Catholic Conservatives are lining up in hopes of bringing down GOP front runner Rudy Giuliani.
No matter how much of a hero you are, the Religious Right will destroy you if you don't endorse their middle ages philosophy on the world.
This is why I don't want to be President.
If you ever had any hope American troops would leave Iraq soon, don't count on it if Bush's ideas for post-war Iraq are implemented.
Bush said this week he sees South Korea has a model for how long American troop presence should remain in Iraq.
American troops have been in South Korea since 1950.
Do not worry, for Tony Snow reminds us of this;
“The Korean model is one in which the United States provides a security
presence, but you’ve had the development of a successful democracy in South
Korea over a period of years, and, therefore, the United States is there as a
force of stability.”
As expected, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch signed into law a bill that legalizing civil unions for gay couples in his state.
New Hampshire becomes the fourth state, after Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey to legalize civil unions.
Maine, California, District of Columbia, and now Washington and Oregon have domestic partnership laws.
Massachusetts legalized gay marriage in 2003.
Momma and Baby Humpback whale, who have won the hearts of people in their potentially tragic trip up the Sacramento River, may be back in the safety of the Pacific Ocean.
The whales were last seen last night in northern San Francisco Bay, heading for the Golden Gate Bridge. They were no where to be found this morning.
Bernadette Fees, deputy director of the California Department of Fish and Game told the press that if the whales are not spotted in San Francisco Bay by late afternoon today, the assumption will be that they swam under the Golden Gate Bridge and back to the safety of the Pacific Ocean.
The whales' surprise visit has had its positive effects. Scientists have managed to research their behavior and increase their understanding of these majestic creatures, and for two weeks, people in California got a rare, up close and personal view of the humpback whales.
Let's home mom and baby are back home in the open ocean where they can live a long and happy life.
President Bush has nominated former Deputy Secretary of State and US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to replace Paul Wolfowitz as President of the World Bank.
Zoellick was the US Trade Representative from 2001-2005, covering the entire first term of the Bush presidency and part of his second term. He served as Deputy Secretary of State from 2005-2006.
A native of Naperville, Illinois, Zoellick worked in the Treasury Department under Ronald Reagan and in the State Department under President George H. W. Bush. He returned to private business life during the Clinton years and even advocated war with Iraq during the Clinton administration.
Zoellick was a strong backer of the Iraq war, and is a staunch supporter of NATO. He is also known for his powerful voice on Darfur and helped craft the administration's sanction policy against Sudan.
Since leaving the State Department in 2006, he has worked as a managing director and chairman of the International Advisors department at Goldman Sachs.
Zoellick's nomination must be approved by the World Bank's Board of Directors
Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tennessee) is expected to jump into the race for the GOP nomination for President around the Fourth of July.
Thompson has been recruited by many Republicans, who are not exactly rhrilled with their current choices; The socially liberal, foriegn policy neocon from New York, the aging Bush-backing Senator from Arizona, the Mormon Massachusetts Governor, the born-again Kansas Senator and his former Arkansas Governor sidekick, and the rest.
I turn 24 today.
The blogging will continue come morning, even as I celebrate my 24th year on this planet.
What is with Texas and mothers killing their children?
I know it's all a coincidence, but it doesn't bode well for the reputation of the Lone Star State.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The leader of the second-largest city in America and one of the most powerful Hispanic politician in the United States gave his endorsement to the New York Senator. Although it was widely expected, it gives Clinton a huge plus in the Golden State. Villaraigosa is widely seen as one of California's most powerful Democrats and a potential statewide candidate in the future.
It's high time the President realizes he's not the final word on what is patriotic.
I support the President's immigration policies. I think they're what's best for America, but I don't support the President attacking this opponents, claiming they don't want to help America. That is questioning their patriotism and I don't question the patriotism of people like Lou Dobbs, Tom Tancredo, Dana Rohrabacher, etc. It's not question they believe their ideas are good for America, even if I don't or the President doesn't.
I'm used to hearing the President attack the patriotism who disagree with his opinion of war, but to attack anyone's patriotism who disagrees with him on ANYTHING is ridiculous.
What's even worse is that the President contradicted himself. First, he gave a rational for those who disagree with his immigration plan;
"A lot of Americans are skeptical about immigration reform, primarily because they don't think the government can fix the problems,"
"Those determined to find fault with this bill will always be able to look at a narrow slice of it and find something they don't like. If you want to kill the bill, if you don't want to do what's right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it. You can use it to frighten people, or you can show leadership and solve this problem once and for all."
Lauded by the left and loathed by the right, Cindy Sheehan has decided to pack her bags and go home, ending a nearly three-year long protest to end the Iraq war. In the wake of the Iraq funding battle in which the Democrats decided to give the President money for the war, Sheehan, frustrated, gave up and headed home.
I had always found myself defending Cindy Sheehan, even as I shook my head in disbelief at her actions sometimes. Every time I'd consider turning my back on her, I was reminded of my mother, who once told me she wouldn't know how she'd respond if I joined the military and died in Iraq and it's very likely she might stand next to Cindy at Camp Casey. I am, after all, her only son and only child. I cut Cindy some slack, as a mother who lost her son in a war she opposed and kept quiet, even after her son died until she couldn't take it anymore. She exemplified what's so great about America; a patriot, standing up for what she believed in, even in the face of strong opposition to her actions, to the point where she sacrificed everything in her life to go toe to toe with the Leader of the Free World.
Still, there was a line she sometimes crossed where she hurt the anti-war movement more than helped it.
I cringed when she stood side by side with Hugo Chavez. My mouth fell to the floor when she called Bush "worse than Osama Bin Laden," even shouting obscenities at her when she said she'd rather live in Chavez's Venezuela than in the United States. Bush may not be the nicest person in the world. He may be selfish and stubborn, and he may very well border on being a war criminal, but he certainly isn't worse than Bin Laden, and as far as wanting to live in Venezuela, then move there. The rest of us are here fighting Bush to change the country we WANT to live in. It may not be ideal right now, but that's why we fight, to make it that way.
There isn't much else Cindy can do to end this war. She gave up so much, for which she can be considered both brave and stupid if you ask me. She made her mark. She spoke for those too scared of being labeled traitors and was willing to give up her reputation and have her name smeared for what she believed. She helped bring out the truth, even despite those flaws I mentioned above. She is merely a middle-class mother from Northern California who was willing to take on the President of the United States no matter what was to happen to her. For that, I will give her some respect.
I'm not necessarily glad to see her go, but at this point, the anti-war movement will go on without her. She both helped and hurt and perhaps it is time for her to move on with her life.
I got a lot of criticism for arguing that the six people who planned to massacre soldiers at Fort Dix weren't terrorists, but just simple enemies of America.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said on Nightline last year;
"Somebody who is fighting against Israeli soldiers is an enemy and we will fight back, but I believe that this is not under the definition of terrorism, if the target is a soldier."
A GOP senator told CBS' Face The Nation he expects a progress report due in September from General Petraeus will give them a chance to scale back the number of troops in Iraq by the end of the year.
The Senator is none other than the Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), one of the President's strongest allies int he Senate on the Iraq war.
Here's what he said;
"By September, when General (David) Petraeus is to make a report, I think most
of the people in Congress believe, unless something extraordinary occurs, that
we should be on a move to draw those surge numbers down. I don't think we need
to be an occupying power. This is a fine line we've walked, and this surge has
got to be temporary. We do not need to be and cannot be perceived as just
occupying Iraq for any extended period of time."
