Bush White House official gets 18 months prison for role in Abramoff scandal

The Republican culture of corruption. They have simply been in office too long. Read the rest of this post...

Big business starting to shift its lobbying dollars to Democrats

Rats fleeing the ship. Read the rest of this post...

U.S. military death toll in Iraq worst in a year

Had enough?

And there were five US soldiers killed yesterday. All because our president, and the Republican congress, were too proud to admit a mistake and change the course. Read the rest of this post...

Cliff's Corner

The Week That Was 10/27/06

Another week. More preposterousness to report.

Well I thought I would run an informal competition this week. As we all know, it was rather amusing of Rush Limbaugh to accuse anyone of voluntarily stopping self-treatment, for there is a word for four buckets of extra-crispy KFC drumsticks topped off with mushy lard, compressed Viagra and a Hillbilly-Heroin twist in Rush’s house.

Lunch.

Yet, it is also rather amusing in that he might as well have been talking about the paranoid, conspiracy-laden, bigoted troupe of resentful belly-picking white men with small penises that make up the core of his party. Sadly they have all been off their meds for the better part of four decades now. And we have all been the worse for it.

Particularly Sarah Evans. Although her husband’s hundreds of pictures on his PC of himself turned on could be a big seller at next year’s first annual Charlie Crist picnic down in Florida.

But I digress. The competition I was thinking of was this. Which region of country’s Republican Party has the largest sheer number of criminals, lunatics, self-haters and those for whom a lobotomy would send their IQ soaring straight up like J.D. Hayworth’s arm when he hears German?

Well speaking of old goosestepping J.D., I nominate the West. I mean, look at this collection of obtuse, CEO-slurping, AntiSocial-Personality-Disorder-suffering, atavistic cretins.

Representative Barbara Cubin of Wyoming likes to pummel the disabled. Congressional candidate Bill Sali of Idaho...well here’s what retiring Idaho House Speaker Bruce Newcomb, a Republican, was quoted saying about him, "That idiot (Sali) is just an absolute idiot. He doesn’t have one ounce of empathy in his whole fricking body. And you can put that in the paper." That’s one of the nicer things Idaho Republicans have said about a guy who's more offensive than Denny Hastert's man-boobs.

Congressmen Doolittle (and his wife) and Pombo of California just love Jack Abramoff. Love, love, love him. You know, what’s a little forced abortion in the Marianas between friends?

Rep. Lewis, also of California is under federal investigation for some things discovered in the Randall “Duke” Cunningham case and for having a record in public service as ludicrous as his namesake’s comedy.

Nevada gives us Jim Gibbons for Governor, who likes to hide illegal-immigrant nannies in his basement and have his wife perjure herself when discussing it (this from a man who wants The Great Wall of China imported to the Mexican Border, because it worked so well with Genghis). He also had an accident in a parking lot, where he claims he tripped and somehow a woman’s breast just up and hopped into his hand.

Funny, when you spend a night propositioning a particular woman over 100 proof liquid refreshments and getting rejected, the young woman involved might describe it a different way.

Sexual assault.

Other ways of describing this episode might be “another day in the life of Don Sherwood” or "the only way Rush got any until he was famous."

Continuing our hit parade: Representative Porter of Nevada likes to make shakedown calls from his federal office, while Representative Renzi of Arizona likes shady land deals that start federal investigations into his activities.

And let’s not forget that lunatic running to hold his Senate seat, Jon Kyl. He has quite a list of greatest hits, which doesn't even include having Brit Hume's hairdo.

Here’s Kyl on Native Americans: "I'm concerned that too many Indian people -- and I will not characterize where they come from -- talk about trust and responsibility when they really mean, deep in their heart, having someone take care of them."

I totally understand. I’m concerned that too many pale-faced preppy corporate-humping jackwads, like let’s say Jon Kyl, expect the government to take care of them, from their healthcare to their yearly pay raises, while they screw the rest of us like we’re a prostitute at a Republican poker party at The Watergate.

Sadly I must run, but next week we’ll get to Colorado, Alaska, Montana and some other Californians, as I need thousands of words to discuss a throng of criminals that would make Pablo Escobar envious: The Republican Party.

