S.O.C. -- Spinning Out of Control

2004-03-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

What's Up With Senate Dems?

Whose passing out the steroids to the Senate Democrats? First, Daschle gives a great floor speech on the Bush administration's Corleone tactics with dissenting ex-staffers, and now effectively using parlimentary procedures to attack the aggregious overtime rules.

I am not only impressed, I am overjoyed. I have probably tired out my family members and co-workers with my displeasure at the acquiesence of the Senate Dems. My heart is now beginning to beat proudly.

CNN.com - Overtime debate threatens tax bill - Mar 24, 2004

2004-03-24T07:24:00.000-08:00

Small Business' Not Rich

I believe it was either Krugman or DeLong who first mentioned that the Kerry proposed tax increases would only affect a small number of "small business" owners. Well, here is more evidence to support that. According to the article, IRS estimates still showed that 73 percent of their returns listed income of $100,000 or less in 2000. And there is still another $100,000 to go before they are affected by the rate increase. In addition, 55 percent list their income as below 50,000.

Is there any subject on which we can have a fact-based debate with these guys? I haven't found it yet.

Politics News Article | Reuters.com

2004-03-24T06:56:00.000-08:00

Waiting for that Kay Report

Remember the good ole days when the administration was telling everyone to wait for the Kay Report. It was going to answer all of the questions. Well, with Kay's speech at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Kay is becoming possibly more embarssing to Bush than Richard Clarke. No one can say the Kay is a disgruntled ex-staffer. Kay appeared to have fully expected to find what the administration was expecting. Now, every other week there is a new article quoting Kay as saying the they were wrong, and they need to fess up.

Drip, drip, drip.

Link from Buzzflash
Kay implores US to admit mistakes in Iraq

2004-03-23T06:40:00.000-08:00

More Conservative Wacko Judges

Looks like Mr. "Changing the Tone, One Judge at a Time" is at it again. William Haynes II, the man responsible for "enemy combatants" and military tribunals is at for nomination to the 4th Circuit Court. Hasn't Bush gotten this conservative cred yet?

An Injudicious Nominee

2004-03-22T12:05:00.000-08:00

Trash Liberal Media, Not Clarke

That seems to be OxyRush's strategy.

Listening in my car while running out for a snack, Rush seems to be falling back on the old standard liberal media tact. Leave it to the liberal media to promote Clarke's book.

This is pretty good. I think he (and they) realize that Clarke will be difficult to slime, not that they won't try, because of a number of articles already out there. But, there is always the liberal media.

Not bad.

2004-03-22T10:42:00.000-08:00

Clarke and Time

My initial reaction to the Richard Clarke 60 Minutes interview was to go back and re-read the August 2002 Time article, TIME.com: Could 9/11 Have Been Prevented?. My reading and comparison with Clark shows pretty much near complete corraboration. The biggest difference is that I see a Clarke attempting to be a team player in his direct quotes, while others characterize him a being extremely frustrated by the ongoing process of constantly reevaluating policy.

This article is a must read as far as putting any upcoming attempts to discredit Clarke in their proper place.

2004-03-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

Scott McClellan, Our Guy

In The New Republic, Jonathan Chait gives an entertaining look at the White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan. This comparison with Ari Fleischer is especially noteworthy:

One of my secret wishes is to be a press secretary. But then I watch McClellan and give it a second and third thought. But then again, I would hope that I wouldn't attach myself to a politician for whom the ability to lie is at such premium.

2004-03-18T06:40:00.000-08:00

Dennis Miller, Major-League Asshole

Well, I for one cannot wait for the latest entry from Eric Alterman, after the disgraceful performance by Dennis Miller last night. Eric has every reason to completely pissed off, and hopefully he is. I say that, because I don't think you just shrug off treatment like that. It has been difficult enough to get a message like Eric's out, and to have to deal with Miller's behavior is just ridiculous.

After Alterman gave a intro about his book and his point of view on Bush, Miller began a commenting on the way Alterman was sitting in his chair. At that point, after that irrelevancy, Alterman went into more issues covered by his book, there was a little give and take, and then during a comment by Alterman, Miller jumped in, Alterman asked to finish his comment and from that point on Miller became a tit-sucking baby as he pouted in his chair. When Alterman finished his comment, Miller turned to the camera and ended the segment.

I can't call for a boycott of Miller, because the only reason I was watching his show was to see Alterman. It was a disgraceful performance, but it was also completely consistent with the course that Miller has decided to take politically.

For his part, Alterman agressively pushed his views of Bush, and hopefully a few of Miller's viewers, and there are only a few, eyes were opened.

Now I could say that if the liberal blogosphere had helped me with my attempt to start a email campaign to push for a show for Alterman, (thanks by the by to Bob at LiberalOasis for his help), we might have been watching "Altercation - The TV Show". But that would be too self-serving.

2004-03-16T12:13:00.000-08:00

The Obvious
According to The Note: Dick Cheney said the following in Pennsylvania yesterday, "The VP took the opportunity to slam Kerry on his foreign leaders comments, saying: 'Yesterday, in Pennsylvania, a voter asked Senator Kerry directly who these foreign leaders are. Senator Kerry said, 'that's none of your business.' But it is our business when a candidate for President claims the political endorsement of foreign leaders. At the very least, we have a right to know what he is saying to foreign leaders that makes them so supportive of his candidacy.'"

Am I the only one who wants to know where was the obvious Kerry retort that it is our business to know who was involved in writing the energy bill?

Can they make it easier? Where is the Kerry team?

2004-03-15T06:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Colin

Over at LiberalOasis, Bob Scheer argues the same thing I was thinking while watching Colin Powell on Stephanopolous' show. Powell made Kerry's point of law enforcement vs military as far as terrorism.

