Reid to vote against FISA bill

This is good, though not sure if does anything now, except put Obama in an odd position. Still, it's better than nothing. We're still getting screwed, and still shredding our Constitution and everything our country stands for in order to curry favor with the lobbyists at AT&T; whose company helped our government illegally spy on their own customers. Read the rest of this post...

The beast that swallows its young

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John McCain wants you to feel good about offshore drilling since it won't really help with the gas prices

McCain is basing his energy policy on feelings.

Like Bush and Cheney, John McCain really doesn't have a sound energy policy. But, unlike Dick Cheney, John McCain thinks feelings matters -- and he wants to make us feel good:

"I don't see an immediate relief, but I do see that exploitation of existing reserves that may exist -- and in view of many experts that do exist off our coasts -- is also a way that we need to provide relief. Even though it may take some years, the fact that we are exploiting those reserves would have psychological impact that I think is beneficial.

You have to see it to believe it -- and Jed provides the video:

Back in 2001, Dick Cheney was a hardass when it came to energy policy. He didn't want you to feel good:

Cheney said telling Americans to do more with less is not enough. "Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue, but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound, comprehensive energy policy," he said.

Bush and Cheney never gave us a "sound, comprehensive energy policy" although we did get a war over oil and gas prices at over $4.00/gallon.

But, apparently, it's more about how you feel. Read the rest of this post...

Supreme Court rules that death penalty is 'Totally Badass'

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GOP Senator Gordon Smith tries to tie himself to Obama to help his re-election

That's rather stunning. Republicans are now trying to tie themselves to Obama in order to seek re-election. Obama's campaign had this to say about it:

"Barack Obama has a long record of bipartisan accomplishment and we appreciate that it is respected by his Democratic and Republican colleagues in the Senate. But in this race, Oregonians should know that Barack Obama supports Jeff Merkley for Senate. Merkley will help Obama bring about the fundamental change we need in Washington," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

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Bush White House Pushed Grant for Former Staffer Evangelical Group With the White House Connections Awarded $1.2 Million Grant

ABCNews:

A former top official in the White House's faith-based office was awarded a lucrative Department of Justice grant under pressure from two senior Bush administration appointees, according to current and former DOJ staff members and a review of internal DOJ documents and emails.

The $1.2 million grant was jointly awarded to a consulting firm run by Lisa Trevino Cummins who previously headed Hispanic outreach efforts for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and a California evangelical group, Victory Outreach.

The grant was awarded over the strong objections of career DOJ staff who did not believe that Victory Outreach was qualified for the grant and that too great an amount of the funds was going to Cummins' consulting company instead of being spent on services for children.

Cummins' company, Urban Strategies LLC, was slated to get one third of the money for helping the self-described "evangelizing" Victory Outreach use the rest of the funds.

On its website, Victory Outreach describes itself as a "church-oriented Christian ministry called to the task of evangelizing and disciplining the hurting people of the world, with the message of hope and plan of Jesus Christ."

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Wes Clark for VP?

An observant reader in Washington, DC writes in earlier this afternoon:

About 2 hours ago, I saw Wesley Clark leaving the office building next to mine, on the corner of 15th and M NW. Then, 15 minutes ago while getting coffee at the Caribou across the street – I literally ran into Caroline Kennedy. She and Eric Holder were there together. Could they have been interviewing Clark for the VP slot?

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Do women really face the highest glass ceiling?

Now that Hillary is back in fundraising mode, in an effort to pay off her tens of millions of dollars in debt she wracked up by continuing her campaign to damage Obama long after she'd already lost the race, Hillary and her people are putting out this talking point that Hillary took on the "highest and hardest of glass ceilings." I don't buy it. Maybe because I grew up in Chicago, but blacks had it far worse than women where I lived, and they still do where I live now. That doesn't mean women don't face prejudice, but compare a 16 year old black guy to a 16 year old white woman and tell me who in America faces a higher and harder ceiling? I don't like to compare suffering, and debate who is more worthy, but this talking point is a little offensive to blacks and anyone else still fighting for the rights in America (last time I checked, Hillary could get married.) Also, this totally misrepresents Hillary's campaign, and why she lost. She wasn't the feminist candidate until she saw that she had lost the race and needed a Hail Mary. And she didn't lose the race because of the glass ceiling, she lost because of a failure to plan, and hubris. Name one state in which Obama did better than Hillary because she was a woman and he was "only" black? I had promised myself I wasn't going to let her annoy me any more. Ugh. Read the rest of this post...

