Two years ago, McCain was all for talking to Hamas

Oops. That would make McCain a McHypocrite for blasting Obama for proposing the EXACT same thing McCain proposed only two years ago. But in all fairness to McCain, nearing the age of 72, maybe he simply can't remember his positions anymore. More in Jamie Ruben's op ed in Friday's Washington Post. Read More......

I knew Markos was a gay

Bill O'Reilly is mad at Markos today. Apparently, Markos is David Duke. Or Neville Chamberlain (no, that's Obama, sorry). Or an illiterate gay. Or something. It's difficult to tell. It's also hy-sterical. Read More......

Moldovan police stand by while nationalists attack gay pride celebrants

Ah the smell of dictatorship in the morning. And these people aspire to closer ties with the EU? That'll be the day. And we're worried about marriage - not that we shouldn't be, but it's shocking the contrast that these guys can't even hold a parade without hundreds of thugs threatening their lives while the police watch and do nothing. Kind of amazing how that scene could describe any of a myriad of civil rights struggles throughout history: the thugs, the victims, the policy idly standing by. Andy Towle has an update. Read More......

The Iraq oversight failures of Susan Collins exposed by Maine TV

Despite being the Chair of the powerful Senate committee with oversight authority for several years, Susan Collins failed to do any real oversight of the mess in Iraq. She did George Bush's dirty work -- and never held him accountable. She was also one of Halliburton's chief enablers. Her gross failure's are exposed by a local station in Maine tonight. The clip is five minutes long, but it is so worth watching.

Remember what Harry Reid said about this race on Monday:

We just have a lot of places to look that are very important. I believe that Maine is going to be our Rhode Island this time. I think Sue Collins who has favorability not nearly as high as Chaffee's, but once Allen starts tying her to what Bush has done Maine which has a very progressive state, are, they're going to turn her out.

Tom Allen is tying Collins to Bush and Iraq. One of her big claims to fame was Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. He's special all right. Collins brought Bowen to Maine to campaign for her, which was very shady. Now, Bowen is facing a federal criminal investigation. That's Susan idea of great work.

Tom Allen can beat her. Help him out. Every dollar contributed goes a long way in Maine. Send her into retirement with George Bush. Read More......

Tweety Rules (believe it or not)

Chris Matthews obliterated a right-wing radio host tonight on his show over Bush's comparison of Obama to Nazi appeasers. Seriously, this is about 6 minutes long. Watch it. In a nutshell, Matthews called the guy on his bs. The guy kept saying that Bush was right, Obama was like the people who appeased Hitler, so Matthews asked the guy who Neville Chamberlain was. The guy had no idea, and tried to bluff his way through five minutes of Chris Matthews repeating the question over and over again. It was wonderful. Some of the best political television ever. Watch it. (Hat tip, TPM.)

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I can win that war in 5 years... Win that war!

McCain is now saying that he can win the Iraq win in "only" 5 years if he becomes president. Only five years. He's gotta be kidding. Just five more years, folks. Sure, that's another 4,000 dead troops and a couple hundred billion a year (that would mean, say, another TRILLION DOLLARS), but other than that, uh, other than that we're basically screwed. McCain isn't even pretending that he'll end the war in Iraq. He's pretty much promising us that if he is elected president, we'll be there another five years. Absolutely astounding.

One more thing. When asked to commit to removing US troops in five years McCain said no. Uh huh.

MCCAIN: I promise I'll be home by 11pm.

AMERICA: Really, you promise?

MCCAIN: No. Read More......

Hillary, Obama and McCain on CA gay marriage decision

Obama statement:

"Barack Obama has always believed that same-sex couples should enjoy equal rights under the law, and he will continue to fight for civil unions as President. He respects the decision of the California Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage."

Clinton statement:

"Hillary Clinton believes that gay and lesbian couples in committed relationships should have the same rights and responsibilities as all Americans and believes that civil unions are the best way to achieve this goal. As President, Hillary Clinton will work to ensure that same sex couples have access to these rights and responsibilities at the federal level. She has said and continues to believe that the issue of marriage should be left to the states."

