A-Hole Porter

(To "I get a Kick out of You")


I no longer enjoy the campaign

Protesting moms do not thrill me at all

But I tell you 'tis certainly true

That I get a kick, killing you





Some like the scandal of Plame

I’m sure if I made even one tiny flip

It would keep FoxNews from feelin' blue

But I'd rather be killing you





I get a kick every time I see our success in the Green Zone

I get a kick though it’s clear to see, you might rather go home




I once got a kick from cocaine

Blowing my mind with some gal who could buy

But now I have not one fucking clue

Still I get a kick, killing you

Something Significant

I think Swoopa is really on to something about today's Pincus article in the Washington Post. The article notes that the only people claiming Wilson went to Niger primarily because of his wife are all connected to the Bush Administration or Republicans carrying water.

In the July 14, 2003, column, Novak wrote that Plame was an "agency operative" and that "two senior administration officials" told him that she "suggested sending him to Niger." He also wrote that "CIA officials did not regard Wilson's intelligence as definitive" because they would expect the Niger officials to deny the allegation. Although Novak cited the two officials' version of events, he also included the CIA's opposing view: that "its counterproliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him."

Two other sources appear to support the view that Wilson's wife suggested her husband's trip. One is a June 2003 memo by the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR). The other, which depends in good part on the INR document, is a statement of the views of Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and two other Republican members. That statement was attached to the full committee report on its 2004 inquiry into the intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The State Department memo was well in advance of Roberts and his two minority report members both loyal Republicans to the Bush Administration.

But importantly that version of events was given to Novak, Matt Cooper and Pincus himself, most certainly from Rove and Libby. The State Department memo had information on Valerie Plame's status with the CIA. If Rove and Libby knew of that State Department Memo in advance, they are in some serious shit.

Summing it all up in One Answer

Crooks and Liars is one of the best resources we bloggers have for the video highlights of the anal apocalypse that is the Bush Administration, especially its enabling sycophants.

Never more so than the steady watch it maintains over O'Reilly's vomitus. Last night C&L caught O'Reilly being made a fool by a Gold Star mother brought on with the intent of being the anti-Cindy Sheehan.

When asked to make the classic FoxNews inappropriate analogy of "Dear Leader" and Michael Moore, the guest Dolores Kesterson, the latter answered:

"Well, I don't really know everything that Michael Moore stands for, but I know he hasn't caused anybody to be killed for no good reason..."

Bless you Delores.

Attention

To our nation's Food Service personnel. I know many of you make minimum wage, and sometimes less and depend upon tips. Just remember, some people could give a shit about you and the rest of the "little people".

Who for example?

Why this denizen of the intersection of Miserly Street & Buffet Only Avenue.

DOWN WITH TIPPING! [Mark Krikorian]
As one who waited many a table, I fully concur with this piece in today’s NY Times calling for an end to the practice of tipping. I can’t find the quotation (Derb?), but I think Calvin Coolidge once criticized tipping as un-American.
Posted at 04:02 PM

This is a picture of Mark Krikorian.

I'll leave it up to you as to how much you spit in his food.

The audience applauds

As Dear Leader promises to never let Laura drive again.


Granted, it's a bit subtle, but I'm guessing the crane is for someone important...


Yep.


"That was the best shit ever!"


"And I'd like to thank the company for escorting various Gold Star mothers off the premises"


And the vacation continues as Bush tries to make yet another saving throw against an illusion in a marathon D&D game. Cheney is a cruel Dungeon Master.

Explain THIS one to Me James Dobson?

Semi-Retired Blogging Great Hesiod (he still posts at the American Street) had this little nugget of information in the comments at Atrios.

