From Scout: Well Holden christened the new press secretary today….Pony Blow. Oddly enough the moniker is also befitting of this video Keith Olberman dug up. Or maybe it’s vice versa. At any rate this is well…awful: VIDEO NO Longer Available SORRY Continue reading No title is worthy
Al Swearengen: Pain or damage don’t end the world. Or despair or fucking beatings. The world ends when you’re dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man… and give some back. — Deadwood Milch on TV, Osama, Bush and Iraq: He likened the media coverage during the beginning of the war in Iraq with that of a “three-week miniseries with a beginning, middle and end,” where the ending was the act of the Iraqis tearing down the statue of Saddam Hussein. “When the series was over, the president’s approval rating was 98% — that … Continue reading Milch
From Scout: From Knight Ridder: With President Bush’s popularity tanking to all-time lows, and Vice President Dick Cheney’s approval ratings even lower, Laura Bush is filling a vacuum and becoming a strong political money machine, raising cash for GOP candidates and venturing into districts where her husband might be political poison. The first lady is riding a wave of popularity. Americans gave her an 82 percent approval rating in a January CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, among the highest ratings Gallup’s ever recorded for any first lady. She fared well across party lines, with 97 percent of Republicans, 81 percent of independents … Continue reading Leave George at Home
From Holden: From Jason Leopold, who has been scooping up Plame case leads like Brooks Robinson in his heyday. Karl Rove’s appearance before a grand jury in the CIA leak case Wednesday comes on the heels of a “target letter” sent to his attorney recently by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, signaling that the Deputy White House Chief of Staff may face imminent indictment, sources that are knowledgeable about the probe said Wednesday. Hat-tip to Eshaton commenter MissusB. Looks like Rove’s button proved to be prophetic. Continue reading Buh-Bye, Karl
From Holden:
Scottie may be a short-timer, but there’s no way he’s going to give a straight answer to any question about Karl Rove.
Q Scott, Karl Rove is making his fifth appearance in front of the grand jury today. And I’m wondering how you would characterize its effect on the administration? Is it a disruption, a distraction?
MR. McCLELLAN: Jim, I have no new information on that matter, and even if I did have new information, I wouldn’t be in position to share it with you, as you know.
Q We have confirmation that he’s making his appearance, so I’m just wondering if you can tell me, not in any kind of judicial way, but if you can tell me just in terms of its effect on the business of the administration?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, as you know, there’s a policy we have in this administration. That policy hasn’t changed. Does anyone else have questions on this topic matter?
Q Yes, Scott, I’ll jump in on that one. I think the question is just if you can give us a comment, just the daily workings and whether this —
MR. McCLELLAN: No, my answer is what I just — my answer is what I just gave you. This administration remains focused on the priorities of the American people.
Go ahead.
[snip]
Q Would you mind my going back to Rove for just one brief moment? Had Mr. Rove alerted Josh Bolten prior to his decision to change Rove’s duties here at the White House —
MR. McCLELLAN: He already answered that. I told you I didn’t have any new information on it.
Q My question is had he notified him of today’s appearance prior to the change in his duties?
MR. McCLELLAN: That decision was made based on what I told you all previously.
[snip]
Q Going back to Karl Rove, was the decision made it was potentially too embarrassing to keep him in the position of the policy portfolio, as well as the politics portfolio, and that that was why he was moved out of it — knowing that these grand jury appearances and what might follow was coming up?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, he remains very involved in the policy aspect of things. I have made that very clear. And the reasons why the decision was made, in terms of now having three deputy chiefs of staff, as opposed to previously, when we had two, were for the reasons that I talked to you about on that very day.
