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October 31, 2005
Governor Dean on TV
Today...
5:15 - The Situation Room
5:45 - Hardball
9:15 - Hannity and Colmes
All times are Eastern...
Open Thread
You know what to do.
Some Background on Alito
Think Progress has some background on Bush's do-over nomination for Justice O'Connor's seat:
ALITO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V. WADE: In his dissenting opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito concurred with the majority in supporting the restrictive abortion-related measures passed by the Pennsylvania legislature in the late 1980's. Alito went further, however, saying the majority was wrong to strike down a requirement that women notify their spouses before having an abortion. The Supreme Court later rejected Alito's view, voting to reaffirm Roe v. Wade. [Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 1991]We will be learning more in the coming days and weeks about why fringe extremists on the right are so pleased with Alito -- and whether a Republican Party being torn apart by corruption, incompetence and fracturing coalitions can afford to let them continue to be in the driver's seat.ALITO WOULD ALLOW RACE-BASED DISCRIMINATION: Alito dissented from a decision in favor of a Marriott Hotel manager who said she had been discriminated against on the basis of race. The majority explained that Alito would have protected racist employers by "immuniz[ing] an employer from the reach of Title VII if the employer's belief that it had selected the ‘best' candidate was the result of conscious racial bias." [Bray v. Marriott Hotels, 1997]
ALITO WOULD ALLOW DISABILITY-BASED DISCRIMINATION: In Nathanson v. Medical College of Pennsylvania, the majority said the standard for proving disability-based discrimination articulated in Alito's dissent was so restrictive that "few if any...cases would survive summary judgment." [Nathanson v. Medical College of Pennsylvania, 1991]
ALITO WOULD STRIKE DOWN THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT: The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) "guarantees most workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a loved one." The 2003 Supreme Court ruling upholding FMLA [Nevada v. Hibbs, 2003] essentially reversed a 2000 decision by Alito which found that Congress exceeded its power in passing the law. [Chittister v. Department of Community and Economic Development, 2000]
ALITO SUPPORTS UNAUTHORIZED STRIP SEARCHES: In Doe v. Groody, Alito agued that police officers had not violated constitutional rights when they strip searched a mother and her ten-year-old daughter while carrying out a search warrant that authorized only the search of a man and his home. [Doe v. Groody, 2004]
ALITO HOSTILE TOWARD IMMIGRANTS: In two cases involving the deportation of immigrants, the majority twice noted Alito's disregard of settled law. In Dia v. Ashcroft, the majority opinion states that Alito's dissent "guts the statutory standard" and "ignores our precedent." In Ki Se Lee v. Ashcroft, the majority stated Alito's opinion contradicted "well-recognized rules of statutory construction." [Dia v. Ashcroft, 2003; Ki Se Lee v. Ashcroft, 2004]
October 30, 2005
Open Thread
For the day...
October 28, 2005
Open Thread
For the night...
Indictment Resources
Don't miss any of these:
Seen other good resources on the story? Let us know in the comments.Full text of the indictments Timeline of the leak and coverup Dean statement on the indictments Archive of quotes from Republicans on perjury
Libby Resigns, But Was His Replacement Involved in the Leak?
The crack team over at Think Progress has the scoop on Libby's replacement in the White House:
Scooter Libby’s replacement as chief of staff to the Vice President is reportedly a man named David Addington. He was formerly Cheney’s counsel, a position he held since 2001. According to the indictment, it appears that Addington was involved in the leak:You'll remember that Republican leader Tom DeLay handed his leadership post to another ethically-challenged Republican, Roy Blunt.18. Also on or about July 8, 2003, LIBBY met with the Counsel to the Vice President in an anteroom outside the Vice President’s Office. During their brief conversation, LIBBY asked the Counsel to the Vice President, in sum and substance, what paperwork there would be at the CIA if an employee’s spouse undertook an overseas trip.Was Addington aware that he was facilitating alleged criminal conduct?
Fitzgerald to Speak at 2 PM Eastern
The latest:
Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, is expected to be indicted today for making false statements to the grand jury in the C.I.A. leak case, lawyers in the case said Thursday.The question yet to be asked: is the DOJ web site ready for all the traffic?Karl Rove, President Bush's senior adviser and deputy chief of staff, will not be charged today, but will remain under investigation, people briefed officially about the case said. As a result, they said, the special counsel in the case, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, was likely to extend the term of the federal grand jury beyond its scheduled expiration today.
