From Scout: CNN International reporting that Israel has attacked Beirut Airport. It was an air attack. Continue reading Breaking

From Scout: This sucks… New Orleans has pulled itself out of the running for the upcoming 2008 Democratic National Convention because it does not have the corporate backing to fund the growing event, convention officials said Wednesday. The city was one of four finalists, all of which put in a formal bid to host the convention. New Orleans Convention and Tourism President Steve Perry said the city would have needed to raise $70 million to host the event, money which generally comes from big Fortune 500 companies. Perry said in a post-storm environment, New Orleans does not have any of … Continue reading New Orleans Not to Host ’08 Democratic Convention

From Scout: Legislation from Lieberman and Collins to change FEMA passed in the Senate last night. From NYT…. The Senate voted 87 to 11 Tuesday night to create a new federal entity to replace the much-criticized Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Senate’s action came in the form of an amendment to the domestic security budget bill. The new agency, called the Emergency Management Authority, would remain in the Homeland Security Department into which FEMA, which once had cabinet status, was merged in 2003. But in times of major disasters, the new agency would report directly to the president. But the … Continue reading Lieberman/Collins just leave it alone

From Holden: Poor Ralph Reed. A Texas Native American tribe filed suit Wednesday alleging that ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed and their associates engaged in fraud and racketeering to shut down the tribe’s casino. The Alabama-Coushatta tribe, which contributed $50,000 to Jack Abramoff’s non-profit, the Capitol Athletic Foundation (CAF), filed the first civil lawsuit in federal court in the influence peddling scandal, in Austin, Texas. The lawsuit alleges Abramoff, former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed and their associates engaged in fraud and racketeering to shut down the tribe’s casino and alleges the defendants defrauded the tribe, … Continue reading It’s Hard Out There For A Sexually-Ambiguous Faux Christian

From Holden: Posted so we don’t forget who convicted felon Ken Lay’s friends were. Former President George Bush waves as he arrives at the First United Methodist Church for a second memorial service for Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay Wednesday, July 12, 2006, in Houston. Lay, 64, died July 5 while vacationing in Aspen, Colo. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Continue reading Poppy At Ken Lay’s Funeral

From Holden: From today’s Houston Chronicle: Republicans pleaded with federal courts Tuesday to allow them to replace former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on the November ballot, saying that time is running out to make the change. In separate motions to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and to U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, the Texas GOP said picking a DeLay replacement could “easily take 28 days” and must be completed by Sept. 1 so the state has enough time to print ballots. [snip] “Given the time it will take (the Republican Party) to fulfill the requirements in choosing a … Continue reading I Love It When Republicans Beg

From Holden: Chimpy, March 22, 2006: So I changed our foreign policy. I said, freedom is universal; history has proven democracies do not fight each other, democracies can yield peace we want, so let’s advance freedom. And that’s what’s happening. [snip] Democracies don’t war. Both Israel and Lebanon were democracies last time I checked. The Israeli forces entered Lebanon soon after the 9 a.m. abduction [of two Israeli soldiers]. At least three soldiers were killed in a blast involving one of the tanks, Israeli officials said. Preliminary reports said four other soldiers also had been killed. In southern Lebanon, fighter … Continue reading Wrong Again

From Holden:

The insufferable asses testifying on behalf of the Bush Assministration before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday seem to think, despite the Hamdan decision, that they can do as they please, according to Dana Milbank’s latest.

As Congress opened hearings yesterday on the treatment of terrorism detainees, the Bush administration’s view was neatly summarized by Steven Bradbury, the Justice Department lawyer serving as lead witness. “The president,” Bradbury said, “is always right.”

Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court rebuked the administration by rejecting military tribunals for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and forcing President Bush to get approval from Congress. But the officials who came before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday — Bradbury and Pentagon lawyer Daniel Dell’Orto — were unrepentant.

“Surprising and disappointing . . . without historical analogue” was Bradbury’s view of the high court’s ruling on the Hamdan case.

Rather than regard it as a defeat, Bradbury said it presents Bush with an “opportunity to work together” with Congress.

The ranking Democrat, Patrick Leahy (Vt.), fished for any admission that the administration’s legal view had been wrong. Bradbury retorted: “It was completely reasonable.”

When Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) suggested a framework for future tribunals, Dell’Orto cut him down. “I have many concerns about taking that approach,” he said.

The witnesses were even dismissive of the new Pentagon memo applying the Geneva Conventions to all detainees for the first time. “It doesn’t indicate a shift in policy,” Dell’Orto said.

And in a veiled warning, Bradbury told Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) that Bush still didn’t need Congress. “The court did leave open the theoretical possibility that the president could come back on his own,” he said.

