Pardon me?

Two days have passed since Scooter Libby was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice…

Two days… and already we’re starting to hear the peanut gallery that is the U.S. right-wing media calling for Bush to pardon him.

(And my favorite reaction to the Libby verdict is this quote from uber-political strategist David Gergen who said; “

This is an administration that has been mostly free of scandal over the last six years and now they have the taint that they cannot erase,”

… uh, sure… I don’t know what Mr. Gergen is smoking, but whatever it is, I’d like some please… … but I’m getting off-topic)

National Review… The Weekly Standard… Wall Street Journal… and conservative blogs from across the country… all of them are calling for Bush to pardon VP Dick Cheney’s patsy fall-guy former aide.

First, let me explain what exactly a pardon is… well, not me really, but the good folks at Findlaw.com… according to them, a pardon is:

...an act of grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the laws, which exempts the individual, on whom it is bestowed, from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed...A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance.

Everyone got that? Goo— wait a minute…

‘…a crime he has committed’… ‘a crime’… ‘he has’… ‘committed’…

Now that sounds like a confession to me…wouldn’t accepting a pardon essentially mean that Libby is admitting that he did lie and that he did obstruct justice???

And while we’re on the semantics of what a pardon is and what it signifies, how about we look into the rules on granting pardons.

The Rules Governing Petitions For Executive Clemency, brought to us by the good folks at the U.S. Departent of Justice, are:

No petition for pardon should be filed until the expiration of a waiting period of at least five years after the date of the release of the petitioner from confinement or, in case no prison sentence was imposed, until the expiration of a period of at least five years after the date of the conviction of the petitioner. Generally, no petition should be submitted by a person who is on probation, parole, or supervised release.

So it seems there are some legal parameters and rules that have to be followed in order for someone to get executive clemancy,and that Libby would have to wait until 2012 to be eligible for a pardon… but… seeing as how this is the White House – the BUSH White House that is – I’m sure they’ll ignore all those parameters and make it work for them anyway they have to…

But they should keep in mind that this thing ain’t over yet… Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) will hold hearings investigating the outing of Valerie Plame… and has already got a veritable who’s who of people coming to testifying, including Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald and the woman herself; Ms. Valerie Plame.

As always, stay tuned…

Dis-trust

It’s nothing new… people with strong anti-Bush views have been calling for his impeachment, no matter how misguided it might be, for a very long time.
Before it was Democrats and Liberals calling for it.

Now… a republican is stating the country should/might consider impeachment…

An article in Esquire magazine explains how Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) has suggested that Congress may consider impeaching “President” Bush before his term ends. In the article, Hagel is quoted as saying; “The president says, ‘I don’t care.’ He’s not accountable anymore. He’s not accountable anymore, which isn’t totally true. You can impeach him, and before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment. I don’t know. It depends how this goes.”

These are not words from a Democratic senator from a blue state… this is from a republican in a state that is decidedly red…

It seems as though Sen. Hagel is a tad frustrated… and he’s not the only one…

The desire for this administration to show any sort of accountability is leading to increased chatter about calls for impeachment, including the Washington State legislature, the mayor of Salt Lake City, and 35 towns in Vermont.

No, that wasn’t a misprint… thirty-five towns in the state of Vermont want to see Bush impeached… when was the last time that happened?

This post isn’t so much about impeachment as it is about the ever-shrinking abilities of this president.

No matter what you call it; power, clout, support, trust… this president is losing his grip on how much strength he can now wield.

We know people don’t trust him to see the war in Iraq to an end… we know the public doesn’t trust him to solve the healthcare dilemma or the social security dilemma in this country… his overseas allies are distancing themselves… a member of his White House has been convicted of lying… and his foreign and domestic policies can barely get off the ground.

This president has lost the support and the trust of his country (and to a lesser extent his military)… how in God’s name can he govern???

Guilty

If you've been living under a rock for the last 24 hours or so, you probably don't know that Scooter Libby was found guilty on four of five counts in his trial of outing CIA agent, Valerie Wilson, and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of $1 million with a presentencing report hearing scheduled for June 5.

Naturally, Libby's attorneys are vowing to either seek a new trial, or, failing that, appeal ing the jury's verdict.

