Broder takes a swipe a Woodward

Nothing too harsh, but a nice smack nonetheless in an Washington Post on-line chat:

Clearwater, Fla.: What is your opinion about Bob Woodward's comments last year about the Valerie Plame case ... When "all of the facts come out in this case, it's going to be laughable because the consequences are not that great."

David S. Broder: Subsequent events do not appear to be supporting that forecast.

Woodward sat on one of the biggest stories of the Bush administration just so he could have access to write his books. Pathetic. Read the rest of this post...

Call him Senator Fist

From Al Kamen at the Washington Post:

It was with some trepidation that we opened a most interesting card, which announced on a blue-jeaned cowboy's belt buckle something called the "5th Annual VOLPAC '06 Weekend" in Nashville on April 21-23.

Problem was you had to unbuckle the cowboy's pants and look inside to see what this was all about. Seemed a bit too "Brokeback Mountain."

Imagine our relief to find only that we were "cordially invited" to the event honoring Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and "Mrs. Bill Frist, M.D."....

The back of the card shows the cowboy from behind with a red flowered handkerchief sticking out of his right pocket. Wait a minute -- wasn't there something about how this used to be some kind of code in the gay community years ago? A way to signal each other in crowded, noisy bars?

And what does a red hanky mean?

Would that be one fist or two? Read the rest of this post...

AT&T; allegedly gave the NSA access to ALL of your phone calls, emails and Internet activities

If this lawsuit is true, it likely constitutes the largest mass invasion of privacy in American history.

According to an AT&T; whistleblower, the telephone giant made available to a government snoop every single phone call you made, every single email you wrote, every single online video or text chat you ever had, a list of every Web site or chat room you ever visited, copies of every photo you've ever downloaded or emailed or received, so government spies could go through it and do whatever it is they do when they peep into your private life.

Ever do anything online, in email, in text, by video that you might not want a government bureaucrat, or anyone else peeking into? Well, AT&T; allegedly handed the entire enchilada to George Bush.

AT&T; provided National Security Agency eavesdroppers with full access to its customers' phone calls, and shunted its customers' internet traffic to data-mining equipment installed in a secret room in its San Francisco switching center, according to a former AT&T; worker cooperating in the Electronic Frontier Foundation's lawsuit against the company.

Mark Klein, a retired AT&T; communications technician, submitted an affidavit in support of the EFF's lawsuit this week. That class action lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco last January, alleges that AT&T; violated federal and state laws by surreptitiously allowing the government to monitor phone and internet communications of AT&T; customers without warrants.

And to add to the fun? AT&T; is now refusing to deny it.

This has the smell of a massive online advocacy campaign against AT&T.; We should destroy that company until it comes out and says, unequivocally, that the charges against it are 100% false. And if they pull any more George Bush legal mumbo jumo ("we just couldn't comment on an ongoing investigation"), then we destroy them.

There's only one reason in my book that you don't deny allegations - that's because they're true. No one accused unfairly of being a murderer replies to the charges by saying "I just can't comment on ongoing litigation."

And finally, we need to publicly demand a statement from every phone company and every Internet provider saying that they have NEVER given the government access to ANY of our phone or Internet traffic WITHOUT a court order. And any company that doesn't provide that document can face the public consequences. Read the rest of this post...

Open thread

'bout time... Read the rest of this post...

John McCain's gutting of campaign finance is even bigger than previously thought

I wrote the other day about John McCain agreeing to lift the caps on coordinated party expenditures as part of the 527 bill. The initial concern was that this would now permit the Republicans to spend hundreds of millions of more dollars on the 2008 presidential race, while the Democrats don't have nearly as much cash on hand to spend - thus, the change was made to screw Democrats, not to keep money out of elections.

So basically, Mr. McCain agreed to gut campaign finance law - his trademark issue - in order to help himself to the trough. Gee, what a surprise.

