Saturday, July 22, 2006
Game On
Even though I've previously said that if it actually happens Joe's independent bid will be a lot tougher than his people think, I still have a hard time believing that a claimed Rasmussen poll showing them even in a 3-way race is accurate. Though, anything is possible...
(btw, is this poll being sourced to anywhere other than some kos diarist I've never heardof)
...ah, Glenn Greenwald writes in to say Political Wire has it.
(btw, is this poll being sourced to anywhere other than some kos diarist I've never heardof)
...ah, Glenn Greenwald writes in to say Political Wire has it.
Complicit
And, when everyone in the world applies this new standard, we get to work on killing each other.
People
So, only 128 clumps of cells have been adopted. I guess the fetus fetish crowd is about as interested in actually preventing these things from being discarded as the chickenhawks are interested in fighting wars.
Wanker of the Day
Ad Nags:
Ad Nags must be channeling Fox and Friends.
People make mistakes, but you have to have a pretty limited view of history and a really awful bullshit detector to not think "Liddy Dole? First female cabinet secretary? That doesn't sound right..."
...already fixed.
Mrs. Dole has been a nearly unstoppable star for 25 years: the first female cabinet secretary, the head of the Red Cross and a popular senator from North Carolina, never mind the wife of Bob Dole, the former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential candidate.
Ad Nags must be channeling Fox and Friends.
People make mistakes, but you have to have a pretty limited view of history and a really awful bullshit detector to not think "Liddy Dole? First female cabinet secretary? That doesn't sound right..."
...already fixed.
Mrs. Dole has been a nearly unstoppable star for 25 years: the head of the Red Cross and a popular senator from North Carolina, never mind the wife of Bob Dole, the former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential candidate.
Nedrenaline!
I'm pretty sure no elected Republicans at the federal level endorsed Pat Toomey over Arlen Specter in their 2004 primary race, though some state people took sides. So, it's interesting to see both Marcy Kaptur and Maxine Waters jumping in for Lamont.
Here's a recent speech by Waters which discusses the race.
Here's a recent speech by Waters which discusses the race.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Mideast on Alert - 10 Days of Warfare
That's CNN's chyron right now.
I guess new wars make us forget the old ongoing ones.
I guess new wars make us forget the old ongoing ones.
Little Roy
Just adding to the post below. Here's what Sully writes now:
Here's what he wrote at the time:
The voices in his head...
I regret that rhetoric, expressed my regret days after the piece was published, and only ever applied it to those who immediately sympathized with al Qaeda in September 2001
Here's what he wrote at the time:
- What I was clearly saying is that some decadent leftists in "enclaves" - not regions - on the coasts are indeed more concerned with what they see as the evil of American power than the evil of terrorism, that their first response was to blame America, and that their second response was to disavow any serious military action. If this was their attitude in the days after 5,000 civilians were killed, what will they say and do when we have to take real risks and incur more civilian casualties weeks and months from now? These people have already openly said they do not support such a war, and will oppose it. Read Sontag and Chomsky and Moore and Alterman and on and on, and you'll see that I'm not exaggerating. Go to any campus and you'll find many, many academics saying the same thing.
The voices in his head...
Speaking of Comedy Gold
Guess who:
The Press secretary of the Embassy of Israel called to cancel my trip to Israel. They recommend that I not go to Israel. Apparently they have canceled all my interviews and war coverage. Ugh.
Angry
One thing I meant to add to the post below about Angry Joe is that both in general terms and specific to this subject is that the whole "angry liberal bloggers" thing is always quite amusing and misses the mark. Sure there's anger - I submit that there's plenty to be angry about - but the missed dynamic is that much of the time we're having a hell of a lot fun.
When I met Ned and Annie Lamont, and Ned's campaign manager Tom Swan, I said to all three of them that if nothing else this whole campaign has provided us with hours of endless fun.
I mean, Blogofascism? Comedy gold... You can't buy this kind of fun.
When I met Ned and Annie Lamont, and Ned's campaign manager Tom Swan, I said to all three of them that if nothing else this whole campaign has provided us with hours of endless fun.
I mean, Blogofascism? Comedy gold... You can't buy this kind of fun.
Angry Joe
Bogus email publisher Zengerle's article on Joe's woes is actually quite good. Among other things we learn that Joe's very angry. According to the Official Handbook of Punditry, anger is a terribly bad thing which only insane unhinged crazy bloggers have, and so everything he says should be dismissed accordingly.
Ezra chimes in on what motivates Lieberman supporters - a sense of entitlement and privilege. I think he's got most of it, but there's one more little important bit. The thing is that Joe has done Everything Right according to the Beltway Geniuses, at least before Joe Klein discovered he was for populism after he was against it. He scolded the nasty Clenis, he scolds other Democrats, he supported the Iraq war, he goes on the Sunday teevee shows all the time. He's embraced the "I'm a Democrat but I'm not like those other nasty Democrats" schtick which all cool kids know is the only way to be a cool Democrat. They object to the challenge to Lieberman because they see it as a challenge to themselves and their view of how things should be done.
...and Bill Kristol hearts Joe. So, on one side we have Marshall Wittman and Bill Kristol...