The breakdown of counts:

Count 1 (Obstruction): GUILTY
Count 2 (Perjury): GUILTY
Count 3 (False Statement): NOT GUILTY
Count 4 (Perjury): GUILTY
Count 5 (Perjury): GUILTY

This is a major strike at the entire Bush(whacked) Administration... a point that was eloquently brought home by House Speaker, NancyPelosi (D-CA);

"Today's guilty verdicts are not solely about the acts of one individual. This trial provided a troubling picture of the inner workings of the Bush Administration. The testimony unmistakably revealed – at the highest levels of the Bush Administration – a callous disregard in handling sensitive national security information and a disposition to smear critics of the war in Iraq."

Well said, Madame Speaker.

Is Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald finished with his investigations? Will the investigation go deeper?

These are questions I am sure will be answered in the days and weeks to come, so stay tuned.

And, this being the United States where a juror on a massive trial such as this can become a 15-minute celebrity, we already have heard from one of the jurors.

While all of the jurors in the trial were certain of Libby's guilt, they also had a little sympathy for him as well because most, if not all, saw him as the "fall guy."

After the verdict, juror Denis Collins told reporters, “It was said a number of times, ‘What are we doing with this guy here? Where’s [Karl] Rove … where are these other guys?‘”

Interesting question there Denis... where are the others?

As always... stay tuned.

A new, fresh look

We've made some aesthetic changes here at TBWA to a lighter, crisper (and Liberally Blue) view with easier to read links and an easy-on-the eye format.

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The Weekly Rewind

It’s that time again… The. Weekly. Rewind… but before we begin, some changes are coming here at TBWA… a new look and… well, really that’s it… but isn’t that exciting enough???

Well... it is for Scott and I…

So in the next few days you can expect to see some changes here, but we’ll still be doing our thing, that will never change…

You may all read in awe… or mass indifference… whichever you prefer.

Applaud: to knowing how to make our point. Liberal leftwing blogs are more likely to use profanity than conservative rightwing blogs by a ratio of 18 to one. To that I say, effin’ a!!!

Heckle: to porous reasoning. Vice President Dick “Dick” Cheney said earlier this week that a “too-soon withdrawal” from Iraq could make the war in Afghanistan worse. (Actually, what I think could make that war worse is pulling troops out of there to escalate the war in Iraq, but that’s neither here nor there. The real reason for this heckle is the fear campaign that this administration is waging once again… give it up Dick. It hasn’t worked in the past; I doubt it will work now…)

Applaud: to the jury at the Scooter Libby trial, who are expectd to deliberate into next week, as they’re progressing in the trial and getting the weekend off… they’ve asked the judge for a plethora of office supplies which they’ve received, but were denied a dictionary. So far, save for one, they’ve all done what they had been instructed to do, let’s hope it continues and in the end someone from this administration is sent to jail… at least until Bush pardons them at the end of his term… which can NOT come soon enough.

Heckle: to censorship. According to an article in the Army Times, soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s Medical Hold Unit say they have been told that they must not speak to the media. Soldiers said an official told them that “they must follow their chain of command when asking for help with their medical evaluation paperwork, or when they spot mold, mice or other problems in their quarters.”Army Military reporter James Crawley says yesterday’s Army Times revelation “that Walter Reed patients had been barred from speaking with reporters is not the first case of tightened restrictions. In recent months, he says several MRE members have reported similar crackdowns. What’s worse, many of the denials are apparently in reaction to the potential negativity of a planned story.”

Applaud: to (finally!) trying to get something done in Iraq. House Democratic leaders have (finally!) agreed to legislation that would require troops to come home from Iraq within six months if the country’s leaders don’t help reduce violence there. “The plan would retain a Democratic proposal prohibiting the deployment to Iraq of troops with insufficient rest or training or who already have served there for more than a year. Under the plan, such troops could only be sent to Iraq if President Bush waives those standards and reports to Congress each time.”

Heckle: to the fact that close to “90% of National Guard units in the US are rated “not ready” because of escalation issues, budget costs and supply shortfalls and are jeopardizing their ability to respond to crises at home and abroad… but this administration is all about keeping us as a nation safe… yes Virgina, I am being sarcastic…

Applaud: to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) for this quote: “You can’t catch a socially transmitted disease by sitting down with people who hold ideas that are different than yours.” (very well said Governor… very well said… I don’t know what’s more surprising; that I’m applauding Gov. Schwarzenegger or saying that he said something well?)