This is the essence of Kerry's argument. The first phase of any terrorist attack is the investigative, or law enforcement, effort. Once the data and intelligence has been gathered, then you go where it leads you. Investigations after 9/11 led us to Afghanistan. We still don't know what led us to Iraq.

2004-03-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Fire the Messenger

Apparently, in June of 2003, Scully threatened to fire Foster if he released actuary data to the press. Not sure if this was the same report, but there does seem to be a pattern. Also, Scully seems to be quite the ego-maniac.

AP Wire | 06/25/2003 | White House Won't Release Medicare Memo

2004-02-26T06:27:00.000-08:00

Kerry's Voting Record on Defense: The Justifications are in the Details

Someone please send this Fred Kaplan article, "John Kerry's Defense Defense - Setting his voting record straight" from Slate to Terry MacCauliffe. Then he can point by point attack Ed Gillespie on Kerry's voting record.

I can't believe that no one in the DNC hasn't already done this research.

2004-02-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Big Brother TIVO?

The most disturbing item to emerge from the Nipple Show is that according to TIVO more people rewound that moment than any other
in their history.

How the hell do they know? What data are they collecting that alerts them everytime a user hits the rewind button?

This is a hell of a lot more shocking than a nipple.

2004-01-30T07:45:00.000-08:00

Krugman is Bank

In his Friday column, Where's the Apology?, Paul Krugman ends with this thought provoking question:

The rest is just as good.

2004-01-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

John Kerry to David Broder: "Thanks"

In his second to last paragraph in his WaPo article, Awaiting Answers On Iraq, David Broder gives John Kerry the ammo to defend his war vote:

Repeat after me. "in giving the president this authority..."

2004-01-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Where is the Outrage?

So first, Grover Norquist compares the estate tax to the Holocaust. Now, Paul Craig Roberts, former WSJ ed page editor and Washington Times columnist compares income taxes to slavery. This is the line that made me lose my cookies:

What the f--- is wrong with these people?

Link from Brad DeLong and Eugene Volokh

2004-01-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

From Paul O'Neill

With all of the Repubs spinning wildly that its the intelligence agencies fault, I thought I would pass on this from the Suskind book "The Price of Loyalty"

"and I read those CIA reports for two years."

Emphasis his.

2004-01-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

Just a thought...

One of the Repub defenses for initiating this war was that Saddam never told us what happened to the left over weapons. Whether they had been destroyed or not. Well, what it they had been?

Remember Saddam's document dump? One of the requirements of Resolution 1441 was that Iraq had to declare all of its weapons capabilities. Iraq dumped volumes of documents on, I believe, the UN. At the time, everyone was very critical of the documentation. I remember several administration members, including Powell I believe, saying that these documents were not credible. Well, what if they were?

What if those documents were absolutely correct about Iraq's capabilities? Everyone, including me, simply assumed that Iraq had at least some chemical or biological weapons. We let our assumptions get in the way of impartially analyzing that data. The documents concluded that Iraq had no WMD.

I heard a caller on a local talk show comparing the situation to a policeman that was telling a suspect to drop his weapon, and finally shooting him for not doing so. Listening to this guy, it occurred to me that the suspect did show that he had no weapon. When that happens, the policeman usually goes to jail.

If those documents were correct, and it seems that they were, then what now?

We asked for their current capability, and then when they gave it to us, we let our assumptions cloud our view. I keep saying "we", because I think a great many people did this, but none of us had the responsibility to act rationally when making the decision to go to war.

As I said, just a thought...

2004-01-26T09:58:00.000-08:00

British Intelligence - Don't Blame Us

Iraq's WMD: the big lie? - [Sunday Herald]

I expect to see this same type of article come out of the CIA. All of their points are eerily similar to what was being said by US intelligence. When the Bush Mob rush to blame US intelligence, I wonder if they will mention the "stovepiping" of data done by their internal intelligence groups?

An aside: So does David Kay have any relation that could be outed a la Plame?

2004-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Bush Tax - Florida Version

Orlando Sentinel: State set for big tax increase

As a resident of Orlando, who follows politics pretty closely, I can vouch for this line in the story,

A similiar problem occurred with a bill that allowed the phone companies the ability to increase their rates. Gov "Brother of Shrub" argued that the phone companies would be constrained by market forces and competition. Well, a few months after passage of this bill, the phone companies propose huge increases, and now GOP legislators are surprised that it was this large, and occurred this quickly.

Duhhh!

2004-01-22T07:41:00.000-08:00

P.E.T.R. -- People for Ethical Training for Republicans

Apparently, the lack of ethics on the Republican side of the aisle now extents to cyber-theft. Judiciary committee staffers have been rifling through Democratic memos since possibly 2001. Isn't this a crime? Is anyone keeping a running count of the criminal offenses that Republicans are now being validly accused of?

Link from Buzzflash

2004-01-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

Cohen: Iraq as Enron

When Richard Cohen gets it right, he really gets it right. This WaPo Editorial "An Address Worthy of Enron" hits the nail squarely on the head.

2004-01-15T05:18:00.000-08:00

It's On

Peggy Noonan has made it official. According to her WSJ OpinionJournal column, "... it's hard to avoid the thought that reporters don't really like Mr. Dean".

The hair on the back of every Democrats neck should now be doing the twist. Dean should take this column and wave it around at every press conference, and should challenge the press by asking why do they cover a Presidential campaign as though it were a high school election.

Update: I missed a 'graph.

(Mr. Clark, I'm afraid, seems even stranger than Mr. Dean. We'll talk about him soon.)

Thanks Nooner, but no thanks.

2004-01-09T05:05:00.000-08:00

Continuing Health Care Crisis

Bob Herbert of the NY Times continues to be one of the most socially aware columnists in America. Today he is tackling the Bush Administration's near malfeasance concerning health care for the poor and middle class.