Ezra chimes in on what motivates Lieberman supporters - a sense of entitlement and privilege. I think he's got most of it, but there's one more little important bit. The thing is that Joe has done Everything Right according to the Beltway Geniuses, at least before Joe Klein discovered he was for populism after he was against it. He scolded the nasty Clenis, he scolds other Democrats, he supported the Iraq war, he goes on the Sunday teevee shows all the time. He's embraced the "I'm a Democrat but I'm not like those other nasty Democrats" schtick which all cool kids know is the only way to be a cool Democrat. They object to the challenge to Lieberman because they see it as a challenge to themselves and their view of how things should be done.
...and Bill Kristol hearts Joe. So, on one side we have Marshall Wittman and Bill Kristol...
His Beautiful Mind
This is scary:
Each crisis is an opportunity to wage a war they wanted to wage. The president believes Iraq is a success story. No one will tell him anything else. He understands nothing, yet belives he knows better than everyone:
Be very afraid.
In the administration's view, the new conflict is not just a crisis to be managed. It is also an opportunity to seriously degrade a big threat in the region, just as Bush believes he is doing in Iraq.
Each crisis is an opportunity to wage a war they wanted to wage. The president believes Iraq is a success story. No one will tell him anything else. He understands nothing, yet belives he knows better than everyone:
"He thinks he is playing in a longer-term game than the tacticians," said the former official, who spoke anonymously so he could discuss his views candidly.
Be very afraid.
Unhinged
It's true that it's Lieberman supporters who are the unhinged crazies. I don't mean all supporterse of Lieberman, but the ones writing spittle-flecked paranoid rants in the media about how bloggers are sapping their precious bodily fluids and how the defeat of Lieberman may mark the end of the Democratic party, the arrival of the Rapture, and the return of New Coke. As Josh Marshall writes:
Heard a damn thing about the Chafee primary in the national media?
Me neither.
One thing that strikes me is the sheer intensity of views on this race. We've heard a good deal already about the intensity of opposition to Lieberman. But his supporters, or what you might call the anti-anti-Lieberman crowd are really no less intense or in some cases almost unhinged about it. There is this sense that a Lieberman defeat on August 8th would be some sort of apocalyptic event, with Lieberman cast as some martyr, to what I'm really not sure.
Heard a damn thing about the Chafee primary in the national media?
Me neither.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Foul-Mouthed Bloggers
Tom Friedman has a potty mouth:
George Bush and Condi Rice need to realize that Syria on its own is not going to press Hezbollah — in Mr. Bush’s immortal words — to just “stop doing this shit.’’ The Bush team needs to convene a coalition of The World of Order. If it won’t, it should let others more capable do the job. We could start with the elder George Bush and Bill Clinton, whose talents could be used for more than just tsunami relief.
Liars
So, Republicans claim they raised $27 million at a big Bush gala fundraiser, of which $12 million was supposed to go to the NRSC.
Now we find out the NRSC only raised $4.8 million in the entire month of June.
Where'd the $12 million go?
Now we find out the NRSC only raised $4.8 million in the entire month of June.
Where'd the $12 million go?
993
993 of you have given to Lamont. 7 more makes it an even thousand.
Do it just to make Morton Kondracke cry. I can never remember whether he or Fred Barnes is supposed to be the more liberal of the two.
Do it just to make Morton Kondracke cry. I can never remember whether he or Fred Barnes is supposed to be the more liberal of the two.
Your Liberal Media
I know it will shock you all to find out that it's, surprise, still conservative, at least on Sundays. Maybe it's just that all the liberals are in church that day.
Friends
One of Bill Clinton's oddest flaws is his willingness to forgive his enemies. As Jane writes:
Big Dog may not have taken it personally when Lieberman stabbed us all in the back with his speech on the floor of the Senate during the impeachment hearings, but many of us did.
Corruption
Sort of echoing and answering Josh, I do think the corruption stuff has helped make people think, in an abstract sense, "Republicans bad, Democrats not as bad," and has helped give Democrats their massive lead in generic congressional ballots.
However, the more the corruption issue is what's driving the generic ballot lead the worse it actually is for Democrats. Those Democrats who can hang corruption around a Republican incumbent in a tangible concrete way will be able to run with it successfully, but for everyone else it'll be a wash. So, yes, corruption has mattered for the national picture but it won't be enough for the local picture except where people believe that their own member is corrupt.
However, the more the corruption issue is what's driving the generic ballot lead the worse it actually is for Democrats. Those Democrats who can hang corruption around a Republican incumbent in a tangible concrete way will be able to run with it successfully, but for everyone else it'll be a wash. So, yes, corruption has mattered for the national picture but it won't be enough for the local picture except where people believe that their own member is corrupt.
Lie Down With...
I was amused by Hugh Hewitt's attack on Jon Chait because it wasn't that long ago that Chait was being quite chummy with Hugh on his radio show. Chait said Hewitt was a "a kind of nutty, but lovable crank" but that he doesn't think "Daily Kos people" are "good for the country."
Game On
So, we have a real race between Lamont and Lieberman.. Those of you who haven't donated because you thought this was a hopeless battle may reconsider.
