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September 30, 2004
Thursday
Guardian. Blair avoids Iraq vote defeat
LAT. Iraq War Weighs Heavy on New Mexico's Voters
LAT. Test
SFC. Outsourcing Bills Vetoed; Schwarzenegger nixes anti-outsourcing legislation, and signs ban on foie gras.
AP. Kerry calls Bush 'a clever debater,' says he will make his own policies clear
Bloomberg. Bush Leads Kerry by 5 Points in LA Times Poll Ahead of Debate
BBC. Kerry and Bush to go head-to-head
WP. Court Strikes Down Part of Patriot Act
WP. GOP Drops Work on Balanced Budget
WP. Assembling War Records a Challenge
WP. Baseball Coming Back to the District
NYT. Leaders Say Senate Can Act on 9/11 Bills Soon
NYT. Senate Opens Hearings on Lobbyists for Tribes
NYT. In Debate on Foreign Policy, Wide Gulf or Splitting Hairs?
Arizona Republic. Thousands turn out as concert drums up Kerry support
Plain-Dealer. Singing Out To Sway Voters
NewScientist. Russia set to approve climate change plan
CNN. Gaza fighting kills at least 22
Commentary
Tom Barry. Is Iran Next? The Pentagon neocons who brought you the war in Iraq have a new target
Eric Reeves. Despairing for Darfur; Despite increasing coverage, the press has failed to impart the extent of the genocide
Michelle Goldberg. "Bush lied, my son died" In excruciating new TV ads, family members of soldiers killed in Iraq speak out about the horrible waste of their loved ones' lives
Eric Boehlert. Joe McCarthy lives; The Bush campaign's attacks on Democrats as "soft on terrorism" recall the dark arts of the demagogic senator. And once again, the press is playing along
Tim Grieve. Fact-checking Bush; Since the media has failed to call the president on his lies and flip-flops, Kerry must do the job in the debate
Michelle Goldberg. Marine declares war on Bush; Iraq war veteran Steve Brozak is running hard for Congress. And he's turning his campaign into a referendum on Bush's military folly
Richard A. Clarke. The Iran Threat
Madeleine K. Albright. Changing Direction
Test. Hype, Not Hope, From Big Pharma
Adam Tenner. CDC Lacks Youth Agenda
Jim Lobe. Americans Say No to Unilateralism
Anna Greenberg. The Security Mom Myth
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (18)
Quotable
“As far as the debate goes, I don't see how anybody could look at this debate and not score this a very clear win on points for John Kerry." Joe Scarborough, MSNBC's GOP analyst.
Posted by Eric at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)
Reaction
Smattering of blog opinions. Kos:
Was it me, or was Bush on the defensive the entire debate? He could lip-smack, smirk, roll his eyes, blink like crazy, and look angry all he wanted, fact is, he has screwed things up and he was livid that he had to account for his mess.Talk Left:
In fact, if I got anything from the debate, it was that regardless of how Iraq looks, he wasn't going to do anything to shift tactics. He had set his course, and nothing was going to change his decision.Strange, given the backdrop of violence in Iraq. I suppose people have a clear choice. More of the same, or a fresh new approach to Iraq.
I thought Kerry Ace'd it. I thought Bush was a mess. His final scripted closing showed just how off he was during the actual debate. Bottom line: Kerry soared, Bush flailed around.From Pandagon:
The after-analysis on CNN is struggling to come up with something Bush did good, and all they can say is that he stayed on message. And Carlos Watson just compared Kerry admitted he made a mistake to Bush's relaying a personal story as moments of humility. Watson's analysis is horrible - Bush had "command of policies"...but he didn't. He mentioned countries, a few policies, but Kerry destroyed Bush on policy knowledge outright.From Nate Newman:Greenfield just called the debate for Kerry, essentially. He said Kerry connected, he said conservative blogs thought Bush was on the defensive and he said he wanted to wait a few days to decide if Bush reassured. And the other guy (Carlos Watson, I think...?) said undecideds are now going to take another look at John Kerry.
Kerry won this. Thank God.
Bush just seems to keep repeating himself. And insisting that Kerry is flip-flopping when Kerry is saying completely reasonable explanations of his position-- Bush screwed up a war that Kerry would have supported if done right-- just undermines his whole argument.Paul Begala:And yes, the eye rolling and smirking, angry mouth just makes him look like a pouty little boy.
Kerry's aggressiveness just seems to work well. He may get wonky at points, but compared to Bush's repetitiveness, it just makes Kerry look like he has a vision to deal with the complications of Iraq and the rest of the world.
And of course, Kerry doesn't even need to beat Bush point for point. He just needs to seem like a reasonable alternative as commander in chief. Polls consistently show people think the country's going in the wrong direction. If voters feel comfortable with Kerry, they can vote against Bush with the will that's out there.
Bottom line: Kerry looked more presidential than the president did. Perhaps Bush believes his own spinners. He seemed surprised and a bit befuddled to be confronted not by the weak, waffling, French-looking wimp he attacks on the stump. Instead, he saw a strong, confident leader, in command of both the facts and the debate itself. Bush spent most of the night on defense -- and you don't win on defense.Bush is like a PAC-10 football team: He just doesn't play defense well.
Posted by Eric at 10:41 PM | Comments (93)
KE: Mixed Messages
From KE:
Mixed Messages on Winning the War on Terror
“Can’t Win The War On Terror” Asked “Can we win [the war on terror]?” Bush said, “I don’t think you can win it. But I think you can create conditions so that the - those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world.” [NBC, “The Today Show,” 8/30/04]Mixed Messages on Osama Bin Laden
QUESTION: Do you want bin Laden dead?
BUSH: I want justice. And there’s an old poster out west, that I recall, that said, “Wanted, Dead or Alive.” [Bush Remarks, 9/17/01, emphasis added]BUSH: “And [Osama Bin Laden is] just – he’s a person who has now been marginalized. His network is -- his host government has been destroyed. He’s the ultimate parasite who found weakness, exploited it, and met his match…So I don’t know where he is. Nor -- you know, I just don’t spend that much time on him really, to be honest with you. I…I truly am not that concerned about him.” [Bush Remarks, 3/13/02]
Mixed Messages on Protecting the Homeland
Bush Thought Homeland Security Cabinet Position Was "Just Not Necessary” And Blocked Its Creation. In October 2001, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Bush opposed creating Office of Homeland Security position for Ridge. "[T]he president has suggested to members of Congress that they do not need to make this a statutory post, that he [Ridge] does not need Cabinet rank, for example, there does not need to be a Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security is because there is such overlap among the various agencies, because every agency of the government has security concerns," Fleischer said. [White House Press Briefing, 10/24/01]
Posted by Eric at 10:37 PM | Comments (183)
Bush's Top Ten FlipFlops
See here.
Posted by Eric at 01:32 PM | Comments (34)
Debate Stuff
American Progress: What President Bush Will Say ... What You Should Know.
American Progress: What Questions Jim Lehrer Should Ask.
KE04: A Debate Briefing for George Bush
Posted by Eric at 12:04 PM | Comments (35)
Bush Supporters Have No Clue
From PIPA, Bush supporters don't know Bush:
As the nation prepares to watch the presidential candidates debate foreign policy issues, a new PIPA-Knowledge Networks poll finds that Americans who plan to vote for President Bush have many incorrect assumptions about his foreign policy positions. Kerry supporters, on the other hand, are largely accurate in their assessments. The uncommitted also tend to misperceive Bush’s positions, though to a smaller extent than Bush supporters, and to perceive Kerry’s positions correctly. Steven Kull, director of PIPA, comments: “What is striking is that even after nearly four years President Bush’s foreign policy positions are so widely misread, while Senator Kerry, who is relatively new to the public and reputed to be unclear about his positions, is read correctly.”Majorities of Bush supporters incorrectly assumed that Bush favors including labor and environmental standards in trade agreements (84%), and the US being part of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (69%), the International Criminal Court (66%), the treaty banning land mines (72%), and the Kyoto Treaty on global warming (51%). They were divided between those who knew that Bush favors building a new missile defense system now (44%) and those who incorrectly believe he wishes to do more research until its capabilities are proven (41%). However, majorities were correct that Bush favors increased defense spending (57%) and wants the US, not the UN, to take the stronger role in developing Iraq’s new government (70%).
Kerry supporters were much more accurate in assessing their candidate’s positions on all these issues. Majorities knew that Kerry favors including labor and environmental standards in trade agreements (90%); the US being part of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (77%); the International Criminal Court (59%); the land mines treaty (79%); and the Kyoto Treaty on climate change (74%). They also knew that he favors continuing research on missile defense without deploying a system now (68%), and wants the UN, not the US, to take the stronger role in developing Iraq’s new government (80%). A plurality of 43% was correct that Kerry favors keeping defense spending the same, with 35% assuming he wants to cut it and 18% to expand it.
