PBD - Progressive Blog Digest

Saturday, May 14, 2011

LOSING BATTLES

The Bushies are fighting the fight for history’s judgment about their regime of torture – and they’re losing

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/bush_torture_dead_enders_getting_desperate/2011/03/04/AFxF7j2G_blog.html

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2011/05/13/michael-mukasey-doubles-down-on-the-sophism/

Shouldn’t have to be said – but has to be said over and over again

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/turley-torture-isnt-war-crime-because-its-ne
Turley: 'Torture Isn't a War Crime Because It's Never Beneficial. It's a War Crime Because It's Immoral'

Why Congress can’t pass a budget deal

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/a-simple-model-of-why-congress-cant-pass-a-budget-deal/

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2011/05/13/mcconnell-admits-bipartisanship-is-about-subverting-accountability/

No the GOP doesn’t really care about deficits

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/13/republicans_budget_taxes

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/13/975745/-How-Republicans-learned-to-repeal-math

More: http://crooksandliars.com/murshedz/how-deal-republican-hostage-takers-make-g
How to Deal with Republican Hostage Takers: Make the GOP Cough Up the Details to Slash Medicare

You really wonder sometimes if the Repubs could get any more dishonest – and then they do. This time, it’s accusing Obama of “partisanship” over the immigration issue, which they’ve been milking shamelessly for years

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/right-wingers-panties-get-knot-over-

Meanwhile, I can’t help wondering if “our side” is really on our side after all

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/happy-hour-roundup/2011/03/03/AFKkwx2G_blog.html
Several “centrist” Democratic Senators are getting all skittish about the coming debate with the GOP over tax hikes for the rich, and are urging fellow Dems to pull back from the brink.

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/tax-debate-causes-rifts-among-democrats/2011/05/12/AFURdu2G_story.html

Very funny, very mean: WH says it loves Mitt’s health care plan

http://www.americablog.com/2011/05/white-house-gives-romney-beardeath-hug.html
[Huffington Post] The Obama administration, on Friday, continued to apply a veritable death hug to likely Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, praising the health care law he passed as Massachusetts’ governor . . .

More: http://rss.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/GNXh7tU24G8/-White-House-endorses-Mitt-Romney

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/the_obama_teams_veritable_deat029552.php

Ooooh, ouch

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/mitt-romney-and-al-gore-problem
Dana Milbank says Mitt Romney has an "Al Gore problem." . . . [read on]

The National Review turns on Mitt too

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/national-review-turns-on-mitt-romney/
[Matt Yglesias] I had held out some notion that conservatives elites might be willing to forgive Mitt Romney’s shameful record of helping the population of Massachusetts get health insurance. After all, many conservatives backed Romney in 2008 even when they knew his record. But yesterday’s health care speech seems to have strangled that in the crib . . .

Worse and worse: http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/tea-party-activists-denounce-mitt-romne
Tea Party Activists denounce Mitt Romney as a 'walking hypocrite'

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/13/975724/-Romney-health-care-speech-flayed
Conservative Washington Post blogger Jennifer Rubin mocks Mitt Romney's health care speech . . . [read on]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/mitt-romneys-health-care-speech-takes-a-beating--on-fox-news/2011/03/03/AFD3Ar2G_blog.html
Mitt Romney’s health care speech takes a beating — on Fox News

ANOTHER Republican declares for President and then instantly self-destructs

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/ron-paul-i-would-not-have-voted-for-the-1964-civil-rights-act-video.php
Just about a year after his son Rand Paul stepped in it when he told Rachel Maddow he was opposed to provisions of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) told Chris Matthews Friday he wouldn't have voted for the law . . .

Why Mike Huckabee isn’t going to run for President

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pondering-2012-bid-mike-huckabee-teases-important-announcement-on-his-fox-news-show/2011/05/13/AFwOog2G_story.html

http://firedoglake.com/2011/05/13/late-night-mike-huckabees-alternative-path-to-winning-the-future/

No surprise here

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/13/republicans_dont_like_their_candidates.html
A new Associated Press-GfK poll finds that 45% of Republicans say they're dissatisfied with the GOP presidential candidates who have declared or are thought to be serious about running, up from 33% two months ago. . . .

Looks like Tom Coburn’s got some Ensign smeared on him

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/when-senate-ethics-committee-going-take-ac
When Is the Senate Ethics Committee Going to Take Action on Tom Coburn's Part in the Ensign Cover-Up?

More: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/tom_coburn_denies_negotiating_cash_payout_for_john_ensigns_mistress_and_her_husband.php

Rick Santorum too: http://www.americablog.com/2011/05/nothing-says-family-values-like-helping.html

Second Amendment absolutists

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/constitutional-absolutists-sometimes.html

“Retarded,” huh?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/tn_gopers_host_anti-muslim_dutch_pol_who_once_call.php
TN GOPers Host Anti-Muslim Dutch Pol Who Once Called Islam 'The Ideology Of A Retarded Culture'

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/social_conservative_bryan_fischer_muslims_are_stupid_because_of_inbreeding.php
Social Conservative Bryan Fischer: Muslims Are Stupid Because Of Inbreeding

[NB: The jokes write themselves]

Good analysis: Fox News really isn’t a news network

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/fox-news-social-movement

Bonus item: Wearing your politics on your license plate

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/the-widespread-occurrence-of-white-supremacist-treasonous-and-pro-slavery-license-plates/
The Widespread Occurrence of White Supremacist, Treasonous, and Pro-Slavery License Plates

***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.***

Friday, May 13, 2011

SELF-DESTRUCTING

We all know that Mitt Romney’s big problem in getting the GOP nomination is that he implemented health care reform in Massachusetts that is basically like Obamacare. In a sane universe, this would be seen as good governing, bipartisan sensibility, or at the worst well-intentioned but misguided policy. But in GOP-world, Obama is the antichrist and anything related to his health care plan is an abomination. So how does Romney deal with the facts of his own past?