Or, just as important, please consider using this handy tool to notify friends and family in Connecticut about the race. It's kind of a personal GOTV tool.
Full poll results later might tell us more. Any likely voter poll result is going to depend heavily on the likely voter model, though no one can really predict who's going to show up on a hot August day.
Or, just as important, please consider using this handy tool to notify friends and family in Connecticut about the race. It's kind of a personal GOTV tool.
Full poll results later might tell us more. Any likely voter poll result is going to depend heavily on the likely voter model, though no one can really predict who's going to show up on a hot August day.
WHEEEEEE
I'm feeling that Bush Bounce!
(tip from pony boy)
President Bush's job-approval ratings have changed little from June, according to a recent Harris Interactive poll.
Of 1,002 U.S. adults surveyed in a telephone poll, 34% said Mr. Bush is doing an "excellent or pretty good" job as president, up a tick from 33% in June. By comparison, 65% of Americans said Mr. Bush is doing an "only fair or poor" job, down from 67% last month.
With midterm elections less than four months away, the poll also asked respondents whether they would choose a Democratic or Republican candidate "if the election for Congress were held today." Forty-four percent of those surveyed said they would vote for the Democratic candidate, up from 41% in April, while 31% said they would vote for the Republican candidate, down from 37% in April.
(tip from pony boy)
Shorter David Broder
The Bush adminsitration has subverted the constitution and seized near-dictatorial powers, but what's almost as disturbing is that some unnamed bloggers have overstated the case.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Fake
Not enough to exploit tragedy, they have to fake it too. Republicans. feh.
The controversial video of the burning World Trade Center towers in a television campaign ad for Ohio Sen. Mike DeWine is doctored, U.S. News has learned. The television spot, which has been lambasted by critics as a political exploitation of the Sept. 11, attacks Democrat challenger Rep. Sherrod Brown for being weak on national security.
On the air in major Ohio markets since last Friday, the ad shows the towers, with the south building billowing smoke, which gradually drifts upward. In the video, the north tower, which was struck first on September 11, is undamaged.
"This particular image is impossible," says W. Gene Corley, a stuctural engineer who led FEMA's building performance study on the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks. Corley reviewed the ad atwww.brownvotes.com for U.S. News. "The north tower was hit first [so] the south tower could not be burning without the North Tower burning." Corley also says, "the smoke is all wrong." The day of the attacks, the plumes of ash were drifting to the southeast. "The smoke on 9/11 was never in a halo like that," Corley says.
DeWine's office acknowledged the error. "The Senator was unaware that the image of the towers was a graphic representation and has instructed the campaign to replace the footage with a picture of the Twin Towers," his office said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
DeWine spokesman Brian Seitchik says the image of the burning towers in the ad is a still photo with computer-generated smoke added.
Chris Carney
Chris Carney is running against Don Sherwood. You may remember Don Sherwood from such hits as "64-year-old married Republican accused of choking 29-year-old mistress" and "64-year-old married Republican settles $5.5 million lawsuit by 29-year-old mistress for undisclosed amount."
Need I say anything more?
Help out.
Need I say anything more?
Help out.
Joe Sestak
Joe Sestak is running against Crazy Curt Weldon. When Crazy Curt isn't doing things like dreaming of digging up weapons of mass destruction in the sands of Iraq and listening to nonsense from Ghorbanifar's pal Ali, he's criticizing Sestak for his choice of where to get medical treatment for his young daughter.
Weldon's about the worst the Republicans have and yes that is saying a lot. It's an embarrassment to this country that he's in office. Sestak served 31 year in the Navy, and finished his career as a Vice Admiral. He's out doing a lot of people-centered campaigning - knocking on doors, talking to people at train stations - and with a little help he can win this one.
So, consider a little help.
Weldon's about the worst the Republicans have and yes that is saying a lot. It's an embarrassment to this country that he's in office. Sestak served 31 year in the Navy, and finished his career as a Vice Admiral. He's out doing a lot of people-centered campaigning - knocking on doors, talking to people at train stations - and with a little help he can win this one.
So, consider a little help.
Louise Slaughter
Louise Slaughter is the only incumbent on the list. I put her on there when it appeared she was going to be facing a primary opponent from the right. That opponent decided against it in the end, but she still deserves our support. She spends a lot of time out there fighting the fight and less time groveling than she might, and often has our backs on stuff we care about. So, it's good to have her back too.
Donna Edwards
Donna Edwards is the only person aside from Ned Lamont challenging an incumbent in a primary who is on the Eschaton Act Blue list. Edwards is challenging Al Wynn, who is a proud member of the Eschaton List of Losers you see on the bottom left, dedicated to those representatives who sold out their constituents by voting for estate tax repeal and for the bankruptcy bill.
Edwards isn't a new person on the scene, and she has plenty of non-blogospheric support. Once again I'll let Howie Klein tell you about her.
Edwards isn't a new person on the scene, and she has plenty of non-blogospheric support. Once again I'll let Howie Klein tell you about her.
Grovel
Yes, it's rather sad that politicians need to grovel to rich people. Politicians need to spend a lot of time begging for money and kissing ass. I promise that when (oh, optimism) I'm a rich person I won't really care if they grovel or not.
