GRAND OLD PARTY

Herman Cain, accused adulterer, may drop out of the GOP race. Will Newt Gingrich, CONFIRMED adulterer, take his place as the conservative standard-bearer?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/politics/herman-cain-may-quit-after-affair-and-harassment-accusations.html
Cain, Support Eroding, Weighs Dropping Bid

Or not: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/29/1040784/-Herman-Cain-reassessing-campaign,-contemplates-early-withdrawal
Now walking it back! “He is not thinking of dropping out of the race,” Gordon added. “He is simply reassessing the state of the campaign."

Here comes Newt: http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/confirmed-serial-adulterer-passes-alleged-harasser-gop-race

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/bye-bye-cain----and-hello-newt.php

One last suck at the teat

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/herman-cain-asks-for-donations-to-combat-fabricated-unsubstantiated-story.php
The last time Herman Cain’s personal life made it into the press, his campaign’s supporters responded with a massive windfall of donations. Now Cain is hoping conservatives will do the same once again.

In an e-mail to supporters titled “Stand With Me,” Cain asks for donations in order to help combat what he claims are false allegations of a 13-year affair with an Atlanta woman . . .

Tick. . . tick. . . tick. . .

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/frame_game/2011/11/herman_cain_s_ginger_white_affair_was_it_adultery_the_evidence_against_him_mounts_.html
Dale Russell, the reporter who broke the story on Atlanta’s Fox 5 News, asked Cain about White’s allegations. Russell says Cain told him, “I have helped her financially.” When CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked Cain to describe his relationship with White, Cain said he was just “trying to help a friend because not having a job, etc., and this sort of thing. That's all there is to the relationship.” Cain acknowledged that he had known White for 13 years and that neither his wife nor anyone else in his family knew her. So, at a minimum, Cain maintained a friendship with White for 13 years and gave or lent her money without telling his wife about her.

White has credibility issues. In her records, Fox 5 found a sexual harassment claim (settled), a bankruptcy filing (23 years ago), evictions (including one in November), and a libel suit by an ex-business partner (judgment entered for the ex-partner, supposedly because White didn’t respond to the suit). So Fox 5 asked White for evidence that the relationship was more than friendly. According to the station:

She showed us some of her cell phone bills that included 61 phone calls or text messages to or from a number starting with 678. She says it is Herman Cain's private cell phone. The calls were made during four different months—calls or texts made as early as 4:26 in the early morning, and as late as 7:52 at night. The latest were in September of this year. “We've never worked together,” said White. “And I can't imagine someone phoning or texting me for the last two and a half years, just because.”

We texted the number and Herman Cain called us back.

Thirteen-year friendship. A phone call or text message, on average, every other day. At least one contact before 4:30 in the morning. Gave her money. Never told his wife.

And that’s not all. Remember Bialek’s story about Cain “upgrading” her room at the Capitol Hilton? That transaction would have shown up on Cain’s credit card. If it was the NRA’s card, the NRA could check its records. But White’s story opens a new frontier for investigation. According to Fox 5, “She says during the next 13 years, [Cain] would fly her to cities where he was speaking, and he lavished her with gifts. She says they often stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead and dined at The Four Seasons restaurant.”

If Cain flew White to various cities, the airlines would have records showing Cain as the payer and White as the passenger. And correlations with his travel schedule would be hard to explain as “trying to help a friend.” . . .

Heh

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/30/worst_campaign_ever.html
Politico notes Herman Cain is in the midst of "reassessing" whether to continue his 2012 bid, "but its legacy is already settled: His campaign will go down as one of the most hapless and bumbling operations in modern presidential politics, setting a new standard for how to turn damaging press coverage into something far worse." . . .

Newt’s appeal

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/newtie-and-sweet-spot.html
[Digby] To those wondering why Newt is doing so well, read this piece by Ben Adler at The Nation. There is one thing he does better than any other politician in America: articulating conservative contempt for liberals. And I do mean liberals, not liberalism. This is about bad people not bad ideas . . . [read on]

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/what_gingrich_doesnt_want_us_t033780.php

Hey Willard, what IS your stance on immigration?

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/2232

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mitt-romneys-venture-capital-politics/2011/11/28/gIQAeXLM6N_story.html
[Richard Cohen] Mitt Romney runs for president with the eye of a venture capitalist. He sees the profit in certain positions, discards those that are no longer profitable and moves on. He was pro-choice when it did him some good, instituted a health insurance plan that he now denounces and once supported amnesty for some illegal immigrants. . . . [read on]

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: days after running an ad that blatantly uses an Obama quote out of context, Willard complains that his quotes are being taken out of context

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/team_romney_gives_up_on_selfaw033765.php

More: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/2231

It’s not going away

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/whats-matter-with-mitt.html
More than four in 10 American voters say they are uncomfortable with the idea of a Mormon in the White House . . .

Why we call him “Rock”

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/rick-perry-forgets-the-legal-voting-age.php
Rick Perry Forgets The Legal Voting Age

More: http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/rick-perry-forgets-us-voting-age-election-da

Tired of tea

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/us/politics/tea-party-support-falls-even-in-strongholds-survey-finds.html
Support for the Tea Party — and with it, the Republican Party — has fallen sharply even in places considered Tea Party strongholds, according to an analysis of new polls. . . .