The money quotes:

2004-01-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

Sidney on Colin

Sidney Blumenthal echos my own views on the destruction of Colin Powell's reputation by this association and loyalty to the Bush Administration, and particularly the Iraqi War effort.

I once wrote a slightly ranting message to Eric Alterman, where I said that my secret hope was that Powell would resign from this administration on principle, my the logical and overdue conversion to the Democratic party, and then run for president. That is no longer a hope or desire. Because loyalty to a family should not supercede the best interests of the nation. I no longer view Powell as someone I would vote for in presidential election. That maybe bitterness on my part, but after all that has happened that last three years, I feel I have no choice in the matter.

Thanks to Buzzflash for the link.

2004-01-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

Great Boondocks Today

The Boondocks

2004-01-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

What About Those Tax Cuts?

Robert Samuelson writes an article in the WaPo ed section that rightly discusses the baby boomer retirement impact on the deficit and economy, but he never mentions the Bush Tax cuts. In his article, The Boomers' Time Bomb Denial he blames both Democrats and Republicans for being in denial about this impending issue. He also blames both Bush and Clinton, despite that fact that discretionary spending went down under Clinton, and despite surpluses that were produced by Clinton's economic policies. In discussing Bush, he never mentions the impact of the tax cuts on the deficit, nor does he discuss Democratic opposition to those cuts based on their impact on the deficit.

All in all, not a very honest article.

2003-12-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

Shout It from the Rafters

Star Tribune Editorial: Dean's truth/Saddam didn't threaten U.S.

I haven't decided whether I am a Dean guy or not, I tend to lean more towards Clark, but I believe this editiorial from the Star Tribune needs to be sent to every pundit who is vaccuous enough to say that while Dean is absolutely right, he is still open for ridicule and attack.

2003-12-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

Sidney's Red Meat

Sidney Blumenthal serves up red meat for liberals in The Guardian.

This is a must read as it more accurately reflects the feelings of we liberal Democrats then anything else that I have read.

2003-12-11T07:42:00.000-08:00

Gore Disloyal? Bah!!

Richard Cohen's WaPo column, A Class Act, Betrayed accuses Al Gore of betraying Joe Lieberman. On November 19, 2000, Lieberman appeared on "Meet the Press", and sabotaged the Gore recount effort. He stepped away from the Gore team view that absentee ballots, including military, should be given the same scrutiny that Republicans were demanding of regular ballots, that is, that improperly completed ballots should be tossed. After Lieberman's appearance, the Gore team couldn't pursue this completely appropriate strategy. In a Washing Monthly article, Mensch at Work", Noam Scheiber documents various other ways in which Lieberman's actions undermined the Gore campaign, such as simultaneously running for Senate while a VP candidate. Cohen and others view Lieberman's pledge to not run if Gore ran as some type of grand sacrifice. But Lieberman continued to campaign after giving his pledge, undercutting the sincerity of it.

The same reporters who propagated the CW that Gore was a pathological liar are now mounting the same horse to pounce on him for betraying Lieberman.

We've seen this show before.

2003-12-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

Couldn't the AP photographer have waited for the hand to come down?

2003-12-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

Is Brooks Talking About Dean or Bush?

David Brooks' NYTimes OpEd, The Mysterious Stranger, has Howard Dean's name in it, but all the points in it apply more accurately to candidate Gov. George W. Bush. This is, in fact, the column one would have expected from a Broder during the 2000 campaign. Bush, the Andover, Harvard, and Yale man as Texas everyman. Yeah, right. Two term, governor promising a "humble" foreign policy and decrying nation building.

I wonder if when conservatives right these types of articles, are they laughing as they write, or do they really believe it?

On the other hand Bill Kristol's WaPo OpEd is one of the most levelheaded analyses' of Dean by a conservative. In 2000, it didn't matter that Gore was completely more qualified for office that Bush. In this campaign, Bush has sacrificed the moderate vote, and expects additional social conservatives to make up the difference. And yet, he is alienating fiscal conservatives with his uncontrolled spending.

I, again, always wonder about the motivation of conservatives to write these type of articles, but it is hard to argue with any of Kristol's points.

2003-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Cutting Off the Nose to Spite the Face

The Cavalier Daily

I tend to believe somtimes that the NAACP leadership has too much time on its hands. This issue is ridiculous. The proliferation of the use of "nigger" in rap tunes is more of an issue than this. What is Julian Bond talking about, "My first impulse is that this should be a dismissible infraction -- but free speech protections I hold dear tell me that shouldn't be so," Bond wrote, adding that the administration "ought to disavow such language"

Julian, please don't talk. Just be a figurehead.

I recently had a back and forth with David Ehrenstein on Atrios's comment board concerning his use of "house nigger". I objected to it because I felt it unnecessary, "house slave" means the same thing, and out of place in that forum. We agreed to disagree. I am not for the wholesale, casual tossing around of that word. But let's be real. The issue of team names, especially the Redskins is one that most liberals probably agree on. This incident shouldn't provoke a campus wide racial sensitivity lesson.

Two unfortunate and underreported legacies of the OJ trial is the lessening of free speech where the "N-word" is concerned, and the increase in TV face time for Nancy Grace.

2003-12-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

Michael Kelly couldn't be there, so why not Bartley?

Robert Bartley awarded Medal of Freedom

Is that over the top? Perhaps I missed Robert Bartley's golden age, but if his previous writings are anything like his current stuff then I guess blind partisan writings are way to go. Bartley has specialized in the one sided argument, his endorsement of the "lucky duckie" argument being one example.

But this isn't a surprise. The President has already lowered the expectations of everything else, why not the Medal of Freedom standards?

2003-12-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

You Go, Terry!!