Still, politicians do need to grovel and a willingness to do so is really critical. New candidates are often shocked and horrified when they're told the number of hours they should expect to spend dialing for donors, but that's the way it works.
So, if some of you more humble people who don't really need to have your asses kissed would step up and donate a few that would mean less time they'd have to spend kissing ass.
Still, politicians do need to grovel and a willingness to do so is really critical. New candidates are often shocked and horrified when they're told the number of hours they should expect to spend dialing for donors, but that's the way it works.
So, if some of you more humble people who don't really need to have your asses kissed would step up and donate a few that would mean less time they'd have to spend kissing ass.
Funny
Laura Ingraham calls out falafel boy as a whiny-ass titty-baby.
O'REILLY: Laura, here's how it works. It intimidates good people who may want to come into the public arena as politicians or commentators. It intimidates them. They don't want to put themselves --
INGRAHAM: I disagree. I hate to disagree with you, Bill, but I disagree. If someone is intimidated by George Soros and Media Matters, then they have no business being in politics or in our business. If you can't stand up for what you think is right and for the values that you think most Americans hold and for what you think is good for this country, then get out of the game, get out of the kitchen, whatever you want to call it, because these people are going to do that. That's the nature of this game. That has been politics for longer than you and I have been alive, and it's going to continue to be politics. And I understand what you're saying. I mean, it's amplified because of the new media and the Internet and everything.
Getting So Much Better All the Time
Since July 6 there have been hundreds of Iraqi casualties in Iraq and about 17 US troop casualties. On July 6 Lieberman said:
Apparently things have improved so much in Iraq that Lieberman think we will be leaving sooner. He now says:
Apprently over the last 12 todays things in Iraq have improved so much that we've gone from beginning to draw down by the end of the year to having withdrawn a "solid" number, and from having half of the troops home by the end of 2007 to having all of them home by about then.
So I am confident that the situation is improving enough on the ground that by the end of this year, we will begin to draw down significant numbers of American troops, and by the end of the next year more than half of the troops who are there now will be home.
Apparently things have improved so much in Iraq that Lieberman think we will be leaving sooner. He now says:
BRIDGEPORT — U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman believes the U.S. will withdraw a "solid" contingent of its military forces in Iraq by the end of the year because of gains made by the Iraqi armed forces.
"There really has been progress made by the Iraqi military," Lieberman said Tuesday during a meeting with the Connecticut Post's editorial board. "Two-thirds of it could stand on its own or lead the fight with our logistical support."
The three-term U.S. senator said he believes a complete withdrawal is possible by late 2007 or early 2008.
Apprently over the last 12 todays things in Iraq have improved so much that we've gone from beginning to draw down by the end of the year to having withdrawn a "solid" number, and from having half of the troops home by the end of 2007 to having all of them home by about then.
Patrick Murphy
Continuing in my lifelong quest to put more Murphy-Americans in Congress, I also recommend supporting Patrick Murphy. He beat down a primary challenege from a well-known local pol, and now he's going after the odious Mike Fitzpatrick. This will be a tougher race - one of the "if we win this one we just might take the whole thing" races - than the other Murphy's (no relation) race, but still one that can be won.
Patrick's a young very likeable guy, seems to have very dedicated people working on his campaign - and from what I can tell he's using young people in a productive fashion which I tend to like - and has been working hard at what he's doing.
Consider giving him some support.
Patrick's a young very likeable guy, seems to have very dedicated people working on his campaign - and from what I can tell he's using young people in a productive fashion which I tend to like - and has been working hard at what he's doing.
Consider giving him some support.
Will
In current contemporary American political discourse the word "will" is defined as "desire to send one set of people to kill another with limited concerns about loss of innocent life."
This is disturbing. I much preferred it when "Will" in the context of contemporary political discourse meant "annoying smug divorced bow-tied conservative with an annoying fondness for bad baseball metaphors."
This is disturbing. I much preferred it when "Will" in the context of contemporary political discourse meant "annoying smug divorced bow-tied conservative with an annoying fondness for bad baseball metaphors."
Lois Murphy
Lois Murphy's one of the 3 candidates local to me that are in the Eschaton-approved list. This isn't simply local personal bias, though I have met Lois a few times, it's because it's one of those "if we can't win this seat we can't win many" issue. Murphy and her opponent, the loathsome Gerlach, spent about the same amount of money in 2004 - roughly $2 million bucks - and the Lois lost by just a few thousand votes. It's an odd congressional district, like many around here, but it is slowly trending Democratic.
They currently have about the same cash-on-hand, and once again overall have raised about the same amount. Still, every dollar counts.
So, consider helping out.
Howie Klein wrote about Lois here.
They currently have about the same cash-on-hand, and once again overall have raised about the same amount. Still, every dollar counts.
So, consider helping out.
Howie Klein wrote about Lois here.
Plus ça change...
Rocky Mountain News, September 19, 1994:
Coalition leaders denounced President Clinton and his administration at every opportunity for policies they said run counter to the beliefs of church- going Americans.
''We are here to send a message and that message is that we are fed up with Clinton-style liberalism,'' said Ralph Reed, executive director of the group in opening the convention.