Suffolk County Republicans are endorsing incumbent Democrat Steve Levy for reelection, failing to get their own candidate. It's the first major party cross-endorsement in a county executive race in Long Island history.
Republicans admitted the reason for the cross-endorsement was due to the overwhelming popularity of Steve Levy and the slim chances Republicans have of even making it a race. In order to avoid a Levy Democratic landslide countywide, the GOP endorsed him, therefore allowing straight-ticket voters to vote for Levy and other Republicans without switching columns on election day.
Still, Democrats are excited about the fact they will continue to hold both county executive seats for another two years at least, when Nassau County votes. Also, the cross-endorsements shows the sad state of the once-dominat GOP on Long Island.
Says Town Supervisor Philip Nolan (D-Islip);
"I'm just amazed, This is not the same Republican county where I was
raised."
Dick Cheney didn't get too political with his speech at the commencement at West Point today, but he did bring up the truth that the "terrorists" massed in Iraq, making it the central front in the "war on terrorism."
Of course he left out the fact they weren't there before we invaded.
Protestors weren't allowed on campus grounds, federal judges barred them from protesting. Personally, I tend to agree. I'm all for protesting, but not at someone's graduation. Instead, they gathered in a nearby village where they staged their anti-war protest.
A counterprotest was also present, with one pro-war demostrating saying this;
“People should support the troops and they’re going to support the enemy with their protest,” said Jim Dwyer, who was standing with a group called a “Gathering of Eagles” that had hoisted a large American flag on a crane.
Could be.
Survey USA Poll:
Beshear (D)- 62%
Fletcher (R)- 34%
This is a bad place for Fletcher to be. He also has the disadvantage for being a Republican right now. Bluegrass Report has some interesting facts from the poll;
Among Females: Beshear 69, Fletcher 27
Among Independents: Beshear 52, Fletcher 41
Among Republicans: Fletcher 60, Beshear 36
Among Democrats: Beshear 86, Fletcher 12
Among Northup Republicans: Beshear 51, Fletcher 36
Among Harper Republicans: Fletcher 51, Beshear 49
Among Fletcher Republicans: Fletcher 80, Beshear 20
Among Beshear Democrats: Beshear 98, Fletcher 2
Beshear gets more than 1/3 of Kentucky Republicans, who, despite being powerful in the state, aren't a vast majority. He even gets 20% of Republicans who voted for Fletcher. I'd like to know what that's about.
Anyway, it doesn't look good for Fletcher. At least Blanco had enough sense to get out of the race in Louisiana.
Looks like the Democrats will balance out this year. Lose Louisiana, gain Kentucky with Mississippi staying the same (GOP.)
I'll be at the Bronx Zoo with some friends all day today,
and this is my birthday weekend, so between now and Wednesday, postings may be fewer and far between than usual
Happy Memorial Day. Send the troops and veterans some love, go out and enjoy the outdoors and the beginning of the Summer of 2007, and while you're at it, remember why you're free to do it, and those who have kept it that way over the years.
If you want to know why people have such animosity towards this President, why I have it, it's not just the disastrous way he's lead this country in the war, it's this.
He knew. He was told these problems could arise and he ignored...worse yet, he didn't even warn us that it could turn into this. No, instead he kept insisting it would be quick and painless.
No, even as he landed on an aircraft carrier declaring "Mission Accomplished" he knew the mission may not be accomplished.
He took us for idiots. We've been had
That's why I am fed up with him.
Here's how the 30 Freshman Democrats who took GOP seats in 2006 voted for today's bill;
AYE:
Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pennsylvania)
Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-Kansas)
Rep. Chris Carney (D-Pennsylvania)
Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana)
Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-Indiana)
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona)
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York)
Rep. Baron Hill (D-Indiana)
Rep. Steve Kagen (D-Wisconsin)
Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas)
Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Florida)
Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Arizona)
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas)
Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pennsylvania)
Rep, Heath Shuler (D-North Carolina)
Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio)
Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minnesota)
NAYS:
Rep. Mike Arcuri (D-New York)
Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa)
Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Connecticut)
Rep. John Hall (D-New York)
Rep. Paul Hodes (D-New Hampshire)
Rep. Ron Klein (D-Florida)
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa)
Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-California)
Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-Connecticut)
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pennsylvania)
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colorado)
Rep. Carol Shea Porter (D-New Hampshire)
Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky)
The House 280-142
86 Democrats voted aye
2 Republican voted nay
The Senate 80-14
Presidential Candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Chris Dodd all voted nay, while Joe Biden supported the bill.
And SURPRISE! John McCain actually showed up to vote...aye of course
And one anti-war protestor, a sparrow, showed the President just how he felt.
Damn hippie commie terrorist-loving birds.
Key Things;
-If you don't listen to him, your kids will die.
-More Americans will be killed in Iraq, get used to it
-Sanctions against Iran will work, just look at how successfull they were in Iraq. (funny thing was, they were, unless you were Iraqi)
-Democrats just want to kick me around because everyone hates me. They bullying me.
-I don't know anything about this guy I'm talking about, except that he was born in Mexico, but he's great.
I'm still waiting for the one line that will restore my respect in this President...this one;
"I've screwed this war up so bad, I'm sorry, but I bungled it so bad, that we're stuck there in Iraq for a good long time."
That's all I want to hear from him
and why I don't like them the way they are now.
We need to be less vague in describing what is a sex crime nationwide before we make sex offenders register, so that people like this, who commit "victimless crimes" don't end up with their lives ruined over something as minute as selling lingerie.
Sen John McCain (R-Arizona) has been so busy campaigning for President that he's just plum forgotten that he is....still a Senator.
McCain has missed the last 43 roll call votes in the Senate, nearly half of all the votes cast this year.
By comparison, Hillary Clinton has only missed 2% of votes, while Barack Obama has missed only 6%. Sam Brownback, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden, while missing more, have missed far less than McCain.
Now an Arizona state legislator, and a Republican to boot, is calling for McCain to resign from the Senate if he wishes to continue his campaign for President. State Rep. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa) has asked McCain to resign, which would force Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano to appoint a replacement. Democrats shouldn't swoon though, as Napolitano would be forced to replace McCain with a Republican.
McCain's campaign said this as a defense;
"Although he has missed a few votes, he works really hard to ensure that he has not missed any votes in which his vote would have been the determining one,"
Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher prevailed over former US Rep. Anne Northup in the Republican primary for Governor yesterday. Fletcher, who has been marred in scandal throughout most of his term, defeated Northup 50%-37%.
On the Democratic side, former Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear managed to avoid a runoff willing 41% of the vote in a six way race. He ran far ahead of Brunce Lunsford, who got 21%. The two were expected to be tossed into a June runoff, but Beshear and his running mate, State Senator and 2004 US Senate nominee Dan Mongiardo, crossed the 40% threshold to avoid one.
Interesting Fact: Beshear won 142, 733 votes in the primary. On the GOP side, Fletcher won 101, 256. In a general election with those numbers, Beshear would defeat Fletcher 58%-42%. Republicans are down in Kentucky due to Fletcher's corruption issues, the decisive primary, and because of national issues that have been bad for Republicans.
Beshear comes out of the primaries as the favorite in the general.
