09.01.2011 — 08:43 PM

First Shots Fired

Everyone loves Netflix -- except the content creators who think they're not getting paid enough for their wares and the folks who own the Internet pipes who are miffed that they're not getting their own piece of the action. Here's one of the early shots in the unfolding war.

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 06:58 PM

Sorry, Still Bogus

Justice Department responds with bogus argument in support of wildly excessive sentencing recommendation for Abramoff associate Kevin Ring.

Yep, I know he's not popular. But this is still an utter crock. Twenty years in prison for free meals and sports tickets to members of Congress and staffers? Really?

It's almost like the DOJ is acting out in this case because most of the real players in the scandal got off scott-free.

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 05:49 PM

Berlusconi to Italy: I'm Too Big for You, Baby!

Endlessly disgraced Italian PM caught on sex investigation phone transcript vowing to leave Italy because it's a "sh*tty country" which has "sickened him."

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 05:32 PM

Sigh

More about Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices hitting each other.

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 04:56 PM

Annals of Stephen Goldsmith

Last I'd heard of Stephen Goldsmith, he was the hotshot Mayor of Indianapolis, beloved of the Club for Growth, Manhattan Institute crowd. Back in 1998 I edited this piece on him by Michael Grunwald in the American Prospect. (I think I edited it. I lose track of which I edited or just read drafts of.) Now it turns out he's been working in my own city as Number 2 for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. And now he's resigned from that gig because he got busted at his DC home (this guy has a lot of cities) on a domestic violence charge.

"I should have put a bullet through you years ago," Goldsmith's wife Margaret allegedly told Goldsmith just before he shoved her, according to the police report.

Goldsmith's wife later stated under oath that the incident was "taken out of context" and "an enormous misunderstanding" and declined to press charges.

(ed.note: In this post I originally incorrectly said that Goldsmith said the bullet thing to his wife. In fact, his wife said it to him. Allegedly.)

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 04:49 PM

Walking A Fine Line?

What are the legal implications of a former American official turned businessman counseling the Qaddafi regime on how to undermine the reputation in America of the rebels amassed against it.

— David Kurtz

09.01.2011 — 04:40 PM

Pure Genius

Whodathunk that a county GOP in Rep. Gabby Giffords' district raffling off a gun similar to the one used to shoot her would be such a problem?

— David Kurtz

09.01.2011 — 01:59 PM

Wow, What Could Go Wrong?

Hard to imagine what could go wrong when a renegade lawman like Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio brings in movie tough guys like Steven Seagal to do raids on people's houses using tanks and other cool movie hardware. Seems in this case, when Seagal and some of Arpaio's deputies raided Jesus Sanchez Llovera's home with a tank, Sanchez's dog was killed in the subsequent gunfire. As well as 100 roosters. Sanchez is now suing Seagal for $100,000 damages.

Seagal was filming the raid for his reality show Steven Seagal: Lawman.

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 01:12 PM

Gaddafi: I'm Loving This!

I say this recognizing the great wreck of society and suffering his rule caused over four decades and the carnage of the last six months. But the one thing that seems clear to me about Muammar Gaddafi today is that his post-Strongmancy is turning out to be even more entertaining than his Strongman period itself.

Yesterday I was catching running updates on the Gaddafi story from the twitter feed of al Arabiya English. At one point Gaddafi's son Saadi announced that his father had empowered him to negotiate a 'cease-fire' with the rebels. Later, Gaddafi himself declared that he now wants to join the new rebel government. (I mean, he's a lifelong public servant, has a lot of management experience running Libya ... so why not?) Both of which -- for a man who not only no longer appears to control anything but can't even be located -- are of course awesome.

Read More →

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 11:51 AM

Put This Guy on the Supreme Court!

Federal judge invites lawyers to "kindergarten party" to teach them how not to waste his time.

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 11:32 AM

How It Came Down

A helpful timeline of yesterday's back and forth over the timing of the President's congressional address on jobs. You be the judge.

— David Kurtz

09.01.2011 — 11:27 AM

Go For The Gut

Longtime TPM Reader JB checks in:

The scheduling issue is much ado about nothing. It is the yadda yadda yadda in the story. We will not spend one iota thinking about it over the long weekend or after some targeted leaks concerning the speech's contents. Chris Cilliza is right, any story about process is a loser for the President. There are 100,000 people who care about this story and their 2012 votes were decided after the 2008 election.

I would like to make one other point.

Read More →

— David Kurtz

09.01.2011 — 10:35 AM

What Was Obama Thinking?

Some reader reactions to yesterday's brouhaha over when Obama would be allowed to address a joint session of Congress about the jobs crisis:

Late Update: I've added a few more at the bottom:

Read More →

— David Kurtz

09.01.2011 — 10:13 AM

Take This Job And Shove it

In Wisconsin, where public employee unions have been the target of the new Republican-controlled statehouse, more than twice as many public school teachers have retired this year than in each of the past two years.

— David Kurtz

09.01.2011 — 10:07 AM

Mourning In America

Jon Huntman's America would have no capital gains tax, no earned income tax credit, no child credit, and no tax exemption for employer-provided health insurance.

— David Kurtz

09.01.2011 — 09:05 AM

Casualties of War

New brain injury study signals hope for survivors of bomb blast injuries.

— Josh Marshall

09.01.2011 — 07:53 AM

Think There's a Name for That

Maine GOP Chair tells students: If you want to vote, you need to start paying taxes.

— Josh Marshall

08.31.2011 — 09:40 PM

Obama to Boehner: Okay, Fine

President Obama accedes to Boehner request to delay jobs speech until after GOP presidential debate.

— Josh Marshall

08.31.2011 — 06:01 PM

It Gets Better

White House says they consulted with Boehner's office about speech and they raised no objection. Boehner's office says, Yeah, but we never okayed it.

— Josh Marshall

08.31.2011 — 04:40 PM

Boehner Responds

Speaker Boehner to Obama: We're supposed to be off that day. Can we reschedule jobs thing?

— Josh Marshall