McCain statement:

? Read More......

Taking care of vets

Attention regarding the military is currently focused, understandably, mostly on the war in Iraq and, secondarily, Afghanistan and beyond. But given how this administration is pushing the military to the breaking point when it comes to personnel, rotations, recruiting, etc, the personal aspect of the military continues to be overlooked by most media and commentators. Recently Senator Webb's bill to provide a new G.I. Bill has brought to much-needed focus to military and veterans issues, but the lack of support to veterans runs deeper than that.

The group Foreign Policy in Focus recently put out a report on veteran suicides, and their data indicates that more veterans commit suicide than are killed in combat overseas. From the report:

Eighteen American war veterans kill themselves every day. One thousand former soldiers receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs attempt suicide every month. More veterans are committing suicide than are dying in combat overseas.

These are statistics that most Americans don't know, because the Bush administration has refused to tell them. Since the start of the Iraq War, the government has tried to present it as a war without casualties.

In fact, they never would have come to light were it not for a class action lawsuit brought by Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth on behalf of the 1.7 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The two groups allege the Department of Veterans Affairs has systematically denied mental health care and disability benefits to veterans returning from the conflict zones.

The Iraq war is especially problematic, I think, when it comes to psychological difficulties because of the combination of long and repeated tours, as well as the nature of counterinsurgency where everybody is a potential threat. The people who serve deserve better treatment from our government than they're getting. Read More......

McCain refuses to say Obama isn't a Hitler appeaser

(Now in all fairness, John McCain may still think that we're at war with Hitler.)

Seriously, McCain just can't cut the umbilical cord to his bff George Bush. McCain also is intent on running a dirty campaign against Obama. Invoking Hitler? What's next, attacking the guy's wife? (Oh yeah, sorry, McCain's surrogates are beating up on Obama's wife too. I mean, what kind of guy has to beat up someone's wife to win an argument?) So today, McCain got asked if he thought Obama was a Hitler appeaser (Bush called Obama that on the floor of the Israeli Knesset), and McCain refused to say no. It's not that hard a question, for a real man. And the answer should be obvious, to anyone who's sane. But McCain isn't sane. He also isn't very nice. Man, the story I heard about him today, two stories actually. Including one dealing with Republican Senators witnessing McCain grabbing other Senators by the neck. It's no wonder McCain's buddies have to beat up a guy's wife. It's probably the only way he can let off all of that steam from his out of control temper. Hate to be his wife. His second wife, I mean. Not the first one that he abandoned after she was permanently injured in an auto accident - it reportedly left her 4 inches shorter and permanently on crutches. He dumped her for a rich beauty queen 17 years his junior. And you don't want to even know about her, if we're talking about wives. Let's just say that Michelle Obama has never been arrested for any drug crimes.

(PS Speaking of Israel, funny that no one is asking McCain about his pledge a few weeks ago NOT to defend Israel from an Irani nuclear attack once America becomes energy independent. You'd thinks Jewish Americans, hell, all Americans, would find that campaign pledge a wee bit interesting. Talk about appeasement. But hey, at 72 years of age (once he takes office, if he wins), McCain is allowed to be a little nutty every once in a while. He's lived a good life, so why not let him retire in the White House where he won't really have that taxing a job. And the next time he says something stupid, like not being willing to send American troops to defend Israel, his staff can just warm up some milk and put McCain down for his afternoon nap. Al Qaeda will just have to wait. Read More......

Pelosi on California court decision on giving marriage rights to gay couples

Denny Hastert, she ain't:

I welcome the California Supreme Court’s historic decision. I have long fought against discrimination and believe that the State Constitution provides for equal treatment for all of California’s citizens and families, which today’s decision recognizes.

I commend the plaintiffs from San Francisco for their courage and commitment. I encourage California citizens to respect the Court’s decision, and I continue to strongly oppose any ballot measure that would write discrimination into the State Constitution.

Today is a significant milestone for which all Californians can take pride.

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Bush's VA: Too many troops have PTSD, so stop diagnosing it

Yes he did. And they've got the memo to prove it. Take this, along with John McCain and the Republicans fighting to kill the GI Bill because it's "too generous" to our troops, and once again you get a clearer idea about which party is for our troops and which party simply talks. Read More......

John is on MSNBC today

Should be on in the next 10 - 15 minutes or so.... Read More......

Arnold supports California gay marriage ruling

From HRC'sblog:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released the following statement today regarding the state Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage:

“I respect the Court’s decision and as Governor, I will uphold its ruling. Also, as I have said in the past, I will not support an amendment to the constitution that would overturn this state Supreme Court ruling.”

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Biden blasts Bush: "This is bullsh**t" and Bush's "first two appeasers are Rice and Gates"

Via CNN's Political Ticker:

“This is bullsh**t. This is malarkey. This is outrageous. Outrageous for the president of the United States to go to a foreign country, sit in the Knesset…and make this kind of ridiculous statement,” Biden said angrily in a brief interview just off the Senate floor.

“He’s the guy who’s weakened us. He’s the guy that’s increased the number of terrorists in the world. His policies have produced this vulnerability the United States has. His intelligence community pointed that out not me. The NIE has pointed that out and what are you talking about, is he going to fire Condi Rice? Condi Rice has talked about the need to sit down. So his first two appeasers are Rice and Gates. I hope he comes home and does something.”

He quoted Gates saying Wednesday that we “need to figure out a way to develop some leverage and then sit down and talk with them.”

Sometimes, Biden really does say things better than anyone else does. Read More......

Gays win marriage case in CA

More to come.

The opinion can be found here:

We conclude that to the extent the current California statutory provisions limit marriage to opposite sex couples, these statutes are unconstitutional.

Read More......

Republicans declare war on Michelle Obama, but they think Cindy McCain being a drug addict who stole drugs is off-limits?

Yes, she really did. Are you people stupid or something? Read More......

Does the president have no shame?

Democratic congressman Rahm Emanuel, who is Jewish himself, weighs in on George Bush's personal attack on Democratic nominee Barack Obama. Bush compared Obama to Nazi sympathizers in Israel in a speech before the Knesset. Here is what Rahm had to say:

The tradition has always been that when a U.S. President is overseas, partisan politics stops at the water's edge. President Bush has now taken that principle and turned it on its head: for this White House, partisan politics now begins at the water's edge, no matter the seriousness and gravity of the occasion. Does the president have no shame?

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Bush, in speech to Israeli Knesset, compares Obama to Nazi sympathizers/appeasers. Not kidding.

Wow. Losing a congressional race in Mississippi and being the most hated president in American history makes a guy say crazy things. Not to mention, John McCain must be in real trouble if Bush had to stoop this low to help him. This is so inappropriate in so many ways. Bush's own staff admitted that he meant Obama. I'm hoping the ADL, which always weighs in when Democrats say such things, will be blasting our president for invoking Hitler in our presidential race. Not to mention, doing it in Israel? How tacky can you get.

From Huff Post:

Bush has said repeatedly that he would not insert himself into the presidential race, but that stance changed dramatically today during his trip to Israel. After likening Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Osama bin Laden, Bush compared Barack Obama to Nazi appeasers:

"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along," said Bush, in what White House aides privately acknowledged was a reference to calls by Obama and other Democrats for the U.S. president to sit down for talks with leaders like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"We have heard this foolish delusion before," Bush said in remarks to the Israeli Knesset. "As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American Senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."

Obama himself quickly responded to the comparison, calling it a false attack and listing past presidents who didn't think that diplomacy was such a bad idea:

"It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence to launch a false political attack. It is time to turn the page on eight years of policies that have strengthened Iran and failed to secure America or our ally Israel."