Josh Marshall has a copy of a Terry McAuliffe letter to John Ashcroft concerning the attempted bribing of Rep Nick Smith (R). The letter is awesome, and it puts pressure squarely on Ashcroft to investigate the matter. Smith is the legislator that was told that $100,000 would be provided to his son, Brad, for his congressional campaign, if Smith voted for the Medicare bill. By US statutes, this is a bribe. Whether Ashcroft opens an investigation or not, the publicizing of this action by the party of morality can only be good for Dems.

It seems that each the Rethugs show their willingness to abuse their power. Eventually, they will have to pay for it. Let's hope more sooner than later.

2003-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Winger-on-Winger Rage

I always wonder about the effect of articles such as this one by Brendan Miniter in the OpinionJournal. If Bush/Rove read this, do they act, or do they brush it off as the ravings of any outsider? Do they operate under the "Who else would they vote for?" viewpoint, or are they starting to feel less and less secure about November '04?

I have often asked this of friends, what would be the motivation for someone who voted for Gore in '00 to vote for Bush in '04? At the beginning of the year, that motivation might have been the War on Terror (the real one, not the Iraqi escapades). But now with Iraq sucking up more and more foreign policy oxygen, and seeming more and more of a misguided adventure (I have a gift for understatement), why would anyone who supported Gore and switched to Bush after 9/11 continue to support Bush? Has Bush accomplished anything that would keep those Gore crossover supporters? I don't see it.

Now, as Miniter writes, if fiscal and Christian conservatives are contemplating not supporting him, where will his re-elect numbers be coming from?

Also, for Dems, the lost of the far left in '00 contributed greatly to Gore's defeat, (can't stand Nader). It is a near certainty that it won't happen again in '04. Only the most hardcore Greens would do anything to allow Bush another term, I hope.

I, for one, am feeling good about '04.

2003-12-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

Altercation - The TV Show

MSNBC has cancelled "Buchanan and Press" and shuffled their lineup to create a vacancy at 9pm. Let's fill it with Eric Alterman.

Click the following link to create your email, the subject should read "Altercation - The TV Show".

MSNBC-TV

The following should already be in the message.

S.O.C. website

Then, add any additional comments that you might have to this, or replace it with a message of your own and send it to MSNBC. If the numbers are high enough, then we should get their attention. A show for Eric preferably, or at least the realization that there are a lot of us who were upset when Donahue was cancelled. Not because we worshipped Donahue, but that he was the only liberal with a show.

So, lets do this. Maybe Eric won't mind. Think I should tell him?

Update: Eric gives support. He replied to my email with a hearty "Hell yeah". Doesn't really sound like Alterman. Oh well.

2003-11-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

MSNBC Makes Space for "Altercation-The TV show"

My plan is coming together. MSNBC is cancelling "Buchanan and Press", no great loss. They are moving "The Abrams Report" to the 6pm slot, and repeating it at 9pm until a replacement is found. Let's make that replacement a show hosted by Eric Alterman.

Click here to support "Altercation-The TV Show" EMail Campaign

Come on people. Let's stop whining about conservative media power, and instead exert some of out own.

2003-11-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

Howie Kurtz - Conservative Shill

In Eric Alterman's Altercation today, he displays a list from the American Conservative Union:

Howard Kurtz

As if on cue, Howie writes the following in his Media Notes column:

My issue here is that as media critic, Kurtz certainly should question whether something is being buried or not. But by what definition of journalism is a summary of old news now new news? That is the case with the Hayes story concerning the Feith memo. Feith testifed to the Senate Intelligence Committee, and the memo was the product of a request by the committee to summarize his testimony. His testimony had been reported on, his summary contained no new information. How is this news? Also, on what planet is Sean Hannity a journalist? The leak on the Intelligence committee strategy memo was given to Hannity to get it into the echo chamber as quickly as possible so as to pressure the mainstream press to write about it, thus legitimizing it. That they won't play ball on this one causes a hyperventilate by Howie. Even Fred Barnes on Fox's Special Edition with Brit Hume said that is was a non-story.

The biggest problem I have with Howie-con is that in his piece, he editorializes about the mainstream media's possible motives, then he quotes a spin-laden Tony Blankley column which contains a huge out-of-context quote. A staff memo to Durbin as quoted in the Wall Street Journal said,

Blankley wrote:

The reference in the staff memo obviously concerns Republican attempts to score points with the Latino community as opposed to being a bigotry. Kurtz could have, and should have addressed this. But instead he ran Blankley's quote without comment.

Howie can't have it both ways.

2003-11-19T06:58:00.000-08:00

Wonder if Bush's royal newspaper reader will show him this column

Mourning in America

Two best lines:

and

Let's hope this gets through the filter.

2003-11-19T06:33:00.000-08:00

THIS IS WHY ERIC ALTERMAN
SHOULD HAVE A MSNBC SHOW

Hardball 11/19/2003

I thought the Dept of Defense memo cleared this all up. What is it about this line is hard to understand:

I tried to start an e-mail campaign to get Eric Alterman a show for this very reason. I have to watch, just to see if the DOD press release comes up. But he'll probably have Frank Gaffney on unopposed.

We'll see.

2003-11-18T08:56:00.000-08:00

The Boondocks is Awesome

The Boondocks

2003-11-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

Is Russert a Clark Supporter?

Maybe I am reading too much into yesterday's Meet The Press interview with Wesley Clark, but if I were a Democratic primary opponent, or a Republican, I would be a little pissed with Tim Russert.

First of all, almost all of the questions dealt with defense and foreign policy. There were only one or two questions squeezed in on domestic issues at the end of the interview. Russert allowed Clark to address almost all of the oppo spin that has been levelled at him, with only token follow-up. While they weren't really softballs, they were easily answered, and allowed Clark to show off his communications skills.

