Open Thread

Couple things before I go to bed:

*In the North Carolina Democratic primary for Senate, Jim Neal is in a tie with Kay Hagen. With four weeks to go, there is a huge undecided -- Jim can win this primary. Help him out here.

*If you're in the DC area, there's a fundraiser for Netroots Nation tomorrow night. Details are here. It should actually be fun:

Join activists, organizers and on-lookers, as we drink, laugh and carouse liberally to celebrate the blogging community and prepare for the Netroots Nation in Austin

Free food, cheap drinks, lively conversation & progressive camaraderie!

You don't see many invites like that in DC. Laughs aren't usually on the agenda, and carousing never is.

*Earlier today, AJ explained how McCain "once again demonstrated his lack of foreign policy abilities today." Tonight, Jed posted wrote, "No wonder John McCain can't come up with an Iraq policy that makes sense -- he still has no idea what's actually going on there." He also posted Olbermann's take on "thoroughly wrong" McCain.

*Cliff Schecter's book, The Real McCain, has moved up to number 108 on Amazon. It's really causing quite a stir. And, the McCain campaign has already called it "trash journalism." Quite a compliment for Cliff, I'd say.

I know there's more...what else? Read the rest of this post...

ABC's: It's "surprising" the troops like Obama

Read the title of this article from ABC. Why is it "surprising" that our troops in Iraq support Obama? Now, while the article itself doesn't go so far as to call the results "surprising," its author, ABC's Martha Raddatz does say that "the military is generally a more conservative group." Really? May we see some proof of this, rather than just repeating GOP talking points? To ABC's credit, they're doing a story showing that the troops like the Dems, but still, some facts to back up the assertion that the troops tend to be Republicans would be nice, and relevant. Read the rest of this post...

McCain supporter, Mr Bubble, getting testy on his role in latest economic crisis

Touchy, touchy. It must really suck when everyone else already sees the truth.

"What is fairly clearly the case from the data, is that if adjustable rate mortgages weren't available, the purchases (of homes) still would've occurred," he said.

Um, OK, but what about the rate cuts? And to say that the Fed was a helpless little lamb is absurd. If Greenspan spoke up, people who have at least listened but no, he chose to go along with whatever Wall Street wanted just as Bernanke is doing today. Read the rest of this post...

While we were paying for Iraq, bailouts for Wall Street and tax cuts...

The US infrastructure has continued to crumble. It's unfortunate, but the Democrats let the Republicans get away with their craziness. The "Credit Card Republicans" (as John's friend Brett calls them) received their war in Iraq where billions would rain down on friends and disappear to foes. They blew the budget because the richest Americans all needed the tax cut that no one outside of the GOP thought was a good idea. More recently they grabbed wads of cash and just threw it at Wall Street - no strings attached - rewarding them for gambling with our future like Bill Bennett in Vegas.

Meanwhile in the real world, the US infrastructure is falling apart. It's no surprise to Congress but they're too busy giving more money to the credit card Republicans who just spend and spend on their projects, forgetting about the massive needs at home. Costs for upgrading US water pipelines vary from a low of $277 billion up to $480 billion, if we act today. The longer we wait, the more expensive it becomes and the more critical it becomes. As Congress is deciding what to do about our current financial crisis brought on by the free spending GOP, maybe starting the re-building process at home ought to be part of that plan. Read the rest of this post...

In 2005, Bill Clinton backed Colombia Free Trade deal that got Hillary campaign aide Mark Penn demoted, kind of

Good catch from Ben Smith. And it gets better. Hillary is now saying Bush should boycott the Olympics opening ceremony while Bill told Spielberg not to boycott working on the opening ceremonies. Read the rest of this post...

While Petraeus testifies, US embassy Iraq employees ordered to sleep in their offices

From Mother Jones:

As General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker testify before Congress this week about the security situation in Iraq, telling the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that the surge is working and progress is under way, U.S. embassy officials in Baghdad have been ordered to take heightened security precautions in light of stepped-up attacks on the Green Zone, including one on Sunday that killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded 17 others.