Posted by Eric at 11:52 AM | Comments (32)
MSNBC to Frank Luntz: You're Fired
Daily Kos with the story on GOP pollster Frank Luntz, who apparently won't be doing any more polls for MSNBC.
Posted by Eric at 01:54 AM | Comments (91)
John Eisenhower: "Why I will vote for John Kerry for President"
In the NH The Union Leader, another Republican for Kerry:
As son of a Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, it is automatically expected by many that I am a Republican. For 50 years, through the election of 2000, I was. With the current administration’s decision to invade Iraq unilaterally, however, I changed my voter registration to independent, and barring some utterly unforeseen development, I intend to vote for the Democratic Presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry.The fact is that today’s “Republican” Party is one with which I am totally unfamiliar. To me, the word “Republican” has always been synonymous with the word “responsibility,” which has meant limiting our governmental obligations to those we can afford in human and financial terms. Today’s whopping budget deficit of some $440 billion does not meet that criterion.
Responsibility used to be observed in foreign affairs. That has meant respect for others. America, though recognized as the leader of the community of nations, has always acted as a part of it, not as a maverick separate from that community and at times insulting towards it. Leadership involves setting a direction and building consensus, not viewing other countries as practically devoid of significance. Recent developments indicate that the current Republican Party leadership has confused confident leadership with hubris and arrogance.
Posted by Eric at 01:46 AM | Comments (21)
September 29, 2004
Wed
Guardian. Blair refuses to say sorry; Last minute changes water down admission over Iraq
AFP. Congresswoman demands probe of alleged coercion by US Army recruiters
AP. Nader Supporters Lose Supreme Court Appeal
AP. Activists Sue Over Calif. Forest Plan
AP. GAO: White House Violated Law on Medicare
AP. Edwards Appeals to Women on Terror Issue
AP. Kerry Must Win the 'Persuadable' Vote
Newsday. The hardest of lessons — again; For the third time, students and staff deal with the death of one of their graduates in the war against terror
AP. Two Sentenced to Death for Cole Bombing
WP. Justices to Hear Property Case
WP. House GOP Shifts on Intelligence Bill
WP. Sept. 11 Widow Joins Campaign
WP. Doubts Over Missile System - $100B interceptor network hasn't been subjected to realistic testing
NYT. White House Generally Backs Senate Intelligence Measure
NYT. With Oil Near $50 a Barrel, Gas Prices Start to Inch Up
NYT. Iraq Study Sees Rebels' Attacks as Widespread
NYT. Hurdles Remain for American Voters Who Live Overseas
Reuters. Campaign Puts Polling Methods Under Microscope
Reuters. Bush Disputes Charge of Favorable Treatment in Guard
Commentary
Matt Kelemen. In League with Extraordinary Gentlemen - "Going Upriver," George Butler's documentary about John Kerry, tells the story of Kerry's two wars – Vietnam and the peace movement.
David Morris. There Is a Difference
Jared Bernstein. The Squeeze is On - The last three years have hurt the middle class -- no matter what the American Enterprise Institute or Slate might say
Michael T. Klare. Nonproliferation Politics
Eric Boehlert. Operation American Repression? An Army officer in Iraq who wrote a highly critical article on the administration's conduct of the war is being investigated for disloyalty -- if charged and convicted, he could get 20 years
Matthew Yglesias. Optimist Club - Some people want to fix things in Iraq. Bush sees only a flawless policy
Jeffrey Dubner. Put Up or Shut Up - It’s time for disgruntled conservatives to decide which is more important: their president or their principles
Mary Jacoby. The Cowardly Broadcasting System; CBS cravenly killed a "60 Minutes" segment about Bush's deceptive case for invading Iraq. What did it contain that was too much for voters to see?
Thomas F. Schaller. The NASCAR Debates; Sixteen questions the President would rather not answer in Miami
John W. Dean. The Next President Is Likely to Appoint At Least Three Supreme Court Justices
Will Durst. Cheater's proof; Florida deluge is God's wrath for election theft
Bill Berkowitz. Closing California; Two new anti-immigration initiatives intend to revive the state's highly divisive Proposition 187
Molly Ivins. The twilight zone of wonderland; When things get this weird, one metaphor just isn't enough
Josh Moskowitz. Iraq a catastrophic error, soldiers pay the price
Derrick Z. Jackson. Having it all in America
Robert Kuttner. Rethinking free trade
Harold Meyerson. How Republicans Define Security
NYT. Warnings on Warming
Al Gore. How to Debate George Bush
Daniel Ellsberg. Truths Worth Telling
George Soros. Why We Must Not Re-elect President Bush
Posted by Eric at 11:19 PM | Comments (32)
Cheney Flipity Flopity
Kick:
In an assessment that differs sharply with his view today, Dick Cheney more than a decade ago defended the decision to leave Saddam Hussein in power after the first Gulf War, telling a Seattle audience that capturing Saddam wouldn't be worth additional U.S. casualties or the risk of getting "bogged down in the problems of trying to take over and govern Iraq."Columnist Joel Connelly with more.Cheney, who was secretary of defense at the time, made the observations answering audience questions after a speech to the Discovery Institute in August 1992, nearly 18 months after U.S. forces routed the Iraqi army and liberated Kuwait. ... "And the question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam worth?" Cheney said then in response to a question.
"And the answer is not very damned many. So I think we got it right, both when we decided to expel him from Kuwait, but also when the president made the decision that we'd achieved our objectives and we were not going to go get bogged down in the problems of trying to take over and govern Iraq."
Posted by Eric at 02:38 PM | Comments (42)
Howard Dean's Advice to John Kerry
From an NPR interview:
NPR.org, September 29, 2004 · Howard Dean says John Kerry is on the attack against President Bush -- exactly what the Democratic senator needs to do to get voters fired up about his campaign.Dean, by the way, has a new book (and who doesn't?)."I think John Kerry's speeches over the past few weeks have been much tighter, much more pointed, much clearer, willing to take on the president and the president's obvious hypocrisy," the former presidential candidate tells NPR's Renee Montagne. "And I think that's what's necessary."
"I'm a different kind of politician than John Kerry -- no two politicians are ever the same," Dean says. "So it's true there was an enormous amount of passion in my campaign, but in the end politics is about policy. It can't just be about passion."
Posted by Eric at 08:56 AM | Comments (36)
Hamster Numbers: NYT Corrections
From Harpers:
Words the New York Times devoted last May to examining its own faulty reporting on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction : 3,082 [Harper's research ]
Words the Times devoted last year to "correcting the record" after an investigation of reporter Jayson Blair : 7,102 [Harper's research ]
Posted by Eric at 06:51 AM | Comments (33)
Galluping to the Right
Ruy Teixeira, one of the better Democratic pollsters out there, on the Gallup controversy:
I'm sure many have heard about today's full-page ad, "Gallup-ing to the Right", in The New York Times (page 5!) by MoveOn.org questioning Gallup's methodology and numbers. But if you haven't actually seen the ad, by all means click on the link and take a look. I think it's a striking and effective ad.The numbers in the ad, which are quite eye-opening, are rock-solid. The ad says Gallup's average LV lead for Bush this month has been 10 points, while the average of all other LV polls has been 4 (they're clearly referring to 3-way LV results--which are by far the most numerous LV results--based on other data in the ad). That's correct. Even taking into account data released since 9/26 (the end-date for the ad's analysis), Gallup this month has averaged a 10 point lead for Bush among LVs in 3-way trial heats, while the other 27 3-way LV trial heats taken this month have averaged a 4 point Bush lead.
Similarly, the ad says polls released since 9/12 (that is, two weeks before the end-date of the ad's analysis), excluding Gallup, have averaged a 3 point lead for Bush in 3-way LV trial heats. Correct again, even adding in polls released since 9/26. In the 17 3-way trial heats released since 9/12 by polling organizations whose names are not "Gallup", Bush is averaging just a 3 point lead.
Posted by Eric at 06:44 AM | Comments (30)
Poll: Most Americans Believe Rather Made "Honest Mistake"
USA Today poll:
In the poll, 56% said that Rather and CBS had made an honest mistake — perhaps because of "carelessness in their fact-checking and reporting." Asked if CBS News should fire Rather, 64% said no.The poll also found 55% of people think they can trust CBS News to report the news accurately; 41% said they can't. Asked about general media accuracy, 52% were positive, 47% negative.