Marshall Wittman, who runs the coalition's Washington office, said ''the national Democratic Party has definitely created a sour mood among religious conservatives and the mood here toward it is much more sour than last year.''
Across town, National Democratic Committee chairman David Wilhelm called a news conference to return fire, claiming religious conservatives are trying to hijack God and make him the Republican standard-bearer, when ''God is in all likelihood a political independent.''
Level of hostility rising
To which Reed proclaimed defiantly: ''David, you cannot intimidate us. We are Americans too and we have every right to be involved'' in politics.
...
''Somehow we (Democrats) lost the flag in the 1980s,'' said Wilhelm, meaning Democrats are seen as weak on national defense. ''I do not want to let this party lose God and the Bible in the 1990s.''
Common Sense Politics
As I was attempting to express on the radio, there's a certain imagined view of what the political center is which fits will into what the basic Beltway press view of what the political center is - somewhat economically conservative (or Liberal in the European tradition), and somewhat socially liberal. Miraculously this political center matches up just perfectly with the set of people who imagine a new wonderful politics above the partisan fray, and their agenda is presumed to be universally popular.
While this party of The Economist magazine (or, The Economist magazine circa 1997 when it wasn't as crappy as it is now) perhaps has its adherents, it's more likely that a successful third party movement (meaning, popular), would be more of an economic populist-nativist-socially conservative one. Some charismatic individual with a hybrid of the views of Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan who, coincidentally, were the standard bearers of the Reform Party...
It's a conceit of independence, of reasonableness, of untaintedness. It's very silly, and it causes people to rally around blank slate candidates who they imagine are also reasonable, independent, and untainted. It's why people vote for Arnold and Jesse Ventura.
While this party of The Economist magazine (or, The Economist magazine circa 1997 when it wasn't as crappy as it is now) perhaps has its adherents, it's more likely that a successful third party movement (meaning, popular), would be more of an economic populist-nativist-socially conservative one. Some charismatic individual with a hybrid of the views of Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan who, coincidentally, were the standard bearers of the Reform Party...
It's a conceit of independence, of reasonableness, of untaintedness. It's very silly, and it causes people to rally around blank slate candidates who they imagine are also reasonable, independent, and untainted. It's why people vote for Arnold and Jesse Ventura.
Radio
I'll be on On The Point at about 11:30 to wade into yet another stupid round of "partisanship bad, bipartisanship good" with a bunch of silly people.
Jeebus help me, the intro discussed College Republicans and "angry liberal bloggers."
You can listen here if you can stomach it.
...oh Lordy, the host just played a clip of O'Reilly going after "the left" when in fact O'Reilly was railing against "left wing newspapers" - in other words, the mainstream media.
Jeebus help me, the intro discussed College Republicans and "angry liberal bloggers."
You can listen here if you can stomach it.
...oh Lordy, the host just played a clip of O'Reilly going after "the left" when in fact O'Reilly was railing against "left wing newspapers" - in other words, the mainstream media.
Vote for Me or I'll Bring You All Down!
That, apparently, is Lieberman's message. If Lieberman loses the primary and does an independent bid as planned I do predict he'll lose the race. I also don't really buy the idea that it'll hurt downticket races. I did think that was true previously, but after more thought I decided many of these Democrats running might actually do better. First, given that DON'T TALK ABOUT THE Iraq WAR is actually an important issue for voters Joe the Democrat makes it hard for people running in CT to deal with the issue. Second, it will be a more interesting race if it's a three-way and that will presumably motivate more Democratic voters to go to the polls.
Double your dollars - Lamont is matching them one for one.
Double your dollars - Lamont is matching them one for one.
Blogosphere Day
Time for the annual netroots fundraising drive. Chris Bowers explains.
While the target of the push is Ned Lamont, throughout the day I'll be highlighting all the people on the Eschaton list. No need to pick just one, you can give to them all!
But, first up is Ned Lamont who needs no introduction. Lamont has promised to match dollar for dollar everything that comes in. Time's running out to make a difference, so please give for the final push to help Lamont beat Lieberman.
While the target of the push is Ned Lamont, throughout the day I'll be highlighting all the people on the Eschaton list. No need to pick just one, you can give to them all!
But, first up is Ned Lamont who needs no introduction. Lamont has promised to match dollar for dollar everything that comes in. Time's running out to make a difference, so please give for the final push to help Lamont beat Lieberman.
Ah, Memories
Christian Science Monitor, 1993:
'THERE'S a battle going on for what the Republican Party will be," says former Sen. Warren Rudman (R) of New Hampshire. The fight, he says, is over whether such social issues as abortion and gay rights will form a central part of the Republican message.
In the past, such a debate might have been decided in the proverbial smoke-filled back rooms. But in the age of Ross Perot, social issues are the subject of a heated duel in grass-roots organizing between the Republican Majority Coalition (RMC) - a group of centrist Republicans, including Mr. Rudman - and the Christian Coalition, a group founded by the Rev. Pat Robertson that speaks for many on the Christian Right.