More: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/finally-its-crazies-vs-non-crazies
It's the Crazies vs. the Non-Crazies

Karl Rove: still dangerous

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/karl-rove-is-jerk-part-17.html

Off to a fast start

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/scott-walker-opponents-collect-over-300000
Scott Walker Opponents Collect Over 300,000 Signatures in First 12 Days of Recall Drive

More: http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/11/29/walker-recall-over-halfway-to-signature-goal-in-12-days/

***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.***

HERMAN CAIN’T

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ginger-white-accuses-herman-cain-of-long-affair/2011/11/28/gIQA6H6T6N_story.html
An Atlanta woman said Monday that she engaged in an extended consensual affair with Herman Cain that began after a business meeting in the 1990s, continued as he flew her from city to city for dates and ended eight months ago — as Cain launched his presidential campaign. . . . [read on]

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/cains-lawyer-to-media-an-alleged-consensual-affair-is-none-of-your-business.php
Herman Cain and his attorney Lin Wood appear to be employing very different response strategies to the new accusation by Atlanta businesswoman Ginger White, who is claiming that she had an affair with Cain for 13 years.

Cain appeared Monday afternoon on CNN, and denied any and all accusations. But when the local Fox station in Atlanta ran the story, they included a statement given to them by Cain’s attorney Lin Wood — in which Wood does not expressly deny the claim, but instead says that an alleged consensual affair would be beyond the pale of public inquiry. . . . [read on]

Race to the bottom?

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2011/11/gingrich_vs_romney_which_candidate_s_flaws_bother_republicans_less_.html
[John Dickerson] The Republican presidential race is now dominated by giants: the giant flaws of the front-runners. . . . [read on]

The real scandal about the Big Bank Bailout isn’t the bailout itself

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/how-2008-radicalized-us-all

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/self-interest-misunderstood.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/making_out_like_bandits033755.php

The 25th anniversary of Iran/Contra, and we’re still learning what really happened

http://www.emptywheel.net/2011/11/28/the-lessons-of-iran-contra-2-0/

We’re gonna miss Barney Frank

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/quote_of_the_day_9.php
[Barney Frank on today's GOP] “It consists half of people who think like Michele Bachmann and half of people who are afraid of losing a primary to people who think like Michele Bachmann and that leaves very little room to work things out.”

More Frank comments: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2011/11/barney_frank_retires_why_the_democrats_will_miss_his_voice_.html

http://crooksandliars.com/bluegal-aka-fran/open-thread-178

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-miss-him-already.html
O'REILLY: This is why Americans don't trust the government.
FRANK: No, this is why your stupidity gets in the way of rational discussion.

Gov. Sam Brownback (R-KS) picks a fight with a high schooler, loses

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/brownback_apologizes_to_teen_tweeter.php

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/28/1040545/-Gov-Sam-Brownback-apologizes-to-high-school-student-who-his-staff-attacked-over-Twitterjoke

Thank God for Fox News

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201111280002
“We’re Winning the War on Christmas”

More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28/war-on-christmas-walgreens_n_1116921.html

Bonus item: How GOP “leaders” try to exploit the evolution/creationism debate, even though they don’t believe it

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/fundamentalist-phonies.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.***

FASTER, FASTER!

The Big Bank Bailout

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-28/secret-fed-loans-undisclosed-to-congress-gave-banks-13-billion-in-income.html
The Federal Reserve and the big banks fought for more than two years to keep details of the largest bailout in U.S. history a secret. Now, the rest of the world can see what it was missing.

The Fed didn’t tell anyone which banks were in trouble so deep they required a combined $1.2 trillion on Dec. 5, 2008, their single neediest day. Bankers didn’t mention that they took tens of billions of dollars in emergency loans at the same time they were assuring investors their firms were healthy. And no one calculated until now that banks reaped an estimated $13 billion of income by taking advantage of the Fed’s below-market rates, Bloomberg Markets magazine reports in its January issue.

Saved by the bailout, bankers lobbied against government regulations, a job made easier by the Fed, which never disclosed the details of the rescue to lawmakers even as Congress doled out more money and debated new rules aimed at preventing the next collapse. . . [read on!]

More: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/chart-day-what-central-bank-does

The kind of utterly moronic question they like to ask on tv news

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/kyl-denies-norquist-cowed-him-sabotaging-sup
Fox News host Chris Wallace asked Kyl Sunday. "Are you and other Republicans somehow cowed by Grover Norquist and his anti-tax pledge?" . . . [read on]

[NB: What exactly can anyone possibly answer to a question like that – Yes?]

Even if it's true: http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/grover-norquist-claims-his-anti-tax-p
Grover Norquist Claims His Anti-Tax Pledge is a Promise to the People, Not Him

The tax increase the Repubs are just fine with

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/saturdays_jon_kyl_vs_sundays_j033739.php

Oh, those Cheney’s – thank goodness they can reveal the devious scheme cooked up by Obama, to intentionally ruin the economy so he can blame the Repubs for causing it!

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/liz-cheney-accuses-obama-being-willing-let

The wall comes crashing down

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/27/new_perry_ad_features_super_pac_footage.html
[Ben Smith] The last shred of regulation preventing unlimited money from flowing into presidential campaigns is the requirement that campaigns not 'coordinate' their communications with Super PACs and the other independent groups pouring money into that race. Rick Perry's campaign for president appears to be testing the limits of that regulation: In its Thanksgiving video, the campaign uses two clips from an slickly produced advertisement aired on Perry's behalf by Make Us Great Again, a SuperPAC run by a longtime Perry associate, Mike Toomey.

