Lame

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

same as the old boss

with each passing day he demonstrates that he's just another run of the mill politican that doesn't stand for anything. and thats the way the corporations like it...

I like Obama less everyday. But Wesley Clark showed yesterday why he lost in '04. Clark, maybe a great general, but he is lousy politician. Obama, by contrast, is an outstanding politician. Barack, even if he had spent twenty years in a POW camp, never would have attacked the war record of McCain. All Clark did yesterday was give the rightwing something to feign outrage about. And also, manage to remind Americans that Obama has no military record, and that, "did you know, McCain was a POW?" Clark would be a horrible VP.

AAR hangs Seder out to dry.

only to turn into a total sellout during the general?

Did he have to hand his balls to Hillary to get her support?

The young preacher from Georgia, Martin Luther King, Jr., who led a movement to help America confront our tragic history of racial injustice and live up to the meaning of our creed - he was a patriot. The young soldier who first spoke about the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib - he is a patriot. Recognizing a wrong being committed in this country's name; insisting that we deliver on the promise of our Constitution - these are the acts of patriots, men and women who are defending that which is best in America. And we should never forget that - especially when we disagree with them; especially when they make us uncomfortable with their words.

The America We Love
Barack Obama

The America We Love
Independence, Missouri
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/the_america_we_love.ht...

McCain’s new Truth Squad has former member of Swift Boat Veterans.
Following the lead of Barack Obama’s campaign, John McCain is establishing his own Truth Squad – an effort to “respond to unfair attacks” on his military record. One of the members of McCain’s new Truth Squad — Bud Day — was a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and appeared in an attack ad for the group in 2004. (See the ads here.) Day said of John Kerry’s military service: “My view is he basically will go down in history sometime as the Benedict Arnold of 1971.”

Update
Flashback: In 2004, McCain said of the Swift Boat Veterans, "I deplore this kind of politics. I think the ad is dishonest and dishonorable."

Update
On a conference call arranged by McCain’s campaign, Bud Day said, “The Swift Boat attacks were simply a revelation of the truth.” Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) called on McCain to condemn those remarks and “cut ties with the Colonel and anyone else connected to SBVT.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/30/bud-day-truth/

But the less we like him the better he polls. Are you packing yet?

McCain Sticks It To Organized Labor: Visits Company That Refused To Pay Minimum Wage
Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) visited Worth & Co., a contracting company in Bucks County, PA, where he held a town hall. The visit is a slap in the face to the state’s unions, since Worth & Co. has been investigated by the state Department of Labor and Industry for “intentionally failing to pay the predetermined minimum wage” to its employees. The Intelligencer reports:

McCain, who has already drawn the ire of union leaders throughout this country, will be visiting a company that earlier this year was under investigation by the state’s Labor and Industry Department over employee wages. At the time of the investigation, company founder Stephen Worth said he was being targeted by union interests who were going after his non-union shop. Union members plan to protest McCain’s visit.

Part of the state’s investigation focused on a subcontractor Worth had hired, that ultimately admitted to having underpaid its employees by nearly $26,000.

McCain’s visit fits squarely within his anti-labor record. The AFL-CIO emphasizes that “there is nothing moderate about McCain,” who they call “a loyal ally of Bush who has consistently and perniciously voted against the interests of working families in his decades-long career in Washington.” Highlights of that long career:

– Helped block minimum wage hike in 2005 with John Kyl [LINK]

– Voted to filibuster minimum wage hike in 2007 [LINK]

– Compared unions to monopolies, during a presidential debate [LINK]

– Voted to block the Employee Free Choice Act in 2007, allowing workers to form unions [LINK]

– Skipped the vote on the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2008, which would have made it easier for women workers to sue for equal pay [LINK]

Just last week, McCain didn’t even bother to show up to vote on a war supplemental that extended unemployment benefits. He was the only senator besides Sen. Ted Kennedy — who is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor — who didn’t vote on the measure.

Go here for all the other links:

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/30/mccain-sticks-it-to-organized-labor-...

This a dance that the Rethugs have done for years: have the surrogate attack and then mildly renounce the attack that was agreed upon. It may not be the transformative campaign that we were promised, but it may be effective. I too am increasingly disenchanted w/Obama but I take a certain pleasure in the mewling outrage on the right when their own tactics are used against them. ghettodefender you got it exactly right! I think that we can expect the Green family empire to run the AAR brand into the ditch.

GI Bill Opponent President Bush Lauds GI Bill Opponent John McCain For The GI Bill Expansion
This morning, President Bush signed a war supplemental spending bill which included a doubling of GI Bill college benefits for troops and veterans. The Bush administration had resisted Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) strong bipartisan effort to pass the bill, going so far as to warn of “harm” that might come from giving expanded educational benefits to soldiers who served “only” 2 years.

But today, Bush was all too happy to pat himself on the back for the GI Bill, and to laud the work of senators who tried to stand in the way of the bill’s passage:

The bill is a result of close collaboration between my administration and members of both parties on Capitol Hill. … I want to thank members who worked hard for the GI Bill expansion, especially Senators Webb and Warner, Graham, Burr, McCain. This bill shows that even in an election year, Democrats and Republicans can come together to stand behind our troops.

Watch it:

McCain — along with Bush — was one of the most vocal opponents of Webb’s bill. He claimed it was too generous, would lead to a drop in military retention, and would “hurt the military.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham — a key McCain surrogate — urged his conservative colleagues to vote against Webb’s bill, claiming “we will get rewarded in the next election” for doing so. McCain, Burr, and Graham offered an alternative bill that was “seen as a way to convolute the GI bill.”

But once the House struck a deal pushing forward Webb’s legislation, McCain disingenuously tried to take credit for it. In fact, McCain didn’t even show up last week to vote on the GI bill legislation, which passed 92-6. The only other senator not present for the vote was Ted Kennedy (D-MA), who is battling a brain tumor.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/30/bush-mccain-credit-gi/

GWB is an idiot. This country will NEVER be done paying for his sins.

The War Inside NBC
by Jed Babbin

Were that not bad enough, NBC’s leadership -- NBC-Universal CEO Jeffrey Zucker and NBC News President Steve Capus -- are pushing the network off into liberal la-la land. Russert, who tried hard to be fair to liberals and conservatives alike, was in a shrinking minority. Except for Russert, the moderates have been marginalized in favor of hyperventilating liberals such as MSNBC dolt-laureate Keith Olbermann....

As Boyer reports, politics -- going far beyond liberal bias and into political activism -- is behind the turmoil in the network. He wrote that Brokaw is uneasy about the conflict within the network: “Listen, it’s a strain,” says Tom Brokaw, the longtime anchor of ‘Nightly News,’ who remains an active and revered figure at NBC. ‘And it’s under constant examination. There’s dialogue going on behind the scenes all the time. It’s not perfectly sorted out.’”

Nor will it be before November. The professional journalists in NBC are more frustrated by it every day. They know they’re losing the battle. With Russert gone, there’s no one left to stand up for them in the fight against the suits....

NBC has chosen sides, and its reporting will continue to boost Obama, attack the President and paint Sen. John McCain’s candidacy as the promise of another Bush term. Republicans -- especially senate candidates -- will be targeted as often as McCain.

When the New York Times published its thinly-sourced smear of McCain in February, implying a non-platonic relationship with an attractive lady lobbyist, McCain’s top advisor Charlie Black told the Politico, “We’re going to war with them now.” So far, that war is entirely one-sided.

Sen. McCain needs to respond reflexively. If his campaign is to survive the media assault it will have to have its own truth squad, prepared to issue statements and make campaign commercials much faster than usual to go after the activist media.

It takes CBS, NBC or ABC -- and, of course, MSNBC -- only hours to prepare an attack ad to be passed off as news that night. If McCain’s crew cannot respond just as quickly, the war Charlie Black declared will be lost, and millions of votes with it.....

And there’s one way for the journalists who remain at NBC: get yourselves together. Form a small committee and demand a meeting with Immelt. Make him listen and promise to restore NBC’s journalistic standards to what they should be. If he refuses, start circulating your resumes. There will be no future for you with the Olbermann Network.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=27257

DID NOT question McCain's patriotism. He questioned his claim of being ready to lead the country.

It's not like he actually told us everything about McCain. He had crashed 4 other planes before Vietnam and he was an accident waiting to happen when he was busy being an American hero.

Emerging markets, which economists say are able to withstand the current financial crisis, could still be hurt by an economic slowdown in the United States, the world's top forum of central bankers warned Monday.

The Bank for International Settlements said in its annual report that the United States remained a key outlet for emerging market exporters. A severe US downturn could have more serious consequences for emerging market econonmies than expected.

Domestic demand could also be difficult to shore up in the face of inflation, which is currently sharply higher due to soaring energy and food commodity prices.

In addition, countries with high deficits and high short-term debt would find it harder to secure funding.

"Although growth forecasts remain robust for EMEs (emerging market economies) for 2008, there are risks that this may not continue," said the BIS, which is also known as the central bank for central bankers.

So far, consensus forecasts indicated a "marked degree of resilience" for the emerging markets, but BIS pointed out that these same forecasts tend to miss crucial turning points.

"Thus, if global developments were to cause a severe downturn in EMEs, it is possible that consensus forecasts would not predict it," it said.

Thanks to sustained and rapid growth, developing economies such as China, India and Brazil have been viewed as being resilient enough to withstand and even offset the impact of the current financial crisis.

However, the BIS suggested that these emerging economies, especially exporters, remained tied to US and European markets.

It said exports from emerging economies could be "significantly affected" if the US economic slowdown were to deepen.

Lowered demand from the United States would mean lower import demand in China for goods from other emerging markets exporters who send their products there for processing.

Economies with large volumes of exports in sectors such as information technology would also see weaker US demand.

Beyond exports, inflation remains a threat to demand in the domestic markets of emerging countries.

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Emerging_markets_vulnerable_to_US_s_0630200...

per their website.