The gaggle continues, Read More…
Continue reading “Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle”
From Holden: Ha! Too funny. The Senate voted Wednesday to divert some of the money President Bush requested for the war in Iraq to instead increase patrols against illegal immigrants on the nation’s borders and provide the Coast Guard with new boats and helicopters. Continue reading Let Chimpy Veto This One
A righteous bitch-slap of the sort that would greatly benefit Michelle Malkin’s favorite t-shirt artist: There’s not a one of us who’s covered wars and revolutions in other continents, whose families can’t tell you about the fear and sleepless nights that were an outgrowth of every one of those assignments. I don’t want to pretend that any one of us is or was something that we are not. I love reporting from overseas. So did Peter. So does Bob. But for all these years we have told our families and told ourselves that at least some of what we were … Continue reading Koppel For The Win
From Holden: Wow, we witnessed an overwhelming response to yesterday’s request for Tony Snow nicknames. I’m glad to see so many readers take an interest in keeping the gaggle posts running at a high level of quality. So many nicknames, and really I don’t intend to pick just one winner. I’ll probably call the new mouthpiece by whatever name suits me at the time, depending on my general mood and the tone of the gaggle that day. That said, I think I’ll begin with a nick suggested to me by B1 Bummer in the comment threads at Eschaton: Pony Blow. … Continue reading We Have A Nickname!
From Holden: Wonderful. Let’s be sure we spread sectarian conflict throughout the Middle East, why don’t we. The conflict in Iraq has begun to spill over onto this hardscrabble, sunburned swath of coast, breathing new life into the ancient rivalry between the country’s powerful Sunni Muslim majority and the long-oppressed Shiite minority in one of the most oil-rich areas of the world. “Saudi Sunnis are defending Iraqi Sunnis, and Saudi Shiites are defending Iraqi Shiites,” said Hassan Saffar, Saudi Arabia’s most influential Shiite cleric. “There’s a fear that it will cause a struggle here.” Continue reading Spreading Peeance and Freeance to Saudi Arabia
From Holden: Jeebus. The CIA has conducted more than 1,000 undeclared flights over European territory since 2001 — a clear violation of an international treaty, European Parliament investigators said Wednesday. Lawmakers investigating alleged illegal CIA activities in Europe also said incidents when terror suspects were handed over to U.S. agents did not appear to be isolated, and that the suspects often were transported by the same planes and groups of people. EU lawmakers presented a first preliminary report on their findings, working off data provided by Eurocontrol, the EU’s air safety agency, and information gathered during three months of hearings … Continue reading More Than 1,000 Secret Rendition Flights?
From Holden: Murray Waas on the leaky Senate Intelligence Committee Chair. [T]hree years ago on the eve of the invasion of Iraq, [Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat] Roberts himself was involved in disclosing sensitive intelligence information that, according to four former senior intelligence officers, impaired efforts to capture Saddam Hussein and potentially threatened the lives of Iraqis who were spying for the United States. On March 20, 2003, at the onset of military hostilities between U.S. and Iraqi forces, Roberts said in a speech to the National Newspaper Association that he had “been in touch with our intelligence community” and … Continue reading Prosecute Pat Roberts
From Holden: I was struck by one line of a story about Abu Ghraib prosecutions in today’s New York Times. The Army plans to charge Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan, the former head of the interrogation center at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, with dereliction of duty, lying to investigators and conduct unbecoming an officer, Army officials and a lawyer for the officer said on Tuesday. Colonel Jordan would be the highest-ranking officer at Abu Ghraib to face criminal charges in connection with the abuses at the prison. Ten low-ranking soldiers who served at the prison outside Baghdad have been … Continue reading Um, Not Quite The Last One
From Scout: From WaPo: In a show of support for Iraq’s emerging government, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld arrived in the capital unannounced Wednesday for meetings with Prime Minister-designate Jawad al-Maliki and other newly selected leaders. SNIP Rumsfeld’s press secretary, Eric Ruff, told reporters aboard the defense secretary’s flight from Washington that Rumsfeld’s trip was designed to convey President Bush’s encouragement at the latest steps toward putting in place Iraq’s first fully constitutional government since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime three years ago. “The president asked us to go and show support for their new government,” Ruff said. … Continue reading Rumsfeld goes to Iraq
From Scout: The Bush administration Tuesday formally asked Congress to approve the additional $2.2 billion experts say is needed to improve hurricane and storm protection for much of Southeastern Louisiana, but with the caveat that state and local taxpayers come up with a $270 million match. Bush asked that the money come out of the $9.4 billion requested for FEMA… Louisiana’s two senators, Democrat Mary Landrieu and Republican David Vitter, praised the White House announcement and said that they “could live” with the FEMA cuts. Vitter said that most FEMA disaster spending is mandated by law and that Congress will … Continue reading Bush formally requests levee money
Thrills to this news. Not that it would have made much difference, anyway. If you told me my morning coffee made a limb fall off every time I drank a cup, I’d think, “Hmm, four more days of it, then.” A. Continue reading My Inner Caffeine Addict
From Holden:
In today’s gaggle you can tell by the questions that Chimpy’s Fabutastic Energy Plan ain’t for shit.
