So here’s something that’s been bugging me for a good long while: If you wonder how attractive the Republican Party label is this year, consider that the tagline on DeWine’s ad is “Independent Fighter for Ohio Families.” The word independent is underlined, so you can’t miss it. So, I mean, of course these tools are gonna try to distance themselves from Bush. Why wouldn’t you? He’s radioactive. I personally can’t believe there’s like a third of people out there who don’t think the guy is a total waste of skin but listen, Battlestar Galactica didn’t get any major Emmy nominations … Continue reading Distance

From Holden: Via TPMMuckraker, we find a possible source of Katherine Harris’ odd behavior. Katherine Harris won’t quit, while fellow Republican primary contender LeRoy Collins announced 26 days ago that he’s starting the race. With a beaming smile and a Starbucks coffee cup in hand — “triple Venti, no fat, no foam, extra hot, with pink sugar”— Harris delivered her message of continuity during an Escambia Federated Republican Women’s Club luncheon Monday at New World Landing in Pensacola. Dayum. Continue reading A Jittery Juggernaut

From Holden:

Time once again to hold our noses and dive into Pony Blow’s shit. Today I detect a shift in Assministration policy.

And it’s important to realize also that we do regard a cease-fire as urgent.

Why, a scant two days ago Pony said the White House opposed an immediate cease fire.

Q On Lebanon, there seems to be two tracks that have emerged. There are those calling for an immediate cease-fire; there are those calling for a sustainable cease-fire. And the sustainable camp says there’s a risk — if you just call for an immediate, you’ll be back here in three weeks or three months. Isn’t it worth the risk if you stop innocent Israelis and Lebanese from being killed; isn’t it worth taking that risk while you try to bang out something more sustainable?

MR. SNOW: The question is whether that’s a fool’s errand, Jim. The idea that you suspend — number one, there’s a notion that somehow both sides are going to suspend, and we remain deeply skeptical that Hezbollah is going to abide by any such agreement.

Helen Thomas noticed the shift today as well.

Q Does the U.S. have a new sense of urgency about a cease-fire?

MR. SNOW: No, the U.S. has had a sense of urgency all along. Again, we dispatched diplomats to the region very shortly after this began. There is no new sense of urgency. There’s been a sense of urgency all along.

We have always been at war with Oceania, I suppose.

Obsession continues below…

Continue reading “Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle”

From Holden: Chimpy is slipping in Tennessee. A new poll indicates that fewer than half of Tennessee voters approve of the way George W. Bush is handling the presidency and the war in Iraq. Forty-three percent of respondents to a poll conducted last week gave President Bush an excellent or good job approval rating. That compares with a 58 percent approval rate in an October 2004 survey in Tennessee by the same polling firm. “The approval rating for Tennessee is probably five to seven points higher than it is nationally,“ said Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon Polling & Research … Continue reading More Fun With Polls

From Holden: CNN.com replaced the image of Condi in tears with this one: It’s a bad day to be a Soviet expert stalling peace in the Middle East. The AP chimes in. Continue reading CNN Must Have It In For Condi Today

From Holden: The current CNN online poll question is: Should a pregnant girl be able to get an abortion without either parent knowing? Yes No Damn, could they come up with a more objectionable question? How many aspects of this question make you sick? I’ll start: 1) If the “girl” in question was an Iraqi who had been raped and murdered by a US soldier would she magically become a woman? 2) Should a “boy” be allowed to impregnate a “girl” without either parent knowing? 3) What differentiates a “girl” from a “woman”, and can a “pregnant girl” be called … Continue reading Let Me Count the Ways

From Holden: Mine: “Newt called me stupid.” Alternative caption: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reacts when informed that Israeli laser-guided bombs destroyed the entire Prada collection at the Beruit Macy’s. Image found (briefly, before they take it down) at CNN.com. Continue reading Caption Contest

From Holden: National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley briefs the press on Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki’s Washington visit yesterday. Q The U.S. could not have a newer ally in that region than Maliki, and today he was asked his view on Hezbollah and he did not answer that question directly. In your private conversations, did you have any sense of why he did not more publicly state a view on Hezbollah? And should we infer that he does not share the President’s view on that group? MR. HADLEY: I don’t know why you would infer that. He asked the question, and … Continue reading Stephen Hadley Thinks You Are An Idiot

From Holden: Dick Cheney, Richard Perle, and Newt Gingrich finally come to the same conclusion that the left side of the blogosphere reached years ago: Condoleezza Rice in incompetent. Conservative national security allies of President Bush are in revolt against Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, saying that she is incompetent and has reversed the administration’s national security and foreign policy agenda. [snip] “The president has yet to understand that people make policy and not the other way around,” a senior national security policy analyst said. “Unlike [former Secretary of State Colin] Powell, Condi is loyal to the president. She is … Continue reading Finally Coming Around