Wes Clark Jr. will be joining TYT to talk about his father's statements on McCain over the weekend.
http://www.theyoungturks.com/

Do you think Obama is moving center to win the election or do you think Obama is more center than he's let on?

Why am I asking what you all think...

Obama has backtracked on many things he has said in the primary. Could he have said what he did during the primary to win? Or is he saying what he is saying now to win the general? To be honest, I am still trying to figure this out for myself. He has been different since he ran nationally.

The Shadow knows!!!

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Soy_Panacea_or_Poison.html

Soy in the Western diet
Apart from the obvious where else is soy lurking? Research estimates that soy is present in 70% of all supermarket products and widely used in Fast Food chains. Soy is used to bulk out and bind many processed foods such as sausages, lasagne, beef burgers and chicken nuggets (food firms can then put a higher protein value on them). Even the husk is used for fibre in breads, cereals, and snacks. The big one is in vegetable oil- soy is the most consumed vegetable oil in the world and is used in margarines, salad dressings and cooking oils. Food labels simply list soy oil as vegetable oil
As well as that 90% of the 200 million tonnes of soy produced annually is used to feed animals (3).

Soy and the Thyroid
According to Mary Shomon editor of http://www.thyroid-info.com (9)
“Soy products increase the risk of thyroid disease. And this danger is particularly great for infants on soy formula…More than 70 years of human, animal and laboratory studies show that soybeans put the thyroid at risk.”
Dr. Mike Fitzpatrick, an environmental scientist and phytoestrogen researcher who has conducted in-depth studies on soy, particularly the use of soy formulas published in the New Zealand Medical journal. Dr. Fitzpatrick makes it clear that soy products can have a detrimental affect on both adults and infants. In particular, he firmly believes that soy formula manufacturers should remove the isoflavones -- that part of the soy products that act as anti-thyroid agents -- from their products (2)

How do researchers induce thyroid cancers in laboratory animals? They use thyroid-inhibiting foods like soy in combination with thyroid boosting drugs like Synthroid. (6)
How much soy can impair thyroid problems? Perhaps as little as 30 mg or less than a glass of soy milk. (4)

Soy Business
Soy is traded as an international commodity, like oil and gold. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry., "The reason there’s so much soy in America is because they [the soy industry] started to plant soy to extract the oil from it and soy oil became a very large industry. Once they had as much oil as they did in the food supply they had a lot of soy protein residue left over, and since they can’t feed it to animals, except in small amounts, they had to find another market." (2)

this will be Addington in 30 years:

Khmer Rouge trial: Plea to 'release' former Pol Pot minister

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/30/cambodia

Can Obama win the election by essentially comparing his biography to McCain's?

Should MoveOn.org move on and support local progressives?

----------------------

Barack Obama delivered a big speech on patriotism today in Missouri in which he sought to do something that John McCain has done extensively with his war service throughout this campaign:

Define patriotism through the prism of his own biography.

"For me, as for most Americans, patriotism starts as a gut instinct, a loyalty and love for country rooted in my earliest memories," Obama said, according to the prepared text.

But Obama also appeared to be distancing himself from some elements of the cultural left, attacking a key ally, MoveOn, over the "General Betrayus" ad, which Obama skipped a vote to condemn last year.

Obama has often argued that he's unencumbered by the political baggage of the 1960s.

In this speech he appeared to be trying to reinforce this view, but with a twist, attacking what he called the "so-called counter-culture of the sixties" as a way of preempting any future efforts to associate him with the allegedly anti-military and anti-American sixties left...

-----------

Excerpt from Obama's speech:

Meanwhile, some of those in the so-called counter-culture of the Sixties reacted not merely by criticizing particular government policies, but by attacking the symbols, and in extreme cases, the very idea, of America itself -- by burning flags; by blaming America for all that was wrong with the world; and perhaps most tragically, by failing to honor those veterans coming home from Vietnam, something that remains a national shame to this day.

Most Americans never bought into these simplistic world-views -- these caricatures of left and right.

Most Americans understood that dissent does not make one unpatriotic, and that there is nothing smart or sophisticated about a cynical disregard for America's traditions and institutions.

And yet the anger and turmoil of that period never entirely drained away.

All too often our politics still seems trapped in these old, threadbare arguments -- a fact most evident during our recent debates about the war in Iraq, when those who opposed administration policy were tagged by some as unpatriotic, and a general providing his best counsel on how to move forward in Iraq was accused of betrayal.

------------

Obama's Patriotism Speech Stresses Life Story, Criticizes MoveOn

Link:

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/obamas_patriotis...

Kennedy tried to identify himself with the liberal reform tradition of the Democratic party of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, promising a new surge of legislative innovation in the 1960s. JFK hoped to pull together key elements of the Roosevelt coalition of the 1930s (urban minorities, ethnic voting blocs and organized labor), to win back the conservative Catholics who had deserted the Democrats to vote for Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956, and to at least hold his own in the pre-civil rights movement's "Solid South." - JFK Library

Obama is still seen as the liberal candidate even if he's really not.

Agreed. But this is how it is being framed by the rightwing. Btw, McShame, even questioned the use of naplam on "gooks." Anyway, bringing up Mcshame's military record is always a loser for us politically.
Thanks for the TYT tip. Can't listen though. Off to the gym-- 50 cal's have a wicked kick.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/28/mccains-failed-to-pay-tax_n_109...

Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. County officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1. Told of the outstanding $1,742, the aide said: "The trust has paid all bills shown owing as of today and will pay all other bills due."

If we were to worry about not saying anything that the rightwing might "frame" to make liberals look bad, we might as well never say a thing.

What Wes Clark said was accurate. John McCain's military experience may, indeed, be heroic but it doesn't QUALIFY him to be President.

I'm more horrified by Bob Schiffer's immediate fake outrage upon hearing that news. "IT'S NOTTTTT?" What a dolt he must be.

Grab a POW, any POW. Apparently they're all qualified to be President.

Roll over demonstrated yet again. My dog knows more tricks than this. Sheesh.

There wasn't 20 years of Republican rule after Eisenhower and he was not the republican of today. He wasn't as dirty a fighter as these rethugs.

The point right now is to win at all costs and clean up later. We would even be saying this had Edwards won on certain issues.

No! This is a real mess this year. This is the worst I've seen in all my life!

And Star Vox, I understand that you were not for Obama but was for Hillary. It would be the same with her. But she would bomb Iran without thinking about it.

This is an ugly world we live in and there is a huge fight brewing. Get ready because you will hate all of them! The US is no longer the power it was. From Reagan on, the repubs have seen to that.

Memo to Obama: Moving to the Middle is for Losers HuffPo

Great, I was hoping that if I didn't want to vote for Obama that I didn't have to because polls would keep going in the right direction. Looks like I may need to hold my nose. Talk about your poor judgment when it really matters. What a disappointment.

Question
Submitted by toniD on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 4:34pm.
Do you think Obama is moving center to win the election or do you think Obama is more center than he's let on?

Obama has always been center. The Rightwing labeled him liberal as a smear. It took a long time and a lot of negotiation for Obama to win John Edwards support, because he wasn't populist enough.
Remember, Lieberman was one of Obama's mentors. (euwwww, I know) Obama is a constitutional professor. I will expect him to attempt repair to our constitution in what ever way he can. He is also a diplomat, which we have lacked for many years. We'll have to keep pushing.

And of course Obama will pander to the conservatives, for the Independent voters. What choice do they have, McSame?
My anxiety is, who will be McSames VP? I still think they will attempt to sneek ol Jeb Boy in there. *shivers* Mittens couldn't get the nod, with a chance of McSame crapping out before 4 years is up, I can't see the fundies going for Willard.

I am sad we couldn't have Edwards, but am eternally thankful, it's not Hillary, yet.
We need a Progressive House, and a bigger Democratic majority Senate.
It's a roller coaster ride on a dice toss.

We need to build that third party.

JMHO

Obama and Bill Clinton finally speak By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
55 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The silence between Barack Obama and Bill Clinton has been broken, with the Democratic White House hopeful on Monday asking the former president to campaign for him during their first conversation since the heated primary.

Bill Clinton was often Obama's harshest Democratic critic, trying to bring down the Illinois senator as his candidacy surpassed former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's. While Hillary Clinton has begun to help Obama by encouraging her supporters and fundraisers to back his campaign, a chill remained between the last Democratic president and the man running to be the next one.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Obama is honored to have the former president's support.

"He has always believed that Bill Clinton is one of this nation's great leaders and most brilliant minds, and looks forward to seeing him on the campaign trail and receiving his counsel in the months to come," Burton said.

Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said the former president renewed his offer — expressed in a one-sentence statement last week — to do whatever he can to ensure Obama wins the presidency.

"President Clinton continues to be impressed by Senator Obama and the campaign he has run, and looks forward to campaigning for and with him in the months to come," McKenna said. "The president believes that Senator Obama has been a great inspiration for millions of people around the country and he knows that he will bring the change America needs as our next president."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080630/ap_on_el_pr/obama_bill_clinton_5

I'm even afraid of the State elections. There are alot of blue dog dems out there. The guy that won Hastert's seat is a blue dog. However he has to run in November also so maybe there is a chance there but that's a very republican area.

Bah! I am totally disgusted!!!!!!

Think I'll go watch a home decorating show. I can't do any of it but I like to watch. I've had enough of politics today!

Clark has what it takes to back-up his attack on McCain as commander in chief. There is nothing worse than than some fool who has never served attacking anyone about their service. But what good is that attack when it draws out the comparison to Obama's record. This attack helps McCain, and even more so on the week of 4th of July. What next? Is someone going to attack McCain on not enough experience in the Senate?

besides throw Clark under the bus, too? Having General Wesley Clark in his camp could've meant Obama could say, "I have excellent advisors with military experience." Is Obama ever going to stand by those who stand by him?

