David Corn

DC,

Vacation is what he does best!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKeMd6FwDg4

Bush respects the flag so much!

Yeah, he didn't look all that thrilled -- or sober -- in Beijing.

http://flprogressive.blogspot.com/2008/08/caption-contest.html

He did manage to put on his jacket when the U.S. team marched into the stadium, but before that, he was slumped down, jacketless and bored ...

I believe it's called, 'senioritis'.

I know GWB at the Olympics and his little flag are really important, but I have a question: Has the Obama campaign said anything substantial about Russia's invading and bombing Georgia besides its attack on McCain's lobbyist Scheunemann?

This is one of those 3 a.m. moments... How would a President Obama be different from Bush?

McCain is of course echoing Bush and Condi's feckless statements of protest, mourning the fate of the "young democracy..."

@Diff "This is one of those 3 a.m. moments... How would a President Obama be different from Bush?"

Well, for one thing, he'd be exploring diplomatic avenues for averting or minimizing the crisis, not playing good touch/bad touch with female volleyball players:

http://tinyurl.com/5z6sjq

I think Bush is just "bushed" with being President. He doesn't have the integrity to make the most of the situation and try to be productive. Instead, he is wealthy enough, and clueless enough, to slink off back to Crawford, have his life, and not worry about big things.

The contrast between the Shrub and other "dignitaries" (besides his complete lact of dignity) was absolutely astounding.

I watched as Sarkozy, dapper as ever, was completely engaged in the festivities, pointing out things to a child at his side.

Bush was a slouching, brooding yawner amid one of the greatest entertainment spectacles ever. Of course "incurious George" has never had any interest in other cultures, except those to be bombed, poisoned and starved in his bloody quest for vengence and power.

P.S.

"Waaaa...Waaaa! How come nobody wants to talk about what I wanna talk about?!!" Waaaaaaaaa"

lololol

Kind of like the old management book observations about boards of directors...

A technician from the research department comes in and makes a presentation about the new alloys being used on the production line...

The directors all nod seriously, indicate their solemn approval and tell the young man to carry on...

Then the subject comes up about the new brand of steamed hand towels in the executive suite bathrooms and everybody suddenly has an opinion! The discussion goes on for an hour!

Yes, if only someone would just talk nicely with Mr. Putin...

test

"" Has the Obama campaign said anything substantial about Russia's invading and bombing Georgia ""

if they "said anything substantial about Russia's invading and bombing Georgia " then they would have to acknowledge that georgia has been heavily supplied with arms and advisors and has instigated a despicable sneak attack ala pearl harbor against ossetia who had democratically and overwhelmingly voted to remain a part of russia after the dissolution of the former soviet union.

hmmm. i wonder if putin would "say anything substantial" if a russian armed and advised mexico were to destroy several california cities and the U.S responded against mexico?

oops, the former should read:

""they would have to acknowledge that georgia has been heavily supplied with US and ISRAELI arms and advisors and has instigated a despicable sneak attack ala pearl harbor against ossetia""

Well, at least he is doing any *harm* by just flag waving.

Benson,

Maybe they could keep him?

I'm sure they'd offer a good trade...mebee not.

I'd trade 'em!

lololololo

Maybe Bush looked bored during the Olympics because he was spending time with his wife.

He should have taken a cue from the Dems, and started a fling with some cinematographer hottie (waiting until Laura was at "intermission" of course, so it would be OK).

Cheers.

as_if! is certainly in sync with Putin's talking points, that's for sure! According to Putin, this a perfectly parallel situation with Kosovo. Georgia is the genocidal Serbia, and S. Ossetia is the beleagured Kosovo.

That's why Russian troops are bombing Georgian towns and rolling across extensive tracts of Georgia proper now...

Putin is a great humanitarian hero! Fighting the imperial US and Israel!

John McCain's Campaign: More Anti-Obama than Pro-McCain

[...]

So what's a campaign staff to do? Simple. Precisely what the McCain staff is doing: go singularly negative. Make the election about Barack Obama, keep a critical focus on him, and let's everyone pay no attention to that other man behind the curtain pulling all those conflicting-message levers.

When you get right down to it, the McCain staff doesn't really have a candidate. It has, rather, an enemy. And that's all those good little Rovian staffers need. Leadership? They don't need no stinkin' leadership. They have a human being to dismember -- their sole professional purpose.