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/mitt-romney-i-will-never-impose-my-awesome-massachusetts-law-on-the-nation.php
Mitt Romney's much-anticipated health care speech Thursday did not dance around conservative criticism over his support for individual mandates as governor of Massachusetts. Instead he took the issue head on, issuing a thorough and impassioned defense of his state's health care law -- even as he pledged never to apply it to the rest of the country.

"I respect the views of those who think we took the wrong course and who think we should have taken a different course," he said. "I also recognize that a lot of pundits around the nation are saying that I should say that was a bone-headed idea and I presume folks would think that would be good for me politically. But there's only one problem with that. It wouldn't be honest. I in fact did what I thought was right for the people of my state." [read on]

How he got into this mess: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/mitt-romneys-epic-health-care-journey-how-he-flip-flopped-on-mandates.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/12/romney-healthcare-speech_n_861111.html

Will it work?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/romneys_game_plan_take_a_beating_now_on_health_care_and_hope_it_goes_away_later/2011/03/03/AFvfQH1G_blog.html
Romney’s game plan: Take a beating now on health care and hope it goes away later

http://www.salon.com/news/mitt_romney/index.html
Mitt Romney's new pose: Man of principle

http://www.slate.com/id/2293879/
Mitt Romney tries, again, to convince voters that he's authentic.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/romney_doesnt_know_how_to_fix029534.php
[Steve Benen] I’m not sure if Romney has fully thought the politics of this through. . . . [read on]

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/quote-day-who-mitt-romney
[Debbie Wasserman Schultz] What I think is unfortunate about Mitt Romney is he doesn’t even know who he is. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/12/romney_healthcare

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/12/975493/-Romney-conveniently-forgets-he-supported-a-federal-health-care-mandate

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/12/romney_health_care_gruber

WSJ sez, “we’re not buyin’ it”

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/12/975397/-WSJ-greets-RomneyCare-speech-with-rebuke:-Compromised-and-not-credible

Republicans know that their proposal to slash Medicare has cost them big time. Instead of backing off and apologizing for a dumb idea, they . . . complain about Democrats criticizing them

http://www.americablog.com/2011/05/house-gop-demanding-dems-stop-being.html
[NYT] On Tuesday, Kinzinger and 41 of his colleagues sent a letter to President Obama, asking him to rein in Democratic attacks on GOP members who voted for the House budget, which includes a plan to privatize Medicare and cap spending on the program. . . .

But because they’re Republicans . . .

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/surprise-republicans-run-mediscare-ad-on-the-same-week-they-call-for-a-truce-video.php
At nearly the exact same time 42 House Republicans were calling on President Obama to stop the heated rhetoric about their Medicare plan Wednesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee announced a new ad in California that accused a Democrat of "bankrupting Medicare" . . .

John McCain has gotten lots of well-deserved criticism here, but he’s always been pretty decent on the issue of torture

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bin-ladens-death-and-the-debate-over-torture/2011/05/11/AFd1mdsG_story.html
[McCain] Former attorney general Michael Mukasey recently claimed that “the intelligence that led to bin Laden . . . began with a disclosure from Khalid Sheik Mohammed, who broke like a dam under the pressure of harsh interrogation techniques that included waterboarding. He loosed a torrent of information — including eventually the nickname of a trusted courier of bin Laden.” That is false.

I asked CIA Director Leon Panetta for the facts, and he told me the following: The trail to bin Laden did not begin with a disclosure from Khalid Sheik Mohammed . . . [read on]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/john_mccain_to_bush_apologists_stop_lying_about_bin_laden_and_torture/2011/03/03/AF10AnzG_blog.html
John McCain to Bush apologists: Stop lying about Bin Laden and torture

More: http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2011/05/12/john-mccain-ksm-lied-under-torture-just-like-i-did/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/12/975450/-McCain-tears-into-Bush-torture-apologists

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/12/mccains-rejection-of-torture-puts-brakes-on-neocon-assault/

Donald Trump needs a “policy book.” Big Ideas. . . . quick!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/12/donald-trump-book_n_861322.html

He just can’t help himself

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/newt_gingrichs_pinnochio_laden_debut/2011/05/12/AFf8qb1G_blog.html
Newt Gingrich’s Pinnochio-laden debut

John Ensign has bigger problems now than just having to quit the Senate

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/breaking_51.php
Senate Ethics Committee refers case of former Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) to Justice Department for criminal investigation. . .