Mr. Fitzgerald has scheduled a news conference at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time in Washington to discuss his findings. Details will be posted on the special prosecutor's web site at noon.
Open Thread
Document the day's events here...
October 27, 2005
Over 250 Events and Counting ...
Over 250 events have been set up on the night of November 15th for the National Organizing Kickoff -- read about it, plan your own, or find one near you.
It may feel like the other side is the ropes right now, but there's a ton of work to do in every single neighborhood -- not only to win next year, but to make a truly 50-state party a reality for the long-term.
Governor Dean will be doing a conference call with all of the meetings, and hosts will have an agenda and materials to make presentations. Many state parties are plugged in, and many states will be seeing the new organizers who have hit the ground in the last few months showing up or hosting a few of these meetings.
If you missed it, check out Governor Dean's email announcing the whole thing.
Open Thread
To make up for me busting your last one for a few minutes...
Iraq Intel Cover-Up Extends to Senate Investigation
National Journal has an explosive scoop on Vice President Cheney and his chief of staff holding back key papers from the Senate Intelligence Committee:
Vice President Cheney and his chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, overruling advice from some White House political staffers and lawyers, decided to withhold crucial documents from the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2004 when the panel was investigating the use of pre-war intelligence that erroneously concluded Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, according to Bush administration and congressional sources.With new breaks in this story every day -- and some huge ones expected tomorrow -- it's no wonder that only 10% of Americans are willing to believe that the administration did nothing illegal or unethical in connection with the CIA leak scandal.Among the White House materials withheld from the committee were Libby-authored passages in drafts of a speech that then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell delivered to the United Nations in February 2003 to argue the Bush administration's case for war with Iraq, according to congressional and administration sources. The withheld documents also included intelligence data that Cheney's office -- and Libby in particular -- pushed to be included in Powell's speech, the sources said.
The new information that Cheney and Libby blocked information to the Senate Intelligence Committee further underscores the central role played by the vice president's office in trying to blunt criticism that the Bush administration exaggerated intelligence data to make the case to go to war.
Miers Withdraws Supreme Court Nomination
Harriet Miers has withdrawn her nomination to the United States Supreme Court.
Harriet Miers withdrew her nomination to be a Supreme Court justice Thursday in the face of stiff opposition and mounting criticism about her qualifications.President Bush said he reluctantly accepted her decision to withdraw, after weeks of insisting that he did not want her to step down. He blamed her withdrawal on calls in the Senate for the release of internal White House documents that the administration has insisted were protected by executive privilege.
October 26, 2005
More DeLay Money Shenanigans
In a case of what I guess must be called meta-corruption, disgraced Republican leader Tom DeLay has failed to disclose tens of thousands of dollars contributed to the legal defense fund he's using to pay the costs of fighting indictments for money laundering and criminal conspiracy. The AP has the story:
Rep. Tom DeLay has notified House officials that he failed to disclose all contributions to his legal defense fund as required by congressional rules.Perhaps DeLay will start up a new legal defense fund to pay attorney's fees associated with investigations into his legal defense fund?The fund is currently paying DeLay's legal bills in a campaign finance investigation in Texas, where DeLay has been indicted, and in a federal investigation of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The lobbyist arranged foreign travel for DeLay and had his clients pay some of the cost.
DeLay, R-Texas, has denied wrongdoing in both cases.
DeLay wrote House officials that he started an audit and it found that $20,850 contributed in 2000 and 2001 to the defense fund was not reported anywhere.
An additional $17,300 was included in the defense fund's quarterly report but not in DeLay's 2000 annual financial disclosure report — a separate requirement. Other donations were understated as totaling $2,800 when the figure should have been $4,450.
House rules require quarterly reports of donations and expenditures by a lawmaker's legal defense fund. Donations exceeding $250 also must be disclosed on annual financial disclosure reports.
Open Thread
For the night...
Republican Desperation in Virginia
Given what I do for a living, I subscribe to all the political email lists I can find. Today I got a poorly-written email from the Maryland Republican Party offering to pay me to go volunteer in Virginia for the election on November 8th.
We are looking for a team of about 50 people to go be in VA from Mon-Wed or Tues-Thur (3 full days next week, the week of October 31 - November 3) to hit targeted Counties with a lit drop. This is not a knock and drop, just a drop.We will provide payment for transportation, lodging, food, and pay a stipend if need be.