Well, it's gets worse. A friend who works on such issues now tells me that it’s more than just the 2008 election that this will affect. I'll summarize my friend's analysis below.

The language of the bill is that is goes into effect upon enactment, meaning the party committees will be able to spend unlimited coordinated dollars in 2006 on candidates. I'm told this bill would be a huge boon to the Republican committees and leave the Democratic committees in the dust. Given the significant cash on hand advantage the RNC currently has, they could field candidates across the country that don’t have to raise a finger to fundraise.

The current limit on coordinated party expenditures for most House races is only $39,600 ($79,200 for At Large House candidates). Senate races vary with the state, the big states are $1 or $2 million but most are considerably less (the formula is based on population).

If the RNC, NRSC and NRCC are allowed to turn on the spigot, it won’t just be for only endangered incumbents. It will also be marginal Rs, forcing Ds to defend seats thought to be safe.

So, yet again the Republicans, in their Orwellian well, pass a bill whose intent has nothing to do at all with the name of the bill. Rather, the Republicans who control the US House and the US Senate simply are trying to rewrite the laws to write the Democratic party out of existence, just like Tom Delay did in Texas.

While Bush is simply incompetent, the Republicans controling the Congress, with John McCain leading the pack, are corrupt to their core. Read the rest of this post...

Cliff's Corner

NOTE: If you would like to check out my take on Homeland Security pedophiles when you're done reading, please go to The Huffington Post. And then come right back to AMERICAblog of course!!

The Week That Was 4/7/06

Another week. More preposterousness to report.

So Hot Tub Tommy finally decided to forsake his crumbling political career and pay more attention to whether he’ll soon have to trade in that Jacuzzi for a cold shower at Leavenworth with the soap crazy glued to his hand. I believe that warm and joyous feeling overtaking my body right now is Schadenfreude — but I do feel for used car salesmen, pimps and Chris Matthews who must all be flying their flags at half mast at the loss of their mother ship.

What does one say in defense of Mr. DeLay, he of the Paris Hilton mug shot poses and treating our Constitution like it was a tank-top-clad teenage girl lost in the Department of Homeland Security building after hours? Not much, if you’re a sentient being who’s been paying attention to this scumbag (take that New York Times crossword puzzlers) who’s defiled everything he’s touched during his career in Washington — most interestingly the very things conservatives are supposed to care about: tradition, virtue, Roy Blunt, the rule of law and golf courses throughout the world. Which he won’t apologize for enjoying during his downtime on our dime. And why should he after all? The preeminent Mr. DeLay’s worked hard at wrecking our democracy during the week. The least you could allow him on weekends is the front 9 at St. Andrews with funds earmarked for autistic kids.

Ok, so it might be accurate to say that Tom DeLay’s been to good government what Kevin Federline is to a mite-free epidermis and Clarence Thomas is to being black.

But look at how gracefully he exited the stage — except for his remaining nine months of “public service” during which time he can probably bring our nation’s finances, schools and healthcare system even closer to resembling Myanmar. In any case, Tom reminded us of the honor with which he served, exclaiming during his announcement of his impending retirement that “I refuse to allow liberal Democrats an opportunity to steal this seat with a negative, personal campaign.”

And if anyone knows about “stealing” and “negative, personal campaigns” it would be Tom. Mind you, this is a man who tried to impeach a President of The United States because he didn’t “like his worldview?” A man who resorted to bribery, extortion and money laundering to pass legislation and gain more power for his party. A man who threw parties where he loaned his daughter out to lobbyists so she could continue in the Hot Tub Tom tradition. And then there was that night with Scott McClellan’s soiled diapers at Mehlman’s place with the gerbils and that crate of Jim Beam. Ok, I might have exaggerated one of those examples.

In the end, however, we all know that as Tom says his persecution must be an intimate part of the War on Christians. Like gays wanting to march in St. Patrick’s Day Parades because they have the nerve to be Irish, these personal attacks by Democrats against a humble, Godly man must not be forgotten.