It is long past due for us to eschew the Bush Lexicon and let's start in the area of Bush Torture: Stop using the terms 'detainees' and 'enemy combatants' when it is used to obfuscate the state of 'prisoners of war'! As long as Bush avoids the term POWs, he gets to say the Geneva Conventions, etc., do not apply!

It's all a shell game with Bush/Cheney, and the SHELLS are WORDS! Don't let the likes of David Addington and John Yoo get away with this. Refuse to use THEIR ADDINGTON/YOO/NEOCON TWISTED VOCABULARY, used to further scams and schemes.

"Which shell is the 'POW' under, sucker?"

If Bush continues to squeeze physicians, those seniors with Medicare are going to find it harder and harder to find reputable doctors because more and more doctors are going to be unable to take Medicare patients.

Trying to recoop the gist of it: I was totally appalled by the McCain TV commercial I repeatedly heard while in Erie PA this past week (Thursday through Sunday). The woman in the voiceover said that McCain stood up to Bush five years ago [Yeah, but is now 95% with him] and that he has "a plan" for the environment [a weak one -- too little too late, per Bobby Kennedy Jr.] and that he is for peace [as in "rest in __?"] OMG. Yet this is what the people are hearing!!

Arianna Huffington makes some good points. Yes, Obama has done what a lot of people have done, move to the center. But the so-called center has moved to the LEFT!!! Obama doesn't need to move anywhere!!

No, he is not really a liberal, but we have to make him live up to his positive change messge. But first we have to work like hell to get him elected and it is difficult to work for a candidate who makes himself less attractive to all of us.

Then we have the Hastert race. John Laesch lost the race to the the blue dog Democrat by less than 400 votes with 76,000 Dem votes being cast!! He decided not to fight it but it begins to make one wonder if one reason Dems aren't against electronic voting is that they plan to steal some races too.

Anyway, I have missed you guys. I've been "on vacation" and actually on the run for the past two weeks. Peace hugs!!

http://www.osnews.com/thread?317771

SEN. RON WYDEN: Is it correct that when John Poindexter's program, Operation Total Information Awareness, was closed, that several of Mr. Poindexter's projects were moved to various intelligence agencies?

JOHN NEGROPONTE: I don't know the answer to that question.

SEN. RON WYDEN: Do any of the other panel members know this? The press has reported intelligence officials saying that those programs run by Mr. Poindexter - I and others on this panel led the effort to close it. We want to know if Mr. Poindexter's programs are going on somewhere else. Can anyone answer that? Mr. Mueller?

ROBERT MUELLER: I have no knowledge of that, sir.

SEN. RON WYDEN: Any other panel members?

GEN. MICHAEL HAYDEN: Senator, I would like to answer you in closed session.

Edited 2008-06-08 22:36 UTC

I'm on Medicare. Today Bush froze the medicare payments that were going to be cut for doctors. The Congress had problems passing the bill before the break so Bush did freeze the payments. This bill was one that got bounced along with the Fisa bill. But they did pass the war funding bill!

That was the only good thing he's ever done. It's the republicans in congress that are holding everything up.

http://911review.org/Sept11Wiki/Pointdexter,JohnM.shtml

John M. Pointdexter joined the Bush Administration in February 2002 as head of the Office of Information Awareness at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA ->). FOX News reported on November 21st, 2002, that Pointdexter was put in charge of a new system called Total Information Awareness (TIAP ->), which would permit the military to spy on the civilian population of the United States without search warrants by scanning personal information such as email, credit-card statements, banking and medical records, and travel documents for patterns that suggest criminal or terrorist activities. Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C70992%2C00.html

TIA is supported by DARPA, who once developed the Internet, when it just was called DARPANET OR MILNET. DARPA will be in charge of trying to make the system work technically. Rear Adm. John Poindexter, former national security adviser to President Reagan, is developing the database under the Total Information Awareness Program, which funds had been blocked in January 2003 by the Senate. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34837-2003Jan23.html Poindexter was once convicted on five counts of misleading Congress and making false statements during the Iran-Contra investigation. Those convictions were later overturned, but critics note that his is a dubious resume for someone entrusted with so sensitive a task. In December 2002, Pointdexter was victim of a prank, when John and Linda Poindexter's private telephone number appeared on 100 different websites, when Matt Smith, a columnist for SF Weekly, printed the material Cryptome (->), a popular website of privacy-issues, posted satellite photos ( http://cryptome.org/tia-eyeball.htm) of his house. Source: http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,56860,00.html

Calls McCain the "real deal on the environment". Huh?

The fact is, Obama is a fraud. He may have started out working as a street-level community organizer in Chicago – and that’s one hell of a tough job, I know because I’ve done the same job here in Oakland – but whatever claim he might have had to be an advocate for poor and working class people is gone as of right now.

Why? Lots of reasons. Partly because of the typical shady politician business and his underworld friends (Rezko anyone?). Partly because he’s the kind of guy who will go on national television and refuse to disown his mentor for telling the truth about American imperialism and its toll on human lives and then turn around the next week and do exactly that when his refusal doesn’t poll well and when the minister restates those same facts. Partly because – for all of his nice rhetoric about ending the war in Iraq – he’s hardly the anti-imperialist dove some of his lefty supporters seem to think he is. Just take a look at his threats against Iran, his promises to send our military into Pakistan, and the distinct lack of cuts to America’s outrageously inflated military budget in any of his proposals. And his healthcare plan? the words “sick joke” don’t even begin to describe it.
...

You didin't post it twice, I used your question to respond. Read down.

photo that was posted here of the recent tornado?

Alterman and Escobar debate if Obama is a conservative politician or a progressive

Mark Halperin was right about what Edwards said? What if he doesn't have the stomach to stand up for what he said in the primaries?

Man Saves Black Bear From Drowning

Animal Had Wandered Into Fla. Neighborhood; Bolted Into Gulf Of Mexico After Being Hit With Tranquilizer Dart

...Officials say a 375-pound male black bear was seen roaming a residential neighborhood, evidently in search of food, near Alligator Point, some 40 miles south of Tallahassee.

The bear was hit with a tranquilizer dart, but he managed to bolt into the Gulf of Mexico before the drugs took effect.

At that point, FWC biologist Adam Warwick jumped in to keep the bear, who was some 25 yards offshore, from drowning...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/30/earlyshow/living/petplanet/mai...

Bush's interconnects to terrorist activities

http://www.spectrezine.org/war/Chossudovsky3.htm

Business links in the 1980s when he was in the Texas oil business to the Bin Laden family including Salem bin Laden (Osama’s brother) and Khalid bin Mahfouz (Osama’s brother in law). identified in the 9/11 victims families’ lawsuit as the financier of 9/11.

Bin Mahfouz is suspected to have funnelled millions of dollars to the Al Qaeda network.

[and]

Thomas Kean, Chairman of the 9/11 Commission
Business partner of Khalid bin Mahfouz and Mohammed Al Ahmoudi in the Hess-Delta joint venture. Bin Mahfouz is according to the CIA, the brother in law of Osama bin Laden

=======================================

And Bush is going to "get" Osama Bin Laden? And 9/11 should not be considered the start of the Bush Gang's impeachable offenses?

In the first case to review the government’s secret evidence for holding a detainee at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, a federal appeals court found that allegations against an ethnic Chinese man held for more than six years were based on bare and unverifiable claims, according to the decision released Monday. - NYT

16 others have the exact same claim against them. This isn't even the guy who is accused of bombing the Cole. This shit is crazy.

Chrysler Plans to Close Minivan Plant
New York Times - 1 hour ago
--------------
Millions Of Wussified Dads Plan To Dance On Minivan's Grave
Bait News Service - 1 second ago

97 Honda Elite 80cc that sat dead all winter; thought it needed a new starter but it actually it only needed a new battery. Had my guy clean out the carb, too.

Amazing what a fully charged battery will do for a tired starter!

Now it idles really low; and accelerates faster than it ever has before.

I'm pretty sure Wes Clark
Submitted by Fernando on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 4:29pm.
DID NOT question McCain's patriotism. He questioned his claim of being ready to lead the country.

~-~-~

EXACTLY. All he said was "being shot down in Vietnam does NOT make you ready to be Commander-in-Chief." It's the truth.

Right-wing-hyperventilating-bedwetters! All!

Evening folks. :)

We don't lose because the Dem candidate tries appealing to the center and disillusioned right.

Dems lose because the left abandons the Dem candidate when the Dem candidate tries to win over converts from the other side.

It's like fans of Indy music who hate it when "their" artist gets mainstream recognition. First thing they do is rag on them for selling out.

Can't stand this shit.

Either support the Dem party or don't. But don't expect the candidates to bend to our will.

And don't expect them not to be political.

THIS IS what being in politics requires.

Photos of 200 lb. biologist saving 375 lb. black bear from drowning:

http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=CD&Dato=20080630&K...

...that's a bit harsh, don't you think? Fraud? I read that "master politician." And that tripe is probably written by some guy who lost his election bid for Backwater County school board.

Question: What makes you believe, that if by some fantastical chance (like me winning the lottery) the Peace and Freedom Party candidate actually won the election, that somehow they wouldn't become the washington politician we all despise?

I cannot believe people are so up in arms about Obama moving to the center. This is the general election. This is what Demcorats do!

And then they lose... *snark*

You don't have to like it. As for me, I have yet to say I won't hold my nose and vote for him.

But if you think for one second that allowing this betrayal without saying anything now is healthy for our party, I will have to disagree.

Obama lied to us when he said he would filibuster the telecom immunity bill. Now he says the bill has changed and it has but it has not changed where it deals with telecom immunity.

Obama smeared his Democratic supporter by saying the Clark questioned McCain's patriotism. I challenge you to find a quote from Clark where he does that. Clark questioned McCain's competence not his patriotism.

What do you want us to do here? Do you recommend we start bleating like sheep too? Maybe if I say nothing and Obama thinks we are all sheep and keeps going this way until I become completely disaffected and then I surely will not vote. Is that what you want?