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/12/ensign-referred-to-doj-for-criminal-investigation/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/ensign_scandal_referred_to_jus029532.php

The case against him: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/point_by_point_senate_ethics_committees_findings_in_john_ensign_case.php

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/jack-him-up-to-high-heaven-ensign-said-after-consituent-wouldnt-hire-his-mistress-husband.php

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/dumb_and_dumber_1.php
[David Kurtz] Reading the report against Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), you start to wonder if being a complete moron ought to be grounds for expulsion from the Senate, even though that might decimate the upper chamber. . . [read on]

Why raising the Social Security retirement age is a really bad idea

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/raising-the-social-security-retirement-age-is-incredibly-regressive

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/raise-retirement-age-screw-poor

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/12/975399/-Another-lesson-for-Simpson:-Raising-the-retirement-age-is-regressive

Bonus item: More Fox News idiocy

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/fox-news-and-rapper-known-common

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/fox-news-attacks-vile-rapper-common-was-de

***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.***

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Bonus item: Whoever thought THIS was a good idea?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/11/deer_in_the_headlights.html
The book jacket for Levi Johnston's Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin's Crosshairs was just released. Oh my.

[Ben Smith] "Bringing him onto that convention stage really has to rate, in retrospect, as one of the worst decisions in recent political history."

More: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/11/levi_johnston_book_cover
"He got naked and got inside Bristol Palin. Then he got naked in Playgirl. Now it's time for Levi to get you the naked TRUTH about Sarah Palin."

***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.***

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

The new darling of Serious Republicans

http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/strategist/2011/05/mitch_daniels_and_the_gravitas.php
Mitch Daniels

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/10/is_daniels_hinting_at_a_run.html

Or maybe it’s Tim Pawlenty: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/10/please_vote_pawlenty

Or maybe it’s Thaddeus McCotter: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/10/mccotter_for_president.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/10/gop-presidential-2010_n_860235.html

John Boehner wants an “honest conversation.” (No, he doesn’t)

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/boehners-bluff

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/rep-john-boehner-holding-america-hostag

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/rothenberg-on-boehner-hes-said-two-very.html
Speaker Boehner has said two very different things. . . .

More: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/toward-theory-republican-flip-flops

Public employee unions: the new bogeymen

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/will_election_2012_hinge_on_un029464.php
Will Election 2012 Hinge on Union Busting?

More: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/real-cause-pension-crisis

What Alan Simpson doesn’t know

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/in-washington-you-dont-need-to-know-anything-about-policy-to-be-a-senator-or-chair-important-commissions/

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/alan-simpson-social-security-illiterate

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/alan-simpson-they-put-in-peanuts.html

Defunding the left

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/defunding-left-part-xviii

It’s been the plan all along

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/05/08/south-dakota-banning-abortion-without-banning-abortion
South Dakota Banning Abortion Without Banning Abortion?

In Indiana: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/planned_parenthood_files_injunction_in_indiana.php

SO over

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/05/01/is-sarah-palin-over.html
Is Sarah Palin Over?

More: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/rise-and-fall-sarah-palin
[Kevin Drum] Sarah Palin's half-life was even shorter than the Kardashian family's.

This one’s over too (did it ever really even get started?)

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/10/trump_done
The Trump campaign is dead

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/trump-i-can-see-now-why-ross-perot-dropped-out-video.php

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/donald_trump_gets_mauled_by_the_freak_show/2011/03/03/AFA4OVjG_blog.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/10/gop-presidential-2010_n_860235.html
Trump: criticizing me is 'very bad for the country'

***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.***

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

No PBD today - traveling

Monday, May 09, 2011

A TALE OF TWO PRESIDENTS

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/08/972163/-A-tale-of-two-presidents:-Bush,-Obama-and-Osama-bin-Laden
It didn't take long for the usual suspects on the right to start whining about politicizing a historic moment. . . . [read on]

Hey, he can’t do that. Only Republicans can!

http://mydd.com/users/theyoungturks/posts/fox-rips-obama-for-ground-zero-appearance
Fox Rips Obama For Ground Zero Appearance

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/playing_the_petty_card029432.php

Obama on 60 Minutes

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/08/obama_on_the_mission_to_kill_osama_bin_laden.html
60 Minutes has a must-watch interview with President Obama on how the plan to kill Osama bin Laden was prepared and carried out, what was going through his mind as he watched it unfold, and the secrecy leading up to his historic announcement last Sunday night. . . . [watch]

More: http://www.samefacts.com/2011/05/terrorism-and-its-control/obama-on-60-minutes/

Actions have consequences

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/06/973702/-Alabamas-GOP-Delegation-Voted-Against-Funding-for-Tornado-Forecasting
Alabama's GOP Delegation Voted Against Funding for Tornado Forecasting

Hurry-up voting

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/everythings_been_accelerated_i029433.php
Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker and GOP leaders have launched a push to ram several years’ worth of conservative agenda items through the Legislature this spring before recall elections threaten to end the party’s control of state government. . . . [read on]

How lame and hopeless is the GOP lineup for 2012? It’s so bad that Rudy Giuliani is thinking about getting in!

