Happy Hour

-So a Jew and a Black man walk into a restuarant...

-This wouldn't have happened if they would've just called AT&T.


-Pelosi and Murtha are having a little bit of a tiff


-um, Bill O'Reilly, when we say illegal alien, that is not what we mean.


-Condi Rice decided the Middle East was too daunting, so she was gonna start cleaning up a smaller mess...like Africa

-At Christmas, little brats cry, scream, and pout until they get what they want.

-To appease fiscal conservatives, the government has decided terrorism has been defeated.

-The United States, the strongest, most powerful country on the planet, got double teamed by Israel and Venezuela in the same day.

-We spent all this money with which I could've purchased a Hummer or an overpriced pair of jeans, so either die or get cured dammit!

-The Republican who ousted Tom Daschle is not about to get involved in THIS mess.

Hostage Situation At Hillary Clinton Campaign Office

A hostage situation is unravelling at the headquarters of Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire.

MSNBC is reporting two hostages have been taken

UPDATE: Hostage taker apparently wants to talk to the Senator, who is in Washington D.C. at the moment, not in New Hampshire

Kerik Defends Giuliani

Yeah, ok, that's going to help, because nobody is more believable than Bernard Kerik. I mean look at him, big halo over his head and everything.

What's next? Is Lindsay Lohan going to defend Amy Winehouse' drinking problems?

NJ-07: Whitman's Daughter to Run

Kate Whitman, daughter of the only Republican to win a statewide election in New Jersey in 20 years; former Governor Christine Todd Whitman, announced that she will run for the New Jersey 7th Congressional District seat being vacated by Mike Ferguson.

The district, which meanders around Northern New Jersey from Roselle, Cranford, Scotch Plains through Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, has a slight Republican tilt. Whitman, the mom, won it in both her gubernatorial races, but McGreevey and Corzine won it in the past two Governor's races.

If Whitman gets the nod, she will face State Assemblywoman Linda Stender, who narrowly lost to Ferguson last year 49%-48%.

Rudy Scandal Keeps Getting Better`

Apparently Judy Nathan used the NYPD as her personal taxi service.

Keep it coming guys, this is getting pretty exciting.

Rudy: It's Everyone Else's Fault

Who won't Rudy Giuliani blame for his apparent cover up of his secret affairs with Judy Nathan in the Hamptons.

He says it's the police department's fault for billing the security expenses to obscure city agencies. He blames the Democrats for a vast liberal conspiracy out to destroy him. Is this what we need, another President who can't take responsibility for his actions and just throws blame to everyone else?

What's next, is he going to blame his kids for forcing him to go to Southampton to fool around with Judy? Anything's possible with Mr. 9/11.

RFK Jr. Endorses Hillary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr has endorsed the woman who holds the same Senate seat his father did four decades ago.

Kennedy endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for President, saying she "has the strength and experience to bring the war in Iraq to an end and reverse the potentially devastating effects of global warming."

Kennedy lauded Clinton's record as Senator and the way she won over New Yorkers since her controversial run for Senate seven years ago.

Former Rep. Henry Hyde Dies

Henry Hyde, the former Republican Congressman who represented Chicago's western suburbs for over 30 years had died at 83.

Born in Chicago, Hyde attended Duke University and Georgetown University. He received his law degree from Loyola University. Hyde served in the Navy during World War II, seeing combat in The Philippines. He was a Democrat until the 1950's when he supported Dwight Eisenhower. He served in the Illinois House of Representatives until 1974, when he was elected to Congress. A staunch pro-life politician, he vehemently opposed abortion rights. He served on the House Judiciary Committe since 1975 and chaired the committee from 1995-2001. Hyde is most famous for presiding over the Bill Clinton impeachment trials. Although rather conservative, he supported some gun control, including the Brady Bill and the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. He also was skeptical of the Iraq war.