...
This is a different opportunity from the earlier email. This is not the same request. If you can spend three days in Virginia, please let me know. Again, we will provide payment for transportation, lodging, food, and pay a stipend if need be.
Clearly, Republicans are desperate for volunteers. So desperate, in fact, that they're paying people from out-of-state to go do it. But I'm not sure what's worse: the fact that the Republican party has had to resort to this, or that Republicans won't volunteer for free (though I don't think you can call it volunteering anymore if they won't do it for free).
If you're interested in volunteering - for free - on the Democratic side, you can fill out this form that the Democratic Governors Association has put together. Someone will get back to you soon after you fill it out.
October 25, 2005
You Can't Trust Republicans With Your Money
Pundits like to say that people don't care about budget politics, but when it's so obvious what a corrupt, unpopular Republican leadership is doing with their money it's probably a safe bet that they'll be mad:
Sources in the House of Representatives said it likely would be mid-week before Republican leaders know whether they have enough support for spending reductions, including cuts in health programs for the elderly and poor, that go beyond the $35 billion sketched out last spring.In the wake of Katrina's impact and the vulnerabilities it exposed -- in our government and in our society -- can the backwards priorities of the Republican leadership be any more it get more clear than that?Congress is also debating a Republican-backed plan for more tax cuts, mostly for the wealthy.
But wait, don't forget the borrow-and-spend bonanza:
Record debt is washing over the Treasury Department, recently breaching the $8 trillion mark in money owed to foreign governments, private investors and the Social Security retirement fund used to finance deficit-spending.Republican-controlled government: misspending your money today, mortgaging your child's future for tomorrow.Republicans, who also control the White House, have now presided over an increase in $2 trillion to the national debt over four years or so, despite contending that they are the only U.S. political party that practices fiscal discipline.
(For the responsible alternative, see Governor Dean's remarks just yesterday on ABC News's 'This Week'.)
A Meeting in the Oval Office
We were invited to the Oval Office for a meeting last Saturday. No, hell hasn't frozen over, the Oval Office was in Mystic Lake, Minnesota. Glynn Crooks, vice chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, invited us to meet with him and other Native American leaders at his home.
"Why have a meeting in a sterile hotel room when you can have it here - the Oval Office," the Vice Chairman told me.
The guy has recreated an exact replica of one of the most famous offices in the world and no detail has been left out - right down to the red "nuclear" phone on the desk.
The Governor told the leaders we need more Native Americans to run for office and spread their unique and traditions to State Houses across the country. There were Native Americans from eight different states represented.
It's the closest I've come to seeing the Oval Office, but in 2008 I expect to see the real one.
Open Thread
For the day...
October 24, 2005
Breaking News: Cheney's 'Direct Involvement'
Serious, serious allegations this evening as the inquiry into the CIA leak that jeopardized national security in an attempt to cover-up lies about Iraq reaches the heart of the Bush White House:
I. Lewis Libby Jr., Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, first learned about the C.I.A. officer at the heart of the leak investigation in a conversation with Mr. Cheney weeks before her identity became public in 2003, lawyers involved in the case said Monday.You really must read the whole thing.Notes of the previously undisclosed conversation between Mr. Libby and Mr. Cheney on June 12, 2003, appear to differ from Mr. Libby’s testimony to a federal grand jury that he initially learned about the C.I.A. officer, Valerie Wilson, from journalists, the lawyers said.
The notes, taken by Mr. Libby during the conversation, for the first time place Mr. Cheney in the middle of an effort by the White House to learn about Ms. Wilson’s husband, Joseph C. Wilson IV, who was questioning the administration’s handling of intelligence about Iraq’s nuclear program to justify the war.
Lawyers said the notes show that Mr. Cheney knew that Ms. Wilson worked at the C.I.A. more than a month before her identity was made public and her undercover status was disclosed in a syndicated column by Robert D. Novak on July 14, 2003.
Mr. Libby’s notes indicate that Mr. Cheney had gotten his information about Ms. Wilson from George J. Tenet, the director of central intelligence, in response to questions from the vice president about Mr. Wilson.
Long Day Open Thread
Plenty of folks still here at the office at this hour working hard. Wondering why, if that's so, there was so little blogging today?
The answer is this: www.democrats.org/organizingkickoff. New tool, new idea, and -- with your participation -- new energy for the Democratic Party.