(See my new piece on how populism can rebuild a Democratic majority in In These Times. My weekly Republican Sexcapades segment on The Young Turks on Air America this week) Read the rest of this post...

An annual classic

Don't miss Charlie Brown tonight, it's the Great Pumpkin. Read the rest of this post...

I've added additional candidates in the left-hand margin of the blog

In the left-hand column of the blog you'll find an additional 13 candidates who are in especially competitive races - meaning, they have a real chance - and who could really use your support. Simply fill in the box of each candidate you want to give to, and ignore those you don't wish to give to, then click the "contribute" button at the bottom and it will take you to another page to get more information.

I've left our other candidates at the top of the page, so you can still give to them as well. All totaled, you've given $68,000.00 to a small, targeted group of Democratic candidates over the past week. Amazing. Read the rest of this post...

Lynne Cheney tells CNN that lesbian love novels are appropriate reading for small children

Lynne Cheney just told CNN that, in contrast to her own lesbian love novel, Jim Webb's novel isn't appropriate for grandchildren to hear. Cheney insisted that her lesbian love novel isn't sexual at all, even though it includes lesbian love affairs, brothels and attempted rapes.

Man, those Cheney girls sure have a funny definition of family values. I wonder if their religious right supporters agree?

Let's find out whether Lynne Cheney's book about lesbian love, attempted rate, and whorehouses is appropriate for your grandchildren. Gather the kids around and read a few passages of Lynne Cheney's lesbian love novel, Sisters. Then ask the kids what they think. If you need to define the word lesbian for them, I'm sure it won't be anything they haven't heard in Sunday School.

Excerpts from Sisters:





From CNN:

CNN'S WOLF BLITZER: But you had written a book entitled "Sisters."

LYNNE CHENEY: I did write a book entitled "Sisters."

BLITZER: And it did have lesbian characters.

CHENEY: No, not necessarily. This description is a lie, I'll stand on that.

BLITZER: There is nothing in there about rapes and brothels?

CHENEY: Wolf, could we talk about a children's book for a minute?

WOLF: This is an opportunity for you to explain on these sensitive issues.

CHENEY: Well I have nothing to explain.

Not necessarily? What kind of an answer is that? Read the rest of this post...

A thank you message to AMERICAblog's readers from Angie Paccione (D-CO-04)

My name is Angie Paccione, and I’m running for Congress against Marilyn Musgrave in Colorado’s Fourth Congressional District.

I want to say thank you to the team here at AMERICAblog and all of you readers for your generosity on Monday. Thank you for letting me blog here too. This blog’s ActBlue contributions have been amazing, and are going to help me win. Even though many of you may not live in Colorado, I think many of you agree that Marilyn Musgrave is a national problem. I believe her extremist agenda -- where she openly declares “cultural war” against a minority of Americans -- threatens the liberty of all Americans.

America, however, has had enough. It’s no accident that Marilyn is one of the single most vulnerable Republican incumbents in Congress. Her unquestioning support for the President’s failed foreign policies is leaving America less secure. Her unquestioning support of Tom DeLay has fed the culture of corruption in Washington, so that she is one of the 13 Most Corrupt members in this Congress. Her unquestioning support of the politics of divisiveness and anger is undermining America’s greatness!

That’s why I’ve been proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Michael Schiavo, who came to Windsor High School to attend the Fourth Congressional Debate. We are coming down to the wire in an election that is going to change America’s future.

Our internal polling shows we are ahead, even after the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has dumped well over $1.5 million into this race to try and save Musgrave! They are definitely not getting a very good return, are they? Not only is Musgrave one of the most ineffective and most corrupt members of Congress, she is also one of the most vulnerable. I’m proud that bloggers and their readers from all across America have been so supportive of our fight -— that support has helped make this seventeen month race one of the most competitive in the country.

The people of the Fourth are ready for change, and I’m ready to bring it! With your help, we are going to win this thing, and retire Marilyn Musgrave!!!

Best to you,

Angie Paccione
http://angie2006.com

NOTE FROM JOHN: You can donate to Angie's campaign here...

