EXIT GHOST

The last moderate Republican?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/its-official-crist-goes-independent-in-florida-senate-race.php
It's Official: Crist Goes Independent In Florida Senate Race

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/gop-slams-crist-over-indy-senate-bid-rallies-around-rubio.php
GOP Slams Crist Over Indy Senate Bid, Rallies Around Rubio

What will happen? http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/whole-new-game-crists-likely-independent-bid-makes-fl-sen-a-strange-unpredictable-race.php

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/29/evaluating_crists_chances.html

http://mydd.com/2010/4/29/fo

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/04/29/crist-makes-it-official-will-run-as-an-independent/

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/crist_and_rubio_both_tarred_by_florida_gop_shenani.php

Frank Luntz’s new GOP robot talking point. Watch out for the “checkbook tax”

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/29/862002/-The-Next-GOP-Talking-Point-on-Wall-Street-Reform:-Checkbook-Tax

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/2010-elections/frank-luntzs-new-talking-point-checkbook-tax/

Oh, really?

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/tea-parties-and-racial-resentment.php
[A] study from the University of Washington shows that members of the Tea Party movement have higher-than-average levels of racial resentment . . .

Sick

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/ten-states-now-contemplating-arizona
Ten States Now Contemplating Arizona-Like Anti-Immigration Legislation

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/29/majority_favor_arizona_immigration_law.html
Majority Favor Arizona Immigration Law

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023574.php

Dems moving forward on immigration reform?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023568.php

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/immigration-wont-pass-this-year-but-its-still-front-and-center/

Michael Steele again calls out the bigotry of his own party. They’ll love him for this

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/28/861727/-Steele:-GOP-was-bigoted-against-Latinos.-A-long,-long-time-ago

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023569.php

Heh

http://firedoglake.com/2010/04/29/republican-consultant-on-gop-2012-presidential-field-we-have-real-expletive-problems/
Republican Consultant on GOP 2012 Presidential Field: “We Have Real [Expletive] Problems.”

Be glad the Repubs have such a lousy bunchy of party leaders at the moment

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023567.php

The catastrophe in the Gulf

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/44083

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/43901

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/04/29/action-say-no-to-offshore-drilling/

Tom DeLay (remember him?) may soon stand trial

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/finally_delay_money_laundering_case_may_be_headed.php

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/associates-tom-delay-face-money-laundering

Theocracy watch

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/in_latest_rightward_shift_mcdonnell_lets_va_police.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/29/861863/-SCOTUS:-What-Is-A-Cross

DR’s Corner: two views of a quagmire

#1: http://www.hacklopedia.com/Miniatures/tutorials/Images/swamp/swamp2.jpg

#2: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1269463/Afghanistan-PowerPoint-slide-Generals-left-baffled-PowerPoint-slide.html

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/29/861887/-Pentagon-Report:-Afghan-Taliban-More-Sophisticated

When’s the last time that calling a President of either party a traitor to America became part of conventional political discourse?

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201004290011

Bonus item: Time’s absurd list

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/time-magazine.html
Time Magazine has compiled the list of the top 25 leaders in the world. . . . [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.***

BLINK!

The GOP backs down

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/just_a_whimper.php
[David Kurtz] The Republicans have folded in the Senate. Throughout the afternoon, every indication was that the GOP's filibuster effort had crumbled and that several, perhaps many, Republican senators would cross over and vote to bring financial reform to the floor for debate. We were expecting a vote at this hour. But the Senate is dispensing with a vote entirely, and will bring the bill to the floor by unanimous consent (meaning everyone agrees and there's no need to even vote on it). . . .

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/bowing-to-internal-pressure-gop-allows-debate-on-financial-reform.php

Of course, all the pointless posturing was worth it, right? Right?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/prelude_to_a_cave.php
[Mitch McConnell (R-KY)] [T]his has been a very useful exercise. By giving people time to actually look at this bill and study the details for themselves, we've enabled them to assess not only the potential impact of the actual text of the bill itself, but also some of the unintended consequences it could have. . . .

More: http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/gop-allows-finreg-debate/

How do they get away with it?

http://www.salon.com/news/bank_reform/index.html?story=/opinion/feature/2010/04/28/how_gop_gets_away_with_it
It's pretty simple: They repeat the same thing over and over until everyone gets tired of correcting them . . . [read on]

Wha’ happuned?

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/28/financial_regulation_compromise_mystery

More whining

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/36524.html#ixzz0mRozsiT8
In the wake of the superheated debate over health care reform, Reid and his confidants have used fierce rhetoric to portray the Republicans as tools of Wall Street who spread lies about the financial regulatory reform bill as a way to protect well-heeled donors. Meanwhile, Reid has been forcing the Republicans to vote again and again on the regulatory reform bill, hoping to jam at least one GOP senator into flipping to the Democratic side for fear of coming off as entirely obstructionist.

The tactic seems to be working; Republicans on Wednesday allowed debate to proceed on the bill. But hard feelings persist. . . . [read on]

Chutzpah

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/chutzpah-watch-financial-regulation-edition
[Kevin Drum] I've been noticing a new conservative meme lately. Basically, it's this: the government failed to stop the housing bubble, so it's folly to suggest that more government will stop any future bubble.

I don't really have anything to say about this. I'm just sort of bemused by the audacity of spending 30 years deregulating everything in sight, watching the financial system implode, and then blaming it all on weak-kneed bureaucrats. It's hard not to admire the chutzpah.