Posted by Eric at 06:41 AM | Comments (182)
Debate Drinking Game
Wonkette has a debate drinking game for your debate drinking game pleasure.
Oh, and check out Zell Miller pickup lines. My Zell Miller pickup line? "Little Zell Don't Smell." Actually, that's an awful pickup line.
Posted by Eric at 06:32 AM | Comments (233)
Blog Shoutout
Happy birthday to Talk Left. She recently went to a benefit concert for Colorado US Senate candidate Ken Salazar. A nice recap here.
Posted by Eric at 06:16 AM | Comments (33)
Foxers Repeat Discredited Claims on Iraq-Al Qaeda link
Posted by Eric at 06:02 AM | Comments (22)
Bush's Hometown Newspaper Endorses Kerry
Reuters: "The weekly Lone Star Iconoclast criticized Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and for turning budget surpluses into record deficits. The editorial also criticized Bush's proposals on Social Security and Medicare."
Posted by Eric at 01:43 AM | Comments (6)
September 28, 2004
Tuesday
WP. Poll Shows Bush With Solid Lead Over Kerry; Despite Iraq concerns, voters find president a stronger leader; attacks erode Democrat's support
WP. Democrats Woo Undecideds in Mo.
WP. Foundation's Funds Diverted - Charity's spending benefits GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff, not youths
AP. Lawmakers Want Paper Records of E-Ballots
AP. Bush, Kerry Pause to Trade Barbs on Iraq
Reuters. Daschle Faces Tough Test in Tight South Dakota Race
Reuters. Bush Mocks Kerry for 'Changing Positions' on Iraq
BG. Kerry says he would seek nations' input on Iraq
BG. Bush targets Kerry in Ohio
BG. Democrats rip House GOP proposal on intelligence
Seattle Times. U.S. tactics on re-upping challenged
NYDN. Carter senses another Florida vote mess
LAT. Bin Laden's Image Crops Up in Ads
LAT. Insurgents Are Mostly Iraqis, U.S. Military Says
LAT. Insurgents Keep Iraqi City on the Edge of Chaos
WP. New Ads Attack War Stances
WP. Once Bedrock GOP, N.H. Is in Play
NYT. Inquiry on Medicare Finds Improper Limits on Choices
NYT. Sikh Group Stands out In Homeland Security Field
NYT. F.B.I. Said to Lag on Translations of Terror Tapes
NYT. Kennedy Denounces Bush Policies
NYT. Supporters Get Incentive Plans at Bush Rallies
Commentary
Pete Kotz. Country Club Swagger - It doesn't matter if you're left or right. Bush is an embarrassment to real men
Peter Kornbluh. Before Abu Ghraib… The United States has a long, sad history of sanctioning murder and torture.
Rahul Mahajan. The Bush Definition of Democracy
Susan Cooper Eastman. Did Fear of Flying End Bush's Air National Guard Career?
Michael Tomasky. Gimme an 'O'. . . Attacks work. And in the final weeks, Kerry should attack Bush on his biggest weakness of all
Mary Lynn F. Jones. No Rest for the Wicked: Karl Rove seems to think he can glide to victory; he may be shocked in November.
Christian Weller. Underlying Causes of Trade Deficit Cast Doubt on Future Improvements
Cynthia Tucker. The Cosby consensus; Bill Cosby's plain-spokenness comes not a moment too soon
John Nichols. Debate Halliburton
Howard Dean. The Myth of Corporate Accountability
Thomas Oliphant. Third party could tilt Nevada to Kerry
Barney Frank. A Social Security swindle
LAT. How Dare Kerry Speak Up
Robert Scheer. The Dangers of a 'What the Heck' Vote
Yusuf Islam. Something Bad Has Begun; The former Cat Stevens says he hasn't changed but the U.S. has
Jimmy Carter. Still Seeking a Fair Florida Vote
Marie Cocco. Style, not substance, rules debates
Helen Thomas. Saying U.N. backed war doesn't make it so
E. J. Dionne Jr. How to Win the Heartland
Krugman. Swagger vs. Substance
NYT. Barriers to Student Voting
Robert L. Borosage. Keep the Promise to Our Children
Katha Pollitt. Fox Hunts Student Voters
Chris Floyd. Global Eye: Blurred Vision
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (55)
Name the October Surprise
What will the Bush campaign pull out of its hat? Guess here, with prizes.
Posted by Eric at 09:06 PM | Comments (64)
Kos in the Guardian
"In the first of his weekly columns for Guardian Unlimited, Markos Moulitsas tells how US liberals have fought back against rightwing domination of the media since their 'goring' in 2000." UK Guardian.
Posted by Eric at 06:00 PM | Comments (47)
Lie of the Day
From Brendan Gilfillan of America Coming Together:
Rhetoric: “Alan Greenspan recently reminded us that when the government gets bigger, it is very, very hard to bring back down to size. And now spending usually costs more in the future than we ever expected. This is what would happen under my opponent’s plan. In four short years, he would leave obligations that would haunt our children for generations to come.” [Source: Governor Bush’s remarks in Green Bay, WI, 9/28/00]
Reality:
Bush’s runaway spending and tax cutting will cost every household $2,900 by 2012. “Sustained budget deficits have deleterious consequences. Under assumptions reported by President Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers, the deterioration in the budget outlook since January 2001 will, by 2012, raise interest rates by 125 basis points, reduce annual national income by $340 billion (more than $2,900 per household), and increase U.S. indebtedness to foreign investors. The adverse effects would persist (and grow) over time.” [Source: Brookings Institution, 1/29/04]
Posted by Eric at 12:03 PM | Comments (24)
Blair Offers Semi-Apology
From Reuters:
Tony Blair offered his Labour party on Tuesday a partial apology for waging war in Iraq -- a desperate attempt to pull supporters back behind him ahead of an election next year.But as two more British soldiers died in Iraq and a hostage remained under threat of death, his hopes of drawing a line under two years that has wrecked his public trust ratings are far from secure.
"The evidence about Saddam having actual biological and chemical weapons ... has turned out to be wrong," Blair said, his nearest yet to a mea culpa.
"The problem is, I can apologize for the information that turned out to be wrong but I can't, sincerely at least, apologize for removing Saddam," he said. "The world is a better place with Saddam in prison not in power."
Blair's speech was interrupted twice by protesters, one yelling that the premier "had blood on his hands," others opposing a planned ban on fox-hunting.
Posted by Eric at 12:01 PM | Comments (44)
Military Suffering Under Bush
More evidence, this time with troop reporting; USA Today:
Fewer than two-thirds of the former soldiers being reactivated for duty in Iraq and elsewhere have reported on time, prompting the Army to threaten some with punishment for desertion.
The former soldiers, part of what is known as the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), are being recalled to fill shortages in skills needed for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.Of the 1,662 ready reservists ordered to report to Fort Jackson, S.C., by Sept. 22, only 1,038 had done so, the Army said Monday. About 500 of those who failed to report have requested exemptions on health or personal grounds.
"The numbers did not look good," said Lt. Col. Burton Masters, a spokesman for the Army's Human Resources Command. "We are tightening the system, reaching the people and bringing them in."
Posted by Eric at 11:02 AM | Comments (17)
The Least Likely
Asian Americans are the least likely to vote. PSA Trailer.
Posted by Eric at 10:27 AM | Comments (25)
Rove Turning Tricks
Joshua Green in the new Atlantic Monthly.
Posted by Eric at 09:45 AM | Comments (13)
Carson Leads in OK
A Democratic pickup in Oklahoma looks even closer, according to a new poll:
Democrat Brad Carson holds a slim lead over Republican Tom Coburn in the hotly contested race for the U.S. Senate, according to a new poll.The poll, commissioned by The Oklahoman and conducted by Wilson Research Strategies, showed Carson ahead of Coburn by 5 percentage points. The poll's margin of error was 4.5 percent, making Carson's lead greater than the margin for error.
"I think our message is getting out," Carson spokesman Brad Luna said. "I think people are beginning to really start to listen to the race and take hold of the message."
Last month, Coburn had a 9-point lead over Carson in a poll conducted by the Virginia-based company. Coburn's camp expects to regain that lead by the Nov. 2 election.
Posted by Eric at 09:25 AM | Comments (26)
Comedy Central to O'Reilly: We're Not "stoned slackers"
And, apparently, they have proof; AP:
Viewers of Jon Stewart's show are more likely to have completed four years of college than people who watch "The O'Reilly Factor," according to Nielsen Media Research.Previously: Jon Stewart on O'ReillyO'Reilly's teasing came when Stewart appeared on his show earlier this month.
