government agency to do anything, let alone declassify memos.

And by the way: the Repubs get all riled up over Obama's release of the craven and cockamamie legal memos rationalizing torture, because that damages national security; Cheney wants to release the actual intelligence information gained through torture, but that's okay.]

The Repubs are sounding hysterical

http://www.openleft.com/diary/12942/historical-hysterical-conservatives

Is the GOP really going to fight health care reform? (please, please try)

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/20/healthcare_groups/index.html

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017830.php

Norm Coleman appeals Minnesota recount

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/20/203016/827

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/another-former-pro-coleman-paper-calls-for-him-to-quit.php
Another Former Pro-Coleman Paper Calls For Him To Quit . . .

Will NY-20 turn into a replay of endless GOP lawsuits to overturn the results of voting?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/20/top_republican_says_ny-20_is_lost.html

Bonus item: World's tiniest violin . . .

http://nymag.com/news/businessfinance/56151/
[Gabriel Sherman] As populist rage has erupted around the country, stoked by canny politicians, an opposite rage has built on Wall Street and other arenas where the wealthy hold sway. Its expression is more furtive and it’s often mixed with a kind of sublimated shame, but it can be every bit as vitriolic. . . .

Their world has been turned on its head. After years of enjoying favorable tax rates, they are facing an administration that wants to redistribute their wealth. Their industry is being reordered—no one knows what Wall Street will look like in a few years. They are anxious, and their anxiety is making them mad. . . . [read on]

***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 @ 7:04 AM

 
EXCUSING THE INEXCUSABLE

I can’t find the original link this morning, but one of the many lies we were told about waterboarding is that it was only used “three or four times.” Then we learned it was used 183 times in one month on KSM alone

http://bobsdailyblog.com/node/28
With it all said and done, let's looks at the facts as we know them: 1. We have only used water boarding three times on three very well known terrorists: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abd Al-Rahim al-Nashiri, and Abu Zubaydah. Not really your average terrorist picked up off the streets. . . .

[NB: Yes, you see the trick – maybe it was only used on 3-4 people, if even that is reliable. But it was used a LOT on those people: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017812.php]

Another lie: “half the intelligence” came from torture sessions

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/18/debunking-the-torture-apologists-half-the-intelligence-claim/

What we learn from the torture memos about internal disputes within the Bush admin. As usual, Marcy Wheeler digs it all out

DOJ vs CIA IG: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/19/the-cia-ig-report-is-waterboarding-ksm-183-times-really-effective/
[Emptywheel] As I described last night, Steven Bradbury spends four pages of the May 30, 2005 memo trying to prove that enhanced interrogation is effective. He appears to be responding to a six-page passage in the CIA IG Report addressing the efficacy of enhanced interrogation. . . . [read on]

FBI vs. CIA: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/18/the-torture-memos-and-the-fbi-cia-dispute/
[Emptywheel] Read now, the article provides a lot of background to details that have been confirmed since the release of the memos--and as such it helps elucidate the information coming from the memos. And, by reading it in conjunction with the torture memos, it shows why the dispute between FBI and CIA has remained so intractable. . . . [read on]

A missing 2003 memo? Marcy, again

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/19/is-there-a-2003-waterboarding-memo-were-missing/

An analysis of the Bybee memo

Pt 1: http://www.openleft.com/diary/12926/a-detailed-journey-through-the-bybee-memo-part-1
[Daniel De Groot] I'd like to make my own run at this horrendous document. Many particular passages have been repeatedly quoted, but I don't want to lose the burning forest for the fetid, rotting trees on this one. . . .

Pt 2: http://www.openleft.com/diary/12928/a-detailed-journey-through-the-bybee-memo-part-2

Newsweek fills in some details

http://www.newsweek.com/id/194595

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/cia-cya-by-digby-michael-isikoff-and.html

The GOP: “In A World of Hurt”

http://thepage.time.com/halperin%E2%80%99s-take-why-the-republican-party-and-the-conservative-movement-is-in-a-world-of-hurt-today/

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017818.php

Why do Republicans hate America?

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/conservative-america-haters.html

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/19/721690/-A-conversation-with-Dave-Neiwert-about-The-Eliminationists

A follow-up to Glenn Greenwald’s takedown of Politico for a craven, anonymously sourced story on Obama’s release of the torture memos. Ohhhh, the mainstream press doesn’t like being criticized by dirty bloggers

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/goldilocks-journalists-by-digby.html

Bonus item: Is it possible for an elected official to be this stupid?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/summers-its-a-long-road-for-the-economy.php
Appearing on ABC's This Week, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said the following when George Stephanopoulos asked what the GOP's position is on carbon emissions: "George, the idea that carbon dioxide is a carcinogen that is harmful to our environment is almost comical. Every time we exhale, we exhale carbon dioxide. Every cow in the world, you know, when they do what they do, you've got more carbon dioxide."

***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 @ 6:51 AM

 
TORTURED REASONING

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/18/AR2009041802166.html
The four Justice Department memos to the CIA's top lawyer that were released last week reflect an effort by Bush administration appointees to create finely tuned justifications for harsh interrogation techniques, all under a blanket of secrecy covering the agency's prisons and the questioning. . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/39473/torture-distinctions-with-differences
[Greg Sargent] What was actually revealed in yesterday’s memos was the nature of the Bush administration’s efforts to legalize and justify the “harsh interrogation techniques” that we mostly knew about already. . . [read on]

Oh christ

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/world/middleeast/18zubaydah.html
The first use of waterboarding and other rough treatment against a prisoner from Al Qaeda was ordered by senior Central Intelligence Agency officials despite the belief of interrogators that the prisoner had already told them all he knew . . .

The escalation to especially brutal interrogation tactics against the prisoner, Abu Zubaydah, including confining him in boxes and slamming him against the wall, was ordered by officials at C.I.A. headquarters based on a highly inflated assessment of his importance, interviews and a review of newly released documents show. . . .

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/18/khalid-sheikh-mohammed-was-waterboarded-183-times-in-one-month/
[Emptywheel] According to the May 30, 2005 Bradbury memo, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in March 2003 and Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in August 2002. . . . [read on]

Why “just following orders" doesn’t work this time

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/18/the-cia-directors-protecting-themselves/
[Emptywheel] The AP reports that along with John Deutsch and Michael Hayden, George Tenet and Porter Goss have criticized Obama's release of the torture memos.

Of course Tenet and Goss would criticize Obama's decision. Both of them are personally implicated by revelations in the memos. . . [read on]

http://www.openleft.com/diary/12912/cia-agents-were-not-following-orders

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/military-injustice-by-digby-general.html

What does torture do to the people who carry it out?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/problem-with-torture-part-xxxiv-by.html

Michael Steele can’t figure out his role as RNC head: big-tent unifier, or panderer to the extreme right? He tried the first and got slapped down – now he seems to be going full-out for the latter

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017811.php

The abuse of source anonymity

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/18/allen/index.html
In a Politico article discussing Obama's decision to release the OLC torture memos, Mike Allen granted anonymity to "a former top official in the administration of President George W. Bush" to enable that official to do nothing other than attack Obama's decision and accuse him of handing our critical secrets to Al Qaeda. . . . [read on]

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/19/sunday-talking-heads-april-19-2009/
ABC's This Week: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Republican House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-OH).

CBS' Face The Nation: Senior White House Advisor David Axelrod. Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA). National Rifle Association VP Wayne LaPierre.

CNN's State of the Union: Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano on "President Obama's trip to Latin America, the government's latest efforts to secure the Mexican border, and a controversial DHS report released this month that warns about the risks of right-wing extremism." Gov. David Paterson (D-NY) on legalizing gay marriage. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Sen. John Ensign (R-NV).

Fareed Zakaraia - GPS: Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Also, Special Representative Richard Holbrooke.

NBC's Meet The Press: White House National Economic Council Director Larry Summers. Roundtable: Dick Armey; Harold Ford, Jr.; Fortune Magazine's Nina Easton; The Washington Post's Steven Pearlstein; and Time Magazine's Rick Stengel.

Bonus item: “The Gathering Storm”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/opinion/19Rich.html
“I am afraid,” a young black woman chimes in. “Those advocates want to change the way I live,” says a white woman. . . .