WOMAN, 38, DIES CRUSHED BY CRUCIFIX DURING MASS
(AGI) - Oristano, Italy, Aug 10 - A woman died crushed by an iron crucifix at the entrance of the church of San Lorenzo while she was attending mass in the city's patron saint's celebrations. Paoletta Orru', 38, had returned to Mogorella, near Oristano, with her husband and two children especially for the celebration of San Lorenzo. Tomorrow was her birthday. This morning the woman was outside of the busy church, together with other devotees who did not manage to enter. Suddenly, around 12, the heavy crucifix about one metre wide fell from the entrance of the church where it was placed, crushing the woman. The emergency services immediately dispatched a helicopter, but when they arrived from the nearby Ales they warned that it was not necessary any more: the victim, hit on the head, died due to a strong concussion. Fire-fighters and police arrived and will inspect the scene. The accident is currently unexplained. A youth, who was grazed by the crucifix, suffered a slight injury to his ankle and will heal in 4-5 days. (AGI) .

For all those who always talk about "God's Miracles this" and "God's Miracles that", what is this?

God's Negligence?

God hates you?

Seems to me if there WAS a "Christian" God, he'd have dropped a crucifix on either Osama or Bush -- or possibly both.

The World is Safer...er, wait, No More Torture...um, Freedom is on the March...ah, Fuck it!

Hey, we've managed to install a Latin American Junta in the Persian Gulf! Thanks C-Plus Augustus:

Armed men entered Baghdad's municipal building during a blinding dust storm on Monday, deposed the city's mayor and installed a member of Iraq's most powerful Shiite militia.

The deposed mayor, Alaa al-Tamimi, who was not in his offices at the time, recounted the events in a telephone interview on Tuesday and called the move a municipal coup d'état. He added that he had gone into hiding for fear of his life.

"This is the new Iraq," said Mr. Tamimi, a secular engineer with no party affiliation. "They use force to achieve their goal."

The group that ousted him insisted that it had the authority to assume control of Iraq's capital city and that Mr. Tamimi was in no danger. The man the group installed, Hussein al-Tahaan, is a member of the Badr Organization, the armed militia of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, known as Sciri.

Last throes, final stages, insert cliche as needed, Hoo-fuckin-Rah!

You are ALL (likely) Eligible to Serve!

In the words of Toby Keith (age 45 by the way)


Justice will be served


And the battle will rage


This big dog will fight


When you rattle his cage


And you’ll be sorry that you messed with
The U.S. of A.


`Cause we`ll put a boot in your ass


It`s the American way

How dishonesty reigns

I don't know if its possible to really choose a far right candidate for worst of anything. But only because there are so many possible candidates. Malkin? Limbaugh? Coulter? Savage Weiner? O'Reilly? Novakula? And those are just a few of the blowhards, how can Karl Rove not be on this list, or innumerable members of the Bush clan and its enablers?

But there is little doubt that Atrios is right and Malkin has earned a special honor in attacking, along with fellow perenial candidate Drudge, the patriotism and other characteristics of Cindy Sheehan. And the source of their allegations, the small newspaper that they dug up an edited interview from in the first in line to Ms. Sheehan's defense.

Here's the reporter on the original interview with Sheehan:

At the time, the Sheehans debated whether to be brutally honest with the president. They had serious concerns about the war. But in the end, they told our reporter, they decided to be respectful. President Bush even kissed Cindy Sheehan on the cheek.

Cindy Sheehan said of her first encounter with the president, "I now know he's sincere about wanting freedom for the Iraqis. I know he's sorry and feels some pain for our loss. And I know he's a man of faith."

But that article, published June 24, 2004, was called into question on Monday following a story in the Drudge Report.

Under the headline, "Protesting soldier mom changed story on Bush," only portions of our story were printed. Left out were the Sheehans' reservations about the war.

The online report claimed Cindy Sheehan "dramatically changed her account about what happened when she met the commander in chief last summer!"

We don't think there has been a dramatic turnaround. Clearly, Cindy Sheehan's outrage was festering even then.

Cindy Sheehan when she had her original meeting with Bush something that never occurs to the likes of Malkin or Drudge, polite and reserved and acted with dignity.