Heckle: to really bad intel. For five years, the Bush(whacked) Administration has pointed fingers at North Korea and accused them of developing enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb, straining tensions with a country that we should not be straining relationships with. We cut off aid to the country and they responded by throwing out international inspectors, building up their plutonium arsenal and producing a nuke. Now comes word that the administration is admitting (albeit very, very VERY quietly) that its intelligence may have been faulty… (Allow me to give my shocked face at this bit of news… One has to think, had the U.S. not so loudly accused them of enriching uranium, would they have become so hell-bent on creating a Nuke? One (with a brain) would have to think the answer would be ‘no.’ Kim Jong Ill is crazy… but he’s not mad)

Applaud: that the number of female politicians around the world is currently at 17%, which is an increase of 6 percentage points in the last decade. (I perceive this as good news, though my brother would say; ‘Someone didn’t show-up for work today…’ Emails can be sent to…)

Heckle: to the media. When Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says “We have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted,” we get a media firestorm… when republican presidential candidate John McCain says “We've wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives,” we get nothing… we get crickets chirping and tumbleweeds tumbling down the street. Here’s some advice. YOU, the media, does not pick the president, the American people do. Why don’t you report on both parties with equality and let US decide… fuckin’ media idiots…

Applaud: to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) who said earlier this week that he would support legislation by Sen. James Webb (D-VA) that would bar a “U.S. attack on Iran” unless Congress gave “President” Bush a green light. (As has become a common saying on this site; I’ll believe it when I see it…)

Heckle: to more moronic quotes from White House spokesman Tony “Job of” Snow. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (New motto: We Hate Everyone) Snow said that the Bush Administration “didn't create the war in Iraq.” (and Tony will admit to smoking crack when?)

Applaud: to Ambassador Tim Carney, one of the U.S. coordinators for Iraq’s reconstruction, was interviewed on NPR earlier this week. During the interview, he said that the post-war decision to exclude Iraqis from governing the country was “incompetent, foolish, dubious in all of its aspects.” (Nice… always happy to see people tell the truth about the incompetent handling of the war and its aftermath. It should also be known that the White House shipped out Carney to Baghdad recently so they could avoid his testimony before a congressional committee and not be able to give interviews … oops, guess the administration forgot that in this day and age, interviews don’t have to be done on-site…)

<Heckle: to “President” Bush and his budget cuts. Despite 84% supporting the expansion of the Childrens’ Health Insurance Program so it covers all uninsured children, Bush has proposed cutting funding for the program. Add to that the fact that 56% of Americans think the federal government has a responsibility to provide health care for all… (And yet… nothing is happening. He talked big about it during the SOTU, but since then – nothing. Smoke and mirrors only work if you’re good at it George…and you and your administration are NOT good at it)

Applaud: to the administration being proven wrong… again. Earlier this week, U.S. officials displayed bombmaking parts that were said to have been transported by Iran into Iraq. The problem was the cache of arms included boxes that appeared to contain shipments of tubes that came directly from factories in the Middle East and, well, none of them in Iran… (That has to be like, what, strike 22 for proving Iran is behind the insurgency in Iraq?? Give it up guys… ya ain’t gonna be able to tie them together…)

Heckle: to, once again, “President” Bush. This one is for stating his intention to veto a “broad counterterrorism bill” that would implement many of the remaining recommendations of the 9/11 commission. (The man is a tool. Do you want to know why he wants to veto it? Because the legislation would extend union protection to 45,000 federal airport screeners… and heaven knows we can’t have that…)

Applaud: to the House for passing, with a vote of 241-185, the Employee Free Choice Act, thus making it easier for workers to organize while at the same time establishing stronger penalties for employers who intimidate workers. A similar bill will be intro’d in the Senate by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) within the next few weeks. (republicans must hate this Act since it will make it easier to create their horror of horrors… unions)

And finally… a recap of this week’s happenings regarding the 2008 Presidential race… African-Americans are starting to swing to Obama, Clinton forgot to include a family-charity on Senate disclosure forms… Edwards is learning that you don’t always speak the truth on the stump… Edwards is unsure about public money should he win the nom…and Vilsack is still bitter about having to drop out. On the republican side Romney smeared Giuliani on “The 700 Club” (Yeah, but HE was on 700 Club)… Giuliani reaffirms his core beliefs (and yes, they are conservative beliefs)… Romney’s campaign tries to cover-up a leaked strategy memo… Huckabee is still trying to showcase himself as a real candidate (Good luck)… ditto for Hunter… and McCain officially announced his candidacy while still pandering to anyone who will listen.