"Instead of tough talk and no action, we need to do what Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan did and use all elements of American power -- including tough, principled, and direct diplomacy -- to pressure countries like Iran and Syria. George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the President's extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel."

The NYT has more. Expect this to be THE story of the day.

Even more interesting, apparently Bush's Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, is a Nazi sympathizer too. Then why hasn't he resigned?

From the Washington Post:

The United States should construct a combination of incentives and threats to engage Iran, and may have missed earlier opportunities to begin a useful dialogue with Tehran, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday.

"We need to figure out a way to develop some leverage . . . and then sit down and talk with them," Gates said. "If there is going to be a discussion, then they need something, too. We can't go to a discussion and be completely the demander, with them not feeling that they need anything from us."

Nazi lover, resign. Read More......

Why is Lieberman campaigning for John McCain on his Senate Web site?

That's against the Senate rules. It's one thing for Joe Lieberman to sell out Harry Reid and the Democratic party and endorse the Republican for president, but it's quite another to permit him to use government resources to campaign. I'm pretty sure that's not allowed, and it's clearly the intent of Lieberman's newest veiled post to his Web site. He's taking a swipe at Democratic nominee Obama in an effort to help Republican nominee McCain. Read More......

"Simply not their kind of guy"

Jon Stewart's A block was laugh out loud funny last night. The Chris Matthews/Terry McAuliffe bit (6 minutes in) is a must-see if you missed it. But the portion that got me thinking was the part about the media coverage of the West Virginia primary results. Stewart highlights the dance-around-it dance describing why Clinton came out on top:

"her working class base"
"working class whites"
"white voters earning less than $50,000"
"blue collar whites"
"white regular people"
"white rural Americans"

Stewart's report also showed soundbites from three West Virginian women who possibly unknowingly outed themselves as racist and grossly misinformed.

Why is it we can't just call it like it is? White, uneducated, poor voters in West Virginia don't identify with the suburban-raised, Wellesley and Yale Law educated former First Lady and Senator from "the big city." A majority voted for Clinton because she's white. Or to be even more blunt, because she's not black.

I know anchors, reporters, and pundits can't come right out and say it - as Stewart spent 5 minutes pointing out - but I don't know why. Racism is shameful and the behavior of ignorant, close-minded people. We may be hesitant to label someone a racist, but if someone won't vote for a black man because he's black, then guess what? Here's your nametag, Princess Bigot.

I actually think pretending otherwise is a problem. Maybe if people didn't think it was acceptable to hate based on race, we'd spread a little good. Ignoring the issue isn't going to make it disappear.

Euphemisms only perpetuate the myth that we're somehow past the ugly, naked truth. And the results from Tuesday's primary - where many poor, uneducated, white folks voted for the millionaire white woman because they saw no viable alternative - prove we are buried deeper in the racist muck than anyone in the media cares - or dares - to admit.

Why has it become taboo to tell it like it is? Who are we afraid of offending? The offensive? I say if someone's that ignorant in the year 2008, she's earned it. Read More......

Why hasn't superdelegate David Hardt endorsed Obama yet?

That's the million dollar question. Read More......

Wash. Post tells us that Republicans are turning on themselves

It's getting ugly on Capitol Hill. Republican fratricide is becoming an epidemic. Couldn't happen to a better group of people:

House Republicans turned on themselves yesterday after a third straight loss of a GOP-held House seat in special elections this year left both parties contemplating widespread Democratic gains in November.

In huddles, closed-door meetings and hastily arranged conference calls, some Republicans demanded the head of their political chief, while others decried their leadership as out of touch with the political catastrophe they face.

GOP leaders sought yesterday to "re-brand" the party with a new slogan and renewed pledges of fiscal rectitude and limited government. But the slogan -- "The Change You Deserve" -- came under mocking fire, because it parallels Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama's "Change We Can Believe In" motto and it mirrors the advertising slogan for the antidepressant Effexor.

