August 13, 2004
Dems and Religion
Can the Democrats bring the church crowd to the party? Eyal Press in The Nation:
By refocusing the debate about values away from what happens in the bedroom and toward issues like homelessness and poverty, strategists like Perriello believe progressives can reclaim the moral high ground in American politics while mobilizing religious activists to advance concerns they share. At the Call to Renewal conference, Jim Wallis, editor-in-chief of Sojourners, echoed this line, arguing that unlike inherently divisive issues such as gay marriage and abortion, a campaign against poverty could unify Christians "across political and denominational lines." It's an inspiring thought, although in reality such a campaign would likely fracture along familiar political lines. For as Jackson's speech showed, framing poverty as a religious issue can as easily buttress a conservative agenda as a progressive one. The faith community is ultimately no less divided about the causes of poverty than the rest of society is, with some viewing it as a "state of mind" for which individuals have themselves to blame, others as a product of structural inequality that requires a radically different set of policies.
More Taxes for Middle
Thanks Buddy! WPost on a CBO study:
Since 2001, President Bush's tax cuts have shifted federal tax payments from the richest Americans to a wide swath of middle-class families, the Congressional Budget Office has found, a conclusion likely to roil the presidential election campaign.Oh, but is the CBO just some partisan hack group funded by Soros?The CBO study, due to be released today, found that the wealthiest 20 percent, whose incomes averaged $182,700 in 2001, saw their share of federal taxes drop from 64.4 percent of total tax payments in 2001 to 63.5 percent this year. The top 1 percent, earning $1.1 million, saw their share fall to 20.1 percent of the total, from 22.2 percent.
Over that same period, taxpayers with incomes from around $51,500 to around $75,600 saw their share of federal tax payments increase. Households earning around $75,600 saw their tax burden jump the most, from 18.7 percent of all taxes to 19.5 percent.
The analysis, requested in May by congressional Democrats, echoes similar studies by think tanks and Democratic activist groups. But the conclusions have heightened significance because of their source, a nonpartisan government agency headed by a former senior economist from the Bush White House, Douglas Holtz-Eakin. The study will likely stoke an already burning debate about the fairness and efficacy of $1.7 trillion in tax cuts that the president pushed through Congress.
MSNBC No More?
Will the low-rated news net be pulled? NYDN:
Microsoft and NBC are switching the channels on their relationship. The co-owners of No. 3 cable news net MSNBC are discussing a host of options - including pulling the plug on their 8-year partnership.
Sources told the Daily News that talks have been going on for some time. The two are bound together by a long-term contract.There are other possibilities on the table. The two sides are also said to be exploring the option of working more closely together to create new businesses like subscription and broadband services, insiders said.
"There have been discussions about evolving the relationship," a source said.
But both sides appear disillusioned with a marriage that was supposed to revolutionize news on TV and the Internet. Instead, MSNBC has become a distant third in the cable news race.
Thompson Refuses to Endorse Keyes
The former Repub Gov is disappointed with the choice
Former Republican Gov. James R. Thompson said Wednesday he was disappointed that Illinois Republicans had gone out of state to find a U.S. Senate candidate."I find it sad that the state central committee of the Republican Party could not find a representative in Illinois to take this race on because there were a number who were willing to do so," Thompson told reporters ... Thompson, who had cut quickly off any talk of himself becoming the replacement candidate even before the party's search began, said he had not endorsed Keyes or agreed to campaign for him.
"I don't know enough about his positions to say I would be comfortable in doing that," he said.
More Smog = More Summer
NRDC report: "Hot summer days are getting hotter because of global warming, but that's not all. This 2004 NRDC report shows that higher temperatures would also mean more summertime smog. The report presents a comprehensive new analysis by medical experts at the Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University, University at Albany-SUNY, Yale University and University of Wisconsin-Madison. The analysis finds that people living in the eastern United States could see the average number of unhealthy air days during summer increase from 12 days to 20 days by the middle of the century. Pollen levels could also increase. Higher levels of smog and allergens would mean more asthma attacks, more hospitalizations, and more children told they can't play outdoors."
