The Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

One more day… one more day…

• Still months away from Election Day and Sen. McCain is shaking up his campaign staff due to what they call “unforced errors in the campaign”… in other words; people were saying things they shouldn’t have been saying. As of now, senior adviser Steve Schmidt will be taking over day-to-day operations of the campaign, essentially replacing current campaign manager Rick Davis, who is being blamed, behind the scenes, as allowing the campaign to become unfocused and muddled. (While making changes within a campaign this late in the game isn’t new, it does illicit questions and murmurs about how the campaign will act in the long months ahead. Stay tuned…)
• While McCain was shaking up his campaign, Sen. Obama was outlining his plan to create volunteer and service opportunities to help with some of the nation's most pressing issues such as expanding AmeriCorps and doubling the size of the Peace Corps, integrating service-learning programs into schools and universities and expanding service initiatives. (Interesting plan by Obama, and one that should help ease the pains some Uber-progressives have been feeling in recent days about some of his announced plans that resemble gop talking points)
• During his trade talks with Colombia, McCain apparently got advance word about the raid that rescued hostages being held by FARC. (Um, is that diplomatically sound? Why would a presidential candidate get advanced word and not, gosh I don’t know, the president… and Lieberman’s spew about him receiving advanced warning of the raid signaling a vote of confidence by foreign leaders is bullshit… I have a feeling that if Obama were there, he would have gotten the advanced warning. I would say this is more of a signal of how foreign leaders feel about our current Commander-in-Chief that the candidate… but then again, I have free use of my brain…)
• “President” Bush admitted yesterday that it’s been a “tough month” in Afghanistan… (wow, way to go out on a limb there… perhaps if you hadn’t gone on your personal crusade in Iraq, our forces wouldn’t be facing the Taliban again in Afghanistan… but in re-focusing the war effort in Iraq and in essence forgetting Afghanistan, the Taliban were allowed to regroup and gain strength…)
• The monthly jobs report was released by the Department of Labor this morning and the news isn’t good as “payrolls dropped by 62,000” and unemployment held steady at 5.5%, marking the sixth month in a row that the economy has lost jobs… but we’re not in a recession and the economy is still good and the economic stimulus checks will righted the ship… I have one response to that; fail!
• And have we mentioned? That the US isn’t doing squat to address global warming? Well, I’m sure you already knew that, but now we have confirmation in the form of a G8 Climate Scorecards that shows the US has “done the least among the world’s eight biggest economies to address global warming.” Granted, the study also found that none of the G8 nations has taken enough steps to prevent catastrophic temperature changes, but don’t you feel good that the US has done the least while other countries have done something… I know I do.

The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Short week is closer to ending…

• A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp poll shows that terrorism fears are fading…
• The spouting off about Gen. Clark’s taking Sen. McCain to task about his military experience continues… so I’d like to share some more quotes about military experience and the Presidency…“I absolutely don’t believe that it’s necessary” to have military service in order to be president AND “I believe that military service is the most honorable endeavor an American may undertake. But I’ve never believed that lack of military service disqualifies one from occupying positions of political leadership or as Commander and Chief.” AND “The question I ask myself every morning while shaving in front of the mirror is: OK, John, you’re an incredible war hero, an inspiration to all Americans. But what qualifies you to be president of the United States?” Those quotes are from 9/7/1999 and 11/7/99 respectively… and they were muttered by Sen. McCain himself… so there ya go, either he’s flip-flopping again or he’s senile; take your pick.
• The NRA is rolling out a $15 million ad campaign aimed at Sen. Obama’s record on gun control. He supports legitimate gun ownership and also supports a ban on semi-automatic weapons...
• Three words: Statistical. Dead. Heat.
• Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has had sit downs with both Obama and McCain… but as of now hasn’t endorsed anyone. (regardless of race, I think Obama is the candidate more akin to Mr. Powell and would expect an endorsement of him closer to the convention…)
• A handful of conservatives are targeting the Pixar film “Wall-E”… wait, what?
• And have we mentioned? That the folks at the American Family Association are too biased for their own good? Stemming from their policy of replacing the word “gay” with “homosexual” on its Christian news outlet, the company created a filter to do just that… problem is, when they reported an AP story earlier this week about a U.S. sprinter, their filter re-named him “Tyson Homosexual.” Ya see, his real name is “Tyson Gay”, but because the group is SO afraid of that word, it changed his name within a story about his glorious performance at last weekend’s Olympic trials… smoooooooooooth.

Polls are Good

When polls are positive, they’re every politician’s friend… when they’re negative; they have no use for them and declare them persona non grata.

In other words, they don’t matter.