Under this new security boost, says a U.S. Embassy official who asked not to be identified, embassy personnel have been told to remain under "hardened cover." Instructed to avoid their trailers, some embassy staffers are now sleeping in their offices and on cots in the new embassy building, currently under construction, according to a source who has spoken with embassy officials in Baghdad. Embassy personnel have also been cautioned to limit their trips outdoors and, when they must leave the protection of reinforced structures, to wear flak jackets, protective eyewear, and helmets.

Read the rest of this post...

Federal Reserve worried about 'prolonged and severe' recession

Ya don't say. Once again, where are all of the Republicans who voted in this rubbish economy? Amazingly enough, some knuckleheads such as McCain are still calling for "tax cuts and less regulation" despite all of this. The Democrats need to be making a point of this every damned day, ten times a day. This recession is a product of Republican policies. For decades this is what they wanted and they got it. Now we're all paying the price for their failed experiment. Read the rest of this post...

Senator McCain STILL doesn't understand Islam or Middle East politics

After repeated mendacity about the (virtually nonexistent) relationship between Iran and al Qaeda, Senator McCain once again demonstrated his lack of foreign policy abilities today. During the course of the hearings with Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus, he implied that al Qaeda is a Shia group, before lamely trying to recover with "or Sunnis or anybody else" as an appropriate label for the group.

ThinkProgress has the video.

His lack of knowledge of the political dynamics of a war we're now five years (and 4,000 lives) into is embarrassing, especially considering he's running on that as his main strength. I mean, even if he didn't know it before, shouldn't he, y'know, take the time to learn it now?? And if not, shouldn't the press occasionally mention the fact that he appears to have no idea what he's talking about? Read the rest of this post...

McCain today introduced by man comparing Obama to Tiger Woods

The only thing that Obama and Tiger Woods have in common is that they are both part white. So what's the McCain campaign's point? That Obama isn't racially pure enough? Remember, this this isn't the first time this has happened. McCain keeps being introduced by racists, and the question is why. More from MSNBC, that missed the larger story:

Before McCain spoke, former Army Staff Sergeant David Bellavia introduced the Arizona senator, telling those in attendance he wants his sons to view McCain as a role model, versus someone like Tiger Woods. While McCain did not mention either of his Democratic opponents, Bellavia engaged, calling the Arizona senator and former prisoner of war "the real audacity of hope."

Ah, yes - John McCain, the great white hope. Read the rest of this post...

Who's steering the Iraq bus?

A friend writes:

Who's Steering the Bus?

In May of 2007 a group of "moderate" Congressional Republicans went to the White House and demanded that Gen. Petraeus become the lead spokesman on Iraq since in the White House there was "no longer any credibility." That raises a lot of legitimate questions in and of itself, but it's gone well beyond that. Ever since, President Bush has abdicated his role as Commander and Chief and simply said whenever asked that he would do whatever General Petraeus recommended. Even in regard to the most recent drawdown decisions, President Bush said to General Petraeus, "'If you want to slow her down, fine; it's up to you."

Now here's the problem – as General Petraeus has rightly admitted, he does not have responsibility for the direction of Iraq policy, much less the larger questions of national security such as balancing deployments in Afghanistan, or setting dwell times and ensuring America's readiness for other conflicts. This was revealed most poignantly when Petraeus conceded in the September hearings that he didn't even know if "victory" in Iraq, whatever that means and however remote it might be, would actually make us safer. But President Bush says that his decisions on Iraq are based entirely on what Gen. Petraeus says. So who's responsible for these other questions? Admiral Fallon and the Joint Chiefs are technically charged with that responsibility, but Fallon recently resigned after it became clear that his concerns were viewed as mere nuisances and the situation of having Gen. Petraeus with a direct line to President Bush, cutting Fallon out of the loop, was untenable.

A clumsy analogy: we are on a runaway bus, going down the highway. President Bush says he's not driving the bus, he trusts "his man" Gen. Petraeus to do that. But Petraeus says he's just supposed to press the gas peddle. Admiral Fallon just resigned after having his hand slapped every time he reached for the steering wheel. We're still losing an American a day, every day five U.S. soldiers try to kill themselves, every day PTSD sets in on thousands more and dozens more are horribly wounded, and yet the bus just keeps barreling down the road, passing by every exit as if sooner and later we'll magically just come to end of the road. Who's steering the bus?

Someone just sent me this. Read the rest of this post...