"You know what's really frightening?" O'Reilly said. "You actually have an influence on this presidential election. That is scary, but it's true. You've got stoned slackers watching your dopey show every night and they can vote."
Comedy Central executives realized, and O'Reilly acknowledged, that he was poking fun. But they said they didn't want a misconception to persist.
"If the head of General Motors was watching O'Reilly's show, that could be very important to us," said Doug Herzog, Comedy Central president. ... Relax, said Fox News Channel spokesman Rob Zimmerman.
"Comedy Central must have lost their sense of humor," Zimmerman said. "Without Jon Stewart, Comedy Central would turn into the Great American Country Channel."
Comedy Central also touted a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania's National Annenberg Election Survey, which said young viewers of "The Daily Show" were more likely to answer questions about politics correctly than those who don't.
Posted by Eric at 07:30 AM | Comments (25)
Bush Makes Out with Pam Anderson
Well ... sorta. See Post picture.
Posted by Eric at 06:43 AM | Comments (11)
Conan to Replace Leno in 2009
With Conan being one of my personal favorites, this comes as welcome news (Conan's wanted the 11:30 slot for a while). Of course, one wonders whether or not the tone of Conan's show will be watered down when he makes the move to a earlier time (will the masturbating bear go over well at 11:30?). Good comedians know how to adapt to their audience, so I don't anticipate that much of a problem. NYT:
Mr. O'Brien, the host of NBC's "Late Night'' for more than a decade, signed a new contract early yesterday morning at NBC's headquarters in Rockefeller Center. The deal guarantees Mr. O'Brien will serve at least two years as host of "Tonight," still the leading show in late-night television, when he takes over from Mr. Leno at a yet-to-be-determined date in 2009.Another question is who will replace Conan. The obvious choice is Jon Stewart who (like Craig Kilborn) likely doesn't want to stay on Comedy Central forever.NBC made the news official in a news release yesterday afternoon, after it had been announced to the staffs of both shows early in the morning. Mr. Leno planned to tell his own television audience last night of the decision on his program, already billed as a special edition because it is the official 50th anniversary of the first broadcast of "Tonight,'' with Steve Allen as host. Mr. O'Brien will become the fifth host in the show's history.
Because of a desire to allow Mr. Leno the first public comment on the decision, the hosts and NBC executives declined on-the-record interviews yesterday. But several people involved in the negotiations said they had been conducted in an amicable fashion, even though Mr. O'Brien has been surprised and disappointed earlier this year when NBC announced it had signed Mr. Leno to a five-year extension.
Posted by Eric at 06:25 AM | Comments (29)
Sulu Doesn't Want Bush
For all you Star Trek fans, on the lighter side of politics ... NYDN:
Add "Star Trek" cast member George Takei, who played navigator Sulu in the classic television series, to the folks who want to see President Bush replaced. "Bush is responsible for the needless deaths of so many young men and women," Takei says in the upcoming Steppin' Out magazine. "I don't usually agree with Howard Stern's opinions ... but when it comes to the direction of the country, we're on the same page." Takei, who grew up during World War II in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans, likens today's heightened security to the conditions of that era: "You never get over being detained in a internment camp. It stays with you for life. ... I can relate to how Arab-Americans must feel."
Posted by Eric at 01:30 AM | Comments (59)
Carville Defends Kerry Involvement
The Democratic strategist on CNN's "Reliable Sources" :
CARVILLE: I don't care. I like being -- it is all -- the silliness of it. My wife worked at "CROSSFIRE" in 2000, with way more involvement with the Bush 2000 campaign than I was in the Kerry campaign. Dennis Miller goes out and campaigns for Bush. He has a show all to himself. Same thing with Joe Scarborough. Newt Gingrich serves as an adviser to the Pentagon, and is a commentator for Fox News, and comments on defense issues. Roger Ailes writes a memo giving political advice to President Bush.What all this is is -- and I kind of enjoy it -- is just a pack of silliness. At the end of every "CROSSFIRE," I say, "from the left." And they're out there, all out of breath and they say, "James Carville is a Democrat." "The New York Times" runs a picture of me -- they caught me at the Democratic Convention.
(CROSSTALK)
CARVILLE: I'll tell you, they might win the Pulitzer Prize for getting a picture of me at the Democratic Convention.
KURTZ: I don't think that CNBC should let Dennis Miller be a talk show host and at the same time appear at Bush events. But he's a comedian. You like to be taken seriously.
CARVILLE: I don't care if I'm taken seriously or not. I'd rather be taken as a comedian. You know what, I take what I do seriously. No one will ever accuse James Carville of taking himself seriously. But at any rate, there is nobody -- I'm going to vote for John Kerry, I am going to do everything I can. I'll do whatever I can. I support John Kerry. I want him to be president. Campaigns call me all the time. If they call me, I'll call them back. I don't have any -- that's just as simple as it can be. It is no different. George Will was a commentator, and he was helping President Reagan on debate prep.
Posted by Eric at 12:27 AM | Comments (10)
How is the UN Any Different from the KKK?
Wonders one right-wing radio host at WABC (liberal media), notes Media Matters:
On the September 23 broadcast of the Mark Levin Show on WABC radio, host and Landmark Legal Foundation president Mark R. Levin likened the United Nations to the Ku Klux Klan. While discussing Senator John Kerry's proposals for the war in Iraq, a caller expressed his disgust for "Kerry's sensitivity to that international house of money launderers on the east side of Manhattan," referring to the United Nations.
Levin responded to the caller as follows:
I have a simple question for John Kerry. How can he support an organization that anti-Semitic? I would like to know how the U.N., given the make-up of the august body, is any different than the KKK or all the rest of it. They've got people in that U.N. that are torturers, mass-murderers, anti-Semites, anti-Americans, anti-freedom, and we're supposed to keep conferring our decisions to them. Why?
Levin is not the first right-wing media personality to smear the United Nations. As Media Matters for America previously noted, following President George W. Bush's September 21 speech at the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, radio host Rush Limbaugh described the U.N. General Assembly as "thugs and dictators" and claimed that they "don't condemn it [terrorism] because they wish to reserve it as an option should they need it."
Posted by Eric at 12:20 AM | Comments (29)
September 27, 2004
Bush Proud of 'Mission Accomplished' Sign
From the NYDN:
President Bush says he has no regrets about standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier with the sign that declared "Mission Accomplished" 17 months ago.
"You bet I'd do it again," Bush tells Fox News' Bill O'Reilly in an interview that airs tonight on the cable network.Bush said he was honoring the military campaign that ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. "I flew out there and said thanks. Thanks, on behalf of a grateful nation," Bush said.
But his opponent, Democrat John Kerry, said it's "unbelievable" that Bush would still make that speech. "I'll get the mission accomplished," he said at a rally in Wisconsin.
Posted by Eric at 06:16 PM | Comments (27)
TV Guests
Of interest, from Sue Trowbridge:
Al Franken - Th, 9/30, Leno
Bill O'Reilly - Tu 10/5, Letterman
Dennis Miller - Tu 10/5, Leno
Laura Bush - Wed 10/6, Leno
Al Franken, Keith Olbermann - We 9/29, Carson
Al Sharpton - Tu 10/5, Carson
Bill Maher - Th 10/7, Carson
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, Comedy Central
Mo 9/27: Rosie Perez
Tu 9/28: Ralph Reed
We 9/29: Seymour Hersh
Th 9/30: TBA
Mo 10/4: Bishop Desmond Tutu
Tu 10/5: Billy Bob Thornton
We 10/6: Bob Schieffer
Th 10/7: Bill O'Reilly
Posted by Eric at 04:36 AM | Comments (9)
Comedy Monday
"Bush bragged that more Iraqis say their country is on the right track than American say our country is on the right track. Boy, there’s a campaign slogan for you -- 'America: More F*cked Up Than Fallujah!'" Bill Maher
"Oh, so Iraqis are more optimistic about their country than Americans are about ours? I don't think that helps you." Jon Stewart
"President Bush says he's very excited about Cat Stevens. He says that we are winning the war on singer/song writers." David Letterman
"We begin tonight with a simple, indisputable fact: as a young man, President George W. Bush benefited from family connections to get a place in the Texas Air National Guard, thus avoiding service in Vietnam. As you would guess, this has led to calls for the resignation of Dan Rather." Jon Stewart
"A Bush administration official told Congress yesterday that the war in Iraq could cost 60 billion dollars. Yeah, President Bush said he plans to pay for it with a video series called, 'Prison Guards Gone Wild.'" Conan O'Brien
"President Bush spoke to the United Nations. A little later John Kerry spoke at a live press conference that was seen around the world. And then Ralph Nader spoke to some people who were having lunch next to him at the International House of Pancakes." Jay Leno
ESPN. This is SportsCenter Video Archive.