Case in point, despite poll after poll after poll after poll after, well you get the idea, showing skyrocketing and record levels of dissatisfaction with “President” Bush, the White House is still in an “upbeat mood” with aides that are still seeing a president that “gets his way.”

(Make no mistake, Bush getting his way is the fault of the Democratic-controlled Congress not treating Bush like the lame-duck he is… were it up to the people, Bush would have had the door slammed in his face a LONG time ago)

The magazine’s point is that the administration’s positive demeanor is a result of the president sensing (honestly, when was the last time this president sensed anything besides a pretzel in his mouth???) less opposition than before when facing crowds.

From the zine; “When he travels around the country, Bush feels less “antipathy” than he used to in the crowds, along the motorcade routes, and expressed by the individuals who talk to him at his events. “He feels there has been a shift in attitudes out there that’s not reflected in polling data,” the aide says. […] Reinforcing his point, the latest AP-Ipsos poll, released in mid-June, found that only 29 percent of Americans approved of Bush’s job performance, one of the lowest presidential ratings ever. White House officials, by the way, say they aren’t sure such polls should be believed because the questions are biased and the population samples are flawed.”

Back in January it was widely reported that Bush’s aides were predicting a “poll shift” to 45% favorability by the time he leaves office in early 2009.

But if polls are flawed, why should that matter?

And these ever-falling numbers (regardless of what this president “senses”) are what feeds some non-committed voter’s attitudes towards Sen. McCain… and that’s precisely why he should be worried.

With Bush’s numbers plunging, a new Gallup poll should give McCain’s campaign pause as 68% of Americans are either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” that McCain is going to “pursue policies that are too similar” to those of Bush while 49%, almost half of those polled, said they’re “very concerned” about McCain’s policies being too similar to Bush’s.

Sure, you could look at these numbers and wonder about the 31% that support McCain and come to one of two conclusions; either they’re hooked-up to gop brand Kool-Aid IV’s or they’re totally unaware this is a presidential election year and see Bush when they look at McCain.

Perhaps the White House and “President” Bush should consider that perhaps the reason for less antipathy is the fact that the majority of the American public realizes he’s a lame duck and that in a little over 200 days, they’ll be rid of him. Truth be told, he doesn't matter and isn't worth the time or energy to think about as people’s time is better spent right now either working extra jobs in order to stay afloat in this pathetic economy he helped create or are working for the change that is coming this November. Go. Obama.

The Tuesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Is it too early to start drinking?

• President Clinton and Sen. Obama meeting is still making news…
• Sen. Obama is defending his patriotism this week… and doing a damn fine job of it if I may say so myself. He told a crowd in Missouri yesterday that he has “deep and abiding love for this country” and that’s one of the reasons he’s running for president… (certainly better than Sen. McCain’s reason; pancakes from the White House kitchen 24/7…)
• Colorado could be in play this cycle…
• “President” Bush signed a bill yesterday that not only funds the Iraq and Afghanistan wars but also strengthens the GI bill. (That would be Sen. Webb’s GI Bill that McCain opposed… but then took credit for passing, even though he didn’t vote… and then received credit from Bush, who also opposed it, for helping it pass, even though he didn’t vote… their logic makes you wonder what the hell goes on in their minds, doesn’t it?)
• “Jesus for President”?
• A handful of Pentagon officials are worried about the “increasing likelihood” that Israel will launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities “before the end of the year” and that such an action would not only have enormous security repercussions for the US and the world, but strong economic ones as well. (well, considering that every damn conservative pundit keeps going on TV saying that an attack by Israel would be a good thing, perhaps the people at the Pentagon need to check their own backyard when it comes to instigating another unjust war… just a thought)
• And have we mentioned? That Fox “News” thinks that gas prices will plummet the moment Sen. McCain announces his running mate? (Seriously, does anything else need to be said? Announcing your choice for VP is going to cause gas prices to fall... yeah, let me know how that works out for ya)

Rove, Craig & Vetter have company

Like Karl Rove, Larry Craig and David Vetter last week Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol is practicing the art of irony.

Appearing on Fox “News” yesterday morning, Kristol sarcastically disparaged the sexism and misogyny that Democratic primary voters showed Sen. Clinton, saying; “It never would have happened in the Republican party. […] Republicans are much more open to strong women.”

Excuse me??? “republicans are much more open to strong women’? Seriously, that’s your argument?

I seem to remember him giving into that sexism during the primary, when you mocked her crying… though that’s nothing compared to what you said in February while discussing Clinton’s supporters, saying “White women are a problem, that’s, you know — we all live with that.”

Apparently republicans grasp of irony is as misguided as Alanis Morrisette’s grasp of irony…

The Monday ‘BushWhack’ing

Monday already? Damn, where did the weekend go?