Who cares what a psychologist has to say about the Bible?

More details of religious right leader James Dobson's attack on Obama are filtering out (see our earlier post here). According to an email sent out by Dobson, he had this to say, which is rather odd I think:

In a 2006 speech, Obama compared Dr. Dobson to the Left-leaning Rev. Al Sharpton.

"I don’t want to be defensive here," Dr. Dobson says on the broadcast. "Obviously, that is offensive to me.

"He equates me with Al Sharpton, who is a reverend. I am not a reverend. I’m not a minister. I’m not a theologian. I’m not an evangelist. I’m a psychologist. I have a Ph.D. in Child Development from the University of Southern California. And there is no equivalence to us. I don’t want to overreact to it, but this comment was made two years ago, and it’s taken me two years to find out about it."

Now, his gripe with being compared to Sharpton isn't that Sharpton is very liberal, or kooky, or whatever. Dobson's gripe seems to be that he is a psychologist being compared to a minister. Why would Dobson be offended that someone mistook him for a minister? I thought he was a minister. I certainly didn't think that this guy, who regularly lectures other people about what the Bible "really" says, is just a child psychologist. With all due respect to child psychologists, I don't care what any of them think about the Bible - at least not to a greater degree than what anyone else thinks about it. But to be lectured by a child psychologist about what the Bible "really" says is, well, childlike. Read the rest of this post...

Heinz is what bigots taste like

Heinz pulled a mayo ad, airing only in Britain, because it showed a man kissing his partner goodbye on his way to work. Heinz felt it had to pull the ad, and I repeat, only aired in the UK, because Bill O'Reilly complained that he didn't want to see it, even though it wasn't aired in the US at all. Nice. So Heinz now has an official policy that gay couples are verboten in Heinz ads, even in Europe. Gays are too controversial, too icky, too gross for Heinz. Very nice. Does Heinz also feel that gays are too gross to market to in Spain, where gays can legally marry? How about Norway, we can marry there too. And I wonder how Heinz feels about a black man kissing a white woman. I can see it now, try Heinz's new Miscegenation Mayonnaise, served on white bread only.

Heinz is one of the most recognizable brands in America. So it shouldn't be too hard to remember to avoid all of their products now and in the future. It's not like there isn't other mayo and ketchup to buy (and honestly, Heinz mayo? who buys that crap anyway?)

Please contact Heinz and let them have it:

Contact Heinz
UK: Nigel Dickie, +44 20 8848 2726 - Nigel.Dickie@uk.hjheinz.com
US: Jessica Jackson, 412-237-3562 - jessica.jackson@us.hjheinz.com
Michael Mullen, 412-456-5751 - Michael.mullen@us.hjheinz.com

Here's the ad:

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Bush visit to London unnecessarily inconvenienced 40,000 air travelers

And the best part, they could have flown into a military base, but they didn't. From USA Today:

President George W. Bush's recent stopover in London slowed the travel of nearly 40,000 fliers at Heathrow Airport, according to British Airways CEO Willie Walsh. Heathrow airport operator BAA confirmed today that 32 arrivals and 36 departures were canceled as a result of Bush's trips into and out of Heathrow on June 15 and 16, The Associated Press writes.

"BAA, the airlines and other business partners at Heathrow did everything in their power to minimize disruption at the airport during George Bush's presidential visit," BAA says in a statement. "Despite our best efforts some disruption did occur, for which we apologize to passengers affected." BA CEO Walsh took a dimmer view of the disruption. "The decision to allow President Bush and his fleet of aircraft to fly into Heathrow rather than a military base was one all of Heathrow's users could have done without," Walsh is quoted as saying in BA's employee news letter. "I am also angry that this was allowed," he adds.