The newspaper itself takes it to them:

"That was the gift the president gave us, the gift of happiness, of being together," she said in the story.

Drudge included that quote in his Monday morning report, but didn't explain that it referred to sharing time with her family, not the president.

There will be no correction from either of those sources naturally. One cannot criticize Dear Leader, especially some mother with a dead kid -- oh the temerity of some Americans thinking they can require an answer out of the man who sent their children to be sacrificed.

Matt Druge is 38, eligible to serve.

Michelle Malkin is 34, eligible to serve.

Followed by the 2-Minutes Hate?

This sounds both dreadful and well, dreadful.

The Pentagon would hold a massive march and country music concert to mark the fourth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in an announcement tucked into an Iraq war briefing today.

"This year the Department of Defence will initiate an America Supports Your Freedom Walk," Rumsfeld said, adding that the march would remind people of "the sacrifices of this generation and of each previous generation".

The march will start at the Pentagon, where nearly 200 people died on September 11, 2001, and end at the National Mall with a show by country star Clint Black.

But if you think it sounds like a cloying, idiotic, NASCAR-like stunt, why you are just un-American, you pinko rock or jazz music lover.

Peter King, Republican of New York, a state famous for its love of country music says so:

"We are at war," said Representative Pete King, (Republican, New York).

"It's essential that we support our troops."

He also said attacking Iraq was necessary after September 11.

I believe Peter King managed to violate the rules of logic so bad there are now charges pending at the Hague as a crime against humanity.

Groping for loose change

Arnie, so stretched, so formerly buff, so crooked.

Tom Noe used his American Express credit card from Thomas Noe, Inc. — the same entity he’s accused of using as a vehicle to steal millions of dollars from Ohio’s rare-coin funds — to contribute $10,000 to California’s governor.

Transaction records released yesterday from the $50 million funds that Mr. Noe managed for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation included a credit-card statement for Thomas Noe, Inc., containing a pair of $5,000 charges from March 9, 2004, for “political contributions” to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

After initially refusing to return the contributions, Mr. Schwarzenegger in June decided to reverse course and not keep the money after all. His spokesman could not confirm that the money has been returned.

"Ja, das ist a voll of quarters und I am happy to zee you!"

Maybe he can make it up by signing deals with muscle mags...or not.

With reviews like...

This, I must be doing something incredibly average.

Attaturk, at Rising Hegemon; hits and misses, but when he's on the mark - as he often is in his foto essays-- he's devastatingly funny, and so unpopular, comments are virtually troll-free!

Um, thanks Plantsman.


Shut your Roy-Hole!


There are many great statues in the world, but only Ireland has the memorial statue dedicated to lost muff-divers.

John Tierney, just a couple words of advice

I read your column, really quickly.

First, try to make it a little less clear next time how much you "loves" the speed.

Second, it is more than a little passe to quote Bill "Double Down" Bennett as a source for virture anymore.

You're supposed to talk to Bobo about that now.

Snitchens

His brain lying in state.

I'm really swamped

Hell, I've been swamped now for several weeks, but still, I'm bound and determined to pretend I've got to entertain America!

But in my busyness, let me mention that Paul Hackett stick it to Rush Limbaugh after the latter tried attacking him::

That's typical for that fatass drug addict to come up with something like that. There's a guy ... I didn't hear this, but actually when I was on drill this weekend, I've got to tell you, he lost a lot of Republican supporters with his comments. Because they were coming up to me, telling me, "I can't believe he said that! Besides that, he called you a soldier. He doesn't know the difference between a soldier and a marine!"

There's more here.

I'll take a real fucking patriot, over some drug-addled, loud-mouthed coward any day of the goddamned year.

I DARE Rush Limbaugh to repeat his language in front of any group of marines, let alone Hackett. But he won't because he's a sniveling, shivering, sweating coward.

"Those solar dishes are cool...let's get a move on...

Now I'm gonna make those damn fire-ants pay!"


