State Dept offered Blackwater immunity in killing of 17 Iraqi civilians

Immunity, it's the new black in Washington, DC, every corporate criminal just HAS to have it. Read the rest of this post...

Obama heading to San Francisco (insert joke here)

Yeah, his people really ARE that crazy. And can I just say, enough of the "change" crap from the Obama people (see below). First off, Obama is sucking up to bigots in order to win votes - that's not "change," it's retro (it's also Republican). Second, considering that this entire debacle has been about Obama's "friends" wanting to change gays straight, their use of that word continually throughout this affair is offensive (the Gospel concert was unfortunately titled the "Embrace the Change" tour).

From: Obama for America info@barackobama.com
Date: October 29, 2007
Subject: Invite: Barack in San Francisco

Dear Friend,

Join Barack Obama in San Francisco on Wednesday, November 14th, for a
special Countdown to Change event....

Read the rest of this post...

Carnegie Mellon blog ranking study

Rankings always have their faults, and this one is so over my head I can't even begin to determine its validity (some Carnegie Mellon math genius came up with the method), but it's still always interesting to have a look. The question the survey tried to answer: "If we can read 100 blogs, which should I read to be most up to date?" Many of the blogs they picked I've never even heard of (though that may reflect more on me than their survey). Read the rest of this post...

Krugman deconstructs the Neocon/GOP obsession with Iran -- and war with Iran

One of the best things that comes out of the NY Times decision to stop charging for access to its op-ed writers is that everyone has access to Paul Krugman again. Today's column, Fearing Fear Itself, is a must-read. And by must-read, I mean that reporters, pundits and people on Capitol Hill should read it, too. That crowd can't fall for the drumbeat of war with Iran like they did in 2002 with Iraq.

Krugman deconstructs the GOP campaign of fear using the made-up concept of Islamofascism, which he notes is "not an ideology; it’s a figment of the neocon imagination." And that neocon imagination is running wild -- and influencing the ideas of the GOP Presidential candidates, particularly Giuliani, Romney and Huckabee:

In the wake of 9/11, the Bush administration adopted fear-mongering as a political strategy. Instead of treating the attack as what it was — an atrocity committed by a fundamentally weak, though ruthless adversary — the administration portrayed America as a nation under threat from every direction.

Most Americans have now regained their balance. But the Republican base, which lapped up the administration’s rhetoric about the axis of evil and the war on terror, remains infected by the fear the Bushies stirred up — perhaps because fear of terrorists maps so easily into the base’s older fears, including fear of dark-skinned people in general.

And the base is looking for a candidate who shares this fear.

Just to be clear, Al Qaeda is a real threat, and so is the Iranian nuclear program. But neither of these threats frightens me as much as fear itself — the unreasoning fear that has taken over one of America’s two great political parties.

The GOP candidates and the GOP base are clamoring for war. This time around, they must be stopped. And, since the traditional media fell for the Bush/Cheney/Neocon war agenda in 2002, we'll be beating the drum to expose the war agenda this time. Read the rest of this post...

They are still out there

This past Saturday I attended a peace rally in Philadelphia. It was very healing for me to back in my home town among people of all walks of life —just the pure “heart and soul” of this country.

The rally was part of a larger nationwide antiwar mobilization.

As I was leaving a fellow Iraq veteran pointed out a small gathering of counter-demonstrators and invited me to go with him across the street to confront them. I declined the offer. The Philly PD was out in full force and did a great job of keeping them separated from us. So I didn’t see the use.

I headed for my car that was parked in a garage on the same side of the street as the counter-protest.

I observed them waiving the flag and spouting out the same “we gotta fight em there so we don’t have to fight em here” nonsense. Proceeded by shouts to the anti-war protesters of "support the troops" over and over and over again.

From my observation the pro-war crowd had less than 10 people in attendance. It very well resembled the minuscule 24% of Americans who still agree with Bush. I actually for a moment felt sorry for the fools before I returned back to my realistic senses.

The point I’m trying to make is that there are still people out there dumb enough to believe in Bush’s crap, and they are truly subservient to this wacko mentality of lies, hate, and fear. It’s like they are members of a weird cult or something of that nature. Kinda scary.

For the past 5 years there have been harmless peace vigils on Saturday mornings in the Philadelphia area. These peace vigils are not so peaceful any more. Pro-war groups have decided to counter the vigils with a confrontational standoff involving intimidation, cursing, and needless thuggery. It has turned into a heated street battle between a peace group and a group that advocates for "total victory" in Iraq. Whatever that means.

They love to say we are fighting in Iraq for freedom, yet they persecute anyone who practices it for a peace.

Peaceful people are an easy target for this element to harass. And singing Kumbaya will only get you so far. In my experience with dealing with pro-war groups a diplomatic approach rarely ever works. The only way to deal with them is to stand united, strong, and pacify them with intelligence and facts. It doesn't mean they will go away. But make sure they know you won't either. Demonstrate your commitment and resolve to fight against their hatred and this illegal war.