In this battle, the Christian Coalition has an edge in experience - it has been around since 1988, while the RMC was founded in January - and organizational muscle. Ralph Reed, the coalition's boyish-looking executive director, reels off a series of numbers demonstrating his group's reach: 250,000 dues-paying members, a mailing list of 2.2 million names, and 60,000 churches the group communicates with. "We expect to double our membership this year," Mr. Reed boasts.
So far, most Christian Coalition activities have been targeted at local politics. For instance, the group often holds "Leadership Schools" to teach activists how to get involved in neighborhood politics. In 1992, coalition activists ran in some 500 United States elections for such policymaking bodies as school boards and city councils; they won 40 percent of the races, according to People for the American Way, a liberal lobbying group. Recently, coalition foot soldiers played a major role in backing a conservative slate of candidates in New York City school-board elections held May 4.
Now the Christian Coalition has moved onto the national scene. Earlier this year, the group opened a three-person lobbying office in a redbrick town house a few blocks from the US Capitol. "We're doing the Lord's work in the devil's city," cracks Marshall Wittmann, the coalition's director of legislative affairs.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Reed
At the moment it looks like Ralph Reed is headed to defeat, though it ain't over until it's over.
From my memory, Reed is a symbol of the dawn new era in the media, where anyone cloaking themselves in (Christian) religion was treated with obscene deference. He was a political operative from the beginning, yet I remember him back in the old days being treated with reverence as he'd make the talk show rounds. I'm not sure how important it is in the grand scheme of things, but it'll be nice to see golden boy go down.
...and, he concedes.
From my memory, Reed is a symbol of the dawn new era in the media, where anyone cloaking themselves in (Christian) religion was treated with obscene deference. He was a political operative from the beginning, yet I remember him back in the old days being treated with reverence as he'd make the talk show rounds. I'm not sure how important it is in the grand scheme of things, but it'll be nice to see golden boy go down.
...and, he concedes.
Presidentin is Hard Work
Quiddity asks what the hell's going on. I think he's sick of even pretending that he takes the job seriously and doesn't want to bother anymore.
Maybe the cool kids at the Note will learn we a need a president who is more than just a guy we'd supposedly want to have a beer with.
Maybe the neocons will learn that their dreams of empire, whatever their worth, require a competent emperor.
Maybe the cool kids at the Note will learn we a need a president who is more than just a guy we'd supposedly want to have a beer with.
Maybe the neocons will learn that their dreams of empire, whatever their worth, require a competent emperor.
Free Stuff Tuesdays
UPDATE: Tickets spoken for. Sucks to be the rest of you, losers.
Chris gave out a free ticket to see Al Gore.
I'm offering two free tickets to a show at The Mann tonight at 8pm which for various reasons I've decided not to attend. It's the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Mozart's Overture to the Magic Flute, Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major and Dvorak's 8th Symphony. The seats are under the shell and not the lawn seats, though you can still bring a picnic/nice bottle of wine/whatever to enjoy during the performance if you wish.
If anyone wants them, just email me and you can pick them up anytime after 6 at today's Drinking Liberally at Tangier's Cafe (18th and Lombard).
For center city people bus #40 runs right down Lombard and out to the Mann, if you don't wish to drive and deal with the Mann's parking situation. I'd recommend Septa's dedicated shuttle bus for the way home, which takes you back Rittenhouse square and neighboring locations for $3.50.
Chris gave out a free ticket to see Al Gore.
I'm offering two free tickets to a show at The Mann tonight at 8pm which for various reasons I've decided not to attend. It's the Philadelphia Orchestra performing Mozart's Overture to the Magic Flute, Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major and Dvorak's 8th Symphony. The seats are under the shell and not the lawn seats, though you can still bring a picnic/nice bottle of wine/whatever to enjoy during the performance if you wish.
If anyone wants them, just email me and you can pick them up anytime after 6 at today's Drinking Liberally at Tangier's Cafe (18th and Lombard).
For center city people bus #40 runs right down Lombard and out to the Mann, if you don't wish to drive and deal with the Mann's parking situation. I'd recommend Septa's dedicated shuttle bus for the way home, which takes you back Rittenhouse square and neighboring locations for $3.50.
Nedrenaline!
Three new ads are up.
And consider using this handy tool to send people you know in Connecticut a postcard.
And consider using this handy tool to send people you know in Connecticut a postcard.
236 to 187
House rejects constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. I've been getting a bit confused about the politics of this stuff. Yes I know it allows them to claim that about of Democrats love the gay even more than they love the terrorist, or something, but at some point I have to believe that failing to actually win on any of this stuff has to make them look like a bunch of losers.
No Ground Operation
I like primaries. Like many others I question the conventional wisdom which resists them. Locally the primary fight between Patrick Murphy and Andy Warren forced the Murphy campaign to step up their operation and get their act together earlier than they would have otherwise, and presumably helped get his name recognition up to.
Credible primary challenges to incumbent senators would seem to play perfectly into some of the Beltway conventional wisdom narratives - the power of incumbency is too strong, elected representatives should be responsive to their local constituents - which is another reason why the resistance to the Lieberman primary is so puzzling.
Now we see that Lieberman literally has no operation in place. He hasn't bothered to maintain the relationships in Connecticut one needs to keep a network in place.