Take ‘em as you will...

Can we talk about facts again?

The Bush(whacked) administration supports the troops, and the Liberals don’t support the troops because they’re the ones trying to get the troops OUT of Iraq…

At least that’s the way the fuzzy-logic works with this administrtion.

Two things in the last few days are perfect examples of how much this administration “supports”the troops…

First, from the Associated Press comes word that two Army combat brigades are skipping the usual desert training session. Essentially the troops are being rushed into service by Bush's decision to escalate, thus not giving them the opportunity to train at the premier Desert-training range in California and instead will make their final preparations at their home bases… what this means is the troops will be forgoing training in a desert setting that was designed specifically to prepare troops for the challenges they’ll face in Iraq and instead will end their training without going through any desert drills.

Nice… nothing like on the job training that could kill…

The other example is the fact that close to 90% of Army National Guard Units are rated “not ready” because of shortfalls in billions of dollars worth of equipment. Thus jeopardizing their ability to respond to crises at home and abroad.

Why don’t they have the equipment? Because Bush has the military so-thinned out, that the supplies and equipment can’t be made, ordered, shipped quick enough… and this has been going on since the war started; witnessed by accounts of soldiers not having the proper equipment (body armor, socks, etc) who then have to result to either buying the gear themselves or relying on people at home to send it to them. Or the widely known item that a lot of the military vehicles being used don’t have the proper armor plating installed.

And yet it’s Liberals who don’t support and care for our troops… how incredibly inane is that sentiment?

This administration has often shown its discourse for the people in the military… they don’t mind using it to erase past mistakes of daddy… but they don’t dare support or help the troops themselves.

And it’s not like I’m being facitous, there’s plenty of evidence to support this; witness the deplorable conditions at Walter Reed… or the Bush(whacked) Administration not allowing a disabled Vet appear at a White House media function because they didn’t want the media to see his legs had been blown off in Iraq.

And yet it’s Liberals who don’t support and care for our troops because we want to get them out of Iraq…

The media needs to stop feeding the beast that Liberals are against the troops and conservatives are for them…

It’s the exact opposite…

The Day Ahead

The Day Ahead in the hoity-toity world of politics...

• WaPo: republicans in the house are going to call for a floor vote on the appointment of William Jefferson (D-LA) to a seat on the Homeland Security Committee. (Mark this down as this will be one of the few times you will ever see this phrase on this blog; “Good for the republicans”… ugh, I feel so dirty… Anyhow, Pelosi’s appointment of Jefferson, who is a subject of a federal bribery investigation, is republican-like cronyism. If Jefferson is somehow exonerated, then he can be put on the committee, but as long as he remains under investigation, he should NOT be allowed to be on any committee)
• Associated Press: House Democrats are crafting a new anti-war proposal that would not cut off money for U.S. troops but would call for “President” Bush to acknowledge problems with an overburdened military… (Bush acknowledge a mistake?? That has about as much chance of happening as me being elected president)
• WaPo: Walter Reed officials knew of the neglect of soldiers and the pathetic disrepair of the facility for over three years and did nothing… (this is not a surprise… and heads should roll. Will they? Highly unlikely, odds are they’ll find a patsy to take the fall…)
• NY Post: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) called Sen. Hillary Clinton “nasty” and “ruthless.” (Hello pot, this is the kettle… you’re black. Anyone who would leave his cancer-stricken wife has no place, NO PLACE, to call anyone else ‘ruthless.’ Let me tell ya something Newt, you’re a relic in the republican party, no one on either side cares if you run or not, so why don’t you just STFU…)
• Boston Globe: Conservative activists “are shifting their 2008 focus to recapturing the House and Senate” in the hope that gop-control of at least one chamber of Congress would derail any Liberal policies that could arise from a Democratic or moderate republican White House. (So let’s hope that Liberal activists, along with Grass Roots Liberals, don’t lose sight of the other important races in 2008. While winning the presidency should be the primary goal, we also need to maintain control of at least one, if not both, the House and Senate…)
• WaPo, USA Today: Deliberations in the Scooter Libby trial continue, and have now encountered some snags…
• Chicago Tribune: Fed Chief Ben Bernanke said the “economy is sound.” (Sure it is Ben, sure it is…)

Let the pandering begin...