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/carpenter/155

*****

Maybe it will work?

OUT-HAWKING THE HAWKS.

Randy Scheunemann, foreign policy adviser to John McCain, recently gave an interview with RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty that should put to rest any fantastical notions that a McCain administration would be more diplomatic than George Bush's (see Matt's piece for more on this). Even Donald "Old Europe" Rumsfeld would have thought twice before saying this: "traditionally, we have seen that the Russians will push and push until they meet opposition. And what they need to understand is that all European countries and the United States are united in opposing the latest Russian moves, which is really the culmination of years of what they've been doing". Or this: "I think first of all the administration has said very clearly and publicly that there will be no trade-offs. Trade-offs like that are kind of a relic of a bygone era of power politics."

Whoa daddy. McCain's got another thing coming if he thinks Vladimir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev and Zangief are just going to roll over the in the face of some tough Euro-American talk. Rather, they'll more closer to China and Iran and anyone else who will consider their interests. And since America needs them all to counter terrorism and WMDs, we might be rather upset when all of them don't help us out. And why should they help us? After all, trade-offs are just a thing of the past.

--Jordan Michael Smith

Posted by on April 29, 2008

http://tinyurl.com/55yx4n

Did McCain Plagiarize His Speech on the Georgia Crisis?

A Wikipedia editor emailed Political Wire to point out some similarities between Sen. John McCain's speech today on the crisis in Georgia and the Wikipedia article on the country Georgia. Given the closeness of the words and sentence structure, most would consider parts of McCain's speech to be derived directly from Wikipedia.

http://tinyurl.com/5l87gd

*****

How did Gramps get the wiki if he can't get online?

lolololo

Abramoff ally, Ralph Reed, to host fundraiser for John McCain -- the same McCain who investigated the Abramoff-Reed connection

http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/33662

"As Mrs. Clinton campaigned in Wisconsin in advance of the primary there on Tuesday, one of her top advisers, Howard Wolfson, convened a conference call with reporters to accuse Mr. Obama of plagiarizing Mr. Patrick’s remarks from a 2006 campaign appearance.
Mr. Wolfson said it was important for voters to know that Mr. Obama’s rhetoric, at least in this instance, was not original."

"The fact is that Obama’s [economic] plan today is the most shameless piece of potential plagiarism that I have ever seen. He basically took Clinton’s words and Clinton’s policies and called them his own. If I were a professor I’d give him an F and try to get him kicked out of school for something this terrible…If I were on the Clinton team, I’d be prepping memos.
- Kevin A. Hassett, Senior Fellow and Director of Economic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute"

"The Barack Obama "plagiarism" scandal refuses to flicker out: the latest video example of Obama's sticky-fingered approach to other people's words contends that the senator from Illinois ripped off a John Edwards speech from 2003. The three lines in question are pretty similar, and the resemblance is even more damning when you consider that Edwards was the first candidate ever to run a campaign on the premise that "Washington" needs "change.""

Cheers.

I meant to write 'is not doing any harm'. But I guess readers understood that.

""as_if! is certainly in sync with Putin's talking points, that's for sure!""

diff! is certainly in sync with fox "news" talking points, that's for sure!

the fact remains that georgia, fully militarily supplied by both bushco & israel, has initiated a sneak attack ala pearl harbor against ossetia which democratically chose to remain a part of russia.
it is amusing to watch fox news attempt at villifying russia whilst downplaying georgia's initial role in this issue.

how many SS agents does it take to hold up a pink-faced drunk?

http://rense.com/general82/bejj.htm

Meet the Obamas. You don't know them? Don't worry, Republican operatives are loaded for bear and you are going to meet a Barack Obama that was hidden and disguised during the Democratic primary.

http://rense.com/general82/oob.htm

obama:

""I condemn Russia's aggressive actions and reiterate my call for an immediate ceasefire. Russia must stop its bombing campaign, cease flights of Russian aircraft in Georgian airspace, and withdraw its ground forces from Georgia.""

http://www.barackobama.com/2008/08/09/statement_from_senator_barack_3.php

pay no attention to the despicable pearl harbor-like sneak attack that U.S.rael supported georgia has perpetrated on the russians.