August 12, 2004
It's Called a Good Point
From Digby's Blog:
The redoubtable Hesiod, in the comments below, wonders why nobody has unearthed the story of George H. W. Bush Sr's 1988 brush with controversy over his navy heroics in WWII. Apparently, there were some fellow aviators --- not on his own plane mind you (ahem) --- who claimed that he bailed prematurely on two of his comrades on the Barbara II and got them killed.I only bring this up because it's interesting that even though a man came forward to make these charges in an August 12, 1988 NY Post story by Allan Wolper and Al Ellenberg, called "The Day Bush Bailed Out," the Democrats didn't then use it as a line of attack to destroy Bush Sr's reputation. In fact, the story died down quite quickly. Had they chosen to smear him, there was enough mud around to make it ugly. They didn't.
And, it's not as if Bush Sr. didn't run on his war record. In fact, CNN is currently helping his son run on it too. In every campaign it was front and center. But, in all the years of running against George Bush our side never stooped to questioning his bravery or integrity in the Big One.
But somebody did. His name is Ted Sampley, Godfather of the Swift Boat Liars. If you'd like to read all about Bush Sr's alleged cowardice in WWII, here it is, from the chief veteran smear artist himself. Seems he has problems with a lot of war heroes.
MoveOn to Mobilize Even More
To spend $5m on battleground states. From their PR:
MoveOn PAC has launched an unprecedented $5 million campaign in battleground states to apply a technique which experts say is the single most effective strategy for voter persuasion and increased voter turnout—person-to-person contact by friends and neighbors. MoveOn calls this precinct-level GOTV effort: “Leave No Voter Behind.”
Using the same technology it pioneered for grassroots organizing over the internet, MoveOn PAC has developed the capacity and infrastructure to wage a door-to-door campaign in support of John Kerry in 10,000 neighborhoods in most key battleground states. Over the next six weeks, MoveOn PAC will hire 500 organizers to assist 30,000+ MoveOn volunteers in turning out as many as 440,000 new votes for John Kerry -- a combination of previously undecided voters and infrequent Democratic voters who would otherwise be unlikely to go the polls.
X-Games and Politics
Pro Surfer Kelly Slater endorses Kerry / Edwards, though most sports stars stay out of politics; From the AP:
"Answering questions like that could get him in a lot of trouble,'' publicist Mark Ervin said.Though their sports are based on individual creativity and expression, X Games competitors are paid mainly by corporate sponsors who don't always appreciate controversial comments.
Representatives from brands like T-Mobile or Quiksilver hover at the events, and their logos are omnipresent -- attached to helmets, water bottles and uniforms. (Though there are no logos on X Games ramps, as there are at other competitions.)
So with the presidential campaign in full tilt, a few athletes are finding quiet ways to express their preferences during the four-day action sports competition, which continues through Sunday.
Kelly Slater slapped a "Kerry-Edwards'' sticker on his surfboard, and Andy Macdonald wrote "Regime change in the USA'' on his skateboard's grip tape.
Bush Defeat Good for Party?
So muse John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge in the CSMonitor. Why? Not conservative enough, misguided foreign policy, and also:
The third reason for the right to celebrate a Bush loss comes in one simple word: gridlock. Gridlock is a godsend to some conservatives - a proven way to stop government spending. A Kerry administration is much more likely to be gridlocked than a second Bush administration because the Republicans look sure to hang on to the House and have a better-than-even chance of keeping control of the Senate.A fourth reason has to do with regeneration. Some conservatives think the Republican Party - and the wider conservative movement - needs to rediscover its identity. Is it a "small government" party, or does "big government conservatism" make sense? Is it the party of big business or of free markets? Under Bush, Western antigovernment conservatives have generally lost ground to Southern social conservatives, and pragmatic internationalists have been outmaneuvered by neoconservative idealists. A period of bloodletting might help, returning a stronger party to the fray.
And that is the fifth reason a few conservatives might welcome a November Bush-bashing: the certain belief that they will be back, better than ever, in 2008. The conservative movement has an impressive record of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Ford's demise indeed helped to power the Reagan landslide; "Poppy" Bush's defeat set up the Gingrich revolution. In four years, many conservatives believe, President Kerry could limp to destruction at the hands of somebody like Colorado Gov. Bill Owens.