• Former presidential candidate and NATO commander General Wesley Clark is questioning Sen. McCain’s executive experience saying; “I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.” (brilliant idea from the Obama camp in having a former general questioning McCain’s military experience rather than the candidate himself. Just be sure to not go too far or it could easily backfire…)
• McCain’s camp shot back with retired Admiral Leighton Smith, a campaign surrogate, who criticized Clark's comment and said; “If Barack Obama wants to question John McCain's service to his country, he should have the guts to do it himself and not hide behind his campaign surrogates […] If he expects the American people to believe his pledges about a new kind of politics, Barack Obama has a responsibility to condemn these attacks.” (Hmmm, what should I criticize first? A campaign surrogate condemning the words and tactic of using a campaign surrogate – IRONY! – or the fact that they want Obama to condemn these types of attacks on the day that McCain said Obama’s words “cannot be trusted”… are they really that stupid??)
• President Clinton will meet with Sen. Obama… why this is news is anyone’s guess.
• Libertarian candidate Bob Barr, a former republican Representative, says he’s no Nader… um, Bob, I don’t know how to tell you this, but you are…
• McCain and Obama need women Latinos…
• The New Yorker’s Seymour Hersh reported over the weekend that “Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran” last year aimed at intelligence gathering for “Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program.” Naturally U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker said in response to Hersh's story; “I can tell you flatly that U.S. forces are not operating across the Iraqi border into Iran.” (Oh well, if someone in the Bush(whacked) Administration says they’re not doing something, it must be true…)
• Sen. McCain gave a phone interview to the Orange County Register last week and acknowledged that he was unaware of the price of gas… about not knowing the price of gas he said; “I don’t see how it matters.” (Yeah, why should one of the two people running for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES know the price of gas… it’s not like it driving down the economy and forcing some people to make decisions about gas or food… oh, wait; IT IS! Anyone else want to explain to me how McCain isn’t out of touch?)
• And have we mentioned? That Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (r-KY) has a tremendous grasp of the obvious? During an interview on CNN, McConnell said that the republicans are “not going to be back in the majority in the Senate next year.” He then followed that up by showing his naiveté when he predicted that the gop will hold most, if not all, of their seats… (Um, yeah… tell me in November how that worked out for you Mr. McConnel…)

Karl Rove has company

Like Karl Rove earlier this week, Senators Larry Craig and David Vetter are practicing the art of irony…

The two senators are naming themselves as co-sponsors of S.J. Res. 43, the Marriage Protection Amendment that, if passed, would amend the Constitution to declare that marriage “shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman.”

Did we mention that both senators have been implicated in extramarital sexual activity?

Vitter was identified as a client of a prostitution firm owned by the late Deborah Jeane Palfrey, aka ‘The DC Madam.’

Craig was arrested in 2007 on charges of lewd conduct in a Minneapolis airport terminal for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a male undercover police officer.

His arrest and plea became public two months later. At that time, Craig attempted to withdraw his plea and enter a new plea of not guilty. To date, his efforts have been denied by the courts

I still love irony… especially when it’s a two-fer of self-righteous conservatives with sexual skeletons in their closets.

The Friday ‘BushWhack’ing

Another end to another week…

• Sens. Clinton and Obama are on a unity trip that started in Unity, New Hampshire, a town in which they got the exact same number of votes in the primary… that was serendipitous…
• The Senate has finalized the bill that funds the Iraq (99%) and Afghan (.00000001%) wars and includes Sen. Webb’s 21st Century Bill and disaster assistance for the flood-ravaged Midwest… (good job guys, keep it up…)
• Speaking of things getting passed in Congress, the House approved a bill that gives financial help to mass transit systems that are facing a huge upswing in riders due to high gas prices…(naturally, because it would help the average American, republicans had to block something within the bill, and they chose to block the Democrats attempts to require oil and gas companies to drill on the millions of acres of government land and water on which they already own federal leases but on which they don’t drill… because that would make too much sense apparently. Why drill on land they already own when they can drill offshore and in ANWR… anyone want to try to defend this dumbass decision?)
• Democratic Sens. Feingold & Dodd were successful in getting the FISA bill tabled until after the July 4th break… a small victory yes, but a victory none the less that will allow them to twist arms convince more of their peers into opposing the bill when it’s taken up again after the break… stay tuned)
• Federal agents from the ATF raided Blackwater Worldwide this week as part of an investigation that is looking to find out if the private security company “sidestepped federal laws prohibiting the private purchase of automatic assault rifles.” (oooooo, this sounds promising, stay tuned)
• You can count California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger among those that think offshore drilling is a bad idea, saying “Anyone who tells you that this will bring down our gas prices immediately or anytime soon is blowing smoke. […] To look for new ways to feed our addiction (to oil) is not the answer.” (wow, what an incredibly smart, investigative and Liberal-type answer, thanks Mr. Schwarzenegger)
• SCOTUS struck down a portion of the McCain-Feingold bill that allowed opponents of wealthy candidates to exceed strict campaign spending limits… (because if its one thing conservatives don’t want is a level playing field, cuz that would force them to act more responsibly… and that would cause the world to collapse on itself, so we owe them our thanks. Snark, like sarcasm, is so hard to express in the written form)
• And have we mentioned? That it seems as though Vice President Cheney isn’t happy with the administration’s decision to take North Korea off of the terror watch list? Cheney was asked by Steve Clemons of The New America Foundation what his opinion was of the action and Cheney froze, saying; “I’m not going to be the one to announce this decision. […] You need to address your interest in this to the State Department. Upon which he declared that he was done taking questions, and left the room (sounds like there’s trouble in paradise…)

The Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

Another day closer to Friday, another day closer to Friday...

• North Korea handed over information relating to its nuclear program yesterday, which instantly caused “President” Bush to call for the lifting of some sanctions against them…we at TBWA reserve opinion until more information is revealed.
• A handful of Democrat’s attempt to filibuster the FISA bill fell short yesterday as a pathetic amount of Senators, 15, voted against the bill in a procedural vote. (Sad… sad and pathetic. Sen. Obama supposedly has plans to battle this in the future, but I can tell you that he lost a lot of support and respect by some Liberals with his silence and apparently willingness to accept the bill as it was. If you have a plan Mr. Obama, now is the time…)
• Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith is stressing his history of working with Sen. Obama in a new campaign ad that started airing earlier this week… did I mention Mr. Smith is a republican Senator? Did I also mention that he’s one of the most vulnerable Senate republicans this cycle? (While the Obama campaign immediately made clear that he’s supporting Smith's Democratic opponent, this is an interesting strategy and, if successful, could change the way things are done. I suggest staying tuned to this race…)
• “White guilt”? Seriously Ralph, that’s your strategy? Hell, even Sen. McCain has a more sound strategy than that, and it involves fear-mongering and pancakes. I think you’ve finally gone round the bend…
• Sen. Obama’s campaign manger outlined his campaign strategy that comprises the primary goal of holding on to the 20 states that Sen. Kerry won (giving him 252 electoral votes) and then, in order to garner the 18 additional electoral votes needed to reach 270, campaign manager David Plouffe outlined a variety of strategies and initiatives… (considering the last few Democratic campaigns, this sounds like it has been designed to win. Utilizing the 50-state strategy that served him well in the primaries should help Obama in the general election. As always, stay tuned. Not only is this election historical, it’s going to be like nothing seen before…)
• Sen. Obama said yesterday that he disagrees with the Supreme Court decision that struck down the death penalty for child rapists, saying that states should be able to execute people for "heinous" crimes. (I agree with him… but then again, I’m a Liberal that supports the death penalty in most cases. How SCOTUS arrived at this decision is anyone’s guess)
• More SCOTUS news, they just ruled, 5-4, that Washington D.C.’s 32-year old law forbidding ownership of handguns is an unconstitutional restriction on the right to keep and bear arms… what could possibly go wrong?
• And have we mentioned? That 75% of Americans “blame President Bush’s economic policies for making the country worse off during the last eight years”? The results come from a LA Times/Bloomberg poll and the numbers don’t require anything more from me save this; long and far our country has fallen. Long. And far.

Karl Rove is Mr Irony

Last Sunday the NY Times ran an article that looked at the CIA’s interrogation of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, and in the process identified the name of the CIA agenct that interrogated him.

On yesterday’s “The O’Reilly Factor” former Bush crony Karl Rove criticized the Times for leaking the name of the CIA agent, saying; “T]hey’ve got a very callous view about our nation’s security and interests.”

Rove then went on to say that the US is put at risk when a CIA agent’s identity is leaked.

I love irony…

The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Hump day, mid week, let’s get to it…