Russia has acted with commendable restraint in relation to the US’s outrageous attempts to bribe new EU countries to accept its missiles on Russia’s borders.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/opinion/?id=27354

You forgot to mention, that the Prime Minister of Australia was sitting behind Pres. Bush while he was watching Phelps at the swimming. They had a chat and everything! Doesn't this make W.'s visit to the Olympics an 'international summit'?

Of course, the Australian PM won his massive election victory in part by saying how badly W. was stuffing up (a) Iraq (b) the environment (c) everything else, so maybe W. chatting to the Aussie PM isn't exactly a sign that he has any international cachet left ...

"maybe W. chatting to the Aussie PM isn't exactly a sign that he has any international cachet left "

W. has never had anything like cachet unless it is pronounced "Cash-ette"

lol

GOPers For Obama Rip McCain On Georgia, Tout Hagel As VP

[...]

"I served with Sen. McCain, and he and I were the only two to vote against the Bush/Cheney tax cuts," recalled Chafee. "During this campaign it is a different John McCain. He is saying he would make the tax cuts permanent. He is advocating more drilling whereas he voted against drilling in ANWR. It goes to his credibility. And that is such an important issue for this country... plus his foreign policy has been consistently with Bush/Cheney and I know from my perspective that is a huge issue for the United States."

Hauser, meanwhile, pivoted off current events to highlight why Republicans like her viewed McCain's foreign policy as shortsighted and, quiet possibly, at odds with international interests.

"I think the little flare up we are witnessing in Georgia is another illustration of the different approach these two men are taking," she said. "McCain is bellicose: threatening to kick Russia out of the G8, use force if it is required. Obama is far more of the traditional position: turn to international institutions, call for reconciliation, call for an end of hostilities, but also be firm in his words. And that's the kind of leadership we need."

http://tinyurl.com/68rfjr

*****

I don't think Hagel is the right person for VP but I know McC(ompl)ain is the wrong person for president.

McCain, Georgia, Wikipedia and a Bi-Partisan Hard On

[...]

We're back to bi-partisan, throaty denunciations of "Russian aggression." Damn, that phrase is as comfy as one of Ronnie Reagan's old loafers!

From the neo-cons to John McCain to right-wing Democrats like Richard Holbrooke, we've got a lot of sabre-rattlin' going on. Like Putin is really concerned. I'm sure he's expecting the disembarkment of the 82nd Airborne any minute now on the outskirts of Moscow.

Let's get real, folks. What we're watching --in gory technicolor-- are what policy wonks call the "limits of American power." Contrary to popular myth and fantasy, we do not single-handedly rule the world. There are other bullies out there on the playground and some of them are so big that you have to, um, learn to co-exist with them. It isn't always pretty, but it's nevertheless true.

(Marccooper.com)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtXOBH6U89Y

ExxonJohn!

McCain's Credibility Goes Up in Smoke

A few months ago, I started coming up with a list of bill that McCain personally co-sponsored, but now opposes.

* He said in February that he'd vote against his own immigration bill.

* McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty's behalf before a Senate committee. Now, if the treaty comes to the Senate floor, he's vowed to vote against it.

* McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants' kids who graduate from high school. In 2007, to make the far-right base happy, he announced his opposition to the bill he had taken the lead on.

* In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving "feedback" on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he now opposes the measure he'd helped write.

Flip-flops are one thing, but these aren't just random bills that McCain voted on -- these are bills that he personally championed -- recently.

And even that wouldn't be entirely beyond the pale, except one of McCain's principal selling points is his alleged consistency and willingness to take politically unpopular decisions.

We're talking about a senator taking firm stands against his own bills. "Maverick," indeed.

http://tinyurl.com/6lvn3z

McCain Pa. Tour Skips Iconic Three Mile Island, Harley Plant

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/

****

And I really thought he loved nuclear plants and bikers.

If McCain won and faced solid majorities of Democrats in both houses of Congress, I think you'd actually see the first true "independent" Presidency. I think there would be real bi-partisan compromise. Most Democrats in Congress aren't actually "liberal" or "progressive" at all, and McCain has long championed many "centrist" positions. Your list above actually supports that argument.