Story continues, click Read More…

Continue reading “The Constitution and the Court Be Damned”

From Scout: I don’t know why they bother to continue calling these visits a “surprise.” He was in Afghanistan so it’s not all that suroprising he’d stop in Iraq. Surprise has come to stand for the reality that leaders of the Bush administration can not make announced visits due to the lack of security in Iraq. At any rate he won’t be discussing what is on Iraqi’s minds… But Rumsfeld said he did not plan to discuss a series of recent accusations and charges against U.S. servicemen accused of murdering Iraqi civilians. Those cases, including the murder of 24 unarmed … Continue reading Rumsfeld makes “Surprise” Visit to Iraq

From Scout: America are you listening? The day before yesterday was catastrophic. The day began with news of the killings in Jihad Quarter. According to people who live there, black-clad militiamen drove in mid-morning and opened fire on people in the streets and even in houses. They began pulling people off the street and checking their ID cards to see if they had Sunni names or Shia names and then the Sunnis were driven away and killed. Some were executed right there in the area. The media is playing it down and claiming 37 dead but the people in the … Continue reading Riverbend speaks

So will the president fire Rove NOW? WASHINGTON – Columnist Robert Novak said publicly for the first time Tuesday that White House political adviser Karl Rove was a source for his story outing the identity of CIA officer Valerie Plame. In a column, Novak also says his recollection of his conversation with Rove differs from what the Rove camp has said. “I have revealed Rove’s name because his attorney has divulged the substance of our conversation, though in a form different from my recollection,” Novak wrote. Novak did not elaborate. And will we have weeks-long sieges of the White House … Continue reading Novak & Rove

From Scout: Because you’ll need it for the tears of laughter. As fixer at Alternate Brain says… Go here and follow the directions. Thank you fixer I needed that! Continue reading Get a Hanky

From Scout: Think Progress has a post on the most overpaid White House staffers. According to nationaljournal.com “the list was compiled by the administration.” It includes Stuart Baker who is listed as the Director for Lessons Learned. (a title which has people shaking their head) Apparently this is Stuart G. Baker from the Katrina Lessons Learned Review Group. Perhaps he did a heckuva job and got promoted to learning any and all lessons….or does the White House just hate using the K word (KATRINA)? Continue reading Director of Lessons Learned on the name not uttered?

From Holden: What is it about the eleventh day of the month? 9/11/01 – New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania 3/11/04 – Madrid 7/11/06 – Mumbai Strange. Continue reading Seven Come Eleven

From Scout: NEW YORK Ever since the case of the raping and killing of an Iraqi and the alleged murder of three of her family members by U.S. troops went public, the age of the rape victim had been in dispute, ranging from about 15 to 25. Two days ago, Reuters and others news agencies produced definitive proof that she was 14, based on a passort and identity card. Most news organizations then started calling her a girl — but some persist in referring to her as a “woman.” Read the Rest OK let’s say you have a 14 year … Continue reading If it were your daughter

From Holden: Ari Fleischer announces a policy decision to the press, May 7, 2003: President Bush today has decided that the Geneva Convention will apply to the Taliban detainees, but not to the al Qaeda international terrorists. Afghanistan is a party to the Geneva Convention. Although the United States does not recognize the Taliban as a legitimate Afghani government, the President determined that the Taliban members are covered under the treaty because Afghanistan is a party to the Convention. Under Article 4 of the Geneva Convention, however, Taliban detainees are not entitled to POW status. To qualify as POWs under … Continue reading Pony Blow, Lying Shill

From Holden: Looks like someone at the Pentagon actually read the Hamdan decision. The Pentagon has decided in a major policy shift that all detainees held in US military custody around the world are entitled to protections under the Geneva Conventions, according to two people familiar with the move. The FT has learned that Gordon England, deputy defence secretary, sent a memo to senior defence officials and military officers last Friday, telling them that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions – which prohibits inhumane treatment of prisoners and requires certain basic legal rights at trial – would apply to … Continue reading Applying Geneva

From Holden: Hooo boy. This makes me wonder if Joe and Valerie Wilson are contemplating a civil suit against the Vice President of the United States of America. Wilson said he’s unsure about Cheney’s “legal vulnerability,” but added, “I must say I was taken aback when I saw the vice president had actually annotated my article.” Wilson knows very well how such “suggestions” work. “When you annotate articles for your staff at that level, and I know from having worked at that level, those are not idle questions being posed by a curious person. Those are, in effect, instructions to … Continue reading Smokin’ Joe Wilson

From Holden: They say that time loves a hero. What does that say about Tom DeLay? Republicans may need a quick court ruling that former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) is ineligible to run for Congress if they are to have a shot at retaining his seat in November. The former majority leader said last week that he looks forward to a ruling from an appellate court reversing the lower court decision that keeps him on the ballot. But time is of the essence. [snip] Lawyers familiar with DeLay’s qualifications case said it would probably end some time between the end … Continue reading Ti-i-i-ime Is On My Side… Yes It Is!