'cause he astonished me with his utter ignorance today....

Submitted by mystic23 on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 7:29pm.
...And don't expect them not to be political.
--------
What? Politicians being political?

can we please remember that we did not lose in 2000, nor did we lose in 2004 (unless you think the Ohio rethugs didn't impede elections)???

That wasn't my opinion, that was emcee lynxx opinion...

--Question: What makes you believe, that if by some fantastical chance (like me winning the lottery) the Peace and Freedom Party candidate actually won the election, that somehow they wouldn't become the washington politician we all despise?--

One step at a time please...how about "your" parties making room for other parties first..? Or at least not actively trying to keep them out of the race....? I would guess they KNOW that the third parties have more integrity and that's why they're so afraid of the competition? I don't know...

she's the one saying we lose because dems capitulate to the right.

i'm saying we lose because the far left expects the dem candidate to act like dennis kucinich.

hey, maybe we're both wrong. we don't lose at all.

i think Sam has it right. It's theater.

Clark and Obama probably have it staged so they can have it both ways.

Clark attacks McCain - Obama disavows Clark.

The truth comes out both ways. Clark tells the truth. People HEAR the truth.

Obama still looks cool to the right for saying we shouldn't attack McCain on his military service.

Is it OK to trash Kuby here...
new
Submitted by Arryma on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 7:41pm.
'cause he astonished me with his utter ignorance today....

»

Especially here!

We need good radio back!! We need Sam Back!!

I can't stand the boob tube political boobs any more!!! Yech!

...Wes Clark won't be Obama's veep choice.

But quite honestly, all I care about is staying further erosion of the Supreme Court and the Constitution, and moving it back at the very least to the left of center and restoring our "inalienable" rights. I'm not expecting much more from Obama than that. Oh, and it will be good to have an articulate and intelligent person as president again.

Submitted by mystic23 on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 7:55pm.
...The truth comes out both ways. Clark tells the truth. People HEAR the truth.

Obama still looks cool to the right for saying we shouldn't attack McCain on his military service.
--------
Very good, Grasshopper. You have attained the next level of consciousness.

They don't call 'em surrogates fer nuthin'.

I think what I need to do is Support the candidate I believe will be more likely to listen to my views, more likely to be swayed by our persuasive arguments. I'll Support that candidate during the election cycle. If, after he's elected, he's still acting like a Republican - we can put the screws to him then on an individual issue basis.

Meantime, we know McCain ain't the one who's on our side. I'm giving Obama the benefit of a doubt and I won't say he's a sell out or "betraying" what I believe in. He's doing what he needs to do in order to get elected.

If you've read about the civil rights era you know that John F. Kennedy was perceived as too far to the right and had to be persuaded to act more directly on behalf of civil rights. But should we kid ourselves and think Nixon would have done a damn thing to improve things in 1960? No. JFK and LBJ were the right guys for civil rights - even though they did many things Liberals could not stomach.

The antiwar movement in the US and around the World has successfully challenged Bush’s war agenda. However, it has not unraveled the lies pertaining to September 11 and the so-called "war on terrorism" which constitutes the cornerstone of the Administration’s war propaganda.

September 11 is used profusely as a justification for waging a preemptive war against Iraq. It is part of the Administration’s doctrine of "self-defense".

Moreover, while mobilizing millions of people around the World, the antiwar protest movement remains profoundly divided. Many of the civil society and trade union organizations which have taken a stance against the invasion of Iraq, were nonetheless supportive of the Bush administration’s invasion of Afghanistan in retaliation to the September 11 attacks. While integrating the anti-war movement, they remain convinced that Al Qaeda is "a threat to America" and global security. They firmly believe in the so-called "war on terrorism’ against the alleged perpetrators of 9/11 and are broadly supportive of the Bush administration’s anti-terrorist agenda: "We are against the invasion of Iraq, but we should go after Al Qaeda." "We believe that Iraq is not a threat against World peace, but we support the Administration’s "war on terrorism". In turn, many prominent progressive intellectuals and foreign policy analysts have not only dismissed the links of the Bush Administration to Al Qaeda, they have upheld the Administration's "War on terrorism".

This ambivalence weakens the antiwar movement because it ultimately serves to uphold the legitimacy of "the anti-terrorist" agenda at home and around the world. Under an anti-terrorist banner, the Administration launched "Operation Enduring Freedom" which consists in sending US Special Forces to collaborate with foreign governments in the "war on terrorism". In the US, it launched the Patriot Act, which repeals fundamental civil rights in the name of the "war on terrorism".

The war on terrorism is an integral part of Bush’s National Security Doctrine . It is is being used as a pretext for waging war on Iraq. Many antiwar activists are unaware that successive US administrations have over the last 20 years supported Islamic terrorism including Al Qaeda . The latter is a creation of the CIA. It is a key instrument of US foreign policy.

At this crucial juncture in our history, we must understand that antiwar sentiment in itself does not undermine the war agenda. The same applies to the diplomatic deadlock at the UN Security Council: The US is intent upon waging war with or without UN approval.

The only way to prevent this war from happening in the weeks ahead is to unseat the rulers, who are war criminals.

A precondition for breaking the legitimacy of the Bush Administration is to fully reveal and expose its links to international terrorism, by undoing its propaganda campaign and spreading the truth through a well organised grassroots citizen's information campaign.

And the way to unseat the rulers is to break their legitimacy in the eyes of the people. In other words, it is necessary to fully reveal the lies concerning the so-called "war on terrorism" to our fellow citizens, which are used to justify the invasion of Iraq,

Michel Chossudovsky is the author of international best seller War and Globalization, The Truth behind September 11.

Mixed emotions here. I gave him another chance today after Maron filled in for Hartmann... and he didn't disgust me. Still, he doesn't excite me either.

is on with the Fisa Special Comments tonight and after

Abrams will have Wesley Clark on his show. Want to see how this plays out.

There is more middle than there is left or right this year so I think that's the reason the movement is to center. IMHO

no one - not Ariana nor any of us - is always right or wrong -

does she think Gore lost?

Greg Palast did a pretty good job of covering this in "Armed Madhouse"

Wes Clark on MSNBC tonight (6/30) and GMA tomorrow (7/1) Hotlist
by kevin22262 [Subscribe]
Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 04:25:11 PM PDT

Cross posted at EENR

Taken from Wes Clark's site. He does not shy away from a fight!
http://securingamerica.com/...

MEDIA ALERT! 6/30/08 - MSNBC with Dan Abrams on MSNBC TONIGHT!, Monday, June 30 @ 9:00PM EDT / 8:00PM CDT

General Clark will appear with Dan Abrams on MSNBC TONIGHT!, Monday, June 30 @ 9:00PM EDT / 8:00PM CDT

9:00 PM EDT | 8:00 PM CDT | 7:00 PM MDT | 6:00 PM PDT

All appearance times are subject to change. We suggest tuning in at the top of the show.

General Clark will also appear Tuesday morning on ABC's Good Morning America. See:http://securingamerica.com/node/3001 for details
http://securingamerica.com/...

Just one more bad decision from AAR management.

Kuby....euwwwwwww.

The World Needs More SEDER!!!

I would guess they KNOW that the third parties have more integrity and that's why they're so afraid of the competition? I don't know...

~-~-~

Point taken darlin'. But, any animosity should be directed at the media for that lack of exposure. Unless, of course, the two parties control the media... D'oh!

But, even as someone who voted for Nader in 2000, I wouldn't vote for him this year. I humbly (stupidly?) believe that Democrats believe in more of what I believe than "that other party." Are they perfect? Far from it. I guess the short of it is with Democrats running things I feel less threatened by the crazy people in my OWN country.

I was just curious as to why you posted that. Usually, an opinion post will depict someone's thought process. Frankly, I thought fraud was a bit over the top. Didn't mean it to sound like an attack. :)

Much luvs!

:) I'm not voting for Nader either..I'm voting for Gloria La Riva and Eugene Puryear...

Do What You Want in Iran

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20080630/cm_huffpost/109868

...on Face the Nation, General Wesley Clark spoke honestly and bluntly about what it takes to be Commander in Chief. In doing so, while he said Senator John McCain’s service made him a hero to millions, including Clark himself, that experience does not trump the poor judgment that Senator McCain has shown on some of the most important issues in recent years.

What General Clark said was right, but the right-wing has been in an uproar. And even CNN accused Clark of "swift-boating" McCain. We need to fight back.

SIGN OUR PETITION THANKING GENERAL CLARK AND TELLING HIM TO NOT BACK DOWN
http://ga3.org/campaign/petitionclark

Let’s show General Clark that we have his back, and will not stand for any attempts to shut down this important debate.

We all honor Senator McCain's service, as General Clark said. But that does not mean that on matters of security, the military, and veterans issues that Senator McCain is beyond reproach. Nor does it mean that his service trumps the poor judgment he has shown in some of the most important issues of our time, including on the war in Iraq, the efforts to get Osama bin Laden, and veterans legislation like the 21st Century GI Bill.

THANK GENERAL CLARK RIGHT HERE, FOR SPEAKING HONESTLY AND BLUNTLY
http://ga3.org/campaign/petitionclark

It is important for General Clark to not back down, and to keep treating the American people like adults who can handle a real, honest, and blunt debate in these important times.

It some circles, this is called ‘straight talk,’ and it’s exactly what we need right now.

Thank you for your support,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran
Chairman, VoteVets.org
http://www.votevets.org/

... "you can't bruise a rotten apple."

Or something like that.

Honestly, no offense to anyone. That's something my Grandma use to say as a way of saying you can't hurt feelings more than they are already hurt.

If people are hurt by Obama's changes in strategy, then, well, they're gonna be hurt. No two ways around it.

Frankly, I am too.

Won't change my vote. Not this time.

hearing that the Democratic Party can't win (prez) elections - when we have

of course, we also have a lot of gutless cowards who apparently would rather climb into the lifeboats to try and save their careers when in fact, when the Titanic/USA goes down, there won't be any need for them

i think i'll go move some furniture around;
that and maybe a vodka tonic will make me feel better

I received this from Joe Biden, but all you candidates are subject to the same rules.
If you can afford to, please give a little.