Use this as an open thread for feedback on the events, the email, and whatever else is on your mind tonight.
October 23, 2005
Open Thread
For the night...
October 21, 2005
Governor Dean on 'This Week'
Governor Dean will be on ABC's 'This Week' on Sunday morning. Be sure to check it out...
AP: White House Defense Shaky in CIA Leak Case
The AP just put out a great overview of the issues around the White House putting politics over national security in the CIA leak case.
Even if White House aides leaked a covert CIA officer's identity, they were simply passing along information they'd already heard from the news media, the administration's supporters maintain in a defense that looks increasing shaky as new evidence accumulates.Take a look.Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald now knows that Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, met three times with a New York Times reporter before the leak of Valerie Plame's identity, that Libby initiated a call to NBC newsman Tim Russert and that Libby was a confirming source about the wife of Bush administration critic Joseph Wilson for a Time magazine reporter.
Culture of Corruption Continues: Kentucky Style
Looks like more GOP smiles are coming...
A Kentucky Republican Party official, whom Gov. Ernie Fletcher let have a Capitol office and taxpayer-funded secretary, and another party official were indicted Thursday on charges of conspiracy to commit political discrimination.State GOP Treasurer Dave Disponett, who is also on the state Board of Elections, and Bowling Green attorney J. Marshall Hughes were indicted on misdemeanor charges for allegedly plotting with administration officials and others to base rank-and-file personnel decisions on candidates' political affiliations.
Open Thread
Any ideas on why Tom Delay was so happy yesterday?
October 20, 2005
DeLay Booked
Earlier today, House Republican leader Tom DeLay surrendered to Texas authorities, was fingerprinted and had his mug shot taken, and posted a $10,000 bond before leaving the Harris County sheriff’s bonding office. He's due in a Texas court tomorrow to face charges of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
From the Associated Press:
Rep. Tom DeLay turned himself Thursday in at the Harris County sheriff’s bonding office, where he was photographed, fingerprinted and released on bond on state conspiracy and money laundering charges.“He posted $10,000 bond and they have left the bonding office,” Lt. John Martin with the sheriff’s department said.
DeLay, accompanied by his attorney, Dick DeGuerin, showed up about 12:15 p.m., appeared before a judge and was gone in less than 30 minutes, Martin said.
Your New Organizers
Starting yesterday and continuing today, the newest group of organizers for the 50 State Strategy have been in the building meeting with DNC staff. They're from Idaho, New Mexico and Nevada and had a chance to meet with Governor Dean yesterday morning (photos below). The west is clearly becoming more important in electoral politics, and these organizers will be on the front lines as we build for 2006, 2008 and beyond (and without this program, how many Democratic organizers do you think there'd be in Idaho this time of year?).
You can keep up with the latest news on the 50 State Strategy here. And remember, Democracy Bonds help fund these organizers and their continuing work in the field.
Open Threads
To the right you'll notice a new "Open Thread" box. From now on, that link will take you into the newest open thread. The threads spawn three times a day: 12am, 8am and 4pm. They'll also never close - the next thread comes at the next set time, and even after a new thread is created, the old thread will stay open. The link from the right bar will always link to the newest thread, so you shouldn't have to worry about it. An archive page is also linked to from the top of each thread so you can go back if you need to.
Hope this solves the thread problem. If it's not working out, we can re-evaluate and look at comment-count based threads or other solutions in the future. Enjoy!
UPDATE 2: Problems. Use this as your thread.
October 19, 2005
Subway Blogging
Our good friend and frequent contributor Fred Baldassaro, the chairman's Trip Director, sends this note about getting around ...
If you were on the Chicago public transit system last Friday and you think you saw Howard Dean, chances are you did.
The Gov and I hopped on the "El" downtown and rode out to O'Hare to beat the traffic and catch our flight. You can't beat door to door service for $1.75.
This isn't the first time we have taken public transportation. The week before, we joined New Yorkers underground all around the city. The New Post's gossip column, Page Six, even picked up on it:
Despite terrorist threats, the subway is still the best way to get around town — just ask Howard Dean. ... A surprised passenger asked him, "What's an important guy like you doing on a dirty and wet subway car?" Dean's rep assures us he replied: "Take a cab in this city? Never. Especially not when it's raining. I blame mother nature for the rain but I blame the mayor for the gridlock."Watch for the chairman on a subway near you.