August 11, 2004
Wed Stories
USA TODAY. Kerry: Bush broke vow on Nev. nuke site
Guardian. Diplomacy sidelined as US targets Iran
Register-Guard. Kerry, Bush to battle on Oregon ground
AP. Bush Campaigns in the Southwest
HispanicBusiness. Kerry, Bush Ply Hispanic Media With Ads
LAT. An active retirement; Older Americans make a formidable voting bloc, and as healthcare issues and the war make headlines, more are politicized, some say
LAT. Kerry's Fundraising Records in Calif.
Reuters. Calpers posts 16.7% gain for fiscal y
LAT. Congressman Admits to Hidden Gun at Airport
CBS. Bush Mocks Kerry On Iraq
WP. Colorado, Georgia Decide Primaries
WP. Democrats Cautious in Responding to Goss
NYT. Democrats Give Republicans a Fight for the Elderly
NYT. Stumping Bush Calls Kerry a Reluctant Ally on Iraq
NYT. U.S. Troops Fight Iraq Militiamen on Two Fronts
NYT. U.S. to Give Border Patrol Agents the Power to Deport Illegal Aliens
Lowell Sun. Kerry win could clear way for another Tsongas in Senate
BerkDaily. Librarians Win Battle Against Ashcroft’s Edict to Censor Statute Documents
Commentary
Kurt Vonnegut. I Love You, Madame Librarian
Antonia Zerbisias. Jon Stewart gets serious, why won't reporters
MJones. Dems could win big in ... Alaska!
Rekha Basu. Bush was a parody of himself in Unity speech
Cindy Richards. Give Keyes rope to hang himself
Robert Kuttner. The right economic stimulus
LAT. Two-Faced Forest Policy
Derrick Z. Jackson. Kerry's hopeful tone on black opportunity
BG. Losing summer jobs
Helen Thomas. Terror alerts must be credible
David Corn. A Soft Scold from Goss
Michelle Goldberg. New York lockdown; Cops plan zero tolerance for violent protests at the GOP Convention. Militant groups plan to disrupt the city like never before. Welcome, delegates!
Joshua Holland. Blackwashing; Scratch the surface of a black conservative group and you find a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy
BG. Poor choice for the CIA
Radha Chaurushiya. The Fed Loosens Its Lips
Matthew Rothschild. Bush and the Third Martyr
Michael Tomasky. None Too Swift; Everyone has a right to free speech. But they don't have a right to lie, and it's up to editorialists to call them on it.
Matthew Yglesias. Pants on Fire; How Bush is distorting Kerry's tax plans
Hamster Numbers: Minority Youth Employment
Young? Minority? Looking for a job? Uh-oh, spaghettios. From the College Dem blog:
to 247,000 new jobs. Hidden in today's report is the exceptionally unsettling
picture for minority youth. In July, the jobless rate for African American youth hit a historic high and the rate for Latino youth was near the all time worst. The jobless rate for all 16 to 19 year olds reached 56.1 percent in July, while the jobless rate for African American youth reached 75.1 percent and Latino youth reached almost 66 percent."
CNN's Bill Schneider Relays Newsmax Idiocy
From Media Matters:
On the August 5 edition of CNN's Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics, CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider repeated commentary from "one conservative website" but never said the website's name: NewsMax.com. In his report on the parallels between the recently released remake of The Manchurian Candidate and present-day politics, Schneider perpetuated -- without offering refutation -- the suggestion that Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) was the inspiration for the "villain" character, played by Meryl Streep. Yet Streep told The New York Times that she based the character of Eleanor Shaw on former Bush adviser Karen Hughes, Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), conservative pundit Ann Coulter, Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.During his report, Schneider, who is also a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, relayed commentary from NewsMax.com's "The Left Coast Report" by James Hirsen; Schneider also suggested Senator Clinton is a "diabolical, cold, manipulative member of the U.S. Senate."
Keyes Sings Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Braddah Iz he is not. Sideshow indeed; link sent out from the DSCC
Outfoxed "Record Numbers"
The film on Fox is doing well in its NY theater, according to TVNewser:
Outfoxed opened in last weekend "with record numbers -- $78,054," meaning the film earned over $15,000 per screen, a press release says. How exactly is that a record? The film broke the "weekend gross" for the Quad Cinema, "making it the best opening ever in its 30-year existence," the New York theater's owner says. Outfoxed will expand to Pasadena, San Jose, Baltimore, and additional NY and SF theaters this weekend, and move to "Portland and other cities" on August 20...
Hardball to Get MicroAx?