It’s “official”... John McCain (R-AZ) is running for President... everyone hide...

Random Political Thoughts

Aaaahhhh… Wednesday… middle of the week… humpday… the week is more than halfway done… and most important, it’s time for Random Political Thoughts…

All In The Family. Reverend Al Sharpton is descended from a slave owned by relatives of Strom Thurmond… the “former” segregationist. Sharpton said the news was “probably the most shocking thing of my life.”

In The Market. While everyone and their brother announces their presidential bid, the Christian Right is finding it difficult to find a Presidential candidate that fits their ideal profile… (in other words, they can’t find someone who hates the things they hate)

The Last Smoke-Filled-Room Hero. It’s not often that we at TBWA hail Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), but he gave what could be one of the best political quotes about bipartisanship ever when he said: “You can’t catch a socially transmitted disease by sitting down with people who hold ideas that are different than yours.” (Well said Governor… very well said…)

Jack Bauer Was Here. Usually shrouded in secrecy, there’s some new information coming out on the CIA’s ‘Black Site’ prison system. While reading the linked WaPo article, keep in mind that what you are reading about is real and not something lifted from the pages of a Tom Clancy novel…

Call It As You See It. Mike McConnell, the new director of national intelligence, said yesterday that “Osama bin laden is in Pakistan actively re-establishing al Qaeda training camps.” In the same speech, McConnel also admitted to the Senate that the term “civil war” is an accurate description of the Iraqi conflict.” (Ok… besides being the most “definitive statement” about the conflict given by anyone in the Bush(whacked) Administration, this is definitely notable… my question is; where’s the mainstream media’s reporting of it?? Oh right… Anna Nicole…)

When Chairmen Attack. Former Defense Policy Board chairman Richard Perle has begun to criticize a few of Bush’s key aides for having failed him. Of Condoleezza Rice, Perle said that she was “in way over her head from the beginning,” and that Colin Powell was a “disaster.” (Had to be said…I’m just surprised it took someone this long… I wonder who’ll be next??)

Talk The Talk. You can file this in the ‘I’ll-believe-it-when-I-see-it’ files… The US has agreed to join “high-level talks” on the future of Iraq… at which Syria and Iran will also be present. Analyst Steve Clemons noted, “Time will tell whether this is meaningless flirtation” or more… (If this actually happens, it could go a long way in getting something done in regards to Iran… let’s hope…)

NGA. A lot of state’s governors are in Washington this week at the National Governors Association meeting… and they’ve been busy. Quite a few have warned “President” Bush that his Iraq escalation is gonna put a heavy burden on an already overstretched Guard and Reserve – with Gov. Mike Easley (D-NC) saying; “Currently, we don’t have the manpower or the equipment to perform that dual role” of responding to both state and federal needs. A few other Governors also pushed Bush to “provide more money” for the Children’s Health Insurance Program as a lot of states are running out of program funding. The White House’s response? That states should make better use of the money they already had… (Hmmmmm… I wonder what would happen if Congress told Bush that about his policies…)

Shift… Then Blame. “President” Bush is using one of his most important allies to place pre-emptive blame on Congressional Democrats. He told Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf that the “newly Democratic Congress could cut aid to his country” unless Pakistani forces become far more aggressive in hunting down Al Qaeda operatives. (One would have to hope that Musharraf is not as dumb as Bush and wouldn’t fall for this crap… but one never knows…)

Sad. There are approximately 200,000 homeless U.S. veterans in this country, and approximately 500-1,000 of those have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. (What more can be said? If you want to help, contact the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans)

2008 Presidential Race Update. African-Americans are starting to swing to Obama… Romney’s campaign tries to cover-up a leaked strategy memo… Clinton forgot to include a family-charity on Senate disclosure forms… Edwards is learning that you don’t always speak the truth on the stump… Huckabee is being oddly quiet… ditto for Giuliani… McCain is still pandering to anyone who will listen… and John Kerry is enjoying some sweet, sweet revenge… (I’m kidding; Kerry isn’t running. How many people threw-up a little in their mouths when they saw his name under this title… )…

Take ‘em as you will…

Time to act

Sigh…

We made huge in-roads last November… winning control of the House and (more or less) the Senate…

The euphoria was heartwarming and enjoyable…

It was…

Now we’re back to doing things half-assed.