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/giuliani-considering-2012-run-president

Lame and hopeless: http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/snl-gop-2012-undeclared-candidates-debate

In case you missed the Sunday talk shows

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/donilon-obama-ordered-bin-laden-raid-based-on-50-50-chance.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/08/tv-soundoff-sunday-talkin_n_859070.html

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/how_the_sunday_shows_operate029431.php
How the Sunday shows operate

Bonus item: Weirdos

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-mothers-day-ladies-you-dont-exist.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.***

Sunday, May 08, 2011

FUNNY MONEY

Not so funny (thanks to DR for the link)

http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/05/news/economy/gas_prices_income_spending/index.htm
Your monthly gasoline bill: $368

More: http://my.firedoglake.com/dakine01/2011/05/06/the-economy-stays-muddled/
The Economy Stays Muddled

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/the_only_taxes_republicans_wan029426.php
The only taxes Republicans want to raise

Why Ronald Reagan couldn’t get nominated as a Republican today

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/huckabee_reagan_couldnt_have_w029428.php

I’m actually surprised this doesn’t happen more often

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/scarce/muslim-imams-pulled-plane-en-route-islamaph
Muslim imams pulled from plane en route to Islamaphobia conference

You can sleep safely now

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/06/florida-bestiality-law-passes-third-attempt_n_858884.html
Florida Bestiality Law Passes On Third Attempt

The first of the Palin books – and more to come

http://fdlbooksalon.com/2011/05/07/fdl-book-salon-welcomes-geoffrey-dunn-the-lies-of-sarah-palin-the-untold-story-behind-her-relentless-quest-for-power/
Geoffrey Dunn chose the lies of Sarah Palin as the title of what is certainly the best adversarial political biography yet of this deeply divisive figure because those lies and their role in what she has become are central. The fact that he managed to keep the rate of lies – by my count – down to around three per page, showed remarkable restraint on his part, though. Part of the reason is that he had a larger story to tell. He tells it well. . . . [read on]

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://firedoglake.com/2011/05/08/sunday-talking-heads-may-8-2011/
ABC’s This Week: National Security Adviser Tom Donilon. Then, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Followed by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani. “Is Pakistan doing enough in the fight against al Qaeda, and does it deserve billions in U.S. aid?” Roundtable A: Jake Tapper, Martha Raddatz, Pierre Thomas, Christiane Amanpour, George Will. Roundtable B: Liz Cheney, Tom Ricks, Lawrence Wright.

CBS’ Face The Nation: Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

CNN’s State of the Union: National Security Adviser Tom Donilon. Followed by “questions surrounding Pakistan’s knowledge of Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts” with Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Senate Foreign Relations Ranking Member. Then, Libya (and beyond) with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Roundtable: former Congressman Tom Davis and former Obama White House aide Anita Dunn.

Fareed Zakaria – GPS: Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Then, Gen. Michael Hayden (Ret.), he “headed up both the National Security Agency and the CIA for President George W. Bush.” Roundtable: Husain Haqqani, the Pakistani Ambassador to Washington, D.C.; Richard Haass, the President of the Council on Foreign Relations; Jugnu Mohsin, editor of Pakistan’s The Friday Times. And more.

NBC’s Meet The Press: National Security Adviser Tom Donilon. Then, Rudy Giuliani, Michael Chertoff, Michael Hayden. Roundtable: Bob Woodward, Katty Kay, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Mike Murphy. “What does the successful operation say about Obama and the future of his presidency?”

Bonus item: Wow, just wow

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/self-aware_much.php
Andy Card, President Bush's former Chief of Staff, who helped oversee the epic 'Mission Accomplished' victory lap and jet fighter landing, says President Obama has "pounded his chest" too much over the success of the bin Laden raid and shown too much "pride."

***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.***

Saturday, May 07, 2011

SECOND THOUGHTS

Further reflections on Bin Laden’s death (thanks to Robert M.)

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-the-real-meaning-of-bin-ladens-death-2279630.html
[Johann Hari] Osama Bin Laden is dead, but our foreign policy is still giving him what he wanted. . . . [read on]

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/reigniting-gwot.html
[Shadi Hamid] As Americans celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden, there is a risk we will exaggerate his importance in death as we did in life. . . .[read on]

More: http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/05/06/bin_laden

http://www.samefacts.com/2011/05/uncategorized/several-reflections-on-the-death-of-bin-laden/

Who the hell cares what John Yoo says about anything?

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/06/john_yoo_bin_laden

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/john-yoo-killing-bin-laden-was-a-bad-idea-video.php

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/john_yoo_becomes_a_caricature029422.php

Jobs

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/the-conservative-recovery-continues/
[Matt Yglesias] All told, we’ve had 1.7 million net new private sector jobs over the past year but they’ve been partially offset by 404,000 net job losses in the public sector. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/06/973596/-BLS:-Jobs-gain-more-than-expected,-unemployment-rate-rises-to-9-percent

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/06/economy-adds-244000-jobs-unemployment-rate-rises-to-9-0/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/april_shows_surprisingly_stron029411.php

The GOPers are telling their supporters they support the Ryan budget plan, and its Medicare cuts, while publicly backing off from it

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/going-all-in-with-ryan.html

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/republicans-and-medicare

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/06/973707/-Boehner,-Camp:-Medicare-fight-isnt-over,-just-postponed

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/house_republican_on_medicare_p029410.php
House Republican on Medicare plan: ‘Things are unraveling’

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/without-medicare-privatization-gop-budget-wont-eliminate-the-deficit.php
Without Medicare Privatization, GOP Budget Won't Eliminate The Deficit

Bonus item: We all remember Clinton Derangement Syndrome – with Obama it’s become a delusional pathology. They hate him so much, they’ll believe ANYTHING

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/06/obama_gz_flag
The problem with believing that Barack Obama is a secret radical pro-sharia totalitarian Islamic Maoist instead of a run-of-the-mill center-left Democrat is that it can lead you to repeat very self-evidently silly stories. . . .