Don’t miss it: Mitt vs. Mitt

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/28/mitt_vs_mitt.html

Bonus item: Quote of the Day

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/quote_of_the_day_25033727.php
[Bill] Clinton said that Romney did “a very good job” as governor of Massachusetts and would be a credible general election candidate. But Clinton added that Romney or any Republican nominee would be hampered by “a political environment in the Republican primary that basically means you can’t be authentic unless you’ve got a single-digit I.Q.”. . .

***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.***

TODAY’S G.O.P.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/political-entrepreneurs-and-lunatics.html
[David Frum] The Bush years cannot be repudiated, but the memory of them can be discarded to make way for a new and more radical ideology, assembled from bits of the old GOP platform that were once sublimated by the party elites but now roam the land freely: ultralibertarianism, crank monetary theories, populist fury, and paranoid visions of a Democratic Party controlled by ACORN and the New Black Panthers. For the past three years, the media have praised the enthusiasm and energy the tea party has brought to the GOP. Yet it’s telling that that movement has failed time and again to produce even a remotely credible candidate for president. Sarah Palin, Donald Trump, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich: The list of tea-party candidates reads like the early history of the U.S. space program, a series of humiliating fizzles and explosions that never achieved liftoff. . . . [read on]

Read it all: http://nymag.com/print/?/news/politics/conservatives-david-frum-2011-11/

Here it comes

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/the_looming_gop_tax_hike033723.php
The looming GOP tax hike

Real numbers on the economy

http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/cbo-says-be-thankful-for-stimulus

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/the_stimulus_worked_redux033711.php

The online scam

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037460/-Online-education-companies-and-their-political-allies-put-profit-beforekids
Lee Fang's new investigative article on for-profit online education companies and the political and "philanthropic" networks that are helping them suck up public education funding without demonstrating halfway decent results is an absolute must-read. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/18/1037485/-For-profit-education-floods-the-legislative-zone-to-get-bad-billspassed

Fox News rewrites the Constitution (with footnotes!)

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/25/1037851/-Fox-News-invents-mythical-part-of-United-Statesconstitution

The Sunday talk show line-ups

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/27/1040179/-Sunday-Talk:-The-other-white-meat
NBC Meet the Press: Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Grover Norquist (Americans for Tax Reform); Roundtable: Presidential Historians Doris Kearns Goodwin, Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss, Georgetown University Professor Michael Eric Dyson, Author Jon Meacham and Rich Lowry (National Review).

CBS Face the Nation: Author Kathryn Stockett; Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Author Michael Lewis; Author Walter Isaacson.

ABC This Week: Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA); Former Secretary of State Colin Powell; Actor/Activist Matt Damon; Gary White (Water.org); Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates; Roundtable: Cokie Roberts (ABC News), Sam Donaldson (ABC News), Jonathan Karl (ABC News) and Michael Gerson (Washington Post).

CNN State of the Union: Pizza Magnate Herman Cain (999); Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Political Scientist Ken Goldstein; Former Adviser to Hillary Clinton Kiki McLean; Republican Strategist Mark McKinnon; Reliable Sources: Jackie Kucinich (USA Today); Danielle Crittenden (Huffington Post); Eleanor Clift (Newsweek); Andrew Sullivan (Daily Beast).

Well-established here: GOPers have figured out that RUNNING for President is an even better money maker than actually wanting to BE President

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/newt-gingrich-and-how-he-got-rich/2011/11/21/gIQAftOglN_story.html
Newt Gingrich Inc.

Get used to it

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/opinion/sunday/Bruni-presidential-politics-as-craven-crudites.html
[Frank Bruni] Buckle up, folks. This presidential race is shaping up to be an especially mean and mendacious ride, and not just because the two Republicans currently in the lead, Romney and Newt Gingrich, have demonstrated a formidable talent for improvisation, starting with thorough revisions of their own positions on health care, climate change and such. They’re a limber duo, primed to teach classes on political yoga. . . [read on]

Will Willard do ANYTHING to win?

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/romneys-liberal-media-dog-whistle

More: http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/lawrence-odonnell-rewrites-mitt-romneys-di

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/a_weak_defense_for_shameless_d033708.php
A weak defense for shameless dishonesty

Bonus item: He even lies about the small stuff

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/can_this_be_true.php
According to an interview in The New York Times, Mitt Romney’s longtime hair stylist, Leon de Magistris, there is no gel, mousse or other ‘product’ in Mitt’s hair. . . . [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.***

WHO, ME?