***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 @ 8:46 AM

 
RAILROADED

High speed rail

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/17/721006/-Obamas-high-speed-rail-vision

http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=04&year=2009&base_name=the_future_of_travel#114522

Let's give credit where it’s due: Who wrote the torture memos?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/who_are_the_torture_memo_authors.php

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017803.php
[Hilzoy] Isn't it strange, then, that not a single one of the cases in which the United States has prosecuted people for waterboarding turns up in these memos? You'd think they might be apposite. Oddly enough, though, Steven Bradbury didn't think to include them. . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017802.php
[Andrew Sullivan] If you want to know how democracies die, read these memos. . . [read on]

John Yoo might get fired from Berkeley for his role in hand-crafting legal opinions to justify Bush/Cheney lawlessness. Jay Bybee got a federal judgeship out of it

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/jay_bybee.php

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/17/the-bybee-memo-cant-be-used-for-good-faith-defense-on-water-boarding/

Impeach him: http://www.slate.com/id/2216432/

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/17/the-cia-ig-report-and-the-bradbury-memos/

The banality of bureaucracy

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/compare-and-contrast-by-digby-i-was.html
[Digby] I was going to do this, but I see that Adam Serwer got there first. He compared the OLC memos with the ICRC report to compare the difference between what was authorized and what the detainees report happened. It's even more sickening to see the dry, bureaucratic torture language compared to the reports by the prisoners of how they were actually carried out.

Here's just one example . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/17/721381/-Now-that-we-officially-know,-what-do-we-do
Now that we "officially" know, what do we do? . . .

Fox’s version

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/17/its-only-torture-if-you-admit-it/
David Rivkin, a constitutional lawyer and member of the Council on Foreign Relations, released a statement Friday saying the release of four memos provides a "great benefit" to the former president.

"This data is analyzed in great detail to establish that the use of these techniques does not inflict either physical or psychological damage," said Rivkin . . .

What can be done?

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/17/prosecutions/index.html

Is prosecution off the table? Yes: http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/17/why-obama-took-prosescution-of-cia-officers-off-the-table-a-theory/

No: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/claim-obama-didnt-really-rule-out-prosecution-of-torture-officials/

Who knows? http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/weekend-open-thread-justice-dept-mum-on-whos-immune-from-torture-prosecution/

“Admitting that we torture only helps our enemies” Well, YEAH . . .

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/top-senate-republican-appears-to-admit-that-torture-helps-al-qaeda-recruitment/

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/former-bushies-claim-that-obama-revealed-torture-secrets-is-largely-bogus/

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/torture/politicos-mike-allen-defends-use-of-anonymous-bush-torture-memo-spin/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017800.php
[Steve Benen] Actually, prohibiting torture and refusing to commit war crimes necessarily diminishes the effectiveness of these techniques since they won't be used anymore. But I digress. . .

A great catch

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/04/17/redaction-fail-where-is-hassan-ghul/
Where Is Hassan Ghul?

What some people don’t consider news

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/morning-thread-epilogue.html
[Atrios] Since the right-wing blogs likely will not revisit and the press certainly will not.

The coda of the Beauchamp Affair . . .

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/brutal_coda.php

The fight for what's left of the soul of the Republican party

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/17/jindal_cheney/index.html
Even Bobby Jindal's criticizing Cheney . . .

Some Republicans are ready to enter the 21st century

www.salon.com/politics/war_room/feature/2009/04/17/schmidt/index.html
McCain's campaign manager says GOP should be for gay marriage . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017796.php

Others aren’t

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017797.php
[Steve Benen] It's only fair to give Republicans credit for one of the party's strongest skills: manufacturing a controversy out of nothing. Turning molehills into mountains is an art, the GOP leaders -- in conjunction with their various allies -- are genuine masters. . . .

The end of “don’t ask, don’t tell”

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/gates-dadt-repeal-now-a-matter-of-if-not-when-1.php

Can we just take note that incitements to armed insurrection are coming even from “mainstream” Republican figures?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/opinion/18blow.html
[Charles Blow] The United States Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis issued a report last week suggesting that current political and economic conditions are energizing right-wing extremist groups, that many of these groups follow extremely conservative ideologies and that some may seek to recruit and “radicalize” veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. . . .

More on the GOP obsession with secession

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017792.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/17/721016/-Gov.-Perry-denies-saying-what-he-said-about-secession

Damn the nuisance: How can the GOP get a good court appeal going when every time they challenge an election, they LOSE votes in the process?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/murphy-leads-by-273-votes-with-initial-phase-of-absentee-counting-finished.php

Bill O’Reilly wants us to know that HE is the one who forced Spain to back off its investigation of Bush/Cheney war crimes

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017804.php

Bonus item: How John picked Sarah

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/17/culvahouse/index.html
Culvahouse told a Republican lawyers group that he and his team were aware of Bristol Palin's pregnancy before it became public, and that the Alaska governor had successfully answered some key policy questions -- would she be willing to order the use of nuclear weapons, or an attempt to kill Osama bin Laden even if civilians were in the area -- that other contenders flunked. (He didn't reveal the correct answers, though.)

The Washington Independent's David Weigel notes that Culvahouse said Friday that, after interviewing Palin, he told McCain she'd be a "high risk, high reward" choice. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/17/721420/-So,-You-Want-To-Be-Vice-President

***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 @ 8:54 AM

 
BRUTAL

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/us/politics/17detain.html
The Justice Department on Thursday made public detailed memos describing brutal interrogation techniques used by the Central Intelligence Agency, as President Obama sought to reassure the agency that the C.I.A. operatives involved would not be prosecuted. . . .

More: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/radio/2009/04/16/aclu/index.html

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/17/treaties/index.html

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/feature/2009/04/16/waterboarding_olc/index.html

http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/04/17/olc-memos-who-we-have-become/

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/16/the-olc-memos-erroneous-and-inflammatory-assumptions-and-john-rizzos-lies/

http://washingtonindependent.com/39277/cia-immunity-fair-or-a-coverup

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/depraved-judgment-by-digby-first-of-all.html

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/obama_explains_memo_release_decision.php
“This is a time for reflection, not retribution. . .”

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/16/olc_memos/index.html
Obama's huge test today: do we believe in secret law?

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/the_torture_memos.php
What The CIA Did . . .

http://washingtonindependent.com/39259/high-priests-of-olc-turned-cia-torture-into-holy-acts
These are medieval documents . . .

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/defining-torture-down
Reading the OLC torture memos is enough to make you ill. . .

The memos: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/16/olc_memos/index.html

Dangerous to whom?

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/16/bush/index.html
Ex-Bush aides: Releasing torture memos is dangerous . . .

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/_/2009/04/bybees_torture_memo_time_to_impeach.php
Time to Impeach?

What next? http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/17/22259/9787

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/04/16/absolution/

Not so fast . . .

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/16/prosecutions/
Could some Bush officials still be prosecuted?

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/no_immunity_for_bad_faith_interrogators.php
Senior administration officials have made it clear to me: neither President Obama's statement nor Attorney General Holder's words were meant to foreclose the possibility of prosecuting CIA officers who did NOT act in good faith, or who did not act according to the guidelines spelled out by the OLC. . . .

Another terrorist

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/report_nsa_tried_to_wiretap_member_of_congress.php
NSA Tried To Wiretap Member of Congress . . .

Who? http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/04/16/this-phone-is-tapped/

Two states

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/obama_laying_down_the_law.php
According to reports out of Israel, Rahm is telling top Jewish organizations Obama doesn't care who the Israeli PM is. He wants two states in his first term. End of story. . . .

Secession? SECESSION??! Do the Republicans really think they can ride this pony back into political relevance?

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/16/perry/index.html
Now Rick Perry [R-TX] really is talking about secession . . .

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/perry_no_secession_at_least_for_now.php
Perry: No Secession, At Least for Now!

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/16/204811/015
Perry Won't Say No To Secession

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/delay_offers_new_theory_of_texas_secession.php
DeLay Offers New Theory of Texas Secession . . .

http://www.openleft.com/diary/12885/who-supports-secession
Who Supports Secession?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/georgia-oklahoma-and-south-dakota-perrys-got-nothing-on-us.php
Georgia, Oklahoma, and South Dakota . . .

Republicans: give it up, Norm

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/16/720732/-MN-Sen:-Coleman-Has-No-Friends-Any-More

The kind of people they are

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/cant_keep_a_good_lie_down.php
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-DSM-IV) accuses fellow Minnesota congressman, and practicing Muslim, Rep. Keith Ellison (D), of cavorting with scary "flying Imams."

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/ellison-responds-to-bachmanns-psycho-talk.php

You say that like it’s a GOOD thing

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/truer_words_never_spoken.php
Fox anchor Megyn Kelly: "Fox News covered these Tea Parties, and we were one of the only organizations to give it any publicity or p.r. ..."

