Political Junkies’ Open Thread
By SusanUnPC on January 15, 2008 at 7:52 PM in Uncategorized
URGENT UPDATES ^^^ & A LATE UPDATE: Be there or be square — “8:30 p.m. Ron Paul holds his ‘Michigan Victory Party‘ at the Plymouth Meeting House Grand Ballroom.” And, Dennis is out of the debate! A Nevada supreme court justice has ruled.
And chat about whatever else you have on your minds …
On tonight’s MSNBC Democratic debate, Mark Halperin reports, the candidates will be tasked with asking another candidate TWO QUESTIONS. What two questions would you ask, and of whom?
Halperin also reveals that exit polls show Romney leading, McCain lagging in today’s Michigan GOP primary. Here’s what the Mittster’s been up to regarding global warming, via ThinkProgress:
To hit McCain, Romney has relied on an anti-environment front group, the American Environmental Coalition (AEC) to do the work for him. Last week, George Landrith, the co-Chairman of the group, likened McCain to Al Gore and compared the senator to a wolf in sheep’s clothing:
When it comes to climate change, John McCain and Al Gore are far too much alike for my comfort. John McCain has been sponsoring legislation for the past several years that would give Al Gore much of the regulatory control and power he sought when he and Bill Clinton tried to get America to sign on to the UN’s Kyoto global warming treaty. […]
When listening to John McCain, it would seem that evangelicals should remember the biblical warning found in St. Matthew 7:15 to “beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
ThinkProgress reports:
It turns out that AEC is closely tied to the Romney campaign — something Landrith apparently didn’t think to disclose. A scan through AEC’s member rolls reveals the group’s links to the Romney campaign: …
(small, medium and large sizes; for both dogs and cats)
+ 
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”?
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.
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.
“dropping some acid”
were they Grateful Dead fans?
NO DUH QUOTE OF THE DAY
Bush: “I’m Sure People View Me As A War Monger”
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.
Or kissing them, actually.
Not that there’s anything wrong that…
Or comparing
swordsscimitars…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.
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!
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!)
thank you so much!
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.
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!
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!
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.
They took a video of the evening. I’ll see if I can get a DVD.
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
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.
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.
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
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=awjzhFJeQdms&refer=columnist_sperling#
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.
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….
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.
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.
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.
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.”
Can’t anybody recognize a gadfly when they see one?
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)
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……
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. :o}
“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!
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
Oh, great! A trained killer in a bikini and high heels - the perfect Miss America for the last year of the Bush regime.
Thats what my sane half said. She served with distinction.
Rove previews strategies against Clinton, Obama
What creative ways might he be talking about?
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/rove-previews-strategies-against-clinton-obama-2008-01-16.html
Blackwater Goes to Mexico
.
http://www.counterpunch.org/ross11092007.html
A Town May Become a Terrorism Classroom
http://respond.emrtc.nmt.edu/
I dont buy the tinfoil stuff but this is classic PNAC
http://firmitas.org/911.php
I get the nagging feeling that nothing much has changed.
http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/2005/08/was-abramoff-linked-to-terrorists.html
Just to kick the dust off this interview with SibelEdmonds:
http://baltimorechronicle.com/050704SibelEdmonds.shtml