When you are thinking about things to give thanks for, give thanks that the GOP is so in thrall to its wacky right that it can’t coalesce around the one candidate with a chance to beat Obama (Willard), and are so desperate to find an alternative that they are even willing to seriously elevate the prospects of this utterly discredited bag of wind

Time to take Newt seriously?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/is_newt_the_end_of_boom_bust.php

More: http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/newt-gingrich-immigration-rick-perry-
Newt Gingrich on Immigration: Rick Perry Lite?

http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/gingrich-abolish-socialist-cbo
Gingrich: Abolish 'Socialist' Congressional Budget Office

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/22/1039084/-Newt-Gingrich-completes-flip-flop-on-individual-mandate,-positioning-himself-to-attack-Romneycare
Newt Gingrich completes flip-flop on individual mandate, positioning himself to attack Romneycare

http://www.americablog.com/2011/11/gingrich-proposes-private-retirement.html
Gingrich proposes private retirement accounts

http://crooksandliars.com/kenneth-quinnell/afscme-parodies-newt-gingrichs-as
AFSCME Parodies Newt Gingrich's Assault on Child Labor Laws

Romney makes Gingrich look good

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/leadership_requires_courage033688.php

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/mitt-romneys-craven-equivocations-on-immigration/2011/11/23/gIQAOxsZoN_blog.html

We’ll find out

http://www.salon.com/2011/11/23/just_how_desperate_are_social_conservatives_to_thwart_romney/
Just how desperate are social conservatives to thwart Romney?

The Weekly Standard wishes this were true

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/22/is_gingrich_just_as_electable_as_romney.html
Gingrich Just as Electable as Romney?

Bonus item: Pat Robertson: the crazy great-uncle who always says embarrassing things at the Thanksgiving table

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/pat-robertson-what-mac-and-cheese-bla
Pat Robertson: What Is This 'Mac And Cheese,' Is That A Black Thing?

***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.***

ONE MORE THING TO WORRY ABOUT

Muslim turkeys!

http://www.americablog.com/2011/11/muslim-turkeys-are-invading-america.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/she-can-see-manchuria-from-her-house.html

The Republican style of governing

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/gop-blows-yet-another-norm
We all know that Republicans have done their best to hamstring President Obama's ability to get anything done via routine filibuster. That's old news. We also know that they've slow-walked his executive appointments for the same reason. That's also old news. We even know that they've tried to prevent the new Bureau of Consumer Protection from functioning at all by refusing to confirm a director — any director. That's yet more old news.

So what's next? . . . [read on]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/jon-kyls-search-and-destroy-mission/2011/11/22/gIQA5BZVmN_story.html
Jon Kyl’s search-and-destroy mission

http://firedoglake.com/2011/11/23/gop-goons-force-health-expert-don-berwick-to-withdraw/
GOP Goons Force Health Expert Don Berwick to Withdraw

Did Willard break the law?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/21/1038727/-Did-Romney-break-Mass-public-records-law

Anybody But Mitt

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/23/1039444/-Social-conservative-groups-meet-in-attempt-to-defeat-Mitt%C3%82%C2%A0Romney
Social conservative groups meet in attempt to defeat Mitt Romney

More: http://www.salon.com/2011/11/22/the_mitt_meltdown_scenario/
The Mitt meltdown scenario

Oopsie!

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/bachmann-may-have-leaked-classified-informat
Bachmann May Have Leaked Classified Information During GOP Debate

More: http://www.emptywheel.net/2011/11/23/michelle-bachmanns-nuclear-theft/

That child-beating Texas judge is even a worse human being than you imagine

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/abusive-texas-judge-claims-child-abuse-victi
"Yeah, that’s me," he later told a local TV reporter. "As you can see, my life’s been made very difficult over this child." . . . [read on]

Bonus item: Eeesh! When right wingers try to be funny . . .

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/glenn_becks_network_attempts_conservative_daily_sh.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.***

FIGHTING WORDS

Obama may stand firm against extending the budget-busting Bush tax cuts

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/obama-will-veto-attempts-to-avoid-automatic-cuts-and-full-extension-of-bush-tax-cuts-senior-official.php

Also: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/obama-ill-veto-any-effort-to-avoid-automatic-cuts.php
President Obama on Monday threatened to veto any effort to avoid the automatic spending cuts triggered by the deficit super committee’s failure to reach a deal.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/22/1039096/-President-Obama-blames-GOP-for-Super-Congress-failure,-threatens-veto-if-GOP reneges

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/11/22/obama-threatens-veto-on-undoing-trigger-cuts/

Wake me when it’s over – another GOP debate

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/gop-debate-recap/2011/11/22/gIQAKFVsmN_blog.html

Reactions: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/22/reaction_to_the_gop_debate.html

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/tonights-debate-wrapup-sort

BIG mistake

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2011/11/cnn_national_security_debate_newt_gingrich_calls_for_a_humane_immigration_policy.html
Newt Gingrich calls for a "humane" immigration policy.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/newt_in_the_danger_zone.php
[Josh Marshall] I think Newt’s edging into the GOP danger zone here on immigration. He really did say he’d provide a path to legality, though not citizenship, to a substantial number of the current undocumented population. Bachmann called him on it. And he denied he said it. But Bachmann, I think, was right. He did say it. . .

More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/22/allen-west-gingrich_n_1107918.html

Willard is such a phony he even wants to try to spin his own name

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/mitt-romney-flip-flops-on-his-own-name.php

More phoniness: http://www.salon.com/2011/11/21/how_mitt_romney_became_john_mccain/

Looks like Willard has hired another of the usual lying GOP ad makers

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/quote-day-mitt-romneys-lie
From Barack Obama, in Mitt Romney's latest ad:

If we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose.

What Obama actually said, campaigning against John McCain on October 16, 2008:

Senator McCain's campaign actually said, and I quote, "if we keep talking about the economy, we're going to lose."