"That's right, here's a colony. Make sure you hit the worker drones first, I always enjoy burning them the most!"


Next, let's turn on somebody who sticks in my craw, back in Crawford. Craw, Crawford get it?"


"Everytime I'm back from golfing, or walking Barney, there she is."

And it can't happen here...

You know that there is a slow slide into political hell with the Bush "election win" last November. And you keep telling yourself that it can't happen here, it can't happen here. And maybe you believe that the press would report on the problems of a creeping, slipping, slow moving slide into fascism.

But with all of our focus on Bush and his cronies we have failed to keep an eye on the not-so-slick individuals on the far right. And do we really trust the feds to keep an eye on them when Reagan co-opted the language of David Duke. And the influence of the National Alliance and Fred Phelps being felt on local and state level GOPs all around the country.

Yeah, it can happen here. While we are focusing our concern on the brown shirts who wear ties and suits, we are overlooking those who actually are wearing the brown shirts now.

Nice...

Just over a week ago, Gas where I live was $0.27 cheaper than it is now. And it is cheaper here, than it is nationally.

Those Oil Company profits are going to be out of sight this quarter.

This is a Gold Star Mother...

From her diary at the Daily Kos a few words from Cindy Sheehan maintaining her vigil in Crawford about the sliming effort of Rove, Inc. as manifested in Drudge (no fucking way I'm linking to that ass!):

Another big story that was going on today was about my first meeting with Bush in June of 2004. For you all I would like to clarify a few things. First of all, I did meet with George, and that is not a secret. I have written about it and been interviewed about it. I will stand by my recounting of the meeting. His behavior was rude and inappropriate. My behavior in June of 2004 and is irrelevant to what is going on in 2005. I was in deep shock and deep grief. The grief is still there, but the shock has worn off and the deep anger has set in. And to remind everybody, a few things have happened since June of 2004: The 9/11 commission report; the Senate Intelligence report; the Duelfer WMD report; and most damaging and criminal: the Downing Street Memos. The VERY LAST THING I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS IS: Why do the right wing media so assiduously scrutinize the words of a grief filled mother and ignore the words of a lying president?

In the early afternoon, we got word that if we were still there by Thursday, we were going to be deemed a "security threat" to the president. Condi and Rummy are coning in on Thursday for a "policy" meeting. Don't they mean conspiracy to commit crimes meeting? I just don't understand why we will be a security threat on Thursday when we aren't now? If we don't leave on Thursday, we will be arrested. Well, I am not leaving. There are only three things that would make me leave: if George comes out and talks to me; if August comes to an end, or if I am arrested.

People are heading here from all over the country. I have some more Gold Star Families for Peace members coming tomorrow. We are amazed by the outpouring of love and support we are getting. If you can come, then come.

Matt Drudge by the way was born in 1966. Thanks to new regulations from the Department of Defense, Matty Boy, like Jonah Goldberg, is now eligible for enlistment in the American Armed Forces.

And all I'm going to be lucky to get is a lousy Lifetime Movie

I've always thought that Judy Miller is hiding something in the Plame matter, either of her own malfeasance, or of her complicity in one matter or another. But I have also thought that there was a tremendous amount of "glory hounding" about her as well. From her behavior in the Gulf War as a veritable spigot of neocon misinformation and spin, to a description of her behavior during the early days of the Iraq invasion. It continued with her unyeilding refusal to face reality in the wake of the finding of no WMD's, for which she had been a primary outlet, forcing the NY Times to apologize and then stating "I was proved fucking right!"

I have little doubt that along with protecting what she considers her "fine ass", Miller also saw dollar signs and greater fame. What would be more alluring to her than a big-screen production of "Judy of Arabia"?

Well, in her hubris, Judy thought she'd be a hero and a more famous and wealthy one. And the book advance, or lordy seven figures easy, and from Doubleday, or Random House too.

