Open Thread

Take it through the night. Read the rest of this post...

Obama's Popularity in Kenya

NPR's Gwen Thompkins has a fascinating report on Obama's extraordinary popularity in Kenya.

The audio's close to 8 minutes long but definitely worth a listen. Read the rest of this post...

Just exactly how has the U.S. presence in Iraq made us safer?

Matt Stoller:

This week is a tremendous messaging opportunity on Iraq for anyone who wants to take it. General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are testifying in the House and the Senate on Tuesday and Wednesday about the surge. The goal from our perspective should be to pose the question of whether our presence in Iraq is making us safer, rather than focusing on levels of violence and the tactical questions surrounding the surge. Barack Obama frames it correctly with this question.

Obama, an Illinois Democrat, also wants a quick end to the war. On Friday, he said: ""We still don't have a good answer to the question posed by Sen. (John) Warner the last time Gen. Petraeus appeared: How has this effort in Iraq made us safer and how do we expect it will make us safer in the long run?"

Remember, last September, in response to Senator Warner's question, General Petraeus didn't know if the Iraq war made us safer:
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Clinton's dramatic health care story is dramatic, but not true -- and the campaign never vetted it.

Okay, this is not good for the Clinton campaign. Not good at all. Clinton has been regularly telling a very sad and tragic health care story in her campaign stump speech that is not true.

The NY Times has the article. The JedReport has video of Clinton telling the story again yesterday -- and it's not pretty. As Jed notes, "The level of detail with which Clinton tells this yarn is breathtaking." Today, the Clinton campaign admitted to CNN, "In this case, we did try, but were not able to fully vet it." What? How can that be? Seriously.



Since the Clinton campaign is talking to superdelegates about "electability," the superdelegates should ponder the narrative that is developing about Hillary Clinton's ability to tell the truth. It's not like she just relayed this health care story or just told the Tuzla story. Watch those videos again. She was emphatic in both cases and went into great detail. Yet, neither are true. Now, I don't imagine the Republicans would make hay out of this pattern in the general election, do you? Read the rest of this post...

Clinton hasn't fired Mark Penn, but Colombia did

The fallout continues from the meeting Mark Penn had with his client, the Colombian government, to discuss a trade pact that his client, Hillary Clinton, opposes. Although, now, the controversy surrounds the meeting Mark Penn had with his former client, the Colombian government, to discuss a trade pact that his client, Hillary Clinton, opposes.

While Hillary Clinton can't seem to quit Mark Penn, Colombia fired his ass today:

Mr. Penn on Friday apologized for meeting with the Colombians, calling it an “error in judgment.” The Colombian government said his reaction showed a “lack of respect.”

On Saturday, the Colombian government issued the following statement:

The Colombian Government announces its decision to terminate the contract with Burson Marteller. This firm conducts public relations and communications consulting services on behalf of Colombia in the United States for the approval of the Free Trade Agreement and the continuation of Plan Colombia.

Mr. Mark Penn, President and CEO of Burson Marsteller, reponded to claims by Union representatives who questioned his relationship with the Colombian Government by declaring that it was an “error in judgment” to meet with his client the Colombian Ambassador on March 31. The Colombian government considers this a lack of respect to Colombians, and finds this response unacceptable.

The firm was retained by the Colombian Embassy in Washington in March of 2007 based on its track record in the field of Public Relations.

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Democrats call for economic aid package

And all McCain can say is "tax cuts and less regulation." Just as Bush ran on tax cuts and less regulation, McCain proves again that all he wants is a third Bush term. The same tax cuts and less regulation that got us in to this economic meltdown are the same tax cuts and less regulation that McCain thinks will cure all of our economic problems.

So to refresh everyone's memory, the GOP handed out luxurious tax cuts to the richest Americans and look how well that worked out for everyone else. Stagnating wages for most Americans along with increasing inflation and even less stability. The GOP followed the marching orders from their wealthy lobbyist friends on Wall Street to open up new financial markets without traditional regulations and safeguards and look how well that worked out for the rest of us. To listen to McCain talk about the issue that will surely be at the top of everyones list in November is quite revealing. He admits he has no clue about economics and to regurgitate Phil Gramm talking points only shows how incapable he is to face the economic turmoil that we will face in the coming years. We tried this GOP experiment and it failed miserably for everyone outside of Big Oil and the corporate boardrooms. Read the rest of this post...

Saturday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

If you need a break from the political frenzy, check out the poem of the week. It's an excerpt from "The Ghost Trio" by Linda Bierds. We're told by the poet blogger who writes the "poem of the week" blog that this is Bierds at her best -- "evocative imagery and smooth yet dramatic transitions."

If you need a dose of political frenzy, it sounds like there was quite a huge Democratic event in North Dakota last night. Yes, North Dakota. Check out nodakfarmboy's diary at DailyKos for the details. Read the rest of this post...

Zimbabwe opposition calls for UN support

The normal announcement that Robert Mugabe has won yet another election generally occurs about one hour after the polls are closed but here we are a week later and nothing but silence. Earlier in the week South Africa called for a unity government though it wasn't clear why the opposition would want to accept such an offer considering they won in a route.

There is simply no way Mugabe will walk away from power without a fight and the African Union is obviously an unbiased observer, with one AU leader even calling Mugabe "a patriot." If starving a country and ruining the former bread basket of Africa is how the AU defines "a patriot" then they are not up to the task. Without impartial international support, it's going to be nearly impossible for the people of Zimbabwe to see the government that they just elected. Read the rest of this post...