Astonishing: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/romney-camp-misrepresenting-opponents-words-is-completely-fair-game/2011/11/22/gIQATxjqlN_blog.html
Romney senior New Hampshire adviser Tom Rath tells CBS News the ad is “exactly what we want.”

“They were using McCain’s words to make fun of McCain. And we’re using the exact same technique,” he said.

Pressed on whether it was unfair to lop off the top of Mr. Obama’s comments — which would show the president was quoting the McCain camp — Rath said, “He did say the words. That’s his voice.”

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/thats_his_voice033669.php

Bonus item: So, turnabout is fair play, right?

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/mitt-romney-his-own-words
Mitt Romney, In His Own Words

***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.***

LETTING GO

Moving on from the supercommittee – what was THAT all about?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/no-both-sides-arent-equally-to-blame-for-supercommittee-failure/2011/11/21/gIQAj31ehN_blog.html

More: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=158764F7-991A-4431-9654-EEC70AB04108
Now, both parties are quickly trying to figure out how to turn the committee’s embarrassing failure into a political win for their side. . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/21/1038658/-Super-Congress-failure-blame-game-ensues,-America-yawns
America yawns . . .

http://hotspyer.com/2011/11/21/super-committee-failure-says-more-than-you-think-about-the-modern%C2%A0congress/
Super Committee failure says more than you think about the modern Congress

Wow. Willard explains the decision to trash his governor administration’s emails. And this is his DEFENSE!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/hes_running_for_office_for_pet033636.php

This is beyond flip-flopping: Willard doesn’t even believe what he is saying when he says it

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/romneys-trial-balloon-for-privatized-veterans-care-explodes.php
So much for that idea. Mitt Romney is rapidly walking back a proposal to partially privatize VA care after a wave of criticism from Democrats and veterans groups.

“I have no proposal of that nature,” Romney told the Nashua Telegraph on Monday. . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/21/1038815/-Shocker-of-the-day:-Romney-flip-flops-on-privatizing-veteranscare

Newt Gingrich, visionary

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/gingrich-says-child-labor-laws-should-be-rolled-back-so-kids-can-be-janitors.php
During a Harvard address on Friday, Gingrich blamed child labor restrictions for doing “more to create income inequality in the United States than any other single policy.” “It is tragic what we do in the poorest neighborhoods, entrapping children in…child laws, which are truly stupid,” said Gingrich.

“Most of these schools ought to get rid of the unionized janitors, have one master janitor and pay local students to take care of the school,” he added. “The kids would actually do work, they would have cash, they would have pride in the schools, they’d begin the process of rising.”

More nonsense: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/newt-gingrich-unmasks-treachery-budget-wonks

Stuff that comes out of Herman Cain’s mouth

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/herman-cain-thank-god-my-arab-doctor-wasnt-muslim.php
Herman Cain: Thank God My Arab Doctor Wasn’t Muslim!

Mission accomplished!

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/poll-fox-news-viewers-less-informed-than-those-who-read-no-news.php
Poll: Fox News Viewers Less Informed Than Those Who Read No News

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/21/1038766/-New-public-study:-Watching-Fox-News-makes-you-dumber

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/the_most_misinformed_news_cons033634.php

Bonus item: I love these moments that reveal what the entire political/media symbiosis is all about

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/21/ailes_furious_at_palin.html
Sarah Palin infuriated Fox News chief Roger Ailes because she didn't make the announcement she wouldn't run for president on Fox News, Gabriel Sherman reports.

Instead, she made the October 5 announcement on Mark Levin's radio program with Fox getting a follow-up interview on Greta Van Susteren's 10 p.m. show.

Said Ailes: "I paid her for two years to make this announcement on my network."

***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.***

MUD FIGHT

Another night of elevated discourse and thoughtful analysis from the GOP presidential hopefuls

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/biggest-applause-of-night.html
[Newt on OWS] Now that is a pretty good symptom of how much the left has collapsed as a moral system in this country and why you need to assert something as simple as saying to them, "Go get a job right after you take a bath."

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/gingrichs_nightmare033613.php

Fair and balanced!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/a_frightening_forum_in_iowa033612.php
The “Thanksgiving Family Forum” was organized and sponsored by three groups: the James Dobson-founded Focus on the Family, a religious right powerhouse known for its bizarre cultural agenda; the National Organization for Marriage, perhaps best known for its unintentionally hilarious anti-gay commercials; and The FAMiLY Leader, an Iowa-based group of extremists that put together “The Marriage Vow” for GOP candidates, which argued, among other things, that slavery wasn’t that bad for African-American families.

Despite — or more likely, because of — the radicals behind the forum, six GOP presidential hopefuls showed up to pander to the religious right voters, each vowing to be more pious than their rivals. . .

Not so super

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/us/politics/deficit-deal-fell-apart-after-seeming-agreement.html
Not only could Democrats and Republicans not agree on a deficit deal, they could not even agree after it failed about what had gone wrong. [read on]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/super-committee-chairs-prepare-to-announce-failure-2.php
Super Committee Chairs Prepare To Announce Failure

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/20/why_the_supercommittee_failed.html
The supercommittee last met Nov. 1 -- three weeks ago! . . . [read on]

More: http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/11/20/super-committee-preparing-decent-burial/

Heh

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/why-supercommittee-was-actually-dazzling-success
Why the Supercommittee Was Actually a Dazzling Success

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/setting-terms.html

Criminal neglect

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/new-analysis-one-three-americans-are-
New Analysis: One in Three Americans Are Either Living In or Near Poverty

Newt has a new solution for poverty (really!)