• Sen. Obama is criticizing Sen. McCain’s energy plan and calling them “gimmicks” that will only “increase our oil addiction for another four years.” Obama’s plan on the other hand would include taxing profits from oil companies and then using that money to help families pay their energy bills, it would close the Enron-loophole that allowed that corporations to engage in unregulated speculation that drove up the price of oil and would raise fuel standards while investing $150 billion over the next 10 years in alternative energy sources. (So let’s see… Obama’s would try to get out from under the thumb of oil companies while McCain’s would continue to kiss their collective asses…)
• James Dobson is criticizing Obama because of comments he made in a June 2006 speech… a June… 2006… speech. (Um, Mr. Dobson, that was like 2 years ago, little behind aren’t you, you meddlesome schmuck?) Obama has fired back at Dobson and has even offered to meet with his cult group, Focus on the Family… (Won’t happen. The last thing Dobson wants to do is meet with someone and talk, he would rather listen to something that happened in the past and throw out accusations and attacks based on that)
• Markets are driving up the cost of oil and NOT the speculators…
• CNN continues to ask the tough questions; “What’s on Obama’s iPod?” though looking at his list, it sounds a LOT like my iPod…
• Sen. Clinton is turning her attention back to her senate duties…
• Acting like he’s one of the few Democrats with balls, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) delivered an impassioned speech on the Senate floor last night in opposition to the FISA reform bill, saying; “Either the companies and the President acted outside of the rule of law, or they followed it. […] Either the underlying program was legal or it wasn’t. Because of this legislation, none of the questions will be answered.” Dodd was then joined by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI and who I think would make an interesting VP choice) in saying that they would filibuster the bill “as long as it provides retroactive immunity” for the telecoms.” (What’s this, a backbone? Keep at it Mr. Dodd and Mr. Feingold, maybe you can entice more to join you)
• The House overwhelmingly passed a bill yesterday that will prevent a 10% cut in Medicare payments to doctors that was going to take effect on July 1. Good news, as the legislation probably would have lead to a plethora of docs opting out of treating Medicare patients, which is NOT something that this nation needs. Good to see there’s still some intelligence in the House…
• And have we mentioned? That former White House press secretary Scott McClellan apparently doesn’t like Vice President Dick Cheney? While speaking at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco last night, McClellan said that Cheney had a “terribly negative influence over this president” (tell me something I DON’T know) and even suggested some title ideas for a possible Cheney autobiography; “The Lies I Told,” or “I Upped Halliburton’s Income - So Up Yours.” (Nicely put Scott, well done. He also had a suggestion for Rove’s book; “The Lies I Told to Whom and Why” and Scooter Libby’s; “Well, Pardon Me”)

The Tuesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Another day closer to the weekend, thank God…

• An adviser to Sen. McCain apologized (which it seems is all he ever does) yesterday after he said that a terrorist attack on the US would be a “big advantage” for McCain… (How can anyone be this stupid? Charlie Black has said incredibly stupid things before, but this is probably the worst. If he stays around until November, I would be very surprised…)
• A political commercial “expert” told CNN that Sen. Obama’s decision to forego public financing is going to set the stage for him to create a “shock and awe” ad campaign…(God, I thought we had stricken those words from the American lexicon… what exactly a ‘shock & awe’ ad campaign actually consists of is anyone’s guess… but I think Obama would have cleaned McCain’s ad clock even if he DID accept public financing. McCain’s camp is, like McCain, rather stale. If they don’t pick-up on the significance of the intertubes, his campaign will fold like origami… stay tuned)
• CNN is still surprised that race is going to play a role in this campaign…
• Obama is “no Bambi”? Seriously David Gergen, that’s the best you could do???
• A new DOJ Inspector’s General report shows that high-ranking political appointees made moves that would allow them to “exert more control” over the DOJ’s prestigious hiring program, thus stocking it with “young conservatives in a five-year-long attempt to reshape the department’s ranks.” (Noooooo??? Reallllllyyy?? I never would have guessed… if you couldn’t detect the sarcasm in that statement, you need to see a doctor…)
• Former House speaker Dennis Hastert “managed to visit seven nations and run up a tab of just over $20,000 in taxpayer-funded overseas trips” in the last 11 months in office... compare that to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) who took taxpayer funded trips to the lowly tune of $827.16… the contrasts are incredible, yet not surprising, aren’t they?
• Sen. Clinton wants help to absolve her political debt… (Honestly, this isn’t a new concept and has been done in the past by both parties. Why the outrage now shows just how narrow-minded and short-sighted some people can be…)
• And have we mentioned? That there’s another republican falling in line with “President” Bush and Sen. McCain in trying to take credit for Sen. Jim Webbs’s 21st Century GI Bill? Like Bush and McCain, Sen. John Cornyn (r-TX) is now trying to take credit for its passage even though he VOTED AGAINST IT!! (Do these three think the troops don’t pay attention to what goes on here at home? All three of them have seen, and will continue to see, their numbers drop among veterans after spewing off about the bill only to suddenly praise it after it gets passed. Here’s some advice fellas; they ain’t fooled…)

The Monday “BushWhack’ing

Another start to another week… in the words of President Garfield the cat; ‘I hate Mondays’