Victor Littlebear. The Bushiad.
funny.ansme.com. Build a Better Bush.
The Onion. Organizers Fear Terrorist Attacks On Upcoming Al-Qaeda Convention.
Click down for comics
Posted by Eric at 02:42 AM | Comments (19)
Rolling Stone: Rockin' Rebels
The Rolling Stone cover story on Voices for Change; RS interviews a bunch of artists, including Chuck D, Adam Levin (Maroon 5), Dave Matthews, Natalie Maines, and Alicia Keyes. Here's Ryan Key of Yellowcard
I voted for Bush in 2000. I was fresh out of high school. That's the way my parents were voting, so I just voted that way. If I could take it back, I would. Our president has pulled a blanket of fear over the country. He told us he had reasons to go to war, but where are the good-old weapons of mass destruction?And here's the Bruce interview.I've met so many people whose loved ones have died in Iraq. A woman named Cindy, whose husband was shot down in his F-18, came backstage at one of our concerts and collapsed in tears - she was hysterical with grief. She gave me her husband's picture. We talked about the election and how upset we were that her husband had to be where he was in the first place. That finalized it for me. If people who look to the commander in chief for support and wisdom don't trust him, it's time for a new one. That's all there is to it.
Posted by Eric at 01:22 AM | Comments (19)
Aint It Cool News on John Kerry Doc
I'm not sure if Harry Knowles has a political orientation (I never perceived one, though I don't read his site on a daily basis, so I could be wrong) but this is a pretty good summary / review of the film from the guy who's considered one of the more knowledgable film guys on the net (bold letters my emphasis):
When I received the tape of GOING UPRIVER: THE LONG WAR OF JOHN KERRY, I wasn’t really certain what to make of it. I assumed it would begin with his early life, take me through his Vietnam experiences, the protest movement against that war and finally his political life as a Senator. I figured, this would be a campaign film.Here's the website for the film.Instead, what director GEORGE BUTLER has made is a fascinating documentary about a transformation in a man caught by the Kennedy dream of “ask what you can do for your country,” signed up to fight the communists in Vietnam, began to see the truth of that war and felt that his duty to his country and fellow soldiers was to try and help end the war. Basically – that’s what this documentary is about.
The Vietnam part of the documentary is frankly pretty brutal. It lays out what the mission of the Swift Boats in Vietnam were. There’s testimony by those that recommended Kerry for medals at the time he earned them. Men, who claim he saved their lives, including one while Kerry was in fact wounded. Whether or not these events happened exactly as these men claimed they happened is surely up for debate these days, every bit as much as the idea that the sky is falling these days… but it sure seems that people that would probably know best what John Kerry did on his swift boat in Vietnam… well, I’d like to think it would be the men that were actually on his swift boat… or the man he pulled out of the river while he himself was wounded. But frankly – this isn’t the stuff that impressed me in the documentary.
Instead, what I found absolutely captivating was what John Kerry did when he came back to the United States. The footage of John’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is incredibly powerful. I’ve seen blurry photos of John testifying used in Anti-Kerry ads, but muted of course. As if to lump him in with the foul mouth protests of them there hippies. Instead, his testimony is one of the most eloquent and dignified statements I’ve seen from a Senate testimony. Throughout his time shown at this period of his life, he is shown to be the moderate steady hand that lead the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW). He wasn’t speaking out against the soldiers, but in fact FOR THE SOLDIERS. To put an end to the war. His statement about Nixon not wanting to be the first U.S. President to lose a war, in comparison to having to ask how one can ask a soldier to be the last man to die for a mistake… well, that’s powerful.
The DVD is going to be released on October 19.
Posted by Eric at 12:02 AM | Comments (34)
September 26, 2004
More Fear Politics
More of what ails the country; WPost:
The attack ad, picturing some of the world's most notorious terrorists, says: "These people want to kill us. They killed hundreds of innocent children in Russia, 200 innocent commuters in Spain and 3,000 innocent Americans."John Kerry has a 30-year record of supporting cuts in defense and intelligence and endlessly changing positions in Iraq. Would you trust Kerry against the fanatic killers? President Bush didn't start this war, but he will finish it."
While Kerry has voted for some military cutbacks as a senator, his campaign says he has supported $4.4 trillion in defense spending since 1985, including a sizable increase in 2002.
Progress for America, which is represented by the former Bush campaign lawyer, Ben Ginsberg, has raised at least $14 million. More than two-thirds of it has come from two Californians, Alex Spanos and Dawn Arnall, who are major Bush and GOP fundraisers. Singer said the group is clearly "linked" to Bush. Last week, the fund ran a mocking ad of Kerry windsurfing that was similar to a Bush campaign spot.
Posted by Eric at 09:03 PM | Comments (28)
Sunday Sports Blogging
Posted by Eric at 08:48 PM | Comments (40)
Papers Debate 'Boondocks' Strips
Several refused to print all of last week's Aaron McGruder comics. From E&P:
The series of daily strips this week imagines a new reality TV show hosted by rap impressario Russell Simmons, called "Can a N***a Get a Job?", with the missing letters pretty easy to discern. It includes panels showing a woman who would rather sleep than apply for a job, a knife fight between two women and a black man smoking marijuana in a board room, in a takeoff on "The Apprentice."Regardless, if you wanted to read those comics, they're here.Among the papers refusing to run the strip this week are The Washington Post, New York Daily News and Newsday. The Daily News published notices reading, "Boondocks is on vacation and will return on September 27."
A humor columnist for The Washington Post blasted that paper's "pathetically weak and wrong decision" on the comic.
Universal Press Syndicate gave papers a choice of running the strip with the three symbols in the middle of the "N" word, or with symbols for all five letters in the word, or re-running an old strip. The most severely edited version also deletes the knives from the knife fight. This is the version carried by the Los Angeles Times.
Kathie Kerr, director of communications at Universal Press Syndicate, told E&P that at least four papers killed this week's strip entirely. She said that McGruder had not commented, adding that he is "kind of his own wild child" and that this is "not the first time" the "N" word had been used in the strip.
Posted by Eric at 10:00 AM | Comments (34)
The Bible Will Be Banned
Liberals and their book banning ways.
Posted by Eric at 09:48 AM | Comments (38)
Did You Know ...
Donald Rumsfeld co-owns a New Mexico ranch with .... Dan Rather?
Posted by Eric at 09:46 AM | Comments (26)
September 24, 2004
Bill O'Reilly Distorts Facts to Help Bush
Geez, why would an independent journalist do that?
Posted by Eric at 07:15 PM | Comments (62)
Rather's Ratings Drop
From Broadcasting & Cable:
Three days may not yet be a trend, but Dan Rather's overnight Nielsen Media Research ratings have slipped each day since Sept. 20.
That was the day when Rather and CBS conceded the documents it used in a story on President George W. Bush's National Guard Service might be forgeries.The CBS Evening News, which was in third-place among the newscasts already, averaged a 5.1 rating/10 share in weighted metered market averages on Monday, even with its previous week's average, when CBS was still standing behind the story. Tuesday, the average dropped to a 4.7/9, then slipped to a 4.6/9 on Wednesday, a 10% drop over the three days.
Posted by Eric at 07:13 PM | Comments (43)
Army Guard Facing Drop in Recruitment
Gee, wonder why:
The Army National Guard will fall short of its recruiting goal this year, in part because fewer active-duty soldiers are opting to switch to part-time service, the Guard's top general said Thursday.
It will be the first time since 1994 that the Guard has missed its sign-up goal.Army Lt. Gen. Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said in an interview at his Pentagon office that the shortfall for the budget year ending Sept. 30 is likely to be about 5,000 soldiers. That is a little more than 1% of the total Army Guard force of 350,000.
Posted by Eric at 04:20 PM | Comments (27)
Newt's Sister Campaigns for Democrats
From the Morning Sentinel in Maine:
Candace Gingrich, half-sister to former U.S. House speaker and conservative icon Newt Gingrich, came Wednesday to Colby College, attempting to convince young Mainers to vote in upcoming elections -- and vote for two Democrats: John Kerry and U.S. Congressman Michael Michaud."I'm stumping to fire George Bush," she said.
Gingrich, 38, is an activist for gay and lesbian causes. Working as a youth outreach co-ordinator for the Human Rights Campaign, a gay political organization, Gingrich arrived in Waterville as part of a multi-state tour taking her to battleground states in the presidential contest or states with Congressional races the HRC sees as key ... Her opposition to the Bush administration centers largely on what she sees as Bush's overall hostility toward gays and lesbians, especially his push for a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriages. She is not mollified by comments from Vice President Dick Cheney that suggested he disagrees with the president's amendment stance.