I don't think it's likely, but nonetheless - from NYDN:
A tipster tells us that Matthews had asked O'Reilly to come on "Hardball" to do battle with ideological foe Krugman, in part to "show that he could get ratings on MSNBC." According to our snoop, the proposed sale of Slate.com has Matthews worried that MSNBC parent Microsoft might pull funding and shutter "Hardball." That would force Matthews to look for another berth - possibly on Fox. So he was looking to make an impression.
Biz As Usual
On the new CIA head, from Altercation:
As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Goss led a party-line vote to reject an amendment that would have authorized an investigation into "U.S. dealings with Iraqi exile leader Ahmed Chalabi." Even after allegations that Chalabi has leaked U.S. military secrets to Iran, Goss said, "I would say that the oversight has worked well in matters relating to Mr. Chalabi." (Congressional Quarterly, 6/17/04)
Blacks More Likely to Receive Poor Health Care
Finds a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine:
Predominately black neighborhoods suffer from a shortage of qualified doctors, according to a new study by researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the Center for Studying Health System Change, an organization seeking to improve healthcare by informing decision makers about changes in the health care system at both the local and national levels and the effects of such changes on people.The study found that doctors in predominately black neighborhoods were less likely to be board certified in a specialized area of medicine. These doctors are less likely to conduct regular disease screenings, researchers said. Doctors treating mostly black patients also reported problems referring patients to specialists or to hospitals for nonemergency care.
The study, based on an analysis of more than 150,000 doctor visits by Medicare patients, also found that 28 percent of visits by black patients were to doctors who admitted they could not provide high-quality care, compared to 19 percent of visits by white patients.
Researchers said discrimination, not by individual doctors but because poverty forces blacks to live in poor neighborhoods with fewer resources, could be causing the problem. In an editorial published with the report in the New England Journal of Medicine, Arnold Epstein of the Harvard School of Public Health, wrote, "In health care, integration is not complete, and separate is not equal."
Bush vs. Bush
From yesterday's Progress Report:
"[I want] to make sure that tax cheaters are found, make sure the IRS gets after those who don't pay taxes; make sure that the system is fair for those of us who do pay taxes. We want everybody paying their fair share."
- George W. Bush, 4/15/04
VERSUS
"The really rich people figure out how to dodge taxes anyway."
- George W. Bush, 8/9/04
Silly Halliburton
Tricks are for kids.
Pentagon auditors have concluded that Halliburton Co. failed to adequately account for more than $1.8 billion of work in Iraq and Kuwait, said a newspaper citing a Pentagon report.So what?The amount represents 43 percent of the $4.18 billion that Houston-based Halliburton's Kellogg Brown & Root unit has billed the Pentagon to feed and house troops in the region, the Wall Street Journal reported.
It said the findings in the 60-page Pentagon audit report, dated Aug. 4 but not publicly released, are likely to increase pressure on the U.S. government to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars of payments to Halliburton.
This, it said, potentially threatens the services that KBR provides U.S. troops and other personnel in Iraq and Kuwait.UnAmerican indeed.
Who are the Min Wage Earners?
The Economic Policy Institute with some useful numbers in a new policy paper:
• On average, their earnings contributed 68% of their total family income in 2002.
• Almost half (47%) were married or had children.
• Eighty-seven percent were 20 years of age or older."
Alterman on McCain
On Eric Alterman's Altercation weblog:
President Bush is in northwest Florida, one of the most reliably Republican parts of the state, with Senator John McCain today. I like a lot of things about McCain, but let’s face it, when the rubber hits the road, he wimps out. He did not call the Bush campaign to account for their campaign to smear him (in a racist fashion) as the father of a black out-of-wedlock child in South Carolina in 2000. He did not defend fellow vet Max Cleland when his party smeared the legless veteran as an ally of Osama bin Laden in the election of 2002. Now, even though he’s called upon the White House to renounce the dishonest smears of the Swift Boaters campaign against Kerry—and they won’t because, after all, this is what they do—McCain buckles and appears with Bush. Why? Because he wants to be president some day more than he wants to be the man people like to think he is. It’s a choice I can understand, but let’s be honest about it. McCain is no hero. He may have been one once, but no longer.Atrios has similar comments.