Delawares Joe Biden
Dear Pb,

We only have a few hours remaining until this quarter comes to end. I'm up for senate re-election in Delaware, and I need your help.

The FEC's second quarter ends at midnight tonight, after which all the political gurus will analyze every financial report. It's important we're able to display strength in this filing.

We're off to a good start. On Friday alone, hundreds of you responded with donations. 50, 100, 500 dollars -- it all makes a difference.

With only a few hours left, will you make a donation?

Every little bit helps with November approaching.
http://joebiden.com/

Blue Roots Radio

So whom does Mr. Obama resemble more? At this point, he’s definitely looking Clintonesque.

Like Mr. Clinton, Mr. Obama portrays himself as transcending traditional divides. Near the end of last week’s “unity” event with Hillary Clinton, he declared that “the choice in this election is not between left or right, it’s not between liberal or conservative, it’s between the past and the future.” Oh-kay.

Mr. Obama’s economic plan also looks remarkably like the Clinton 1992 plan: a mixture of higher taxes on the rich, tax breaks for the middle class and public investment (this time with a focus on alternative energy).

Sometimes the Clinton-Obama echoes are almost scary. During his speech accepting the nomination, Mr. Clinton led the audience in a chant of “We can do it!” Remind you of anything?

Just to be clear, we could — and still might — do a lot worse than a rerun of the Clinton years. But Mr. Obama’s most fervent supporters expect much more.

Progressive activists, in particular, overwhelmingly supported Mr. Obama during the Democratic primary even though his policy positions, particularly on health care, were often to the right of his rivals’. In effect, they convinced themselves that he was a transformational figure behind a centrist facade.

They may have had it backward.

Mr. Obama looks even more centrist now than he did before wrapping up the nomination.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/opinion/30krugman.html?ref=opinion

This is the part I especially liked, Alice --

http://emceelynx.com/2008/06/obama-is-a-fraud/#comment-9068

[excerpt]

What really killed it for me though and put to rest any lingering sympathy I might have considered feeling for him was his announcement that he’s throwing away $84 million in free federal public financing money for the general election because he expects to be able to convince ordinary working class Americans to donate more then that amount to him. Think about that for a second and you’ll realize that it takes a conscious effort not to be stunned by the sheer audacity of such a move. Think about what you or I could do with $84 million. Think about all the community programs we could build, the directly accountable nationwide grassroots movement for real meaningful social change we could finance. Think about all of the truly brilliant and beautiful projects in your community that never get off the ground because there’s no money to fund them and people just can’t afford to give any more.

Think about what we could do with $84 million, and then realize that this bastard has just flushed that much money down the toilet because he expects us all to gnore that he could have had the money for free and dig deeper into our own pockets to donate that much – and more - to him instead of reinvesting it in our own lives, families, and communities. And for what? A nice speech? A few pretty words about how he’ll fight for the little guy once he’s in power? The same meaningless empty promises of reform that every other politician on the planet has made and then abandoned once elected? Excuse me if I don’t swoon. Shit, for $84 million dollars I might not be able to quite pull off a full-fledged revolution, but I could make one hell of a good start at putting the infrastructure in place to build one. Now THAT would be change you can believe in.

[end excerpt]

============

Well said.

My reaction to what else could be done with our $84 million is the same. WE need that money for our communities and our progressive causes too -- like labor support, environmental protection and research, progressive research and lobbying for human rights, and throw in improved child care while we're at it, and so on. Obama's decision was infuriating to me -- it was a THEFT, stealing from the people and especially the Left!

And for what? All that money will go to his pals in the corporations through all the media ad buys during the election campaign. Right back into the pockets of the Power Elite. What a rip off!

This is a two-for for the Power Elite: 1) More od our money for them via campaign spending in THEIR media and 2) Less money getting spent in direct opposition their corporate ways and corporate stranglehold on government and on our communities!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0tNO3QFoOE&feature=related

Fox and Kristol claim McCain’s VP choice will cause gas prices to ‘plummet.’
On Fox News today, host Alexis Glick previewed an interview with Bill Kristol by claiming that the Weekly Standard editor believes “the second John McCain announces his VP pick, gas prices will plummet.” During the segment, the Kristol Ball’s “prediction” turned out to be that he thinks McCain might pick Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Here’s why Kristol claims such a pick would lower gas prices:

KRISTOL: First, I think she would help him get elected, which would be a good thing if you want gas prices to come down. Then she’ll persuade him that we have to drill in ANWR and have an aggressive drilling program across the board.

That’s all Kristol offered to support his and Fox’s ridiculous claim. Watch it:

One major flaw in Kristol and Fox’s claim that drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve would lower prices immediately is the fact that it would take 10 years for the oil to hit the market, and even then, the reserve is estimated to have only enough oil to satisfy six months demand.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/30/kristol-ball-palin/

-- Cathy Campbell did a double-take and tapped the brakes when she spotted what appeared to be a pointy-edged box lying in the road just ahead.
A three-dimensional image gives the illusion of speed bumps on a road in Philadelphia.

A three-dimensional image gives the illusion of speed bumps on a road in Philadelphia.

She got fooled.

It was a fake speed bump, a flat piece of blue, white and orange plastic that is designed to look like a 3-D pyramid from afar when applied to the pavement.

The optical illusion is one of the latest innovations being tested around the country to discourage speeding.

"It cautions you to slow down because you don't know what you are facing," Campbell said.

A smaller experiment two years ago in the Phoenix area found the faux speed bumps slowed traffic, at least temporarily.

Now, in a much bigger test that began earlier this month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to find out if the markers can also reduce pedestrian accidents.

The fake bumps are being tested on a section of road in a business and residential area in Philadelphia's northeastern corner.

But soon they will also be popping up -- or looking that way -- on 60 to 90 more streets where speeding is a problem.

The 3-D markings are appealing because, at $60 to $80 each, they cost a fraction of real speed bumps (which can run $1,000 to $1,500) and require little maintenance, said Richard Simon, deputy regional administrator for the highway safety administration.
Associated Press

you do know what *snark* means, don't you? ;-p

I believe Democrats can win this year. Wholly, ungratefully, I can thank Bush for that. Ouch... that honestly hurts my brain to say "thanks" and "Bush" in the same sentence.

I'm just weary of Democrats moving to the "center." When clearly, if they attack back with vigor and honesty, they can win based on those merits; not that they had to capitulate to the wimpy-bed-wetting-right-wing of this country.

NO!!!!
Supporter of Vote Vets, but this a stupid fight.
We win on Iraq.
We win on the economy.
We win on taxes.
We win on the environment.
We win on energy policy.
We win on foreign policy.
We win on health care.
We win on education.

So, let's see if we can keep a fight on patriotism going clear past Independence Day.
Brilliant.

McCain Contradicts Mullen: ‘Yes,’ We Have Resources To Fight In Iraq Without Hurting Our Efforts In Afghanistan
During a press conference in Pennsylvania today, New York Times reporter John Broder asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) if he shared the concern of “senior Pentagon officials” about the rise of the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan and if the U.S. has the “resources to devote to fighting those enemies there given the surge in Iraq.” “Yes and yes,” replied McCain brusquely.

McCain then began to take another question, but broke it off to “elaborate a bit” on the situation in Afghanistan. “To somehow think that it’s an either or situation, either Afghanistan or Iraq, is a fundamental misreading of the situation in the Middle East,” said McCain.

He then said “it’s not just a matter of more troops”:

MCCAIN: It’s not an either or situation. We need to succeed in Iraq and I am confident that we can succeed in Afghanistan. But it’s not just a matter of more troops. It is a matter of a whole lot of other factors, including those, and not exclusive to those ones that I just outlined.

Watch it:

McCain’s claims are at odds with the opinion of top military leaders, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen. Just last week, Mullen said that Afghanistan is “an economy-of-force campaign,” which means that “we don’t have enough forces there.”

Mullen added that his ability to address the troop issues in Afghanistan is “constrained” by Iraq:

“In the last six or seven months, we have a put a tremendous amount of focus on Afghanistan, and I think rightfully so,” he said. “It is an economy-of-force campaign, and by definition, that means we don’t have enough forces there.

“I am constrained on forces I can generate quite frankly because of Iraq,” Mullen stated. “Afghanistan is a significant challenge and is going to take a significant period of time.”

Following a recent trip to Afghanistan, NBC’s Brian Williams reported last week that “several U.S. commanders complained” to the network that they lack “resources, aircraft, soldiers and support because of the war in Iraq.” According to the Los Angeles Times, “commanders believe that three brigades, or about 10,000 troops, are necessary” in Afghanistan.

While there certainly are “other factors” to al Qaeda’s resurgence in Afghanistan and Pakistan, McCain is contradicting the views of top military officials when he downplays the need for more troops in Afghanistan and says we currently have enough resources to fight both there and in Iraq.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/30/mccain-afghanistan-iraq/

...a vodka-tonic sounds good. :)

And... Bill Clinton can KISS. MY. ASS. Fuckwad.

later~

U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 01 Jul 2008 at 12:49:23 AM GMT is:
$ 9 , 3 6 7 , 8 7 2 , 7 2 5 , 3 0 5 . 4 5

The estimated population of the United States is 304,272,352
so each citizen's share of this debt is $30,787.79.

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$1.30 billion per day since September 28, 2007!
Concerned? Then tell Congress and the White House!
http://brillig.com/debt_clock/

Keith

Obama has no "secret plan." Calling for Obama to vote right on FISA.

Obama's Seduce and Switch:

The Mendacity of Hope

and the ACLU also!

John Dean is great!!!

Submitted by GBC on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 8:51pm.

...a vodka-tonic sounds good. :)

GBC, I had a tequila-tonic with fresh lime juice and a lime wedge over ice last night, very tasty on a hot summer night...