The Democrats had big plans when they were running for and winning a plethora of House and Senate seats last year. But now, nearly four months later… the Democrats are back to acting like the unorganized and uninspiring Dems of yore…

Sniping at each other, ignoring what the public wants, kow-towing to the administration, putting egos ahead of what needs to be done…

We all heard about the ambitious plans to change the wrongs that Bush and the republicans had imposed… we heard about the big change to limit President Bush's war authority and force a change of course in Iraq…

Now… all of these plans have seemingly fallen apart amid intra-party disagreement over how quick and aggressive the Dems should be acting.

This is pathetic.

Winning last November doesn’t do any good if we don’t get something done and get it done soon…

Scott and I have said it before… all the talk is fine and good, but it doesn’t mean a god damn thing if we don’t act on it and do something…

The Day Ahead

Couple of things to monitor as the day progresses (yeah, they do this over at Wonkette and Think Progress… so why not do the same thing here?):

• WaPO: One of our bases in Afghanistan was hit with a bomb while Vice President Cheney was visiting. (Said Cheney after the bomb hit; “I’m awake…”)
• CNN: Former aide to Bob Ney (R-OH) has pleaded guilty in the Jack Abramoff case. (Another one bites the dust…)
• Chicago Tribune: The city of Chicago hits the polls today (When was the last time Richard Daly was scared about an election?)
• WaPo: new polls suggest that age is an important factor when considering presidential candidates, not so much gender or race (buh-bye href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/26/AR2007022600313.html?nav=hcmodule">favors a pullout in Iraq. (And this is new information… how??)
• NY Times: Libby case will continue with 11 jurors and will not see the insertion of one of the alternates ()
• Boston Globe: Newspaper somehow obtains document with Mitt Romney’s (R-MA) campaign strategies (Miraculously, ‘Looks stiffer than Al Gore’ not on the list…)
  
  

Now what?

First it was reported that Americans don’t trust “President” Bush to solve the healthcare crisis in this country…

Then it was reported (just this past weekend) that Bush has lost the support of a handful of his generals and admirals who have stated that they would quit rather than carry-out any plans to attack Iran…

Now, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, Americans trust Congress (and specifically Democrats in Congress) more than they trust Bush to handle the situation in Iraq, with 54% supporting Congress to Bush’s 34%.

(And in the interest of fairness, I want to mention that these results do show that the gap has narrowed a little since Bush's State of the Union speech when there was a 27-point gap. And while the Democrats did lose six points from that point, let’s be clear that Bush did not reclaim those points… they shifted to trusting neither the Democrats in Congress nor the president to handle the situation in Iraq…)

With Bush's approval ratings in the crapper mired in mediocrity… what more can possibly be done??

It’s sad.

It’s pathetic.

And it’s relatively unprecedented…

Think about it… have we ever seen a presidency where the American public, foreign allies, and members of the U.S. military have lost respect and trust in their leader?

America is on the cusp of being the laughing stock of the world… and, while the republicans are happy in their ignorance… the Democrats obviously don’t care about changing it either.

If they did, they would be doing more to end the war in Iraq… they would be mindful of sniping at each other over comments made by a campaign donor… they would be trying to reinstate habeas corpus… they would be trying to right all the wrongs that are within their power to right… they would actually be, I don’t know, doing something…

Instead… they’re not doing a damn thing but trying to keep up appearances.

I weep for the future…

Models of a modern major general

The Sunday Times is reporting that up to five Pentagon generals and admirals would resign rather than approve what they would consider a "reckless attack" on Iran.

Said a source with ties to British intelligence; "There are four or five generals and admirals we know of who would resign if Bush ordered an attack on Iran."

That's just lovely, isn't it?