What are they thinking? Osama Bin Laden has had great luck convincing angry fundamentalist Muslims to join his cause by spinning our presence in the Middle East as one of the West attempting to colonize and westernize the East. He's convinced them that our goal is to take over the entire Middle East, rape them of their oil, give the land to the Jews and take away their Middle Eastern Islamic identity. We know that's ludicrous and isn't at all true, but these frustrated Muslims don't and they're being convinced their culture and way of life is in jeopardy, and we're doing nothing to prove to them that it's not. They very presence of our soldiers, for no apparent reason, except defending the oil fields, gives Osama Bin Laden a platform he doesn't deserve. We should be trying to rid Osama of excuses, not giving them to him. Therefore, I ask, why, why in hell are we building the most expensive, most expansive, most elaborate United States Embassy in a land where one of the reason the terrorists are using to gain support is that we're there to begin with? The United States Embassy to Iraq in Baghdad is to be much larger and grander than any other one in the world. It will be a 21 building complex, sprawling over 104 acres. It's not so much an embassy as a campus, or a neighborhood within a city. According to the Washington Post, the embassy budget is $923 million. By comparison, the US Embassy in Beijing, China, clearly one of the most important countries on earth, has only a $49 million, in our strongest ally Britain, $39 million, and our southern neighbor Mexico, where the immigration debate is centered, $31 million. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why we are putting our biggest, most expensive foreign mission in a land where the people want us out. Is it just to be defiant? Osama Bin Laden can easily spin this embassy plan as an attempt by the West to "take over slowly." Why are we giving Al-Qaeda another battle cry? It's just like this administration to drain our resources away in Iraq. Our military has already been severely strained by the war and now the State Department is straining its diplomatic efforts to put together the super-embassy. Even Lawrence Eagleburger, a Republican former Secretary of State and member of the Iraq Study Group called the State's Department's plans for the embassy "nuts" and "counterproductive." I don't understand it. Do we really think we're going to win the PR wars with the Islamic fundamentalists by forcing ourselves on them? What are people, who have been told all their lives we seek to dominate them, going to think when they see a 104 acre United States Embassy? The assumption to many is going to be "Gee, was Osama right? Are they trying to force themselves on us?" We're not, but they don't know that. They're going to listen to one them before one of us, even if the one of "them" is Bin Laden or some Al-Qaeda publicist. We Americans should be protesting. We should be livid that our government is wasting nearly a billion dollars of our tax money to build an obnoxious behemoth of an embassy in a land where we're not wanted and in the land where all it's going to be is a giant bull's-eye. What are they thinking?
Fighting for Lord Stanley's Cup
The Anaheim Ducks eliminated the Detroit Red Wings...will face Ottawa in the Cup Finals.
My prediction? After six games, the SC is headed to the OC
I'm all for rewarding Iraqis and Afghans who have risked their lives to help our cause with residency and asylum here in the US. Lord knows they've earned it and they'd make great Americans
However, I can't help but wonder, if they're here...then who's there rebuilding their country and putting together a democratic government?
A question that should be asked.
You wonder why the Republicans are so gung ho to prevent any attempt to allow illegal immigrants to become citizens.
This is a pretty good reason.
Gay Marriage by 2 to 1.
Bush's approval in the Garden State- 26%
Californians who support marriage equality- 48%
Ronald Reagan's Home State has sure turned on the GOP, hasn't it?
This should put an end to those rumors that he's gay.
Hey, as long as he isn't giving her a job as head of the Florida State Police or something she's not qualified to do, I could care less if they date, good for them.
If the first surge doesn't work, President Bush is just planning on just sending more troops.
When additional support troops are included in this second troop increase, the total number of U.S. troops in Iraq could increase from 162,000 now to more than 200,000 -- a record-high number -- by the end of the year.
with 53 cosponsers, 52 Democrats and one lone Republican.
The bill is being introduced by Daniel O'Donnell (D-Morningside Heights)
The co-sponsers;
Marc Alessi (D-Mastic), Jeffrion Aubry (D-Corona), Michael Benedetto (D-Pelham Bay), Jonathan Bing (D-Upper East Side), William Boyland, Jr. (D-Brownsville) Adam Bradley (D-White Plains), James Brennan (D-Park Slope), Richard Brodsky (D-Greenburgh), Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston), Vivian Cook (D-South Jamaica), Luis Diaz (D-University Heights), Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Riverdale), Patricia Eddington (D-Medford), Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), Herman D. Farrell, Jr. (D-Washington Heights), Ginny Fields (D-Oakdale), Deborah Glick (D-Greenwich Village), Richard Gottfried (D-Chelsea), Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills), Sam Hoyt (D-Buffalo), Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern), Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene), Susan John (D-Rochester), Brian Kavanagh (D-Turtle Bay), Ivan Lafayette (D-Jackson Heights), Rory Lancman (D-Flushing), George Latimer (D-Rye), Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), Barbara Lifton (D-Ithaca), Vito Lopez (D-Bushwick), Donna Lupardo (D-Binghamton), John McEneny (D-Albany), Joan Millman (D-Brooklyn Heights), Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood), Felix Ortiz (D-Sunset Park), Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale), Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights), J. Gary Pretlow (D-Mount Vernon), Phil Ramos (D-Central Islip), Jose Rivera (D-Kingsbridge), Naomi Rivera (D-Morris Park), Linda Rosenthal (D-Upper West Side), Teresa Sayward (R-Plattsburgh), Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck), Robert Sweeney (D-Lindenhurst), Matthew Titone (D-Staten Island), Darryl Towns (D-East New York), Harvey Weisenberg (D-Long Beach), Mark Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows), Keith L.T. Wright (D-Harlem), Ellen Young (D-Flushing), Kenneth Zebrowski, Jr (D-New City).
Did you notice the lone Republican? It's Teresa Sayward, from way up in the Adirondacks. Most of the sponsers are New York City Democrats, representing all five boroughs. Three of the four Nassau County Democrats are co-sponsers, as are all six Suffolk County Democrats, five of the six Westchester Democrats and both Rockland County Democrats.
At least eight more Assembly members have endorsed gay marriage, including Joel Miller (R-Poughkeepsie), Aileen Gunther (D-Sullivan County), Audrey Pfeffer (D-Rockaway Beach), Nettie Mayersohn (D-Kew Gardens Hills), Ann Margaret Carrozza (D-Bayside), David Koon (D-East Rochester), Janele Hyer-Spencer (D-Staten Island), and Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria).
Hat tip; the Agenda
I've been saying, having I been saying it?
I guess i'm not surprise because I rather suspected it all along.
There's really nothing left they can do except cut funding and they'll catch hell for that...so the war goes on...and on and on and on and on.
You can't blame him.
In Bush's world, there's nothing inherently morally questionable about using Executive branch departments, meant to serve the entire American public, to serve the interests of the Republican Party, at least not nearly as immoral as, you know, being gay.
Wake up, this is the view of America the world is seeing people!
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) and former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) headed to Florida to remind voters what the real priorities in America should be...
Finding a way out of Iraq? Nope.
Rebuilding our alliances around the world? Nah
Effectively fighting terrorism? NOT
Putting together an energy policy the weens us off oil and onto cheaper, more environmentally friendly forms of energy? Yeah sure
Education? Poverty? Restoring the middle class? Not in our lifetime.
Nope, what's really important is banning gay marriage (and for that matter all gay rights,) banning abortion and turning America into a Christian Theocracy.
Yep, who needs allies, cheaper cleaner energy, or a middle class anyway, so long as we don't have gays or unwed mothers, and everyone's going to church, we're fine.