The Dems never cease to amaze... "craven act of submission" indeed...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20080630/cm_huffpost/109868

[excerpt]

...congressional Democrats, obedient to the wishes of a Presidential Finding, signed away $400 million for secret operations against Iran. A more craven act of submission would be hard to imagine; and they did this in the glow of victory, in direct contradiction of their mandate. What were they signing for? Sabotage, assassination, covert support for political clients and "destabilization" generally are predictable parts of such a design; but the Democrats, in the months between their capitulation and Hersh's article, made no mention of dissatisfactions at having been cut off from oversight. The truth seems to be that in this area, as in so many others, only the Office of the Vice President oversees the Office of the President. "The process is broken," one of Seymour Hersh's informants told him, "and this
is dangerous stuff we're authorizing."

...

Vice President Cheney learned long ago that he can outplay the Democrats in the game of power, because he is willing to use power.

[end excerpt]

With McCain opting out on the public financing, is it fair to limit Obama?

WE now have a FEC commission that still has to rule on McCains flip flop on the public financing. Using that public money to secure a personal loan is not allowed under the FEC rules.

What you suggest is what happened to Kerry, he opted for the public financing. Bush opted for crony power.
Kerry ran out of funds, and couldn't afford to attack the Swift Boaters.
The Bush crony power base is starting to give and give big to McCain.
I was glad Obama said, Thanks, but no thanks. That's $84 million of tax payer dollars that will not be going to FOX and NEWSMAX.

Think about it.

Obama made the decision not to give our public tax payer dollars to the 5 war profiteering corporations that OWN our current media.
McCain only used our money to guarantee his own personal loan.
Now if the FEC rules McCain can not withdrawl from public financing, that leaves Obama well able to pay for any ads he'll need.

Bravo, Glenn Greenwald

The Baseless, and Failed, ‘Move to the Center’

Bravo, Keith Olbermann.

Torture Advocate John Yoo Lied To Congress To Cast Aspersions On Philippe Sands’ Credibility
Last week, while testifying before Congress, torture fanatic John Yoo sought to discredit torture critic Philippe Sands by suggesting Sands had lied about interviewing him. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) used the allegation to claim it “would perhaps reflect on the veracity” of all of Sands’ allegations:

YOO: I did read Mr. Sands’ testimony before this committee, and I noticed in the testimony he said that he had interviewed me for the book. And I can say that he did not interview me for the book. … So I didn’t quite understand why he would tell the committee that he had actually interviewed me.

KING: And with that answer, Professor Yoo then, I’m going to interpret that to mean that at least with regard to that statement that he had interviewed you, you find that to be a false statement, and that would perhaps reflect on the veracity of the balance of the book.

Watch it:

Yet, as MoJo blog points out, Sands never said he had interviewed Yoo for his book. Rather, Sands said, “[o]ver hundreds of hours I conversed or debated with many of those most deeply involved. They included…the Deputy Assistant Attorney General at DoJ (Mr Yoo).” Indeed, Yoo and Sands had debated torture at the World Affairs Council in 2005.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/30/yoo-lied-sands/

I can’t remember exactly when I first tried a tequila and tonic, but I can remember why: I was searching for a standard drink. I wanted to have a drink in my mental back pocket that I could order when the specialty cocktail list got too goofy. Or when I’d arrived late and everyone else was already halfway through their glasses and a waitress was asking, “And can I get you anything?” as she whooshed by on her way to another table. An easily-described drink made out of ingredients available pretty much anywhere, one that even the most ham-handed bartender couldn’t screw up too badly.

I started from a gin and tonic baseline. Rum and tonic was too sweet. Vodka and tonic just tasted like tonic. I never tried bourbon and tonic, because that’s just too weird even for me. But one night I asked for a tequila and tonic with a lime, and I’ve never looked back. Tequila and tonic trades on the same bittersweet, citrus pleasures as the gin and tonic, but substitutes spicy roundness for medicinal bite.

(c)2007 AEC *all rights reserved*These days, I’m looking forward to a tequila and tonic at the homestead even more than usual, as the renewed national interest in cocktails has spawned a couple of boutique tonic waters. So, as part of the Drink of the Week and Mixology Monday festivities, we rounded up a couple of the new entries–Stirrings and Fever Tree–to put them to the test against the supermarket standbys: Schweppes and Canada Dry.

The results were interesting. Canada Dry was the clear loser with a Two Tongues Stuck Out in Disgust rating; “Overly sweet and chemical-tasting,” said our panel. Our tasters were also a bit disappointed by the Stirrings tonic. It had the advantage of tasting like natural product, but was nearly as sweet and oddly fruity as the Canada Dry. The second mass-market entry, Schweppes, fared better, although it brought out the boozy, horse-blanket nature of the tequila. The overall winner was the Fever Tree tonic, which balanced sweet and bitter and added welcome herbal notes.

Purely in the interest of science, we also compared the two supermarket brands in multiple formats: 10-ounce bar bottles and liter-sized big ‘uns. Just as I’ve always thought, the contents of the larger bottles were OK when fresh, but quickly took a turn for the flat and lackluster, which further exacerbated their chemical-y, medicinal undertones.

Mixology Monday 15Tequila & Tonic
2 oz. aged tequila (we use El Jimador Reposado)
3-4 oz. good-quality tonic
lime wedge, for garnish

Build over ice. Sip suavely

http://marriedwithdinner.com/2007/05/11/dotw-tequila-tonic/

Fuck up Obama's campaign so that he has to make Hillary VP.

July 4 attacks called unlikely
Posted: 05:29 PM ET
WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI sent a bulletin to state and local officials Tuesday saying there is no indication of any planned terrorist attack in the United States this holiday weekend, but it advises them to be vigilant just in case.

“There is no specific credible intelligence that terrorist organizations are planning attacks against the homeland during Fourth of July celebrations,” according to a homeland official who has seen the document.

But the bulletin says that because of the number of large gatherings and increased travel over the holiday period, authorities should heighten their vigilance, in particular for indicators of pre-operational surveillance and planning.
–From Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve

http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/30/july-4-attacks-called-unlikely/

Dow Posts Its Worst June Since The Great Depression
The Dow has closed out its worst June performance in over 75 years today, after lapsing into a bear market last week.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2008/06/stocks_mostly_lower_as_oil_pul...

Oil Tops $143 A Barrel For First Time

http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/30/markets/oil_prices.ap/index.htm?postvers...

(front middle page of today’s Washington Post)

Pentagon Fights EPA On Pollution Cleanup

“The Defense Department, the nation's biggest polluter, is resisting orders from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up Fort Meade and two other military bases where the EPA says dumped chemicals pose "imminent and substantial" dangers to public health and the environment…

“…Congress established the Superfund program in 1980 to clean up the country's most contaminated places, and of the 1,255 sites on the list the Pentagon owns 129 -- the most of any entity. Other federal agencies with properties on the list include NASA and the Energy Department, but they have signed EPA cleanup agreements without protest.

“…The law was amended in 1986 to stipulate that polluting government agencies should be treated the same as any private entity. During the 2000 presidential campaign, George W. Bush pledged to direct all federal facilities to comply with environmental laws and ‘make them accountable‘…

“…EPA spokeswoman Roxanne Smith said final orders were issued because the agency is worried about drinking water and soil contamination at Fort Meade, Tyndall and McGuire. "Under DOD's management, some of these sites have languished for years, with limited or no cleanup underway," she said…

“…Other examples of Pentagon resistance to the EPA include its successful effort this year to get greater influence in the process the agency uses to analyze the risks of industrial chemicals. Congressional Democrats, environmental groups and the Government Accountability Office have criticized the change.

“The Pentagon has also fought EPA efforts to set new pollution standards on two toxic chemicals widely found on military sites: perchlorate, found in propellant for rockets and missiles, and trichloroethylene (TCE), a degreaser for metal parts.

“TCE is the most widespread water contaminant in the country, seeping into aquifers across California, New York, Texas, Florida and elsewhere.

“More than 1,000 military sites are contaminated with TCE.

“…In the late 1990s, EPA scientists found TCE to be much more toxic than earlier believed. In 2001, the EPA prepared tougher new drinking-water standards for TCE to limit human exposure, but the Pentagon challenged those standards and took its case to the White House. The process ground to a halt; seven years later, the EPA still has not issued new TCE limits.

“Since Bush took office, one military site has been added to the Superfund list -- the Navy bombing range at Vieques Island, off Puerto Rico.

“…Maryland has been pushing the EPA to add Fort Detrick in Frederick County to the Superfund list. This month, the state sent a forceful letter to the EPA, suggesting it would follow Puerto Rico's strategy. On Thursday, the EPA informed Maryland that in September it will recommend Fort Detrick be added…

“In 1992, the state found chemical contamination in private wells just outside Fort Detrick. Under a voluntary agreement with the state, the Army removed chemical-soaked earth and rusting drums filled with toxins, set up monitoring wells and connected nearby residents to the city water supply.

“Two years later, TCE was detected in a spring outside the base -- the first time it was noticed beyond the facility's boundaries. State officials say that the presence of TCE in the aquifer is a serious concern but that they do not think the contamination poses an immediate health threat…”

http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/news.jsp?key=246074&rc=to

Oh, the headline boxed article on the same page was entitled:

“What’s Colorless and Tasteless and Smells Like…Money?

It was about the price range of water in pretty bottles. (Gulp)

talking with Sy Hersh NOW!

talking about General Clark's comments on McCain's service not being a qualification for being president...they talked about other presidents' service but neglected to mention JFK...

Anybody remember a little thing called PT-109 or something called`Profiles in Courage'?

how quickly we forget, eh?

Say . . . .
Submitted by ellwort on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 12:45pm.
Where's MMRules? How come you never see Clark Kent in the same room with Marc Maron?

********
Too funny,Ellwort.. :)
I wish I was that funny..

I fell asleep listening to Maron with me headphones on..
That's what I get for staying up all night..