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DNC files suit against McCain's illegal campaign finance scheme

From the DNC:

Washington, DC -The Democratic National Committee today filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in D.C. to compel the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to investigate John McCain's decision to unilaterally withdraw from the FEC's matching funds program despite using the program to financially benefit his campaign - just one of many McCain campaign improprieties. To view a copy of the DNC's lawsuit, please visit [here].

John McCain talks about setting a new standard for "transparency and accountability" yet when it comes to his campaign, he doesn't seem to think the rules apply to him. First, he used taxpayer dollars to secure a loan to keep his campaign afloat in the primary, a move that's clearly against the law. Then the Wall Street Journal reported that McCain refused to pay for his campaign's use of a corporate jet - again against the law - and last week, his trip to Canada came under question for possible violations of federal law.

"Whether it's using a taxpayer funded loan to keep his campaign afloat, refusing to reimburse for his campaign's use of a corporate jet, or violating federal laws on a foreign campaign trip, John McCain has shown an increasingly troubling pattern of impropriety," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "John McCain tries to brand himself as a reformer but how can the American people believe he'll change Washington when it's clear he thinks the rules apply to everyone but him? We had enough of that with the Bush Administration. We don't need it again with John McCain."

In order to receive matching funds, John McCain signed a binding agreement with the FEC to accept spending limits and to abide by the conditions of receiving those funds. The FEC requires that any request to withdraw from the agreement must be granted by the FEC. FEC Chairman David Mason made this clear in a letter to McCain advising him that the law requires the FEC to approve his request to withdraw from his contract - a move McCain ignored and cost Mason his job.

According to past Commission rulings, the McCain campaign would not be allowed to withdraw from matching funds because it already violated a key condition for being let out of the program - pledging matching funds as collateral for a private loan. McCain obtained a $4 million line of credit -- drew $2,971,697 from it - and documents make clear that the promise of public financing was used to secure his loan.

On February 25, 2008, the DNC filed a complaint with the FEC calling on the Commission to investigate whether the McCain campaign is breaking the law by ignoring spending limits in the primary.The FEC has failed to act within 120 days, so the DNC is now asking the court to require the Commission to act on the original administrative complaint. Now that it appears that the Senate is on track to approve the needed FEC nominations, the DNC is also making clear that this should be on the top of the FEC's agenda.

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James Dobson, who himself could use a lesson in Jesus, lectures Obama about God

Dobson's quotes are so self-referential, it's rather amazing.

"I think he's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology," Dobson said.

"... He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter."

Pot meet Kettle. Now, what is truly interesting about all of this is that Dobson can't stand McCain. So it's rather interesting that Dobson is now attacking Obama, which in principle helps McCain. Obama has made no secret that he's wooing people of faith, as a fellow Christian. McCain's Christian bona fides aren't that strong - he recently got his faith wrong, and he certainly doesn't talk about God and Christ in the real way that Obama does, in the real way that a real Christian recognizes as, well, real. So Dobson appears to be worried that Obama is a real threat, not just to McCain, but to Dobson's own warped view of Christianity. Of course, the real threat to Dobson is that nobody appears to care what he and his ilk have to say anymore. At least not in politics, and that's Dobson's home turf. He may have loads of red-state followers who are still willing to at least sip his Kool-Aid, but in Washington, he's not exactly the cock of the walk he once was. And he knows it. Read the rest of this post...

Imus: I'm not racist, I was DEFENDING blacks against the man

Yeah, right. Imus commented yesterday on a well-known sports figure being arrested six times, and asked "what color is he?" When he was told "African-American," he replied, "Ha ha, well there you go, now we know."

Imus is now saying that he wasn't saying that of course the guy was a criminal because he's black. He was saying, he informs us today, that he was actually defending blacks against evil racially profiling police. You see, per Imus, he was trying to tell his audience that black guys are always picked on by the police, and that's why this sports figure was arrested six times, because he's a poor black man who's simply fighting the man and was racially profiled, and Imus was showing solidarity with African-Americans by asking the guy's "color."