Reality check: McCain's original positions are, in fact, where his heart is. EVERYONE knows he's simply pandering to the knuckle-draggers now.

...and that's EXACTLY why he's the only Republican with a positive favorability rating, and why he's staying close to Obama in the polls.

I don't think he can win, but I sure wish Obama was pursuing a more ambitious strategy than "let's just squeak in as the marginally more preferable 'centrist'..."

**

Re: offshore drilling
McCain's position is apalling; Obama's unfortunately doesn't help much...
http://tinyurl.com/5flybh

McCain: Let's Compound the Blunder!

[...]

If we mean to help the Georgians escape an even worse fate, we must summon up the intelligence and humility to have a dialogue with Putin, Medvedev, Sergie Lavrov, Vitaly Churkin and the rest of them based on straight talk (not of the McCain variety, and if we can somehow find a messenger of the stature and talent to deliver the message in the right way, hard these days), to wit: we screwed up overly propping this guy up and he got too big for his britches, we understand, but for the sake of going forward strategic cooperation (and don't mention Iran here, at least not as the first example)--as well as stopping further civilian loss of life--agree to work with us in good faith towards a status quo ante as much as possible, don't enter Tbilisi, and throw show-boats Sarkozy/Kouchner a bone with some possible talk of a going forward EU peacekeeping role (if non-binding, for the time being). This is roughly what we should be saying/doing now, not having the President step up to the White House mike fresh back from the sand volleyball courts of Beijing to gravely declare Russia's actions are "unacceptable in the 21st century." Such talk will get us nowhere, instead, it might just fan the flames more (as will Cheney's threats of "serious consequences", apparently a favorite sound-bite of his, but this time mentioned only in the context of the U.S.-Russian relationship). Let us be clear: these men's credibility is a sad joke, and Putin knows it only too well. So let's get real. Before it's too late, and more facts are created on the ground, mostly on the backs of innocent civilians throughout Georgia's various regions.

http://tinyurl.com/5qpotp

Fox News suffers another debate snub

[...]

Back when the bloggers rolled out their successful debate boycott strategy in Nevada, Fox News executives reacted with pure venom, denouncing the netroots as "radical fringe out-of-state interest groups." At the time, the response struck me as being wildly out of proportion. But it seems the Fox News team could see the looming trouble. They could see that a Democratic-friendly election year was going to mean ratings woes for them, and that by refusing to debate on Fox News, the Democratic candidates would be sending a damaging (irreparable?) message about the news organization's lack of legitimacy.

One year later, the ratings surge for Fox News' competitors remains in full view, while the selection of the presidential debate moderators confirms that Fox News' quest for respect has suffered another setback.

Bloggers, take a bow.

http://mediamatters.org/columns/200808120001

"Bloggers, take a bow."

Not sure who he is speaking to, I wish I had helped!

McC(ompl)ain

lol!

Roberto Rodriguez: Questions journalists never ask

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/300021

****

Asking the tough questions is hard work!

russia says operation in georgia is over.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080812/115978044.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgq5I8l6h7E

Effin War SUCKS!

Anything to prevent or decrease the death and destruction is always needed.

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?"

~ Mahatma Gandhi, "Non-Violence in Peace and War"

Bottom line in Georgia:

The Bush administration and a bevy of its neo-con private sector "security" contractor cronies have been milking Georgia for years now... Simultaneously sucking up cash from Georgia and the US taxpayer...selling arms, training, consulting etc. etc. for the "young democracy." Saakashvili and the Georgians eagerly participated, indulging themselves in the fanciful illusion of an "alliance" with the "world's sole remaining 'superpower'"....

But, in the end, they were sold a bill of goods. When the chips are down, we need to play footsie with the Kremlin autocrats far more than we need to take any risks on "democracy."

(GWB's just praying that no Russian tanks end up rolling down "George W. Bush Blvd." in Tblisi.)

Obama will now play along with the powers that be as well... Posturing with the rest of the Western powers, threatening to kick Russia out of the G8, boycotting 2012 Olympics... if they even have the nerve for that...

capt is right. America's world power has been on the decline for awhile now... and the last to know must be American voters.... (Sshhh.... we need them to keep funneling more cash to the domestic defense cow than all the rest of the world's military spending combined....)