From Holden: … from the UN? An Israeli airstrike hit a United Nations post in southern Lebanon late Tuesday, killing at least two of the agency’s observers, according to the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon. The U.N. initially reported that four peacekeepers were dead, but later said there were two dead and two missing. The observers were Austrian, Finnish, Canadian and Chinese, Lebanese security sources said. [snip] U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was “deeply distressed” by the “apparently deliberate” strike. “This coordinated artillery and aerial attack on a long-established and clearly marked U.N. post at Khiyam occurred despite personal … Continue reading Israel Has A Right to Defend Herself…

From Holden: New Field Poll of California registered voters. Bush Job Approval: 32% Approval of Bush’s Handling of His Vanity War: 28% In Favor of Cut-n-Run: 58% US on Wrong Track: 60% Approval of Bush’s Handling of Economy: 38% Continue reading Chimpy Gets Californicated

From Scout: FEMA felt the heat. They now say they will reverse their policy (see previous post) of requiring a FEMA rep to be present when the press interviews residents at camps according to The Advocate…. “You pointed out some very good points that we shouldn’t be trying to muzzle the press,” Stark said Tuesday of why the policy was changed. The new policy, put into place Tuesday “will allow media full access to the group site trailer parks” without representatives of FEMA accompanying them, he said. Reporters and photographers will have to produce “valid media credentials” before they are … Continue reading FEMA bows to pressure….reverses media policy in camps

From Scout: I like to go read the articles at the Department of Defense website where a weird combination of fairy dust, acid and Orwell prevail. This is the opening of an article from yesterday titled “Afghan Security Forces Gaining Capability, Spokesman Says” WASHINGTON, July 25, 2006 – While the enemy will continue to resist the will of the government and more violence is expected, the Afghan National Army and National Police are gaining capability by the day, a Combined Forces Command Afghanistan spokesman said today. Then I also go to Stars and Stripes often because you can learn some … Continue reading NeverlandMerry Pranksters1984

Hell yeah. A. Continue reading Happy Democrat Photo: Repeal Edition

From Scout: Politicians and the Society of Professional Journalists are expressing outrage over FEMA not allowing residents in FEMA camps to speak freely with the press. ( see earlier post) Here are some quotes… From U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner “You don’t lose your fundamental rights just because you’re living in temporary housing. It’s an outrageous pattern of behavior.” “How in the world can you stop someone in their home from talking to whomever they want?” Jindal asked. “It’s a freedom of speech issue; it’s a freedom of association issue.” “To try and defend the behavior and say that was … Continue reading Outrage over FEMA not allowing camp residents to speak freely to press

From Holden: Via Charles Pierce we learn the following about Pony Blow. During the civil-rights era, he went through what he calls “my obligatory hippie phase,” skipping school to protest the Vietnam War and clashing with his father, a military veteran, though he would soon develop distinctly conservative views. Continue reading The Kind of Person Bush Despises

From Holden: More bad news from the housing market. Sales of existing homes fell in June for the eighth time in the past 10 months while home prices edged up at the slowest pace in more than a decade — more signs that the housing market has slowed dramatically. The National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday that sales of previously owned homes and condominiums dropped 1.3 percent in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.62 million units. Continue reading End of the Bubble

From Holden: Chimpy’s job approval rating fell five points overnight in the latest Rasmussen poll, from 42% yesterday to 37% today. Continue reading Holy Bush Bounce!

From Scout: This is outrageous. Residents at FEMA camps were not allowed to speak to the press without FEMA reps present. And it’s FEMA policy…. The Federal Emergency Management Agency prohibits journalists from having unsupervised interviews with Hurricane Katrina victims who have been relocated to FEMA trailer parks, according to a report in the Baton Rouge Advocate (7/15/06). “If a resident invites the media to the trailer, they have to be escorted by a FEMA representative who sits in on the interview,” FEMA spokesperson Rachel Rodi is quoted in the article. “That’s just a policy.” The Advocate report, by reporter … Continue reading FEMA camps residents not allowed to talk to press without US minders

From Holden: Yesterday Pony Blow explained the Assministration’s thinking on a cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel: they don’t want one just now. Q On Lebanon, there seems to be two tracks that have emerged. There are those calling for an immediate cease-fire; there are those calling for a sustainable cease-fire. And the sustainable camp says there’s a risk — if you just call for an immediate, you’ll be back here in three weeks or three months. Isn’t it worth the risk if you stop innocent Israelis and Lebanese from being killed; isn’t it worth taking that risk while you try … Continue reading Agree to Disagree

From Scout: After almost one year the victims are still being counted. The death toll in Louisiana increased by three. The toll for LA now stands at 1580 The number of missing is 145 Continue reading Katrina Death Toll increases again