But now, while she sits in a jail cell, sure that she's a hero to millions, the cummulative hubris and scumbaggery is rising to the surface.

Soon the book contract will come from Regnery and the Oxygen network won't return her agents phone calls.

This Day in History and its Relevance to Today

August 9, 1974:

Nixon Resigns, but his mother was a saint.


August 9, 2005:

Bush vacations, his mother...um...

Time for Criminal Investigation

I think a crinminal investigation is in order reviewing the seething greed of the oil, petro, and gasoline companies. Underfunding refinery inprovments with the record profits that oil companies are seeing? Absolutely ridiculous. I don't know about many of you out there in RH land, but I have cut several driving trips from my daily activities because I cannot afford to buy the gas.

I wonder how high the price has to reach before Americans will cut back on our gas consumption? Or get the Oils-men out of office?

Dr. DeDurkheim Social Relationship Doctor

Dear Dr. DeDurkhim,

I just had some prissy, unfortunate looking meanspirited person of a patron tell me that I was not treating some wild child patrons appropriately. I had been dealing with a business full of children with no supervision who cuss loudly for hours. And I responded to them that they should leave.

I hope that she does her job perfectly. Every single day. With no errors. I'm sure that with her degree of prissy holier than thou atttitude... that she probably does, and everyone hates her. I know that I do.

I tried to get her name but the other folks at work didn't notice who she was. I swear if I ever see her out I'll be sure to tell her that she's behaving inappropriately. whew. Who knew that I could feel such a degree of dislike for someone I hope I will never see again? I mean it, if I ever see her, I will be sure to say something to her about her inappropriateness. Hate hate hate for people like that--prissy self rightous ....

Dr. D Responds:

I hate people like that as well. They see themselves as God's holy messengers of perfectness. Of course, they are not perfect but -- and this is the main point -- they think that they are and nothing any of us say to them will change that.

Good grief, there is enough pain and suffering in the world, why is it that people feel the need to correct others who are just trying to do their job? Who does she think she is to speak to you like that? She thinks she's perfection, that's what. And of course, she's not. No one is. If someone like her does mistreat you and disrespect you again, you can always hit them with one of the good comebacks:

1. Say: "People from glass houses..."

2. Say: "As Christ said, let he who is without sin, cast the first stone." (or Jesus, depending on how far you want to go. In the South always go with the big "C")

3. Say: "You are so very right. I have no idea what I was thinking. Thank you so very very VERY much for bringing this to my attention. I so humbly apologize for my careless behavior." (While doing this take an available stuffed animal behind the desk or near by and crush it, squeeze it and torment it, its good to rip it up and quietly step on the pieces)

4. Do you work with children all day? (This should be said as you have a small tear slowly slide down your cheek)

5. Say: "Are you a child psychologist? Are you a social worker? Are you child development specialist? No? Then what is your expertise on this matter?" If the person reports that they are a parent. Retort: "No, that does not count, anyone can become a parent, really... what is your expertise?"

6. Burst into tears and talk about how a group of wild feral children ate your parents. (note: You must cry frantically and intensely).

7. Stare at the person and follow them out of the store/business. But do not say a word. And do not hesitate to make eye contact.

8. Calmly take out a note book and recite... "Let's see... here it is... Kill list... #36... um, what is your name?"

9. Do nothing at all.

10. Say simply: Fuck off.

I should point out that #8 and #10 are dangerous responses for many obvious reasons. My personal favorite is #3, well... maybe #5 too but you must be ready to walk away from your job. And with people like the holier than thou brigade hanging around, maybe you should.

Live in Texas?

Or thereabouts.

Go visit Dear Leader's "Ranch".

Keep Cindy Sheehan company.

Protest any attempt to arrest her.

Stand up for her and the 1833 dead from Bush's War.

Here is an attempt for Bus Transportation if you are interested.

Who gives a shit about the LITTLE PEOPLE?

