Political Junkies’ Open Thread

The debate’s on at 6pm PST.

…..

The intrepid BBC reporter is still reporting on anti-whaling protests in the Antarctic on World News America.

Did the Japanese release the two “detainees”?

NO DUH QUOTE OF THE DAY

Bush: “I’m Sure People View Me As A War Monger”

Not yet. From Sea Shepherd Society! Twenty-seven years ago, Sea Shepherd’s crew hung out in Seattle for quite a while. I was volunteering at a local animal shelter and they got to know the people there. A friend and I ended up co-chairing a fundraiser for them at the Seattle Aquarium. Our speakers included Peter Singer, then an Australian philosopher, and now a professor of philosophy at Princeton. And that was the night I met my daughter’s father! … he thoughtfully stayed to help me clean up afterwards (what a flirt). I was impressed … and …

Teak, did you understand the part about them dropping some acid on the deck of the Japanese ship? It was reported, but not explained … why would they do that?

I wonder how the Japanese are treating them. Probably not roughing them up, I would think.

That’s a wild bunch of radical activists. Greenpeace is a bit more tame these days — Sea Shepherd hates Greenpeace, best I recall.

He really said that?! it’s so funny how he’s not on the news as much these days, ‘cept when he’s holding hands with those Saudis.

That is one of the sweetest stories I have heard in a long while! (I’m a sap)

The artical I read stated that they had boarded the “research vessel” and thrown ‘acid’ on the deck. It also stated that they were beaten and tied to the mast…Later another artical said they were being held in the officers quarters…

Goodness knows what happens on the high seas weather in the Strait of Hormuz or Antarctica.

There was a picture of some folks getting hosed.
Hope all are ok! Including the Whales.

I have a Bushism calender in the office…I will to add that one….

Ok I know this is way OT; but the analogy is spooky to American intelligence and the political state of affairs.

Black holes can’t be seen, but their existence and mass are inferred by their gravitational effects on material around them and by the energy released from all the activity.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22670574/

Re: secret budgets?

I had not thought of it that way…I have no expertise, but yea that’s one catagory.

The latest science news is rogue black holes.
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2008/109/4
I’ll leave the analogies to your imagination…

susan or any one else … earlier this week on a article by obama … an article written by david sirota was hyper linked … i thought i had saved it but i didnt … would you know what article this was?
another senior lapse i fear … thanks!

Now they are on the loose? “process called gravitational lensing” …Spock may takes this for granted but you’d have to beem me up…

I was thining more about asymmetrical warfare, counter-intelligence and economic / political skullduggery.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/01/05/obama-inc-vs-working-families/

Our search engine is very good. I typed in “Sirota Obama” and voila.

(As opposed to Talking Points Memo’s sucky search engine!)

The moderators did not ask Senator Clinton about her yes vote on the most critical piece of legislation about Iran that has come up. No question to Senator Obama about not being in town. Chicken shit moderators!

One of the most critical issues in the middle east is still off topic at the debates. The Israeli Palestinian conflict.

As a nation how many times do we have to hear that until the U.S. deals with this conflict in a more fair and balanced way the cycle of violence in the middle east will continue. How many times do we have to hear that much of the anger directed towards the U.S. is a direct result of the lop-sided policies of the U.S. that always favor Israel no matter what they do. No matter how many UN resolutions that Israel is in violation of we support them with billions of dollars of aid. We completely support them even though they continue to refuse to sign the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Non Proliferation Treaty.

While Israel sits on massive stockpiles of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons that go un-inspected, they turn and demand that their neighbors abide by the NPT. The whole world is completely aware of these very serious contradictions and hypocrisy!

All three of these candidates are saying that they want change. Yet the moderators, the candidates and our nation continue to be in lock down about this critical issue. How can there ever be change on this issue when no one will even bring it up?

When will our nation, the media and these candidates be willing to meet this challenge head on? Sure does not look like any time soon.

Change on this issue is essential!

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_ea st/july-dec06/carter_11-28.html

http://www.cartercenter.org/news/documen ts/releases/statement_100606.html

thank you so much!

For the folks that want to see what’s ahead..it does not take long. You may think McCain is all sorts of things but his time in Hanoi Hilton along with others is already in the history books.

Supporters of Republican John McCain on Tuesday assailed a mailer sent to state newspaper editors claiming he sold out fellow POWs to get better treatment while held prisoner in Vietnam.

Kiley claims information McCain gave to the North Vietnamese led to an increase in U.S. planes being shot down.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/15/politics/p170727S78.DTL&type=politics

EEK! Okay, that video is pretty funny.