This is my beef with the GOP.
It's been a forgone conclusion for some time.
The twice-elected Governor of New Mexico was previous a member of the US House of Representatives from the Land of Enchanment from 1983-1997, US Ambassador to the United Nations from 1997-1998 and Secretary of Energy from 1998-2001. He won his first elected as Governor in 2002, being reelected in a landslide in 2006.
The interesting fact? Richardson is the only current Governor in the race. Four former Governors are running on the GOP side, Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Jim Gilmore of Virginia, Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas
Just Brilliant.
I give Harry Reid props for thinking outside the box. What? Tell me you didn't think Bush was trying to hold on to Gonzales until the next Senate recess.
Only in Texas, would someone actually use this as a defense against attempted murder.
Devil never made me put anyone in a microwave, so I don't know what this guy's beef with Satan is.
Ok, Jimmy Carter may not have the ear of millions of Americans and may not be the most popular of former presidents, but just how is he becoming "increasingly Irrelevant" by making comments critical of Bush?
Oh, wait, I get it, irrelevant to them. Well, that should be no surprise. 200 million Americans are irrelevant to this administration
Carter, and all former Presidents are pretty relevant to me, even if I disagree with them and/or don't think highly of them
Oh My God, are you kidding me? Sell emergency contraception over the counter? Why, that will only encourage our children to have sex with each other. I mean, it's not like they're going to have sex anyway and readily-available emergency contraception will prevent disease, or even reduce the number of abortions.
Oh wait.
The Washington Post says Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will likely resign very soon to avoid what would likely be a successfull no-confidence vote in both Houses of Congress.
How soon? Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) says a no-confidence vote may be held this week before the Memorial Day break.
I still have money riding that Gonzales won't last to Memorial Day and it looks like I'll just make it under the wire.
A new Des Moines Register Iowa Poll for the Democratic and Republican caucuses put John Edwards and Mitt Romney on top of their respective party's caucuses.
Edwards leads by six over second placer Barack Obama, followed closely behind by Hillary Clinton; 29%-23%-21%. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is at 10%
On the GOP side, Mitt Romney leads the pack with 30%, while John McCain follows far behind at 18%. Rudy Giuliani is in THIRD with 17%.
Giuliani and Clinton are supposedly the front runners, both in third according to this poll.
Ron Paul must be steaming.
Is it really that important that we put our largest embassy in the world in Iraq? I would say it should be in London, Beijing, Tokyo or Moscow.
This is the bad policy Paul was talking about. They don't want us there, so what do we do? We built our biggest embassy there. For five seconds, put yourself in the people's shoes. Imagine, if you will, they built the largest mosque in the world in Washington, D.C.
How would we feel?
Just think about it.
While I would agree with him, coming from Jimmy Carter, this is like Jim Bakker criticizing someone for being unfaithful in their marriage.
So, really, this isn't news
Which for him may well also be January, 2009.
"Members of Congress, whether in my party or the other party, who supported the war and are now turning against it because it's unpopular, that to me is disgraceful. If you can't take a political hit, then you can't send soldiers into war to take real bullets."
Many will dismiss it as amnesty, others will nitpick at the many provisions in the over 300 page bill, while others will say it is too tough, but considering Congress had dragged his feet on the issue, the Immigration deal struck today is a sign of progress on the federal level in dealing with immigration law. For far too long immigration has been the third rail of American politics; Go hard, you lose the Hispanic vote, go soft, you lose the WASP vote, and huge numbers of Americans are out past reality on the issue. For the record, I tend to understand the opinion of many of them. These immigrants are not called illegal for nothing; they are here illegally, but they're lucky. It is not possible to round up and expel the 10-12 million illegal immigrants who are in the country, and if even if you could, local economies, especially in the big cities and in the agriculture industry, will suffer. Immigrants, even illegal immigrants, have become a part of society we have unfortunately become dependent on. It is in our interest to give them a path to citizenship, even if it's not really the best and most fair solution in our minds. The reason why we've become so dependent on illegal immigrants is thanks in part to our federal politicians steering clear of the issue for so many years. It amazes me, however, that the Democrats, new in the majority, are willing to risk their political capital on the issue, but they really don't have much to lose on their side. It is on the Republican side where you going to see most of those calling for the deportation of imprisonment of all illegal immigrants, without giving a good indication just precisely how that gargantuan task can be undertaken and accomplished. There are also going to be scores of people protesting, for no other reason than to show off their xenophobia, trying in vain to get rid of the Mexicans and other foreign who risk making our white country a little less white. This is especially true in the Post 9/11 world, where for a many people in this country, anyone who is not a White Ethnically-European Christian may very well be a terrorist out to hurt us. The bill covers all ends of the debate. It doubles the border patrol, strengthens the border fence and places fines on employers who hire illegal immigrants. It also forces a $5,000 penalty and the head of household would have to return to his or her country or origin in order to come back and live permanently, and it also gives legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants, allowing them to apply for "Z" visas, which can be renewed repeatedly, eliminating the fear many illegal immigrants have of coming out of hiding, which would lead to their permanent deportation. There are some parts of this bill I don't like. I don't agree with the idea of valuing skills over family relations. This gives companies and employers a break, allowing them to continue paying foreign workers less and leaving American workers out in the cold because they are not willing to work for wages as low as the immigrants. They make more money by paying the ignorant immigrant as little as possible, as opposed to the unionized American who wants a good wage, benefits, vacation time, etc. While I support the idea of forcing immigrants to learn our language (while allowing them to keep theirs,) the countries where most of the immigrants who desire to come here for a better life are from don't have great education systems, if they have any at all. You cannot expect many of these immigrants to be well education and know the language well if they had not chance at education in their countries of origin. Illegal immigrants and low wage workers do not come from countries like Japan, Canada, France or Germany, but rather Mexico, Haiti, rural China, sub-Saharan Africa. My ancestors came here from Southern Europe with no education and little or no knowledge of the English language; you cannot expect today's immigrants to come here already American. It takes time to assimilate. It took us two, three generations before my family fully "assimilated," yet still we live in a neighborhood in New York City dominated by our ethnicity and still practice traditions from back in the old country. The difference is, those traditions and pieces of culture have become fairly mainstream, especially in the New York area. As for the skills over family issue, if the right wing wishes to continue their "family values" tirade, you cannot ignore the families of immigrants either. It isn't often I agree with the church, but this is one of those rare moments. Family reunification is more important than the education status of immigrants. The vast majority of immigrants come here looking for jobs, even the ones who come to be with family. The deal is not solid yet. Speaker Pelosi is asking the President, who is in support of this bill, to guarantee her 70 GOP votes in the House, which would make the bill essentially veto-proof, and the Senate will likely strip or add pieces of the bill that could end up breaking the deal. Nevertheless, this is the riskiest bill the federal government has debated in a long time. This kudos goes out first to the Republican minority, who are risking their hides to finally do something about this issue. I have little doubt many GOP members who will vote for this bill will see xenophobic primary opponents next year. The Democratic majority deserves credit too. They put together a deal the Republicans seemed afraid of for the last 12 years. If this deal goes through and the President signs the bill, succeed or fail, it will be one of the defining moments of the 110th Congress. Call me a pessimist, but I'm not holding my breath this will end up on the President's desk anytime soon. If it does end up with the President's signature on it, I owe a lot of people drinks at happy hour.