From Holden: Is there no weapon our Israeli clients will not use against Lebanese civilians? Israel has used artillery-fired cluster munitions in populated areas of Lebanon, Human Rights Watch said today. Researchers on the ground in Lebanon confirmed that a cluster munitions attack on the village of Blida on July 19 killed one and wounded at least 12 civilians, including seven children. Human Rights Watch researchers also photographed cluster munitions in the arsenal of Israeli artillery teams on the Israel-Lebanon border. “Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human … Continue reading Israeli War Crimes, Part I: Cluster Bombs

From Holden: Words alone are insufficient to describe the depraved minds advocating these tactics on behalf of Israel. About 55 percent of all casualties at the Beirut Government University Hospital are children of 15 years of age or less, hospital records show. “This is worse than during the Lebanese civil war,” Bilal Masri, assistant director of the hospital, one of Beirut’s largest, told IPS Monday. [snip] The fatality rate was high, he said, “because the Israelis are using new kinds of bombs which can enter shelters. They are bombing the bomb shelters which are full of refugees.” Masri told IPS … Continue reading Israeli War Crimes Part II: Bunker-Busters and White Phosphorus

From Holden: I read many oral histories of American World War II veterans, and am often struck by the shock and horror they experienced while witnessing German attacks on field hospitals and ambulances clearly marked with the Red Cross. America’s client state has embraced this Nazi practice. So Kasim Shaalan, who thought nothing more could shock him in this 13-day war, was shocked Sunday night when he closed the rear door of his ambulance and it exploded, seriously wounding two patients inside. “When we drove our ambulances before, even if the bombs fell close to us, we were not afraid,” … Continue reading Israeli War Crimes, Part III: Targeting Ambulances

From Holden: Chimpy’s job approval rating tumbles to 37%, down from 40% earlier this month, in the latest Gallup poll. Other interesting tid-bits from Gallup: Fewer than 4 in 10 Americans approve of the way Bush is handling the economy (39%), foreign affairs (38%), the situation in the Middle East (37%), or the situation in Iraq, on which Bush scores the lowest, at 35%. [snip] Americans’ approval of how Bush is handling terrorism has declined four points, from 51% in the June poll to 47% in the latest poll. Continue reading Bush Falls to 37% in Gallup Poll

From Holden: Arlen Specter wants to sue Chimpy over his unconstitutional singing statements? Watch me turn blue holding my breath. Yo, Arlen (if I may use the preferred presidentinal greeting) – in your battles against your president, you might want to pay as much attention to what he fails to tell you as you do to what he does tell you. The Bush administration acknowledged yesterday that it had long known about Pakistan’s plans to build a large plutonium-production reactor, but it said the White House was working to dissuade Pakistan from using the plant to expand its nuclear arsenal. … Continue reading Boy Named Sue

Sigh. In an election year, it will be difficult for most congressmen to support shield legislation. The public perception is that such a law would further embolden the press to use confidential sources. The public is angry at The Times for publishing the financial surveillance story — a result that likely wasn’t considered sufficiently by The Times and now diminishes aspects for shield law legislation. Yeah, “the public” is really pissed. Fifteen whole people are cheesed off. Fifteen pathetic people with homemade signs and a half-dozen confused onlookers who thought the Klan was accusing a day spa of promoting terrorism. … Continue reading It Burns Us

Kurtz is fucking nauseating. Lake Ridge, Va.: Hi Howard — I heard a rumor that the U.S. is still fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Can that be true? The media is only talking about Israel and Lebanon. The fact is that more people have died in the past week in Iraq than in Lebanon. Bring the media focus back to what really matters to Americans. Howard Kurtz: I happen to believe that Iraq has gotten short shrift over the last two weeks. For television, in particular, most of the reporters who were in Iraq are now in Israel and … Continue reading Repetitive Quality

From Holden:

Today Pony Blow explains why we hate peace.

Q To sort of follow on Jim’s point, when so many other world leaders and entities are saying we need a more immediate cease-fire, and the U.S. persists in this view that it must be sustainable, is it not then for people to infer that the U.S. views that crushing Hezbollah is more important than the short-term loss of civilian lives and civilian structures?

MR. SNOW: No. Again, I think what you’re posing is a false choice. If you can guarantee for us that Hezbollah somehow would stop rocketing, then maybe you’d have a point. But Hezbollah started this. You’ve got to keep in mind, the aggressor in this case is not Israel, it’s Hezbollah. Hezbollah crossed over into Israeli territory and kidnapped two soldiers. It has been rocketing Israel, but it has been ratcheting up in recent days. Nasrallah has made it pretty obvious that he considers a war against Israel, and as a consequence, I think a lot of people — look, we would like a cease-fire tomorrow, we would like a cease-fire immediately, but it has to be a cease-fire that is going to stand the test of time so that people in that region — and people in Lebanon in particular, a country that has been hard hit by occupying forces and by frustrations of its democratic aspirations, deserves a shot in having the freedom and democracy its people deserve. And the only way that’s going to be possible is if there is no longer an internal threat of the sort that we’ve witnessed in recent weeks.

Obsession continues, Read More…

Continue reading “Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle”