CNN host says America can't afford a Jew as president

Oh he really did. (Hat tip to My Two Sense.) Read More......

Open thread

Quite a day. Your phone calls worked. And now even George Bush is being forced to compromise. Well, he says he wants to compromise - that'll be the day. Oh, and the comments are fitzing out, so it's not just you. Read More......

House Dems. pass Iraq spending bill 221 - 205

Long day of debate on the Iraq bill. Long day of procedural games. But at the end of the day, the House of Representatives passed the new Iraq spending bill by a vote of 221 - 205. This legislation fully funds the needs of our troops for the next several months and it demands accountability from George Bush. Imagine that. Holding the President accountable. Ten Democrats voted with Bush and the GOP. We'll get the roll call when it's posted. Roll call vote is up.

Rep. Jerry Lewis, the ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee (who is under investigation by the FBI, btw), offered a motion to recommit the spending bill. This was the GOP's blank check amendment. Fortunately, it was defeated by vote of 195 - 229. Only three Dems. voted with the GOP on that one. Of course, the GOPers were willing to keep giving the blank check that he's had for the past 5 years.

The McGovern bill calling for redeployment from Iraq to begin with 90 days lost by 171 - 255 vote. 169 Democrats and 2 Republicans voted to end the war.


The Republican's offered a motion to recommit on that bill, too. It was defeated by a 210-218 margin. We wanted the NO vote on that one.

The Republicans spent the day lying, spinning and offering procedural gimmicks. They do nothing to stop the war or hold the Bush administration accountable. Yesterday, a group of Republican House members went to the White House to tell Bush that his war is a disaster. Today, they all voted to prolong that disaster. Read More......

With white supremacists threatening Obama, should Rush Limbaugh really be continuing his racist attacks?

At what point does traditional conservative racism end up inciting violence? With Barack Obama now under Secret Service protection, reportedly after being threated by white supremacists, should Rush Limbaugh really be continuing to mock Obama as a "negro" and more? And should Dick Cheney really be a regular guest on a show that calls African-Americans "negroes"? The BBC has more on the latest hate from Rush Limbaugh. Read More......

American Family Association, Concerned Women for America, and Family Research Council continue to disseminate Nazi-esque science of known "hate group"

What will it take for these hateful extremists to stop promoting known hate groups? And how can Republicans in Congress, and the White House, stand to be associated with people who would promote an organization whose hate-writings "echo Nazi Germany?" And finally, why won't the media, who is all too happy to quote these groups, report on the fact that they are promoting known hate groups? Read More......

Associated Press smears House Dems

Why is it that these "mistakes" always end up smearing our side?

From AP:

The turnabout in Bush's position came as Republicans expressed anxieties about the war and the House was expected to pass legislation that would cut off funding for U.S. troops as early as July.

No, the legislation doesn't cut off funding for anything, let alone cutting funding "for U.S. troops." That's cute, and incredibly charged partisan language to be using for an independent news service, but it's absolutely factually wrong.

The legislation funds $42.8 billion (to July) and says in order to release the additional 52.8 billion that the president must submit to Congress reports on the progress the Iraqi government has made in meeting certain benchmarks and goals (by July 13) and that within 7 legislative days the Congress must vote on releasing the fenced off funds. There will be 2 votes - an amendment that would require the Department of Defense to use the fenced funds to redeploy troops from Iraq, and a vote on releasing the funds to the Pentagon.

It's all very complicated and I understand that it's easier to just make stuff up. Read More......

ABC: Giuliani weighed in with DEA, and may have even bribed them, on behalf of corrupt Oxycontin company

From Brian Ross at ABC News:

Rudolph Giuliani and his consulting company, Giuliani Partners, have served as key advisors for the last five years to the pharmaceutical company that pled guilty today to charges it misled doctors and patients about the addiction risks of the powerful narcotic painkiller OxyContin.

Federal officials say the company, Purdue Frederick, helped to trigger a nationwide epidemic of addiction to the time-release painkiller by failing to give early warnings that it could be abused.

Prosecutors say "in the process scores died."

Drug Enforcement Administration officials tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com Giuliani personally met with the head of the DEA when the DEA's drug diversion office began a criminal investigation into the company.

According to the book "Painkiller," by New York Times reporter Barry Meier, both Giuliani and his then-partner Bernard Kerik "were in direct contact with Asa Hutchinson, the administrator of DEA."

Hutchinson told the Blotter on ABCNews.com today that Giuliani asked for a meeting, "and we gave him a meeting." Hutchinson says he was aware the company was under investigation at the time, and "any time a company is under investigation I like to give them a chance to make their case."

Kerik told New York Magazine at the time that Giuliani had raised $15,000 in donations for a "traveling museum operated by the DEA."

Some officials told ABC News there were questions inside the agency of whether the donations were an attempt to influence the DEA.

Read More......

Cong. Peter Welch (D-VT) blasts Iraq's parliament for taking 2 month vacation while our troops are dying for them

TPMCafe has an update on Blue Dog Dem voting for today's bill - apparently several of the Blue Dogs are now leaning our way. Get 'em.

Click To Play

Read More......

Administration Withheld E-Mails About Rove

From National Journal:

The Bush administration has withheld a series of e-mails from Congress showing that senior White House and Justice Department officials worked together to conceal the role of Karl Rove in installing Timothy Griffin, a protégé of Rove's, as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

The withheld records show that D. Kyle Sampson, who was then-chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, consulted with White House officials in drafting two letters to Congress that appear to have misrepresented the circumstances of Griffin's appointment as U.S. attorney and of Rove's role in supporting Griffin.

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As US House prepares to vote on Iraq, Iraq's parliament tells us to get the hell out

I can't wait to see who in the US House today votes to send our troops to die for a country that doesn't even want us there. From the Associated Press:

A majority of Iraqi lawmakers have endorsed a bill calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops and demanding a freeze on the number of foreign troops already in the country, lawmakers said Thursday.

That's the message to give congress when you call them today. Why the hell are we sending another $100 billion dollars, and wasting even more American lives, for people who have just told us to get the hell out, and then are going on two month's vacation? Read More......

Call the Blue Dog Dems and remind them what we did to Joe Lieberman

Call the following offices and please post feedback in the comments, or via email to me, about what the offices are saying.

Are these conservative Democrats going to sell out the American people and our troops today by giving George Bush a blank check to continue this disaster of a war indefinitely? Please give them a call and tell them "no more blank checks, stand up to George Bush and change the course in Iraq." The entire House will vote on the Iraq supplemental today. Tell these conservative Democrats that they'd better not vote to give George Bush a blank check - we're watching them.

And if they say that you're not from their district, which they will (if you're not), tell them that you weren't from Joe Lieberman's district when your money made him him lose his primary. Let them know that they'll be next. And by the way, I used to work in the Senate. Often it helps to be nice when you call, but sometimes it helps to be angry. This is one of those times.

And one more thing. This is not a list of members who are necessarily already doing the wrong thing. It's a list of members who we think need to hear from their supporters.

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121, then ask for the congressmember's office:

Mike Arcuri (NY-24)
Joe Baca (CA-43)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Melissa Bean (IL-08)
Marion Berry (AR-01)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Dan Boren (OK-02)
Leonard Boswell (IA-03)
Allen Boyd (FL-02), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration
Dennis Cardoza (CA-18)
Ben Chandler (KY-06)
Jim Cooper (TN-05)
Jim Costa (CA-20)
Robert E. "Bud" Cramer (AL-05)
Lincoln Davis (TN-04)
Joe Donnelly (IN-02)
Brad Ellsworth (IN-08)
Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20)
Jane Harman (CA-36)
Stephanie Herseth (SD), Blue Dog Whip
Baron Hill (IN-09)
Tim Holden (PA-17)
Steve Israel (NY-02)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Tim Mahoney (FL-16)
Jim Marshall (GA-08)
Jim Matheson (UT-02)
Charlie Melancon (LA-03)
Mike Michaud (ME-02)
Dennis Moore (KS-03), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy
Patrick Murphy (PA-08)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Earl Pomeroy (ND)
Mike Ross (AR-04), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications
John Salazar (C0-03)
Loretta Sanchez (CA-47)
Adam Schiff (CA-29)
David Scott (GA-13)
Heath Shuler (NC-11)
John Tanner (TN-08)
Ellen Tauscher (CA-10)
Gene Taylor (MS-04)
Mike Thompson (CA-01)
Charlie Wilson (OH-06)

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After bashing Bush and endorsing a timeline for Iraq, GOP House leader changes course and now wants to give Bush a blank check

GOP House leader John Boehner really needs to make up his mind. Does he think Iraq is in trouble, that Bush needs to show some progress fast, that we need to change the course, or does he think that everything is going great and Congress should yet again give Bush a blank check for continuing his little war indefinitely? On Sunday, Boehner was all for standing up to Bush. Today, he's back to his you-hate-the-troops-if-you-demand-accountability-from-Bush rhetoric.