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/06/973703/-Conservative-freak-show-attacks-Obama-with-new-bin-Laden-conspiracy-theories

***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.***

Friday, May 06, 2011

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

The Republicans, being Republicans, find a new way to cut Medicare without ever mentioning the word “Medicare”

http://robertreich.org/post/5043078164

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029318.php

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/once-again-senate-conservadems-prove

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/05/973483/-Ryans-retreat:-Medicare-privatizationoff-the-table-this-year

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/gop-leadership-sawing-off-medicare-privatization-branch-behind-vulnerable-caucus-members/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/how_did_house_republicans_get_stuck_with_this/2011/05/05/AFb4sp0F_blog.html

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/mandates-and-medicaid-who-could-have.html

GOP in a corner on oil subsidies

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/house-gop-blocks-vote-on-oil-subsidies.php

Saving GM

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029312.php

Why Bush wouldn’t join Obama at Ground Zero

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/05/bush_ground_zero

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/05/973322/-Bush-refuses-to-go-to-Ground-Zero-because-Obama-hurt-his-feelings

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029309.php

Better late than never?

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2011/05/05/monica-goodling-finally-gets-reprimanded/
Monica Goodling Finally Gets Reprimanded

The kind of people they are: FOXers joke about waterboarding

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/waterboarding-funnies.html

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/fox-business-reads-list-people-viewers-want

Sick

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/teenage-cheerleader-ordered-pay-schoo
Teenage Cheerleader Ordered To Pay School That Kicked Her Off The Squad For Refusing To Cheer For Her Rapist

The GOP’s prime time embarrassment

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/05/republican_debate
Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Gary Johnson and Herman Cain

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/05/minor-league-debate-in-south-carolina-kicks-off-republican-presidential-primary-season/

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/05/973507/-First-Republican-presidential-debate

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/05/973526/-First-Republican-presidential-debate

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/05/973545/-Focus-group:-Big-winner-of-GOP-presidential-debate-was-Herman-Cain

[NB: Hoo, boy, this was so not the way they planned it!]

Heh: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/06/boehner_skipped_gop_debate.html
CBS News spotted Boehner at a steakhouse in Washington enjoying a bottle of Cabernet and a couple of cigarettes. He said he would “read about it tomorrow. . .”

Bonus item: Why won't President Obama release a photo of Osama bin Laden in hell?

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/05/osama_in_hell

***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.***

Thursday, May 05, 2011

BACK OFF!

GOPers back off their threat to kill Medicare, after the Dems effectively outed them for it – now suddenly they want to talk compromise

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/budget_talks_republicans_offer_to_seek_common_ground_with_democrats/2011/05/04/AFNvVwrF_story.html

More: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/medicare_shoe_drops_hard.php

No photos of dead Bin Laden (I say, good!)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/cbs-obama-says-he-wont-release-bin-laden-photos/2011/05/04/AFyB5aoF_story.html
“It’s important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence or as a propaganda tool,” Obama said in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” program. “That’s not who we are. We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies.”

More: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2011/05/i-still-think-photos-should-be-released

http://www.americablog.com/2011/05/clemons-bin-ladens-death-and-burial.html

Sarah! wants to see them

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/palin-obama-pussy-footing-by-not-releasing-photo-of-bin-laden-whom-he-killed.php
"Show photo as warning to others seeking America's destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama;it's part of the mission," she said.

[Brian Beutler] It's unclear why she thinks photos of bin Laden's corpse will scare suicidal terrorists.

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/trophy-wife-palins-bloodlust.html

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/sarah-palins-tribute-military-become

It was a very bad idea to nickname the operation to go after Bin Laden “Geronimo” (thanks to Larry E. for the links)

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/ict_sbc/bin-laden-code-name-%E2%80%9Cgeronimo%E2%80%9D-is-a-bomb-in-indian-country/
Bin Laden Code-name “Geronimo” Is a Bomb in Indian Country

http://www.ncai.org/News-View.19.0.html?&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=781&tx_ttnews[backPid]=9&cHash=1d469c7101
“We join President Obama in reflecting on the sacrifices made by the members of our military to defend our great nation. When terrorists attacked on 9/11, it was an attack on our homeland that deeply affected tribal nations, along with our fellow citizens. Osama bin Laden was a shared enemy. Since 2001, 61 American Indians and Alaskan Natives have died defending our country in Afghanistan and Iraq. Close to 450 have been wounded” . . . [read on]