• Apparently the media just got word that race will play a factor in this year’s presidential campaign… as will flip-flopping… (that’s some mighty-fine reporting there everyone, you must have taxed your investigative skills uncovering these ‘shockers’)
• Sen. Obama told supporters at a Florida fundraiser that republicans will “try to make you afraid of me”… (too bad he’s right… and too bad that they will succeed with some narrow-minded people)
• Bob Barr is to the republicans in 2008, what Ralph Nader was to the Democrats in 2000… but you already knew that, didn’t you… apparently no one told the gop until recently…
• New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson acted as a supporter should yesterday, attacking Sen. McCain’s support of offshore drilling, saying; “You can't drill your way out of the problem.” (This is precisely what Obama needs; supporters that hold office attacking McCain so Obama doesn’t have to do it by himself. I have a feeling this isn’t the last time we’ll hear from Richardson, nor anyone else like him. I would guess Sen. Clinton isn’t far behind in launching a salvo at McCain’s camp. Stay tuned…)
• Congress has finally decided to focus on the current gas crisis and is turning its attention towards energy speculation. It seems some lawmakers are placing blame (rightfully so I think) on Wall Street traders for record oil and gasoline prices… (Great! Too bad they didn’t focus on that years ago when people first started calling attention to it…)
• The US attorney scandal just won’t go away for the White House. Today, attorneys for the White House and Congress are going to court to argue whether the House Judiciary Committee can force White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former Counsel Harriet Miers to testify about their roles in the scandal… (My question is; why wouldn’t they? Executive privilege shouldn’t be allowed in this circumstance, and if they have nothing to hide, they shouldn’t be scared; right???)
• Former UN Ambassador John Bolton is spouting off again… complying with my call last week to ignore everything he says, I won’t be posting it here. Though I will say the man is a mental furball with a 1970’s porno mustache with a desperate need for attention…
• Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol said that “President” Bush is more likely to attack Iran if he thinks (can he do that?) Obama is going to win the election… well, that’s certainly a logical and approved reason to attack another country… (this isn’t the first time Kristol has spewed this from his mouth, and he’s previously said that he got it from someone within the Bush(whacked) Administration… if they do end of attacking Iran, Kristol and the aforementioned mental furball should be dragged – forcibly if needs be – in front of a Senate committee and asked what they knew and when they knew it…)
• And have we mentioned? That McCain’s campaign violated a law and lied? As you pick yourself up from reading something so surprising (sarcasm alert!), consider this; not only did McCain violate McCain-Feingold by taking out a loan against his approved FEC financing… he then reneged on that financing and then his campaign spokesman lied about the loan's existence… (Um… where’s the outrage from the Fourth Estate? If this was Obama, the media would have been on it like it was another Brittany Spears head-shaving… but noooo, the free-ride that McCain has been enjoying since the presidential campaign began continues. My hope is that, eventually, someone in the msm will have the balls to dig into McCain’s past and discover that he’s much worse than a flip-flopper… but I’m not holding my breath)

The Weekly Rewind

If you’re like me and trying to conserve gas, stay inside and read this week’s edition of The Weekly Rewind… now with more ‘Heckle’

Applaud: to the Bush Legacy Bus Tour (yes Virginia, it’s meant to be sarcastic). Americans United for Change is launching the tour, which they describe as a “museum on wheels dedicated to chronicling the disastrous legacy of President Bush and the conservative policies he and his allies have pursued.” The bus is slated to hit the road on June 24th and is scheduled to make approximately 150 stops between now and Election Day… so keep your eyes open for it in YOUR town. I know I will…

Heckle: to all style and no substance. Yes, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Karl Rove’s attorney Robert Luskin asking to have him appear before them, but they hinted that they may be willing to accept that “Rove appear ‘without a transcript or oath,’ but without any limit on the committee’s right to seek sworn testimony later.” (Um… if given the chance to lie without any possible repercussion, don’t ya think that Karl Rove will lie? What kind of stupid crap is this? If you don’t have the balls to subpoena him and MAKE IT STICK, drop it and cower in the corner like you always do… schmucks)

Applaud: to something that should NOT be a surprise. Due to the media’s pathetic and galling political reporting, a new Pew poll finds that Americans are dissatisfied with political sound bites supplied by the main stream media and are thusly looking to the Internet for a more complete picture. Per the study, almost 30% of adults have used the Internet to read or watch unfiltered campaign material” while 6% have “contributed to a campaign using the Internet, up from a paltry 2% in 2004… (and with the media’s continues piss-poor job of political reporting, we can expect that number to shoot up even higher in the months, and years, ahead…)

Heckle: to conservative columnist George Will for being as inane as the party he follows. Speaking on the heels of a USA Today/Gallup poll that showed 55% of Americans think their families are worse off financially than they were a year ago, Will said they’re just misinformed and in reality are “better off today than they were in 2000-2001.” (The blinders and rose-colored glasses these guys have are amazing. How anyone with their own brain could think people are better off now is not only insulting to the intelligence of the average American, but mind-boggling naïve as well…)