I hope stupid AAR has a podcast of the show..
Probably not ! :(

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

the last few days I've been working on getting the right proportions of leamon, sugar and tea for homemade iced tea.

so far I've been a little heavy on the lemon.

...Why I am "schocked" :)

shuld be "sigh" rather

where you been all day?

check out OPEN MIC - NY Area Sederistas Unite!

be there???

oops - i thought Malloy was interviewing Hersh, it's Candy Crowley on tape

I just remembered Maron was filling in for Hartman..

Am 620 KPOJ Portland has all off Hartman's podcasts..

Should be able to get the show today there..

Yep..Cool ! :)

http://www.620kpoj.com/cc-common/podcast.html

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

How you doing ?

Good I hope..

Love your ice tea updates.. ;)

I'm too lazy..I get Lipton Diet Green Tea by the crate !

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

I came up with a new way to sweeten my iced tea this year. First I make a quart of lime juice.

6 limes squeezed
1/4 cup sugar
1 qt water

Then I use that to sweeten my tea. I usually put about 2 to 3 fingers of sweetened lime juice in a tall glass and then fill it up with tea. I've done it with lemons in the past but there's just something special about using limes. When you buy 'em bulk it's not that co$tly. You just have to drink a lot. ;-)

___
bluerootsradio

was there any type of compromise? or do i HAVE too? my kids birthday that day!! (oldest daughter that is not here)

does it matter?

"lets study Lucille" type thing!!
freak!
thats what happen today K-
and the fucking joke always seems to be ME!

a little bit ago and saw the new milk cartons that are all the rage.

it was in the NYTimes yesterday.

there's a lot of upsides to the new container...it eliminates the need for the plastic milk crates milk is currently shipped in, huge savings in shipping costs and water used for washing the crates.

but the downside is significant. people end up spilling milk because of placement of the spout and also the habit most of us have of picking the milk jug up to pour. The new design pours best if it's tilted while sitting on the counter.

I foresee an uprising bigger than the `new Coke controversy' when these new jugs hit the mainstream.

I'm thinking up to 2 years worth of `crying over spit milk' before we finally get used to the new jugs.

and BE studied!!
sumtimes i really dont give a flying fuck
sumtymes I DO!

>>When you buy 'em bulk it's not that co$tly. You just have to drink a lot. ;-)

that I've been doing.

I have a bunch of gatorade bottles I fill with tea or water then throw them in the freezer.

I'm working in a warehouse right now and it's nice to have a cold drink for breaks. it's in the 80s and 90s lately and the humidity it about 6000%

seriously, 6000%...the dew is heavy water...

Schumer calls for probe of Iraqi oil deal

Sen. Charles Schumer called Monday for an independent probe into the Iraqi government’s decision to open the country’s oil fields to foreign oil companies.

“This is a head fake by the Iraqi government,” Schumer said just hours after the Iraqis announced their plan. “The Iraqis have shown they will pursue these contracts at all costs, their nation’s political stability be damned.”

Schumer criticized the Iraqi government for signing the deal before an oil revenue sharing law is in place, saying the decision could potentially inflame sectarian tensions within Iraq.

The New York Democrat said he plans to offer an amendment to an upcoming defense authorization bill requiring the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on the law’s potential consequences.

Expect other lawmakers to follow Schumer’s lead in blasting the deal, as the announcement is a potential two-for-one special for Democrats, eager to argue that the Bush administration is trying to control Iraqi oil resources and trying to steer the revenues to large oil companies.

On Monday, The New York Times reported that the State Department helped draw up contracts between the Iraqi Oil Ministry and five major oil companies. Although no contracts have been formally awarded, the Times reported that Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, Total and Chevron were all expected to be awarded no-bid contracts from the Iraqi government.

However, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani Monday named 35 companies that would qualify to bid on service contracts for eight oil and gas fields, according to the AP.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0608/Schumer_calls_for_probe_of_I...

...keeps them 'lectrolytes in harmony.

I'm not much of a tea snob. I use Lipton mostly (cuz that's what CostCo has). I dump 6 bag in 4 cups of boiled water for 4 minutes. Then I dump that in the big container and add 4 more cups of water or a bunch of ice and then some water if I'm Jones'n for the quik fix! ;-)

I can quit any time I want.

I just don't want to right now. ;-)

___
bluerootsradio

but, Lu, if your daughter's not here, must you be home 'tween 6:30-8:30??

anyway, i'll be there
come one, come none, come all :)

...where were they during the Mukasey hearings?

___
bluerootsradio
These people are giving me vertigo.

How's it goin'?

I hope your reovery is going well.

my nephew told me his going to have to get his knee scoped, too.

FBI Chief Criticizes Supreme Court's Gun Ruling
By Associated Press
June 30, 2008

HARTFORD, Conn. — Last week's landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld a constitutional right to own guns for self-defense and hunting may harm efforts to deter violent crime in communities and college campuses, the FBI Director, Robert Mueller, said today.

Speaking at a convention of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators at Hartford, Mr. Mueller criticized the ruling, which he said "does throw a lot of things up in the air."

Last year, a gunman killed 32 people at Virginia Tech in the nation's worst mass shooting in modern history, prompting some states to consider new laws to tighten campus security. Earlier this year, a gunman killed five people at Northern Illinois University.

By a 5-4 vote last week, the nation's highest court struck down the District of Columbia's 32-year-old ban on handguns, the first major pronouncement on gun rights in history. It upheld the right for communities to license guns.

Mr. Mueller said communities will have to determine their own license programs. As a former Marine who served in Vietnam, he said "I tend to believe weapons harm people and more often than not they harm the people carrying them."

With his grandchildren going to college, Mr. Mueller said he hopes "those campuses will be weapons free."

Mr. Mueller said the FBI's top priority remains counterterrorism, counter-intelligence, and protecting the secrets of America.

http://www.nysun.com/national/fbi-chief-criticizes-supreme-courts-gun-ru...

NOPE-- i can be there!!
but did you ask me 'fore?
or did you jez expect me to be there?
you made all the arrangements!
no dis neither!

she would for me to be there too!

especially that white tea/raspberry they have. that and the citrus flavor.

this tea making binge is a result of spending way too much money on that stuff, they have it down the street for $1.25 a litter and I've been spending my way into the poorhouse buying it.

Didn't have anything done yet. July 11th. And it will be a complete knee replacement not just a scope. I probably won't be blogging for awhile afterwards.

Was it the water they were washed in/sprayed with? Is the germ agent on the outside only? Then something outside the food is at fault -- whether processing or transport.

..do you have wireless internets in your humble abode?

___
bluerootsradio

Inflation on the rise. But if they increase interest rate to control inflation, the recession will get worse.

The Federal Reserve is in a world of hurt.

It's time to nationalize the Fed.

Submitted by Chubby Bubba on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 9:33pm.
...so far I've been a little heavy on the lemon.
--------
Arrrr. Ye be a chubby scalawag wit' nary a hint o' scurvy.

...I mean the Flow Thru TeaBags. The best tea is the tea you roll yourself. Gotta be fresh.

___
bluerootsradio

i'm just spreading the word

the arrangements were made by DFNYC & ACT NOW, it's another book thing, this time with Mark Crispin Miller

toniD
new
Submitted by maggiesboy on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 10:19pm.
..do you have wireless internets in your humble abode?

No laptop.

I wanted one but can't afford it right now.

Submitted by Chubby Bubba on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 9:55pm.
...we finally get used to the new jugs.
--------
Monogamy in a nutshell.

Schumer calls for probe of
Submitted by toniD on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 10:06pm.
Schumer calls for probe of Iraqi oil deal

=======================================

I hope he calls for a look-see at the Anti-trust Free Status of the giant leading oil corporations granted to these companies after World War II.

McCain considered one-term pledge?
Stephen C. Webster

According to a new report by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain considered taking a one-term pledge at the outset of his campaign.

In January, during a Q&A held in a small New Hampshire town, a woman asked John McCain if he has the stamina for eight years in the White House. McCain, who would be the oldest president in US history at the start of his first term, told the woman, "If I said I was running for eight years, I'm not sure that would be a vote-getter." The comment was reported by the Boston Globe.

Questions by reporters after the town hall were batted away by the candidate, though talk of McCain's flirtatious courtship with the one-term pledge have not yet evaporated. Early in June, The Atlantic's Mark Ambinder claimed an early draft of McCain's announcement speech contained the one-term pledge, but it was scrapped after former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) persuaded him to remove the passage.

"You're quacking on Inauguration Day," said McCain according to Politico. His assumption being that his administration would assume an instant lame duck status if the 2012 presidential race were to begin as soon as the next president takes office.

In spite of the candidate's apparent denial, gossip in GOP circles of a one-term pledge at McCain's nomination acceptance speech is pervasive.

"It would take age off the table once and for all," claims Marsha Mercer, Washington bureau chief for Media General News Services. "It could even mollify those Republicans who think McCain is insufficiently conservative. They could hold their noses and vote for him as the lesser of two evils, knowing he was on his way out."

"He's probably even considering announcing that he would serve only one term, as a way of pushing the agenda on a bipartisan basis," said Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) on June 16 at a gathering in Washington D.C. He later disregarded the comment.

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_considered_oneterm_pledge_0630.html

...check your gmail account.

___
bluerootsradio

The "endgame", Secretary Gates? That means the clock turned back to the way it was before oil trusts were kicked out of Iraq and Iran -- Mideast Oil controlled by Cheney's pals Oil Cartel.

>>I probably won't be blogging for awhile afterwards.

hopefully it won't be too long.I 'd be surprized if its more than a few days. Have you asked your surgeon about blogging during the operation? maybe they could give you a local and you can give us your thoughts at the time?

Maybe you can borrow the Sammycam?

Clarke simply said that being a POW isn't a qualification for being president.