So which one is it, Mr. Boehner? Are you for changing the course of this war, or are you just another blank check for George Bush and this growing disaster?

Boehner four days ago:

"By the time we get to September or October, members are going to want to know how well this is working, and if it isn't, what's Plan B?"

Boehner today:

"Enough is enough," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. "It is time to get a clean bill to the president's desk and really support our troops."

So which Boehner are we seeing today? The one who thinks someone needs to slap some reality into George Bush, or the one who is for rubber-stamping this disaster of a war and who thinks that the majority of Americans don't support the troops?

Vote Republican if you think the war is going great. Read More......

Call your Representatives today -- NO Blank Check for Bush's war in Iraq

The House will vote today on the next Iraq bill. This should be the next bill to rein in George Bush. This should not be a bill that gives Bush a blank check to continue his disastrous war.

The Republicans are going to try a procedural trick to weaken the bill. Democrats cannot enable the GOP games. John explained the games -- and the consequences -- last night:

Yes, while the Republican leaders of the House and Senate are publicly claiming that they won't give Bush a blank check, they're maneuvering behind the scenes to do just that. And while Republican members of Congress are supposedly laying down the law for Bush in private meetings, on the House floor they're going to give Bush everything he wants and needs to continue the war indefinitely.

If that happens, then we need to hang this war, and hang every lost life and every wasted dollar, around the neck of every Republican and conservative Democrat who betrays our troops and our country tomorrow.

Please call your member of Congress and raise unholy hell. Tell them that they'd better vote against giving Bush a blank check when the Iraq supplemental comes up for a vote tomorrow. You can call now and leave a message on their machines. You can find your rep via the House Web site, use the zip code box in the upper left hand corner to find your rep.

The key votes will be:

H.R. 2237 is Rep. McGovern's bill to mandate the redeployment of most American forces from Iraq. This bill deserves a YES.

The "Blank Check" vote will be on a Republican procedural gimmick called a "motion to recommit" from Rep. David Dreier, which would provide funds for the war with NO conditions. No Blank Check. Vote No on the Dreier Motion. Any Democrat who votes for this motion is voting to give Bush a blank check -- with NO accountability.

H.R. 2206 is the final vote on the Iraq Supplemental war funding bill.

The main number for the U.S. House of Representatives is: 202 224-3121. Members need to hear that they cannot give Bush a blank check for Iraq. Enough already. Read More......

Gonzales thinks he's keeping as job even as scandal grows

Alberto Gonzales is testifying on the Hill again today. He's apparently feeling quite good about keeping his job. In the Bush administration, telling the truth and being honest is not a requirement for the job of Attorney General:

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales appears increasingly confident that he will survive the crisis over the dismissal of federal prosecutors, as White House aides who view him as a liability see little point in trying to persuade President Bush to push him out, administration officials and Republican allies said.

Though Mr. Gonzales is considered in Congress and in legal circles as an isolated and diminished figure, he has told aides he believes he has weathered the storm.

Meanwhile, Talking Points Memo continues to break new ground on the scandal surrounding the firings of the eight nine U.S. Attorneys.

And, two of fired U.S. Attorneys, David Igelsias and John McKay, think criminal charges will result fro this scandal. That would be one way to get Gonzales out of office. Read More......

Thursday Morning Open Thread

Wild week. The House Democrats CANNOT let Bush have a blank check today.

Who knew that Romney's first name was Willard? That's what we'll be calling him from now on. Willard M. Romney.

Thread. Read More......

Romney's wife donated to Planned Parenthood

Mitt Romney provided a number of responses (imagine that) ranging from "her contributions are for her and not for me" before a speaking engagement and later updated to "I was effectively pro-choice at that time" so he did cover all of the bases, much like his floating beliefs. His second response "I was effectively pro-choice at that time" is troubling though and strikes me as outdated and sexist, as if his wife was simply an extension of himself rather than an individual who may happen to think differently. Is that what he was saying yesterday? Sure seems like it. Read More......

Now serving melamine fish

If the FDA is trying to destroy the big food industry, they're on the right path. Read More......

The Poodle to announce his retirement today

Ahhh, it seemed like only yesterday the young pup was telling lies about reasons for invading Iraq and acting as the leading enabler to Bush. Being an active participant in the blood bath of Iraq not exactly what the world needs in a global roving ambassador and he's detested within EU circles for being Bush's lapdog so whether he likes it or not, he's stuck on the conservative speaking circuit where he can have fun with all of his extreme right crazy friends who still adore him. Read More......