Oh yeah, baby! Virginia Sen.-elect Jim Webb said President Bush is a “failed president” who should use his last two years in office to repair America’s image abroad by ending the Iraq war through intensive diplomacy. In an interview Tuesday with the Daily Press, Virginia’s newly elected Democratic senator made clear his antipathy toward Bush and his determination to help set a new course in Iraq. [snip] “He’s a failed president,” Webb said, when asked what he thinks of Bush. “He has two years to try to show some true leadership when it comes to rehabilitating the image of the … Continue reading How ‘Bout A Steaming Cup Of Webb To Start your Morning Right

This just in from the world of medicine. Squamous C. Carcinoma had a tumor removed from her back in early November. The procedure was not disclosed until Monday night. The tumor was identified as a Laura Bush, a malignant First Lady that is responsible for at least one death in the United States and associated with the deaths of hundreds of thousands abroad. Explaining why the procedure was not disclosed until now, Squamous Carcinoma’s press secretary Susan Basal said, “This medical procedure was a private matter for Squamous, but when asked by the media today, we answered the question.” In … Continue reading Tumor Has “Bush” Growth Removed From It’s Back

Holy Jesus, wholesale prices surged to Nixonian levels of inflation last month. Inflation at the wholesale level surged by the largest amount in more than three decades in November, reflecting higher prices for gasoline and a host of other items. The Producer Price Index, which measures inflation pressures before they reach the consumer, was up 2 percent last month, the biggest advance since a similar increase in November 1974, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Economists had been expecting a rebound in wholesale prices following two months of big declines. However, the 2 percent jump was four times bigger than the … Continue reading Let The Good Times Roll (All Over My Bush Boom)

Seems like a habit. A documentary says French special forces had Osama bin Laden in their sights twice about three years ago but their U.S. superiors never ordered them to fire. [snip] The documentary, due to air next year and seen by Reuters on Tuesday, says the troops could have killed the al Qaeda leader in Afghanistan but the order to shoot never came, possibly because it took too long to request it. “In 2003 and 2004 we had bin Laden in our sights. The sniper said ‘I have bin Laden’,” an anonymous French soldier is quoted as saying. The … Continue reading Letting Osama Go

What a fucking mess we’ve created in Iraq. Iraq faces “complete disintegration into failed state chaos” a respected think-tank warned on Tuesday, urging the United States to adopt a radical change of strategy to end the crisis. The stark analysis from the International Crisis Group came as a Pentagon report confirmed that violence in Iraq has hit record levels and two weeks after a bipartisan US panel branded the situation “grave and deteriorating”. The ICG’s new report endorsed the Iraq Study Group’s criticisms of White House strategy, but warned the recommendations of former secretary of state James Baker’s panel would … Continue reading Failed State

Ho-hum. Once again, Pony Blow is caught contradicting himself in today’s gaggle.

HoldenQ You said today that a troop surge in Iraq was something that’s being explored. Is the idea of a troop cutback something that’s also being explored?

MR. SNOW: What the President is asking people to explore are ways to victory in Iraq, which would mean an Iraq that can sustain, govern and defend itself, where the Iraqis, themselves eventually assume full control for the responsibilities of government: security, political, economic, diplomatic and so on. Anything that fits into that description the President will consider. And, therefore, there are a number of ideas that are being discussed and the President is leaving all options open.

Q Well, you confirmed the surge — how about the cutback?

MR. SNOW: No, I confirmed that there are ideas and I have given you the proper metric. So if people think that that will contribute to the long term goal of victory, it would be reasonable to assume that it would be something under consideration.

[snip]

Q But you did tell me today, you were specifically asked if a surge was among the things being considered, and you said, “It’s something that’s being explored.” So you did confirm that.

MR. SNOW: Okay, so I confirmed it.