Remember! Ronald Reagan "brought the Soviets to their knees!" and "we won the Cold War!"

Don't count on Obama to mention any of these obvious facts... Cutting defense spending or puncturing the miitarist-patriotism myth is nowhere to be found on his agenda.

Obama is not Kucinich - never was and never will be.

Still better than the unthinkable option. IMO

If the day the (soon to be announced) VP speaks is all about vets?

Hmmmm

Could it be Wes Clark? Maybe a head fake but as far as vets that could be named - Wes has to be at or near the top of the list.

Wes Clark is another one of those second-tier types who could never get more than six or seven votes of his own when he ran for President himself...

And Evan Bayh's been "testing the waters" for years now... But he knew he could never break out of the damp-timber B-team either...

Best choice is the other Democrat who won 18 million passionate votes. And one of the only Democrats who've ever shown the ability to win votes from Reagan Democrats (the other being her husband).

Surely the problem isn't that she's not "progressive" enough.... (lol)

I guess she'd dilute his profound message of centrist, split-the-difference, take-no-risk "change".... (oil drilling anyone? FISA? NAFTA? insurance-friendly health care reform?)

Politico:

Of the 12 Republicans running in competitive Senate races — five of whom are incumbents — only three have said they will be attending the convention. Six are definite no-shows, and three are on the fence.

"Nobody likes a funeral," said a Senate Republican press secretary...

Josh Green. Atlantic.

Clinton Memos. J

ust Read It.It's the article everyone's talking about today: Josh Green of the Atlantic gets reams of internal Clinton campaign memos, emails, and other documents from former staffers and runs down the most important parts. Take a gander.

I'll highlight just two things. First, Clinton emerges as a terrible executive. She is unable to hire people who work well together or people who, though at odds, create a useful tension. She is unable to settle disputes after they arise or provide direction that keeps them from arising in the first place. A pattern emerges from Green's documents: Clinton first lets a problem fester, then explodes at her staff for not addressing it, then provides little guidance on how to solve it going forward, and ultimately gets bitten by the problem down the road.

This of course flies in the face of some of her campaign's most fundamental claims: readiness, managerial experience, and so on. It is almost as if Clinton needed the bruising political warfare she was accustomed to facing from Republicans in order to focus her campaign.

http://tinyurl.com/5o8xgh

*****

Not a good choice in retrospect, eh?

The Georgia Conflict and the Case for Clark

Barack Obama is fortunate that the conflict in South Ossetia has occurred during the Olympics, depriving it of some of it of the coverage that it otherwise might receive. He is also fortunate that Americans don't have much attention span for foreign affairs outside of matters involving Iraq and Al Qaeda.

That is not to endorse McCain's more hardline stance toward Russia, the particulars of which this blog has no standing to comment upon. I have no doubt, however, that the lingering memory of the Cold War makes an anti-Russian stance an easier sale from the standpoint of electoral politics.

But the unscripted drama in the Caucasus also serves as a thought experiment of sorts, especially as it regards Barack Obama's VP selection. Would Obama be better off if he had, say, General Wesley Clark flanking him right now?

http://tinyurl.com/6agz7d

After making a statement like this -

"All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis.”

- Obama can certainly use Clark's help. Even demoted/ disgraced (by Bill Clinton) Wesley Clark is familiar with Russia's veto power as a member of the U.N. Security Council!! BHO's very Kerry-like stance at this critical time shines the light brightly on his lack of experience, judgement, and world knowledge. Throwing this matter to the Security Council would accomplish NOTHING.

BHO failed the 3AM test on this one, but maybe a less-slick VP choice could cover his butt for the 7:15AM test.

Cheers.

And from the "Rats leaving a sinking ship" department -

"Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, who faces a tough re-election, has had her name removed from a fundraiser announcement for presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Landrieu will attend the "Lipstick, Laughter and Libations" fundraiser for Barack Obama at a Washington restaurant next week, but she won't help host it."

To paraphrase a little-known pastor - "Are the "chickens comin' home to roost"?"

Cheers

"Clark started the bombings codenamed Operation Allied Force on March 24, 1999 on orders to try and enforce UN Resolution 1199 following Yugoslavia's refusal of the Rambouillet Agreement. However, critics note that Resolution 1199 was a call for cessation of hostilities and does not authorize any organization to take military action."

