February 28, 2006

He Said It ...

President Bush in an ABC News interview with Elizabeth Vargas:

VARGAS: So you don't agree with that report that calls the U.S. "woefully unprepared"?
BUSH: I think the U.S. is better prepared than woefully unprepared.

That about sums it up ... without minimum standards, what else would he have to shoot for.

Posted by at 4:25 PM | Comments (81)

Governor Corzine Delivers Weekly Radio Address

"Over the past two weeks, the American people have learned that the British company that handles cargo at six major U.S. ports was being taken over by Dubai Ports World - a company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates.

There are many reasons why this transaction fails the basic test of common sense with regard to our nation's homeland security..."

Listen here. Full transcript in the extended entry.

Keep reading "Governor Corzine Delivers Weekly Radio Address"

Posted by at 2:25 PM | Comments (5)

"The Weakest Adminstration on Defense We Have Seen in Many, Many Years"

(From a speech given by Governor Dean earlier today at the the Annual Conference of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. -- Tim)

"Karl Rove says that the Republicans are going to win on the issue of defense. I submit to you that if the issue is defense, the Republicans will lose because this is the weakest Administration on defense that we've seen in many, many years. What I mean is this. For five years this President has been in the White House. For five years North Korea continues to possess nuclear weapons. For five years this Administration has been in the White House, Iran moves closer every day to producing nuclear weapons. For four years, Osama Bin Laden has been on the loose and remains so. And today we see the specter, as reported in the Jerusalem post- of a company that is about to take over American ports, which actively continues today to boycott Israel.

"The Democrats have a better idea. First we will conclude the negotiations with the Chinese and the North Koreans to disarm North Korea. Secondly, under no circumstances will a Democratic Administration ever allow Iran to become a nuclear power. Three, we will kill or capture Osama bin Laden and four, the authority and the control of the ports of the United States must be retained by American companies.

"We are not simply speaking about the United Arab Emirates -- we are also speaking about the western ports which are controlled by companies controlled by the Chinese government. Foreign governments of any kind ought not to be controlling American ports, especially when the Coast Guard already recommended that they could not guarantee the security of the ports."

"We will defend America."

"Republicans have been in power long enough to show that they can't be trusted with your money, your defense or power. The truth is today, 34% of the American people think that the President is doing a good job. So, we're not talking about a fifty-fifty country- we're simply talking about a country that wants competence and honesty in their leadership again"

"While the Republicans have done a good job winning elections the. . .way they win elections is the root cause for why they've done such a terrible job governing America. . .

"If you divide people in order to win elections, you can't govern. . .The president has to understand that they are the President of all people, not just 50.1%."

Together, America Can Do Better - A Positive Democratic Agenda

"So our strategy is very simple- we want to make it clear to the American people what the Republicans are about and what their discrepancies are between what they say and what they do. We also want to make sure the American people understand what we are going to do differently.

"One- we will pass ethics legislation within the first 100 days of our re-ascension to power, and eliminate the scandals and the corruption that the Republicans have brought to power. We want honest and open government in America again.

"Two- we want a strong national defense which begins with telling the truth to our citizens and our soldiers and our allies before we send troops abroad.

"Three- we want American jobs that will stay in America by creating a new energy independence industry, creating thousands of manufacturing jobs and construction jobs to retrofit our homes and businesses.

"Four- we want a health care system which works for everyone, just like 36 other countries in the world have.

"And five- we want a strong public education system so we can have opportunity and optimism back in America again. . ."

Posted by at 2:15 PM | Comments (38)

2008 Democratic National Convention Cities Announced

Eleven cities have received requests for proposals to host the 2008 Democratic convention. The cities are: Anaheim, CA; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Las Vegas, NV; Minneapolis, MN; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; and San Antonio, TX.

After the proposals are returned to the DNC by May 19, the technical advisory committee begins the process of reviewing the applications and visiting the cities this summer. The convention is scheduled for Aug. 25-28, 2008.

Posted by at 11:15 AM | Comments (77)

Republican Governors See President as a Drag

Add Republican Governors to the list of elected officials racing to get off the sinking ship that is George Bush's presidency.