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/16/720853/-Fox-News-Finds-Teabagging-Coverage-Hard-To-Swallow

Bonus item: So easy, so fun

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/photofeatures/2009/04/best-of-sarah-palin.php
Still Crazy After All These Months? 7 Sarah Palin You Betchas

More crazy: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/14/720083/-Palins-brand-of-crazy-was-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/she-really-is-dumb.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 @ 10:09 AM

 
LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT

Atrios nails it

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/patriotism.html
So glad it's okay to hate America again. . . .

So, this teabagging thing was supposed to be a populist uprising against excessive government spending. Who could have guessed that it would bring out all the racist, paranoid, Obama haters too?

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/15/party/index.html

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/racist_signs_at_tea_parties.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/38902/joe-the-plumber-at-michigan-tea-party-saying-in-god-we-trust-will-get-you-shot-in-some-places
Joe the Plumber at Michigan Tea Party: Saying ‘In God We Trust’ Will Get You Shot In Some Places . . .

All brought to you by Fox News

http://washingtonindependent.com/38877/scenes-from-the-dc-tea-party-more-photos

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/15/720520/-Fox-News-Inspired-Teabagger

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/15/720489/-Late-afternoon-early-evening-open-thread

CNN vs Fox

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/not-family-viewing-by-digby-susan.html
Roesgen: Well you know Kira, this is a party for Obama bashers. I have to say that this is not entirely representative of everybody in America. This was organized by three different conservative groups and if you lok at some of the signs Kira ... Let me intorduce you to this guy. Could you come over here please?

(Pointing to picture of Obama dressed as Hitler) You know, what is this supposed to mean? What do you mean by that?

Dittohead freak: Well, I mean he's a fascist, the real pirates ...

Roesgen: Wait, why do you say he's a fascist? He's the president of the United States.

Dittohead freak: I think he's a fascist.

Roesgen, Do you realize how offensive that is?

DF: I think he's a fascist

Roesgen: Why?

DF: Beacuse he is. He's a fascist.

Roesgen: Why can you say that? . . .

DF: Because he is. He's a fascist.

Roesgen: hooookay (moves away) We've got a fascist ... uh... allright . . .

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/cnns-susan-roesgen-teabagging-is-party.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017762.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/15/720469/-Hmm.-Gee.-Why-did-FOX-edit-this-out

Homeland Security says right-wing extremist groups are a rising threat. Right-wing radio yakkers say this is suppressing their own free speech. Do they REALLY want to be on record taking sides with these groups?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/14/extremism.report/index.html
A DHS official said the department was not trying to squelch free speech by issuing the report. "There is no link between extremists being talked about in that report and conservative political thinkers, activists and voters," the official said.

But conservative radio talk show host Roger Hedgecock was not persuaded. "If the Bush administration had done this to left-wing extremists, it would be all over the press as an obvious trampling of the First Amendment rights of folks and dissent," he told CNN.

In fact, the Obama administration in January did issue a warning about left-wing extremists. Both reports were initiated during the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Looks as if the Obama admin will only release redacted versions of the CIA torture memos

http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/04/15/dont-gimme-no-lines-and-keep-your-hands-to-yourself/

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/obama_to_release_unredacted_torture_memos.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/15/720474/-President-Obama-and-the-Torture-Memos

I know this will shock you, but . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/16nsa.html
The National Security Agency intercepted private e-mail messages and phone calls of Americans in recent months on a scale that went beyond the broad legal limits established by Congress last year, government officials said in recent interviews. . . .

Dick Armitage (Colin Powell’s number two): I should have quit Bush admin

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/16/0480/76183
"In hindsight maybe I should have. But in those positions you see how many more battles you have. You maybe fool yourself. You say how much worse would X, Y, or Z be if I weren't here trying to do it? So torture is a matter of principle as far as I'm concerned. I hope, had I known about it at the time I was serving, I would've had the courage to resign."

The new GOP line – Obama “overreacted” to the economic crisis

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/top-republican-again-suggests-that.html

Heh heh

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1890923,00.html
The Floundering GOP Looks for a Turnaround . . .

Let’s revote NOW

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/15/151953/106
Nearly 2/3 of Minnesotans Say Coleman Should Quit . . .

Two more months? http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/15/time_running_out_for_coleman.html

Who’s backing the Coleman appeal? Businesses worried about the Employee Free Choice Act, apparently

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/top-business-lobbyists-vow-to-raise-big-bucks-for-coleman-appeal/

I don’t know why anybody ever took Sarah Palin seriously as a national candidate anyway – but even the GOP is starting to realize what a liability she is

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2009/4/14/is-the-gop-waving-bye-bye-to-sarah-palin.html

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/15/palin/index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/politics/16palin.html

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/04/15/the-other-fight-to-seat-a-senator.aspx

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/15/did_palin_blow_her_chance.html

Bonus item: Newt Gingrich, big fat liar

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/gingrich-white-house-only-uses-word-terrorism-on-americans/
Newt Gingrich is now using Twitter to play the “terror” card against Obama, charging that the White House has banned the use of the word “terrorism” for foreigners and only applies it to Americans. . . .

***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 @ 6:05 AM

 
TAX DAY

How progressive is our “progressive” tax system?

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/my-tax-day-post

What happens if you don’t pay?

http://www.slate.com/id/2216218

The GOP’s “new” ideas sound awfully “old”

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/republicans-scramble-for-ideas-find-old-ones.php

Still refighting the election from a year ago

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/14/719844/-Michael-Steele-Bumps-Head-...-Wakes-Up-In-2008

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017737.php

An attempted GOP revolt against Obama legal appointees loses steam

http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/04/14/is-gop-opposition-to-johnsen-and-koh-falling-apart/

Glenn Beck calls for state secession

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/14/720036/-General-Beck-moves-from-tea-bags-to-secession

Texas talks like it: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/14/720016/-Texas-declares-sovereignty-from-U.S.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/apr/14/texas-republican-governor-secede

What Beck, et al. get away with

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/tale-of-two-hitlers-by-digby-robert.html

Will this become a big story?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-04-13/the-bush-six-to-be-indicted/
Spanish prosecutors will seek criminal charges against Alberto Gonzales and five high-ranking Bush administration officials for sanctioning torture at Guantánamo. . . .

More: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/spanish_prosecutors_moving_forward_with_torture_investigation.php

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/14/torture/index.html

Let’s see, in Minnesota the GOP is now arguing “let every vote count” to help Norm Coleman; in New York they are throwing out ballots left and right – including the vote of the Congresswoman holding the seat!

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/taking_things_a_tad_far.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/gillibrand-republicans-have-stooped-to-a-new-low-challenging-my-ballot.php

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/14/1923/90351

Awwww . . . no more sweetness and light?

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/mccain-disses-palin-on-leno.html
McCain disses Palin on Leno . . .

More trouble for Sarah: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017746.php

Bonus item: You remember “AstroTurf” – fake grassroots activities that are actually funded and directed from the top. The “teabag revolt” is Exhibit A

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/14/fox-news-sponsors-anti-tax-tea-party-e-mail-collection-drive/

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/14/tea-party-day-brace-for-crazy/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017743.php

http://www.openleft.com/diary/12834/teabagging-is-all-fun-and-games-until-it-pokes-out-an-eye

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/14/teabagging_guide/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 @ 7:06 AM

 
SINKING FAST

Annals of Republican hypocrisy

Saxby Chambliss: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/krugman-republican-hypocrisy-on-spending-is-wonderful-to-watch.php

Sarah Palin: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/apr/13/sarah-palin-session-alaska-governor

Newt Gingrich: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/13/719724/-Gingrich-should-have-held-his-tongue

“Republicans have become embarrassing to watch”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/opinion/13krugman.html

The coming wave of Republican retirements

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/13/republicans_fighting_wave_of_retirements.html

Oh boy. Is this what the new generation of GOP pols will look like?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/13/719576/-AL-Gov:-Roy-Ten-Commandments-Moore-Preparing-A-Run

Justice Clarence Thomas doesn’t speak much about his judicial philosophy, and he rarely asks questions from the bench (How many ways can you say, “I’m with Scalia,” anyway?). But when we do see the mind behind the vote, it’s a little creepy

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017725.php

Franken wins

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/13/719696/-MN-Sen:-Franken-officially-wins-(but-still-not-final)
[KSTP] Over five months after the election, a three-judge panel has declared Democrat Al Franken the winner of the Minnesota U.S. Senate race. . . . [read on]

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/franken_wins_again.php
[Star-Tribune] After a trial spanning nearly three months, Norm Coleman’s attempt to reverse Al Franken’s lead in the recount of the U.S. Senate election was soundly rejected today by a three-judge panel that dismissed the Republican’s lawsuit. . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/coleman-camp-announces-appeal-national-dems-call-for-franken-to-be-seated.php
Coleman Camp Announces Appeal . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/minnesota-court-franken-won-the-election.php
[Eric Kleefeld] The appeals will be based on these two claims, for starters, and how the court dealt with them . . . [read on]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/who-will-be-left-on-minnesota-supreme-court-to-hear-appeal.php
Who Will Be Left On Minnesota Supreme Court To Hear Appeal? . . .