Not enough votes to pass immigration reform?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/moot-point-votes-dont-seem-there-for-immigration-anyway.php

David Broder’s Deep Thought: because “bipartisanship” failed in Congress, extremism won in Arizona

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/28/AR2010042804061.html

Dems starting to frame the 2010 election

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/28/861588/-Framing-the-GOP-as-an-unacceptable-alternative

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/the-democratic-message-for-2010/39608/

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/who-are-democrats-messaging-to/39610/

Why Michael Steele is still useful for the RNC

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republican-national-committee/steeles-rnc-takes-limbaugh-line-on-race/
Steele’s RNC Takes Limbaugh Line On Race

Ah, if it were ACORN doing things like this, what would the GOPers say?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/orange_county_gop_in_hot_water_after_report_of_vot.php
CA Voters Tricked Into Registering As Republicans With Pot Petition

No, the GOP does NOT want to repeal health care reform

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/gop-members-of-congress-reluctant-to-repeal-the-affordable-care-act.php

The problem with WH reporters

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/28/journalism
Politico's Josh Gerstein and Patrick Gavin have a long article describing the growing anger of the White House press corps towards the Obama White House. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.americablog.com/2010/04/press-is-ticked-with-obama-white-houses.html

This is news

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/28/laura_bush_blasts_husbands_critics.html
The New York Times obtained an early copy of Laura Bush's new memoir, Spoken from the Heart, in which she admonishes her husband's political adversaries for "calling him names." . . .

Fox News pundit Sarah Palin unknowingly calls out a Fox News show . . . on Fox News

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/palin-accidentally-slams-fox-news-lamestre

Glenn Beck thinks Nazi comparisons are totally out of bounds. . . unless he’s the one making them

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/glenn-beck-outraged-comparisons-nazi

Bonus item: Noah’s ark found!

http://gawker.com/5526027/look-what-a-bunch-of-chinese-and-turkish-guys-found-noahs-ark

***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.***

HERDING CATS

Looks like the Repubs are going to have a harder time keeping their troops together on financial reform than they did with health care reform

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/new_financial_reform_developments.php

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/financial-reform-teeter-on-the-edge-as-gop-prepares-to-cave.php

The Republican “alternative”

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/republicans-circulate-draft-of-financial-regulation-alternative.php
[Matt Yglesias] Damian Paletta at the Wall Street Journal offers a summary of a 20 page draft of a GOP alternative approach to financial regulation. Overall it’s extremely vague, but appears to be . . . staggeringly similar to what’s already in Chris Dodd’s bill. . . .

More: http://washingtonindependent.com/83356/the-republican-counter-proposal-vs-the-dodd-bill

Harder!

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/how-harry-got-his-groove-back-reid-plays-hardball-with-the-gopfinally.php
Reid Plays Hardball With The GOP . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/27/861234/-GOP-Obstructs-All-the-Way-to-the-Bank,-Reid-Keeps-Pushing

New ad hits GOP

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/28/dnc_ad_hits_republicans_for_wall_street_vote

Remember when the headlines used to say “Senate blocks bill” . . . .or . . “Dems fail to pass . . . etc”? Something has changed

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/27/861133/-Republicans-block,-reject,-derail-
[LAT] Republican senators block debate on finance bill [read on for more like this]

More: http://www.americablog.com/2010/04/headlines-across-country-blast-gop-for.html

Ben Nelson (D-NE), then and now

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023522.php

More: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/ben-nelson-has-apparently-learned-nothing.php

Interesting that, aside from dropping the public option, the final health care bill was probably improved by needing to circumvent Republican opposition. Now the same thing might happen with financial reform

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/27/861328/-How-the-GOP-Obstruction-Gambit-Could-Strengthen-Financial-Reform

“A shitty deal”

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/04/27/that-timberwolf-was-one-shitty-deal/

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/43728

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/04/27/claire-mccaskill-synthetic-cdos-are-not-like-corn/

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/04/27/video-kaufman-confronts-goldmans-david-viniar-about-shorting-the-cdos-they-pushed-to-their-clients/

Dems see immigration bill as a win/win

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/inside-the-new-immigration-push----an-election-year-boost-for-reid-boxer-bennett.php

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/27/immigration

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023535.php

Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who until recently was pushing immigration reform, as well as a climate change bill, whined recently that pushing immigration BEFORE climate change made him not want to help with climate change anymore. He wanted to see climate change dealt with first. But now we get the real reason, which is that he doesn’t want an immigration bill (which will probably help the Dems and divide and hurt the Repubs) AT ALL

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/graham-ill-filibuster-my-own-climate-bill-unless-reid-drops-immigration-altogether.php

http://firedoglake.com/2010/04/28/dont-you-dare-intervene-in-my-fit/

Of course

http://www.americablog.com/2010/04/because-we-all-care-what-racist-thinks.html
[National Journal] Sen. Jeff Sessions tells ABC News that no matter who President Obama nominates for the Supreme Court, Republicans will use the hearing to attack Obama . . . [read on]

A case for Elena Kagan on the Supreme Court (and against)

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/case-elena-kagan

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/27/lessig/index.html

States limiting abortion rights

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/27/861248/-Stupaks-Revenge:-Arizona-First-State-to-Restrict-Abortion-Coverage-in-New-Exchanges

http://mydd.com/2010/4/27/a-war-on-women-in-oklahonm

That was quick

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/ex-bush_official_pleads_guilty_in_geeks_on_call_ca.php
Former Bush Administration Office of Special Counsel chief Scott Bloch today pleaded guilty to misdemeanor contempt of Congress for withholding information regarding his use of Geeks on Call to scrub computers while he was under investigation for retaliating against employees. . . .

What a party

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/out_of_control_2.php
[David Kurtz] Republican congressmen implicitly concede that they can't rein in the RNC by simply demanding the party cease and desist from sending out fake census mailers. Instead, GOP lawmakers will help rewrite the law to close any loophole the RNC might be exploiting.