Bush and the "Roadless Area" Rule
Guess what he's doing with that? NRDC:
7. What is the Bush administration's position on the roadless rule?Using a range of tactics, the Bush administration has attempted to dismantle the roadless rule since taking office. For example, the administration has repeatedly refused to defend the rule in court, and in December 2003, Bush officials "temporarily" exempted Alaska's Tongass rainforest -- our largest national forest -- from roadless protections. They are now moving forward with approximately 50 timber sales in Tongass that would violate the rule.
In its most aggressive assault yet on America's last wild forestlands, the administration announced in July 2004 its plan to eliminate the roadless rule completely. If successful, this move would allow unbridled development on millions of acres in pristine forests across the country, including the Tongass National Forest. In the past, though, heavy support for the roadless rule among Americans has helped derail the administration's damaging plans; continued public support of the rule will be critical to the effort to defend it.
8. Without the roadless rule, who would decide the fate of our national forests?
To draw attention away from its controversial plan to abandon the roadless rule, the Bush administration has said it will create a process whereby governors can petition the Forest Service to protect roadless areas in their states. This proposal, however, does nothing to bolster local input: governors, like any other individuals, already have the right to petition the Forest Service to make changes in the management plans of their local forests -- both for or against protections. The new petitioning process would impose deadlines on governors and would require them to conduct cumbersome analyses and reviews. Also, the federal government would still have the authority to accept or reject a governor's request.
Today's Jerome Corsi Observation of the Day
"Anybody ask why HELLary couldn't keep BJ Bill satisfied? Not lesbo or anything, is she?"
Jerome Corsi, respected pundit and co-author of "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry."
Carville on Corsi
On CNN's Crossfire, link via Atrios:
John Kerry, Tim Russert, Chris Matthews, Katie Couric, CBS, NBC are all communists. Hillary Clinton is a lesbian fat hog with fake hair. Al and Tipper Gore are terrorists who are part of the Taliban. The pope is senile. And pedophilia is fine with him as long as it's not reported in the liberal press. If you think all this sounds nutty, well, it is.According to the organization Media Matters For America, all this has been written by Jerome Corsi. Why do we care what Jerome Corsi says? Well, we don't. But as co-author of the book "Unfit for Command" about John Kerry and his service in Vietnam, some people are making the mistake of taking him seriously. In the world of putrid right-wing pond scum, Corsi is one of the biggest bottom-feeders of them all.
August 10, 2004
Tuesday Stories
USAT. Bush's 'talk show' always has appreciative audience
LAT. Pro-Kerry Groups Tops in Ad Spending
NYT. Kerry stands by vote to authorize war
CNN. Bush announces Goss to head CIA
ChicST. Edwards serves up charm at landmark West Side deli
WP. In Illinois, Keyes Begins Senate Effort; Rival Obama Appears With Edwards
Reuters. Schwarzenegger Popular with 2/3 of Californians
Morris News. Senate candidates lean on varying credentials; Majette notes her time as U.S. Representative, state judge; Oxford touts business success
AP. Anti-war group reverses course, applies for new parks permit
NYT. New Generation of Leaders Is Emerging for Al Qaeda
NYT. First Lady Defends Limits on Stem Cell Research
WP. Hijackers' Friend Objects to 9/11 Report
WP. Veterans Could Be Key to Nevada's Bigger Prize
AP. McCain to Campaign With Bush in Florida
WP. Sen. Murkowski's Big Problem: Dad, the Governor
LAT. Stem Cell Research Gains Political Life
LAT. Kerry Pledges to Boost Parks Budget
LAT. The Games Plan for China: Olympic Superpower by '08
LAT. Reporter Questioned in CIA Leak Inquiry
The Guardian. Former Labour allies round on Blair
AP. Franks Says Kerry Qualified for President
Commentary
Molly Ivins. Tough sledding: Canadians watch in shock as America seriously considers re-electing Bush
Matthew Yglesias. Uppercuts: No matter what George W. Bush says, John Kerry’s upper-income tax hikes won’t land on the rest of America
James K. Galbraith. Our sinking ship: President Bush says "we have turned the corner" -- but with him at the helm, the American economy is headed straight to Davy Jones' locker
Bill Berkowitz. At the center of a storm; Is Katherine Harris, the heroine of Election 2000, lying, leaking or just misunderstood?