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/franken-rings-in-court-victory-quotes-paul-wellstone-on-politics.php

Proof that university types can make dumb mistakes too

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/asu-no-sitting-politician-gets.php

Our fair and balanced media

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/13/719501/-Some-Say-Journalism-
[AP] Still, it goes some way toward dispelling the notion that a liberal Democrat with a known distaste for war — Obama campaigned on his consistent opposition to the Iraq invasion — doesn't have the chops to call on U.S. military power. . . .

[Washington Post] Nonetheless, it may help to quell criticism leveled at Obama that he came to office as a Democratic antiwar candidate who could prove unwilling or unable to harness military might when necessary. . . [read on]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/usa-today-obama-thwarts-pirates-while-trying-to-trim-the-pentagon-budget.php
USA Today: Obama Thwarts Pirates While Trying To 'Trim The Pentagon Budget' . . .

Bonus item: Beck-orama

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/13/beck/index.html
Caution: Glenn Beck may be hazardous to your health . . .

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/13/beck_current/index.html
“The Glenn Beck Apocalypse” . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/beck-dreck-by-digby-ive-had-some.html
Beck Dreck . . .

***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

 
OF PUPPIES AND PIRATES AND ICE CREAM

The Right will find ANYTHING to criticize Obama over

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/obama-passes-initial-foreign-test.html
[Chris in Paris] As much as it is driving the hard right crazy, the rescue mission off Somalia worked. Captain Phillips was rescued during a brilliant mission by the Navy . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017712.php
[Steve Benen] For a while, "soft on communism" was all the rage in conservative circles. That eventually shifted to "soft on terrorism." Now, get ready for "soft on piracy." . . .

I mean ANYTHING

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/11/AR2009041102484.html
The little guy is a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog given to the Obama girls as a gift by that Portuguese water dog-lovin' senator himself, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. The girls named it Bo . . .

http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2009/04/12/conservatives-now-officially-hate-puppies/
Conservatives now officially hate puppies . . .

More about Karl Rove’s “file” on Tom Feeney (R-FL)

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/12/whats-in-feeneys-file-on-rove/

Interesting. Why did Rick Warren walk out at the last minute of his ABC interview?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0409/Warren_bails_on_This_Week_interview.html

More: http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/comments/rick_warrens_peeps_start_up_the_damage_control_machine_massive_fail/

James Dobson’s farewell speech: “we’ve lost”

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/12/dobson-defeated/

Everyone wants to know about the future of the GOP. Here’s the answer: they’re headed rightward. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) isn’t conservative enough?!?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/12/215531/158

Not good

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/13/35146/9228
MN-Sen: State Supreme Court Justice is a Norm Coleman Donor and Should Recuse Himself

More: http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2009/04/so-who-is-on-minnesota-supreme-court.html

Broder being Broder

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017713.php

Glenn Beck: worse and worse

http://www.dailykostv.com/w/001146/

Bonus item: Name that ice cream!

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/ben-jerry-george.html

More: http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/letterman-revisits-greatest-hits-of.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 @ 6:44 AM

 
UNAPPEALING

This sounds disturbingly familiar

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/world/asia/11bagram.html
The Obama administration said Friday that it would appeal a district court ruling that granted some military prisoners in Afghanistan the right to file lawsuits seeking their release. The decision signaled that the administration was not backing down in its effort to maintain the power to imprison terrorism suspects for extended periods without judicial oversight. . .

More: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/11/bagram/index.html

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/obama_appeals_bagram_detainee_ruling.php

Why banking should be boring

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/opinion/10krugman.html

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/boring-good

More: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/the_ethics_of_homo_economicus.php
[Matthew Yglesias] These are people primarily motivated in life by greed. Not just by a desire to make some scratch, mind you. These aren’t immigrants who walked through the desert from Mexico in order to earn more money by washing dishes in a San Diego hotel. They’re not 24 year-olds looking for a hefty salary in order to pay off student loans. They’re multi-millionaires who want to earn millions more. It’s possible, of course, that Vikram Pandit really does find being a bank executive to be intrinsically interesting. But a good person, who’s primary passion was the life of a bank executive, would be donating the bulk of his massive compensation package to charity. But that’s not what Pandit’s doing. Rather he, like virtually all executives at major firms, is living a life that’s primarily oriented around an ethic of greed. . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/shocked-disbelief-by-digby-these.html
[Digby] The executives of these lending institutions understand their own self-interest to be to do anything they damned well please and to hell with anyone who says otherwise and they are ready to take down the entire system if they don't get their way. . . . [read on]

The GOP declares “opposite week”

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017706.php

Bad advocates

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017701.php
[Steve Benen] Three of the least respected, least admired figures in contemporary American politics are Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove. . . .

Bush throws a party – guess who’s not invited?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/11/bush_snubs_cheney.html

Finally!

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/bush_reagan_presidential_files_to_be_released.php
Bush, Reagan Presidential Files To Be Released . . .

Palin supporters now claim that Levi is a Democratic plant

http://washingtonindependent.com/38316/the-plot-against-sarah-palin

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/the-sunday-show-line-ups-2.php
• ABC, This Week: Pastor Rick Warren.

• CBS, Face The Nation: Arturo Sarukhan, Mexican Ambassador to the United States.

• CNN, State Of The Union: Gen. Ray Odierno, and Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie.

• NBC, Meet The Press: Special holiday weekend roundtable: Jeffrey Goldberg, from The Atlantic; Michele Norris, from NPR; Robin Wright, author of Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East"; and Byron York, of the Washington Examiner.

Bonus item: “Tea-bagging.” Should we let the Republicans in on the joke?

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/teabaggers-unite.html
You might have heard that conservatives are holding teabag parties across the country, and calling on their supporters to send teabags to Washington, to protest Obama's stimulus spending. Well, as Andy Cobb points out in this not-safe-for-work PG-17 video, the conservatives may have bitten off more than they can chew with their new, unfortunate, metaphor. . . .

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/possibly-even-better-than-teabagging.html

Rachel cracks up: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908#30145811

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908#30160248

Fox gives up any pretense of independence: http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/more_tea_party_symbiotics_fox_news.php

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/11/what-part-of-fnc-tax-day-tea-parties-dont-you-understand/

***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 @ 7:32 AM

 
MORANS

Karl Rove: I kept files on enemies

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017694.php

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/10/rove/index.html

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/j_edgar_rove_bushs_brain_claims_he_kept_loyalty_fi.php

Rove calls Joe Biden a blowhard and a liar (pot, meet kettle): http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017687.php

Keeping a list . . .

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/decline-fearmongering

Attacking Obama for calling for “respect” toward the Muslim world (it’s a “code,” you see)

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/10/late-night-elephants-on-parade-2/

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/cnn-edits-obamas-quote-to-make-him-look-like-patsy-to-muslims/

Remember all those brave GOP govs (and presidential aspirants) who weren’t going to take Obama’s dirty stimulus money? Well . . .

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/10/gop_stimulus_backlash_collides_with_reality.html

Repubs: the only good stimulus spending is MILITARY stimulus spending

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/chambliss-spending-isnt-stimulus-unless-its-defense-spending.php

Michael Steele: the perfect spokesman

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/steele-laughs-off-recession-the-malls-are-just-as-packed-no-they-arent.php
"The Malls Are Just As Packed" (No, They Aren't)

More: http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/gop-chair-steele-questions-whether-were.html

As the Minnesota Senate race starts to move toward a conclusion, we’re seeing the same nonsense in the NY-20 congressional race

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/murphy-currently-ahead-by-35-votes----plus-more-fun-with-ballot-challenges.php

David Broder’s highly flexible standards of outrage

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/bipartisanship/broder-today-broder-yesterday/

The real polarizers

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/10/15612/8398

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/chuck-todd-says-republicans-having-fled.html
Chuck Todd says Republicans have fled their own party . . .

Glenn Beck is making a reputation for himself

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017696.php
[Steve Benen] Beck appears to be in desperate need of medication . . .