"Anyone who uses the constitution as a political tool," Gingrich said, "and who supports the enshrinement of discrimination in that document isn't worthy of being my president."
Posted by Eric at 04:07 PM | Comments (55)
September 23, 2004
Thursday
Newsweek. The Gas Miser: Toyota's new hybrid may just be the biggest thing in cars since the combustion engine
AP. US Urges Changes in Watch List Rules
AP. Kerry Says Bush's 'Blunder; Kerry Tells AP That Bush's 'Blunders' on Progress in Iraq Show President Is Avoiding Reality
AP. Bush Team Orchestrates Larger Ad Campaign
AP. Bush Hopes Allawi Can Reassure U.S. Voters
AP. U.S. Rules Out Iraq Women Prisoner Release
Reuters. Cat Stevens Calls U.S. Deportation 'Ridiculous'
Reuters. Kerry: Bush's Iraq, Domestic Policies 'Guesswork'
Reuters. Hurricane Impact Drives Up Jobless Claims
LAT. Iraq, U.S. Differ on Prisoner Release
LAT. Cal Voters Stay in Kerry's Corner
LAT. U.S. Hand Seen in Afghan Election
WP. GOP Rallies to DeLay After Charges
WP. Bush, Kerry Plan Debate Workouts
WP. Security Delays Green Cards
NYT. Deal in Congress to Keep Tax Cuts, Widening Deficit
NYT. U.S. to Free 'Enemy Combatant,' Bowing to Supreme Court Ruling
NYT. Politicians Go Courting on Indian Reservations
NYT. Senate Confirms Goss as Intelligence Chief
Commentary
Jason DeParle. Welfare to What?
Michael Scherer. Dealing with the Merchant of Death
Chris Wells. State should lead oceans restoration
Marie Cocco. Bush's pep talk fails to rally the UN
David Corn. The Resurrection: John Kerry comes to life on Iraq
Anne-Marie Cusac. Bullies at the Voting Booth
Geov Parrish. President Peter Pan
Joe Conason. Republican Senators tell unpleasant truths
Marc Cooper. Voting in the Void? Ronnie Dugger warns about the growing use of electonic voting machines
Arianna Huffington. The nation's future also depends on the outcome of three Senate races, which the Democrats could sweep
Sidney Blumenthal. Like a bubble boy, Bush lives in a world immune from the realities of Iraq
Phillip Robertson. Hell: Salon's war correspondent on the Iraq inferno
Robert B. Reich. Deficient Deficit Debate; We need a debate on deficits, not party dogma.
Lawrence Mishel. Schoolhouse Schlock; Conservatives hold research on charter schools to a new, low standard
Sandip Roy. Swing State Envy
Ruy Teixeira. Decoding the National Polls
Robert Cole. The Disease of Right-wing Framing
Posted by Eric at 11:59 PM | Comments (40)
Another Consequence of the CBS Screwup: Niger Story Bump
Not so stellar major, yo: good journalism bumped for bad journalism:
In its rush to air its now discredited story about President George W. Bush’s National Guard service, CBS bumped another sensitive piece slated for the same “60 Minutes” broadcast: a half-hour segment about how the U.S. government was snookered by forged documents purporting to show Iraqi efforts to purchase uranium from Niger.Here's Joshua Micah Marshall in the story:The journalistic juggling at CBS provides an ironic counterpoint to the furor over apparently bogus documents involving Bush’s National Guard service. One unexpected consequence of the network’s decision was to wipe out a chance—at least for the moment—for greater public scrutiny of a more consequential forgery that played a role in building the Bush administration’s case to invade Iraq.
A team of “60 Minutes” correspondents and consulting reporters spent more than six months investigating the Niger uranium documents fraud, CBS sources tell NEWSWEEK. The group landed the first ever on-camera interview with Elisabetta Burba, the Italian journalist who first obtained the phony documents, as well as her elusive source, Rocco Martino, a mysterious Roman businessman with longstanding ties to European intelligence agencies.
Although the edited piece never ended up identifying Martino by name, the story, narrated by “60 Minutes” correspondent Ed Bradley, asked tough questions about how the White House came to embrace the fraudulent documents and why administration officials chose to include a 16-word reference to the questionable uranium purchase in President Bush’s 2003 State of the Union speech.
But just hours before the piece was set to air on the evening of Sept. 8, the reporters and producers on the CBS team were stunned to learn the story was being scrapped to make room for a seemingly sensational story about new documents showing that Bush ignored a direct order to take a flight physical while serving in the National Guard more than 30 years ago.
"This is like living in a Kafka novel. Here we had a very important, well-reported story about forged documents that helped lead the country to war. And then it gets bumped by another story that relied on forged documents."
Posted by Eric at 05:49 PM | Comments (48)
Watch Out for Hurricane Jeb
From the always useful Progress Report:
Those nerds at CAP have even more on the min wage.With Floridians still recovering from the economic destruction caused by hurricanes Charlie, Frances and Ivan, Jeb Bush and his corporate allies are determined to make matters even worse for low-income Floridians. Jeb and his big business supporters are working to defeat a November ballot initiative that would raise the minimum wage in Florida by one dollar, to $6.15 an hour for most employees. If the measure passes, the Florida minimum wage would have a yearly cost-of-living adjustment equal to the inflation rate to ensure that the value of the minimum wage does not erode over time. The front group created by corporations to fight the initiative claims that the modest increase in the minimum wage "would cost businesses billions, lead employers to cut benefits and slow job growth in Florida." The proof? They polled themselves as to what they thought the impact would be. Real economic analysis, released yesterday by the Center for American Progress and the Political Economy Research Institute, demonstrates that the minimum wage increase would significantly benefit low-income Floridians and have a negligible impact on the state's business community. For more information on the effort to pass the initiative, check out Floridians for All.
Posted by Eric at 05:22 PM | Comments (39)
Bush Admin's Nuclear Weapons Policies: Failing America
From NRDC:
The Bush administration has squandered a historic opportunity to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy, according to a report released today by the nuclear program at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). Instead, the administration has pursued programs to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons, and committed billions of dollars to upgrade the arsenal and refine nuclear strike plans against countries that were not targets during the Cold War. The result: Progress in curbing nuclear weapons proliferation has slowed to a crawl, and the federal government is wasting resources that could be better used to address the more pressing threat of terrorism. (See the report, Nuclear Insecurity.)"The fervor with which this administration continues its commitment to nuclear weapons as a vital component of global U.S. military superiority confers unwarranted legitimacy on the role of nuclear weapons in international relations, and encourages other countries to value them as well," said Dr. Robert S. Norris of NRDC's nuclear program. "The double standard evident in the administration's nuclear policies -- 'Do what I say, not what I do' -- makes a mockery of U.S. efforts to lead a campaign to stop nuclear proliferation." Norris added that the report is especially timely because Congress now has the opportunity to cut funding for the administration's "misguided" policies and initiatives in the energy and water development appropriations bills.
Posted by Eric at 05:14 PM | Comments (73)
On "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry"
Atrio has a nice post on the new John Kerry movie.
You can also order the movie based on W's life.
Posted by Eric at 05:03 PM | Comments (104)
Saint Clinton
Of course, no one honestly believes Clinton will be up for sainthood anytime soon (or do they ...), but how can you not enjoy the silly reaction to this.
Posted by Eric at 04:26 PM | Comments (75)
New Book: "When Presidents Lie"
The Nation columnist Eric Alterman has a new book out: When Presidents Lie.
Here's the book description:
Lying has become pervasive in American life—but what happens when the falsehoods are perpetrated by the Oval Office? As the lies told by our government become more and more intricate, they begin to weave a tapestry of deception that creates problems far larger than those lied about in the first place.
Eric Alterman’s When Presidents Lie is a compelling historical examination of four specific post-World War II presidential lies whose consequences were greater than could ever have been predicted. FDR told the American people that peace was secure in Europe, setting the stage for McCarthyism and the cold war. John F. Kennedy’s unyielding stance during the Cuban missile crisis masked his secret deal with the Soviet Union. Misrepresented aggression at the Gulf of Tonkin by the North Vietnamese gave LBJ the power to start a war. Finally, Ronald Reagan’s Central American wars ended in the ignominy of the Iran-contra scandal.
In light of George W. Bush’s war in Iraq, which Alterman examines in the book’s conclusion, When Presidents Lie is a warning—one more relevant today than ever before—that the only way to prevent these lies is America’s collective demand for truth.