Q Scott, let me try one before Mr. Hubbard. What do you think the impact is going to be at the pump of relaxing environmental rules, and how soon do you think that will show up?
Q Well, so are you saying that you don’t think there is going to be a significant impact on prices?
Q A lot of Americans are going to listen to what the President had to say today; they’re going to digest the four-point plan, and the first question is going to be, that’s fine; what does it mean dollars and cents to me in the near-term, this summer when they gas up to go on vacation? So can you give us any indication as to that will translate to — rough dollars and cents — in terms of a difference —
Q Scott, so given China and India’s demand and these other things you list, it seems unlikely that Americans will see any difference at the pump any time soon, certainly not this summer.
Q So it’s unlikely that Americans will see any lowering of gas prices this summer or even in the fall?
Q To follow up on his previous question. Do you not know what these — the effect of these steps will be on gasoline prices, or are you just not —
Q Does the administration not know —
Do you want to know what the difference is between Mary McCarthy and Scotter Libby? So does the press corps — click Read More.
Continue reading “Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle”
From Holden: Damn, I went looking for today’s gaggle transcript and found Little Scottie had posted a second gaggle transcript from yesterday. Looks like Scottie is doing his best to confuse the press corps. Q I’m a little confused. MR. McCLELLAN: We don’t want you to be confused. Q Yes, I know. The President has repeatedly said that the cause for high gas prices is high global demand for oil. So what makes him suspect that there’s been any price manipulation when he already thinks that global forces are pushing up the price of oil? MR. McCLELLAN: It’s important to … Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle
From Scout: Michelle Malkin is getting into videoblogging with a new site called Hot Air. The mission according to Malkin… Our mission at Hot Air is to: * Expose new viewers to the revolutionary world of videoblogging, animation, and Internet broadcasting; * Recruit dynamic, enterprising people with creative skills from across the country to help us challenge (and CONQUER!) the dinosaur broadcast media outlets; * Laugh. Report. Laugh. Entertain. Laugh. Inform. Laugh. Make money. Did we say laugh? Did she say Make Money? Continue reading Malkin launches new site
From Holden: Freedom gets laid! A free Iraq will be a part of laying the peace for generations to come. Continue reading Your President Speaks!
From Scout: Go read this story and check out the pics at DKos on a landfill piling up with Katrina debris. (hat tip to Ripley) Continue reading For Rose Jackson
From Scout:
When Bush spoke in Jackson Square he said this on poverty….
Our third commitment is this: When communities are rebuilt, they must be even better and stronger than before the storm. Within the Gulf region are some of the most beautiful and historic places in America. As all of us saw on television, there’s also some deep, persistent poverty in this region, as well. That poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action.
And here is some bold action…..
WASHINGTON — U.S. Housing Secretary Alphonso Jackson shed little light Monday on the future of public housing in hurricane-battered New Orleans, but said that “only the best residents” of the former St. Thomas housing complex should be allowed into the new mixed-income development that replaced it.