Credible primary challenges to incumbent senators would seem to play perfectly into some of the Beltway conventional wisdom narratives - the power of incumbency is too strong, elected representatives should be responsive to their local constituents - which is another reason why the resistance to the Lieberman primary is so puzzling.
Now we see that Lieberman literally has no operation in place. He hasn't bothered to maintain the relationships in Connecticut one needs to keep a network in place.
Independence
If you took a few moments to go read through newspaper editorials from the USA circa 1993-2000, you'd discover that what editorial boards thought was the most important thing to maintain for a functioning constitutional government was having an attorney general who was independent from the president. This stick was used to beat Janet Reno with regularly to encourage her to launch yet another investigation into even more crap which amounted to nothing.
Now it's pretty much accepted that Alberto Gonzales is Bush's personal attorney, and that the JD isn't going to bother looking at White House activities. Nor, of course, will Congress.
We have a wee problem.
Now it's pretty much accepted that Alberto Gonzales is Bush's personal attorney, and that the JD isn't going to bother looking at White House activities. Nor, of course, will Congress.
We have a wee problem.
Women
In my tribute to the mighty and glory of blogofascism, Joe's troubles with women got left on the cutting room floor. I believe "grotesque indifference to the plight of rape victims" was in an earlier draft. But, those issues require a few extra words to explain for those not already familiar with them, and print doesn't allow one the luxury of verbosity. I suggest all punditry be moved to the internet where it belongs.
Robbing Shareholders
I find it bizarre that anyone would defend the practice of backdating shares, even aside from any "couldn't you stop being an asshole for 5 minutes after 9/11" considerations. When executives are so brazen about their willingness to do anything to loot their own companies it's rather obvious that aren't acting as an agent for shareholders should.
Will
Today George Will smacks around the Weekly Standard gang for their desire for war at any cost. Of course, it isn't just the Weekly Standard gang, it's the good liberals at Joe Lieberman Weekly as well.
I don't know how events are going to play out, but I find it rather amusing that after having spent years enabling these people, Will imagines that as a grand old man of Washington he can use his magical powers of Pundit Civility to stop the 18 wheeler that's heading for the cliff.
No one actually gives a shit what George Will has to say anymore. Funny that he doesn't realize that.
I don't know how events are going to play out, but I find it rather amusing that after having spent years enabling these people, Will imagines that as a grand old man of Washington he can use his magical powers of Pundit Civility to stop the 18 wheeler that's heading for the cliff.
No one actually gives a shit what George Will has to say anymore. Funny that he doesn't realize that.
Important if Obvious Point of the Day
Yglesias:
[I]t does seem to confirm one's sense that the current campaign to defend and spread liberal principles against Islamist extremism is being spearheaded by people who neither understand those principles nor have any real affection for them.
Still No Correction on Kornblut's Bullshit
Not surprised. The Clinton rules of journalism, where any horseshit can be published about someone named Clinton, were born at the New York Times.
Still waiting for that Whitewater correction, too, and it's been 14 years.
Still waiting for that Whitewater correction, too, and it's been 14 years.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Serious
I know foreign policy hawks imagine themselves to be brave hard-headed realists, but many of them, it seems, are just nuts.
Stridently Secular Rhetoric
Who are all these stridently secular politicians? Nobody ever says, but they keep writing the same column over and over about them.
Ticking
I've long been fretting about the coming big wave of ARMS and interest only loans getting their first "readjustment." The sheer number of interest only loans is shocking.
Journamalism
New York Times still hasn't issued a correction.
While you're at Media Matters you can sign the petition.
While you're at Media Matters you can sign the petition.
Gore Mania
For Philly people:
Movie is still pulling in the cash and is on track to be the #3 documentary. Probably won't manage to beat the penguins.
More on Gore
Moviegoers at the 4:15 screening tomorrow afternoon of "An Inconvenient Truth" at the Ritz East (2nd & Sansom) can expect a brief Q&A session afterward from the film's narrator and star Al Gore, who's giving a free lecture on global warming and signing copies of his book at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Friends Select School.
Movie is still pulling in the cash and is on track to be the #3 documentary. Probably won't manage to beat the penguins.
Potty Mouth
So much for dignitude:
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - It wasn't meant to be overheard. Private luncheon conversations among world leaders, picked up by a microphone, provided a rare window into both banter and substance — including President Bush cursing Hezbollah's attacks against Israel.
...
"See the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this s--- and it's over," Bush told Blair as he chewed on a buttered roll.
He told Blair he felt like telling U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who visited the gathered leaders, to get on the phone with Syrian President Bashar Assad to "make something happen." He suggested Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice might visit the region soon.
...
Bush expresses amazement that it will take some leaders as many as eight hours to fly home — about the same time it will take Air Force One with Bush aboard to return to Washington.
"You eight hours? Me, too. Russia's a big country and you're a big country," Bush said, at one point telling a waiter he wanted Diet Coke. "Takes him eight hours to fly home. Russia's big and so is China. Yeah Blair, what're you doing? Are you leaving."
Bush thanked Blair for the gift of a sweater and joked that he knew Blair had picked it out personally. "Absolutely," Blair responded, with a laugh.
Bush, a stickler for keeping to his schedule, could also be heard telling Putin, "We've got to keep this thing moving. I have to leave at 2:15. They want me out of town so to free up your security forces."