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/10/beck/index.html
[Alex Koppelman] Seriously, can someone check on Fox News host Glenn Beck? I ask because it certainly looks like the poor guy's finally gone completely 'round the bend, and at the very least someone should do him the favor of checking his molars to make sure that whatever alien radio station his fillings are receiving plays some good music occasionally . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/10/718408/-Dear-Fox-News
[Hunter] Please, you need to get this person help. . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/10/718621/-Move-over-Rush,-its-now-Becks-Republican-Party
Move over Rush, it's now Beck's Republican Party . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/10/718692/-Glenn-Beck-on-Fox:-The-militia-movement-will-be-televised

Bonus item: This is what you call a tin ear. What lobbying group is CRITICIZING the Obamas’ organic garden at the White House?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/got_chemicals.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 @ 7:21 AM

 
THE GOOD WITH THE BAD

Good

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017683.php
[NYT] The Central Intelligence Agency announced on Thursday that it will no longer use contractors to conduct interrogations, and that it is decommissioning the secret overseas sites where for years it held high-level Al Qaeda prisoners. . . . [read on]

http://www.propublica.org/article/medical-personnel-and-interrogations-what-do-we-know-what-dont-we-know-409#9864
U.S. Medical Personnel and Interrogations: What Do We Know? What Don’t We Know? . . .

Not good

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/working_the_dark_side.php
Why is Obama following Bush's lead on state secrets?

More: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/09/tpm/index.html

The kind of press we have

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/you-can-lead-a-reporter-to-water-but-you-cant-make-him-call-it-a-spending-increase.php
[Brian Beutler] They just can't help themselves! In a live Q&A session today, a reader asked Washington Post Congressional reporter Paul Kane a question that's been on our minds for days now. "I keep hearing the term 'budget cuts,' but the defense budget isn't being cut at all," the reader writes. "Money is being redirected to other defense priorities, but the overall budget is increasing by 4%.... So why is it that certain pols are allowed to spout this inane lie with impunity."

Kane didn't respond to that question . . . [read on]

More from Kane: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/post_reporter_says_its_not_his_job_to_check_the_accuracy_of_people_hes_quoting.php
Post Reporter Says It’s Not His Job to Check the Accuracy of People He’s Quoting . . .

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/documenting-hypocrisy

The poor Republicans only have about four tricks left in their bag, so they have to keep using them even if they aren’t true: one is, Democrats are soft on defense. Keep swingin’ that hammer, boys

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/battle_lines_being_drawn.php
[David Kurtz] We've been hitting repeatedly this week on the flawed meta-narrative that Republicans immediately deployed -- and that some in the media lapped right up -- to counter Bob Gates' new budget proposal for the Pentagon. But there's a lot going on here beyond the canard that Obama is "gutting" defense spending when in fact he's proposing an overall increase in the Pentagon's budget (a fact, by the way, that makes it easier to debunk the meme, but which really shouldn't be dispositive either way -- would a four percent decrease in spending be "gutting" the military?).

As I've said, this is just the most recent iteration of a 20-year debate over what the military should look like after the collapse of the Soviet Union, or to use a more apt analogy, the latest battle in a long war. Proponents of new, coherent defense spending priorities have won a few skirmishes here and there, but by and large, the entrenched defense contractor interests have prevailed in every major battle. . . . [read on]

Barack Obama, divisive?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/9/718335/-Republicans-Continue-To-Lie-About-Pew-Poll

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/8/717996/-Pew-Poll:-People-Have-Confidence-In-Obama,-Not-Republicans
[DemfromCT] In other words, partisanship is another way of saying Republican opinion is different than everyone else's. . . .

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/bipartisanship/the-bipartisanship-mirage/

The GOP is stupid, but they aren’t dumb: they know that an African-American RNC chair is a good point person for their complaints that Obama’s 2010 census will overcount minorities

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/steele-fundraising-letter-obama-and-acorn-trying-to-rig-census.php
President Obama's old friends from ACORN, the leftist, urban "community" organization with a long history of promoting vote fraud, has been chosen by the Administration as a "partner" with the Census Bureau to determine population counts in cities around the country. . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017675.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/more_on_steele_and_the_census.php

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/your-modern-gop-endangering-people.html

Acorn responds: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republican-national-committee/acorns-lewis-blisters-michael-steele-its-not-nice-to-tell-lies/

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/acorn-responds-to-steele-screed.php

Good framing

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/norm-coleman-cannot-win-now-hes-just.html
Norm Coleman cannot win. Now, he's just helping Republican Senate leaders screw over Minnesota . . .

More: http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/04/09/franken-coleman-update-040909-when-even-powerlines-dissing-you/

Karl Rove, always shilling

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017670.php
[Steve Benen] There's nothing wrong with political commentators developing a signature style, but when the common thread of a pundit's work is unintentional irony, there's a problem. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/9/15636/44752

Yee Ha?

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/texas_gop_legislator_calls_for_asian_americans_to_adopt_simpler_names.php
[Houston Chronicle] A North Texas legislator during House testimony on voter identification legislation said Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are “easier for Americans to deal with.” . . . [read on]

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017677.php

Newt finds religion

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017671.php

Remember Sarah’s gargantuan shopping spree? The clothes she was going to give to charity? Well, guess what?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21047.html

Bonus item: Glenn Beck is psychotic

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/disenfranchised-by-digby-first-he-pours.html
President Obama, why don't you set us on fire? Do you not hear? Do you not hear the cries of people who are saying STOP! We would like some SANITY in our country for a SECOND. . . . [read on]

***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 @ 7:03 AM

 
CALLING THEM OUT

When is a four percent increase a “cut”? When you’re a Republican lying about Obama’s Defense budget. And the media pays along, of course

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/contessa.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/reader_alert.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/patriot_games.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/the-defense-spending-cuts-meme-grows.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/counterpoint.php

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/a_defense_budget_for_the_real_world.php
[Matt Yglesias] A Defense Budget for the Real World . . .

The sorry state of the GOP

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/7/713908/-The-State-Of-The-Republican-Party

Their new strategy: “ambush” Dems on the floor of Congress

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/20979.html

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/07/cantor/index.html

Michael Mukasey was a pretty respectable guy before he went to work for the Bush gang

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/did_mukasey_ignore_evidence_of_misconduct_in_steve.php

More and more . . .

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/red_cross_cia_interrogation_program_was_inhuman.php
Red Cross: CIA Interrogation Program Was "Inhuman" . . .

Another entry in the annals of phony political apologies

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/bachmann-i-havent-purposely-been-trying-to-be-inflammatory.php
Bachmann: "I Haven't Purposely Been Trying To Be Inflammatory" . . .

Well, done, Norm: after all the court hearings, Franken’s vote lead grows – as does pressure on Coleman to give it up already

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040703476.html

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/franken-coleman

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/election_2008_/2009/04/does_the_gop_want_to_write_off_minnesota_for_years.php

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/campaign_2008_/2009/04/time_for_democrats_to_go_on_the_offensive_in_minnesota.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/newspaper-that-endorsed-coleman-last-year-now-calling-for-him-to-concede.php
Newspaper That Endorsed Coleman Last Year Now Calling For Him To Concede . . .

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/08/colemans_chances_seen_as_not_good_at_supreme_court.html
Coleman's Chances Seen as Not Good at Supreme Court . . .

Obama’s complicated relation with left-wing blogs

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/08/liberal_groups/index.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/progressive-organizations-toeing-party-line.php

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/08/white-house-may-be-dictating-message-but-not-to-us/

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/top-bloggers-blast-lead-liberal-groups.html

The Washington Post calls out its own columnist, George Will, on climate change lies

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/wapos_anti-will_uprising.php

Roger Ebert calls out Bill O’Reilly – nicely done

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090407/COMMENTARY/904079997/-1/RSS

Black helicopter conspiracy theories go mainstream – via paranoid whacko Glenn Beck, of course

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017662.php

Bonus item: Sad

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/08/bonus_quote_of_the_day.html
"Could you help a brother out? No more national conventions with 36 people of color in the room."

-- RNC Chairman Michael Steele, quoted by the Miami Herald, urging Florida Republicans to send delegates who "look like Florida" to the next Republican National Convention.

***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 @ 7:40 AM

 
FRINGE ELEMENTS

Too bad this needed to be said – but it did

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/06/obama_turkey/index.html
Obama: "The United States is not at war with Islam" . . . [read on]

We all wish we didn’t need a Defense budget – but if we’re going to have one, it better be a smart one. This is encouraging . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017625.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017628.php

http://washingtonindependent.com/37503/gates-663-billion-budget-changes-defense-priorities

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/04/budget.html

More: http://www.samefacts.com/archives/defense_and_national_security_/2009/04/more_tooth_less_pork.php

The death knell for “Employee Free Choice”?

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/06/efca/index.html

What Obama needs to do

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/6/717136/-Obama-and-Holder,-Release-the-Torture-Memos
Obama and Holder, Release the Torture Memos . . .