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ap_newsbreak_fort_sill_apache_leader_seeks_apology_from_obama_over_use_of_geronimo_code_name/2011/05/04/AFZt0ooF_story.html

Torture

http://www.slate.com/id/2293043/
Still Stupid, Still Wrong, Still Immoral [read on]

More: http://www.americablog.com/2011/05/torture-didnt-deliver-bin-laden.html

CNN asks the question on everyone’s mind

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/04/cnn-poll-finds-that-most-_n_857597.html
CNN Poll Finds That Most People Think Bin Laden Is In Hell, In Case You Were Wondering

The Ignorant Schoolmaster

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/tx-teacher-suspended-after-telling-muslim-student-i-bet-youre-grieving.php
TX Teacher Suspended After Telling Muslim Student 'I Bet You're Grieving'

Does this raise Blackwater’s credibility, or lower Ashcroft’s?

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/john_ashcroft_is_blackwaters_new_ethics_chief.php
John Ashcroft Is Blackwater's New Ethics Chief

More: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/04/ashcroft_blackwater

Bonus item: I hope they’re joking!

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/who-is-osama-bin-laden/

***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.***

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

SUCCESS HAS A THOUSAND PARENTS, FAILURE IS AN ORPHAN

Heavy ironies

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/finishing_the_story.php
As most of you know, back during the 2008 election, then-candidate Barack Obama said that he would not hesitate to order an attack on Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, with or without permission, if he had good intelligence to act on. He was pilloried first by Hillary Clinton and then much more aggressively by John McCain who used the statement as evidence of Obama's inexperience. . . .

More: http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/torture-apologists-have-rewrite-all-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/02/obama-pakistan-policy_n_856321.html

The GOPers want the credit to go to Bush

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/how-republicans-are-claiming-credit-for-the-death-of-osama-bin-laden.php
Bush's one-time Chief of Staff Andrew Card claimed his former boss "made sure that everything was in place so that President Obama could have an opportunity to -- to get Osama bin Laden, and it finally happened." . . . [read on]

More: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/03/osama_reactions_guide

http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/republicans-rush-rewrite-history-bush-and-bin-laden

Condi Rice, still sucking up to her old boss

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029259.php
This morning on Fox & Friends, former National Security Adviser and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined the chorus of conservatives heaping praise onto her former boss, suggesting that Bush's bullhorn speech at Ground Zero was "probably the most important moment maybe in American history." . . . [read on]

Eyes on Pakistan

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/pakistan-under-harsh-scrutiny-in-wake-of-raid-on-bin-laden-compound.php
Intelligence officials have long suspected that Pakistan's weak and fractured government may be host to rogue elements either disinterested in catching -- or actively sympathetic to -- anti-Western terrorists. But the presence of Bin Laden's heavily fortified compound in a garrison town near Islamabad magnified concerns that Al Qaeda had help from the inside in concealing its leader's location. . . . [read on]

More: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/how-important-is-pakistan/

http://swampland.time.com/2011/05/03/cia-chief-breaks-silence-u-s-ruled-out-involving-pakistan-in-bin-laden-raid-early-on/
CIA Chief Breaks Silence: Pakistan Would Have Jeopardized bin Laden Raid

Gruesome, but politically important question: Should the US release photos of the dead Bin Laden?

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/curious_what_you_think.php

The birthers are gone -- now come the deathers

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/birth-of-deathers.html

Obama’s popularity takes a big bounce, and oh do the Repubs want to change the subject!

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/republicans-the-town-halls-were-about-gas-prices.php
House GOP: Great News On OBL -- Now How About Those Gas Prices?

Glenn Beck: “Kill Obama” (Of course it was a slip of the tongue, er, right? But why does it keep happening on Fox, and nowhere else?)

http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/yes-folks-glenn-beck-went-there

Everyone knows that Greta Van Susteren gives Sarah! the friendliest of interviews on Fox News. Now Sarah! returns the favor

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/03/972731/-Sarah-Palin-names-Greta-Van-Susteren-most-influential-journalist

Bonus item: What if they gave a Presidential debate, and nobody came?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/you_call_that_a_debate/2011/05/03/AF2eCWhF_blog.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.***

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

HEARTSTOPPING MOMENTS

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029244.php

Photos from the Situation Room

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/slideshow_in_the_situation_room.php

As we learn more about Bin Laden’s compound, questions emerge about Pakistan’s knowledge

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/the_big_question_the_big_tell.php
Osama's safe house was just outside the Pakistani capital of Islamabad and only a very short distance from the main military academy. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#42866013

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-in-abbottabad-pakistani-incompetence-or-complicity/

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/02/brennan-inconceivable-that-pakistan-wasnt-supporting-bin-laden/
Brennan: “Inconceivable” That Pakistan Wasn’t Supporting Bin Laden

The dumbest of the grudging GOP compliments to Obama: "Why didn’t he smile?"