But again, the book is from Eric Alterman. Isn't that all you need to know? Buy it today.
Posted by Eric at 03:11 PM | Comments (33)
More Bush Administration Anti-Gay Action
This time on social security:
The Social Security Administration is trying to remove language from the agency's labor contract that protects its employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation. The change would make it legal for gay and lesbian employees in the Bush administration to be discriminated against, or even fired, by their employers.The contract language at issue was added in 2000 in response to an executive order by President Clinton establishing a uniform policy protecting federal employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
"I call on President Bush to intercede and protect the hard-working employees of the Social Security Administration," said Terry McAuliffe, Democratic National Committee chairman. "Unfortunately, if Bush's record of divisive politics is any indicator, he will ignore this problem and fail us once again. If Bush's appointees within the SSA are successful in removing this protection, then other agencies are sure to follow, and gay and lesbian Americans would have no legal recourse to fight against wrongful discrimination."
Posted by Eric at 03:09 PM | Comments (76)
LA Weekly: "David Dreier and his straight hypocrisy"
Should someone be outed? Doug Ireland in LA Weekly says David Dreier should be:
The latest target of a Capitol Hill outing campaign — designed to expose closeted homosexual Republicans who oppose civil rights for gay people — is San Gabriel Valley Congressman David Dreier.The powerful 12-term congressman — chairman of the House Rules Committee, chairman of the California Republican House delegation, co-chairman of Californians for Bush, chairman of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s transition team — is in the cross hairs of Mike Rogers and his Blogactive.com Web site, whose outing campaign has already forced one GOP congressman out of politics. Representative Ed Schrock, a reactionary from Virginia, ended his re-election campaign last month after Rogers put on his Web site an audiotape of Schrock trolling for tricks on a gay chat line ... I have always taken the view that outing a gay person should be approached with caution, and that in doing so one should strictly adhere to the Barney Frank Rule. As articulated by the openly gay Massachusetts congressman during another anti-gay GOP witch-hunt over a decade ago, when Frank threatened to out a number of gay-baiting Republican fellow congressmen, the rule insists that outing is only acceptable when a person uses their power or notoriety to hurt gay people.
Dreier clearly meets that standard, for his voting record is strewn with anti-gay positions. To cite just a few: He voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would have banned discrimination against gay people in hiring; voted for the gay-bashing Defense of Marriage Act; voted for banning adoption by gay and lesbian couples in the District of Columbia (3,000 miles away from Dreier’s district); voted to allow federally funded charities to discriminate against gays in employment, even where local laws prohibit such bias; and voted against the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
Dreier is not just a political homophobe but a heartless AIDS-phobe as well, voting against the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program designed to give shelter to the impoverished sick, and against funding for the federal ADAP program that furnishes the poor with the AIDS meds they need to stay alive.
Posted by Eric at 10:35 AM | Comments (112)
The Prius a Hit
The environmentally friendly car has been a hit for Toyota, reports Newsweek, and could impact the car industry:
Since October, Toyota has had to increase production of the Prius three times, most dramatically in August when it announced a 50 percent boost for next year to 15,000 vehicles a month worldwide. That's a fraction of its Corolla output, but enough to raise serious questions about whether Toyota innovations are once again leading a major revolution in the American market. While the automaker plans to send most of the new production run to the United States, there are still 22,000 customers on waiting lists for the car. "We didn't know how the consumers would react to this technology," says Don Esmond, a senior vice president and general manager at Toyota. "They've voted for it, they've voted with their dollars."To be sure, the hybrid phenomenon is still only a ripple in the pool of American gas guzzlers. The highest estimates for the United States predict annual sales of 500,000 hybrid cars by 2009—about 3 percent of the 16.7 million car market. Analysts think that the price of fuel would have to hit $3 a gallon to see bigger sales sooner. Yet already the Prius is the first significant departure from the combustion engine to make any major inroads in the auto industry since Henry Ford invented the Model T in 1908. And major carmakers have learned never to ignore the ambitions of Toyota, arguably the best-run big automobile company in the world, with a reported stock-market value of $107 billion, almost four times more than GM or Ford. "For Toyota," says prominent Japanese car critic and environmental-technology specialist Tadashi Tateuchi, the hybrid car "may well be the key to world domination."
Posted by Eric at 09:57 AM | Comments (44)
September 22, 2004
Wed
Zogby. Race for President Falls Back into Dead Heat, New Zogby Interactive Presidential Battleground Poll Reveals
WP. White House Links Memos, Kerry Camp
WP. Kerry Says Bush Lacks Credibility
WP. Prison report criticizes Indian Affairs bureau
Reuters. Singer Cat Stevens Denied U.S. Entry, Flight Diverted
ChicST. Kerry says Bush trying to shift topic
LAT. The News Keeps Getting Worse for Embarrassed CBS
LAT. Texans at Odds Over Bush Reforms
LAT. Bush, Annan Speeches Show Divisions on Iraq
AP. Bush Mixing Diplomacy and Campaigning
AP. Bush, Annan Spar Over Iraq War at U.N.
AP. Iraq Turns Over Decapitated Corpse to U.S.
Reuters. Iran Calls on World to Recognize Its Atomic Rights
Reuters. Nader Blames Kerry for Ballot Access Fight
Reuters. Iraq May Free Woman Prisoner, Briton Under Threat
BG. In Florida stop, Kerry hammers Bush on health care policy
BG. Kerry looks to clarify stance, views on Iraq
BG. At UN, Bush defends war
NYT. Kerry in a Struggle for a Democratic Base: Women
NYT. U.S. Seeks Cuts in Housing Aid to Urban Poor
NYT. Iraqi Officials Say Prisoner Will Be Freed
NYT. 3 DeLay Aides Facing Charges in Fund-Raising
Commentary
Bernie Sanders. Time to Commit
Dallas Observer. The Right's Stuff; A Texas-based band of conservative warriors tackles the left on its own turf--the street
Harold Meyerson. Blocking the Latino Ballot? (
Seattle PI. Kerry finds his voice; Sen. John Kerry has begun to dish out the straight talk Americans deserve about Iraq. Finally
Seattle PI. War is peace
Newsday. CBS error makes all journalists look bad
Dan Plesch. The case for impeachment; There is no doubt Blair misled parliament over the war.
Derrick Z. Jackson. Republican discord in the Senate
Robert Kuttner. A broken promise to children
E.J. Dionne, Jr. Messing up and fessing up; Dan Rather gets the second part right -- will Dubya follow?
Barbara Ehrenreich. To Catch a Thief
Molly Ivins. Them's fightin' words; Memo from Texas: Opposition in non-swing states can stand up, too
James K. Galbraith. The Afghan Effect?
David Ost. Letter From Poland; Bush has managed to puncture Poles' image of America as essentially good
David Cole. Ashcroft: 0 for 5,000
Center for American Progress. President Fails To Answer Critical Questions Before United Nations
Robert O. Boorstin. Bush Declares Premature Victory In Iraq
Noy Thrupkaew. Texas Film-School Massacre; Michael Moore-bashing, conspiracy theories, and more at the first conservative film festival
Matthew Yglesias. Nothing But Talk
Mark Weisbrot. No Taxes for Owners, Only Workers
Nina Burleigh. The Son of Reagan
Posted by Eric at 11:54 PM | Comments (51)
Oklahoma Papers Call on Coburn to Step Down
Kos has the details on the increasingly controversial Tom Coburn, who is the GOP candidate against Brad Carson for a US Senate seat.
Posted by Eric at 09:51 PM | Comments (42)
Demand Iraq Discussion
From True Majority email:
President Bush tells us that “Our strategy is succeeding … Iraq is headed toward democracy ... Freedom is on the march.” This from the guy who told us that American troops would be greeted with parades as liberators and “Mission Accomplished.”
The facts say otherwise. Bush’s own CIA recently reported to him that the best case in Iraq is a protracted quagmire and the worst case is a full-blown civil war. Yet Bush continues the sunny spin.In a democracy, the people are entitled to know what’s going on so that we can form our own opinions and take action. No wonder this government seeks to keep the facts from the people.
But U.S. senators, both Democrats and Republicans, are calling for the public release of the facts in that CIA analysis, known as the National Intelligence Estimate. Respected senators Bob Graham (D-FL) and John McCain (R-AZ) have read it and know that Americans deserve to know what’s in it too. Of course, it would have the secret stuff taken out; no one wants to make things worse. But the truth of how we got into this mess, what’s happening on the ground there now and how this is going to play out should all be available to the people.Here’s what you can do. Together with our friends at MoveOn and Working Assets, TrueMajority is pushing for public disclosure of the facts about the quagmire in Iraq. We’re working to get this issue into the media, and a great way to get it widely read is through the Letters to the Editor section of your local paper. Letters to the editor are heavily read and really help to get people thinking and acting. And we’ve made it really easy for you to get your views published.
