Via Gilliard: Glenn. Glenn Glenn Glenn Glenn Glenn. ABORTION AND SPOUSAL NOTIFICATION: As several people point out, that’s going to be an issue with regard to Alito. I’m not sure what I think about this issue, but looking at the Pennsylvania statute I notice a lot of exceptions, one of which is this: “Her spouse is not the father of the child.” I’m not sure about Pennsylvania, but in many states her spouse — even if he’s not the father of the child — would still be on the hook for child support. Likewise, if he didn’t want children, but … Continue reading Glenn Reynolds and the Gooey Kablooey

From Holden: There’s blood on the floor of the James S. Brady Briefing Room today. Q Let me just follow up on an aspect of this and try it again here. On October 7, 2003, you were asked about a couple of the key players here, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, as well as another administration official who has not figured in the investigation, so far as we know. And you said the following, “There are unsubstantiated accusations that are made, and that’s exactly what happened in the case of these three individuals,” including Rove and Libby. “They’re good individuals, … Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle

From Holden: USA Today: A USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday shows that a solid majority of Americans, 55%, now judge Bush’s presidency to be a failure. [snip] When Gallup asked in 1993 whether the first President Bush’s tenure was a success or failure, 53% called it a success even though he had been defeated for re-election a year before. During Clinton’s presidency, a majority never called his tenure a failure. Only once, after the health care debacle in 1994, did a plurality say it was a failure, by 50%-44%. In January 1999, after he had been impeached by … Continue reading Miserable Failure

From Holden: Consumer spending declined in September, the seond month in a row. U.S. consumer spending dropped for a second month in September when adjusted for inflation, the first back-to-back decline in 15 years and a sign that rising fuel costs left Americans with less money for shopping. Personal spending adjusted for inflation, which strips away the rise in energy prices, fell 0.4 percent after falling 1 percent in August, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. Before the adjustment, spending rose 0.5 percent last month after a 0.5 drop in August. [snip] “Consumer spending was really slowing down a … Continue reading My Bush Boom Hired Harriet Miers As Its Personal Lawyer

From Holden: I’d like to think I’m some great original thinker but I suppose I’m not. A reporter recalled to McClellan that the President thought Harriet Miers was the best for the job, and asked, “Does that mean that Judge Alito is second best?” Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle Summary

From Holden: REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci Continue reading Buenos Aires Welcomes Bush

From Holden: I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, who resigned as Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff last week after being indicted in the CIA leak investigation, will be arraigned this Thursday, CBS News has learned. Link. We’re going to get these periodic reminders of the Bush Assministration’s treason for some time to come. Betcha Libby will plead out before airing this in open court. Continue reading It’s Only Just Begun

From Holden: We’re witnessing a sudden increase in US casualties in Iraq since the constitutional referendum, with 94 US soldiers and Marines dead in October (the largest monthly total since January) and 2024 dead since the war began. More than half of the US servicemen and women killed in October died after the constitutional referendum. So much for turning the corner. Continue reading The Post-Constitution Boom

From Holden: Looks like Chimpy’s back-up pick for the Sumpreme Court is Sam Alito. But is this country ready for a Supreme Court justice who is less qualified thatn Harriet Miers? Your President wouldn’t lie to you, would he? Q Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, of all the people in the United States you had to choose from, is Harriet Miers the most qualified to serve on the Supreme Court? THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Otherwise I wouldn’t have put her on. Your President and First Lady wouldn’t lie to Matt Lauer, would they? Q You said she [Harriet Miers] is … Continue reading New Supreme Court Nominee Less Qualified than Miers

Neigh! For your very own pony, click here. It’s the perfect belated Fitzmas gift. A. Continue reading Holden’s Stable’s Getting Crowded