And we finally have some clue as to what loophole the RNC is using here, according to a GOP House aide. The law applies to mailings that have "census" on the envelope. The RNC's mailing doesn't: the word "census" appears through the window of the envelope but not on the envelope. Clever, uh?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/rnc_on_census_mailers_its_dems_fault_for_writing_a.php
RNC On 'Census' Mailers: It's Dems' Fault . . .

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/postal_service_probing_rnc_census_mailer.php
Postal Service Probing RNC 'Census' Mailer

The Neo-Confederates

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/getting-in-on-action.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/predisposed-to-intolerance.html

Sarah Palin, Middle East expert

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/27/860213/-American-Jews-for-Sarah-Palin

There’s no there there

http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/mccain-questions-legality-arizona-immigration-law
Just days after praising Arizona's draconian immigration law as a "good tool" and 24 hours after calling on President Obama to immediately "dispatch of 3,000 National Guard troops to our border," John McCain Saturday admitted he's not sure his state's crackdown is even legal. Which means that the man who was for comprehensive immigration reform before he was against before he was for it and then against again now isn't sure what he believes. . . .

Cluck, cluck, cluck

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/27/861310/-Chickens-for-Checkups,-continued

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023537.php

The public mood

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/chart-day-public-mood

No, not a joke: look at what the Washington Post almost did

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/27/861367/-WaPo:-Barack-Obama.-Malcolm-X.-Whatever

The problem with Powerpoint

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/elizabeth-bumiller-royal-stenographer.html

Bonus item: Chip wars

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/under_the_radar_in_this.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.***

IMPROVING YOUR POSTURE

Gee who could have guessed THIS?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/republicans-block-debate-on-financial-reform-bill.php
After Weeks Of Negotiating, Republicans Block Debate On Financial Reform Bill

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/dodd-hopeful-financial-reform-will-overcome-filibuster-soon.php
Dodd Hopeful Financial Reform Will Overcome Filibuster On Second Vote

http://openleft.com/diary/18442/wall-street-reform-vote-thoughts
[Chris Bowers] Looks like there will be another vote tomorrow, and possibly a third on Wednesday. Clearly, Dems want to keep having these votes, even if they fail. Its an unusual move for Senate Democrats, but they really are playing the politics of contrast on this one. . . .

http://www.slate.com/id/2251999/
Ignore the political posturing. Congress will pass the Wall Street reform bill. . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/why-the-financial-reform-impasse-is-different-from-health-care-gridlock.php
Why The Financial Reform Impasse Is Different From Health Care Gridlock

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/joan-walsh-mitch-mcconnells-strategy-bailo
Joan Walsh: Mitch McConnell's Strategy on Bailouts Blew Up in His Face

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/call-bluff.html
Call The Bluff

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023517.php

Climate bill may only be MOSTLY dead

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/26/climate_bill_still_moving_forward/

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/what-now-dems-say-grahams-climate-defection-just-temporary-glitch.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023505.php

Yep

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/you_know_its_bad.php
[Josh Marshall] You Know It's Bad ...
When Tom Tancredo thinks your anti-immigrant bill goes too far.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/26/AR2010042602595.html
[Eugene Robinson] Arizona's draconian new immigration law is an abomination -- racist, arbitrary, oppressive, mean-spirited, unjust. About the only hopeful thing that can be said is that the legislation, which Republican Gov. Jan Brewer signed Friday, goes so outrageously far that it may well be unconstitutional. . . . [read on]

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/even-wingnut-arizona-republic.html

Update: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/26/tancredo_says_arizona_law_goes_too_far.html

And Honest John McCain? He thinks the law is just great

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/mccain-defends-arizonas-immigration-law/39518/

Rush too: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/failing-to-reconnect.html

Great Achievements in Hackery

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/26/860890/-Grassley-Still-Taking-Credit-for-the-HIR-Law-He-Opposed
[McJoan] Chuck Grassley has done a fantastic job of exceeding expectations for being a hack of politician, even for a Republican, through the HIR debate. He continues to do this so shamlessly that you almost have to admire him for it. Anybody who was paying attention to the debate last year remembers Grassley's role: he was key in the Baucus debacle, on of the elusive Republican votes in Baucus's little gang, on the one hand holding out his potential vote and on the other squawking about "death panels.

Then last month, Mr. Death Panels started taking credit for the bill he fought so hard to kill. And he's still at it. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023516.php

Mark Halperin?!??

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1984460,00.html
Barack Obama's right-wing opponents cast him as a socialist failure. His left-wing hecklers see him as an overcautious hedger. But, critics notwithstanding, the President is on a path to be a huge success by the time of November's midterm elections. . . .

Obama acted decisively to stop the world from going into economic depression, after inheriting a mess from his predecessor. Quibble all you wish about the dimensions of the stimulus law or the administration of TARP or the Detroit bailout, but the actions taken were professionally handled, apparently necessary and, so far, constructive. . . . [read on]

A contrary view: http://www.americablog.com/2010/04/halperin-obama-has-been-boldly.html

How do you expect us to run a successful campaign if we CAN’T lie?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/what_is_with_these_guys.php
The RNC continues to send out deceptive mailers designed to look like census documents just weeks after Congress passed a law aimed at making such practices illegal and requiring certain information on the envelope to prevent recipients from being mislead. We have the mailer and the RNC's response: The law doesn't apply to us.

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/26/860891/-RNC-Still-Sending-Out-Deceptive-Census-Mailer

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/even_after_law_aimed_at_banning_it_rnc_still_sendi.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023512.php

You’ll be happy to know that David Duke doesn’t think the teabaggers are racist. Nope, not at all

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/david-duke-defends-tea-parties-charg

More: http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/yes-american-right-really-has-gone-i

Hockey mom makes good

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/palin_inc.php
New York magazine is out with its story on the commercialization of Sarah Palin. She pulled down a cool $12 million over the last year. . . . [read on]

More: http://nymag.com/news/politics/65628/



Bonus item: Gals with guns

http://crooksandliars.com/bluegal/open-thread-392
Heather emailed me about The McLaughlin Group calling Palin and Bachmann the "Thelma and Louise" of the GOP. . . .