I have to admit, I am supporting Clark since my real pick, Bob Graham dropped out. I view Clark as more than just the anti-Dean. I think the whole anti-Dean thing is a concept being forced on us by both the DLC and the RNC. I say the RNC because they have been the ones really pushing the "liberal Howard Dean" storyline. Anyone who has read a little on Dean knows that he is no liberal, and I think that Clark may be more of a liberal that Dean is. We will see.

2003-11-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

Can the Right Wingers Intimidate HBO?

Probably not.

Frank Rich has a review of sorts on a new movie that truly addresses the Reagan AIDS legacy. Check out the review, in which it seems at that Rich is daring them to try to stop the movie, and let's wait for the fireworks.

2003-11-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

Anger Does Work

In today's WPost, Robert Kagen writes an interesting article on Howard Dean entitled, No George McGovern. While his article deals specifically with defense and foreign policy, it could be applied to the total set of Dean's view of various issues. Kagen argues that the view of Dean as a anti-war candidate is incorrect. He is, in fact, anti-Iraq War, but hawkish on many other issues. Well, Mr. Kagen, welcome to the party. Dean has been saying this all along. He has never declared himself to be an anti-war, anti-use of force candidate. He has always maintained that he simply disagrees with this war. The Republicans then proceeded to attempt to paint him as a peacenik liberal because the serves their electorial purposes. A moderate Dean that can still excite the independent and Democratic electorate is possibly the Bushies' worst nightmare.

Let's no be fooled, while George W. Bush ran a moderate general election campaign, he was elected by the blind rage induced desire of conservatives to retake the White House. Anger does work because it can get the butts to the polls, it can put energized volunteers in the streets and on the phones. On of the primary features of the modern conservative movement is their combativeness. At the Iowa Jefferson/Jackson Dinner, both John Kerry and John Edwards gave speeches attempting to tone down the anger of Dems with the current administration. IMHO, these guys want to lose. Why would you defuse the bomb that could very easily blow Bush out of the White House. Whomever the Dem nominee is, they will need that excitement to get out the vote.

2003-11-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

Letter to Nicholas Kristof

I sent this to Nick.

Did I miss anything?

2003-11-05T14:23:00.000-08:00

Hardball with Chris Matthews’ for Nov. 4

Nothing to add.

2003-11-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

By the By

While searching for info on Bush's position on the Confederate Flag, I found this quote in the North County Times made on or around 4/21/2000:

Pot meet kettle.

2003-11-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

Dean and Confederate Flag

This debate reminds me of Kerry and the "regime change" line that he used many times, but became an issue when Republicans jumped on it in an attempt to discredit Kerry, probably to dampen the voter impact of his military record. Dean has been using this Confederate Flag line often, but now some of the other candidates are using it in an attempt to hurt him.

The amount of spin that is necessary to make his comment an issue defies physics. He is talking about expanded the electorate in the South for Democrats. Everyone knows that is he is saying. And yet they all are reacting as it this could be the derailing of his campaign.

It is amazing that this is what the national media is latching onto as a problem issue for Dean. It would be interesting to go back and find how many columns were written about George W. Bush and his deflection of the Confederate flag issue. This is also an issue where the maverick McCain wasn't such a maverick. Bush dodged it completely with very little critisism from the national press. At the Republican Debate in West Columbia, SC on Jan 7, 2000 this was the exchange between Bush and a questioner:

Dean gets constant negative coverage for expressing a desire to bring different faces into the Democratic Party. Bush paid no price for having no spine.

2003-11-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Junior Wingnuts

Normally, I look at one of these stories and laugh at the lack of respect for authority. But, this time its at my daughter's school, Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando. So the Liberty Counsel feels that the students' rights are being denied. Standards be damned. The principal doesn't have the right to say that these float themes cross the line. No one is saying that the groups can't have floats, just that the theme's are inappropriate for a homecoming parade.

At what point do these people risk doing what the far left did to the Democratic party in the 70's. There is such a thing as moving too far to the extremes. The pep rally and homecoming parade is not the venue to fight the culture wars.

And since they brought it up, I am of the feeling that the First Amendment Freedom of Speech right is the most abused of the big ten. Freedom of speech rights keep you out of jail, and/or protect you from retribution by the government for speak out against them. That's it. It doesn't apply to CBS not airing the Reagan movie, or kids putting a controversial float in a school parade. This is one of the most misunderstood and/or abused aspects of the Constitution. If I am wrong, someone please enlighten me. But I don't think I am.

2003-11-04T04:56:00.000-08:00

Rockefeller vs Roberts

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Pat Roberts publicly screwed Jay Rockefeller on Sunday's Late Edition when he announce that the White House was going to cooperate on Iraq documents? Rockefeller had just blasted the administration, and then Roberts says, essentially, "Oh yeah Jay, forgot to tell you. They called on Friday and said they would sent the stuff. Sorry, I was busy and no one connected with me was able to call you or Blackberry you or email you or, you know, share vital committee info with you.

Rockefeller didn't look happy.

2003-11-04T04:51:00.000-08:00

The Boondocks

Aaron McGruder takes a jab at the WPost. So are they still suppressing the Condi series?

2003-10-31T07:24:00.000-08:00

Kinsley is Pissed (and rightly so)

Last week, Slate and WPost contributor Michael Kinsley wrote a great article on the Bush policy for stem cell research. Yesterday, the now ex-chief domestic policy adviser Jay Lefkowitz responded. I can't find his response, but Kinsley's current op-ed, Kabuki and Stem Cells seems to address the response.

What I like about Kinsley's article though is this,

This is possibly the best description of the current Washington (GOP) view of principalled debate that I have seen. Actual truth doesn't matter, only preceived truth. This is what the GOP has been developing over the last twenty years, a method of debate that pays passing homage to the truth. Debate that seems like it could be true, but upon closer examination is grossly dishonest.

What Kinsley leaves out is the complicity of the press in this strategy. With their horserace mentality, they don't bother to closely question the claims being made. They simply report them as is. As others before me have said, this is an abdication of the press' fourth column responsibilities.

