Gonzales approved the firings. He lied.

Just out from the Associated Press. So much for the story dying down:

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales approved plans to fire several U.S. attorneys in a November meeting, according to documents released Friday that contradict earlier claims that he was not closely involved in the dismissals.

The Nov. 27 meeting, in which the attorney general and at least five top Justice Department officials participated, focused on a five-step plan for carrying out the firings of the prosecutors, Justice Department officials said late Friday.

There, Gonzales signed off on the plan, which was crafted by his chief of staff, Kyle Sampson. Sampson resigned last week amid a political firestorm surrounding the firings.

The documents indicated that the hour-long morning discussion, held in the attorney general's conference room, was the only time Gonzales met with top aides who decided which prosecutors to fire and how to do it.

In plain language, "contradict earlier claims" means Gonzales lied. Read the rest of this post...

Pew study shows the GOP is tanking, just like Bush

This is what Bush and Rove have done to the GOP -- and the GOP has let them do it:

The midterm elections dispelled for the time being the notion that the Republican Party had established an enduring grip on power -- and now a new study sees some dark clouds over the future of the GOP.

The analysis of 20 years of polling data by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press says that half of the public identifies as a Democrat or leans that way. Just 35 percent align with the Republican Party. In 2002, the country was split, 43 percent affiliating with the Republicans and the same percentage with the Democrats.

Read the rest of this post...

Cliff's Corner

NOTE: My thoughts and prayers are with Elizabeth Edwards and the whole Edwards family.

The Week That Was 3/22/07

Another week. More preposterousness to report.

So do you know that I am a homophobe? Really I am.

So said Corporal "man-whore" Matt Sanchez (or someone claiming to be him) recently in a "friendly" visit to my blog, after I had the audacity to join Jesus General in a little satire at Cpl. Sanchez' expense.

Here is what I had to say:

I agree with our humble savior the good General.

Matt Sanchez must get his own show on Fox! Maybe it could be combined with 24, where Sanchez sees how many Republicans he can, um, cavort with while the clock ticks in the background.

And at the end, a nuke can be set off in Los Angeles like in the actual 24, to scare anti-Christianites into submission, or just because then true believers can all get raptured while men with Matt's particular preference eternally suffer an unspeakable pain.

Like the kind of pain only an innocent citizen of Canada can suffer at the hands of the Syrian government due to Bush Administration rendition.

Just spitballin' here.

Now either Sanchez doesn't understand satire, or he's a bit cranky because the itching has been particularly vigorous in recent weeks. Here was his response:

Cpl. Matt Sanchez said...

Poor Schlechter feels he's been violated by the Bush administration so he's going to lash out at the man through me.

Is Schlechter a homophobe? I'm sure he would consider himself to be an "open minded" person, but if weren't for his double-standard, would he even be attacking me?

So let's break down what this pathetic pawn of the paranoid, pants-wetting Right has to say, as it is a useful exercise in understanding what goes on in their multi-lesioned cerebral cortexes.

First of all, this guy goes to Columbia? The name of my blog is cliffschecter.com, but he somehow turned off the spell-check in his skull and got "Schlechter?" This is only important in that, well, it shows the level of intellect of those CPAC chooses to honor with awards.

Ok, now to his charges. I am a "homophobe" (thank God for the Thesaurus function in Microsoft Word, or he may have had trouble with that one too). That's why I blog at AMERICAblog, of course, because I am secretly infiltrating this suberversive group of gays so I can whisk them away to Ted Haggard's Hetero Boot Camp or a Project Exodus near you.

Or maybe I was making a point, that the true homophobe is more likely a gay man who goes on Hannity to be called "a great American," gets his picture taken with Ann "faggot" Coulter or likes to hang his uniform and cap in a party whose appointed general thinks being gay is "immoral," whose leaders think being same-sex oriented caused 9/11.

Now, to his second charge, which I enjoyed on a purely sixth-grade level. That I feel like I have been "violated" by the Bush Administration, so I am "lashing out" at him because of it. If not for the loofah-factory sized Freudian slip, we wouldn't even bother.

Like Lynne Cheney when she's in the mood but catches a glimpse of Dick coming out of the shower.

Corporate... I mean Corporal Sanchez, you have chosen to earn a living by being violated, am I correct Rod Majors (which, by the way, your party would have you Abu Ghraibed for, while I am of the opinion that we live and let live)? Furthermore, you have chosen to be spiritually violated by associating with the likes of David Horowitz, a fat-assed, faux-intellectual (perhaps only surpassed by "The Surge Family Kagan"), brimming with self-hate and hyperventilating about Commies hiding underneath every bed (the 80s are over David--and you might want to pass that info on to your barber).

So, to conclude, Rod, you have found the perfect home in the GOP. They may all secretly hate you--as they do themselves--but there is no better place in the world to be both a man-whore and a corporate whore.