Frank Rich lays it out: There are many other mysteries to be cracked, from the catastrophic, almost willful failure of the Pentagon to plan for the occupation of Iraq to the utter ineptitude of the huge and costly Department of Homeland Security that was revealed in all its bankruptcy by Katrina. There are countless riddles, large and small. Why have the official reports on detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo spared all but a single officer in the chain of command? Why does Halliburton continue to receive lucrative government contracts even after it’s been the focus of multiple federal … Continue reading Unanswered Questions

Chicago Tribune, in which any leak story is gonna be buried in favor of World Series ticker-tape parade coverage, nonetheless calls this one a wallop to the White House: As much as anything, the fact that the leak case continues on is troublesome for the White House. It keeps alive for a year or more the question of whether the U.S. should have gone to war, and focuses on actions by officials at the highest level, including the vice president. While Friday’s results fell short of worst-case scenarios, they were negative enough to darken the political clouds hanging over the … Continue reading Instaspin

Both barrels. “This is not only an abuse of power, it is an un-American abuse of the public trust. As Americans, we must hold ourselves and our leaders to a higher standard. We cannot fear dissent. We cannot fear the truth. And we cannot tolerate those who do. “More importantly, we can’t ignore the glaring questions this case has raised about the rationale the Bush Administration used to send us to war in Iraq, a war that continues. American soldiers are still in harms way. Over 2,000 brave Americans have lost their lives, thousands of American soldiers have been wounded, … Continue reading Happy Howard Photo: BOOM Edition

So Fitzmas has arrived, champagne’s been drunk, presents opened, your brother’s pasted a bow on his head, your uncle Pete just barfed into the potted fern, the truck you bought for your kid has been discarded in favor of the box it came in which is providing endless amusement … now what? Well, for starters, as we heard from Fitz this afternoon, this ain’t over. And don’t be fooled by his aw-shucks demeanor into thinking what he’s got on his plate still is no big deal. If he’s pursuing this through Cheney’s office, he’s going all the way through Cheney’s … Continue reading Official A

From Tena: I will never forget the night of the election last November. I will never forget that sudden turn-around, between 8:30 and 9:00, CST. I started crying at about 9 that night. I cried myself to sleep. I woke up crying the next day and I cried all day long, and cried myself to sleep again. The same thing on Thursday. I didn’t stop completely until late Friday afternoon. My husband was getting worried. I haven’t cried that much since my mother died. I was crying because I knew that the Truth had lost the election, and Lies had … Continue reading I have something to say to the Republicans

From Holden: Plame was covert. Suck it, wingers! Joseph Wilson was married to Valerie Plame Wilson (Valerie Wilson). At all relevant times from January 1, 2002 through July 2003, Valerie Wilson was employed by the CIA, and her employment status was classified. Prior to July 14, 2003, Valerie Wilson’s affiliation with the CIA was not common knowledge outside the intelligence community. Continue reading Treason, Bitch!

Reid: “This case is bigger than the leak of highly classified information. It is about how the Bush White House manufactured and manipulated intelligence in order to bolster its case for the war in Iraq and to discredit anyone who dared to challenge the president. “It’s now time for President Bush to lead and answer the very serious questions raised by this investigation. The American people have already paid too steep a price as a result of misconduct at the White House, and they deserve better.” A. Continue reading Harry!

Paul Begala just said on CNN that this is going on and on and on, and said it was dangerous for the Vice President. And Terry Jeffrey of Human Events blithers back about British Intelligence, Joe Wilson, etc., and you can just see the Republican strategy backfiring. Complicated defenses don’t defuse simple attacks. They don’t. Nobody gives a shit beyond the first sentence. That’s what they bet on with the Swift Boat veterans, that’s what they bet on with gay marriage, and now it’s biting them on the ass, HARD. Read the indictment and other documents and see for yourself. … Continue reading Indictments