From Holden: Even if Chimpy’s super-fantastic Medicare drug plan was working as advertised the doughnut hole is a ticking timebomb set to go off before the mid-term elections in November. But it ain’t working as advertised. Dems need to make sure voters know who pushed this law through congress and hang the debacle around Republikkkans’ necks. Federal investigators said Monday that Medicare prescription drug plans generally provided incomplete and inaccurate information to callers who asked questions about the new benefit. The findings, from the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan investigative arm of Congress, are significant because the premise of the … Continue reading Ticking Timebomb

From Holden: The sovereign government of Iraq moves to end immunity from Iraqi laws for US soldiers. This might be the quickest way to get our troops out of there. Iraq will ask the United Nations to end immunity from local law for U.S. troops, the government said on Monday, as the U.S. military named five soldiers charged in a rape-murder case that has outraged Iraqis. In an interview a week after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki demanded a review of foreign troops’ immunity, Human Rights Minister Wigdan Michael said work on it was now under way and a request could … Continue reading The Party’s Over

Oh, it is about damn time: Ask the average American what they think of a journalist, and you’ll likely find that they would rather invite a lawyer or used-car salesman to babysit their only child than a fellow griot. We are considered the scum of the earth. And for all of you who think that, I don’t care one iota. Let’s just be honest. Everyone loves to hate journalists. We are noisy, nosey, unruly and counterculture, often sticking our notepads, tape recorders and cameras in places that anger politicians and corporations. But instead of wanting to beat us up, all … Continue reading Badassery

While I don’t agree with Oliver that political protests are useless (they’re not the sole method of persuasion we should be using, but they’re not nothing, either, no matter how much David Brooks tells me they are), I do agree very much with this part of his post: Conservatism may be a hell of a con job, but they are good at selling it. Liberals, on the other hand, are so convinced of the rightness of their cause they refuse to try and sell it to anyone. They (and by they I strongly include me) think that essentially saying “SEEEE??” … Continue reading Conclusions

From Holden: Today Pony got sic and, being the shiftless coward he is, blamed Helen for it. Q What’s the difference in terms of the pressure the White House feels that it’s under to resolve the issues in North Korea and Iran, versus the pressure in 2002 during the State of the Union, when the President talked about the need to go to war in Iraq? MR. SNOW: Well, what’s happened — I’m not sure that you feel pressure, except in the case of Iran [sic] you had a nation that had already spurned 17 separate United Nations resolutions, the … Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle

From Holden: Your millionaire president is a cheap-ass bastard. For a 23-year Lou Mitchell’s veteran, Sheri Wassberg, it was just another day, and the president was just another customer who only ordered coffee and juice. “We’ve waited on different movie actors and actresses,” Sheri said. When asked if he wasn’t all that special, Sheri laughed. “Well, he’s the president, but, yes,” she replied. She might feel differently if only he had left her a tip. Continue reading Tipsy Don’t Tip

From Holden: Expects sparks to fly when Chimpy attends the VFW convention in Salt Lake City next month. When President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visit Salt Lake City next month for an American Legion national convention, Mayor Rocky Anderson plans a protest – even bigger than the one he spoke at last year. Critical of Bush on several fronts – from the Iraq war to funding cuts to environmental policies – Anderson expects “tens of thousands” to demonstrate. “I’m glad he’s coming to Salt Lake City,” Anderson said Friday. “I certainly hope there is an effective expression … Continue reading Those Hippies in Utah

From Scout: Wisconsin will have an anti gay marriage amendment on the ballot this November. A new poll shows the state split on the proposal. From WisPolitics.com VOTE FOR: 48.5 percent VOTE AGAINST: 47.8 percent DON’T KNOW/REFUSED: 3.7 percent Self-identified political “independents” responding to the survey generally opposed the amendment. Generally, those identifying themselves as Republicans, conservatives or backers of Mark Green for governor supported the amendment, and those identifying themselves as Democrats, liberals or supporters of Jim Doyle for governor opposed the amendment. But the most intense reading appeared to come from self-identified liberals in opposition, meaning the fight … Continue reading Anti Gay Marriage Amendment in WI could draw Dems to polls