For more on this and other stories, please go to cliffschecter.com. Read the rest of this post...

Open thread

Friday. Read the rest of this post...

The miltary regs forbid Bush using our troops as political props

The DOD regulations make clear that the White House cannot use uniformed military, active duty or veterans, as props in political events. But that's what Bush did today when he used current or former troops in uniform as window dressing for his political press conference attacking the Democrats as un-American. Is this now the official policy of the US military, that Democrats don't support the troops? What are we, a banana republic now?

Let me quote the relevant regulations...

Regarding active duty troops

It is DoD policy that:

3.1. The wearing of the uniform by members of the Armed Forces (including retired members and members of Reserve components) is prohibited under any of the following circumstances:

3.1.1. At any meeting or demonstration that is a function of, or sponsored by an organization, association, movement, group, or combination of persons that the Attorney General of the United States has designated, under Executive Order 10450 as amended (reference (c)), as totalitarian, fascist, communist, or subversive, or as having adopted a policy of advocating or approving the commission of acts of force or violence to deny others their rights under the Constitution of the United States, or as seeking to alter the form of Government of the United States by unconstitutional means.

3.1.2. During or in connection with furthering political activities, private employment or commercial interests, when an inference of official sponsorship for the activity or interest may be drawn.

3.1.3. Except when authorized by the approval authorities in subparagraph 4.1.1., when participating in activities such as unofficial public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies or any public demonstration, which may imply Service sanction of the cause for which the demonstration or activity is conducted.

And regarding retired vets:

3.2. Former members of the Armed Forces, unless under another provision of this Instruction or
under the terms of Section 772 of title 10, United States Code (reference (d)), who served honorably during a declared or undeclared war and whose most recent service was terminated under honorable conditions may wear the uniform in the highest grade held during such war service only on the following occasions and in the course of travel incident thereto:

3.2.1. Military funerals, memorial services, weddings, and inaugurals.

3.2.2. Parades on National or State holidays; or other parades or ceremonies of a patriotic character in which any Active or Reserve United States military unit is taking part.

3.2.3. Wearing of the uniform or any part thereof at any other time or for any other purposes is prohibited.

3.3. Medal of Honor holders may wear the uniform at their pleasure except under the circumstances set forth in paragraph 3.1., above.

So, no one can wear the uniforms at political events, which this most certainly was, vets can't wear them at anything short of funerals, weddings and parades, and medal of honor winners can wear them at more events, but still not at political events, which this was.

But and the Republicans only like our veterans when they can use them, and when they have 4 limbs. Read the rest of this post...

Will Bush mention the maggot-infested bed sores?

UPDATE: To see how real Americans supported our troops today, visit the Speaker's blog.

Just wondering if, when Bush speaks to the nation in a few minutes about the just-passed legislation from the House requiring him to get to finally end this endless war, and when Bush most certainly talks about supporting the troops, I'm just wondering if Bush is going to mention how he let our veterans suffer in hospitals where their bed sores were infested with maggots. Bush sure has a funny way of supporting our troops.

Just wondering. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Oh my God, Bush has a bunch of people in military uniform in the White House with him because now he's the big defender of our troops and our vets. I'd like to know why the woman standing behind Bush is in full uniform as a prop at a political event.



As is this gentleman.




Active duty military aren't permitted to serve as props at political events. And I have a hard time believing that former military are permitted to appear in full dress uniform, medals and all, when they're no longer in the service (can someone check this?). So what's going on here?

Bush is gonna veto it. Good. Veto the Democrats' efforts to stop this war. I have no problem with that. Bush is right, the Democrats are trying to stop this war, the Republicans are trying to keep the war going. It's that simple. Oh yeah, no mention of the veterans infested with maggots under Bush's watch. Read the rest of this post...

House passes Iraq Accountability Act

Final vote was 218 - 212 (one member voted present.) We'll get the roll call once it's available.

UPDATE: Roll Call vote is now up.

Democrats voting no:

Barrow (GA)
Boren (OK)
Lincoln Davis (TN)
Kucinich (OH)
Lee (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Marshall (GA)
Matheson (UT)
McNulty (NY)
Michaud (ME)
Taylor (MS)
Waters (CA)
Watson (CA)
Woolsey (CA)

Republicans voting yes:

Gilchrest (MD)
Jones (NC) Read the rest of this post...

GOP Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) says we could have won Vietnam if we'd just stayed longer

I'm sorry, but that's crazy talk. This is the Republicans' hero? A guy who thinks the lesson of Vietnam is that we just didn't stay long enough? He's literally on the House floor right now saying that the only reason we lost Vietnam is because the Congress cut funding to the war. Yeah, because Vietnam was going so well before that, Congressman.

The Republicans have simply lost their minds. Their now arguing that Iraq is like Vietnam. And that we could have won in Vietnam just like we can still win in Iraq.