A lot of these ardent Bush/Cheney supporters are actually veterans. And for the life of me I can't figure out what is driving them. They continue to play the patriot card with every hand. True patriots, in my opinion, have the ability to easily see right through these neocon war mongers/draft dodgers.

The indisputable facts are EVERYWHERE. I can’t get away from the bad news for a minute. Just turn on the TV or open up a newspaper and it’s in your face. The only way for me to avoid it would be to go down in my basement and hunker down with no outside communication and live off can goods like I’m in a nuclear fallout protection mode. I wrote that in a very sarcastic manner of course.

Is there any way to educate them? Will they ever wake up?

I guess I'm frustrated and venting because I already know the answer.

John Bruhns
Iraq Veteran Read the rest of this post...

Obama issues 3-page memo defending gay-basher spokesman, explaining that McClurkin has no problem with "happy" gays

Obama's campaign now says that McClurkin only wants to cure the unhappy gays. (The rest of us are, I guess, fine to continue trying to kill America's children.)

From the Washington Post:

The concert was to be the highlight of this outreach and while the crowd left excited, it was clear the campaign still regarded the controversy as complicated. Aides gave reporters a three-page memo detailing McClurkin's and Obama's views on gay rights that noted in capital letters "MCCLURKIN DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE GAYS AND LESBIANS WHO ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR LIVES AND HAS CRITICIZED CHURCH LEADERS WHO DEMONIZE HOMOSEXUALS," with quotes detailing those statements from the singer.

So David Duke's only problem, per the Obama campaign, is that he villifies the happy Jews and the happy blacks?

Keep digging, guys. Obama keeps making clear that he hasn't learned his lesson, he doesn't understand what he did wrong, and he will continue to coddle those who attack our community so long as it wins him votes and money. His own staff admitted as much to the Washington Post:

Aides to Barack Obama's who are concerned about his fortunes nationally cast his decision not to kick Donnie McClurkin off the program of a gospel concert the campaign was hosting as a principled decision, part of the Illinois senator's constant rhetoric of bringing people together even if they disagree. Aides in South Carolina cited a more obvious consideration: despite the singer's controversial comments in the past about homosexuality, which he has likened to a "curse" and said is a choice, he would be a big draw.

So how many votes and how much money is a bashed gay worth to Senator Obama?

And PS, according to the Washington Post, Obama let McClurkin emcee the event. So much for Obama's disdain for McClurkin's gay-bashing. They practically - no, literally - handed him the mic to do his damage. Read the rest of this post...

GOP Political Thuggery in VA: Jeanmarie Devolites Davis sent personal info. about her opponent's family in campaign mailer

First, know one key fact: State Senator Jeanmarie Devolites Davis is the wife of Congressman Tom Davis. They're quite the GOP power couple -- and they are running an ugly re-election campaign for her state senate seat in Northern Virginia. The elections for Virginia's state senators and delegates are next week -- and the Democrats are poised to take back control of the State Senate.

In what has to be one of the nastiest moves to date, Devolites Davis sent out a campaign mailer targeting her opponent, Chap Peterson, which identified his home address -- and the names of his kids:

Circled in red on the mail is part of a public document that lists Petersen's home phone number and Fairfax City address.

The names of the former state delegate's wife and two young daughters are also listed.

Petersen said a strange, jarring phone call to his home answered by his wife alerted him to the disclosure. He said his wife was so unnerved by that call and others that she refused to answer the phone and spent the day at her parents'.

"The thing that really bothers me is it was part of an attack ad," Petersen said. "This ad is meant to incite anger at me, and then you have my daughters' names circled and my home phone number circled and my home address circled. The net effect is to get somebody angry at me and have them contact me."

That's the kind of ugly politics Virginia gets from Davis and his wife. They have been running this thug type operation for years -- even before they were married to each other.

Ten years ago, in a former job, my organization sent out a mailing against Ms. Devolites when she was running for state delegate. Congressman Tom Davis exploded. He called me screaming about the mailing (which was factual, by the way.) He called my boss screaming. He demanded both of us show up at his Congressional office to yell at us in person about doing a mailing against the beloved Devolites. Yes, we had to show up at his Capitol Hill office to get blasted over a state political issue. Coincidentally, she showed up. He wanted me to see how beautiful and lovely she was. Huh??? It was a very creepy experience -- and left a very bad taste for a number of reasons.

That was ten years ago. Now Davis and Devolites are married. They still run negative, ugly campaigns. Hopefully, she'll lose next week. He's not running for U.S. Senate to replace John Warner. He can and should be beat next year if he runs for re-election. Read the rest of this post...

Komrade Hiatt weighs in again

There's a reason we call the Washington Post "Pravda on the Potomac." From the neocons who have taken over the Washington Post:

An amendment to the Senate bill by Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden would go too far by requiring that a warrant be obtained when U.S. citizens are the target of surveillance overseas; this would be an unnecessary and potentially disruptive precedent.

Yes, what a strange other-wordly precedent requiring this thing - what do they call it? - a "warrant," yes, that's it, a war-rant in order for the government to search an American citizen. I mean, how daft can the Congress be, trying to codify some crazy idea that the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. What ARE these America-haters thinking?