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/newt-gingrich-child-labor-laws-are-stupid
Newt Gingrich: "Child Labor Laws Are Stupid"

Someone needs to read the Constitution

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/cain-would-overturn-supreme-court-if-they-ov
Cain Would 'Overturn the Supreme Court If They Overturned DOMA'

In case you missed the Sunday talk shows

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/20/tv-soundoff-sunday-talkin_n_1103718.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.***

BUH-BYE!

Adios, supercommittee

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/super-committee-negotiations-now-about-how-to-fail-gracefully.php
Super Committee Negotiations Now About How To Fail Gracefully

Quote of the month from the supercommittee Dems

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/why_the_supercommittee_talks_a033606.php
Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.), a House Democratic leader and a super-committee member, told The Hill after hearing the GOP offer, “Do we look stupid?” . . . [read on]

Trouble for Willard?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/romney_pressed_on_missing_hard033604.php
Shortly before Mitt Romney departed the governor’s office, 11 of his top aides purchased 17 state-issued hard drives, purging the Romney administration’s email records in advance of his presidential campaign. In retrospect, the move seems rather odd, especially for a Republican candidate who likes to talk about transparency.

Yesterday we learned that this has no precedent among modern Massachusetts governors, including Romney’s recent Republican predecessors.

Soon after, a reporter pressed the Republican presidential frontrunner during a campaign stop in New Hampshire to explain the missing hard drives. . . .

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/the_wrong_candidate_to_push_tr033561.php

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037360/-Mitt-Romneys-aides-erased-email-records-before-he-left-office

Yep

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/republicans-hate-compromise-part-xvii
Republicans Hate Compromise

Yesterday Michele Bachmann said that she hasn’t had any gaffes. In a way that’s true: it’s her “serious” policy proposals that are gaffes

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/michele-bachmann-get-rid-earned-income-tax
Bachmann: Get Rid of the Earned Income Tax Credit, Food Stamps, Public Housing

Do gaffes hurt Republicans?

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/republicans-and-their-gaffes

AZ governor Jan Brewer tried to get rid of the “independent” head of the state redistricting commission. Too independent, I guess. The state Supreme Court told her she couldn’t do it. Think she’s giving up?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/brewer_may_reinitiate_impeachm033605.php

Sarah! who has become a pro in raising money off her celebrity, attacks others for doing so

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/18/1037690/-Sarah-Palin-wonders-how-politicians-get-sorich

The Sunday talk show line-ups

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/20/1038238/-Sunday-Talk:-Out-with-the-old,-in-with-the-Newt
NBC Meet the Press: Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ); Sen. John Kerry (D-MA); Roundtable: Democratic Strategist Dee Dee Myers, Republican Strategist Mike Murphy, Eugene Robinson (Washington Post) and Former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie.

CBS Face the Nation: Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA); Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV); Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX).

ABC This Week: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D); Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL); Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE); Roundtable: George Will (Washington Post), Republican Strategist Matthew Dowd, Paul Krugman (New York Times) and Peggy Noonan (Wall Street Journal).

CNN State of the Union: Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA); Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY); Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Republican Strategist Rich Galen; Former Rep. Robert Walker (R-PA); Reliable Sources: Marisa Guthrie (Hollywood Reporter); Eric Deggan (St. Petersburg Times); David Zurawik (Baltimore Sun); Sarah Ganim (Harrisburg Patriot-News); Nia-Malika Henderson (Washington Post); Robert Costa (National Review); David Shuster (Current TV).

Bonus item: Sabermetrician Nate Silver provides a cool list of economic variables as predictors of presidential elections

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/nate-silver-ranks-every-economic-indicator-you-can-think

***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.***

TOO BIG TO FAIL?

Peaking?

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/world-fast-approaching-peak-gingrich
[Kevin Drum] I project that Newt Gingrich has about two weeks left before his excessive verbal extraction rate depletes his reserves of grandiose nonsense and his moment in the sun is over. . . .

Well, no danger of running out of good material

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/low_concept/2011/11/what_kind_of_strategic_advice_did_newt_gingrich_really_offer_.html
Great Moments in Newt History

Awwww. . . .

http://blog.chron.com/rickperry/2011/11/perry-funds-dry-up-after-gaffes-and-dip-in-polls/
Perry funds dry up after gaffes and dip in polls

Now Perry blows the dog whistle: Obama is a lazy, shiftless . . .

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/rick-perry-obama-never-had-to-work-for-anything.php

More: http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/crazy-things-conservatives-say

It’s not fair, but the Christian fundie portion of the GOP electorate is never going to warm to Willard, because he’s a Mormon

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/intolerance-that-dares-not-speak-its.html

Wow. We all know that Michele Bachmann has an issue with reality – but this is certifiable

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/18/1037781/-Michele-Bachmann:-I%C3%82%C2%A0havent%C3%82%C2%A0had%C3%82%C2%A0a%C3%82%C2%A0gaffe
“I haven’t had a gaffe or something that I've done that has caused me to fall in the polls.”