Sam Johnson seems sincere enough, but he's absolutely cuckoo. If I were the Democrats, I'd let him keep talking. The guy is nuts. And oh yeah, by the way, what did Sam Johnson or any of the Republicans do to help our veterans who are sitting in military hospitals with maggots literally crawling in their open bed sores? Hell of a way to support the troops, Mr. Johnson. Republicans like you let our troops down for years while you were in the majority, let them sleep in their own urine, let them become infested with maggots, and now you have the nerve to pretend to speak on behalf of our troops?

You people aren't just crazy, you're sick. Read the rest of this post...

Was the 18-day gap because Bush was on vacation

The Bush administration turned over thousands of document, including emails, regarding the firing of the US Attorneys. There was an 18 day gap during which no emails were sent. Many of us suspected that the emails were either deleted or that the Bushies refused to turn them over. But CREW has come up with a third, intriguing possibility. The 18 day gap took place during a time in which Bush was on vacation and traveling. Did the gap occur because the issue was before Bush and he was the ultimate decider behind the entire scandal? More from CREW. Read the rest of this post...

Murtha explains what hurts the troops

NOTE FROM JOHN: This is a must-watch.

During the debate on Iraq, we'll hear over and over and over that the Republicans support the troops. They don't. Just because they say it doesn't mean it's true. Vets with maggots crawling in bedsores and "rooms spattered with blood, urine and feces" is how the Republicans show their support.

On the House floor, Rep. John Murtha explained what hurts the troops. Murtha knows because the troops tell him. Murtha channels the military. The vote for the Iraq Accountability Act in the U.S. House today is a vote for the troops -- and a vote for a sane Iraq policy, finally.

Read the rest of this post...

Iran captures 15 British sailors in Persian Gulf

Just to stir things up a little bit more in the volatile gulf region -- the day before the United Nations is going to vote on sanctions against Iran -- that country's navy has detained 15 British sailors:

Iran captured fifteen British Royal Navy personnel during a "routine boarding operation" in Iraqi waters on Friday, Britain's Ministry of Defense said.

Iran's ambassador in London has been summoned and Britain is demanding the immediate safe release of the sailors.

"At approximately 1030 Iraqi time this morning, 15 British naval personnel, engaged in routine boarding operations of merchant shipping in Iraqi territorial waters ... were seized by Iranian naval vessels," the ministry said in a statement.

Read the rest of this post...

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister injured in assassination attempt

Reuters reports:

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zobaie was wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a hall where Zobaie was attending prayers on Friday, police and an aide to Zobaie said.

Two guards were killed in the second assassination attempt on a senior member of the U.S.-backed government in a month.

The aide said Zobaie, a member of the main Sunni Arab political bloc, was hit by shrapnel in the abdomen and shoulder. It was not immediately clear how serious his injuries were.

CNN's Kyra Phillips, who is in Baghdad, said it looks like an "inside job." She also stated "we don't know the situation with the Deputy Prime Minister if he's going to make through that surgery." Read the rest of this post...

Friday Morning Open Thread

Today is an important day in our history. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives will pass the first binding legislation to set a deadline for withdrawal from the quaqmire in Iraq. The bill isn't perfect, but it's a start. This is what the American people voted for last November. This is the direction most Americans thought we'd take after the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group issued its report in December. There is a national consensus that the U.S. must get out of Iraq. The impediment is George Bush. He started this war without a plan. And, he still doesn't have a clue. Congress has to act because our President won't.

So get it started. Read the rest of this post...

Did Kroger lie about "morning after pill" for PR purposes?

It sure sounds that way.

Two weeks after Kroger Co. said it was clarifying its policy on stocking the so-called "morning after" pill, activists say dozens of stores continue to block sales of the emergency contraceptive.

Representatives of NARAL Pro-Choice America, an abortion-rights group that also works on other reproductive health issues, sent a letter to Kroger officials Wednesday asking them to carry the drug at all of their pharmacies.

Ted Miller, communications director for the group, said members called 231 Kroger-run pharmacies across the country and found that 21 percent of the stores did not make the drug immediately available.

Read the rest of this post...

Archbishop in Zimbabwe ready to face guns, calls for protest

Wow. Mugabe and his dictatorship is living on borrowed time.

Pius Ncube, the Roman Catholic archbishop of the southern Bulawayo diocese, urged Zimbabweans to take to the streets in protest at the government's ongoing crackdown against dissenters opposed to the government, Reuters reported.

"The biggest problem with Zimbabweans is they are cowards, myself included, but as for me I am ready to stand in front, even of blazing guns," Ncube told a news conference.

"If only Zimbabweans are prepared to stand, so am I prepared to stand ... we are not going to be bullied."

Meanwhile Angola denied reports on Thursday claiming it had deployed members of a feared paramilitary police force to Zimbabwe in support of the government.

Read the rest of this post...