2003-10-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Let's Get Eric a Show

Eric Alterman, of Altercation says that he could produce better TV ratings than any of the current crop of MSNBC and CNBC political shows. Eric writes:

Now I understand that his post is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I think that it is a great idea. So, I am starting an email campaign, low tech, to launch the "Altercation - The TV Series" show. I think that this will do two things. It possibly get Eric a show and it could show the willingness of liberals and progressives to support a show that truly addresses our views.

So, here's how it will be done. We are going to be making use of good old cut and paste, and email hyperlinks.

Click the following link to create your email, the subject should read "Altercation - The TV Show".

MSNBC-TV

Now copy the following paragraph into your e-mail:

S.O.C. website

Then, add any additional comments that you might have to this, and send it to MSNBC. If the numbers are high enough, then we should get their attention. A show for Eric preferably, or at least the realization that there are a lot of us who where upset when Donahue was cancelled. Not because we worshipped Donahue, but that he was the only liberal with a show.

So, lets do this. Maybe Eric won't mind. Think I should tell him?

2003-10-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

"Luskin is a Stalker" day on Tuesday.
So saith Neal

Tom Tomorrow at This Modern World lets us know that Neal Pollock has declared Tuesday as "Luskin Is A Stalker" day. Does that make it official?

As someone who has corresponded with Luskin, I'm ready to do this now. But I will bow to the will of the bloggers and wait. In his conversation with me, Luskin said that he doesn't read NRO, (can you blame him?). Maybe that's why he seems unaware of his own article calling himself a stalker.

2003-10-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

Cliff May, Comedian
OK, why is Cliff May doing column length post on The Corner when he has his own column? Traffic problems?

So Cliff is trying sarcasm now. I guess the blatant lie based spin was getting old. It is difficult to continually produce deception with his prodigiousness. Probably caused constant headaches.

Cliff, may I call you Cliff? The issue is distrust. When all kinds of crap is blowing up in Iraq, and American soldiers, workers and Iraqis are being killed, it is not desperation, it is a problem. The happy face stuff and the filter stuff is not the kind of leadership that either the American citizens or the American soldiers expect. We expect just a wee bit of reality with our morning coffee.

Cliff, stick to the spin. Its funnier than the sarcasm anyway.

2003-10-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

Someone knocked me out,
and the next thing I know I'm on
an aircraft carrier with all these
sailors and banners and stuff.

One of the first entries I made to this blog was a post about Bush's lying. I said at the time that his worst lie was when he said that Ken Lay supported Ann Richards in their Texas gubernatorial faceoff. Well, that's history now, Bannergate is now the BIG LIE.

Why does he do it? All he had to say was, well I don't know what he should have said, but blaming it on the sailors was definitely not the best move. Is there any possible way to get this guy under oath so that the legacy of Bill Clinton can finally be put in storage. Also, it would be awesome to see the conservidiot apologists try to spin. Hell, it will be good to try to see them spin this.

2003-10-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Please Read This

A Tale of Two Soldiers

There have been some dumb things to occur with the people who are giving their all to defend their country. But this just takes the cake. I don't think its racism, I think that if Pvt. Lynch wasn't such a good PR source that she would have gotten screwed too.

Somebody fix this. Not just for Shoshanna, but for all of outr people in the military who will also get the same treatment.

2003-10-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

Beware Journalist Bearing Allegories

I generally like Nicholas Kristoff's writings, except that it sometimes suffers from the short term memory loss. A good example is his WaPo column,Swift-Footed W., a study of Bush's actions in foreign policy thru the lens of Homer's The Iliad. It tends to accomplish its task of throwing a few punches at the administration without sounding shrill or terribly partisan. But the problem I have with it is the following line:

What most of us remember about Bush's conduct after his defeat in New Hampshire to McCain is one of the dirtiest episodes in recent Presidential election history. The push polling in South Carolina represented a new low, and that type of behavior doesn't lend itself to comparisons with Greek epic poetry. I don't know how Kristof can reference that race without acknowledge the win at all costs mindset that became evident in South Carolina and even more so in the general election.

Short term memory loss.

2003-10-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Futility

I have labelled this post "Futility", because it seems that whatever is discovered, or whatever is written is brushed aside as the Bushies continue, somewhat successfully, to minimize the Iraq/WMD issue. The latest column O' revelations comes from Sy Hersh of the New Yorker (link via Talking Points Memo)
Hersh's column points out the extent to which this administration circumvented the CIA to get intelligence data that would support their claims of Iraq's WMD activities. Now contrast that with this David Ignatius article from the WPost. Ignatius takes the route of blaming the CIA for all of the intelligence failures without mentioning the existence of groups within the Pentagon, the Vice President's office, and even the State Dept. that were doing their own intelligence analyses to provide the President with data.

I have a feeling that the Agency won't take too kindly to this type of piece, and that more leaks will be forthcoming. Just a hunch.

2003-10-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hannity is a Lying Bastard

I guess my ultimate hope is that one of Hannity's assistants will do a search for "Hannity", "lying", and "bastard", but whatever. Anyway, why am I outing Mr. Hannity, who is the most reliable purveyor of fine RNC spin, as a "lying bastard"? Well, I tuned into his radio program at about 5:10pm EST, where I found him promoting the following discredited spin points:

Washington Monthly article by Clark (link via Tapped)

At this point I turned off my radio and checked my watch. It was 5:19. In about nine minutes, Hannity worked in five dubious spin points, some of which could just be considered out and out lies. I have always had a theory about Hannity. He has some ego issues, and I always have felt that he is the guy that could be drawn into a debilitating debate by simply attacking his credibility. In the early ninties, some people did that with Rush, but I think Rush was better equipped to ignore it. Hannity is always harping about some attacking him. I guess questioning his information is attacking him. Whatever. At any rate, I think this would be a much more fruitful project than the transcribing Rush effort. The difference between Rush and Sean is that Rush created spin, and Hannity parrots it.