"This command conflict came to a ceremonial head when Clark was not initially invited to a summit in Washington, D.C. to commemorate NATO's 50th anniversary, despite being its supreme military commander. Clark eventually secured an invitation to the summit, but was told by Cohen to say nothing about ground troops, and Clark agreed."

"General Hugh Shelton would say of Clark during his 2004 campaign that "the reason he came out of Europe early had to do with integrity and character issues, things that are very near and dear to my heart. I'm not going to say whether I'm a Republican or a Democrat. I'll just say Wes won't get my vote,". Shelton never elaborated further on what these issues were."

Obama/Clark in 08!!!!

Cheers.

HOW TO PRETEND THAT YOU GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE ELECTION!

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/today_now_how_to_pretend_you_give?utm_source=videomrss_82237

The skill required in handling crises generally occurs long before the 3 a.m. phone call. The skill is in averting them far in advance...

Obama's keeping his head down on this one is, in fact, probably smart.

The real Georgia story is the Bush/neo-con crackpot policy of building up our "alliance" with Georgia in the first place. There was never any possibility of our defending them against the vastly-militarily-superior Russia, so the really appalling part of the story is the Bushies' leading them down the primrose path in the first place.

I like to imagine that Obama would not have made that error... Despite his vague "centrism" and risk-averse nature, he certainly isn't a neo-con ideologue by nature...and hopefully he won't enter office too beholden to the mega-billion-dollar defense/security industry...

Hillary's campaign sounds a lot like Bill's White House. Didn't stop them from balancing the budget, creating a surplus and creating 20 million jobs....

And a lot was written after Jan. 20, 2001 about how GWB's White House "management style" was far more disciplined and professional than that of the crazy Clintons...

Ever read about Abraham Lincoln's administrations? Not exactly peace and harmony either...

I know this'll probably make you want to look at your watch and tap your flag, but it does matter...

http://tinyurl.com/6mz5qp

Gorbachev on Georgia: http://tinyurl.com/67pblw

Who's to blame for the Russian Georgian conflict?

Pepe Escobar: Georgia is a strategic client state of the US with close ties to the Bush administration

Georgian troops launched an aerial bombardment and ground attack on its separatist province of South Ossetia on Thursday. South Ossetians want to join up with their ethnic brethren in North Ossetia, an autonomous republic within the Russian Federation. Seeing this as an act of aggression Russia launched bombing raids against Georgia, vowing to defend its citizens. More than half of South Ossetia's citizens are said to have taken up Moscow's offer of a Russian passport. Pepe Escobar believes that "the hypocrisy of the international community knows no bounds for if the West forced the issue of Kosovar independence then the independence of South Ossetia should also be on the cards."

http://tinyurl.com/59w2vn

****

If we had any real eadership . . .

Lame Duck Russia Expert Condi Rice Out of the Picture on Georgia Assault. State Dept. Terms Absence a 'Personal Leave'

[...]

One is left to wonder: Why did Rice delay? Why did she stay out of sight so long? Was she uninterested, or perhaps desirous of avoiding being the face of powerlessness? Does she seek to preserve her usually positive popularity ratings in case of future political ambitions?

Finally, is the Bush Administration now afraid to make any statements that include the word "vacation"? Next time the President chooses to visit his Crawford home, will that, too, be termed "a personal leave"?

Most reporters and many voters recall that Bush, Rice and other Bush Administration figures similarly had been on vacation when Hurricane Katrina hit in August, 2005. Their ineffectual response has since been described in shorthand by many as "Heck of a job, Brownie."

In August, 2008, three years later, it seems the lesson the Administration learned was to take only "personal leaves" -- and no more "vacations."

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/analysis/355

*****

I think DC was on to something with the vacation idea, eh?

Sec State - too busy for the war? Seems very odd or very weak indeed.

My nomination for "quote of the day"...

"Thousands of other Republicans are going to be picking country over party in this election," predicted Mr. Leach, who served for three decades before losing his re-election bid in 2006.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121859149525535519.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Republican Trio
Crosses Party Lines
To Back Obama

Cat Osterman just threw a no-hitter for the US Softball team against Australia. US wins 3 - 0.
Cat's from a Houston suburb, and then U of Texas.