And, you know some GOP consultant got paid a lot of money to come up with that mock-worthy slogan. They don't even believe in change.

Also, lest we forget, not too long ago, the D.C. pundits believed Karl Rove when he said that America was becoming a GOP nation. This is Rove from November of 2002:

''Things are moving in a new direction,'' Mr. Rove said in his first extended public remarks since the elections last week. ''It's not just that Republicans picked up three seats in the Senate or six or seven or eight seats in the House. It's something else more fundamental, but we'll only know what it is in another two years or four years.''

After four years, Democrats took control of the House and Senate. After six, we'll have the White House back. And, for laughs, read this recap of a Sunday show interviews with Rove after the 2004 election.

Look at where Bush and Rove have gotten the GOP now. Read More......

Froomkin: One of his best columns EVER

If you missed, Dan Froomkin's column yesterday, read it now. Read every word. Here's how it starts:

The nation is in despair over the war in Iraq and the toll it is taking on our troops and their families. But President Bush shows no outward sign of inner pain.

He is chipper in his public pronouncements. His weekly bike rides and daily workouts have put a perpetual spring in his step. He's always ready with a wisecrack. He just hosted his daughter's wedding at his multi-million dollar estate in Texas. He takes more vacations than any president in history. He has made clear that he doesn't lie awake at nights.

And yet now it turns out that Bush has indeed made a personal sacrifice on account of the war. According to the president yesterday, his decision to stop playing golf five years ago wasn't just an exercise in image control or a function of his bum knee -- it was an act of solidarity with the families of the dead and wounded.

Oh, the President has really suffered. And, don't forget, last year, his wife told us that when it come to Iraq, NO ONE suffers more than George and Laura Bush. Now, we know what Laura meant. George "claims" he had to give up golf. It's a hard knock life they lead. Read More......

Thursday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Yesterday was quite a day. Those Clintonistas were getting ready to ram West Virginia down our throats, but a funny thing happened. Actually, a couple funny things: more superdelegates, the NARAL endorsement, then the denouement of the endorsement by John Edwards. That's a good day. Wasn't quite the crowning glory that McAuliffe and his losing team had in mind.

We really need to wrap this up so we can focus all our energy on John McCain. This election cycle could be devastating for Republicans up and down the ticket. And, it will be, once we can get to the real work (meaning after the Clinton ego trip ends.)

Let's get it started.... Read More......

Getting to know McCain

Horsey's cartoon is so on the money. The wingnuts detest McCain and once the Democrats move on to focusing on McCain, the rest of the country is going to see just how much McCain is on the wrong side of both the war and the economy. Who really thinks "tax cuts and less regulation" is the answer to the problems we face today? Read More......

128,000 may have died in Myanmar

And it may get worse.

The Red Cross estimated Wednesday that the cyclone death toll in Myanmar could be as high as 128,000 — a much larger figure than the government tally. The U.N. warned a second wave of deaths will follow unless the military regime lets in more aid quickly.

The grim forecast came as heavy rains drenched the devastated Irrawaddy River delta, disrupting aid operations already struggling to reach up to 2.5 million people in urgent need of food, water and shelter.

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Merrill Lynch also calling US recession

Obviously Merrill forgot to speak with the all-knowing Larry Kudlow of CNBC who sees bright skies and happy days for all. Third term, anyone?

"I still maintain the business cycle is bigger than the government," Merrill's North American economist David Rosenberg said at a client conference in Singapore.

He said the world's largest economy was already in recession as consumer spending and confidence had fallen and jobs losses were rising, with the number of hours worked having fallen sharply.

Describing housing as "the quintessential leading indicator," Rosenberg, a long-time bear on the U.S. economy, said he expected home prices to fall another 15-20 percent before stabilizing.

He also predicted inflation in the United States would slow as consumer spending weakens, and that the Federal Reserve would be forced to cut rates further to deal with the recession.

Read More......