To send a letter to the editor of your paper (either one we’ve helped write or, better yet, one of your own, perhaps using the talking points we provide), just click here:
Posted by Eric at 07:37 PM | Comments (72)
Swift Boat Ad Fact Check
The Kerry campaign has released a response to the new SBVT ad.
Meanwhile, Mike McCurry is calling on President Bush to condemn the reprehensible ads:
“This week has seen a further deterioration of chaos in Iraq. American servicemen have been killed, two Americans were brutally beheaded, car bombs continue to explode and, according to Prime Minister Allawi’s own account, thousands of terrorists continue to pour into Iraq.“And the response from George W. Bush and his campaign? A shrug of the shoulder from the President at the U.N., and an advertisement that takes a lighthearted approach to the war in Iraq.
“Mr. President, this is a shameful advertisement that shows a disturbing disregard for those fighting and sacrificing in Iraq, and you should repudiate it immediately.”
Posted by Eric at 07:26 PM | Comments (76)
Oceans in Dire Straits
But who uses those things anyway? Contra Costa Times:
A federal report issued Monday concludes that a series of actions is urgently needed to prevent irreversible declines in the health of the world's oceans, shorelines and wetlands.This is the report.The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, appointed three years ago by President Bush, issued its final report after finding fisheries in severe decline, coasts that are polluted and coastal wetlands being lost at a worrisome rate.
The commission's bleak report recommends creating a new National Ocean Council in the White House, doubling research funding, reforming the councils that regulate coastal fisheries and increasing education on oceans.
"We have a very, very large range of problems," said Frank Muller-Karger, a professor of oceanography at the University of South Florida and one of 16 commissioners.
Among some of the ocean advocacy groups out there: The Surfrider Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, and Shifting Baselines.
Posted by Eric at 02:31 PM | Comments (47)
Kerry Tops Bush In MTV Poll
CBS, 46-40.
Posted by Eric at 09:03 AM | Comments (45)
Eminem Targets Bush
From Rolling Stone on the rapper who's just about anti-everything:
Due out November 16th, Eminem's hotly anticipated Encore marks a strong return to the rapper's Slim Shady persona. On September 14th in Los Angeles, Interscope president Jimmy Iovine hosted a listening party for retailers, during which he played several Dr. Dre-produced tracks."The cuts we heard were very political," says one record-store buyer. "Eminem's distaste for the Bush administration is pretty clear."
Among the tracks is "Encore," featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, and the first single, "Just Lose It," which hits radio September 27th. The video, due on MTV as early as October 5th, features Eminem running naked down a Los Angeles street and dressing as pop icons like Pee-wee Herman.
There are tentative plans to release the album with a limited-edition bonus disc, which may include songs that were leaked on the Internet last year.
Posted by Eric at 08:16 AM | Comments (41)
Jon Stewart on O'Reilly
Because everyone loves Bill O'Reilly ... or Jon Stewart. Transcript from Wonkette:
How are you, sir?Ahah. And yes, The Daily Show has a new book out (ranked number 1 on Amazon right now).O'REILLY: OK. You know what's really frightening?
STEWART: Uh oh.
O'REILLY: You know what's really frightening?
STEWART: You've been reading my diary.
Posted by Eric at 08:08 AM | Comments (62)
Republicans Raising More Than House Dems
From the AP, this note on party fundraising:
The National Republican Congressional Committee raised twice as much as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from January 2003 through last month — $131 million for the NRCC compared to $64 million for the DCCC — but has spent heavily, according to reports the committees filed with the Federal Election Commission.Meanwhile, in the Senate:The NRCC, trying to keep its House majority in this fall's elections, spent $108 million by the start of September, including about $55 million on phone banks. The House Democratic committee spent about $44 million from January 2003 through last month, and started September with $21 million in the bank.
Each House party committee raised about $6 million in August. Republicans have majority control with 228 seats to 205 for the Democrats with one independent and one vacancy.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee, whose members hold a slim Senate majority of 51-48 with one independent, raised at least $59 million this election cycle and spent $37 million, beginning September with $22 million in the bank.The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had collected at least $55 million by the end of August and spent $45 million. It opened this month with about $11 million on hand and $149,000 in bills to pay.
Each Senate party committee raised about $4 million last month.
Posted by Eric at 08:03 AM | Comments (113)
Paula Zahn's New Show Struggles
From TV Newser:
Paula Zahn's Prime Time Politics show is in its second week. Last night MSNBC beat CNN in the 25-54 demo: Countdown earned a 0.2 and 157,000 viewers in the demo, while CNN earned a 0.1 and 120,000. One e-mailer calls Zahn "the woman CNN didn't trust to go near the two largest political events of the year, the RNC and the DNC." Another e-mailer wondered what Zahn will do after Nov 2.
Posted by Eric at 07:56 AM | Comments (133)
Obama Huge Lead in Illinois
Not even a race; AP:
More than two-thirds of Illinois voters would choose Democrat Barack Obama over Republican Alan Keyes for U.S. Senate, according to a new poll.The St. Louis Post- Dispatch/ KMOV-TV poll released Monday shows Obama leading the race with 68 percent to Keyes' 23 percent. Nine percent were undecided.
"I can't remember the last time you had a gap like this between two newcomers," said Del Ali, head of Research 2000, the Maryland-based firm that conducted the poll last week. "Usually, when you have this kind of gap, it's the popular incumbent against a sacrificial lamb.
Posted by Eric at 07:52 AM | Comments (106)
Toll Up to 1,036
AP: US soldier killed by roadside bomb in northern Iraq
Posted by Eric at 07:43 AM | Comments (24)
Media Hits Heinz Unfairly
From Media Matters, the distortion of a Teresa Heinz Kerry interview.
Posted by Eric at 07:35 AM | Comments (131)
On CBS and the Memo
I agree with what John Nichols says in The Nation about Dan Rather and the whole deal. For obvious reasons, Dan Rather has given conservatives a huge, huge gift (one that has ramifications for years) and for that he deserves criticism:
First, anyone who wants to know the truth about Bush's pampered "service" should be furious with Rather and the CBS crew. When they refused to follow basic fact-checking standards, they failed their viewers and the broader American public that would, for the first time, be exposed by the September 8 "60 Minutes" broadcast to a seemingly serious review of irregularities related to Bush's entry into the guard, his ignoring of direct orders, his failure to show up for duty and a pattern of reassignments that seemed always to benefit the son of a then-congressman from Texas rather than the country he was supposed to be serving.After more than a month of virtually round-the-clock assessment of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's Vietnam service, major media has a responsibility to reexamine the president's controversial service record.
Yet, by doing a haphazard job of reporting and then rushing to broadcast the supposed "blockbuster" story, Rather and his crew played into the hands of a Bush spin machine that is now expert at peddling the lie that a liberal media is out to distort the president's record. While their intent may have been to shed light on an interesting and potentially significant story of the special treatment accorded this son of privilege, Rather and CBS, in their search for a "scoop," created a fog so thick that it could well obscure the story for the rest of the campaign.
By relying on a few documents that were not adequately verified, CBS handed White House political czar Karl Rove exactly what he needed to steer attention away from the real story. Of course it remains true that, as Rather says, "Those who have criticized aspects of our story have never criticized the heart of it... that George Bush received preferential treatment to get into the National Guard and, once there, failed to satisfy the requirements of his service."
Posted by Eric at 07:02 AM | Comments (77)
September 20, 2004
Monday
AP. More Young people registering to vote
Chicago Tribune. Hurricanes throw new wrinkle into presidential race in Fla.
BG. Kerry camp plans for hard road ahead
BG. Kerry says US has lost its 'moral authority'
Copley. LaHood: Illinois GOP has much to do
LAT. Iraq Leader Will Face Doubts on Visit to U.S.
LAT. Slogan Gives Kerry 'New Direction'
WP. Democrats Say Justice Plays Politics
WP. More U.S. Families Struggle
WP. Bush, Kerry Tentatively Settle on Three Debates
AP. Daschle, Thune Debate Campaign Tactics
AP. Edwards Raps Hastert on al-Qaida Comments
AP. President Bush Defends Iraq Policy
AP. Kerry Lays Out Plan to Bring Peace in Iraq
NYT. South Dakota: Daschle Defends Iraq Remarks
NYT. Blair Admonishes Iraq Skeptics
NYT. Effort to Train New Iraqi Army Is Facing Delays
Commentary
Lou Dubose.