Hyde retired from Congress in 2006. After the Mark Foley scandal broke, some Republicans suggested Speaker Dennis Hastert should resign and be replaced by Hyde for the last few months of the 109th Congress. His seat in suburban Chicago was taken by Republican Pete Roskam, who narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Tammy Duckworth 51%-49%. Earlier this month, Hyde received the Presidential Media of Freedom.

Hyde underwent open-heart surgery in Chicago in July. He suffered from complications from the surgery which caused him to be hospitalized. Hyde passed away at 3 a.m. He was 83.

Mr. 9/11 Man's Terror Ties

Rudy Giuliani will protect America and defend it from Islamic terrorism, unless, of course, he can make a buck, then Americans are on their own.

GOP Debate Open Thread

Mike Huckabee stood out like he was standing five feet higher and forward than the rest of the GOP candidates. He seemed less antagonistic than the rest of the religious right candidates. Duncan Hunter's response that the military is a Judeo-Christian institution is just plain insulting to any non-Christian, non-Jewish, and/or liberal thinking soldier, plus I don't think that's what Colin Powell meant, but nice job hiding behind one of the few popular Republicans nowadays. I would normally say he should apologize, but there is too much calling for politicians to apologize. Politicians need to stand by their comments and people need to either not vote for them or deal with it. Mitt Romney's response to the question was even more stupid.

The two candidates who stood out were Huckabee and McCain who seemed to reclaim his maverick streak when talking about torture and the fair tax.

The one thing that surprised me was the audience's response to the retired gay general; the booing. It's embarassing. It reminded me a little of the 2002 Georgia Senate race, when instead of respectfully disagreeing with a man who lost half his body in Vietnam, they labelled him a traitor and dragged him through the mud. That seems to be the GOP way nowadays, standing behind the soliders when it's convienent, but if they disagree with us, throw them off a cliff.

Nice

New Yorkers Paid For Rudy's Affair

America's Mayor apparently attempted to hide the price of his trips to the Hamptons during his then-secret affair with his now wife Judy when he was still Mayor.

Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses during weekend trips to the Hamptons during 1999 and 2000. The city comptroller sought to investigate in 2002, but "security reasons" prevented the city from doing so. Politico.com received the news through New York’s Freedom of Information Law

Rudy opponents shouldn't get all excited just yet. Those who back Rudy won't abandon him on this. They'll defend him and find every way possible to discredit his opponents because that's what they do best. Oh, and don't forget...9/11.

Seriously, any Republican who votes for this man owes Bill Clinton an apology.

Streisand Endorses Clinton

What? Did ya think she'd be behind Giuliani?

Rove: Iraq is Congress' Fault

Is he serious?

I'll comment more when I stop laughing.

Giuliani: I Never Doubted Iraq Was Right

Displaying that very face of ignorance that has destroyed the GOP, Rudy Giuliani reminds us that despite everything, he never had any doubt invading Iraq was the right thing to do.

In the bizarro world of Rudy Giuliani, Qaddafi apparently peed his pants when we invaded Iraq, so that's why he stopped supporting terrorism (nope, had nothing to do with the fact his Libyan oil was now gold.) He claims everyone will agree that the Iraq war was the right move by Election Day.

Seriously, if you vote for this man, you deserve all the unnecessary wars you get.

IL-14: Hastert Resigns...Now

Dennis Hastert's two decade service in the United States House of Representatives which culminated in being the longest serving Republican Speaker of the House came to abrupt end tonight.

The Illinois Republican, who was expected to leave the House soon, resigned effective tonight. His seat will be filled by a special election that will be called by Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich, likely to be held on February 5th to coincide with the Democratic primary in Illinois.

What is that important? Well, Illinois' favorite son, Barack Obama, is running on the Democratic side, and turnout will be huge in Illinois on the Democratic side and it will help the Democratic nominee for the seat.

The district is R+4. George W. Bush won 55% of the vote here. It streches from the Chicago suburbs of Elgin and Aurora through a long swath of Northern Illinios including Dixon to the outskirts of the Quad Cities near the Mississippi River.