October 18, 2005
Open Thread
I'm going to jinx it, I'm sure, but this should be the last manual thread. If all goes well tonight with the testing, I'll flip on the auto-thread first thing tomorrow.
Governor Dean in Mexico
This post came from DNC Communications staffer Luis Miranda yesterday. He's currently traveling in Mexico with Governor Dean.
We just got out of a great meeting with the Dems Abroad in Mexico City. There were folks from all over Mexico who came out to greet Chairman Dean and who are very excited about continuing to organize and mobilize American voters who live abroad. Dean even got to meet with Joe Nash, originally from Illinois, who founded the Dems Abroad in Mexico way back in 1952...and he's still at it.
While in Mexico, Chairman Dean, Congressman Raul Grijalva from Arizona, and Congressman Xavier Becerra from California (in the pictures) are also going to meet with Presidential candidates from all three major parties in Mexico. 6 years ago, Mexico had one ruling party, and now they have a thriving Democracy. The visit is really sending a powerful message that Democrats will do a much better job of working with Mexico to strenghten their Democracy, and make sure we can do the hard work to make progress on issues like national security, drug trafficking, border security, and immigration, that the Bush Administration has failed so miserably at.
Saludos desde Mexico...
October 17, 2005
8 of 9
Once you get past the headline ("Cheney May Be Entangled in CIA Leak Investigation, People Say"), today's Bloomberg article on the CIA leak investigation reveals another bit of interesting information: James Wilkinson, former Deputy Director of Communications at the White House, has also been questioned. With that, we now know that eight of the nine members of the White House Iraq Group have been questioned.
Wilkinson was asked "about the vice president's knowledge of the anti-Wilson campaign and his dealings on it with Libby, his chief of staff, the people said." No word on what he said, but, as the Bloomberg article points out, Cheney may be entangled in the CIA leak investigation.
A special counsel is focusing on whether Vice President Dick Cheney played a role in leaking a covert CIA agent's name, according to people familiar with the probe that already threatens top White House aides Karl Rove and Lewis Libby.The special counsel, Patrick Fitzgerald, has questioned current and former officials of President George W. Bush's administration about whether Cheney was involved in an effort to discredit the agent's husband, Iraq war critic and former U.S. diplomat Joseph Wilson, according to the people.
Open Thread
For the evening...
"Most Qualified Person" for SCOTUS Has Some Tax Issues
When President Bush nominated Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court, he promised that he selected the most qualified person for the job.
The year Harriet Miers began work as a senior presidential aide in the White House, the city of Dallas slapped three liens in three months on a property she controls in a low-income minority Dallas neighborhood, records show.The city placed the liens in 2001 to force her to reimburse it for clearing the vacant lot of tall grass, weeds and debris after Miers failed to have the work done herself, as required by city law, and after she did not respond to city notices to maintain the property.
It was not the first time the city had to take action. Records show that since Miers assumed power of attorney for her ailing mother in 1995, the city has issued seven other liens on vacant lots that Miers controls in the same neighborhood around Tipton Park.
All 10 liens, totaling less than $2,000, have been paid, a city spokesman said.
But the failure of Miers, a former Dallas City Council member, to comply with city law, and her slow response in reimbursing the city, run counter to her image as a meticulous, detail-oriented attorney who is always well prepared.
...
Since 1995, the city has placed liens on three of Miers' properties, city and county records show. The liens have been paid, but the city has no record of the dates, amounts, who paid them or how they did it, said Celso Martinez, a city spokesman.City records show that the city's costs usually were reimbursed within months of the liens being put on the lots. But one 1997 lien was not paid off until 2002, two months after the city turned over the debt to a collection agency.
Lewis Simpson, 64, who lives nearby, said he could not recall anyone cutting the grass before this year. Now, he said, "a guy comes out about every two weeks with a tractor. He started coming out about six months ago."
Lifelong west Dallas resident and former community activist Luis Sepulveda, now a justice of the peace, said he was surprised to hear that Miers had not taken care of her properties.
"I'm forced to do that. So is she," he said. "If it's not done, shame on her."
October 16, 2005
Rice Likes the Story About Iraq and 9-11...Except for the Chapter with Valerie Plame
This morning, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said that "we could decide that the proximate cause was al Qaeda and the people who flew those planes into buildings and, therefore, we would go after al Qaeda...or we could take a bolder approach." Rice - and the Administration as a whole - continue to tie Iraq to 9-11, even though there was no connection at all. It's a lie.