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/who-knew-by-digby-they-all-did-today.html

Still making excuses for torture

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017630.php
“Getting Your Face Wet”

The GOP seems determined to remake itself as a fringe group

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/us/politics/07poll.html
Americans have grown more optimistic about the economy and the direction of the country in the 11 weeks since President Obama was inaugurated, suggesting that he is enjoying some success in his critical task of rebuilding the nation’s confidence, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. . . .

By contrast, just 31 percent of respondents said they had a favorable view of the Republican Party, the lowest in the 25 years the question has been asked in New York Times/CBS News polls. . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/6/221256/7094

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/omg-obama-is-most-polarizing-president.html

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/is-obama-polarizing-or-is-it-that-the-gop-is-shrinking.php

I think they’ve made their decision that Michele Bachmann (R-MN), with her suburban soccer-mom looks, is a safe spokeswoman for the ugly Republican id

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/lock_and_load.php
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) replaces naked call for violent revolution with metaphorical violence . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/bachmann-warns-of-re-education-camps-for-young-people.php
Bachmann Warns Of "Re-Education Camps" For Young People . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/6/717131/-Bachmann-pimps-another-crazy-conspiracy-theory

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/06/michelle-bachmann-obamas-going-to-send-your-children-to-political-re-education-camps/

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/06/late-nite-michele-bachmann-stars-in-birth-of-an-aberration/

Conflict within the Grand Old Party

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017623.php

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/house-republicans/disarray-watch-house-gop-leaders-leaking-on-each-other/

The usual conservative mouthpieces sound more and more out of touch. They've marginalized themselves

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/6/717184/-Difference-isnt-a-threat
“Let's be clear what these attacks on folks like Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity are all about -- the left-wing in our nation want to silence ALL opposing voices in the media . . .”

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/nothing-left-by-digby-its-nice-to-see.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017616.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/6/717161/-Republicans-Hate-Democracy,-Episode-534

In Minnesota

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/06/just_387_ballots_left_in_minnesota.html
Just 387 Ballots Left in Minnesota . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/pawlenty-senate-race-likely-to-last-a-few-more-months.php
[Gov. Tim] Pawlenty: Senate Race Likely To Last A Few More Months

Behind closed doors: http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/04/04/franken-coleman-update-040409-behind-closed-doors/

The next Minnesota: NY-20

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/tedisco-currently-ahead-judge-rules-against-his-effort-to-delay-counting-absentees.php

No, I don’t really want to see the Palin clan washing their sordid laundry in public, but . . . .

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/06/palin-spokeswoman-attacks-levi-johnstons-lies/

Are blogs to blame for the decline of newspapers? (No)

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/but-youd-have-to-charge-them-even-more.html

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/misguided-legal-theories.html

Bonus item: Yes, there are still people out there like this

http://washingtonindependent.com/37360/scenes-from-the-real-america

http://washingtonindependent.com/37511/at-gun-show-conservatives-panic-about-obama

http://washingtonindependent.com/37468/how-to-start-and-train-a-militia-unit

***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 @ 8:10 AM

 
FAULT LINES

More on Obama’s G-20 performance

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017610.php
[Steve Benen] There was a bit of a stir this week when President Obama intervened at the G20 summit to resolve a dispute over tax havens between France and China. . . .

Watch: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/wine_and_sunsets.php
Obama's town-hall style meeting in Strasbourg on Friday may have been the most memorable event of the trip. We gathered some of the key moments . . .

White collar crime

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/05/holder-wants-to-stop-playing-mukaseys-whack-a-mole-with-financial-fraud/

Thanks for nothing

http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2009/04/05/workers_steered_to_high_risk_investing/
Shortly before the first signs of the stock market collapse, the Bush administration made a crucial decision that has propelled an estimated one to two million workers into stock-heavy retirement funds.

Many of the funds in which workers were automatically enrolled dropped more than 25 percent last year, while a more conservative investment strategy rejected by the Bush administration would have resulted in a gain of 4.7 percent. . . .

Is Obama being too easy on the financial industry?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/didnt-tom-brokaw-call-this-fleecing-of.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/impossible-things-by-digby-it-is.html

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/bank-executives-put-on-notice-by.html

“Inside Guantanamo”

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/5/716592/-Video-Review:-National-Geographics-Explorer:-Inside-Guantanamo

More: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/4085/Overview

STFU, Dick

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/05/axelrod-hits-back-at-cheney-not-behaving-like-a-statesman/
Top Obama adviser David Axelrod sharply criticized Dick Cheney's recent contention that the president's national security policies have made the country less safe, suggesting the former vice president is not behaving like a "statesman."

[President Bush] has behaved like a statesman," Axelrod told CNN's John King on State of the Union regarding the former president's decision not to criticize the new administration. "And as I've said before, here and elsewhere, I just don't think the memo got passed down to the vice president." . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017613.php

A contrary view: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/keep-your-trap-shut-dick

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/axelrod_vs_cheney.php

Friends of torture

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017615.php
[Scott Horton] Senate Republicans are now privately threatening to derail the confirmation of key Obama administration nominees for top legal positions by linking the votes to suppressing critical torture memos from the Bush era. A reliable Justice Department source advises me that Senate Republicans are planning to "go nuclear" over the nominations of Dawn Johnsen as chief of the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) in the Department of Justice and Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh as State Department legal counsel if the torture documents are made public. . . . [read on]

Why do the Republicans love Europe-bashing?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017608.php

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/sean-hannity-right-yet-again

Newt struggles for relevance

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/no-country-for-old-newt-by-digby-if.html

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/06/letting-stupid-beget-stupid/

Fractures in the religious right

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017609.php

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/bringing-in-sheaves-by-digby-yesterday.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 @ 7:24 AM

 
HATE TALK

The ugly, apocalyptic turn of Republican oppositional rhetoric

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/eliminationists-by-tristero-last-night.html
[Tristero] Last night, Dave Neiwert's brilliant new book, The Eliminationists: How Hate Talk Radicalized the American Right arrived. I've already read half of it and man is it a page turner of the first order. More importantly, it is essential reading if you want to understand clearly the danger posed by the likes of Limbaugh and Beck. . . .

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/listening-right
[Kevin Drum] [T]here is something different about their tone these days, and I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is. My tentative take is that there's an inchoate quality to their fears that's new. In the past they were fighting against specific things: communism, hippies, Bill Clinton, Islamists, abortion, etc. But communism is dead, the hippies are grown up, Clinton is off doing good works in Africa, al-Qaeda is pretty quiet, and it's pretty obvious that the culture wars have been lost. They're doing their best to slot Obama into the old Clinton/Gore role, but he just doesn't fit and the media isn't playing along the way they did in the 90s. So they're stuck. Who, exactly, is their enemy these days?

I'm not sure they know themselves. But maybe that makes it worse. A nuclear-armed USSR may be scary, but at least it's something you can identify. These days that's a lot harder. Like a horror movie where you're surrounded on all sides by something you can never quite make out, I guess it seems to them like there's something horrible going on, but it's something so insidious that they're only allowed to catch occasional foggy glimpses of it. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017603.php

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/04/opinion/04blow.html

The consequences

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090403/ap_on_re_us/hostage_shooting
Authorities have searched the home of the suspected gunman in the New York state immigrant center shooting. . . . [read on]

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/gop-talking-points-lead-to-shooting.html
A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest and "lying in wait" opened fire on officers responding to a domestic disturbance call Saturday, killing three of them and turning a quiet Pittsburgh street into a battlefield, police said.

Police Chief Nate Harper said the motive for the shooting isn't clear, but friends said the gunman recently had been upset about losing his job and feared the Obama administration was poised to ban guns . . . [read on]

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017604.php

Professor Obama

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/4/716341/-Obama-explains-how-the-world-works-to-Americans
Obama explains how the world works to Americans . . .

Oh-oh

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/5/32218/58169
North Korea Defiantly Launches Rocket Over Japan
[Todd Beeton] Remember when Joe Biden said Barack Obama would be tested early in his first term? I'd say this qualifies. . . .

The true story keeps dribbling out

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/4/716255/-New-Report:-Generals-Knew-About-Guantanamo-Torture,-Lied-to-Congress
New Report: Generals Knew About Guantanamo Torture, Lied to Congress

Restructuring the Pentagon budget: the big fight ahead

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/taking-iron-triangle

Muslims in the White House!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017599.php

Theocracy in retreat?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/going-back-to-church-by-digby-i-think.html

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/the-sunday-show-line-ups-1.php
• ABC, This Week: Dr. Susan Rice, Ambassador to the United Nations.