And this:

we do not believe that these companies should be held hostage to costly litigation in what is essentially a complaint about administration activities.

Yes, poor AT&T; and Verizon. All they did was try to make billions off of trafficking in your most personal information, and then when they became bad stewards of such information, we simply want to hold them accountable. Yes, what a crazy thought. Much better to let them off the hook so that they learn no lesson and repeat their mistake, their crime, in the future. Read the rest of this post...

Obama campaign spokesman blasts gays at Gospel concert; white preacher and Obama say nothing

UPDATE: Per the NYT, the anti-gay activist turned the entire final half hour of the concert into an anti-gay harangue:

The whole controversy might have been forgotten in the swell of gospel sound except Mr. McClurkin turned the final half hour of the three-hour concert into a revival meeting about the lightning rod he has become for the Obama campaign.

He approached the subject gingerly at first. Then, just when the concert had seemed to reach its pitch and about to end, Mr. McClurkin returned to it with a full-blown plea: “Don’t call me a bigot or anti-gay when I have suffered the same feelings,” he cried.

“God delivered me from homosexuality,” he added. He then told the audience to believe the Bible over the blogs: “God is the only way.” The crowd sang and clapped along in full support....

Mr. McClurkin’s support for Mr. Obama could signal to some black evangelical voters that race and religion are more important than Mr. Obama’s support for gay rights.

Surprise, surprise, surprise. Obama's anti-gay religious right activist used the opportunity Obama gave him last night to preach his hate to thousands of African-Americans. That's just great. And the white preacher who Obama picked to help explain to the audience that gays aren't minions of Satan? CNN reports that he said nothing at all - just a short little prayer, then he left. As for Obama, he did a taped introduction in which he praised McClurkin, the religious right activist, as one of his favorites. That's nice, because the way to help combat homophobia in the black community is to make sure the gay-basher is first endorsed by someone as high-ranking as Obama, who then chooses to say nothing about the gay-bashing.

So, in the end, Obama let his "best" and "favorite" artist slam gays to thousands of African-Americans, in his name, and neither he nor his hand-chosen white gay preacher said anything in response. Class act, that Obama campaign. For them, creating a "dialogue" means the gay-basher gets to spread his bigotry to thousands while the candidate and the token gay STFU.

And let's give a special shout out to the white gay preacher, Rev. Andy Sidden, who was supposed to be there defending our team. Here's how CNN reported his brave act of courage:

Sidden is the white, gay pastor added to the concert bill as a last minute compromise by the Obama campaign. Sidden's appearance was notably brief and anti-climactic: He said a short prayer to the auditorium at the very beginning of the program, when the arena was only about half full, and then he left.

Obama, while not present, appeared on a videotaped message to the crowd, saying, “The artists you’re going to hear from are some of the best in the world, and favorites of Michelle and myself.”

McClurkin said during the concert that he had been introduced to Obama by Oprah Winfrey.

Wow, we could have invited a brick to give that heartfelt defense of gay people. Did Obama's people plan for Sidden to give his prayer when no one was there? Was Sidden asked by the Obama people not to say anything in defense of gays? Or did Sidden wimp out all by himself?

Obama is definitely not ready for prime time. Read the rest of this post...

Monday Morning Open Thread

So finally some good news: The Red Sox won the World Series. Last time they won (after an 86 year drought) was in 2004. It was the week before the Presidential election -- back when we all thought George Bush would surely lose. Now, we're waiting out the tragedy that is Bush's second term. Waiting it out and expecting Congress to prevent the war with Iran that Bush & Cheney seem so determined to start.

Let's get it started.... Read the rest of this post...

And he wonders why he's called The Poodle

It's more of a confirmation of the person we thought he really was and less of a shock, but still very interesting. A new biography about Blair is being published, revealing some of the inside discussions behind the scenes including interviews with Colin Powell.

But Mr Powell told Dr Seldon: "In the end Blair would always support the president. I found this very surprising. I never really understood why Blair seemed to be in such harmony with Bush. I thought, well, the Brits haven't been attacked on 9/11. How did he reach the point that he sees Saddam as such a threat? Jack and I would get him all pumped up about an issue. And he'd be ready to say, 'Look here, George'. But as soon as he saw the president he would lose all his steam."

In extracts from the book in The Mail on Sunday, Dr Seldon also disclosed that two of Mr Blair's most senior Downing Street advisers, Sir David Manning and Baroness Sally Morgan, argued against the war.

According to the book, Mr Blair resolved to write to Mr Bush in 2002 to spell out his fears that the momentum for war was growing too fast in America.

But he "faltered and pulled his punches" and in effect told the president: "You know, George, whatever you decide to do, I'll be with you."

Sir Christopher Meyer, Britain's former ambassador to Washington was horrified, asking Sir David: "Why in God's name has he said that again?

"'Well, we tried to stop him ... but we didn't prevail', came the weary response."

Read the rest of this post...

Oil sets a new record today

But not to worry, because Cheney says the economy is resilient and you know how often he's been spot on. I guess what he meant to say was $93 was no problem for himself or other Big Oil folks. Read the rest of this post...