Uh, yeah. Showing solidarity with blacks who are racially profiled by saying "ha ha" when he finds out the guy is black. Another small tip for Imus: If you're going to show solidarity with blacks, don't ask "what color" they are. It's kind of a giveaway. Listen to the tape yourself. Then listen to Imus' defense of his comments. Read the rest of this post...

GM shares at lowest since January 1975

How'd that gas-guzzling strategy work out for Detroit, Congressman Dingell? Read the rest of this post...

Has McCain fired Charlie Black yet? Or is McCain tacitly accepting the idea that dead Americans make good politics for him?

There really is no way McCain can distance himself from the remarks of Charlie Black. They are right out of the Bush/Rove playbook. No doubt, the pundits will try to give McCain yet another pass, but this one is too much. McCain has to fire Black. There is no other option. Otherwise, McCain is basically owning Black's words:

A top adviser to Sen. John McCain said that a terrorist attack in the United States would be a political benefit to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, a comment that was immediately disputed by the candidate and denounced by his Democratic rival.

Charlie Black, one of McCain's most senior political advisers, said in an interview with Fortune magazine that a fresh terrorist attack "certainly would be a big advantage to him." He also said that the December assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, while "unfortunate," helped McCain win the Republican primary by focusing attention on national security.

"His knowledge and ability to talk about it reemphasized that this is the guy who's ready to be Commander-in-Chief. And it helped us," Black told the magazine in its upcoming issue.

The comment reinjected the fear of terrorism into the campaign as both candidates had been shifting their conversation to the economy and $4-per-gallon gasoline. It also vividly recalled the 2004 contest between President Bush and Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry, in which Republicans repeatedly questioned Kerry's ability to protect the country from terrorists.

The comments also returned the political spotlight to McCain's advisers and, in particular, to Black, who has drawn criticism for his long lobbying career and his representation of controversial foreign governments. McCain has been criticized for surrounding himself with top advisers who were lobbyists.

Black earlier this year severed ties to the lobbying firm he founded. Records show that his firm had represented the Pakistan People's Party, which Bhutto led until her death.

Again, the punditry is going try to let this one slide. But, remember, Samantha Powers got canned after a media outcry over far less. She made a catty comment about another candidate. Charlie Black, on behalf of McCain and the GOP, basically said that if Americans were killed by terrorists, it would be a "big advantage" for McCain and the GOP. That's so 2004. And, it's so wrong. Read the rest of this post...

Tuesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Nineteen weeks -- 133 days -- til Election Day. Nineteen weeks -- 133 days -- til we change America. Given the dire state of the GOP at every level, it's going to get ugly, really ugly. So, the candidates better be prepared -- and we all better be ready to fight back.

One big question is how the traditional media deals with the smears and attacks from the GOP-types this year. Will they just regurgitate the false charges, which is their usual pattern? Or will they actually report the lies and falsehoods? Last night, on MSNBC, Dan Abrams was giddy about some book coming out in August that will smear Obama -- and Abrams seemed sure it will hurt the Democratic nominee. (Hint for Abrams: It won't hurt Obama if the media types, like Dan Abrams, don't give it any attention.) But, the way Abrams was talking was an indicator of what's to come. My bet is they'll fall for the smears -- again. Remember, the King of the Conventional Wisdom, David Broder (and his wannabe sidekick, Chris Cillizza) both think McCain can do no wrong. They'd all rather be sitting on the McCain bus eating Dunkin Donuts (that's his favorite, as Liz Sidoti from the Associated Press knows, but the rest of us, as the little people, don't.)

Battle stations everyone. Seriously. Read the rest of this post...

Mugabe's police raid opposition HQ and take 60 people

Most of those taken by police were women and children who had been seeking refuge from the political violence. Thabo Mbeki's "quiet diplomacy" could not be any more quiet if he tried. What a horrible failure Mbeki has been and it's no wonder the opposition MDC views him as a Mugabe ally rather than an independent observer. Read the rest of this post...