It's bad enough that Drudge in his infinite slime goes after a mother of tragedy and conscience. From the Daily Kos comes this news about the vigil of Cindy Sheehan outside the Crawford Playranch of the First Vacationer.

Cindy Sheehan phoned me from Texas a few minutes ago to say that she's been informed that beginning Thursday, she and her companions will be considered a threat to national security and will be arrested. Coincidentally, Thursday is the day that Rice and Rumsfeld visit the ranch, and Friday is a fundraiser event for the haves and the have mores. Cindy said that she and others plan to be arrested.

That's what it is coming to.

I'm sorry, but you go ahead...

...and alert the fashion police.

Or alternatively...

And now for the Zebras, it's payback time.

Right On

Obviously as a progressive, I agree with Atrios on a number of things, other than his failure to link to Rising Hegemon each and every day of course [ed. Oh yeah, that would really be really be a great idea -- if he wishes to reduce his hit count].

But he has never written anything I agree with as much as this:

Judging from all the link cooties I've been sensing, the entire right wing of the blogosphere has leapt to the defense of the racist Michelle Malkin. Fascinating. There's rarely a bigot they won't defend... Michelle published a book justifying an act that Ronald Reagan apologized for - the mass arrest of Japanese immigrants and Japanese-American citizens of America based on nothing other than their ethnic background. Anyone who links to her or promotes her in anyway may as well be promoting the Klan or Stormfront.org. That includes you Chris Matthews.

The publication of that book, which she did to appeal to the Little Green Snotball brigade, will be a stain on her soul for all eternity.

Malkin's argument was used for the explicit purpose of justifying bigotry and racism against Arab-Americans, which at the time it was published was a bit like putting five gallons of keroscene near an open fire. Ignorant American's need little justification for open racism, some conservatives, who should know better, only require some intellectual fabrication to do the same. Malkin should be as much a pariah as Ann Coulter -- who at present isn't toxic enough (and yes, I'm looking at you, Time-Warner).

This needs to be said

There is a LOT of over generalization about obesity in America, but this need not have been said:

Do you think Americans are lazy?

Without a doubt. We're the victims of our own successes and prosperity, which have caused us to change our lifestyles from being people who had to hunt for our food to people who have more than we can possibly consume.

Look, Americans are HARDLY lazy, look at our goddamned work hours; look at our other activities. For many Americans the only damned release from the pressure and agony of long-work days, a reward is the triple heart-attack burger with the texas-bbq-chipolte-guacamole sauce and the super-duper-biggy fries -- but just a Diet Pepsi with that. It is not about American's being lazy, it is about a society so work-driven, so pressure filled, that that stuffing our faces is one of our few release mechanisms.

We work longer hours and have less free time than anyone else in the free world, and more pressure than others -- yet we seem destined to view prosperity in terms of the ability to stuff our faces with the Texas Rib Crossanwhich.

...And as Pro-Choice Lib says in comments, the cheapest foods are often the worst for you, which explains how the poorer you are, the worst shape you often are.

Seeing as how Dick Cheney's laughability meter has jumped the shark

Or shart, as it is. So the Administration has turned to the next liar in line, Condi Rice, to make the following stupid remarks:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the insurgency in Iraq is losing steam as a political force, even as Democratic congressmen warned Sunday that violence jeopardizes plans for withdrawing some troops.

Rice, in an article appearing on Time magazine's Web site, argued against viewing the war solely through the rising death toll. More than 1,820 American troops have died in Iraq, at least 30 of them in the last week.

"It's a lot easier to see the violence and suicide bombing than to see the rather quiet political progress that's going on in parallel," Rice said.

"If you think about how to defeat an insurgency, you defeat it not just militarily but politically," she said, adding that she believes the insurgents are "losing steam" politically.

One gets the feeling they are now simply talkng to that 38% too ignorant or too desperate to not see through their bullshit anymore.

With Apologies to Neal, er, Neil Young....

To "Ohio"



Poor kids in Iraq serving,


All their lives are finally blown.