Lying bastard. (Just in case someone does that search.)

2003-10-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Bar, What have we created?

Chicago Tribune | Bush Sr. sends Jr. a thinly veiled dispatch

Maybe I am just being a partisan, but this has got to be the most interesting story of the day. It may not be a bitch slap to Junior's policies, but the symbolism of it is as thick as Cheney's web of Iraq lies.

Update: Here is the link to the Texas A&M announcement.

2003-10-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

What Did Aaron Do?

For some reason, the Washington Post is not running this week's BoonDocks comic strip. The Monday entry seemed innocuuous enough, but the Tuesday strip is about getting Condi Rice a boyfriend. That leads me to believe that getting Condi Rice a boyfriend is in some way a controversial topic. Which in turn leads to a question that I have been asking friends from time to time. Is it strange that a highly successful woman, who it can be argued is an attractive woman, has never been married? I'm not trying to start any rumors here, just trying to deduce something based on available evidence.
Anyway, for those of you missing Boondocks this week, here are the links to the strips. Enjoy.

Update 10/17/2003: I just noticed a link on Buzzflash to a New York DailyNews article that says that the WPost is the only paper not running this weeks strip. Do they know something no one else does?

2003-10-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

My Conversation with Luskin

I debated as to whether I would post this. But after checking out a post at Atrios dealing with Lusking, I thought that this might be of interest. I started this in response to his post on attending a Krugman appearance. I have posted it as it occurred, the only editing being the removal of my e-mail address since it is not the address on this blog.

Enjoy.

I was tempted to highlight certain passages, such as his admission that he doesn't read the National Review (welcome to the club). But what really struck me is the feeling that his entire mission is to trash Krugman whenever possible. Facts aren't allowed to intrude.

2003-10-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

George Will, Honest Conservative

I know, my fingers were convulsing as I was typing that title. But, his column in today's WaPo, A Conservative Travesty (washingtonpost.com), is just that. Will takes on those conservatives who whored themselves by supporting Schwarzenegger. I love this paragraph:

It is this that leads me to believe that none of this will help Bush in 2004. Those voters, as others more qualified than me have pointed out, were voting against Davis, not for Schwarzenegger. And the conservatives were voting for a Republican in the state house, otherwise they would have supported McClintock.

2003-10-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

Eight Months Too Late

E. J. Dionne's article, Wrong Path to War in today's WaPo editoral section could have and should have been written eight months ago. All the evidence of a rush to a war that was disengeniously sold to the American people was available in January, and everything that we have learned lately simply verifies this. To Dionne's credit, he did write an article in late January, "But Which War?" which addressed these issues. But the vigor and anger present in today's column would have been welcome in January.

2003-10-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

Zakaria slaps Rumsfeld

Fareed Zakaria dismantles Donald Rumsfeld's WSJ op-ed on his arguments against internationalization and nation building. Zakaria shows point by point how Rumsfeld is distorting information such as UN salaries and control in Kosovo. He also takes down Rumsfeld's anti-nation building argument. As the people at the Note would say, a definite must read.

2003-10-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

So What Do You Call A Group of Spies, Anyway?

Nightline just had a great show concerning TreasonGate. Actually, I like "Worst than Water-Gate" better. They just had a segment with four ex CIA agents, and one current one who was silhouetted, hooded and voice altered. The interviewer, Chris somebody, threw all the con attack lines at them, and the answers were all consistent. They outed an undercover agent. That is all this is about. It's not about politics, it's not about Joe Wilson, it's not about anything except the simple fact that they outed an undercover agent.

Larry Johnson, the ex-agent from The Newshour, said that the first thing that Bush should do is call the partisan attack dogs off of Joe Wilson, and then get the persons who did this.

All in all, it was excellent. I hope there is a transcript available soon.

2003-10-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hannity Joins the Blame Wilson First crowd

Sean Hannity has launched the idea that Joe Wilson should be investigated for possibly having in the past openly discussed his wife's occupation. Of course, he contradicts this by referencing the Robert Novak/Cliff May meme that she wasn't a covert operative in the first place.

It is so difficult to take these guys seriously. They are throwing any even basic level of honesty and credibility out of the window. I think that their goal is not to affect the investigation, but to so thoroughly spin their audiences that they won't accept any DOJ finding of wrongdoing as valid. Based on their callers, I fear they will succeed in this.

By the by, I called my local wing-nut talk show host, Shannon Burke in Orlando, this morning to question his attempt to portrait Wilson as some type of partisan activist. Of course, I was cut off, but I believe I put up a good fight against his RNC talking points. Everytime he said Clinton appointee, I said acting Iraq ambassador under Bush I and a career diplomat under Reagan. After you get out of one of those calls, you think of all of these other things that you could have said. Maybe next time more of that will bubble to the surface.

2003-09-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Too Little, Too Late

Maybe David Brooks really is the perfect choice for the con slot at the NYTimes. Because some liberals like him, he can write crap like this,
The Presidency Wars. Most amazing is his attempt at a provocative closing:

When The Nation magazine creates a "Crawford Project", or when George Soros put up the cash to hire PI's to find all of Bush's former drug dealers, then you can begin to consider comparing liberal attitudes toward Bush with the conservatives treatment of Clinton. It's a comparison that I don't think we will ever have to worry about making.

2003-09-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

Kickin' Ass

When the DNC blog says it's kicking ass, it's serious. Check out the first two lines of this post.

This is going to be an awesome campaign, mainly because the one thing that W has managed to unite is the Democratic Party.