From Holden: Oh my fucking god! The White House’s official transcript of Chimpy’s little speech today actaully includes heckling of Dear Leader! THE PRESIDENT: In the four years since September the 11th, the evil that reached our shores has reappeared on other days, in other places — in Mombasa and Casablanca and Riyadh and Jakarta and Istanbul and Madrid, in Beslan and Taba and Netanya and Baghdad, and elsewhere. In the past few months, we have seen a new terror offensive with attacks on London, and Sharm el-Sheikh, and a deadly bombing in Bali once again. AUDIENCE MEMBER: Mr. President, … Continue reading End Times

1. No, it doesn’t hurt them to hold them like that. 2. Yes, the antlers do come off. 3. Yes, we are expecting that when the revolution comes this image will be used to justify the ferrets’ violent overthrow of the human regime. 4. But it’s Fitzmas, and we wanted them to share in the celebration. A. Continue reading Friday Ferretblogging: Fitzmas Edition

Steve explains. BTW, those of you who monitor conservoblogs like the Power Tools and others, feel free to post gems of commentary and insanity when you find them. A. Continue reading Why Libby Matters

From Holden: In Florida, yesterday: And it’s an amazing spirit after a disaster, and that spirit is the spirit of people willing to give of their time. I think the Fitzmas spirit is about to persuade Irving L. “Scooter” Libby to give some of his time. Continue reading Stirring Words from Your President

From Holden: You be the judge. Kennedy assasination figure David Ferrie: Bush appologist/fascist sibling Bay Buchanan: Continue reading Seperated at Birth

Enough with the stupid pet tricks. If they know enough about Rove and Libby’s involvement in the leak to know they have to line up replacements for them in case they’re indicted, they know enough to know Rove and Libby are risks to our national security and should no longer be working for the government. Fire them now. Restoring honor and dignity my shiny metal ass. A. Continue reading FIRE THEM

From Holden: Let’s not forget the hot water in which Tom DeLay finds himself submerged. A Texas grand jury asked Thursday for all e-mail sent and received in 2002 by three indicted associates of Rep. Tom DeLay as part of an investigation into an alleged campaign finance scheme. The latest subpoenas request correspondence to and from e-mail addresses belonging to John D. Colyandro, James W. Ellis and Warren RoBold. The grand jury did not ask DeLay to provide any e-mail. [snip] Among the information being requested by the grand jury are records from DeLay’s political committee in Texas, including billing … Continue reading Speaking of Indictments…

From Holden: A nice little present we can savor until St. Fitz arrives. In a case that some have called a showdown over voting rights, a U.S. appeals court yesterday upheld an injunction barring the state of Georgia from enforcing a law requiring citizens to get government-issued photo identification in order to vote. The ruling allows thousands of Georgians who do not have government-issued identification, such as driver’s licenses and passports, to vote in the Nov. 8 municipal elections without obtaining a special digital identification card, which costs $20 for five years. In prior elections, Georgians could use any one … Continue reading Stocking Stuffer

How much severance should Judy Miller receive? New York Times reporter Judith Miller is in talks to sever her ties with the paper, an ignoble end to a 28-year run that has brought the paper significant prize and peril. According to a lawyer familiar with the matter, the talks were at a standstill late yesterday because of a wide gap between Miller’s demands and The Times’ offer for her to leave. Let me do some quick math. She lied to her editors. Look. You can fuck up, as a reporter. You can get something wrong, you can get something really … Continue reading To Sever

From Holden: Today’s gaggle was all about Harriet. I think I can boil it down to one succinct question. Q Is it safe to say the next nominee is not going to be a White House employee? (Laughter.) Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle

From Holden: The fabulous watertiger observed yesterday that Chimpy has lost the photographers, and is she right or what? U.S. President George W. Bush attends the White House Conference on Helping Americas Youth at Howard University in Washington, October 27, 2005. The President made the appearance shortly after accepting Harriet Miers withdrawal from being considered for the position of Associate Supreme Court Justice. [emphasis added] REUTERS/Larry Downing Continue reading He’s Lost the Photographers