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/bachmanns_giant_lie033577.php
[Steve Benen] When it comes to making up wild-eyed nonsense about the Affordable Care Act, Michele Bachmann is in a league of her own. . . . [read on!]

The supercommittee is in “supertrouble”

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/supercommittee-supertrouble.html

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/supercommittee_death_spiral_watch.php
SuperCommittee Death Spiral Watch

Good - please fail!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/18/1037870/-Super-Congress:-Dont-just-fail,-donothing
Super Congress: Don't just fail, do nothing

More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/18/paul-krugman-thomas-friedman-secret-message_n_1101484.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/18/1037844/-Some-congressional-Democrats-recognize-importance-of-Super-Congress%C2%A0failure



Shocking scene from UC Davis

http://www.americablog.com/2011/11/omg-cops-pepper-spray-uc-davis-students.html
Cops pepper-spray UC Davis students, point blank in face, who are just sitting there doing nothing

Video: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/uc-davis-cops-pepper-spray-protesters

***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.***

EITHER/OR?

Uh, might be a false dichotomy

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/cain-says-we-need-a-leader-not-a-reader
Cain Says ‘We Need a Leader, Not a Reader’

More on leadership: http://thinkprogress.org/yglesias/2011/11/17/371553/why-presidential-leadership-doesnt-work-very-well

Gingrich: yesterday “surging,” today, “finished”?

http://www.salon.com/2011/11/16/were_sure_newt_has_no_chance_at_all_right/

http://thinkprogress.org/yglesias/2011/11/16/369964/newt-gingrich-16-million-payday-from-freddie-mac/
Newt Gingrich $1.6 Million Payday From Freddie Mac

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/priceless_2.php
[Josh Marshall] Rule of Thumb: Don’t say Barney Frank should go to jail for coddling Freddie Mac when you were one of their lobbyists/’historians’ for almost $2 million. Best line from Frank: ‘I Thought The Gingrich Group Was His Wives’.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gingrich-think-tank-collected-millions-from-health-care-industry/2011/11/16/gIQAcd72VN_story.html
Gingrich think tank collected millions from health-care industry

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/newt_keeps_freddie_mac_records033552.php

The kind of people they are

http://www.americablog.com/2011/11/texas-college-republican-prez.html
Texas College Republican Prez: Assassinating Obama 'tempting'

More http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/the_future_leaders_of_the_gop033560.php

“Independent” means independent!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/17/1037592/-Arizona-Supreme-Court-overturns-Colleen-Mathis-ouster-from-redistricting-commission
The Arizona Supreme Court has overturned Gov. Jan Brewer's politically charged removal of the chair of the state redistricting commission and ordering the official's reinstatement. . . .

Bonus item: Cain: We have a moral crisis! Audience member: You have a moral crisis! (thanks to AG for the link)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ugy_lz7hIQ

***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.***

FAIL!

I hope this doesn’t surprise anyone

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/top-goper-on-super-committee-says-no-new-revenue-games-out-strategy-if-panel-fails-video.php
Top GOPer On Super Committee Says No New Revenue, Games Out Strategy If Panel Fails

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/grover-norquist-and-the-super-committee----whos-really-in-charge.php
Grover Norquist And The Super Committee — Who’s Really In Charge?

What are the Dems doing on this committee?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/just-what-do-those-democrats-think.html

http://crooksandliars.com/rj-eskow/if-super-committee-doesnt-cut-your-medica

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/14/1036365/-For-the-Super-Congress,-the-biggest-failure-would-be-a-bad-deal

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/trigger-happy.html

Nominate Newt

Please! http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/campaign-in-100-seconds-what-could-undo-newt-gingrich.php

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/newt_rage_reel.php

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/deconstructing-newt

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/the-limits-of-newt-gingrichs-staying-power/2011/11/14/gIQAKs78MN_blog.html
“Gingrich’s newfound position in the race is temporary and untenable as his campaign is incapable of prolonging or solidifying the wave of new support,” said GOP consultant Tyler Harber. “There is no doubt that Gingrich will again crash and burn. . . .”

“Damage control” for Perry and Cain

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rick-perry-herman-cain-try-to-do-campaign-damage-control/2011/11/15/gIQAH0jZPN_story.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/15/1036689/-Herman-Cains-campaign-is-moving-on-from-sexual-harassment-storyAgain

Man, those conservatives are fickle!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/rick-perry-conservative-hero-no-longer/2011/11/15/gIQA5DziPN_blog.html

More on the upcoming Supreme Court review of the health care law

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2011/11/the_unexpected_and_astounding_arguments_the_supreme_court_will_hear_on_obamacare_.html

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/fate-obamacare-1

Can’t see anything wrong with this!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/15/1036649/-Justices-Scalia,-Thomas-feted-by-challengers-of-Affordable-Care-Act
The day the Supreme Court gathered behind closed doors to consider the politically divisive question of whether it would hear a challenge to President Obama’s healthcare law, two of its justices, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, were feted at a dinner sponsored by the law firm that will argue the case before the high court. . .