Kathleen, if Scott Ritter’s current tour passes through your area, don’t miss him. Tonight I attended a talk by him and Jeff Cohen of FAIR. Unfortunately, I arrived late and missed most of Jeff’s comments, but Scott was dead on as usual, and emphasized some very important stuff (like the unsupported-by-evidence implication in the recent NIE on Iran that Iran actually had a nuclear weapons program prior to 2003 (otherwise, how could it cease its nuclear weapons program in 2003?), and the way the Bush war regime jumped all over that.

Scott insists that he is still a Republican. I know better than to ask him whom he is going to vote for. The thing is that all the viable Democrats are scary as hell, but the Republicans are even scarier!

Or kissing them, actually.

Not that there’s anything wrong that…

the DNC can kiss my ass. I am disgusted with their arrogance towards the democratic process again. they are screwing it for their candidates, no matter if you like Clinton, Obama, Edwards or the Kuch, they are so stupid it is shameful.

Considering how much legal effort they put into keeping Kucinich off the ballot here in Texas, considering how much they are preventing further down the road states from having a voice as they king and queen make, it disgusts me.

I already expected that the queen or king had been picked before we even discussed the matters, but the amount of effort the party puts into killing Dennis’ campaign, instead of letting the votes do it is sick. They pulled this with Nader back in 2000. They got off the target of GWBush and foxused on Nader instead. (silly typo back ther).

Hope we get the chance to hear what Scott Ritter has to say. I’ll see if we can get some fresh interview material up.

I’m glad to hear that there has been a truce declared between the Dems. There are no dems that believe global warming is a myth. Thank God. Every single one of the Dem stands head and shoulders above the GOP candidates.
Bummer that Dennis Kucinich was stifled.
One of the reasons I’m supporting Hillary is because of Gene Sperling, whom I happen to believe is absolutely brilliant. Even though Sperling is with Clinton, I hope whoever the winner taps him and Peter Orszag too.
Here’s a piece on global warming from a different angle by Sperling. via Bloomberg

Global Warming Insurance Policy Is Worth Premium: Gene Sperling

Commentary by Gene Sperling

Jan. 2 (Bloomberg) — A decade after the U.S. Senate voted 95-0 to discourage the Clinton administration from signing the Kyoto agreement without dramatic commitments from India and China, it is worth asking how much the political climate for climate change has improved.

Beyond Al Gore’s Nobel Prize, there are some positive signs. Today, far more Republicans, such as Senators John McCain and John Warner, advocate some form of capping and trading of carbon emissions. Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting ready to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for blocking stringent pollution controls in California. And a growing number of conservative evangelicals have started to embrace a response to global warming under the call for “creation care.”

But has the skeptic class disappeared? Jonathan Chait of the New Republic magazine points out that a recent National Journal poll found that 84 percent of House and Senate Republicans surveyed didn’t believe that it has been “proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth is warming because of man-made problems.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=awjzhFJeQdms&refer=columnist_sperling#

Or comparing swords scimitars…

Suggested question one to ask Obama:
“Please share with us your most outstanding examples of how you succesfully led the implementation of important policy, where you stood up for those you represent, and did so in spite of great opposition and significant career risk to yourself.”

Question two:
“Please share with us your most outstanding examples of people you hired on your staff, and the outstanding results they produced, to show how you made the right choice.”

Fo that matter, ask any of the Dem or Gop candidates.

“dropping some acid”
were they Grateful Dead fans?

Open thread:
RE the recent story about FBI wiretaps being canceled due to unpaid phone bills; shouldn’t this be a wake-up call to congress about the power of the purse? Budgeting is arguably the biggest power they have.

Obama backtracked on his “lead by inspiration” statement.Obama while not wishing to be a policy wonk, does need to know how to get the slow grinding wheels of government to turn. Being a good “manager” and having qualified people to execute policy is the same illusion offered by Bush in 2000.

Edwards did well but still did not “grab the table” time wise. It was good he brought up PAC money but as I try to think of a “standout” moment it is hard to recall.

Hillary brought up Obama and Exelon and clearly had command of the facts.

All three appeared strong on the repub’s(bush)but only Hillary Clinton brought up the current crop of Rebubs….

What was that story about Bush redirecting “Pork” monies? Maybe he needs to pay some phone bills.

Wake congress up? zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Colin Powell getting an appointment, a man who should relegated to the dust bin of history.

If Obama gets the ticket, that is what we will have.

If any of you really, really want Dennis Kucinich, then, as a lifelong Clevelander, you can gladly have him! Tell us where to send him and we’ll crate him up and ship him out to you. (We might keep his wife, ya never know when you’re gonna need a pierced tongue!)

Really, people. I’ve been witness to this sorry clown’s entire career. He’s very good at picking up and spouting populist phrases, but he’s an ineffective congressman (and he was the absolutely worst mayor). When I see people calling him progressive and giving him credibility… well, folks, you just don’t realize that he’s all mouth and very little “do.”