At the same time Rice was furthering the Iraq/9-11 narrative, she refused to comment with any depth on the White House Iraq Group and its involvement in the CIA leak scandal. As part of the group, Rice could be closely tied with the leak and those responsible for it.
But remember, the CIA leak scandal came about because of the very narrative Rice and others insist on pushing today. While she'll freely repeat the Administration's storyline on Iraq, she refuses to comment on the mess it caused after someone was attacked for rightfully calling it what it was - false.
Rice seems to want to keep the lie and ignore the potential crimes committed while attacking those who refuted it.
Open Thread
For the day...
My Weekend in Oregon
This post comes from Jason León, Deputy Political Director for Grassroots Organizing. He spent the week in his home state of Oregon after attending the 2005 Oregon Summit last weekend with DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon.
I just returned from The Democratic Party of Oregon's summit in Sunriver this week and wanted to share a few highlights from the weekend. What an incredible showing by Oregon Democrats!
The event focused on the grassroots, party leadership and candidates coming together to discuss values, tactics and strategies looking ahead to the 2006 elections. Well over 500 Democrats came from every point in Oregon to attend. This summit has really turned it a "must attend" for anyone even thinking about running for elected office.
The theme of this year's summit was "Winning the West." Governor Dean's State Partnership Project – the 50 State Strategy was the buzz over the weekend and will definitely contribute to a Western States' victory. Tom McMahon, the DNC's Executive Director and I made a presentation about our national field program and Oregon's critical role in mobilizing the grassroots.
Governor Dean has approved four in-state organizers that will be interviewed by the State Party and then put on our payroll. These local field organizers will work with county parties, allied organizations and activists to help bolster the precinct operation in every county and help elect Democrats at every level. The Oregon field organizers are four out of approximately 200 that are working in every state.
As highlighted in the State Party's Annual Report given at the summit, Oregon truly is leading the nation in its grassroots approach to winning elections.
From the DPO's Annual Report:
"In 2004, the Democratic Party of Oregon's coordinated campaign recruited, organized and engaged over 50,000+ volunteers to talk with Oregon voters, door to door and on the phone. Oregon Democrats took their message directly to voters, neighbor to neighbor. To put this in perspective, an individual would have to work non-stop, 24 hours per day for more than 15 years to equal the time that grassroots activists volunteered."
In 2004, I was the Coordinated Campaign's Political Director, so I witnessed the power of our grassroots daily. As an Oregonian, it was an honor to work with so many incredible Democrats. Governor Dean's commitment to funding year-round full-time field organizers in Oregon shows the new direction of the Democratic Party in action and builds on the incredible base from 2004.
Before I forget to mention this, the keynote speech at Saturday night's dinner was Ambassador Joe Wilson, whose wife's identity was leaked while she was working for the CIA. This was retribution for the Ambassadors criticism of the Bush Administration's mishandling of information about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Ambassador Wilson was the U.S. Ambassador in Iraq and the last American to meet with Saddam Hussein before the war. It was an incredible speech. I can't remember the last time I was at an event with so many standing ovations.
Brad Martin, the DNC's Northwest Political Director gave a two hour breakout session called, Building your Grassroots. The session could have easily filled a whole day. The room was packed. Other trainings breakouts included; Morality, the Economy and the Media as well as Winning Value Voters: Activating and Organizing the Religious Left.
If you didn't attend and would like to see some of the footage from the speakers, you can go to the virtual summit http://198.173.236.79/summit/summit_coverage.htm.
All in all, this is the best political event I've been to since the 50,000 person rally for John Kerry at the Portland Waterfront last August.
"Election by election, state by state, precinct by precinct, door by door, vote by vote... we're going to lift our Party up and take this country back for the people who built it."
Governor Howard Dean
Chair, Democratic National Committee
October 14, 2005
Governor Dean Speaking at Native American Campaign Camp
Governor Dean is in Minnesota tonight, getting ready to give the keynote address at the inaugural INDN's List Campaign Camp at the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake. He will speak to more than 100 future candidates and campaign staff representing 50 tribal nations from all across America who have gathered for four days of campaign training.
The Governor's participation in the INDN's List Campaign Camp is part of the Democratic Party's ongoing commitment to encouraging greater Native American participation in the political process, and reaching out to voters in all fifty states.
If you're interested, a write-up about the training is available here.
Open Thread
For the night...