Obsession continues…

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

…a new and improved product for when ya just can’t unshit the bed… brought to you by Michael(my favorite photoshopper) of 2millionthweblog. You can click here and scroll down for more of Michael’s work. Continue reading Surge…

It’s getting desperate out there. A recent rise in violent crime accelerated in the first half of 2006, providing the clearest sign yet that the nation is in the midst of a prolonged increase in murder, assaults and other violent offenses, the FBI reported today. Violent crime reports surged by nearly 4 percent in the first six months of 2006 when compared with the same time period a year earlier, including a dramatic increase of nearly 10 percent for robberies, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. The numbers showed robbery increases for cities of all sizes, including a 13 … Continue reading Welcome to Bushworld

Have they rebuilt the rape rooms yet? Iraq executed 13 men convicted of murder, kidnapping and other crimes, the government said Tuesday. Video released by the government showed the men wearing hoods and green jumpsuits, and standing against a wall shortly before they were hanged. Some images showed two men standing together on a gallows with nooses around their necks. The sentences were carried out in a Baghdad jail, said Busho Ibrahim, undersecretary of the Justice Ministry. Wait one minute. Are you telling me that the Undersecretary of the Justice Ministry’s first name is “Busho”? Continue reading More Of The Freedom Agenda

Steve Gilliard has a link to a Salon.com article by Debra Dickerson that is inexplicable. Here is the title and intro/abstract at the top of the article… Not in my backyard, either After the poor kids next door took advantage of me, I felt sympathy for the people of Houston, who’ve suffered crime and violence because of struggling Katrina exiles. Dickerson then goes on to write about HER troubles with the neighbors whom she described as “the equivalent of Katrina evacuees.” What the heck does that mean? It appears from that description and her intro which describes them as “poor … Continue reading Huh?

Would it be okay if, next to the Christmas Bush, I put up a dinosaur menorah? The Samets, who live in Sedgefield, have a collection of these candelabrums — called menorahs — whose religious ties go back thousands of years. “Each has its own story,” said Joan Samet, whose larger collection of historical materials relating to Judaism ranges from spinning tops called dreidels to commissioned works of art that cover the walls of their home. [snip] The Samets’ preparation — replicated in Jewish households around the world beginning tonight — includes blessings, gifts, frying latkes (potato pancakes), having dinner together … Continue reading Jealous

With the Joint Chiefs in unanimous disagreement with Bush’s surge plan I suppose his next brilliant idea will be a 1/2 surge The Bush administration is split over the idea of a surge in troops to Iraq, with White House officials aggressively promoting the concept over the unanimous disagreement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to U.S. officials familiar with the intense debate. Sending 15,000 to 30,000 more troops for a mission of possibly six to eight months is one of the central proposals on the table of the White House policy review to reverse the steady deterioration in … Continue reading If not a Surge…

The Republican Juggernaut finally closes her District Office in Sarasota. Harris hasn’t made any public appearances since her Nov. 7 defeat by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. It was the first time she had ever been defeated on the campaign trail. And she has declined to discuss publicly her plans for the future. Her spokesman in Washington, D.C., Gerry Fritz, tells people who ask that Harris is scheduled to travel abroad and spend time with her family. Harris wasn’t offering any additional insight on Thursday. “You can read about it in the newspapers,” she said. Adios! Continue reading Watch Out For That Ass-Loving Screen Door

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

I know I’m late to this photo, but – Jesus Christ, what a fucking freakshow. Photo:Chip Somodevilla/AFP. Continue reading Ack!

The latest CNN poll: The survey, conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corporation, found Bush’s overall job approval at 36 percent — little changed from the last CNN poll, taken Dec. 5-7. Sixty-two percent said they disapproved of his performance in office, up from 57 percent in the previous poll. But support for his management of the war in Iraq dropped considerably, from 34 percent earlier this month to 28 percent in Monday’s poll. And a record 70 percent said they disapproved of his handling of the nearly 4-year-old war. [snip] Monday’s poll results suggest the widespread dissatisfaction with the … Continue reading The Fall Continues

Is this the good news Laura Bush was talking about? Attacks in Iraq on U.S.-led forces, local security personnel and civilians in the three months to November 10 have surged 22 percent over the previous three months to reach an all-time high, the Pentagon said in its latest quarterly report on Iraq published on Monday. The report also noted a rise in civilian casualties and said this was directly linked to the rise of sectarian death squads, which received help from elements of Iraqi forces. [snip] “Attack levels — both overall and in all specific measurable categories — were the … Continue reading The Schools!