***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.***

THANKS FOR NOTHING

It looks as if the GOP has found their middle path on financial reform: say that they’re “working on a bill” with the Dems, but never actually passing it

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/dodd-were-close-weve-got-some-more-work-to-do.php
Dodd: 'Were Close; We've Got Some More Work To Do'
Appearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) discussed the latest progress in his work with Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) on financial reform: "Well, Richard and I spent a lot of time together over the last year and--working on this bill, and we're getting there. We're close; we've got some more work to do. We're going to be meeting, I think, later today, in fact, to talk about it. We're not there yet, but I would hope that, that we could the votes tomorrow on--when we have this motion to proceed to the bill to start the debate."

Shelby: 'Will We Get A Bill By Tomorrow? I Doubt It'
Appearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) said: "I think we're conceptually very, very close. This is a very complicated piece of legislation, over 1300 pages as the Dodd bill now stands. But we're--what we're trying to do is improve two or three things in it. It's, it's very, very tedious. We're going to continue to work today, as Senator Dodd said. I think we're closer than we've ever been. And will we get a bill by tomorrow? I, I doubt it. I would always hope so because there's so, so much involved. But I think we will get a bill. If the Democrats want a bill and will give us some things that we think that are substantive in nature, like make the 'too big to fail,' send a message that nothing is too big to fail in this country and tighten up the language"

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/climate-change/sunday-roundup-18/
* Still no deal on financial reg reform: Richard Shelby, the lead negotiator for Republicans on financial reform, said on Meet the Press this morning that “we’re closer than we’ve ever been” to a deal, but that it’s unlikely to happen by Monday’s vote.

He said that a handful of things needed to be resolved, particularly on how to deal with “too big to fail,” adding: “Will we get a bill tomorrow? I doubt it.”

* More: On ABC News this morning, Bob Corker again stressed that if no “bipartisan agreement” is reached on financial reg reform in time for tomorrow’s vote, Republicans will unanimously block it from proceeding to debate.

“Yes, 41 Republicans would in my opinion block it.” Corker said, adding that Dems “left me at the altar” during negotiations. So much for Corker as the Senate’s “new maverick.”

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/mcconnell-predicts-filibuster-financial-refo
McConnell predicts filibuster of financial reform

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/krugman-mcconnells-been-trying-stop-reform
Krugman: McConnell's Been 'Trying to Stop Reform with Possibly the Most Dishonest Argument' 'In the History of Politics'

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023496.php

Thanks for nothing

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/mcconnell_throws_crist_rope_of_sand.php
Asked whether he would be withdrawing his endorsement from Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Sen. Mitch McConnell said "Not today." . . .

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/mcconnell-on-withdrawing-crist-endorsement-not-today.php

Lindsey Graham is full of it

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/graham-and-climate-bill
[Kevin Drum] Senator Lindsey Graham (R–SC) angrily withdrew his support for climate legislation this weekend after learning that Harry Reid and President Obama apparently want to move on immigration reform first. Since Graham himself has been pushing the administration to get more serious about immigration, charges of hypocrisy popped up almost immediately. . . .

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/climate-change/sunday-roundup-18/
[Greg Sargent] * Graham has made this threat before: By now you’ve heard that Lindsey Graham is responding to the Dems’ fast-tracking of immigration reform by pulling his support for the awesomely tripartisan climate change bill he was set to unveil with Joe Lieberman and John Kerry. He says immigration reform makes it impossible to move on climate change.

But we’ve been here before: Earlier this spring, Graham issued the same threat, saying that if Dem leaders moved forward on health reform it would kill the chance of compromise on immigration.

“The first casualty of the Democratic health care bill will be immigration reform,” Graham said in March, adding that movement on health reform would “kill any chance of immigration reform passing the Senate this year.” Time to wise up to Graham’s game?

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023499.php

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/04/25/drama-queen-graham-kills-climate-bill/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/reformers-with-results-by-digby-so-one.html

The Republicans are really getting into this sedition thing

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/26/rga_guy_fawkes
[Gabriel Winant] Some day, historians will look back and mark it as the peak of postmodern irony when the Republican Party claimed a near-monopoly over revolutionary rhetoric in American politics. It's a weird time. Sure, it started out on the bizarro fringes where Glenn Beck and Ron Paul dominate. But bit by bit, radical fervor has seeped into the staid institutions of the GOP itself. . . . [read on]

More: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/04/25/andrew-sullivan-agrees-kleins-sedition-comments-says-beck-limbaugh-an

Why, indeed?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023498.php
[Steve Benen] One of the reasons I'm inclined to write about the Tea Partiers is that there are still many in the political establishment who believe the political mainstream should do more to take the Tea Party crowd and its hysterical cries seriously. This strikes me as silly -- most of the activists seem to have no idea what they're talking about. Why explore substantive challenges with angry mobs who reject reason and evidence? . . . [read on]

How to make money (if you’re willing to parrot right wing talking points)

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/the-cushy-life-of-the-rightwinger.php
[Matt Yglesias] If you’re a connoisseur of people pointing out that Jonah Goldberg isn’t a very intelligent man while simultaneously being too polite to come out and say so directly, I’d highly recommend this post from Conor Friedersdorf.