Democrat John Laesch won 40% of the vote in 2006 and is running for the open seat, as are Republican State Senator Chris Lauzen of Aurora, who lost the race for Illinois Comptroller in 1998, Republican Mayor Kevin Burns of Geneva, and Republican businessman and former statewide candidate Jim Oberweis, who has run in the GOP primaries for Governor in 2006 and Senator in 2002 and 2004. Democratic candidates include Laesch, attorney Jotham Stein or businessman Bill Foster.

Hastert's depature leaves three Republican seats open, including the open seats og Ohio-5 and Virginia-1, left open by the deaths of Paul Gilmor in September and Jo Ann Davis in October. Both seats are holding special elections on December 11. Republicans currently have 199 members in the House of Representatives, the first time their number has dropped below 200 since 1994. All 233 Democratic seats are filled, but Julia Carson of Indiana is being treated for terminal cancer and is absent from Washington.

Louisiana Governor-elect Bobby Jindal will vacate his seat in January, meaning the GOP will not have a full 202 seats until at least February.

Republican Senators Threaten To Cut Aid To Iraq...No Seriously

FINALLY, they get tough

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) threaten to cut aid to the Iraqi government if they do not move forward in political reconciliation that is so badly needed there.

Finally, the GOP has realized sending in troops is pointless unless the Iraqis themselves do some work. Democracy does not come at the barrell of a gun.

Cheney Heads To Hospital

Irregular Heartbeat is the reason.

More info as it becomes available.

MS-Sen: Trent Lott To Resign

Just when the Mississippi GOP thought it was safe when Thad Cochran decided to run again, this happens.

If he resigns before the end of the year, there will be a special election in the spring, if he resigns after the first of the year, the special election with coincide with the general election in November, which means Mississippi, like Wyoming, will elect two Senators at once. He's expected to leave before the end of year when coincidently new ethics rules passed by the Democratic-controlled Congress that would ban members of Congress from lobbying on the Hill for two year after they leave office.

An open seat would give the Democrats a chance to win a Mississippi Senate seat for the first time since 1982. Former Attorney General Mike Moore, Current Attorney General Jim Hood and Former Governor Ronnie Musgrove are both potential Democratic candidates for the seat. GOP Governor Haley Barbour will appoint a caretaker for the seat who may or may not run for reelection in 2008. They include GOP Congressmen Roger Wicker and Chip Pickering. Pickering has stated he was retiring from his Congressional seat next year.

IN-07: Carson will not run for reelection

Julia Carson, terminally ill from cancer, will not run for reelection in 2008 leaving the Democratic-leaning Indianapolis-based seat open.

This should make the seat slightly safer, but after the surprising defeat of Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, a Democrat, in elections earlier this month, who knows?

Huckabee Relates

Whether or not I believe he would do anything about it is another story, but it would be nice to see a GOP candidate who is not tied to big oil and can speak the truth.

IN 07: Carson Terminally Ill

Sad news out of Indianapolis

Rep. Julia Carson (D-Indiana) has announced she is terminally ill with lung cancer. Carson has been ill since September and has not been present in Congress.

Giuliani: Businesses Aren't Greedy

One wonders if this man has even seen Wall Street more or less worked five blocks away for eight years.

Really, are there people in this country who believe, Post-Enron, that corporate greed isn't a problem? If you vote for this man, you deserve to lose your job to a greedy CEO.

Australian Prime Minister Defeated

Prime Minister John Howard has not only lost his position as Prime Minister, he's lost his Parliament Seat to the opposition.

The first time that has happened since 1928.

Kevin Rudd will be the new Prime Minister of Australia.

Labour has picked up somewhere between 23 and 26 seats to gain a majority of about 20 seats.

Watching this election reminds me of the Democratic victory in 2006.

Australian Elections Open Thread

Exit polls say Prime Minister John Howard will be defeated, both in his Parliament seat and from power.

Opposition Labour will win with about 53% of the vote.

More tomorrow

Poland's PM Pulls From Iraq

The coalition of the willing has...stopped being willing.

Poland's new Prime Minister has announced he is planning on withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Well, we still have Australia, at least for one more day.