I can’t for the life of me understand why so many people underestimate Harry Reid, forgetting that he served as Nevada state gaming commissioner from 1977 to 1981. The past… Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, was complimentary of [Harriet] Miers. He raised Miers’ name during a September 22 breakfast meeting with the president in which Sens. Frist, Specter, Leahy and he discussed possible candidates with the president, Reid spokeman Jim Manley said. Reid believes Miers would bring a “fresh perspective” to the court, Manley said. “I like Harriet Miers,” Reid said in a statement. “As White House counsel, she … Continue reading Tricksyness

I’ve often thought of what will become of the devastated and struggling St. Bernard Parish but a home for oil drilling hadn’t occured to me. From the Times Picayune… The St. Bernard Parish Council recently cleared the way for the oil exploration by agreeing to rezone 2.2 acres off West Judge Perez Drive from general commercial to heavy industrial conditional use. Martin-Marks Operating Co. and Clovelly Oil Co. will search for the oil and gas on land owned by J & A Meraux Inc., a company owned by the Meraux Foundation. The council included safeguards in its approval. Fencing and … Continue reading Black gold, St. Bernard tea

Techie Wife gets one of those horribly annoying e-mail forwards from a wingnut: T’was the month before Christmas When all through our land, Not a Christian was praying Nor taking a stand. See the PC Police had taken away, The reason for Christmas – no one could say. Her response: Merry Christmas to you if that is your way, but all of us people have reason to celebrate. I choose my Lord my Father and Son, I am a Catholic and for me there is one Church one Faith for me and my brood, but if you are different that … Continue reading Call and Response

John Edwards. A. Continue reading New Boyfriend

I respect Edwards very much and now more so… Edwards, who represented North Carolina in the Senate for six years, plans to make the campaign announcement late this month from the New Orleans neighborhood hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina last year and slow to recover from the storm. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not want to pre-empt Edwards’ announcement. As Edwards enters the crowded field, the Lower Ninth Ward provides a stark backdrop to highlight his signature issue — that economic inequality means that the country is divided into “two Americas.” (h/t to Atrios) Continue reading Edwards to Announce in NOLA

With the CHAIR: The Democrat slated to be the U.S. House’s lead watchdog next year demanded answers Thursday about why Blackwater USA was paid so much for security work in Iraq — and why, in fact, the North Carolina company was paid at all. Taxpayers paid exorbitant prices for Blackwater’s services, U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman wrote in a letter to outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Waxman said it wasn’t clear precisely how much taxpayers overpaid because the Army hasn’t provided answers to questions first raised two years ago. The California congressman said that Blackwater’s services were not just pricey, but … Continue reading Happy Democrat Photo: Waxman Edition

This toy has been making the rounds of blogtopia: Get Your Own Voice Player Manage Give us a call. We’ll see if the chinchillas can take it, and if they can, we’ll keep this in reserve for the next election, because there’s nothing better than fourteen bloggers all calling in just to say “WHOOO!” A. Continue reading Voice Comments

New Toy…Radio Blog Club via Jeffrey at Library Chronicles You can embed music to a blog or just go and listen to music there. Pretty good selection of music. I know it doesn’t sound like as much as it use to, but what would you do, if you had a million dollars? Continue reading Toys

I for one can’t wait to see Big Time Dick sweating under Fitzi’s whithering questions. Speculation that Vice President Dick Cheney would testify in the CIA leak trial intensified when Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said he didn’t expect Bush administration officials to resist calls to testify. [snip] Cheney, who would be the trial’s most anticipated witness, has said he may be called to testify. If so, prosecutors could ask how the White House responded to Wilson’s criticisms. Cheney was upset by Wilson’s comments, Fitzgerald has said, and told Libby that Plame worked for the CIA. That conversation is a key … Continue reading Merry Fitzmas, Y’All!