This summer I'm here avoiding,


20 dead in Ohio.


Photos via AP & Reuters

Me Make No Mistakes

Dear Leader got all huffy when during the election Kerry pointed out how he fucked up at Tora Bora. Yet again, somebody who knows better, can tell you that Bush lied and people died:

But in a forthcoming book, the CIA field commander for the agency's Jawbreaker team at Tora Bora, Gary Berntsen, says he and other U.S. commanders did know that bin Laden was among the hundreds of fleeing Qaeda and Taliban members. Berntsen says he had definitive intelligence that bin Laden was holed up at Tora Bora—intelligence operatives had tracked him—and could have been caught. "He was there," Berntsen tells NEWSWEEK. Asked to comment on Berntsen's remarks, National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones passed on 2004 statements from former CENTCOM commander Gen. Tommy Franks. "We don't know to this day whether Mr. bin Laden was at Tora Bora in December 2001," Franks wrote in an Oct. 19 New York Times op-ed. "Bin Laden was never within our grasp." Berntsen says Franks is "a great American. But he was not on the ground out there. I was."

In his book—titled "Jawbreaker"—the decorated career CIA officer criticizes Donald Rumsfeld's Defense Department for not providing enough support to the CIA and the Pentagon's own Special Forces teams in the final hours of Tora Bora, says Berntsen's lawyer, Roy Krieger. (Berntsen would not divulge the book's specifics, saying he's awaiting CIA clearance.) That backs up other recent accounts, including that of military author Sean Naylor, who calls Tora Bora a "strategic disaster" because the Pentagon refused to deploy a cordon of conventional forces to cut off escaping Qaeda and Taliban members. Maj. Todd Vician, a Defense Department spokesman, says the problem at Tora Bora "was not necessarily just the number of troops."

THE Question to constantly ask Scotty

I think about a half-dozen variants of this should be asked everyday.

Q: Scott, the President has repeatedly said he has instructed people in his Administration to fully comply with the investigation into the leak of the identity of a CIA Operative.

Will the President instruct Scooter Libby to sign a specific release as it pertains to Judith Miller?

And don't give me this "ongoing investigation bullshit"!

One Good Anniversary

Hiroshima, the PDB; a couple a sad anniversaries. Or in the case of the former certainly, at a minimum, a mixed bag.

However, one unquestioned good did happen today.

On August 6, 1965, the Federal Voting Rights Act became law.

Shorter John Tierney

Remember how yesterday Krugman wrote about intentional distortion of blatant facts?

Let me demonstrate it for you.

Mr. Cheney, are you trying to seduce me?

Because I've got a LOT of petroleum jelly?

UNLEASH the Metaphors!

Happy Anniversary of Your Presidency Defined

"Bin Laden Determined to Strike U.S."

You may remember it differently.

Anybody?

I know I'm a moderate sized progressive blogger, but it has been posited at Atrios and Talking Points today that Novak's blowup had something to do with CNN's Ed Henry ready to query Novak about what it actually says about Joe Wilson in Who's Who in America.

Now, even Attaturk's real life persona has been offered a slot in Who's Who in America, or at least I think I was (maybe it was Who's Who in Competitive Shuffleboard?) but I demurred because I didn't want to pay for the privilege.

Anyhow, pay no attention to my confusion.

Does anybody actually have a copy of Who's Who in America (or at least the one Novak may have had [2003]) that can tell me what is listed under Joe Wilson?

It's possible that some blog has done this already, if so, I'd appreciate knowing.

Thanks.

Update:

Nevermind, Wizbang has it -- and it would seem to support what Novak wrote about it (he can't lie all the time you know) -- what so many seem to not get, either because they are not trying or incapable of sentient thought is that the SECRET was Valerie Plame CIA Operative. This includes the author of Wizbang.

The Sniper

Holden is right, this story from the Guardian bears a rather frightening similarity to Vassily Zaitsev or any number of "snipers" so critical for the Russians during the "Battle of Stalingrad".