When a President loses the backing of his generals in the Pentagon, isn't that the ballgame? Shouldn't Bush just pack-up his toys and go home??

Think about it... if this would actually happen, Bush will be viewed as more of a loser/idiot abroad... and our nation would be viewed with the same contempt and disgust... thus lessening our already-dropping standing on the world stage.

2008 can not come fast enough...

The Weekly Rewind

Today’s post takes place between 5:00 pm and 5:15 pm...

...

Sorry, I’ve apparently been watching too much “24”.

It’s Friday, and we all know what that means… it’s time for Blog of the Week winner; The "Bush"-Whacked Administration’s ‘Weekly Rewind.’

So sit back… relax… and allow us to wrap-up the week that was in the world of poltics…

Applaud: to funny news items. According to ABC’s he Blotter’: If the jury finds Scooter Libby guilty it could spur Fitz and his merry band of investigators to “explore further whether Cheney was involved in conspiring to obstruct justice.” (Wait a minute… can the Prince of Darkness really be investigated??)

Heckle: to spinning statistics that shouldn’t be spun. A government audit found that a majority of the statistics on terrorism cases from the Justice Department are “highly inaccurate” and they routinely counted cases that involved “drug trafficking, marriage fraud and other unrelated crimes.” (Foregoing any of the standard marriage jokes, this is just wrong. We are talking about terrorism here, and we should only be counting the true cases of terrorism – not using things that aren’t terrosim-related just to pad the statistics)

Applaud: to the Pandering of the Week from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Earlier this week the Senator said that he would rate the Bush(whacked) administraion’s record on Global Warming as “terrible,” and was “very happy to see the president mention global warming and a renewed commitment from the administration to this issue.” He then added a curt, “It’s long overdue.” (I know, I know… applauding him for pandering is bad… but it’s more so an applaud of the snark than the act itself. After all, with all his pandering, McCain is proving himself to be quite un-electable..)

Heckle: to this sobering statistic from the National Health Statistics Group: U.S. spending on health care is “expected to double to $4.1 trillion over the next decade” with health insurance premiums expecting to rise 6% annually as well.

Hopeful Applaud: to Army Vice Chief of Staff Richard Cody, who stated earlier this week that he will “take responsibility” and will make sure that all problems are fixed at the hospital. (Let’s hope problems are fixed and changes are made… our brave men and women deserve better care and better residance)

Heckle: to news that, somehow, doesn’t take me by surprise. According to a stufy done by Mother Jones, the “rate of fatal terrorist attacks around the world,” along with the “number of people killed in those attacks” has “increased dramatically after the invasion of Iraq.” Even if you discount terrorist acts in Iraq and Afghanistan, which the study did, there was still a “35% rise in the number of attacks and a 12% rise in fatalities.” (Color me; not surprised.)

Applaud: to UK lame-duck Prime Minister Tony Blair. Since he’s a lame-duck now, he’s seemingly cleaning his conscience. Days after announcing that the UK would be going againt the White House and withdrawing some of its troops, he continued to show his own will yesterday when he “declared himself at odds with hawks in the US Administration” over Iran, telling BBC News, “I can’t think that it would be right to take military action against Iran. What is important is to pursue the political, diplomatic channel.” (What’s that saying; ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.’ Apparently Blair has finally grown himself some balls realized that Bush lied about Iraq – welcome to the Club Mr. Blair, we’ve got jackets – and he is NOT going to let that happen again. Mark my words, everytime Blair opens his mouth from now until he leaves office will be against whatever Bush may be proposing)

Heckle: to, once again, something that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Even though the Bush(whacked) administration swears that it’s not considering military action against Iran, the BBC reports that US contingency plans for air strikes on Iran “extend beyond nuclear sites and include most of the country’s military infrastructure.” (But we’re not considering military action… just like we exhausted all avenues of diplomacy towards Iraq… and if you believe that, I have a bridge to seel you in Florida. Good traffic, mostly drug smugglers, but )

Applaud: to targeting the proper demographic. According to a new study by the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC), Ballot initiatives for increasing the minimum wage boosted “voter motivation in five targeted states in 2006.” The study went on to say that voter motivation and reported interest in the election was “disproportionately high” among African-Americans, unmarried voters and women. (And with Senate Finance Committee member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) saying that he may block the recently passed minimum wage bill unless a larger tax cut package is included, the Democrats should continue to reap the rewards for republican idiocy and hypocrisy. Now, if only the Democrats can unite and stop arguing like toddlers, we’d be golden)