Yet Another Investigation into White House Corruption
The Department of Education has asked the US Attorney's Office to investigate improper Bush propogandizing with government resources...
Investigators at the Education Department have contacted the U.S. attorney's office regarding the Bush administration's hiring of commentator Armstrong Williams to promote its agenda....
The Government Accountability Office has concluded that the Education Department engaged in illegal "covert propaganda" by hiring Williams to promote the No Child Left Behind Act without requiring him to disclose that he was being paid. The Education Department's inspector general has also reviewed the Williams deal, which was part of a broader contract that the education agency had with Ketchum, a public relations firm.
Now the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia is investigating whether Williams accepted public money without performing his required duties, said Dan Katz, chief counsel for Lautenberg. The attorney's office has a range of potential remedies, from suing to recover the money to possible criminal charges, Katz said.
"The inspector general wouldn't refer this to the U.S. attorney unless there was evidence of misconduct that requires further investigating," Katz said.
Surprised? Didn't think so.
Scandals Plaguing Bush? You Don't Say
Is this most obvious headline ever written?
Open Thread
Start your morning off right with a fresh cup of open thread.
October 13, 2005
Open Thread
Here you go.
SEC Subpoenas Frist
The Securities and Exchange Commission has stepped up its investigation of Bill Frist, issuing a subpoena for all personal documents relating to the sale of his stock in HCA, the health care company founded by his family.
The formal request for documents usually presages an acceleration of a federal probe. In Frist's case, regulators had to proceed with caution due to his status in Congress and their mutual desire to avoid triggering constitutional objections to the release of documents. The disclosure of the subpoena comes as Democrats blasted Frist anew for his financial and personal ties to Hospital Corporation of America, a Nashville chain founded in 1968 by his father and his brother, Thomas Frist Jr. Critics yesterday seized on a report that Frist held a substantial amount of his family's hospital stock outside of blind trusts between 1998 and 2002 -- a time when he asserted he did not know how much of the stock he owned.
Frist's stock sale came just days before the company's stock dropped in value dramatically. The SEC is moving in the right direction by subpoenaing Frist's documents, but it's time for Frist to come clean about exactly what he knew and when he knew it.
October 12, 2005
Bush to Cut Health Care and Mortgage Tax Breaks
Remember back in his first term when President Bush and the Republicans in Congress pushed through a bunch of tax cuts that went overwhelmingly to the richest sliver of Americans?
Well now the Bush administration has figured out a way to help pay for it: raise your taxes.
Do you own a home? Do you ever use health care? Then Bush wants you to pay more.
President Bush's tax reform panel, which is expected to send him its recommendations by November 1, is proposing to scale back two of the nation's most popular tax breaks, for home mortgage interest and employer-paid health insurance.
Needless to say, middle-class Americans rely on the tax breaks to help them pay for their homes and to help them afford health care in an increasingly inaccessible system. Any cuts to those deductions would be devastating to ordinary American families.
From New York...
Set your Tivos or plan on being up late, because Governor Dean will be on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight on CBS.
Open Thread
Here you go.
October 10, 2005
Seen Any Exploding Heads Lately?
Tom Tomorrow has a nice summary of the stress Republicans are facing trying to explain away all the scandals that are piling up these days.
Open Thread
Here's a fresh one for you.
October 7, 2005
Open Thread
For the evening...
Democrats Stand Up to Shameful GOP Tactics in House
Even though Tom DeLay has been indicted and forced to step down as Majority Leader, Republicans aren't abandoning his strong-arm tactics. With Democrats winning a vote to stop Republicans from handing out special interest giveaways in the wake of Katrina, Republicans kept the vote open while leaders (including DeLay) strong armed their members into switching their vote.
Click here to see a video from ThinkProgress of Democrats standing up to these shameful GOP tactics.
October 6, 2005
The Perp Walk
In case you missed the last paragraph of a wire story about the criminally indicted House Republican leader Tom DeLay:
DeLay's lawyers are trying to avoid having their client handcuffed, photographed and fingerprinted for his October 21st court appearance.That's a surprisingly soft-on-crime stance for a guy whose long list of abuses of power include sending Homeland Security agents to hunt down his political opponents.
Open Thread
Not sure what the little comments glitch is, but we're working on it...
UPDATE: All should be well. Something tanked around 9:30 this morning and is now back up.
October 5, 2005
Open Thread
Well, you got the buttons. Hopefully auto-thread will come tomorrow... it's 95% there.