LMAO

http://www.mydamnchannel.com/Harry_Shearer/Music_Videos/GymBuds_871.aspx

“Avid concert pianist Condoleezza Rice (Judith Owen) muses in her study about her relationship with George W. Bush, and where it all went wrong.”

lololololo

Too funny!

Computer Attack Alert:MSNBC Breaking News & McCain

I'll be brief. I do lots of political work from my computer and I just got attacked by an e-mail in my in box reading "MSNBC Breaking News:McCain Gives Up Fighting For Presidency" Luckily, I have very good security and it was nicked by my good friends at Norton just in time. Be careful folks. It is getting really ugly out there in the political trenches.

(Kos)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdJUCU1UH2w

Is Laura Leaving Bush After he Leaves Office Because He's Been Hitting the Sauce Again?

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/editorblog/112

McCain's Lobbyists Raked In $1 Billion From U.S. Clients, Study Says

The non-partisan group Campaign Money Watch has come up with another startling figure for those who follow the presidential money chase.

According to an analysis performed by the group, McCain's top fundraisers and aides have collected nearly $1 billion in fees from U.S. companies in the past decade -- specifically, $930,949,819. Using numbers provided by the Center for Responsive Politics, the group also found that officials of those very same companies have given nearly $12 million to McCain's presidential campaign, so far.

"The McCain campaign relies on big money lobbyists, and they'll rely on him," said David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch. "In the 'you-scratch-my-back, I'll-scratch-yours' world of Washington, $931 million gets the special interests the best government money can buy. But just think of the payday these lobbyists might expect in a McCain Administration."

Donnelly's group previously launched a website called McCainsLobbyists.com, in which users can track the special interests represented by 40 of John McCain's top fundraisers and advisers.

http://tinyurl.com/5qygyl

*****

Of course the above amounts are just those on record, I imagine the under-the-table amounts are just as scary.

Paying the piper

http://tinyurl.com/5b6cme

One page but very informative.

Olympic-size ad war: McCain vs. Obama

http://tinyurl.com/6epo7q

****

I don't see how McCain can stay "negative" past the conventions. I think he will have to address the issues - eventually and he will then look like he is capitulating style-wise.

I hope Barack keeps looking like he is rising above. Of course he will have his people too. Politics is about appearances and McCain is losing that battle on all fronts.

Obama's Hillbilly Half-Brother Threatening To Derail Campaign

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/84393

Too funny!

I'm thinkin' B'rak 'n me jes maht bee relatud aferall!

I hadn't thought of that but now that you mention it . . .

HA!

McCain Talked With Georgia President On The Same Day McCain Aide Sealed Georgia Lobbying Contract

Randy Scheunemann earned about $70,000 serving as Sen. John McCain's top foreign policy adviser between the January 2007 and May 15, 2008.

During the same period, the government of Georgia paid his firm $290,000 in lobbying fees.

Today's Washington Post reports a stark illustration of the conflict of interest that Scheunemann faced while advising McCain on foreign policy matters related to the former Soviet Republic and also working for the Georgia embassy.

On April 17, McCain got on the phone with Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili about Russian efforts to gain leverage over two of Georgia's troubled provinces. That same day, McCain issued a public statement condemning Russia and expressing strong support for the Georgian position.

And also on that same day, Georgia signed a new, $200,000 lobbying contract with Scheunemann's firm, Orion Strategies, according to the Post.

http://tinyurl.com/6lujz8

*****

And just by a happy coincidence Busheney/McCain are all pro-Georgia?

Pollster.com

Obama - 284
McCain - 154
Toss-ups - 100

In other words - McCain could win all 100 toss-ups and Barack wins by 14 EV's. Still just more pollstrology and we are still weeks away.

I don't think all the mudslinging is working, this isn't even a horserace.

Unless there is some major movement in EV's McCain has already lost.

Ohio voting law may be a boon for Obama supporters

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Never mind the last days of the presidential campaign. The busiest days for Barack Obama's campaign in this perennial swing state are likely to be a month before Election Day.

Ohio has created a window in the election calendar that would allow residents instant gratification — register one minute, vote the next. It's also given the campaigns of Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain a chance to bank thousands of first-time voters during that Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 window.