Dave Zweifel. Wealthy enjoy Wall Street Journal's news
Tim Grieve. John Kerry, senator; The Democrat campaigns as a war hero, but barely mentions his two decades as a legislator, allowing the GOP to paint him as a flip-flopping ultra-liberal. What has he actually achieved?
David Corn. Bush Jokes About Tax Dodgers
NYT. Plan B for Illinois
Paul Krugman. Spin the Payrolls
SFC. An ally no more
Mark J. Spalding. Bottom trawling clearcuts the oceans
Robert Scheer. One More Chalabi Black Eye
Des Moines Register. Admit it: tax cuts have failed to create jobs
ChicST. Does Keyes have a clue about key issues?
Jesse Jackson. We've 'turned corner,' been mugged
Thomas Oliphant. Women count more than NASCAR dads
BGlobe. Sputtering job growth
BGlobe. Leaving more homeless
Corsi Gone Wild
One of the authors of the Swiftboat Vets book is a boat-load of fun. For example, just on Chelsea Clinton; Media Matters:
CORSI: According to Talk Magazine, Chubby Chelsea had a very great adventure on 9/11 in NYC and Hell-ary had the details wrong -- oh, it was terrible. (12/07/2001)CORSI: Did the Journalist see Chubbie Chelsea among the wives. Little Katie Communist [Katie Couric] on the NBC Today show interviewed Hillary this morning and mom is worried sick about Chelsea. She was last seen in Kandahar at a Starbucks. But now, as Little Katie Communist sighed, "Who Knows?" Even British disinformation planted reports such as this grocery crap will be useful. Anyone with information about Chubbie Chelsea's whereabouts should post it now. Mom wants to know her daughter is out of harms way. Mom also wants to be at the center of the story. (11/29/2001)
CORSI: But the real question is: WHERE IS CHUBBIE CHELSEA? Is she in Kabul in danger, looking for a Starbucks? Waldo wants to know. Please, Little Katie Communist, HELP US FIND CHELSEA. THE SITUATION MAY BE URGENT. (11/29/2001)
CORSI: HILLARY SAYS CHELSEA IS MISSING AND JANET RHINO DOESN'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS? (11/28/2001)
Amusing Porter Goss Story
Gail Sheehy has this story about the new CIA head and four 9/11 widows:
The four moms--Kristen Breitweiser, Patty Casazza, Mindy Kleinberg and Lorie van Auken--use tactics more like those of a leaderless cell. They have learned how to deposit their assorted seven children with select grandmothers before dawn and rocket down the Garden State Parkway to Washington. They have become experts at changing out of pedal-pushers and into proper pantsuits while their S.U.V. is stopped in traffic, so they can hit the Capitol rotunda running. They have talked strategy with Senator John McCain and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. They once caught Congressman Porter Goss hiding behind his office door to avoid them. And they maintain an open line of communication with the White House.
Obama Big Lead
Though the GOP has all but conceded defeat, here's a poll: Obama leads Keyes 67-28 in the latest Survey USA poll.
Whipper Snappers Think Draft Will Return
According to a "telephone poll of 1,007 students in grades nine to 12" from the Horatio Alger Association:
Among teenagers polled, 55 percent say young Americans will be required to serve in the military, up from 45 percent last year, according to ''The State of Our Nation's Youth," an annual survey by the Horatio Alger Association ... In the poll, respondents were asked their views of a mandatory military service requirement of two years, and 70 percent of students were opposed.Other findings of note:
Still, more young people than not said the United States was right to go to war in Iraq. The poll found 44 percent said the decision was correct, 33 percent said it was wrong, and the rest had no opinion or were unsure.The students' outlook for the country was dimmer this year, but it remained relatively high, as 68 percent said they were hopeful. That was down from 75 percent last year.
More than two-thirds of students said they care who wins the presidential race, but two-thirds also said they have not closely followed news reporting about the race.