Applaud: to news that not only makes me smile but that should have precluded him from speaking to the National Press Club but didn’t. Larry Sinclair spoke at the National Press Club earlier this week and continued to spout off his lies about Sen. Obama even though the Politico’s Ben Smith reported that Sinclair has a rather sordid history including a 27-year criminal record that specializes in “crimes involving deceit” such as forgery. In fact, the Pueblo County, Colorado Sheriff’s Office has Sinclair listed as “Wanted”… nice company to keep NPC. Who’s next? Scooter Libby… oh wait

Applaud Part II: to getting one’s comeuppance. Larry Sinclair was arrested after an appearance at the National Press club earlier this week and charged as a fugitive from justice after 2 US Marshals presented him with a warrant from the state of Delaware… it was discovered earlier this week that Sinclair not only has a 27-year criminal record but is a wanted man in Colorado (and apparently Delaware as well. (Good riddance to bad rubbish… and the NPC should be held accountable in some way as well for allowing a wanted felon from speaking at an event)

Heckle: to the results of a new World Public Opinion poll. The poll of 20 nations found that a sad and pathetic (or delusional) 2% say they have “a lot” or “some” confidence that President Bush will do “the right thing regarding world affairs” and ranks below, below!, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and barely beats Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf… (that’s some mighty fine company you have there George, good job)

Applaud: to House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) for his consideration of holding EPA administrator Stephen Johnson and OMB official Susan Dudley in contempt of Congress due to their “repeated refusal to provide subpoenaed documents to the Committee” regarding the White House’s role in the EPA’s rejection of California’s motor vehicle emission standards. (way to go Mr. Waxman… keep on them)

Heckle: to former House speaker, and eternal schmuck, Newt Gingrich. Appearing on Face the Nation last Sunday morning, Gingrich echoed the (sad and pathetic) conservative rhetoric and decried SCOTUS’ decision to restore the right of habeas corpus petitions to Guantanamo detainees and said; “This court decision is a disaster, which could cost us a city…” (Fearmonger much? Oh wait, you’re a republican so yes you do ya putz)

Applaud: to the passing and subsequent signing of a new law dubbed the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act. The bill will provides tax relief for military families and at the same time closes a loophole that had allowed defense contractors to avoid paying millions of dollars in payroll taxes and that now requires them to pay the taxes that finance Social Security and Medicare programs… (pwned!)

Heckle: to saying one thing and doing another. Less than a month after the Bush(Whacked) Administration declared polar bears as a threatened species, they are now giving oil companies permission to potentially harm them by giving seven oil companies legal protection if “small numbers” of polar bears are harmed while they search for oil and gas in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea. (Wow… I’m not an animal hugger per se, but this stinks of favoritism and I would hope someone decides to investigate how exactly this decision came to be…)

Applaud: to silence that speaks volumes and gives more fodder for the ‘republican party is more un-united than the Dems’ talk… former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declined to answer whether he will support Sen. McCain for president… perhaps it has to do with McCain saying back in 2007 that Rumsfeld will “go down as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history.” (I love political in-fighting, especially on the gop side)

Heckle: to doing a lot of travelling and having nothing to show for it… Per ThinkProgress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made 22 trips to Israel during Bush’s reign, the most recent coming last weekend… problem is, as Time’s Jerusalem Bureau Chief Tim McGirk notes, “[S]he has little to show for it” as there was “no fanfare, no motorcades snarling up the city’s traffic,” and she couldn’t even book a room at her usual hotel and had to settle for a “less grand” one. The best part of this story though (and the one that almost made this an applaud), is that Israeli TV announcers have “coined her name as a verb, meaning to go endlessly around in circles, accomplishing nothing.” (I think we’ve gotten a new mantra for the administration…)

Applaud: to honoring a political pundit with a HUGE football hunger. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) are going to introduce legislation to rename a portion of Route 20 near the Buffalo Bills’ stadium after Tim Russert who was a stringent Bills fan…

Heckle: to hyperbole from someone who is himself a hyperbole. Former DOJ official John Yoo wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed and condemned last week’s SCOTUS ruling as “judicial imperialism of the highest order,” claiming it gives rights to those “captured fighting against the U.S.” Glenn Greenwald responds, “[A] huge bulk of our ‘War on Terror’ prisoners, including those at Guantanamo, were not ‘captured fighting against the U.S.’ at all.” (Wow… talk about fear-mongering hyperbole… and someone with Yoo’s reputation really shouldn’t be talking about anything, let alone the law)

Applaud: to words that should calm fears, ease hearts and tranquilize minds. Asked whether she was interested in being Vice President, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Fox & Friends earlier this week; “It’s time for me to do something else. […] You have to know when your time is up, and it’s time for new blood.” (THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK GOD… and since it can’t be said enough, THANK GOD!)