One thread of the argument I’m personally interested in, however, is Goldberg’s apparent belief that it’s somehow extremely difficult for a young conservative with orthodox views “to break-in at places like NR, the Weekly Standard, the Wall Street Journal, etc.” One could be snide and observe that the very fact that Jonah Goldberg (!) was able to break into those venues is indication enough that it’s in fact quite easy . . [read on]

More: http://theamericanscene.com/2010/04/23/arguments-of-varying-merit

Bonus item: Obama’s pragmatism (thanks to AG for the link)

http://www.obamaspragmatism.info/

***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.***

WOULD YOU LIKE SOME CHEESE WITH THAT WHINE?

The Repubs can always find a reason NOT to vote for something. Now because they’re in a snit over immigration, they refuse to work with Dems on climate change. Hey, guys, this is THIS, and that is THAT

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/climate-bill-derailed-graham-accuses-dems-of-playing-immigration-politics.php
A bipartisan deal on climate change legislation suffered a major setback today as a key author of the measure accused Senate Democrats and President Obama of abandoning the issue to instead focus on an election-year immigration bill.

Sen. Lindsey Graham was set to release a climate change plan Monday with Sens. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman, but today Graham wrote a letter to "leaders in the energy independence effort" saying it was obvious the energy bill would have "no chance of success." . . .

http://www.americablog.com/2010/04/surprsie-lindsey-graham-drops-out-of.html
[John Aravosis] He wants to force Dems to drop immigration reform, so they'll lose the Latino vote, and lose the election. . . .

More: http://mydd.com/2010/4/24/senator-g

http://mydd.com/2010/4/25/graham-walks-resulting-delay-in-climate-bill-might-be-a-good-thing
Climate Bill's Delay May Be A Good Thing

Oh, my GOODNESS, can you believe it?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/obama-these-reforms-would-put-an-end----once-and-for-all----to-taxpayer-bailouts.php
Hutchison: 'The White House Is Attacking Republican Leaders To Score Political Points'

Poor babies

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/opinion/25rich.html
[Frank Rich] [The] S.E.C. legal action . . . has, in a single week, radically transformed the politics and prospects for financial reform in America.

In just that week, the Party of No’s intransigent campaign of obstruction and obfuscation went belly up. . . . [read on]

Good, let’s go

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/24/860025/-Dems-Ready-Bill-to-Counter-Citizens-United
Rep. Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Chuck Schumer are planning to introduce legislation in both chambers next week to blunt the effect of the Citizens United case. . . .

More: http://mydd.com/2010/4/21/unpopularity-of-scotus-ci

The party of hate

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/15918/andrea-lafferty-im-proud-to-be-a-member-of-a-hate-group
“Actually, it is a badge of honor for TVC to be listed by the SPLC as a “hate group.” It proves we’re effective in challenging liberalism, socialism, and the LGBT agenda.”

More: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/24/860308/-Saturday-Hate-Mail-a-palooza

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/the-sunday-show-line-ups-46.php
• ABC, This Week: White House Economic Adviser Austan Goolsbee, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN).

• CBS, Face The Nation: National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers.

• CNN, State Of The Union: Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

• NBC, Meet The Press: Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL).

Bonus item: More whining

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/24/860165/-Dr.-Tillers-Assassin-Complains-That-Life-Is-Unfair
Dr. Tiller's Assassin Complains That Life Is Unfair

***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.***

“EXTREMISM IN THE DEFENSE OF LIBERTY IS NO VICE”

http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/04/23/republican-governors-pay-homage-to-guy-fawkes/#ixzz0lxs6HqRc
Republican Governors Pay Homage To Guy Fawkes

Here they go again

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/tea-party-targets-bailout-bob-corker.php
As Republican Sen. Bob Corker works with Democrats to strike a deal on financial regulatory reform, tea partiers are coming after him. . . .

“Loyalty oath”

http://mydd.com/2010/4/23/florida-gop-demands-loyalty-oath

But. . . but . . . the Republicans only HAVE a “Southern strategy”

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/touchy_subject_steele_slammed_for_criticizing_gops.php
Steele Slammed For Criticizing GOP's Southern Strategy

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/republican-national-committee/conservative-writer-steeles-biggest-gaffe-so-far/
Conservative Writer: Steele’s “Biggest Gaffe So Far”

More bad news: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/22/AR2010042205781.html
The executive board of the Republican National Committee moved quietly this week to order an independent review of the organization's spending practices . . .

I really don’t see how the Republicans sign on to a serious financial regulation bill, given who’s holding their leashes

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/while-obama-talks-financial-reform-in-new-york-senate-republicans-hold-secretive-fundraiser-with-wall-street-lobbyists.php
While Obama Talks Financial Reform in New York, Senate Republicans Hold Secretive Fundraiser With Wall Street Lobbyists

Maybe there’s still hope for the American electorate

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/23/most_see_republicans_as_obstructionist.html
The poll found that just 24% of Americans think Republicans "mostly provide constructive policy alternatives" . . . [read on]

Will we ever get an answer to this question?

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/04/22/why-were-the-torture-tapes-destroyed/
Why Were the Torture Tapes Destroyed?

What’s wrong with the Arizona immigration bill?

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/az-gov-will-sign-immigration-bill.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/23/860081/-Arizona-governor-to-sign-regressive-anti-immigrant-bill-into-law

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/obama-slams-arizona-immigration-bill

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/immigration/obama-blasts-arizona-illegal-immigration-effort/

The political theory of Republicanism

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/23/860068/-Mitch-McConnells-funny-definition-of-democracy

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/21/859504/-Beck-vs.-Markos

It’s a serious question

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/have-conservatives-gone-mad/39417/
Have Conservatives Gone Mad?