Rassmann Defends Kerry
Vet who actually served with Kerry says the Senator is being unfairly portrayed. From the WSJ (link unavail)
When I surfaced, all the swift boats had left, and I was alone taking fire from both banks. To avoid the incoming fire, I repeatedly swam under water as long as I could hold my breath, attempting to make it to the north bank of the river. I thought I would die right there. The odds were against me avoiding the incoming fire and, even if I made it out of the river, I thought I'd be captured and executed. Kerry must have seen me in the water and directed his driver, Del Sandusky, to turn the boat around. Kerry's boat ran up to me in the water, bow on, and I was able to climb up a cargo net to the lip of the deck. But, because I was nearly upside down, I couldn't make it over the edge of the deck. This left me hanging out in the open, a perfect target. John, already wounded by the explosion that threw me off his boat, came out onto the bow, exposing himself to the fire directed at us from the jungle, and pulled me aboard.Click down for full op-ed Continue reading "Rassmann Defends Kerry"... Nobody asked me to join John's campaign. Why would they? I am a Republican, and for more than 30 years I have largely voted for Republicans. I volunteered for his campaign because I have seen John Kerry in the worst of conditions. I know his character. I've witnessed his bravery and leadership under fire. And I truly know he will be a great commander in chief.
Now, 35 years after the fact, some Republican-financed Swift Boat Veterans for Bush are suddenly lying about John Kerry's service in Vietnam; they are calling him a traitor because he spoke out against the Nixon administration's failed policies in Vietnam. Some of these Republican-sponsored veterans are the same ones who spoke out against John at the behest of the Nixon administration in 1971. But this time their attacks are more vicious, their lies cut deep and are directed not just at John Kerry, but at me and each of his crewmates as well. This hate-filled ad asserts that I was not under fire; it questions my words and Navy records. This smear campaign has been launched by people without decency, people who don't understand the bond of those who serve in combat.
Reuters Will Outsource to India
From the Washington Post:
Financial news service Reuters Group PLC said yesterday it will eliminate up to 20 editorial positions in the United States and Europe and hire up to 60 replacements in India in a move aimed at cutting costs.The journalists, who will be based at a Reuters facility in Bangalore, will be responsible for compiling tables, writing short research alerts based on analyst reports and polling analysts for earnings forecasts, according to company spokesman Steve Naru.
Journalism positions are just the latest in a long line of jobs -- from manufacturing to radiology -- that have been sent offshore in recent years as advances in technology have made it easier to conduct business from abroad. Researchers have estimated that the number of jobs in the United States affected by such moves eventually could stretch into the millions as companies seek to capitalize on the availability of lower-wage workers in countries such as China and India.
GOP Wants Star Power Too
According to the always reliable NY Post:
WE HEAR . . .. . . THAT the GOP is reaching out to Kelsey Grammer, Lee Ann Womack, Kid Rock, Dennis Miller, Britney Spears and country stars Brooks & Dunn in hopes that they'll lend some star power to the Republican National Convention.
Washington GOP Embarrasses Itself
The state Republican Party this week picked a candidate fresh out of jail for harassing politicians to run against Democratic state Auditor Brian Sonntag.So McDonalds can do background checks, but the state GOP can't?
After no other Republican filed to run against Sonntag, party officials on Thursday filed Will Baker, well known in his hometown of Tacoma and at the Pierce County Jail but apparently not at GOP headquarters.Yesterday, the party was trying to get Baker "unfiled," which state election officials say can't be done without court action.
"We are stuck with him," said Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance. "It's somewhat embarrassing. We should have been more thorough in checking him out."
Comedy Monday
The Tuesday edition.