Sometimes Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) made his triumphant return to the Capitol today, taking credit for the immigration deal he never helped negotiate thanks to his busy campaigning for President schedule, only to be met with resistance over his tardiness.
He got into an argument and told a colleague "F--- You" and claimed he knew more about immigration than anyone.
The colleague?
Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) who complained that McCain was out of line due to his lack of presence during the negotiations. McCain had complained that Cornyn's objections, which he termed "petty," would kill the deal (which he probably is planning to campaign on.)
McCain, by the way, has missed four of the 14 votes on Iraq, including the most recent, this year and has not showed up for a single vote in the month of May. The other presidential candidates from the Senate; Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Joe Biden (D-Delaware), Hillary Clinton (D-New York), and Barack Obama (D-Illinois) have missed none in May.
In the other House now.
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) called yesterday for a vote of no confidence in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in the Senate
Today, the same call was made in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Artur Davis (D-Alabama) is joining forces with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-California) to call for a vote of no confidence in the Attorney General in the other House of Congress.
The votes would merely be symbolic and meant to urge the Attorney General to step down by voicing the "will of the people" as Congress is supposed to do.
It's almost obvious it will pass in the House and likely to pass in the Senate as well. I'm still surprise Gonzales has lasted this long.
Let's face it, Bush is not going to accept the reality that this war has gone way out of hand and we should have left years ago, and the Democrats are not going to defund it without an exit strategy.
They're only a few steps away from capitulating to the President and giving him his money because they have to. It's going to rile the left, annoy those who want out, and not change a damn thing in Iraq just yet.
There's nothing Congress can do anymore except cut off all funds until they have slightly more than 1/3 of the Republican caucus on their side. If that doesn't happen by September...it won't happen.
The President wins because nobody wants to cut money to the troops. The President wins until he leaves office, and is replaced by somebody who actually wants to formate an exit strategy.
The war is won, we need to get out before it changes it's mind.
Democratic Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy will be officially endorsed today by Patrick Vecchio, the dean of the county's town supervisors. Vecchio, the Republican supervisor of Smithtown since 1978 has never endorsed a county executive candidate, and ran a short-lived GOP primary race to run against Democrat Robert Gaffney in 1991.
It's the not the first time Vecchio, the leader of the island's major Republican stronghold, has endorsed a Democrat in Suffolk County. Last year he endorsed Congressman Tim Bishop, who represents the First District of New York, which stretches from Smithtown to Montauk, for reelection. Bishop won in a landslide.
Levy is expected to do the same.
We agree, but for different reasons.
Focus on the Family's James Dobson writes;
"Is Rudy Giuliani presidential timber? I think not. Can we really trust a chief executive who waffles and feigns support for policies that run contrary to his alleged beliefs? Of greater concern is how he would function in office. Will we learn after it is too late just what the former mayor really thinks? What we know about him already is troubling enough."
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who I still believe will end up as the GOP nominee, has opened a lead in the GOP race in the two crucial first caucus and primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire according to Zogby.
In Iowa, his lead is small, leading Giuliani and McCain by 1%; 19%-18%-18%. However, this is up from 5% in January, while Giuliani has lost all the ground he's gain since then.
In New Hampshire however, the state to the north of the one Romney was governor of until January, he has opened a substanial lead over Giuliani and McCain; 35%-19%-19%.
Perhaps Republicans and beginning to realize the most "conservative" candidate out there in Romney and maybe it's better to loose with a "conservative" than win with a fake.
Or maybe Zogby is pulling my leg again.
I agree with him to a point.
I graduated from a college where the ROTC was present. I had one close friend of mine from my Political Science program who was in ROTC (and is a liberal atheist.) I never found them intruding, nor did I find them intimidating or militaristic. They weren't even male-dominated, as I knew women in the ROTC program who were welcomed and treated as equal. I smiled at them every time they passed me on campus, dressed in their fatigues
It does amaze me that the top notch schools in the country; Harvard, Stanford and Columbia, do not have ROTC programs.
However, I have to admit, I am OK with colleges making the decision not to have ROTC on their campuses. It is their decision. The government has no right to force them to, but I still think they should be there. If anything, it gives people a sense of pride and patriotism to see members walking through the halls in their fatigues.
They do it in parliamentary systems, so why not here?
Providing it's Constitutional...and I have yet to hear any arguments that it's not...I think the Senate should hold a vote of no confidence on Gonzales.
I'm very sure it'll succeed and force Gonzales to resign.
So now that the President is no longer the Commander-in-Chief anymore, does that make this guy the decider now?
Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colorado), nearly ousted last year looks to face a tough reelection again next year.
State Senator Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) has told party officials he is vowing to run and defeat Musgrave in 2008.
Shaffer is the only Democrat to officially announce a run, but former State Senator Angie Paccione, who narrowly lost to Musgrave last year, Betsy Markey, a former aid to Senator Ken Salazar, and Eric Eidsness, the 2006 Reform candidate who is now a Democrat, are all possible Democratic nominees as well.
Musgrave's Fourth District includes all of rural Eastern Colorado and the state's entire borders with Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, as well as Weld and Larimer Counties north of Denver, including the cities of Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland and Longmont.
Giuliani represents the very reasons why I refused to vote Republican for the last few years. He represents that ultra-nationalist, simpleton, ignorant, black and white, and oblivious view of the world. The only reason he gets away with it is because of the authority he had on September 11th. Congressman Ron Paul is right. 9/11 was, in part, a result of our meddling in the affairs of the Middle East without fully understanding the situation. Congressman Paul did not justify the attacks and did not imply we deserved to be attacked. He simply reminded everyone that when you jump into a snake pit unprepared, you very well may get bitten, and when you do, the blame does not lay 100% with the snake. Enter Rudy. Rudy jumped out from behind the American flag he was hiding behind, reminded Paul that the Republican Party is not a Nationalist Party and the US can do no wrong and to imply that to believe American foreign policy contributed to the attacks one iota is unpatriotic and un-American. Giuliani licked his chops with the applause he got and then slithered back behind the flag. What this country needs is a President who will not only celebrate what is great about America, but also change what is wrong. We don't need another flag waver. We don't need another President who will continue us down the Bushist conceded, chauvinistic "we're too good to talk to you" attitude. We need someone who understands the risks we take when we intervene around the world and understands that while the United States is the greatest country on earth, it is not infallible. This country is governed by humans, who make mistakes, big ones. Americans are not flawless diplomats. We screw up. We sometimes jump into a snake pit with inadequate protection and get bit. People like Rudy Giuliani however, get bit, blame the snake, have it killed and then goes and jumps into another snake pit without learning how to NOT get bit. He may have looked good and reassuring that Tuesday, but this man is no President, just a power hungry neocon looking to use September 11th as an platform to gain more power. That's why I would never vote for Rudy Giuliani
Rep. Earl Blumenaur (D-Oregon), the Portland liberal who had been eyed by the DSCC as a potential candidate for the US Senate against Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) will not run.
Says Blumenaur;
"At this unique moment in history there is too much work to be done in the House of Representatives to take on a campaign for the US Senate."
Both top Democratic Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both have signed on to support a bill cutting off all funds for the Iraq war after March 31, 2008.
A risky move if you ask me. Either one of them could be the nominee and the GOP an attack them for the chaos that will ensue after that date.