Heckle: to “revolving doors” (no, this isn’t about Michael Dukakis’s 1988 crime plan) Remember those 39 lawmakers who got booted out of office last November? Seems that five of the 39 are now at firms that lobby Congress including Sen. Conrad “Don’t Call me Monty” Burns (R-MT), who just last year said that “Congress is not for sale.” (Hey Congreess, that ‘revolving door’ lobbying restriction is working really well… it’s so hard to express sarcasm in the written form…)

Half-hearted Applaud: to Rep. Thomas M. Davis (R-VA), the top Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Applauds for ripping the army a new one earlier this week when he released a statement that said the army has known for years about “shortcomings at Walter Reed” but did nothing. The applaud is half-hearted because, being a member of Oversight, don’t you think he would have known about this before… and maybe he could have done something?? But obviously, that’s merely conjecture…

Heckle: to Rush “Drug Mule” Limbaugh. The conservative blow-hard radio host said on his program earlier this week: “If we launched attacks on Iran and Syria today and went heavy metal, pedal-to-the-wall, this country would be cheering. The Democrats and the media would be in panic, but the people in this country would be cheering.” (Okay, first of all, Limbaugh wouldn’t know what the people in this country wanted if it came up and bit him on his fat ass… second, the people in this country have clearly shown that they don’t want the U.S. to attack Iran, at least not yet… and third, Limbaugh needs to stop wearing his rose-colored-conservative glasses long enough to see what is going on in this country. A change is coming… God willing…)

Applaud: to what I am sure is more Dog and Pony show theatrics, but the fact they’re doing it is still a sign of hope. A few Senate Democrats are going to unveil a plan next week that will aim to repeal the 2002 Iraq war resolution. (Ok, it probably is all for show, but still… it could work. This is something to definitely keep an eye on next week…)

Heckle: to Vice President Dick “Bunker King” Cheney. When he was asked about Tony Blair’s announcement that the U.K. will cut troop levels in Iraq by 1,600, Cheney said the move was “actually good news and a sign of progress in Iraq.” Never mind the fact that a Pentagon report starkly contradicted the White House’s “rosy” rhetoric. (Noooooooo…. Cheney bent the truth???? I can’t believe that. After all, Cheney is a stand-up guy who never lies... Ow, I think I just rolled my eyes right out of my head…)

Applaud: to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, who gave a “detailed and businesslike” summary of the prosecution’s case against Scooter Libby earlier this week that was a stark contrast of the summary of the defense laywer, Theodore Wells, who decided to go the “Drama Queen” route and countered with an “intensely emotional defense” complete with a crying episode at the end… (Who does Wells think he is, Judge Larry Seidlin?? Thank you, thank you… I’m here all week…)

Heckle: to Bush’s escalation plan. Because of his plan 14,000 National Guard troops will return to Iraq next year after seeing their time between deployments shortened in order to “meet the demands of President Bush’s buildup.” (Nice… just nice. I’m sure the troops and their families are thrilled by the prospect of having their time cut just so Bush can try to save his ass legacy…)

And finally...

Yesterday I wrote a post about the Obama/Clinton feud. Give it a read if you haven’t yet. As Democrats and Liberals, we need to send a message to the party that we need to stop the in-fighting, come up with a united front and do what we can, all of us, to defeat the republicans in 2008 and beyond. It’s a moral imperative…

Take ‘em as you will...

And then there were 1,221...

Former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack has just announced he has withdrawn from the 2008 Presidential race and the reasoning can be summed-up in one word:

Money.

Vilsack’s campaign had estimated that they would need $20 million to be competitive in the primary portion of the race, and didn't think they could raise it.

Vilsack was the second Democrat to “officially” step into the race (he declared on November 9, 2006) and is the first to drop out… though certainly not the last (Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Chris Dodd – you’re all on deck!)

While it is an incredibly early withdrawal, it is the best and most realistic decision for Vilsack to make. He is not well-known outside of his home state, and he has not proven himself to be a good fundraiser while also coming down on the wrong sides of some issues.