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023484.php

Exhibit A: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/04/climate-denialists-in-denial/39408/

Theocracy watch: Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly is very angry about the court decision blocking a National Day of Prayer

http://crooksandliars.com/bluegal/fox-news-blonde-megyn-kelly-loses-it-debat

Theocracy watch, part two: Sarah Palin defends Franklin (son of Billy) Graham’s slander that Islam is a "very evil and wicked religion"

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/23/859995/-Palin-defends-claim-that-Islam-is-a-very-evil-and-wicked-religion

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/religious-right/sarah-palin-defends-claim-that-islam-is-evil-and-wicked-religion/

Theocracy watch, part three: Remember in “Network” when crazed t.v. anchor Howard Beale proclaims, “I have seen the face of God”? This sounds like that

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201004220063

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023483.php

Bonus item: The GOP’s Solution To Everything — Let’s ‘Start Over’

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/04/22/video-slow-down/

More: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNuRmllNeNg

***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.***

NEVER PLAY DEFENSE

You might think the GOP would back off Sue Lowden’s ridiculous comments that a barter system would solve the health care cost crisis (“Just bring a chicken to your doctor”). But today’s GOP is so confident that the media will treat them lightly that they EMBRACE their lies and stupidity, and try to turn them into an attack against Dems for doing what THEY THEMSELVES are doing. This is what they learned from Karl Rove – and it usually works

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/nrsc-dems-try-to-inject-farm-animals-into-nv-sen-with-attacks-on-lowdens-chicken-comments.php
NRSC: Dems 'Try To Inject Farm Animals' Into NV-SEN

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/nevada-gop-the-left-cant-argue-with-sue-lowdens-point-about-barter.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/tennessee-gop-state-rep-some-people-pay-for-health-care-with-vegetables.php
Tennessee GOP State Rep.: Some People Pay For Health Care With Vegetables

Financial reform vote coming right up. Watcha gonna do about it, Repubs?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/22/859752/-Reid-forcing-GOPs-hand-on-Wall-Street-reform

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023466.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/22/859709/-Dems-Have-Advantage-in-Financial-Reform:-They-Need-to-Use-It

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/conservatives-and-financial-reform
Jonathan Chait remarks on the "intellectual disarray" in right wing circles concerning financial reform . . .

Proof? I don’t need no stinkin’ proof!

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/22/859813/-Issa-Presses-on-with-SEC-Claims,-Admits-He-Has-No-Proof
Issa Presses on with SEC Claims, Admits He Has No Proof

[NB: Not only does he have no proof -- he has no evidence at all.]

Up next: immigration or climate?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023458.php

The bad news about this is it shows they can’t get the Feds to charge him with destruction of evidence

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/former_bush_official_scott_bloch_charged_with_cont.php
Former U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch was charged today with criminal contempt of Congress in connection with his notorious use of Geeks On Call to scrub his computer while under investigation for misusing his office . . .

The RNC is completely messed up. Thanks Mike

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023455.php

The GOP as a revolutionary movement

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/gingrich-tea-party-movement-will-be-militant-wing-of-the-republican-party.php
While speaking last night in Pennsylvania, former Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) predicted that the Tea Party movement would be an important part of the Republican party -- the "militant wing” . . .

A media-made movement

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/popping-tea-party-bubble
In Politico today, Jonathan Martin and Ben Smith write that the mainstream media, after being caught off guard by the rise of the tea parties, now seems determined to make up for that by manically overcovering them . . . [read on]

Bonus item: European money!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023457.php
[Steve Benen] How predictable have conservatives become? Just 24 hours ago, DougJ made a prediction: "I'm pretty sure that the new $100 bills will produce some kind of wingnut freakout. The most obvious angle is, 'They look like European money!'"

Right on cue . . .

***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.***

THE GREAT AWAKENING

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/demint-is-right-tea-party-movement-does-equal-the-great-awakening/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023441.php

A few days ago they were intentionally lying about it, calling it a formula for "permanent bailouts." Now the GOP thinks financial reform is just a terrific idea. Really they do

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/politifact-deems-mcconnell-bailout-rhetoric-false.php
Politifact Deems McConnell Bailout Rhetoric “False”

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023443.php

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/mitch-mcconnell-starts-republican-flip

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/mcconnell-line

http://washingtonindependent.com/82889/republicans-near-a-finreg-deal-derivatives-proposal-moves-out-of-committee

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/04/21/as-republicans-wilt-on-finreg-can-we-now-talk-about-the-policy/

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/04/21/beware-the-bipartisan-deal-on-finreg/

Why they backed down (they knew they couldn’t hold a filibuster together)

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/why-the-gop-suddenly-let-up-on-financial-reform.php

How the FBI screwed up the anthrax investigation

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/21/hatfill

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/42324

The GOP approach to holding down health care costs

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/dems-fricassee-lowden-for-chicken-bartering-health-care-plan.php
[Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sue Lowden] "Let's change the system and talk about what the possibilities are. I'm telling you that this works," Lowden said. "You know, before we all started having health care, in the olden days, our grandparents, they would bring a chicken to the doctor. They would say I'll paint your house."

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZezfjWox5s

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/lowden-campaign-bartering-with-your-doctor-is-not-a-new-concept.php

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/goper_tries_to_ape_my_snark.php
[Josh Marshall] I'm not quite sure what to make of this. A couple weeks ago our Eric Kleefeld came up with video showing Nevada Senate candidate Sue Lowden suggesting that "bartering" for medical care would be a good way to rein in spiraling health care costs.

I mocked her with the headline: "I bid three chickens for that MRI!" But I sort of figured she'd rethink that plan after her advisors sat her down for a moment and explained the concept of a cash economy or maybe if she found out what 'barter' meant. But it turns out that she was serious. Not just serious. She was actually thinking about payment in chickens too. . . .

I'm always troubled by these moments when my sarcasm and snark is outpaced by the ugly reality.