Ketchup is still a vegetable!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/obama-administration-loses-effort-to-make-school-lunches-healthier/2011/11/15/gIQAIgpdPN_story.html
Obama administration loses effort to make school lunches healthier

Recall Scott Walker (R-WI)

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/recall-papers-officially-filed-against-scott-walker.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.***

IN THE LEAD!

http://www.salon.com/2011/11/14/and_now_newt_actually_is_in_first_place/
And now Newt actually is in first place

Can Newt stop Willard? (psst . . .no)

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/is_newt_trouble_for_mitt.php

Discuss: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/is_newt_for_real.php

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/11/au_contraire_4.php

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/newt-gingrich-now-bat

One thing you know: no one will outdo Gingrich in outrageous headline-grabbing sound bites

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/newt-gingrich-vs-mitt-romney-the-brimstone-gap.php

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2011/11/why_newt_gingrich_is_full_of_scorn_for_everyone_except_his_rivals_for_the_republican_presidential_nomination_.html

More: http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/confirmed-serial-adulterer-passes-alleged-harasser-gop-race
Confirmed Serial Adulterer Passes Alleged Serial Harasser in GOP Race

The kind of person he is

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/newtie-qotd.html
[2007] How can you have the mess we have in New Orleans, and not have had deep investigations of the federal government, the state government, the city government, and the failure of citizenship in the Ninth Ward, where 22,000 people were so uneducated and so unprepared, they literally couldn't get out of the way of a hurricane.

Herman Cain, your fifteen minutes are up!

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/cain-chokes-on-libya-question-got-all-this-stuff-twirling-around-in-my-head.php
“Okay, Libya,” Cain said — then paused, looking downward. “President Obama supported the uprising — correct? President Obama called for the removal of Qaddafi. Just want to make sure we’re talking about the same thing before I say, yes I agreed, or no I didn’t agree.”

“I do not agree with the way he handled it, for the following reasons — No, that’s a different one. (Pauses) I gotta go back, see. (Pauses) Got all this stuff twirling around in my head. Specifically, what are you asking me, did I agree or not disagree (sic) with Obama?” [read on]

Watch! http://elections.americablog.com/2011/11/herman-cain-sees-your-oops-and-raises.html

More: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/yet-more-gop-clown-show

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/cain_gets_back_to_bigoted_basi033482.php

The Supreme Court will review the health care law, to decide by next summer. What issues will they be looking at?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/us/supreme-court-to-hear-case-challenging-health-law.html

http://www.scotusblog.com/2011/11/court-sets-5-12-hour-hearing-on-health-care/

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/supreme-court-to-review-obamacare-individual-mandate.php

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/the-supremes-will-take-on-health-care-but-will-it-matter-in-2012/2011/11/14/gIQAXYfyKN_blog.html

Supercommittee still trying to find a way to bend the rules that established it, rather than fail

http://www.americablog.com/2011/11/super-committee-might-agree-to-spending.html

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/11/14/super-committee-floating-plan-for-vague-tax-reform-to-be-determined-later/

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/wall-and-bridges.html

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/14/1036438/-I-freaking-hate-Super-Congress,-and-so-should-you
I freaking hate Super Congress, and so should you

Bonus item: Can you wait?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/11/14/trump_endorsement_coming_soon.html
Donald Trump told Fox News he would make an endorsement in the presidential race very soon. . . .

***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.***

MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST

It’s a question of priorities

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/debt-limit-hangover-despite-packed-agenda-congress-returns-to-radical-balanced-budget-amendment.php
Congress is busy. It has to extend federal funding for all federal agencies before November 18, or else the government will shut down, and the deficit Super Committee has to recommend a big package of budget cuts to the House and Senate by November 23, or set in motion dramatic automatic spending cuts to defense programs and Medicare providers. But it’s still suffering a hangover from the debt limit fight. And so this week House GOP leaders will fulfill one of the terms of the debt limit law, and appease some conservatives, by holding a vote on a Constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment. . . .

GOP presidential hopefuls use torture as an applause line

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/hooray-for-torture.html

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/gop-debate-audience-cheers-waterboarding

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/republicans_return_to_the_tort033457.php

The Rock analyzes the European financial crisis

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/11/we-have-winner-rick-perry-and-euro
PERRY: Well, the French and the Germans have the economic forewithal to deal with this. They have the economy. When you think about the Euro and when it was established, it was done to be a competitor to the American dollar. They knew what they were doing. And now they find themselves with their overspending and-- and-- the sovereign debt being built up. And-- . . . [and what? read on!]

More foreign policy aplomb: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/quote_of_the_day_21033459.php

Michele Bachmann needs attention

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/bachmann-obama-ending-iraq-war-is-desecration-of-american-dead.php
Bachmann: Obama Ending Iraq War Is Desecration Of American Dead

More: http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/bachmann-thinks-powell-mccain-general
Bachmann Thinks Powell, McCain, Generals Want America To Lose, Iraqis Should Pay GI Families Millions

“A Wonderful Thing”

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/newt-gingrich-advocates-assassinating-iran
Newt Gingrich Advocates Assassinating Iranian Scientists as Drum Beat for War Continues at GOP Debate

Herman Cain passes the theocrat test

http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-presidential-campaign/cain-god-convinced-him-to-run-for-president-20111112
Cain: God Convinced Him to Run for President

More: http://my.firedoglake.com/scarecrow/2011/11/12/thank-god-for-herman-cain/

[NB: Bad choice, God]

I can't watch Candy Crowley

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/candy-crowley-wants-la-mayor-villarai

***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.***