Clarke said nothing derogatory about McCain or his service.

ma bad read it wrong! sorry!
thank you!
(seems like i always say SORRY)

YOU GOOD!

fire safety programs mandated in the 1970s!

Why should the Nuclear Power Industry be trusted to open up even more of these nuclear plants???

...maybe while they are doing the knee they could implant some satellite receivers and transmitters connected to her neocortex and turn tD into a 24X7X365 human internet transponder. Then, even when she is sleeping ,she can be feeding us the latest newsbreaks.

___
bluerootsradio
It's just so crazy, it just might work!

...well for one, we wouldn't have the loser with have right now.

___
bluerootsradio
It would be a very shallow pool to draw from...

Having problems with gmail but will send you a reply shortly.

Wow great show on cable, N.G. connects CIA and R.F.K.'s assassination, CIA was experimenting with LSD since the very early 50's.

If you need to, email me at here . Just scroll down and look on the left side for "Contact BlueRoots".

___
bluerootsradio

you lied 2 the knee!

>>If being a shot down fighter pilot was criteria for Prez...

OTOH, having his PT boat cut in half by a Japanese cruiser didn't hurt JFK's career...

I supposethe quality we're looking for is the ability to live through a situation that went absolutely FUBAR and end up in the senate smelling like a rose?

Who knows?

culd have
told me from the get!

have to finish making room for an air conditioner delivery & installation tomorrow

then i'll really be cool :)

good night all

all the talks? for what? jokes? mmmphhhpphh!
not fair!!
culd have played!!!
butt! U choze 4 me!
not happe

sent you a reply.

LOVE YOU!!!!

...but I would make the same argument for JFK. Losing your PT Boat or your fighter plane shows a certain lack of skill. I would rather vote for the guy who kept his war machine intact, but then I'm funny that way. Either way, Bush couldn't even show up for a fucking champagne unit Nat'l Guard meeting and that didn't keep his sorry ass out of the WH.

The bottomline is this, you join the military to serve an obligation to your country. Not everyone can do that. It's not something you should do and then say "Hey, look what I did! How 'bout that?". If you are truly serving your country, you do it freely without expectation of being rewarded.

I joined to serve, not to receive accolades.

At Ease. I'm going to bed.

___
bluerootsradio
Good night and
good bloggin'.
All you lilly livered liberals who didn't enlist! ;-)

Peace!!!!!!

murder? -- perpetrated to show Maliki that Bush did not approve of Al Maliki's independent thinking of late....

Malloy is right.

Operation Horse's Head. Wasn't the "Godfather" horse head a warning?

Clark says it, so it's out there. Then Obama distances himself from the comments. But the comments remain out there.

McCain's having been a prisoner of war does not equate to qualifications for the Presidency.

I think it was all orchestrated....politicians are .......cant even figure out what to say...they are..

Submitted by maggiesboy on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 10:56pm.
...but I would make the same argument for JFK. Losing your PT Boat or your fighter plane shows a certain lack of skill. I would rather vote for the guy who kept his war machine intact, but then I'm funny that way...
------
Not that it matters (the "My patriotic heroism is bigger than your patriotic heroism" thingy) but Kennedy swam for miles, repeatedly, on behalf of his crew.

..and JFK didn't get caught by the enemy either.

___
bluerootsradio

I'll never dig myself outta this one.
I surrender!

Fantasy Baseball Owner Rips Team In Media

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/fantasy_baseball_owner_rips_team

I don't know what has crawled up Mike's butt. But this Obama tirade of his is getting old. It's been going on for a while. He is so enraged about Obama. Why? Whatever the source of his anger is, it's deep and raw. Tonight he said, "Obama is no leader". Well, if you can attract a crowd of 80,000 and not an entertainer, what is that? Furthermore, if you can register a million new voters, does that help?

We know Obama is not the entire answer to progressive agenda. But do we have a choice in the matter. At least he has revived the electorate. Therefore we cannot afford to demoralize anyone about voting. The thought of President McCain is too awful. So why is Mike doing this?

>So why is Mike doing this?

hopefully Obama will get the message and not drift ever rightward?

I'd say leaders initiate and take action.

So I agree with Mike Malloy's assessment of Obama. He has inspired many. But where is his "leadership"?

Submitted by Chubby Bubba on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 11:35pm.
======

Let's hope so Chubby.

And the Feds will cancel it by the ebd of this year.

I have been bonin' up on Joe Horn who blasted two burglars in the back in Pasadena, Texas. He was acquitted despite the recorded 911 phone call entered as evidence of his guilt.

The audio of his call and his shooting is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jqLie6-Y0

--------
Following that foray into ignorant redneckism, I naturally drifted to the latest episode (only eighteen hours old) of Red State Update. The boys discuss the sale of Budweiser to the Belgians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQQPPNFFTmo

So I agree with Mike Malloy's assessment of Obama. He has inspired many. But where is his "leadership"?
-------
When has leadership skills been important in America? Let's see. In my lifetime, we have had a cocaine sniffing drunk, a serial womanizer, a senile movie star, a half witted CIA spook, and a peanut farmer.

...

Solar Water Heaters Now Mandatory In Hawaii
Hawaii has become the first state to require solar water heaters in new homes. The bill was signed into law by Governor Linda Lingle, a Republican. It requires the energy-saving systems in homes starting in 2010. It prohibits issuing building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar water heaters.

J Street is the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.

J Street was founded to promote meaningful American leadership to end the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israel conflicts peacefully and diplomatically. We support a new direction for American policy in the Middle East and a broad public and policy debate about the U.S. role in the region.

J Street represents Americans, primarily but not exclusively Jewish, who support Israel and its desire for security as the Jewish homeland, as well as the right of the Palestinians to a sovereign state of their own - two states living side-by-side in peace and security. We believe ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the best interests of Israel, the United States, the Palestinians, and the region as a whole.

J Street supports diplomatic solutions over military ones, including in Iran; multilateral over unilateral approaches to conflict resolution; and dialogue over confrontation with a wide range of countries and actors when conflicts do arise. For more on our policy positions, click here.

J Street will advocate forcefully in the policy process, in Congress, in the media, and in the Jewish community to make sure public officials and community leaders clearly see the depth and breadth of support for our views on Middle East policy among voters and supporters in their states and districts. We seek to complement the work of existing organizations and individuals that share our agenda. In our lobbying and advocacy efforts, we will enlist individual supporters of other efforts as partners.

J Street is itself a 501(c)(4) organization and is part of the J Street family of organizations, which includes an independent, legally unconnected Political Action Committee, JStreetPAC.

http://www.samsedershow.com/node/3377

.

http://www.chris-floyd.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=154...

As Kurdish legislator Mahmoud Othman noted, the raid was a "big embarrassment" for al-Maliki, "because he was in that area two days before the incident, telling his people that we are the masters in our country and the decisions were ours to make." Clearly, the attack on al-Maliki's hometown and the killing of his kinsman were intended to send a double message. First, that any notion of Iraqi "sovereignty" is and always will be a joke, whatever pious verbiage gets spouted for the rubes back home. And second -- well, it goes something like this: "Hey, Nouri, see Cousin Ali here? You're next, pal, if you don't play ball!"

No doubt there will be a passing "political crisis" in Iraq over this hit job -- as there have been about so many other incidents before, from Haditha to Ishaqi to the Blackwater killing spree -- but it won't matter in the end. The cobbled-together conglomeration of collaborators and corruptocrats in the Baghdad "government" know they cannot survive without direct and massive American military support. The most they can hope for is to kick the negotiations down the road a bit, and see if they can get a slightly better deal from the next administration in Washington. (Obama, being such an "anti-war" candidate and all, would probably settle for, oh, 25 long-term "leases" on military bases for the tens of thousands of troops he intends on keeping in Iraq to carry out "counter-terrorism operations," train Iraqi forces and provide security for "American interests" throughout the land, including the bristling, sprawling "Fortress America" embassy in the heart of Baghdad.)

But Friday's operation was a strong indication that the Bushists might not be willing to let al-Maliki dally too much longer over an agreement. To avert once more to that seminal work: either al-Maliki's brains or his signature will be on that sheet of paper before the final credits roll.
***

How Was Work Today, Honey?
Submitted by Crank Bait on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 7:34pm.
Photos of 200 lb. biologist saving 375 lb. black bear from drowning:

___________________________

Crank Bait,

I watched an interview with the bear-saving biologist. It was interesting to hear him tell his story. The biologist said that he would do it again -- regardless of the risk.

The biologist said that he had some minor injuries on his feet from the bear and the barnacles.

Contrary to ghettodefender's Rhodesesque gripe, Clark did NOT "attack" McCain. I don't see answering a question about whether McCain is more qualified than Obama (because of his purported vast military experience) with the answer that, while Clark reveres McCain's service, it wasn't strategic command decision service that makes McCain more qualified than Obama to decide foreign policy issues -- as an "attack" on McCain. Clark was clear in saying that McCain's service was something to honor but not something that makes him a better presidential candidate than Obama. What did Obama do in response to the Republican frantic lies accusing Clark of "swiftboating"? He accepts them as true and distances himself from his defender, Clark.

If Obama is going to distance himself from everyone attacked by Republicans no matter how ridiculous the lie, he will wind up with no one left by his side; even his wife has been falsely attacked with the "whitey" lies by Larry Johnson. Everyone seems expendable to Obama if the corporate media hollers about something. The person swiftboated was NOT McCain -- it was CLARK, by Rick Sanchez of CNN, but words are being twisted by the media till you no longer can keep up with what is true. Obama showed no character in dumping Clark. Clark was actually raising a very good issue and it was so dangerous to McCain because it challenged McCain's imaginary "superior military and foreign policy credentials" that he has built his entire flag-draped candidacy on that the corporate media went on the attack. Obama and people like "ghettodefender" took the bait, but Clark should have been thanked, not stabbed in the back for his truthful statement.

Sorry to be late commenting but I just saw "ghettodefender's" comment on this subject at the top of the page.