Angie Paccione (CO-04): $

Read the rest of this post...

Additional candidates who can use your help

I've created an additional donor page which includes another 13 Democratic candidates you should seriously consider helping out. As always, they're candidates who have a real chance of winning, and who can really use some help.

Read the rest of this post...

New NBC policy bans Dixie Chick TV ads that criticize Bush

"[NBC] cannot accept these spots as they are disparaging to President Bush." - NBC's letter to the Dixie Chicks.

Let's just all pack up and move to Canada because this isn't our country anymore. But then again, I have a better idea. Once Democrats win back the congress we have a long and hard look at media consolidation, and more importantly, media bias and whether the large networks have essentially been bought off by the Republicans. The Fairness Doctrine went away a long time ago, and as a result, whether through coercion or wooing, the networks have gone Republican.

For NBC to say that they won't run ads that "disparage" the president is beyond sick, it's beyond un-American. This was an ad for a new movie about how the Dixie Chicks were censored in this country for simply being critical of the president. So now NBC is going to censor their movie about being censored because the ad for the movie is critical of the president.

Seriously, NBC needs to pay for this. Just like ABC needs to pay for its Path to 9/11 fiasco. The major media has gone conservative because they think that's where the money is. Come November 7, let's show the meeting who's really in charger.

ThinkProgress has the commercial that NBC has banned for being critical of our president. Funny, but the networks don't seem have a problem with racist or homophobic ads, but when ever the ads are critical of Bush, or worse, promoting inclusive religions, suddenly they're not fit for television. The irony of course is that in Russia, Vladimir Putin has to threaten and kill reporters in order to get them to do his bidding. In America, folks like NBC and ABC don't even need to be threatened in order to lose any sense of journalistic credibility.

Pathetic.

PS I'v set up a new page of additional Democratic candidates you really ought to consider helping out. You can view the page here, and donate if you like. (Sorry, the fundraising page is slowing down, please give the link time to load.) Read the rest of this post...

Musgrave tried to have Terri Schiavo's husband thrown out of the audience during her debate, Schiavo claims

Wow. So much for the courage of her convictions.

[J]ust minutes after taking my seat, I noticed a flurry of activity around my seat including about four uniformed police officers who were - I would learn later - called in by Musgrave staffers and asked to remove me from the building.

At this point, I had made no speeches, I had no signs, had made no attempt to disrupt or cause any commotion. I only came into the auditorium, spoke to a dozen or so reporters and took a seat.

To their credit, the police refused the Musgrave campaign's appeal to have me removed.

There's more to come, but I still can't get over even that part. A sitting member of Congress asked the police to remove me - a taxpaying citizen - from a public debate. Obviously, I misunderstand the concept of a political debate. I thought a debate was a place to share ideas, answer questions, defend your record and tell citizens what you've done and what you will do. Marilyn Musgrave believes, I have to gather, that debates are places to have the police remove people who don't agree with you.

After the police talked with obviously irritated Musgrave staffers and the debate organizer, the Musgrave campaign complained that my seat, next to the timekeeper, was inappropriate because - get this - Marilyn Musgrave would have to look at me. In an effort to appease the Musgrave camp, the debate organizers moved the timekeeper to the other side of the stage - about 15 seats away.

If you need to re-read that again, it's okay. A member of Congress who took to the floor of our Congress to speak about my wife, my family and my values made the debate timekeeper move so she wouldn't have to look at me. Just amazing....

But underneath it all I'm left with something I can't get past. Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave, as I said, had no problem at all in speaking about me and my family on the floor of Congress. Yet she can't bring herself to even look at me. She has to seek help from the police to have me removed from a public debate.

It's crystal clear that Marilyn Musgrave not only can't admit she's wrong, she can't even face the consequences of her own actions. She must believe that if she runs away fast enough or surrounds herself with enough people who tell her she's great, it never happened.

Well, Marilyn, it did happen. You were wrong. And that you don't have the decency to admit it or even face me - even to disagree with me - is more than cowardice. It's un-American and disgusting....