It is, after all, the only way Congress can stop the war. You want to war to end, you want Congress to do it, then funds need to be cut. That's the only way they can do it. It's not a fun way, it's not anything to celebrate about, but that's how the war ends
After endorsing George W. Bush in 2004, former Democratic New York City Mayor Ed Koch has vowed NOT to endorse the frontrunner on the Republican side; his successor, Rudy Giuliani.
from the New York Post;
"If I had to sum it up in a few minutes I would say he's a control freak -and the control is over your life. The personality issue is very key."
"I thought he was a good mayor, but he wasn't a great mayor because he didn't like people. He wouldn't meet with people he didn't agree with . . . that's pretty crazy."
The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the face of the religious right since the 1980's has died.
While I vehemently disagreed with his politics, and did not have a very positive opinion of him, a man, who for better or worse, was an inspiration to millions had died.
He deserves to be mourned.
are in Miami, Florida and here in New York City.
Makes sense, since most of drivers in the former originally come from the latter.
Yes, I am a rude New York driver, don't like it, don't bring you car here.
Former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes (D-Missouri) has officially entered the race against Rep. Sam Graves (R-Missouri) for the sixth district of the Show Me State. The district, which includes most of Northwestern Missouri including part of Kansas City, the KC suburbs of Liberty, Blue Springs and Gladstone, as well as St. Joseph and Maryville.
Barnes is the Democrats' favorite candidate. They believe if she can win the Kansas City portion of the district at least, she will be able to overtake Graves district wide. Barnes was Kansas City's Mayor from 1999-2007, leaving office at the beginning of this month.
The sixth district leans slightly Republican. Bush won it 57%-43% in 2004, but Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) narrowly carried the district last year. Democrat Pat Danner represented a nearly identical district from 1993-2001.
Democrats did not target ANY seats in Missouri last year. In a presidential year, the traditionally bellwether Missouri may be a battleground in the Presidential race, and this district is a battleground whenever Missouri is.
"I think they have to be responsible for the consequences of the policy recommendations they make. If, in fact, they advocate complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, then they are, to some extent, accountable for what would happen when that policy [is] followed, what happens inside Iraq, what kind of encouragement that might give to al-Qaida."
To me a top element of fascism;
When the people disagree with you, control what they hear and see until you can shape a story that wlll turn public opinion your way.
"We do not want evidence to be disturbed before the arrival of detectives, the
ministry must respect human rights and does not want to expose victims and does
not want to give terrorists information that they achieved their goals."
Back home in New York City, the current mayor beats the former mayor in a matchup according to recent Daily News poll of New York City residents.
The more popular Bloomberg beats Rudy Giuliani 46%-29% among New York City voters.
According to the poll, Bloomberg does best against two groups who aren't normally seen as agreeing with each other; The African-American community (64%-30%) and the richest New Yorkers (61%-31%)
Also, New Yorkers see Bloomberg as the better mayor by 56%-29% margin.
September. That's the do or die month moderate Republicans gave President Bush this week for them to see progress in Iraq before they will join the Democrats in declaring this war unwinnable. It is my belief personally that no matter what General Petraeus says in September, some Republicans will declare progress is being made and a little more time will bring us to "victory." Let's face it, Petraeus is not going to come back from Iraq and say "you know, this isn't working, We can't win this." It's blatantly obvious he is going to be positive and optimistic about this, he HAS to be.
The question is, will the Republicans in Congress be able to see through the obvious optimism, if they need to, or will they take Petraeus' words and use them to support another six more months of war that will end no different.
It is unlikely, if you ask me, there will be any real progress come September. It would take a miracle. Al-Anbar Province is getting better, but Diyala Province is getting worse. The situation is at a standstill and the people are not seeing any sort of light at the end of the tunnel. If this holds in September, the pressure will be on the GOP to continue with this situation the way it is or to capitulate to popular opinion and get us out of the war.
In a democracy, the people will eventually get their way, no matter how long it takes and no matter whether it's the right way or wrong way. The Democrats won control of Congress last year in part because the people voted to get us into exit mode in Iraq, but without a supermajority or the support of the President, there are limited options for Congress right now to stop the President. If nothing changes when the next election appears over the horizon, those who wish to leave Iraq, as the people want, will be the favorites to win. In order to get the public to turn back in support of Bush's Iraq policies, there needs to be proof that it is WORTH supporting, something that has not existed in about three and a half years. That is, assuming, there is any proof that it is still worth supporting.
Come January 2009, if nothing changes, a Democratic President and a larger Democratic Congressional majority will end the war and there would be very little the GOP can do to stop it. In the process, the GOP will see their agenda fly out the Capitol window. In an effort to save their agenda, the GOP may have to, in the end, capitulate to public opinion and cut from the President on the war, no matter how optimistic Petraeus sounds.
Still, there will be those on the Republican side who will never cut from the President, no matter how far in jeopardy his or her party is. The question will be, will they be a small enough number to be considered irrelevant or large enough to keep the votes for withdrawal and exit plans below veto-proof margins? The Democrats need roughly another sixty votes to threaten the President with a veto-proof margin. Only a dozen Republicans went to the White House last week, and only two; Walter Jones of North Carolina and Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland have fully broke with the President on the war. The Democrats still need to convince a HUGE number of Republicans to take their heads off the chopping block at the end of the summer.
I'm not very optimistic that the GOP will cut with the President and I'm also not optimistic that progress will be made. I think it may be safe to say come 2009 there will be a Democratic President and at least 240 Democratic members of the House of Representatives and 54 Democratic US Senators. They will be elected reluctantly by the people to pull us out of Iraq…and even then, it'll be 2010 at the earliest when we leave. (When the Democratic Congress faces voters in the midterms)
On the other hand, it'll be interesting to see George W. Bush's speech at next year's Republican National Convention…assuming they allow him to even show up.
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) added to the speculation that he may run for President in 2008 as a conservative anti-war Independent;
"I am not happy with the Republican Party today, It's been hijacked by a group
of single-minded almost isolationists, insulationists, power-projectors."
``The Iraqi government is a huge disappointment, So far, they've not been able do anything they promised on the political side,It's a growing frustration. I don't know what their problem is but this country has made an enormous investment in giving the Iraqis a chance to have a normal government after all of these years of Saddam Hussein and his atrocities. I want to assure you, if they vote to ask us to leave, we'll be glad to comply with their request,''
The US is agreeing to talk to Iran, but only about Iraq.
That's really the #1 reason why we need to open dialogue with the country
And so ends America's short and disastrous experiment with "cowboy diplomacy"
Abortion is kind of a big deal to the Republicans, Rudy.
They've been winning people with that issue since the 1970's. It's why Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) became a Republican and it's why Rep. Walter Jones (R-North Carolina) said he wouldn't switch parties.
On the other hand, Republicans do like scaring the crap out of everyone by traumatizing them with memories of 9/11, so Rudy fits that mark.
Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) has a primary challenger for his Senate seat next year; State Attorney General Joe Bruning.
Hagel has yet to announce if he's even running.
If Hagel does not run, former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub may run as a Republican. Will he run as a "Hagel Republican?" Will Bruning still run if Daub is in? Also, Tom Raimondo, chairman of Behlen Manufacturing may also run in the Republican primary should Hagel decide not to run.
Also, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Nebraska) is hinting he may be supporting Bruning over Hagel.
On the Democratic side, Current Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey is polling over 50% in statewide favorbility which may lure him into the Senate race.
Is former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Nebraska) looking to get into the race?