The move will benefit Obama, who enjoys a 2-to-1 lead over McCain among 18- to 34-year-olds, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released last month. If Obama's campaign were able to tap into college campuses with one-stop voting, it would add thousands of votes to his tally in a state where, in 2004, John Kerry lost to President Bush by only about 118,000 votes, putting Bush over the top in the electoral count.

http://tinyurl.com/6ltnsr

*****

There are other problems in Ohio but this might go a long way to addressing a few issues.

Good news indeed!

Pennsylvania Poll: Mac Seems Nasty

The new Franklin & Marshall poll shows a 44-36% lead for Obama. Solid numbers.

But what is downright fascinating is the source of Mac's weakness: apparently independent voters are somewhat disgusted by him:

The key finding here is Obama's astonishing, 22% lead among Independents.

What is driving it? A notable gap opening up in favorability ratings. 25% of Independents now hold a strongly favorable view of Obama. Just 12% of Independent voters have such a view of ole McNasty.

Obama's Strongly Unfavorable rating is mere 16% among Indies. But it's 22% for McCain.

Pennsylvania is the battleground where McCain's Rove Krew has been playing the white girl attack ads for two weeks. Looks like they have managed to explode McCain's positive image among independent voters already.

Can't wait to see the GOP convention when the filth will really start pouring!

http://tinyurl.com/6nmwns

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I just don't think McCain can make the pivot to positive messaging without looking like he is capitulating to Barack's style.

He will go "positive" and look weak and without real principles by doing so.

He can't win for losing.

Gallup Daily: Obama Up by 6, 48% to 42%

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109453/Gallup-Daily-Obama-48-42.aspx

*****

So up by one in the face of all of McCain's attack ads?

Still just more pollstrology but kinda fun to look at.

Clinton Advisers Debate Wisdom Of Roll Call

Some advisers to Sen. Hillary Clinton have concluded that a roll call of delegates at the Democratic National Convention would not serve her political interests.

They reason that Clinton would inevitably receive fewer delegates than she ended the primary with, which would send an unmistakable signal that her political standing had waned. Clinton herself has been open to the idea in part because many of her donors, supporters and delegates have demanded it. Whether to hold a vote did not come up in negotiations over Clinton's speaking role, Democrats familiar with the subject said.

http://tinyurl.com/68zjqp

*****

Let the HRC do as she chooses and let the chips fall where they may.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h_ZbW2REcI

Just heard Andy Kohut of the Pew Center on NPR today:

"Presidential Race Draws Even"
http://tinyurl.com/6okhob

(If you know of a better polling operation than Pew, be sure to let me know.)

Obama continues to hang on to the Democratic Party's coattails by his fingernails...

The Politics of War: Treating Russia Like China, and McCain's Petulance

[...]

McCain may say his policy shows prescience. But what it really shows is petulance. John McCain, despite all his claims of unique experience, is just the wrong man to lead American foreign policy in the twenty-first century. Kicking Russia out of the G-8 a year ago wouldn't have made things better. It would have just caused a bigger split with our European allies. The same goes for his argument that we should have demanded that NATO give greater support for Georgia. We learned in recent weeks that when Europe and America are united, Russian opposition is neutered. On missile defense, NATO has come together and Russia's complaints have quieted. It was the split in NATO over Georgia, a split that a McCain approach would have widened, that gave Russia reason to believe the West would acquiesce in its military aggression.

Which brings us back to the politics of war. In the run-up to the Iraq debacle, John McCain was as outrageous as Donald Rumsfeld in denouncing our European allies for not supporting an early invasion. He has not been a consensus-builder in NATO. He has been a fiery defender of the neo-conservative line.

The next President must be someone who can remain calm in a crisis, not jump to conclusions, and build a consensus with our friends and allies. That is how America's interests will be best defended and promoted in the twenty-first century. McCain's record of discord with our European allies and his shoot from the hip approach on Russia demonstrate that if the phone rings at three a.m. he'll be giving the wrong answers.

http://tinyurl.com/6mb3o4

*****

Gramps has it as bass ackwards as Bunnypants.

A knee-jerk reaction from the man that wants to carry the football?

Perish the thought

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWubZT1MPw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KYSeGl4bks