2003-09-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hannity weighs in on Plame controversy

Well, according to Sean Hannity, it is all a part of the Democratic strategy of attacking this president. Sean says that the only traction that Democrats have gotten has come because of frequent attacks on Bush. He said, "Too much is being made of this".

This guy cracks me up. Along with all the other right-wing panty sniffers, Hannity can't bring himself to admit that a crime has been committed by his side. Some how, all of his ravings about Democrats lack of respect for the rule of law ring very hollow.

Update: Hannity is bewildered at the level of intensity by this, especially by the people that were unconcerned about FBI files in the hands of a bouncer(?) and by investigations of woman by the Clinton administration. D-Nie-AL, denial for the phonetically challenged. So in the one hour and 40 minutes that Hannity has been on the air, he has devoted 4 minutes to discussing THE issue. The rest has concerned the Cali recall, which is a valid issue. But, ignoring this is not the way to go.

2003-09-26T06:33:00.000-07:00

Cheap Shots, Indeed

The New Republic's Peter Beinart writes that Dems are doing themselves no favors by not docilely signing on to Pres. Bush's $87B funding request. In an article entitled "Cheap Shots", Beinart writes,

I wonder how much of Beinart's position is motivated by how wrong he and other NR writers were in first place. The Dems have definitely been using this to political advantage, (Robert Byrd has been making CSPAN must see TV) and I don't have a problem with that, but they have also indicated that they will OK the request. Beinart seems to want to perpetuate the soft on defense meme despite all evidence to the contrary. There is nothing wrong with making the administration sweat, and the only way that has occurred is when they have been forced to defend their actions and their words against the current facts on the ground.

If the Dems don't approve the funding, then Beinart has cause, but at this point in the process it really just sounds like sour grapes.

2003-09-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

The Dangers of Post-war Stress

This line in Richard Cohen's WP editorial makes me think that someone should lock the White House liquor cabinets.

2003-09-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Clark is Big Time Now

Gen. Wesley Clark has reached Al Gore territory now. The Wall Street Journal OpinionJournal has an anti-Clark editorial by non other than Rush Limbaugh. So the big time sliming is fully under way. These guys don't play around do they. No milquetoast David Brooks NYT column for this crew. And of course, Rush trots out all of the anti-Clark spin, George Will's White House call and an attempt to defame Gen. Clark's demeanor. This is a gem:

But El-Anal Cyst-Bo doesn't say what is odd about Clark's personality, just that it is. Sound familiar to anyone? I remember listening to the French-food loving pundit declare that Al Gore that a
psychological problem with the truth.

We can't let this happen again.

2003-09-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Priorities

From Atrios, via Lean Left, is a link to this State Department transcript,
Press Remarks with Foreign Minister of Egypt Amre Moussa. SoS Powell was asked the following

Like the peel from the banana and the husk from the corn...

2003-09-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Blast hits Iraqi 'sex cinema'

Ok, this sucks. On the one hand, the bombing of a porn theater is just a bad thing. Guys just sitting there minding their own business...
On the other hand. We got rid of Saddam, and opened the door to porn in an Islamic country.

Wonder what Ashcroft has to say about this one?

2003-09-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

Must Ignore TV

I can only post this link for RepublicanTV. Think it will take someone like TBogg to do it justice.

2003-09-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

Hannity and the Recall

Well, it appears that Sean Hannity has the definitive Republican position on the California recall vote, Anybody But the Latino.
At least judging from his comments early on during his 9/23 radio broadcast. Hannity said that he has made up his mind on the recall. At an appropriate time, he will check the polls, and if Schwarzenegger is ahead, he will endorse him. If McClintock is ahead, he will endorse him. The strategy seems to be to do whatever is necessary to defeat Cruz Bustamenta, Anybody But the Latino.
You may feel that this interpretation of Hannity's decision is cheap, racial politics, but I feel it is consistent with the argument made by Hannity, and other Republicans, that the effort to defeat Miguel Estrada was motivated by a desire to keep a Hispanic nominee off of the appeals court. We all know that this is not true, but I am a firm believer inconsistency.
So, this decision by Hannity should be viewed through the most divisive prism possible. While it may indeed by simply an ideological or partisan strategy, the obvious Anybody But the Latino implication should not be ignored.

2003-08-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!!

The Chosen One is now casting himself as the fundraising underdog. Where is a Molly Irvins Texas phrase when you need it? Slap me with hot, spiked frying pan or something like that. Check out this Yahoo News-AP story from the indispensible BUZZFLASH.

Yahoo! News - Bush Campaign Appeal Takes Underdog Tack

This is the definition of a complusive liar. I harken back to what I view as the tell-tale lie of GWB. The lie that should have let everyone know what we where going to be dealing with. The Kenny-Boy Lay Lie. The Ken Lay supported Ann Richards lie. That's the one the should have clicked all the lights on. It was a lie he didn't need to tell, because there really wasn't any evidence to show that this administration had done any direct favors for Lay. But he told it anyway. The instant lie that people tell when they don't what to find to deal with the issue. Now this one its the fan. This one is better, because all we've been hearing about is the vast fundraising advantage that Bush has over the Democrats. This is one of those little insignificant things that journalist like to latch on to and drive into the ground.

Let the latching begin.

2003-08-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

Let's start this new blog thing off right. Spinning Out of Control (S.O.C.) is my attempt to add my voice to all the other liberal and progressive bloggers that have issues with the direction this country is going, and the motivations of this administration. This article by E.J. Dionne, Do Jobs Not Matter Anymore? (washingtonpost.com), is a good place to start.

Dionne discusses the need to return to a demand-side, or labor friendly view for our economic prosperity. He hits a home run in pointing out that the current jobless recovery, if there is indeed a recovery occurring, is the result of 25 years of supply-side theory moving the focus from the importance of high employment to enlarging the so-called investor class. A must read for the upcoming campaign battles on the economy.

2003-08-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

This is new.