"He's good," said Specialist Travis Burress, 22, a sniper with the 1-64 battalion based in Camp Rustamiyah. "Every time we dismount I'm sure everyone has got him in the back of their minds. He's a serious threat to us."
Gun attacks occasionally pepper the battalion's foot and mounted patrols, but the single crack of what is thought to be a Tobuk sniper rifle inspires particular dread.

Since February, the killing of at least two members of the battalion and the wounding of six more have been attributed to Juba. Some think it is also he that has picked off up to a dozen other soldiers.

In a war marked by sectarian bombings and civilian casualties, Juba is unusual in targeting only coalition troops, a difficult quarry protected by armoured vehicles, body armour and helmets.

He waits for soldiers to dismount, or stand up in a Humvee turret, and aims for gaps in their body armour, the lower spine, ribs or above the chest. He has killed from 200 metres away.

"It was the perfect shot," the battalion commander, Lt Col Kevin Farrell, said of one incident. "Blew out the spine.

"We have different techniques to try to lure him out, but he is very well trained and very patient. He doesn't fire a second shot."

Zaitsev killed many, many Germans, in an era without real body armor, Juba would have killed many more I'd guess but for that fact.

Now THIS is fucking sad...

From Newsweek about the FX series "Over There":

The art-imitates-real-life idea is breaking new ground in both TV and politics, posing a curious question for President Bush and his aides: could "Over There" affect the already-fragile poll numbers on Iraq? According to one senior Bush aide, the president has voiced a strong interest in the series but hasn’t yet seen it for himself. Bush quizzed his aides last week about how the show was produced and how faithful it was to the conflict. “Does it really depict what is going on? Do you get a sense of it?” Bush asked. In fact, just a handful of senior aides have seen the show and report it to be “riveting” and “pretty vivid.” But the senior aide says, “We don’t have an official opinion yet. I don’t think enough people have seen it.”...

...the White House can at least feel reassured by FX itself, which is part of the Fox TV empire. One of the favorite shows among White House aides has been "24," the Kiefer Sutherland counterterrorism cliffhanger drama. White House aides regularly swap stories about their favorite Sutherland shoot-outs with foreign agents, terrorists and generally bad guys. “Over There” may be a different beast, but it probably appeals to the same crowd.

This explains sooooooooooooooo much about the Bush Administration's attitude to international affairs, Iraq, and terrorism it is downright scary. It's all a "good" television show, show much have they matured from their days playing "Missile Command."


"That's a great show, but where's KRAMER?"

I was wrong, Roger Aisles (the good one) was right

John Podhoretz is not the dumbest person on earth, Cliff May is, and he's pulling ahead.

CNN has suspended Novak and Novak is contrite.

I’m surprised. I saw him stand up and walk out – I was multi-tasking but the TV was on – and it seemed to me that he was just responding to Carville’s abject rudeness. Carville was snarling something about Novak wanting to please far right-wingers.

I didn’t blame Novak. I thought, “Good for him, there is some sh** up with which he will not put. Maybe this will teach Carville to keep a civil tongue in his mouth and to learn that all is not permissible in partisan debate.”

Apparently, that’s not the lesson being taught -- or learned.

Talk about your bullshit...and bad sentence structure ("shit up with which he will not put"?).

UPDATE:

Not surprisingly there is competition and lord knows I would NEVER begrudge Kathryn Lopez from entering a contest of lack o' wit:

You watch that video, and it's hard to blame Novak too much for walking off the set--though, there's a certain amount of that obnoxiousness that's always part of the CNN yelling-heads banter. The libs on CapGang, for instance, were always doing that to him and he was giving back, if more affectionately than nastily. Still, even though it may not have been the most professional thing to do, it seems completely understandable.
Posted at 07:30 AM

And in her next post, she gets EVEN dumber.

Well, this seems time to bring out some old chestnuts...