So good luck Tom. We look forward to Bill Frist joining you once his own little investigation is over. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could discover the joys of cell block 9 together? I smell a reality show! Read the rest of this post...

New Pentagon spokesman linked ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC and FOX to Osama

Hey, at least he's not a pedophile.

Make that: known pedophile. Read the rest of this post...

Another anti-war protestor arrested in UK

This one looks about as dangerous as the others.

Mark Barrett was drinking tea and eating cake near Parliament during a weekly anti-war protest and was arrested and fined £500 under the new anti-terror law. Ooohhh...scary stuff that tea drinking.

A lot of people over this way always ask me why there are so few public demonstrations against the war and against Bush, especially by the youth, in the US. I have always thought that it mostly had to do with the absencee of a draft so the war does not really tough as many people as it did during Vietnam. Any other ideas? Just curious. Read the rest of this post...

Is the indicted Scooter Libby still holding secret meetings at the White House?

According to one reporter today at the White House, the answer is yes:

John, go ahead.

QUESTION: Scott, on March the 30th, I believe, last Thursday, Mr. Libby was spotted at the White House Mess. It just seems unusual that he would be coming back to the White House in this situation. Any ideas why he --

Scott McClellan: I don't know anything about that. I don't think so.

QUESTION: You don't think what?

Scott McClellan: I don't think he was here.

QUESTION: What would you do if I --

Scott McClellan: You spotted him?

QUESTION: I have a pretty good source I trust that did.

Scott McClellan: I'll check into it, John, but I don't think that's --

QUESTION: Alan Greenspan was here Thursday, March the 30th.

Scott McClellan: I don't think so, but I'll check. I'll check. I wasn't camped out at the Mess.

Read the rest of this post...

Reader uses Eschaton blog to propose marriage

So cute! Read the rest of this post...

Military lawyer says Rumsfeld "messed up" trials for detainees at Gitmo

When even people inside DOD are getting the courage to stand up to Rumsfeld publicly, well, things are getting bad.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his appointees set rules that violate President George W. Bush's order to hold fair trials for prisoners charged with terrorism in the Guantanamo tribunals, a military defense lawyer said on Friday.

"We can't help it that the secretary of defense and his delegees (sic) have messed this thing up, but they have," military lawyer Army Maj. Tom Fleener told the presiding officer at one of the hearings.

"If the rules don't provide for a full and fair trial, then they violate the president's order."

Read the rest of this post...

Another moment with John McCain in "crazy base land"

John McCain doing a press conference with anti-gay far-right fundamentalist leaders Janet LaRue (that's Chi-Chi without the make-up) of the Concerned Women of America and Tony Perkins (Chi-Chi with the make-up) of the Family Research Council. Read the rest of this post...

Suicide bombers kill 79 in Iraq mosque attack

Civil war. Read the rest of this post...

Immigration bill fails in the Senate

Another blow to the failed leadership of Bill Frist -- the more wing nutty conservatives in the GOP caucus have derailed the compromise Frist trumpted yesterday:

A carefully constructed compromise on immigration reform apparently fell apart in the Senate today after Democrats fended off conservative Republican efforts to amend the agreement and an effort to cut off debate failed by a lopsided vote.

After the 60-to-38 vote, the Senate returned to routine business, sidelining a two-week effort to find a way of dealing with the estimated 11 million people who are living in the country illegally.

"I think politics got in front of policy on this issue," said Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, who was one of the principal sponsors of the reform legislation.

Read the rest of this post...

Bush cuts pro-democracy funding for Iraq

Money for fighting the civil war in Iraq is eating up so much of the budget that Bush is cutting back on programs to help make Iraq a democracy.

Tell me again how well things are going over in Iraq. Senator Lieberman? Read the rest of this post...

Open thread

Any atrocities yet today? Read the rest of this post...