• CBS, Face The Nation: Treasury Sec. Tim Geithner.

• CNN, State Of The Union: General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson; Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN); Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI); and former General Electric CEO Jack Welch.

• NBC, Meet The Press: General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson.

Bonus item: More family trouble for the Palins

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/palin-to-levi-stop-exploiting-my-family.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 @ 7:36 AM

 
AGAINST DEMOCRACY

We learned in 2000 and 2004 what the GOP thinks about democratic processes. But now they’re going further, actually fighting to reverse election results that go against them

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/3/716180/-Republicans-Hate-Democracy,-Episode-533

In Minnesota

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/coleman-gearing-up-for-appeals-this-is-not-judicial-fast-food.php
Coleman Gearing Up For Appeals . . .

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/04/03/franken-coleman-update-040309-a-tale-of-two-law-partners/
[W]ill [Gov.] Tim Pawlenty follow the dictates of Eric Magnuson's court, or will he continue to do the bidding of the Republican National Committee and Mitch McConnell . . .?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/coleman-wont-say-whether-hes-spoken-with-fbi-about-kazeminy.php
Coleman Won't Say Whether He's Spoken With FBI About Kazeminy

[NB: I think that means “yes”]

In New York

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/3/183510/2408
Now comes the news that a literal tie in the NY-20 race for congress has shifted dramatically in Democrat Scott Murphy's favor, giving Murphy an almost 200 vote lead. As The Albany Project reported . . .

Fun times in Alaska

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/palin_jumps_on_begich-should-resign_bandwagon.php
[Anchorage Daily News reports] Gov. Sarah Palin and the head of the Alaska Republican Party said Thursday that Sen. Mark Begich should give his Senate seat up to a special election now that prosecutors have abandoned their case against Ted Stevens. "Alaskans deserve to have a fair election not tainted by some announcement that one of the candidates was convicted fairly of seven felonies, when in fact it wasn't a fair conviction," Palin said . . .

http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/4/3/135933/1677
[Todd Beeton] I know it's becoming pretty standard for Republicans to claim election results that don't favor them are invalid, but this is pretty crazy stuff, even for Palin . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/3/716141/-Republicans-Hate-Democracy,-Episode-532
Why do we even bother holding elections anymore?

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/03/ted-stevens-should-run-against-palin-alaska-republican-says/
Now that the corruption case against former Sen. Ted Stevens has been dropped, Alaska Rep. Don Young wants Stevens to run for governor — a move that would set up a Republican primary between the veteran lawmaker and Sarah Palin . . .

“The Palin crime family” http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/3/716349/-The-Palin-Crime-Family

SC Governor backs down on taking stimulus money

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/after-all-chest-thumping-and-bravado.html

Yes, he’s right (but not for the reason he thinks)

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/03/quote_of_the_day.html
"The American public understands something must be askew if every single Republican votes against something."

-- Minority Whip Eric Cantor

Michael Steele: not long for his job as RNC head?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/03/rnc-members-urge-steele-to-set-special-talk/

Newt Gingrich, fighting as always to prove that he’s still relevant, threatens a third party challenge

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/gingrich-threatens-3rd-party-to.html

The man who could have been President . . .

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/03/mccain_hispanics/index.html
[National Journal] "He was angry," one source said. "He was over the top. In some cases, he rolled his eyes a lot. There were portions of the meeting where he was just staring at the ceiling, and he wasn't even listening to us. We came out of the meeting really upset." . . .

. . . . and the man who is

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/sarkozy-takes-slap-at-bush.html
"It feels really good to work with a US president who wants to change the world and who understands the world."

- French President Nicolas Sarkozy

“Holy hell”

http://www.newsweek.com/id/192314
Attorney General Eric Holder wants to release classified Bush-era interrogation memos. But U.S. intel officials are fiercely lobbying the White House to block him from moving forward . . .

Colin Powell, carefully choosing his words to describe the “Principals’ Meetings” where torture was discussed

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/slick-by-digby-following-on-of-ddays.html

The New Rice

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/interesting-interview-with-our-new-un.html

The war against Harold Koh

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/gop-legal-heavy-ted-olson-dismisses-right-wing-assault-on-obama-nominee/

ConservaDems: WTF?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/americas-worst-people-by-dday-i.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/bayh-and-nelson-i-prefer-a-gop-budget.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017579.php

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/apr/03/budget-congress-evan-bayh-indiana

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/deconstructing-evan-bayh

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/3/716356/-Best-chyrons-ever

Aaiieee! Here come the conservative blogs (no, I’m not worried)

http://www.openleft.com/diary/12670/conservative-blogs-gaining-on-progressives

Another GOPer soon to walk the plank . . .

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/house-republicans/gop-rep-blasts-rush-as-not-serious-and-an-enternainer/
In comments that passed unnoticed, Rep Zach Wamp of Tennessee, who’s running for Governor, blasted Rush Limbaugh twice on CNN as a mere “entertainer,” and suggested that rather than listen to Rush, we should listen to “serious” people on how solve our economic crisis. . . .

How Fox does polls

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017584.php

Bonus item: Obama to Wall Street CEO’s

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/03/bonus_quote_of_the_day_.html
"My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks."

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/03/obama-triangulating-between-the-banksters-and-the-pitchforks/

***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 @ 8:50 AM

 
ON STAGE

Obama at the G-20: how did it go?

http://www.slate.com/id/2215264

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/world/europe/03assess.html

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/g20-review

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/g_20_communique.php

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/04/g20_gobbledygook_eclipsed_by_obamania.php

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/financial_crises_/2009/04/an_end_to_tax_havens_and_banking_secrecy.php
[Mark Kleiman] I have no idea whether there's any meaning behind the pronouncement from the G-20 summit that the era of banking secrecy and tax havens is over. But if there is, that's extraordinarily big, and extraordinarily good, news. . . . [read on]

Is the idea of "Truth and Reconciliation" hearings on Bush/Cheney war crimes losing steam?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/is-truth-and-reconciliation-dead-in-the-water.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/2/715833/-Truth,-Justice,-And-...-How-Does-The-Rest-Of-That-Go

http://washingtonindependent.com/37136/leahy-truth-commission-not-dead-just-resting

Why?

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/probes-of-bush-administration/justice-department-again-delaying-release-of-bush-torture-memos/
Justice Department Again Delaying Release Of Bush “Torture” Memos

Oh-oh

http://www.juancole.com/2009/04/top-ten-ways-us-is-turning-afghanistan.html
Top Ten Ways the US is Turning Afghanistan into Iraq

Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) “ran the state like a racket”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-blagojevich-indicted,0,612024.story
Blagojevich was indicted on 16 racketeering, fraud and extortion counts. Among the new, damaging allegations were that Blagojevich delayed a $2 million grant to a public charter school while trying to extort campaign cash from now- White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and threatened to withhold future state business from financial institutions that refused to hire his wife.

Blagojevich's effort to profit, both personally and for his Friends of Blagojevich campaign fund, was so pervasive that federal prosecutors labeled the racketeering scheme the "Blagojevich Enterprise."

"The primary purpose of the Blagojevich Enterprise was to exercise and preserve power over the government of the State of Illinois for the financial and political benefit of Rod Blagojevich, both directly and through Friends of Blagojevich, and for the financial benefit of his family members and associates," the indictment alleged. . . .

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/back_to_blago.php

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/feds_blago_and_cronies_were_scheming_to_make_money.php

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/02/is-rahm-congressman-a/

The budget bills

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/03/budget_approved_with_no_gop_votes.html
[Taegan Goddard] The House and Senate approved federal budgets of about $3.5 trillion with no Republican support, "a sign of deep partisan tensions likely to color Congressional efforts to enact major policy initiatives sought by President Obama," the New York Times reports.

"Democrats said the two budgets, which will have to be reconciled after a two-week Congressional recess, cleared the way for health care, energy and education overhauls pushed by the new president."

The Washington Post notes the biggest dispute between the two chambers "is whether to use a powerful procedural shortcut that could allow Obama's health, education and energy initiatives to pass the Senate with 51 votes rather than the usual 60, eliminating the need to win over any Republicans."