Michael Steele puts his foot in it again

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/steele-african-americans-really-dont-have-a-reason-to-vote-gop.php
Steele: African-Americans 'Really Don't Have A Reason' To Vote GOP

Interesting question: if Charlie Crist (R-FL) goes independent and wins, who will he caucus with?

http://www.samefacts.com/2010/04/watching-conservatives/would-a-senator-crist-caucus-with-the-democrats/

The Dems are still convinced that health care reform is a winning issue for them in the fall

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/22/democrats_push_back_against_repeal

The GOP “strategy”

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20003050-503544.html
[Marc Ambinder] As of this writing, Republicans are ready, reluctantly, to ride herd on financial regulatory reform. Within a few weeks, President Obama will have notched his second major domestic policy victory in as many months.

Then, as the Senate takes up comprehensive energy and immigration reform, the White House plans to unveil a series of government reform proposals in May. With momentum on the side of Democrats, why have the president's poll numbers remain stagnant? Why hasn't the bandwagon effect kicked in?

Republicans have a much better sense of the morphology of public opinion and much better tools to exploit it. Their strategy is based on cynicism, but it is grounded in the reality of what Mr. Obama promised to do once elected to office. . . .

On financial regulatory reform, the optics are very clear, and Republicans, for a while, couldn't help but revert to their corporatist instincts. But they're not terribly worried about the prospect of a Democratic revival before the November elections. That's because the strategy to obstruct and delay, to prevent even the opening of debate, might make Republicans look churlish, but it has the practical effect of gumming up the works of government, which makes the Democrats look impotent.

Part two of the strategy is hoary and brazen at the same time: portray everything Mr. Obama does as being the avatar of European socialism. . . . Republicans have created a feedback loop: every Obama accomplishment is shunted to the "Socialism" box, and every Obama failure is designated as a sign that Democrats can't govern.

Within the narrow confines of this rhetoric framework, Democrats aren't going to get much political credit for their successes outside of their own base, which is exactly what we've seen: Democrats are growing more enthusiastic about the fall elections, which may help limit their party's losses, but Republicans remain as exercised and as enthusiastic as ever.

The Orwellian world of Frank Luntz

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/21/frank_luntz_bailout

Know your enemy

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/the-back-bench-right-wing-gopers-you-dont-knowbut-should.php
The Back Bench: Right-Wing GOPers You Don't Know...But Should

Bonus item: Fox News might think they’re big and mighty, but they’re still no match for Jon Stewart and The Daily Show

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023446.php

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/bernard-goldberg-jon-stewarts-sewer-rats-w

***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.***

BACKING DOWN

Talks reopen on financial reform, and GOP minority leader Mitch McConnell takes credit, claiming that his refusal to work with the Dems is what created the conditions for bipartisanship (uh-huh)

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/mcconnell-softens-says-agreement-on-financial-reform.php

The fact: McConnell’s carefully worded letter says 41 Republicans opposed the current Dem proposal – it DIDN’T say they were prepared to filibuster to block reform (and they wouldn’t)

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/20/859113/-GOP-Obstruction-Bloc-Weakening

The truth is, the GOP sees which way the wind is blowing and doesn’t want to go to the wall as the defenders of Wall Street. They’ve already taken a beatdown for their closed-door hugfest with big bankers.

Now they’ll try to claim credit for whatever comes out of the process, when in fact they were dragged kicking and screaming into it

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023430.php

http://www.samefacts.com/2010/04/financial-crises/win-win-win/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/right-cw.html

What we did to Abu Zubaydah

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/04/20/the-abu-zubaydah-document/

The party of hate

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/her-only-regret.html
[Ann Coulter] "My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building."

More: “Talk show host Rush Limbaugh is sparking controversy again after he made comments that appear to call for riots in Denver during the Democratic National Convention this summer.” [read on]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023428.php
[Steve Benen] Over the weekend, an even-crazier-than-usual Tea Party event was held in Greenville, South Carolina, and it was, by one account, "probably the craziest, most violence-strewn Tea Party event so far." . . .

But it was William Gheen, the head of a right-wing, anti-immigrant effort called Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, whose remarks were especially ugly. Lindsey Graham wasn't on hand for the event, but Gheen addressed the senator directly: "I'm a tolerant person. I don't care about your private life, Lindsey, but as our U.S. Senator I need to figure out why you're trying to sell out your own countrymen, and I need to make sure you being gay isn't it." . . . [A]s the group sees it, if Graham is trying to work constructively with Democrats on a handful of issues, it may be because Dems are blackmailing him. [read on]

The oldest trick in the book: when someone criticizes you, say they’re violating your rights of free speech

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/call-waaaahmbulance-fox-talkers-say

Don’t be shocked, but Honest John McCain has sold out his principles AGAIN, this time on immigration

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/20/mccain_immigration

WTF? http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023423.php

The first big development coming out of the Citizens United ruling

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/norm_colemans_new_group_readying_ad_blitz_to_take.php
Norm Coleman is back. He's teaming up with other GOP heavy-hitters on a new group that will likely take advantage of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision to pour money into congressional races this fall. . . .

The VERY interesting Florida senate race just got interestinger

http://mydd.com/2010/4/20/crist-fli-f
FL-Sen: Crist Flip-Flops, Admits To Considering Indie Bid

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/gop-faces-delicate-question-how-to-break-up-with-charlie-crist.php
GOPers Gaming Out Best Time To Dump Charlie Crist

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/report-feds-investigating-rubio-tax-returns.php
Feds Investigating Rubio Tax Returns

Glenn Beck, inspired by God

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201004200020
"God is giving a plan, I think, to me. . ."

Beck’s blackboard: does putting two things next to each other, and drawing an arrow between them, make them connected?