"The federal government reported that despite much higher expectations U.S. employers only added 32,000 jobs to the payroll this month. Even worse folks, the jobs were all in India." Conan O'Brien
"When they say they served with Kerry in Vietnam, what they really mean is that they were in Vietnam at the same time. Kind of like how Snoopy served with the Red Baron." Jon Stewart on Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
"The Republican Convention is coming to town. It's coming up at the end of the month. Everyone is getting ready for the convention. The crack dealers are switching to Viagra." David Letterman
"A controversial new book claims that John Kerry laughed while burning enemy villages and slaughtering animals. I don't buy it — Kerry laughing?" Craig Kilborn
"The Republicans now getting ready for their big convention in New York City. Apparently they have a plan for going into New York, but they don't have a plan for getting out." Jay Leno
``In a huge upset, Ralph Nader has failed to gather enough signatures to get on the ballot in California. How embarrassing is that for Nader? You can't get on the ballot in California? Remember our governor's race? Imagine finding out you're not up to the legal qualifications of porn star Mary Carey or Gary Coleman.'' Jay Leno
``They've been having a lot of trouble over at Illinois finding a Republican candidate to go up against Barack Obama there. People love that guy. Well, they think they've finally found one. He is our old friend, Alan Keyes, the African American firebrand conservative preacher. The only problem is, Keyes lives in Maryland. It's starting to look bad for Republicans. First, they couldn't find Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, then they couldn't find weapons in Iraq. Now they can't find a black person in Chicago!'' Bill Maher
"But the president's plan differs from that suggested by the 9-11 commission in several key areas. For example, Bush's proposal would not give the new director authority over budgets or the ability to hire or fire. In fact, it would not even be considered a cabinet position. Because, while protecting our nation from a bloody terrorist attack that could cost millions of lives is important, it's not 'agriculture' important." Jon Stewart
This Modern World: Out of touch
The Onion: CIA Asks Bush To Discontinue Blog
The Onion: College Student Does Nothing For Tibet Over Summer
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DU: The Top 10 Conservative Idiots
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Continue reading "Comedy Monday"Keyes Gets Nasty
From the AP:
Republican Alan Keyes ripped into Democratic rival Barack Obama's views on abortion Monday, calling them "the slaveholder's position," as the U.S. Senate race roared back to life in Illinois.Up at dawn for a whirlwind round of broadcast interviews, the conservative former diplomat started his first full day of campaigning as the GOP candidate by saying Obama, a state senator from Chicago, had violated the principle that all men are created equal by voting against a bill that would have outlawed a form of late-term abortion.
Keyes said legalizing abortion deprives the unborn of their equal rights.
"I would still be picking cotton if the country's moral principles had not been shaped by the Declaration of Independence," Keyes said. He said Obama "has broken and rejected those principles-- he has taken the slaveholder's position."
August 09, 2004
Monday Stories
WP. Kerry Stumps for N.M. Votes
WP. Program Aids Urban Poor In Accessing The Internet
NYT. Rice Says Iran Must Not Be Allowed to Develop Nuclear Arms
USAT. Anti-Kerry vets say 'lies' drove them to act
BG. Veteran claims misquote on Kerry; Globe stands by its story
AP. Keyes Enters U.S. Senate Race in Ill.
NYT. Churches See an Election Role and Spread the Word on Bush
NYT. After Speeding by Kansans, Edwardses Return to Rally
NYT. Friends in the White House Come to Coal's Aid
NYT. Immigrants Raise Call for Right to Be Voters
AP. Senator Seeks Inquiry Into Abuse Report
AP. Nader Fails To Make Calif. Cut
BG. Republican convention puts many in NYC on edge
BG. Bush-backers-only policy riles voters at RNC rallies
BG. Minister to Bush: Shed wealth
CBS. GIs Told To Ignore Iraqi Abuse
AP. GOP sen. comes to U.S. attorneys' defense
AP. Superiors Hindered Terror Prosecutors
Chicago Tribune. Jobs report stuns economists; Disconnect between GDP growth, hiring revives debate about quality of data
AP. Two U.S. soldiers killed in Afghan blast
Commentary
STrib. Few new jobs/Symptom of failed policy
Tuscon Citizen. Anti-Kerry ad pulls campaign into the gutter
Ross Gelbspan. Boiling Point
Ian Williams. Bush's Military Past
Robert B. Reich. The Jobs Number; Friday's employment report could be terrible news for the Bush administration and the country
Garance Franke-Ruta. History of the Orange, Part I; Having trouble remembering all those other orange alerts? Our handy cheat sheet will give you total recall
Anne-Marie Cusac. Fire Hazard: Just when nuclear power plants need better protection from terrorist-triggered disasters and fires, the Bush administration is relaxing all the safeguards
Dedrick Muhammad. Sharpton, Obama and the Promise of America
NYT. The Iraq Reconstruction Fiasco
Bob Herbert. Admit We Have a Problem
Seattle PI. Chaplain due honorable exit
LAT. Bush's Obstructionism; Poll after poll finds that Americans overwhelmingly support lifting President Bush's constricted stem-cell research policy and renewing the expiring federal assault gun ban. Yet the president's reelection game plan is trumping the desires of most Americans and, apparently, a majority in Congress
Fred Krupp. U.S. needs an 'oceans president'
Oren J. Teicher. The FBI shouldn't be reading over our shoulders
David Sarasohn. GOP fires another shot at Kerry's boat
Richard Roeper. Republicans will love Keyes -- until they get to know him