When Clinton was asked about the implications of Citi Bank seeking funding/loans from a foreign entity, her answer was clear and to the point. However, I got the impression Obama and Edwards were learning something new about dangers of Citi Bank’s actions from Clinton-and maybe the two moderators were learning, as well.
Obama answered his own questions at length, got twisted up regarding where he was going with his answers, went in different directions, and repeated himself repeatedly. Nitty gritty details are not his forte, nor is presenting his arguements via goals and objectives. He looked bored some of the time and near the end of the time of shaking hands, was edging off the stage, while Clinton appeared to be excited by the crowd and thrilled to be there. Just impressions. Another impression-Obama appears to have a short attention span. If so, that may account for his vague and wandering answers.
And did you note Clinton again spoke of children?
And the shots of Bill Clinton addressing a huge crowd at the University of CA. at Davis? He described the enormous number of people not able to get into where he was speaking. What a great way to convey the impetus of the Clinton campaign.

Can’t anybody recognize a gadfly when they see one?

Speaking in Public is not at ALL easy.It was like Edwards and Obama had not preped for Foreign Capital Investment questions…I am not sure how much backround Edwards and Obama have in this arena.

I recall Hillary sitting with Bill as he responded to the “Flowers” . What a long way she has traveled!

I do wish Edwards had hit his marks better.

They took a video of the evening. I’ll see if I can get a DVD.

Clinton, Obama Vow to Bury Race Debate…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20080115/democratic-rdp/

Now I can only hope the harping and sniping on this blog would stop but I see by the latest post to paraphrase the Energizer Bunny..

It keeps on going and going and going……

My sane half sent me this link…

Miss Utah Jill Stevens Awarded Combat Medic Badge

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2007/12/miss-utah-jill-stevens-awarded-combat.html

Luigi, what’s your take on Dennis’ claimed story that he saved the local Cleveland municipal power utility by being stubborn in spite of bankruptcy?
(he rallied this in one of the previous debates, I can’t remember which one)

Rove previews strategies against Clinton, Obama

Rove served notice that Obama and Clinton would be targeted over how they vote on any Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act legislation that comes before the Senate this year.

“Do they or do they not want our intelligence officials to be listening in on terrorists’ conversations in the Middle East who may … be plotting to hurt America?” Rove said.

He told the state officials that it would be their responsibility to find “creative and sustaining ways” to “talk about these contrasts.”

What creative ways might he be talking about?
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/rove-previews-strategies-against-clinton-obama-2008-01-16.html

There will ALWAYS be stuff to snipe about.

I find myself visiting this site less and less often – that probably makes some people happier, actually. }

“visiting … less often … probably makes some people happier”
Oh, PLEASE. Say it ain’t so.
The one thing you never are is boring.

Why, thanks! I’d much rather be annoying than boring any day!

Oh, great! A trained killer in a bikini and high heels – the perfect Miss America for the last year of the Bush regime.

Blackwater Goes to Mexico

Blackwater USA’s enlistment in the drug war is a direct challenge to its stiffest competitor, DynCorp – up until now, the Dallas-based corporation has locked up 94% of all private drug war security contracts

.

http://www.counterpunch.org/ross11092007.html

A Town May Become a Terrorism Classroom

New Mexico Tech has parlayed congressional earmarks into large-scale research and raining programs

The savior of this 160-acre town may end up being the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, which has signed an agreement to buy it, along with its homes, commercial buildings, and surrounding land, with $5-million of a $20-million federal earmark the university secured from Congress

http://respond.emrtc.nmt.edu/

Thats what my sane half said. She served with distinction.

I dont buy the tinfoil stuff but this is classic PNAC

“Today America would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if they were told that there were an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well-being granted to them by the World Government.”
-Dr. Henry Kissinger, Evian-Les Bains, France 1991

http://firmitas.org/911.php

I get the nagging feeling that nothing much has changed.

the possible connection between shady Republican money-man Jack Abramoff and the 9/11 terrorists.

http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/2005/08/was-abramoff-linked-to-terrorists.html

I knew about the Associated Press story (referenced in an earlier piece) which reported that Atta and company had hopped aboard a SunCruz casino ship on September 5, 2001. Abramoff owned SunCruz. He acquired the company under circumstances many consider strange — so strange as to have resulted in his recent indictment. So strange as to involve the murder of the former owner, Konstantinos “Gus” Boulis.

Just to kick the dust off this interview with SibelEdmonds:

That’s what I’m trying to convey without being too specific. And this money travels. And you start trying to go to the root of it and it’s getting into somebody’s political campaign, and somebody’s lobbying. And people don’t want to be traced back to this money.

http://baltimorechronicle.com/050704SibelEdmonds.shtml