I'm beginning to feel like Nebraska's Senate race is going to be quite a mess, especially for the GOP.
i don't know much about football, but I know enough to know when you want to win votes in Wisconsin, you applaud Brett Farve as the best.
Yes, I'm looking at you Senator Brownback
I'm glad I have a pool.
Unlike the generations before us, we won't have to retire to Florida.
In the most scathing criticism of President Bush from a member of his own party, Presidential candidate and former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) Romney admitted the administration has made a "number of errors" and was "not adequately prepared for what occured" after the fall of Saddam's regime.
Romney's blatant criticism makes me wonder how and if George W. Bush will be received at the Republican National Convention next year in Minneapolis/St Paul.
This is going to be fun to watch.
As if we're not having enough problems already, Cheney opened the floodgates and threatened another war in Iran
"We'll stand with others to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons and dominating this region,"
*cracking*
Karl Rove is taking shots at yet another target...Congressional Republicans.
Rove's target at this week's White House meeting with Congressional Republicans was Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) who narrowly won reelection last year in a Democratic district where he's in grave danger again next year, while Dan Meyer, the White House liaison to Congress, got into a shouting match with the outspoken and blunt Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Illinois)
Kirk had earlier told President that if things in Iraq do not turn around, his district "is preparing for defeat." Whether he meant defeat in the war or his own defeat is unclear, but Kirk won reelection against a Democratic opponent, Dan Seals, who was pretty unknown until the end by a 53%-47% margin. He may have to face Seals again, in a Democratic year, with the possibility of a native Illinoisan on the ticket (Obama.)
Cheney shot back with this;
"We didn't get elected to worry just about the fate of the Republican Party."
Progress in Al-Anbar Province
Not so much in Diyala Province.
I don't think we're losing, we're certinally not winning either. The Bush comparison to Truman is pretty remarkable. This is becoming a lot like Korea.
The Great American Hero himself Rudy Giuliani doesn't seem so great after all.
Today, as Purdue Frederick plead guilty to charges that they misled doctors and patients about how addictive OxyContin was, it now appears Giuliani tried to help the company cover that fact up.
Giuliani, with partner in crime Bernard Kerik, went to Asa Hutchinson, the former Republican congressman from Arkansas and failed 2006 gubernatorial candidate, who was then head of the DEA just as the DEA was investigating Purdue Frederick. Once Giuliani got involved, the investigation into Purdue Frederick slowed to a trickle. Giuliani and Kerik were hired by Purdue Frederick to deal with security at their plant in New Jersey.
As if Rudy's OxyCotin coverup wasn't bad enough press for his campaign, then there's this.
So I guess we should call him "The Drug Companies and Millionaires' Mayor"
This is the beginning of the end of this joke of a campaign
221-205
10 Democrats voted against. Most of them from the "Out of Iraq" caucus;
Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
Barbara Lee (D-California)
Mike McNulty (D-New York)
Mike Michaud (D-Maine)
John Lewis (D-Georgia)
Pete Stark (D-California)
Lynn Woosley (D-California)
Maxine Waters (D-California)
Diane Watson (D-California)
John Tanner (D-Tennessee)
I'm curious about Tanner...he voted for the other bill, why did he not vote for his one...and his Tennessee district, although slightly Democratic, is not much so.
The usual two Republicans voted for the bill;
Wayne Gilchrest (R-Maryland)
Walter Jones (R-North Carolina)
The bill won a slew of Democrats who voted against the original bill because of their disagreement with the withdrawal date...like;
Jim Marshall (D-Georgia)
Lincoln Davis (D-Tennessee)
Jim Matheson (D-Utah)
John Barrow (D-Georgia)
Dan Boren (D-Oklahoma)
Gene Taylor (D-Mississippi)
An earlier vote on the Jim McGovern (D-Washington) plan to pull troops out of Iraq beginning in 90 days failed by 171-255 margin.
Secretary of State Betty Ireland (R-West Virginia) appears to be the GOP's last hope to run a formidable candidate against Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) next year.
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), the state's only GOP member of Congress has decided not to run for Senate, instead running for another term in the House (which may not be an easy feat either)
Without Ireland, the Republicans' last hope may be John Raese, the GOP nominee against Robert Byrd last year who got creamed by the Presidential Pro-Tempore. Raese has previously ran (and lost) against Rockefeller in 1984 for the Senate seat.
Thought West Virginia is fairly conservative and George W. Bush carried the state by a substantial margin, it is still fairly Democratic at home and may be a state in play in next year's Presidential election.
Moderate Republican members of Congress, calling themselves the "Tuesday Group" went to the White House this week to warn the President their support of him is almost up.
Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Illinois), among those in the "Tuesday Group", said the President has until September to show his plan is working, otherwise, he will loose the support of scores of Republicans as they begin to campaign for reelection next year.
Among the other cracking GOP members who showed up; Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) Jim Walsh (R-New York) Jim Gerlach (R-Pennsylvania) Todd Platts (R-Pennsylvania) Charlie Dent (R-Pennsylvania) Tom Davis (R-Virginia) Jim Ramstad (R-Minnesota) Michael Castle (R-Delaware) Jo Ann Emerson (R-Missouri) and Fred Upton (R-Michigan).
Interesting enough, most of the group are Republicans in Democratic leaning seats and/or who nearly were defeated last year. Kirk, Walsh, Gerlach, Dent, Davis, and Castle are represent Democratic leaning seats. Kirk, Walsh and Gerlach narrowly won reelection. Ramstad and Upton represent Republican leaning seats that could be in jeopardy, while I don't know what's up with LaHood and Emerson. They've just always been fairly moderate.
Tony Blair comes to power as British Prime Minister in a Labour landslide of epic proportions.
Comet Hale-Bopp disappears over the horizon after giving people all around the world a omce in a lifetime show in the sky for about five months.
And a 14 year old junior high school boy from New York wonders what the big deal is about five British chicks dressed as ninjas breaking giant fish bowls in the desert.
Rep. Marty Meehan (D-Massachusetts) will be resigning from Congress effective July 1st to take a job as Chancellor of UMass Lowell. His resignation had already been all but confirmed up until today.
Governor Deval Patrick (D-Massachusetts) has called a special election primary in September and general in October to fill the seat for the remainder of the term.
Democrats running for the seat include Niki Tsongas, wife of former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas, Lowell City Councilor Eileen M. Donoghue; state Reps. Barry Finegold of Andover, James Eldridge of Acton, and James Miceli of Wilmington.
One Republican has announced for the seat, Air Force Lt Col. James Ogonowski, whose brother was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 11 on 9/11.
Meehan's seat, which includes Lowell, Lawrence and a huge chunk of Middlesex County along the New Hampshire border is widely seen as the least Democratic of Massachusetts' ten seats. Although Kerry carried the district by a substantial margin, it was his weakest in his home state, but Republicans would still have an uphill battle for the seat. Democrats have held it since 1975. The closest the Republicans have come to taking the seat since was in 1990 when John MacGovern came within 4% of ousting Democratic incumbent Chester Atkins.
To promote reconciliation among rival factions.
Because, you know, there's nobody who can unify a country like Dick "Disagreement with me is treason" Cheney
What are the chances the GOP come September is going to turn around and say, "oh, just six more months and we'll get it?"
I'd put money on it
In the meantime, we really need to figure out a way out where we don't turn into complete losers, and fast.