Heckle: to a booth at the recent Texas republican convention that sold buttons asking, “If Obama Is President…Will We Still Call It The White House?” (Unacceptable on ALL levels. I understand this is the kind of idiotic racist crap we’re going to have to deal with in the months ahead, but for it to be condoned by a major political party is simply wrong and the company that makes the button – which I refuse to link to here – deserves to be boycotted en masse)

Heckle: to news that, considering whose in charge, isn’t surprising. The GAO issued a report that warns the “government does not have adequate privacy protections for the personal information it collects, shares and stores as part of the effort to fight terrorism” and suggests updating the Privacy Act to protect against the government’s “massive, massive data collections.” (Wow… who could have ever seen that a White House that can’t even keep track of their own emails wouldn’t be able to protect private information. Something needs to be done, but we know nothing will…)

Heckle: to a quote by CIA lawyer Jonathan Fredman that will (God-willing) eventually come back to bite the administration on the ass; “If the detainee dies, you’re doing it wrong.”

Heckle: to even more examples of this administration’s incompetence. A new audit by the GAO reports that after six years, and roughly $16.5 billion, the U.S. still lacks a solid plan to create a self-sustaining security force in Afghanistan, even though that’s the TRUE war of terror base... (way to go Bush(whacked) Administration! Keep up the good work)

Heckle: to the results of a new AP-Ipsos poll. The poll finds that a majority of Americans (8 in 10) Americans believe the country is “moving in the wrong direction” while only 17% (whom I imagine are Bush family members) say the country is going in the right direction. The survey also says that the overall level of cynicism is the “worst in almost 30 years.”

Heckle: to former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton. Sure, I could say ‘on general principles alone’, but he’s spouting off again, appearing on a radio show this week eh sad that “the best outcome” of an Obama presidency would be “a replay of the Clinton administration,” meaning “more embassy bombings” and “more World Trade Center attacks”: (Ummmm… the WTC attack under Clinton was a preview of the bigger one that occurred on BUSH’S WATCH you porn-mustachioed putz! Also, Bolton was one of the administration’s largest busts, why the HELL is he continually given a podium to speak his mind??)

All I have, take 'em as you will...

The Friday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s around here somewhere… somewhere is the Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing. Have YOU seen it?

• Former Press Secretary Scott McClellan is speaking before the House Judiciary committee this morning and said, that while he does not think “President” Bush knew about the leak of CIA agent Valerie Plame’s identity, he refused to give the same assurances about Vice President Dick Cheney… (If Cheney DIDN’T know about it, I would be very, very surprised…)
• Sen. Obama decided yesterday to not accept public financing, a decision that didn’t come as a surprise but has evoked some negative comments from his opponent. After all, if he were to accept the approximately $85 million in public financing, strict spending limits come with it and he is doing fine in his own fundraising… and that’s not even counting the Sen. Clinton supporters that started donating to him after she gracefully bowed out.
• A day after House and Senate leaders announced a bipartisan plan to overhaul the nation's wiretapping laws, “President” Bush thanked them for agreeing on a new domestic surveillance law and said; “It will help our intelligence professionals learn our enemies' plans for new attacks.” (Again… all I want is proof that it’s worked… that’s all… proof that it has stopped an attack and I’ll be more open to it. But for now, with no proof and telecom immunity attached, it’s a slap in the face of every American citizen and another step in destroying the US Constitution…)
• The House sent a war funding bill to the Senate yesterday. The bill is a $165 billion measure that puts no restrictions on the war-money Bush requested earlier (DUMBASSES!) and yet also includes more than $2 billion to help the flood-stricken Midwest and increases unemployment assistance and expands the GI Bill. (Despite my opposition to the Iraq war continuing, our troops need the money there AND Afganistan, and since the Dems attached flood assistance and an expansion of unemployment for 13 more weeks and strengthened the GI Bill, I think the bill is a plus…)
• No more flying without an ID… while I don’t understand why you wouldn’t fly without an ID in the first place or wouldn’t want to show it, it’s another stripping of privacy by the administration that has raised it to an art form…
• And have we mentioned? That a republican State Representative in Florida thinks McCain is being dis-honest about offshore drilling? While Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio favors drilling off the coast of Florida, he challenges McCain’s implication that drilling could lower gas prices anytime soon, telling the Miami Herald that McCain is making “disingenuous” argument that’s also flawed… (Wow, can anyone reading this think of better ways to describe McCain than ‘disingenuous’ and ‘flawed’? I can’t…)