After seeing Marilyn Musgrave in action, I hope more than ever before that voters in Colorado are wise enough to make a change. I just can't think of any better reason to dump her from Congress than her refusal to even see the people she hurts. I just don't know how you can get any worse than that.

Angie Paccione needs your help.

Angie Paccione (CO-04): $

Read the rest of this post...

Michael J. Fox responds to Rush -- classy guy without pity, without rancor

I watched Katie Couric interview Michael J. Fox last night. He was amazingly classy and dignified given the outrageous attack by Rush Limbaugh.

Think Progress has the video. It's worth a watch. You'll be inspired:

COURIC: I called Rush Limbaugh and he told me: I believe Democrats have a long history of using victims of various things as political spokespeople because they believe they are untouchable, infallible, they are immune from criticism.

FOX: Well, first thing, he used the word victim. And on another occasion I heard him use the word pitiable. And understand, nobody in this position wants pity. We don't want pity. I could give a damn about Rush Limbaugh?s pity or anyone else?s pity. I?m not a victim. I?m someone who is in this situation. I think I?m in this situation along with millions of other Americans, and we have a right, if there?s answers out there, to pursue those answers with the full support of our politicians. And so I don?t need anyone?s permission to do that.

Rush has done one thing. He has helped insure that the stem cell issue is widely debated this year. Most Americans support the position of Fox, Claire McCaskill, Ben Cardin, Jim Doyle, Tammy Duckworth. Rush made sure that Americans know the GOP candidates are on the wrong side of the issue. Most Americans have a family member or know someone who will benefit from the research. Rush helped put the issue front and center. It's like Bush doing his press conference about Iraq on Wednesday when polls show Iraq hurts the GOP. If Bush and Rush want to help our side, so be it. Read the rest of this post...

TN Republican Senate Candidate Bob Corker's pro-choice closet

I wonder what's inside?

Read the rest of this post...

Michael Steele's subway attack backfires

Maryland's Republican Senate candidate, Michael Steele, had a press conference yesterday to attack his opponent, Ben Cardin, for not knowing the exact route of a proposed now subway line. Today's Washington Post reports that Steele's attack was misplaced, literally:

The only problem: Steele held his media event on the "need for a Purple Line" at a Metro station two stops from where the proposed line would go. It turns out that the Grosvenor-Strathmore station in North Bethesda was part of an old proposal, called the "outer line," that Maryland dropped two years ago. The only path being studied now, the "inner line," would start in downtown Bethesda -- four miles from where Steele stood.

When reporters asked why Steele was having his presser so far from the actual site of the new line, sounds like he got a bit confused and cranky:

Asked why he held yesterday's event so far from the proposed route, Steele appeared surprised.

The Post also noted that Steele "snapped" one response to a question.

Michael Steele would love to make the Metro the issue. That's because he's a Bush "stay the course" candidate. Like most Republicans, Steele wants to talk about anything but Iraq and Bush. But, it's hard to criticize Cardin for not knowing the subway route when Steele doesn't know it himself. Read the rest of this post...

Friday Morning Open Thread

Seeing political ads this year? The DC TV market is experiencing a barrage of political tv ads. We're getting the Webb-Allen Senate race in Virginia, the Cardin-Steele Senate race in Maryland, the O'Malley-Ehrlich Governor's race in Maryland and a couple house races.

What are you seeing?

What are you hearing? Read the rest of this post...

"I don't care if I vote for Happy the Clown, just so it's not who's there now."

AP

Middle-class voters who deserted the Democratic Party a dozen years ago are now giving the party its best chance to reclaim the House since the GOP swept Democrats from power in 1994.

Motivated by anger at President Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress, 56 percent of likely voters said they would vote on Nov. 7 to send a Democrat to the House and 37 percent said they would vote Republican. Voters in the latest Associated Press-AOL News poll rated Iraq and the economy as their top issues.

"I don't care if I vote for Happy the Clown, just so it's not who's there now," said Mary Nyilas, 51, an independent voter from Cologne, N.J., who said she would do everything she could to "vote against the powers that put us in this situation" in Iraq.

Read the rest of this post...