IRS won't investigate religious right wingers

What a surprise. The Bush IRS is investigating progressive churches. But they won't touch the right-wing religious groups that are doing politics in Ohio:

A group of religious leaders accused the Internal Revenue Service yesterday of playing politics by ignoring its complaint that two large churches in Ohio are engaging in what it says are political activities, in violation of the tax code.

In a letter to Commissioner Mark W. Everson, the clergy members cited reports of political events involving Fairfield Christian Church in Fairfield and World Harvest Church in Columbus and groups affiliated with them that have occurred or been disclosed since they raised the issue in January.

The group argues that the churches may be violating prohibitions on political activities by charities and other tax-exempt organizations and has asked the I.R.S. to audit their political activities.

The group often notes that the agency is investigating All Saints Church, a large liberal Episcopal church in Pasadena, Calif., over a sermon in 2004 that imagined a debate among Jesus, President Bush and Senator John Kerry, then the Democratic presidential candidate, and asks why the agency has not begun a similar audit of the two Ohio churches, which are conservative.

There will be no audit because those Ohio churches are helping Ken Blackwell become Governor of Ohio. And, Bush owes Blackwell.

The IRS is just another political tool for Bush and Rove. Read the rest of this post...

More mayhem in Iraq

Multiple mosque bombings:

Explosions tore through three Shiite Muslim mosques in Baghdad on Friday as hundreds of worshipers were at prayer.

Initial reports from police put the death toll at 50 or more.

Wasn't Condi just there telling them to shape up?
. Read the rest of this post...

A new round of new lows for Bush and his party

AP/Ipsos on Bush:

- Just 36 percent of the public approves of Bush's job performance, his lowest-ever rating in AP-Ipsos polling. By contrast, the president's job approval rating was 47 percent among likely voters just before Election Day 2004 and a whopping 64 percent among registered voters in October 2002.

- Only 40 percent of the public approves of Bush's performance on foreign policy and the war on terror, another low-water mark for his presidency. That's down 9 points from a year ago. Just before the 2002 election, 64 percent of registered voters backed Bush on terror and foreign policy.

- Just 35 percent of the public approves of Bush's handling of Iraq, his lowest in AP-Ipsos polling.

On Congress:

Just 30 percent of the public approves of the GOP-led Congress' job performance, and Republicans seem to be shouldering the blame.

By a 49-33 margin, the public favors Democrats over Republicans when asked which party should control Congress.

That 16-point Democratic advantage is the largest the party has enjoyed in AP-Ipsos polling.

Read the rest of this post...

Villepin and students stay the course

No changes, yet. Villepin has to be wondering if he is the latest in a long line of "friends" of Chirac that has been prompted to take on something controversial only to get left on his own when the times are tough. Sarkozy used to be Chirac's right hand man until a falling out years ago and Villepin appears to be going in that direction.

At the moment Villepin is pushing this labor reform ahead but the students and unions are not backing down either. I don't believe that the strikes are as bad as the one in the mid-90s that shut down everything for weeks but politicians here tremble from street protests, instead of election ballots. The government arrogantly tried forcing this law without much discussion only to pay the price later. Regardless of the outcome by either side, labor reform is a must if the economy is ever going to improve and if unemployment is going to drop. The students are making a serious mistake if they think that the goals of the unions have anything to do with actually helping youth unemployment. Read the rest of this post...

Bush and GOP Congress hitting new lows in latest poll

Can you imagine what the numbers will look like now that the public know he was the guy behind the WH leaks? AP-Ipsos poll:

• Bush 36% approval
• 40% approve foreign policy and war on terror
• 35%approve policy towards Iraq
• 30% approve GOP Congress
• 49%-33% prefer Democrats running Congress over GOP
• 41% tie - party that people trust to protect the country
  

Read the rest of this post...

Homeland Security pedophile called himself "007"

Oh yes. Read the rest of this post...