Open Thread
We're working on some stuff today that may or may not end up finshed. Either way, just note that things could go down for a few minutes at a time. Hopefully, we'll end up with auto-open threads, easily hidden/shown comments for long threads, and little buttons that allow you to drop HTML into your comments that works in Mozilla browsers. Or we may end up with none of it, as was the case yesterday.
Gov. Dean on Hardball Today
Gov. Dean will be appearing on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews today to discuss the Miers nomination, DeLay's indictment, and other issues of the day. The interview will broadcast twice today (5 and 7 p.m. ET). Be sure to tune in!
October 4, 2005
Iraq Veterans Want Change
Marine Major Paul Hackett came home from Iraq determined to continue serving -- and determined to provide new leadership where the Republican culture of corruption and ideological crusades has failed.
He's not the only Iraq vet who has seen failed Republican leadership up close -- and more and more veterans are deciding to take matters into their own hands:
Lawyer Patrick Murphy and five other veterans of the Iraq war are asking questions about President Bush's policies in Iraq as part of their broader Democratic campaigns to win congressional seats in next year's elections.It's not just veterans, either. Americans from all walks of life -- sheriffs, teachers, public defenders -- are stepping up to the plate to provide the honest, serious leadership that our country deserves.Given their experience in Iraq, the six Democrats in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia say they are eminently qualified to pose the tough questions. Their reservations mirror public opinion, with an increasing number of Americans expressing concern about the mission and favoring a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops.
The most recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed only 37 percent of Americans approve of Bush's handling of Iraq, with 62 percent disapproving.
Open Thread
For the afternoon...
Tom DeLay Gets Two More Indictments
October 3, 2005
Who Has a Democracy Bond?
Here are a few of the folks who do as of last week, when they joined the community:
All of these people have made the commitment of a small monthly contribution to provide the financial stability and capacity to fund organizers in all 50 states.Mark A., Minnesota -- Homemaker
Tim B., Alaska -- Pilot Dee L., Florida -- Furniture sales
Deb Z., Washington -- Physician Willa R., Texas -- Teacher
Mike A., California -- Delivery driver Harlan N., South Dakota -- Retired
Cheryl A., Nebraska -- Farmer David S., Virginia -- Pipefitter
Jimmy F., Texas -- Regitered Nurse Drew E., New York -- Actor
Michael N., Massachusetts -- Carpenter Angela G., Illinois -- Realtor
Patrick G., Iowa -- Electrical engineer Kevin H., Pennsylvania -- Union organizer
Venetia Z., Maryland -- Lab assistant Nathan G., Iowa -- Factory worker
David F., Kentucky -- Farmer Gregory B., Vermont -- Bartender
Crystal S., Utah -- Customer service Mark L., Ohio -- Student
Amos R., Texas -- Disabled Veteran
We need to make sure that our party is sustained and grows all the time, everywhere -- not just in the few months before an election. As you can see, people from all walks of life are on board and making it happen.
Tom DeLay: I'm Still In Charge
Tom DeLay may be down, but he insists he's still not out.
"I will virtually be in charge of the agenda and driving the agenda," he said. "I am still a member of Congress. I can still work on legislation."
Are Republicans still letting the indicted majority leader run the show?
Conservatives Red-Faced Over Miers
The jury is still out on Harriet Miers. There are a lot of obvious concerns; her lack of experience, cronyism, and of course her views on our basic freedoms.
But one thing that's already clear is that a politically weak Bush was unable to pick a nominee that would appeal to his extreme right-wing base. Already this morning conservatives are up in arms over the nomination.
From Confirm Them:
[Law professor Jonathan Turley] Just said on NBC that this is “an amazingly bad choice.”He went on to say outright that Ms. Miers is unqualified. Ugh.
From The Corner:
After the Roberts pick conservatives swooned and said Bush doesn't care about "diversity"; it's only high qualifications that matter to this bold, let-the-chips-fall-where-they-may leader, etc., etc. Don't we have to take all that back now?
From RedState.org:
Me, the sources, everyone it seems was wrong. We've all heard the rumors, but not a one could believe the President would do that. Where is our Scalia/Thomas.I think I'll let the President fight this battle himself, for now.
UPDATE: Conservative blog Ankle Biting Pundit has a roundup of right-wing reaction to Miers's nomination.
Open Thread
Happy Monday!