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/becks-chalkboard-universe-neo-nazis

Bonus item: Break out the tin foil hats

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/ask_a_stupid_question_3.php
[Josh Marshall] The Georgia state legislature, on top of the latest threats, is holding hearings on a bill to ban implanting people with microchips -- as one rumor suggested the Health Care Reform bill mandated.

But the good folks who run the Judiciary Committee seemed to have gotten a bit more than they reckoned with when one of their hearing witnesses claimed that she had already been implanted with a microchip.

And not just any microchip, but one the Pentagon had implanted in her "vaginal-rectum area", apparently to track her movements.

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/mainstream-conservatism.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.***

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

“Back to the drawing board” – the new GOP mantra. Looks like they’re seeking a constructive compromise, when the real purpose is just to stall and stall. Just like Penelope, undoing her weaving each night so she never finishes

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/deja-vu-mitch-mcconnell-finance-reform-let

Obama hits the road to push financial reform

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/19/obama_ratchets_up_push_for_wall_street_reform.html

Dems plan to go after the GOP for carrying the big banks' water in blocking reform

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/ready_or_not_here_they_come.php
Democrats figure that even if the GOP successfully filibusters reform in the Senate, they can use the issue politically to beat up on Republicans. That's why Dems see financial reform as a win-win. . . [read on]

A tough new ad: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/20/dnc_ad_attacks_gop_over_bank_reform

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/dems-to-demand-answerd-from-mcconnell-cornyn-on-meeting-with-wall-street-execs.php
Dems To Demand Answers From McConnell, Cornyn On Meeting With Wall Street Execs

More: http://democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=323943&

This is what Obama Derangement Syndrome does to you

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/aaaaah-by-digby.html
[Media Matters] After the Security and Exchange Commission accused Goldman Sachs of fraud, numerous right-wing media figures have accused the Obama administration of attempting "to destroy Goldman Sachs" in order to "shift public opinion" in favor of financial reform. Simultaneously, conservative media have also falsely claimed that the financial reform legislation creates a "permanent bailout fund," which is "the payoff" Wall Street "has been waiting for."

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/19/858812/-The-Epistemic-Closing-of-the-Conservative-Mind-
“Epistemic closure”

More: http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/mcconnell-how-dare-you-stop-us-reform

More to come on Goldman Sachs?

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/04/19/more-problems-coming-for-goldman/

http://washingtonindependent.com/82705/levin-there-is-another-big-shoe-to-drop-on-goldman

Sigh

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/seen_this_movie_before.php
[Josh Marshall] You can see our reported story here about Sen. Snowe's suggestion that she may still be in play for financial reform -- thus holding out the hope that the Dems can bust a Republican filibuster.

Since I'm writing here in the opiniony section of the site: I was just wondering. Aren't we about in the Third Act where Snowe comes in and jerks the Dems around for a few weeks before getting upset about the process and joining the filibuster?

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/dems-dig-for-gop-votes-ahead-of-key-financial-reform-vote.php

Uh, both?

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/04/19/who-is-lying-the-torturers-or-john-yoo/
Who Is Lying? The Torturers? Or John Yoo?

Well, I think we know where Glenn Greenwald stands on the Supreme Court nominees

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/19/wood
The long, clear, inspiring record of Diane Wood

More: http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/04/19/diane-woods-similar-case-record-to-stevens-makes-her-ineligible-to-replace-him/

There ain’t no teabaggers like South Carolina teabaggers

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/this-is-the-end-of-america-sc-tea-party-rally-pumps-up-the-violent-rhetoric.php
Send Obama Back To Kenya!

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/04/19/tea_party_graham_gay
Tea Party speaker gay-baits Lindsey Graham

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/huckleberry-hound.html

More dog whistle politics

http://www.americablog.com/2010/04/type-what-you-want-on-home-page-here_19.html

Have the teabaggers peaked?

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/04/have-tea-parties-peaked

Step One of building a national political machine is raising money that you can give to other candidates, which binds them to you and shows off your power and influence. Or, in Sarah Palin’s case, you can just keep it for yourself

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/04/19/palin_gave_no_money_to_her_target_races.html

http://firedoglake.com/2010/04/20/more-grifter-files/

Palin goes after the theocrat vote

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/19/858721/-Palin-Advocates-for-a-Theocracy

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023404.php

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/2012/sarah-palin-founding-fathers-wouldnt-agree-with-separation-of-church-and-state/

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2010/04/jews-for-sarah-launches-palin-announces-america-is-a-christian-nation.php

Mitt Romney will never shake off the albatross of his Massachusetts health care plan

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/04/see_mitt_squirm.php

Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) has flown under the radar here, because he has no chance to be the Republican nominee for President. But he deserves his share of grief too

http://mydd.com/2010/4/19/we-2

Another GOP moderate being hounded out of the party

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/what-will-crist-do-magic-eight-ball-points-to-indy-bid-for-senate.php
If Crist Doesn't Make Indy Leap Soon, The GOP Might Just Boot Him Out

More: http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/04/top_gop_officia.php

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/19/858722/-FL-Sen:-What-will-Crist-do

Joe Lieberman’s ongoing struggle for relevance (and attention)

http://crooksandliars.com/jason-sigger/msg-lieberman-find-something-importan

Beck’s trick

http://www.americablog.com/2010/04/glenn-beck-predicts-country-will.html
[John Aravosis] Just me, or does anyone else worry that Beck's prediction of violence, followed by a statement that he "hopes not," actually fans the flames of such violence? . . .

Bonus item: Karl Rove can’t BELIEVE that Fox News would actually bring up a factual news event while interviewing him. Who do they think they are?

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/karl-rove-angry-fox-friends-and-calls-t

***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.***