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029239.php

Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney: Obama gets credit (for following our policy)

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/rumsfeld-on-bin-laden-obama-wisely-followed-bushs-lead.php

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/02/972426/-Dick-Cheney-tries-to-share-credit-for-death-of-Osama-bin-Laden

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/05/03/palin_praises_bush_but_wont_mention_obama.html
Palin Praises Bush but Won't Mention Obama

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/gingrich-i-commend-both-bush-and-obama-for-bin-laden-killing.php
Gingrich: I Commend Both Bush And Obama For Bin Laden Killing

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029221.php
[Eric Cantor (R-Va.)] "I commend President Obama who has followed the vigilance of President Bush in bringing Bin Laden to justice."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/rick-santorum-on-osama-bin-laden-killing-meh.php
Rick Santorum On Osama Bin Laden Killing: M'eh

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/mike-huckabee-welcome-to-hell-bin-laden.php
"Like some others," Ward wrote, "[Huckabee] did not mention Obama except for to say the president had notified the nation of bin Laden's death . . .”

More: http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/fox-friends-giving-george-w-bush-cre

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/02/972378/-How-Republicans-praise-Obama-for-getting-bin-Laden

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/02/972248/-GOP-presidential-hopefuls-split-on-whether-to-give-credit-to-Obama-for-killing-bin-Laden

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0511/McCain_commends_Obama_on_bin_Laden_.html
McCain commends Obama on bin Laden

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/trump-i-want-to-personally-congratulate-president-obama-on-the-bin-laden-killing.php
Trump: 'I Want To Personally Congratulate President Obama' On The Bin Laden Killing

Fascinating juxtaposition: what was going on in the background while Obama was jousting with Donald Trump over the silly birth certificate issue? I think now we have an explanation for the timing of the release, and why Obama said "We do not have time for this kind of silliness . . . Normally I would not comment on something like this." But the country has "some enormous challenges out there" that it will not be able to effectively meet "if we're distracted."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/always_more_to_the_story_1.php

Torture didn’t help us get Bin Laden

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/02/972387/-Republicans-say-torture-led-US-to-bin-Laden-Facts-say-otherwise

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/05/02/the-bin-laden-inteltorture-debate/

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2011/05/02/the-osama-bin-laden-trail-shows-waterboarding-didnt-work/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/02/972427/-Waterboarding-did-not-reveal-OsamabinLadentrail

Look at these crude, primitive societies where people deny obvious and objective evidence (thanks to David R.)

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BIN_LADEN_DNA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-05-02-17-17-06
In the absence of photos and with his body given up to the sea, many people don't believe bin Laden - the Great Emir to some, the fabled escape artist of the Tora Bora mountains to foe and friend alike - is really dead. . .

[NB: Yeah! Yeah! What’s the matter with these people? Can’t they face facts?]

Pakistan, for one, is a land of conspiracy theorists, and far-fetched rumors abound on the streets and in blogs throughout the Arab world. But that's not just a characteristic of the Islamic pipeline. Many ordinary Americans - and one billionaire - persistently questioned whether Obama was born in the U.S. despite lacking any evidence that he wasn't. . . .

[NB: Oh, uh, never mind.]

Tom Tomorrow: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/02/971362/-The-Earthers

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/habeas-corpus.html

Roveanism, race, and Obama’s birth certificate (thanks to David P.)

http://www.juancole.com/2011/04/birth-certificate-just-jim-crow-all-over-again.html

Bonus item: Obama dead? Fox News screw up their chyron AGAIN

http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/fox-news-just-cant-help-themselves

***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.***

Monday, May 02, 2011

WANTED: DEAD

Osama bin Laden has been killed by US forces working with the Pakistanis. I am uninterested in the revenge-lust people are feeling – I am only interested in this political question, Will the right give Obama ANY credit for this? (Imagine the cowboy hoots and cheering if Bush had been able to do it.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/asia/osama-bin-laden-is-killed.html
In a dramatic late-night appearance in the East Room of the White House, Mr. Obama declared that “justice has been done” as he disclosed that American military and C.I.A. operatives had finally cornered Bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader who had eluded them for nearly a decade. American officials said Bin Laden resisted and was shot in the head. He was later buried at sea. . . .

Dubya: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/05/statement_from_fmr_prez_bush.php
Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001. I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. . . .

GOP 2012ers manage NOT to mention the President: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/2012-gopers-react-to-bin-ladens-killing.php

RNC: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/after-killing-of-bin-laden-reaction-pours-in
Today is a tremendous day for our nation and the world, but most importantly those who lost loved ones on that horrific day. Justice was delivered to a ruthless terrorist courtesy of men and women of the United States military. For nearly a decade, literally thousands of American service members, intelligence officers and civilians have made it their mission to capture or kill the mastermind of September 11th. Tonight we honor their work and congratulate them on a job well done.

The Freepers: http://mydd.com/2011/5/2/the-world-rejoices-the-american
An evil madman is dead and another is still in power at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. [read on]

From the left: http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/quote-of-the-day-7/
I’ve seen this Mark Twain line dug up by a number of people: “I’ve never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.”

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/im-not-thaqt-concerned-about-him.html

http://www.samefacts.com/2011/05/terrorism-and-its-control/bin-ladens-death/

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/yes-bin-ladens-death-will-help-obama-but-for-how-long

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/01/obama_2012_bin_laden
This makes Obama a shoo-in for '12, right?

In other news:

Who’s to blame for the deficit?