The Repubs haven’t seriously filibustered any of Obama’s nominees yet. Is that about to change?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/under-rock-by-digby-dahlia-lithwick.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/will-the-republicans-filibuster-dawn-johnsen.php

http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/04/02/will-gop-stage-paltry-showboat-on-dawn-johnsen-to-help-arlen-save-his-own-ass/

More phony calls for bipartisanship

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/2/715372/-Bipartisanship

GOP opportunism alert: the Specter case

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/whither-the-mccain-amendment.php
Specter Votes for Spending Freeze After Voting for Stimulus

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/2/715791/-PA-Sen:-Revising-history

http://washingtonindependent.com/37062/specter-swings-to-the-right-to-save-senate-seat

GOP opportunism alert: Newt’s newfound theocratic bent

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/gingrich-obama-waging-war-against-churches.php
Gingrich: Obama Waging "War Against Churches"

Michele Bachmann, the Patrick Henry of our times

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/bachmann-do-we-want-to-be-free-or-do-we-want-to-be-slaves.php
Bachmann: "Do We Want To Be Free, Or Do We Want To Be Slaves?"

More: http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/02/michelle-bachman-and-glenn-beck-discuss-nefarious-obamaoistnew-world-order-plot-to-eliminate-us-currency/

Once the Minnesota Supreme Court ends Coleman’s last avenue of appeal in the state, and Franken gets certified, the pressure to seat him will be enormous – and the press is starting to notice

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/klobuchar-to-cornyn-how-would-texas-like-having-only-one-senator-for-years.php
Klobuchar To Cornyn: How Would Texas Like Having Only One Senator For Years?

The press: http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/media-starting-to-ask-if-its-time-for.html

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/04/02/franken-coleman-update-040209-put-a-fork-in-it-norm/

Bonus item: Your daily read

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/better-than-cupcakes-by-digby-vanity.html
“Better Than Cupcakes”

***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 @ 7:49 AM

 
A PERMANENT MINORITY

Looks like the Republicans WANT to stay in the minority forever

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/i_realize_that_it_doesnt.php
[Josh Marshall] I realize that it doesn't afford me a lot of opportunities for personal or spiritual growth. But I'm nonetheless comforted by the fact that the Republicans running things in the House GOP caucus are still as clinically insane as in years past. We see today from their House GOP 'budget' that their new-found allegiance to fiscal discipline has them lowering the top marginal tax rate to 25% (it's currently 35%, with the Bush tax cuts), which for anyone who knows anything about the federal budget would pretty much inevitably lead to gargantuan federal deficits and the Treasury exploding probably some time early in the next decade. . . .

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/republican-budget
[Kevin Drum] I won't even pretend that I understand most of the alternative budget unveiled today by House Republicans. The gist of it, however, is the classic, time-tested approach taken by "fiscal conservatives" who are too gutless to propose actual, concrete spending cuts: an across-the-board spending freeze. (Except for the Pentagon, natch, because they're such paragons of efficient procurement.) That way they can release a 53-page document without taking the political risk of naming an actual program that will get cut.

Even by those standards, though, the section on Social Security is a masterpiece. . . . [read on]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017554.php
[Steve Benen] The AP report on the new Republican alternative budget doesn't even try to capture just how truly ridiculous it is, but there was one part of the article that caught my eye. . . .

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017556.php
[Steve Benen] This chart was put together by the Republican staff of the House Budget Committee, to help promote Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) piece on the GOP's alternative budget. . . .

Conor Clarke calls this "crazy," and "pretty stupid," before explaining . . . [read on]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/republicans-lets-privatize-medicare.php
Republicans: Let's Privatize Medicare!

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/house-gop-budget-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions-with-offshore-drilling.php
House GOP Budget: Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Offshore Drilling

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/april_fools_budget_relies_on_inconsistent_tax_rates.php
April Fool’s Budget Relies on Inconsistent Tax Rates

More: http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/omb-deputy-director-gop-budget-is.html

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/gops-april-fools-joke-on-american.html

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/04/01/budget/index.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/new-and-improved-now-with-numbers-by.html

[NB: Yes, they really did pick April Fool’s Day to roll out their alternative budget.]

Meanwhile, over on the Senate side

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/will-senate-gop-leadership-join-house-gop-and-produce-own-budget-nope/
Will Senate GOP Leadership Join House GOP And Produce Own Budget? Nope. . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/mccain-i-have-a-budget-too.php
[Brian Beutler] John McCain is taking a page from House Republicans and, in about an hour, will be introducing an alternative budget of his own. It's a move that might just rankle Judd Gregg--who, as chairman of the Budget Committee, and the guy who would normally make these decisions, opted not to go that route. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_04/017549.php

Listen to this man!

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/steele-republicans-should-be-like-me----unconventional-unpredictable.php
Steele: Republicans Should Be Like Me -- "Unconventional, Unpredictable" . . .

More: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.legislativebriefs010apr01,0,5481240.story

Oh, they know the lyrics. But they’ve lost the tune

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/04/the_obama_democratic_machine.php
RNC Chairman Michael Steele just issued a statement on the party's loss (pending counting of the absentee ballots) in the NY-20 last night: “[We] went toe-to-toe with the Obama Democratic machine . . .”

When are people going to get sick of this act?

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/joe-the-plumber-admits-he-knows-little-about-efca-gets-jeered-by-workers/
Joe The Plumber Admits He Knows “Little” About EFCA, Gets Jeered By Workers . . .

Michele Bachmann (R-MN), crazy loon

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/01/late-nite-michele-bachmann-is-loonier-than-minnesotas-10000-lakes/

Obama is a socialist. . . I mean fascist . . . I mean socialist . . . I mean fascist . . .

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/01/beck-march-to-fascism/

http://www.americablog.com/2009/04/foxs-glenn-beck-compares-obama-to-nazis.html

Cheney’s continuing pipeline into the national security apparatus

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/04/01/cheneys-stay-behind/

How the press helped the Bush gang redefine “torture”

http://www.samefacts.com/archives/torture_/2009/03/when_is_torture_not_torture.php

I absolutely think the Dems ought to keep the 50-vote option on the table, as long as the GOP keeps locking up the Franken victory and refusing to compromise on anything

http://washingtonindependent.com/36719/reconciliation-watch-gop-getting-worried

Hmmm. . . Norm Coleman takes the Minnesota election to court, and loses. But it’s the Democrats who have stolen the election?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/nrcc-fundraising-e-mail-dont-letem-pull-a-franken.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/1/715439/-NY-20:-Dont-Let-Them-Pull-A-Franken,-Sez-GOP

How the Bush Justice Dept blew the Stevens prosecution

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/1/715465/-A-new-Justice-Department

Chris Matthews – too often sloppy on the details

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/04/msnbcs_matthews_goofs_on_stevens_decision.php

Bonus item: Charmer

http://mediamatters.org/countyfair/200904010021
Limbaugh: If Gordon Brown keeps "slobbering" over Obama, he'll "come down with anal poisoning and may die from 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 @ 7:40 AM

 
WARMING UP

Obama gets serious about climate change – the GOP stays mired in denial

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/house-democrats-begin-push-for.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017528.php

I love the excuse – promoted by Rush constantly – that there can’t be global warming, every time you see a story about a big snowstorm

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

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/inhofe-this-bill-does-nothing-to-address-climate-change-which-i-dont-believe-in.php
Inhofe: This Bill Does Nothing To Address Climate Change (Which I Don't Believe In)

Obama a “fascist” – really? Is this the best they can do?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_03/017537.php

Good question

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2009/03/31/durbin-and-whitehouse-why-did-mukasey-give-olc-a-peek-at-the-yoobradbury-results/
Why Did Mukasey Give OLC a Peek at the Yoo/Bradbury Results?

Man, did they blow this prosecution against Ted Stevens (R-AK)

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/04/01/business/business-justice-stevens.html

What? Paul Krugman isn’t the final word?

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/31/two_naive_questions_of_krugman_co/

http://www.americablog.com/2009/03/abandon-hope-all-ye-who-enter-here.html

I guess it’s what they do now: losing Republican files a lawsuit in NY congressional race before the polls even close

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/tedisco-if-i-win-i-win-if-i-lose-i-win.php

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/pre-emptive-strike-by-dday-in-new-york.html

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

What next? http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/whats-next-in-ny-20-the-courts.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/31/715207/-NY-20-Absentee-and-Military-Ballots-Situation

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/03/ny-20_too_close_to_call_and_nothing_to_extrapolate.php

Meanwhile, more trouble for Norm Coleman’s case in Minnesota

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/31/715120/-MN-Sen:-Franken-wins-(this-round

http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/03/31/breaking-ecc-rules/

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/in-blow-to-coleman-minnesota-court-to-review-only-400-ballots-for-possible-opening.php

What next? http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/coleman-legal-spokesman-makes-it-official-we-will-appeal.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/reid-spokesman-he-awaits-resolution-for-franken-in-minnesota-courts.php

Bonus item: Wheee! Republican senator whacks Republican governor

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/alaska-gop-senator-smacks-jindal-monitoring-volcanoes-is-critically-important.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 @ 7:10 AM