A list of Presidential candidates and the Governors who have endorsed them;
DEMOCRATS;
Hillary Rodham Clinton;
Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D-New York)
Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Maryland)
Gov. Jon Corzine (D-New Jersey)
Barack Obama;
Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-Illinois)
Gov. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia)
Bill Richardson;
Gov. Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico) Well obviously
REPUBLICANS
John McCain;
Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-Indiana)
Gov. Jon Huntsman (R-Utah)
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minnesota)
Mike Huckabee;
Gov. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota)
Mitt Romney;
Gov. Matt Blunt (R-Missouri)
Gov. Don Carcieri (R-Rhode Island)
Ah, the only Republican who can probably give Eliot Spitzer an interesting reelection...the Republicrat Mayor of New York City. He'd have almost a whole year to campaign after leaving office at the end of 2009.
Bloomberg vs. Spitzer would be a VERY interesting race, and it's beginning to show, Bloomberg is not crazy about the new Governor.
Let's see what happens when the mayor's term comes to a close in 2009.
Two Republican Senators, Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) and Gordon Smith (R-Oregon) have supported the Democrats' call for withdrawal dates. That number may increase to three soon.
Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) says this;
"I do believe there comes a point in September where if it's evident that the new strategy is not successful and will not succeed we do have to change course and that means looking for all options, including a plan for withdrawing troops,"
Despite the car accident that nearly took his life, after not wearing his seatbelt and allowing his driver to go above the speed limit, New Jersey voters still like their Governor.
A Farleigh Dickenson poll shows Corzine with a 58% approval rating, higher than before his accident.
Corzine's popularity is dwarfed though by the guy who acted as governor during his recovery in April, State Senate President Richard Codey. The Democrat, who had three different terms as acting governor in the past few years has a 73% approval rating with only an 8% disapproval.
If this guy was in the Senate last year running instead of Menendez, Linda Stender might very well be in Congress right now. Gee, maybe Codey can make a VP shortlist...just a thought
Would this guy make up his mind already?
I don't know, they say he's a great decisive leader, but how great and decisive can he be if he cannot even come up with his stance on abortion.
39% supporting impeachment proceedings against the President and Vice President.
To be honest, that number surprises me, I thought it would be closer to 25%-30%. Impeachment is a big deal, if that percentage of the population supports it (which is higher than the President's approval rating,) that indicates to me a major abhorring of this President by his people.
They wanted to go on a shooting rampage at Fort Dix in New Jersey, kill as many soldiers as they can. Thank God they were caught and kudos to all those who help catch them.
They were Islamic radicals, but at least three of them were of Balkan descent...White Eastern European...so this makes me think of a few questions;
1.) They wanted to shoot soldiers, is that necessarily a terrorist attack and if so, does that qualify Virginia Tech as an act of terrorism? What's the difference, because it's Muslims doing it? Also, the target was soldiers, not civilians, which makes me think of what Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said recently;
"Somebody who is fighting against Israeli soldiers is an enemy and we will fight back, but I believe that this is not under the definition of terrorism, if the target is a soldier."
2.) Some of them were American citizens who have Second Amendment Rights to own a gun. They were caught trying to obtain AK-47's, which are difficult to obtain in New Jersey because of strict gun control laws. Does the NRA still think these guys should still have the right to own a gun...any gun, including an AK-47?
3.) My reasoning against Racial Profiling is that it doesn't cover all potential terrorists. Sure, most of them are going to be foreign Middle-Eastern or South Asian looking men, but these guys were not, at least the three from Europe. They look like European, they are white. Racial Profiling wouldn't have worked here, would it now?
Really, this shouldn't be a big shock.
The powerful Governor of New York endorses the power Senator from New York for President.
Clinton has the support of nearly every elected Democrat in New York State, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Representatives Tim Bishop, Steve Israel, Gregory Meeks, Gary Ackerman, Joseph Crowley, Jerrold Nadler, Nydia Velasquez, Carolyn Maloney, Eliot Engel, Nita Lowrey, John Hall, Kirsten Gillibrand, Maurice Hinchey, Mike Arcuri, and Brian Higgins, and numerous state and local Democrats.
One Democrat from New York not endorsing Clinton, State Senator Bill Perkins (D-Harlem) who holds Lt. Governor David Paterson's old State Senate seat, has endorsed Barack Obama.
UPDATE: Hillary received the endorsement of another new Democratic governor, Martin O'Malley (D-Maryland).
Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) warned the Bush Administration today they have until the Fall to show signs of progress in Iraq before Republicans begin to turn.
My money is on the following result;
Petreaus comes back from Iraq in September, tells Congress "Progress is being made slowly, we need more time" even though nothing has changed in reality and the Republicans once again go on their "Let's give it more time, you want us to win dont you?" bandwagon and get creamed in 2008.
Somehow, I cannot fathom the GOP breaking from their prophet in the White House until he's back in Crawford...permanently.
Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kansas) admitted today the cleanup after the devastating tornado that wiped Greensburg off the face of the earth is slowed because the Kansas National Guard is short in personnel and equipment because of the war in Iraq.
Kansas should have 70%-80% of the equipment needed to send the National Guard to respond to events such as this one, but currently Kansas only had about 40% according to the Governor.
It's sad that we here in the United States cannot attend to our own people and help out our own when they face disaster, because all of our energy and equipment is getting blown up in Iraq.
Where are the priorities?
Democrats are urging Democratic North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper to challenge Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-North Carolina).
Cooper is considered a strong candidate for the US Senate having one statewide twice, both times when President Bush carried that state. Cooper had been considered a Gubernatorial candidate, but had previously said he would probably run for Attorney General.
Democrats are conceded that term-limited Democratic Governor Mike Easley, Dole's strongest possible competitor, will probably not run (Holding out for a possible cabinet position most likely). Congressman Brad Miller of Raleigh had been urged to run, but his progressive stances would make victory difficult (but not impossible) in conservative North Carolina.
Also being considered by North Carolina Democrats; Hugh Shelton, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Clinton's second term, State Senator Kay Hagan of Guilford County, and Afghanistan war veteran and State Representative Grier Martin of Raleigh
And Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois) is benefiting the most from it.
Take Tom Bernstein, Bush's old friend from Yale who co-owned the Texas Rangers with him. He donated $50,000 to the Republican Party in 2004 and staunchly supporting the President's reelection campaign. Today, he's supporting Obama.
Matthew Dowd, Bush's chief campaign strategist in 2004 is upset with his old boss' policies. Although he isn't endorsing anyone, he admitted he "liked" Obama.
Hillary Clinton is getting the support of one high profile former Bush supporter, John Mack, the chief executive of Morgan Stanley who raised $200,000 for Bush in 2004.
Meanwhile, the offspring of some iconic Republican Presidents are also questioning their own party. Susan Eisenhower, daughter of former Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, Theodore Roosevelt IV, great-grandson of Republican Teddy Roosevelt, and even Peggy Goldwater, daughter of 1964 Presidential candidate and father of modern conservatism, Barry Goldwater, are all irked by today's Republican party and are considering the possibility of endorsing a Democrat next year.
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) wants to investigate Big Oil in an attempt to find out why so many refineries are out and gas prices are soaring to record highs.
I must admit, I'm perhaps the most skeptical person of Big Oil around, but unless Schumer can prove the oil companies are at least partially involved in the price hikes, we've been down this road before, I think the Senate has more important things to worry about...like, passing a bill at some point.
Nevertheless, oversight is good.