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_05/029214.php
[T]he facts are incontrovertible, even if Republicans find them inconvenient. . . [read on]

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/deficits-are-choice-not-crisis.html

Missing Gitmo files?

http://my.firedoglake.com/valtin/2011/05/01/important-files-missing-in-wikileaks-guantanamo-release/

Inside the mind of Donald Trump (warning: it’s scary in there!)

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-donald-really-thinks.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/nyregion/after-roasting-trump-reacts-in-character.html

More: http://www.americablog.com/2011/05/bankruptcy-and-other-trump-failures.html
Top Ten Trump Failures

Wow – how loony do you have to be when even Fox News won’t swallow your b.s.?

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/bachmann-claims-nato-killed-30000-civilians-
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) got her facts confused Sunday . . . The Minnesota congresswoman told Fox News' Chris Wallace that NATO airstrikes had killed up to 30,000 civilians in the country. . . . [read on]

In case you missed the Sunday talk shows

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/05/ryan-if-you-want-to-good-at-these-jobs-youve-got-to-be-willing-to-lose-the-job.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/01/tv-soundoff-sunday-talkin_n_855971.html

Bonus item: Heh, heh

http://firedoglake.com/2011/05/01/obmama-interrupts-celebrity-apprentice-to-announce-osama-bin-laden-is-dead/
Obama Interrupts Celebrity Apprentice to Announce Osama Bin Laden is Dead

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Sunday, May 01, 2011

HELL TO PAY

Let’s talk about subsidies for Big Oil

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/30/970782/-BP-profits-soar,-predicts-it-soon-will-resume-drilling-in-Gulf-of-Mexico
BP profits soar, predicts it soon will resume drilling in Gulf of Mexico

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/obama-instead-of-subsidizing-yesterdays-energy-we-should-invest-in-tomorrows.php
Obama: 'Instead Of Subsidizing Yesterday's Energy, We Should Invest In Tomorrow's'

Things it is easy to say when, you know, you don’t actually have to accept responsibility for anything

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/sarah-palin-gets-her-message-across-
[Sarah Palin] Hells no. I would not vote to increase that debt ceiling. Otherwise it just shows the American public we're not serious yet. We're still gonna incur more debt. No. And we don't have to increase the debt ceiling here in the next few weeks. It turns my stomach . . . [read on]

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/michele-bachmann-i-would-have-congress-pas
Michele Bachmann: 'I Would Have Congress Pass a Mother of All Repeal Bills'

http://www.americablog.com/2011/04/donald-china-is-raping-america-trump.html
Donald "China is raping America" Trump clothing line made in China

Mr. Serious: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_04/029207.php

Birther conspiracy peddlers declare victory (thanks to Digby for the link)

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=292213#ixzz1Kts5Iw3i

As dependable as the sunrise: a natural disaster strikes, and the theocrats want to use it as an excuse to say God is punishing us for something

http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/apparently-gods-wrath-was-directed-t

Sunday talk show line-ups

http://firedoglake.com/2011/05/01/sunday-talking-heads-may-1-2011/
ABC’s This Week: At home with the Chair of the House Budget Committee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). Roundtable: George Will, Arianna Huffington, David Stockman, Chrystia Freeland. Then, Arab spring.

CBS’ Face The Nation: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Gov. Robert Bentley (R-AL). Then, Michael Gerson, Michael Eric Dyson.

CNN’s State of the Union: The political consequences of entitlement reform, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Plus, “President Obama’s national security shuffle” with former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and former Rep. Jane Harman. Education Roundtable: the former superintendent of Denver public schools, Sen. Michael Bennet (R-CO); the former U.S. Secretary of Education, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN); CNN education contributor and the founder of the Capitol Preparatory Magnet School, Steve Perry; and the president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten. Ends with Larry King and Alzheimers.

NBC’s Meet The Press: Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I-NY), Virginia Governor and Vice-Chair of the Republican Governor’s Association, Bob McDonnell (R-VA), and Former White House Senior Advisor, David Axelrod, “on the changing 2012 political landscape and the “Trump Effect” in the current discourse.” Then, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). Ending with Seth Meyers, host of the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Bonus item: Trumped!

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/obama-zings-trump-at-gala/
Many of President Obama’s friends and foes alike got shellacked — as expected — on Saturday night when Mr. Obama took to the stage at the gussied-up White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton. But none so much as Mr. Trump, reality television star, birther and Republican presidential aspirant. . .

As a hair-gelled, grimly unsmiling Mr. Trump sat at a nearby table — a guest of the Washington Post — Mr. Obama ripped one punch after another at the real estate tycoon.

“Donald Trump is here tonight,” the comedian in chief said, grinning. “Now, I know that he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is prouder to put this birth certificate to rest than The Donald. Now he can get to focusing on the issues that matter. Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened at Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?” . . .

“All kidding aside, we all know about your credentials and experience,” Mr. Obama said, as people in the room either chortled or grimaced nervously, all depending on their proximity to Mr. Trump.

In “Celebrity Apprentice,” Mr. Obama told Mr. Trump, teeth flashing, “the men’s cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha steaks, but you recognized that this was a lack of leadership, so you fired Gary Busey.”

“These,” Mr. Obama said, “are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well-handled, sir. Well-handled.”

***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.***