Bush also remarked that some speakers at the meeting talk too long.
Getting Better All The Time
Iraq'd:
can't get no worse...
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Dozens of heavily armed attackers raided an open air market Monday in a tense town south of Baghdad, killing at least 41 people and wounding about 90, Iraqi and U.S. officials said. Some reports put the death toll far higher. Most of the victims were believed to be Shiites.
Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier was fatally wounded Monday in western Baghdad, the U.S. military said. It was the fourth U.S. military fatality in the Baghdad area since Saturday. A bomb killed two people and wounded nine Monday in east Baghdad, according to police.
can't get no worse...
"Grow Up"
As I've long said, a sociopathic lack of empathy is the simple explanation for so many of these people.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Uh, Sully?
I dunno why Sully wants to come out and play with the cool kids, but it was a very foolish move.
This should take care of him.
(movie thanks to one good move)
This should take care of him.
(movie thanks to one good move)
Journamalism
I'd just hit publish on an angry post about Hillary Clinton when the full transcript arrived in my inbox. From the New York Times:
Clinton obviously meant no such thing. The "we" was Congress, as led by Republicans, not Democrats. Here's the bit:
Grrrr. Kornblut makes it even worse by implying that Democrats are the ones bringing up gay marriage, when it's the goddamn Republicans who are doing so.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAARGH
ROGERS, Ark., July 15 — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, returning to her red-state ties, chastised Democrats Saturday for taking on issues that arouse conservatives and turn out Republican voters rather than finding consensus on mainstream subjects.
Without mentioning specific subjects like gay marriage, Mrs. Clinton said: “We do things that are controversial. We do things that try to inflame their base.”
“We are wasting time,” the senator told a group of Democratic women here, on part of a two-day swing through a state that could provide an alternate hub to New York if she starts a national political campaign.
Clinton obviously meant no such thing. The "we" was Congress, as led by Republicans, not Democrats. Here's the bit:
You have to ask yourself, we have all these problems, and we have solutions sitting out there, why can't we move in the right direction? And it really comes down to a difference in values and philosophy. You know the nine women Democratic Senators, anybody see us on Larry King's show? We put out what we call our Checklist for Change. I don't know about you, but I am a list maker. I guess it's like a part of the DNA for women. I make lists about lists. And so we were talking one day and saying, you know, we as individuals, we have all of this legislation, we can't get it on the floor of the Senate. We can't get a vote on it because the Republican majority wants to vote on other things. So we pulled all our best ideas together. Wouldn't this be a good agenda for America: safeguard America's pensions; good jobs for Americans; make college affordable for all; protect America and our military families; prepare for future disasters; make America energy independent; make small business and healthcare affordable, invest in life saving science; and protect our air, land, and water. You know, Blanche Lincoln has a bill to make healthcare affordable for small business, I have a bill I was talking to you about with respect to energy independence, we have legislation sitting in the Senate to address these problems. But with the Republican majority, that's not their priority. So we do other things, we do things that are controversial, we do things that try to inflame their base so that they can turn people out and vote for their candidates. I think we are wasting time, we are wasting lives, we need to get back to making America work again, in a bipartisan, nonpartisan way."
Grrrr. Kornblut makes it even worse by implying that Democrats are the ones bringing up gay marriage, when it's the goddamn Republicans who are doing so.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAARGH
The End of the American Century
Josh writes:
As I and others have written many times, those who dreamed of American empire have hastened its demise. The only question is how much damage we'll let them do as American dominance declines.
But what stands out to me right now is the seeming irrelevance and marginality of the United States.
As I and others have written many times, those who dreamed of American empire have hastened its demise. The only question is how much damage we'll let them do as American dominance declines.
The Right
In a way things are becoming like the late Clinton years with a few minor differences. First, Democrats aren't actually in control of anything. Second, there is actually an "internet left." But the insane anger and violence coming from the Right - on the internet, and on talk radio, and on cable news - has been heating up lately to levels not seen since those days. And, as happened back then, the media studiously pretends to not notice.
- What type of rhetoric is one of the leaders of the pro-Bush blogosphere, Glenn Reynolds a/k/a Instapundit, a University of Tennessee law professor, promoting with his links, and himself disseminating on a regular basis? What sentiments motivate publication by Michelle Malkin of some of the most disturbing and hateful propaganda posters which can be imagined? And what causes three bland, corporate Minnesota lawyers at Powerline to routinely accuse political opponents and journalists of treason, urge their imprisonment, and engage in "rhetorical excesses too frequent to list"?
One of the pro-Bush blogs most heavily promoted by Instapundit currently displays satellite photographs of the home of the NYT Publisher, along with his home address -- isn't that thuggish tactic worth an article by itself? And virtually every mainstream Democrat, along with journalists who publish articles embarrassing to the Bush administration, are routinely accused in the pro-Bush blogosphere of being traitors and adjudged to be guilty of treason -- not by obscure pro-Bush blogs but by the most significant and well-read ones. As a result, as the Media Matters post documents, many pro-Bush bloggers have a virtual obsession with vivid demands for hanging political opponents and journalists.
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