(continues….click Read More)
From Holden: Wow. Just, wow. The handwriting is all over the fucking wall now. Democrats outdid Republicans last year in attracting political donations from investment banks, brokerages and fund managers for the first time since 1994, helped by support from hedge funds and companies such as Merrill Lynch & Co. Democrats got $13.6 million, or 52 percent of the financial industry’s $26.3 million in political donations in 2005, said the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan Washington group that researches the influence of money on elections and public policy. In the two years leading up to the 2004 presidential election, … Continue reading Wall Street Turns Blue
From Holden: Athens Yiorgos Karahalis/Reuters Continue reading Not Fonda’ Conda
One hundred and forty-one, to be freed, after four years: GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL STATION, Cuba — The Pentagon plans to release nearly a third of those held at the jail for terror suspects here because they pose no threat to U.S. security, an official of the war crimes tribunal said Monday. Charges are pending against two dozen of the remaining 330 prisoners, the chief prosecutor said. But he left unclear why the majority face neither imminent freedom nor a day in court after as much as four years in custody without an indictment. One hundred and forty-one, we’re releasing because … Continue reading No Threat To Security
From Scout: I thought the levee funding had been decided when on April 12th Donald Powell announced this … Federal recovery Donald Powell said President Bush would ask Congress for another $2.5 billion to improve levees in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Charles which protect 98 percent of the local population. But Bush has not requested the $2.5 billion for levees yet…. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., however, said he is urging the administration to add another request: at least “a substantial down payment” on the $2.5 billion needed to bring the levees around metropolitan New Orleans up to 100-year … Continue reading The begging continues
From Holden: I see that 32% prompts some action. Under pressure to do something about high gasoline prices, President Bush on Tuesday announced a series of measures, among them temporarily halting deposits to the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve to make more oil available for consumer needs. Continue reading The Odor of Desperation
From Holden: Looks like the gaggle will be lead by Fox News infotainer Tony Snow. I need a nickname for the White House’s new mouthpiece. Little Scottie served me well for the past three years, at it described McClellan’s appearance, his intellect, and the amount of information he shared with the press and the public. So, what will I call Tony Snow. Tony Blow? Tony Snowjob? I’m open to your suggestions. Continue reading Official Tony Snow Nickname Contest
From Holden: RegimeChangeIran, a web site set up last year by wingers hoping to transfer our success in Iraq to neighboring Iran, is having problems. We are experiencing great difficulty in posting. It appears our web host is having serious server problems. We hope to catch up with our news as soon as possible. Frankly, I may have to move our blog. I already have a place to move to but I have not moved it due to the time and costs involved. If you would like to see this work continue and can help please do so. You may … Continue reading Trouble at the Mill
From Holden:
Zal sez we’re in Iraq for the long haul.
The U.S. ambassador in Iraq on Monday urged war-weary Americans to dig in for the long haul: a yearslong effort to transform Iraq and the surrounding region, now one of the world’s major trouble spots.
“We must, perhaps reluctantly, accept that we have to help this region become a normal region, the way we helped Europe and Asia in another era,” Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in an interview. “Now it’s this area from Pakistan to Morocco that we should focus on.”
Khalilzad, an Afghan immigrant to the U.S. who has for years advocated an aggressive effort to bring democracy to the Muslim world, predicted the long-term American effort to “shape the future of this region” will continue regardless of which party controls the White House, how many troops remain in Iraq and what tactics and strategies are employed.
While the Shiites and Kurds gird for war in the north.
KIRKUK, Iraq – Hundreds of Shiite Muslim militiamen have deployed in recent weeks to this restive city — widely considered the most likely flash point for an Iraqi civil war — vowing to fight any attempt to shift control over Kirkuk to the Kurdish-governed north, according to U.S. commanders and diplomats, local police and politicians.
Until recently, the presence of the militias here was minimal. U.S. officials have called the Shiite armed groups the deadliest threat to security in much of the country.
Story continues, click Read More.
From Holden: The Despoiler in Chief took a bike ride the day after Earth Day. He talks about it here. Congresswoman Mary Bono is with us today. Mary, thank you for being here. I just spent some quality time in her district, and I forgot to tell you that I had the privilege of riding my mountain bike in the desert, as well. The national monument that she helped put together to preserve open spaces — she’s got a lot of humility, she didn’t name the national monument after herself. If I were to name it I would say, Really … Continue reading Celebrating Earth Day