Like Bush, McCain sees success in Iraq, but his GOP Senate colleagues aren't buying it

From today's Washington Post:

But unlike in September, when that news was fresh and the administration said a corner had been turned, even some of the war's strongest supporters in Congress have grown impatient and frustrated. Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, and Crocker are facing many lawmakers today and tomorrow who had expected more by now and who are wondering whether any real change will occur before the clock runs out on the Bush administration.

"I think all of us realize we're disappointed at where we are," Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said at a hearing last week. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) asked, "How do we get out of this mess?" While the cost in U.S. lives and money increases, said another senior GOP senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity: "We cannot . . . just say we're coasting through and waiting for the next president."

Now, that doesn't sound all that upbeat, especially coming from three Republican Senators. But have no fear, just like Bush, McCain sees success - check out the video here. Read the rest of this post...

Quinnipiac: In PA, Obama is "catching up"/Survey USA has Clinton up by

UPDATED: I should never write posts with just one poll. No sooner was this post up, when a new poll was released from SurveyUSA. In that poll, Clinton leads by 18 points: 56 - 38. Rasmussen Reports has the race at 48% - 43%.

Before you read this latest poll, remember, Pennsylvania is supposed to be a blowout for Hillary Clinton. Given the state's demographics, she should win by a wide margin. She should. Okay, now read Quinnipiac's latest Pennsylvania poll:

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is catching up with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary and now trails 50 - 44 percent among likely primary voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

This compares to a 50 - 41 percent Sen. Clinton lead in an April 2 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University.

In this latest survey, one of the biggest shifts is among women who went from 54 - 37 percent for Clinton April 2 to 54 - 41 percent for her today. A look at other groups shows:

* White voters for Clinton 56 - 38 percent, down from 59 - 34 percent last week.
* Black voters back Obama 75 - 17 percent, compared to 73 - 11 percent.
* Men are for Obama 48 - 44 percent, compared to a 46 - 46 percent tie last week.
* Voters under 45 go with Obama 55 - 40, while older voters back Clinton 55 - 38 percent.

One other thing while we're on the subject of polls. Today, the New York Times profiled Geoff Garin, Clinton's pollster. I can attest to the fact that Geoff Garin is very smart and tactical. He is a real Democrat and, basically, a very good guy. Geoff is no Mark Penn. He's the polar opposite. Read the rest of this post...

How Beijing came up with its 2008 Olympics logo

This is the official emblem of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. In addition to being murderous thugs, the Chinese government is also rather stupid. Take a good look at that logo, then at this video, and tell me that this wasn't obvious. Read the rest of this post...

Tuesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

The one question we need answered at this week's Iraq hearings is: How has the continuing war in Iraq made us safer? The one question we will not get answered at this week's Iraq hearings is: How has the continuing war in Iraq made us safer?

What else is in the news? Read the rest of this post...

Zogby: US public opinion turning against China Olympics

It's not quite the shining coronation that China dreamed of when they won the Olympic bid.

As thousands of pro-Tibet protesters cut short the Olympic torch relay Monday in Paris, a new Zogby Interactive poll finds 70% of likely voters believe the International Olympic Committee was wrong to award this year’s summer Olympic Games to China because of its poor record on human rights. Dissatisfaction with the IOC’s choice is strong across the political spectrum, with 70% of Democrats and Republicans, and 68% of political independents who said they disagree with the decision to have China host the summer games. A Zogby Interactive poll conducted in May 2007 found 44% had a favorable opinion of the IOC’s decision to award the 2008 Summer Olympic Games to China, while 39% viewed the decision unfavorably.

Read the rest of this post...

National Bureau of Economic Research also sees recession

That news is not much of a surprise (though it may be to Mr Bubble who still says it's a 50% risk) but the troubling news is that this forecast says it's going to be nasty. Read the full article because Martin Feldstein has a lot of interesting things to say, including about the rebate and failure to address the core problems.

“I think the professional forecasters have been a little slow to come to the recognition that we’re in a recession,” Feldstein said in a live interview.

Feldstein, president of the National Bureau of Economic Research, said the downturn could go on longer and deeper than the two most recent recessions.

He also said the U.S. gross domestic product would be a misleading, positive number.

“But within this quarter, we’re seeing the monthly numbers coming down,” he said. “As I said, employment, sales, production, all of that are trending down at this point.”

Read the rest of this post...