Republican governors are openly worrying that the Bush administration's latest stumbles from the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina to those of its own making on prescription drugs and ports security are taking an election-year toll on the party back home.
The GOP governors reluctantly acknowledge that the series of gaffes threatens to undermine public confidence in President Bush's ability to provide security, which has long been his greatest strength among voters.

Their discomfort didn't stop them from receiving a dizzying $9.6 MILLION dollars raised at a single fundraiser yesterday evening, with the president as the draw. I'd also quibble with the author's characterization of Katrina response, the prescription drug fiasco, port security, and later in the article, Iraq, as mere "gaffes." These are examples of a severe failure of leadership that weaken our security at home and cost American lives; they are not mere blunders. You know its bad for the president when criminally convicted Republican Governor Bob Taft goes public in his critique of President Bush.

Posted by at 10:22 AM | Comments (14)

"Bring Us Home"

Zogby:

An overwhelming majority of 72% of American troops serving in Iraq think the U.S. should exit the country within the next year, and nearly one in four say the troops should leave immediately, a new Le Moyne College/Zogby International survey shows.
The poll, conducted in conjunction with Le Moyne College's Center for Peace and Global Studies, showed that 29% of the respondents, serving in various branches of the armed forces, said the U.S. should leave Iraq "immediately," while another 22% said they should leave in the next six months. Another 21% said troops should be out between six and 12 months, while 23% said they should stay "as long as they are needed."

Posted by at 10:07 AM | Comments (26)

February 27, 2006

Thirty-Four Percent

There isn't very much to say that hasn't already been said over the past few months about the CBS News poll just released today showing the president at a 34% approval rating; it's actually kind of sad that so many Americans view the most powerful man in the country in such an unfavorable light. More regretable, however, is the path President Bush has led the nation down over the past five years.

-- 30% approve of the way he has prosecuted the war in Iraq.

-- 32% believe the president has done an adequate job responding to the needs of Katrina victims.

-- Only 43% believe the president has done a good job fighting "the war on terror."

-- And the majority of Americans think "the president does not care much about people like themselves."

Oh, and the vice president, that beacon of hope and optimism, has an approval rating of eighteen percent. It's no criminally convicted Republican Governor of Ohio Bob Taft (who polls at 14%), but at least it gives him something to shoot for.

Posted by at 9:41 PM | Comments (24)

"Bribe Menu"

ABC News:

Prosecutors call it a corruption case with no parallel in the long history of the U.S. Congress. And it keeps getting worse. Convicted Rep. Randall "Duke" Cunningham actually priced the illegal services he provided.
Prices came in the form of a "bribe menu" that detailed how much it would cost contractors to essentially order multimillion-dollar government contracts, according to documents submitted by federal prosecutors for Cunningham's sentencing hearing this Friday. [...]

The sentencing memorandum includes the California Republican's "bribery menu" on one of his congressional note cards, "starkly framed" under the seal of the United States Congress.

The card shows an escalating scale for bribes, starting at $140,000 and a luxury yacht for a $16 million Defense Department contract. Each additional $1 million in contract value required a $50,000 bribe.

Maybe there is no parallel in the overt stupidity displayed by ex-Congressman Cunningham and his enablers in the Republican controlled Congress, but when it comes to the size and scope of the evil deeds, stay tuned. People ask all the time "why would these people need so much campaign cash if they are consistently re-elected by overwhelming margins?" It's cause the most grand pay-to-play scams at the are not just about incumbent protection ... they are about pure unadulterated power at the highest levels of the United States government. It's about being dubbed, "The Mayor of Capitol Hill." It's about being able to flip six seats at once in the 2004 congressional elections in Texas. Of course, in places like, ohhh, let's say the Florida U.S. Senate race, they are about achieving financial parity with a well-liked Democratic incumbent. And yes, in some cases it's about putting greed and purely personal gain above national security. All for things like yachts and mansions other goodies the vast majority of Americans will never even see, let alone alone own. That's why a functioning ethics committee and looking into the public financing of campaigns is so important, and also something you will never see from a Republican party that believes neither in accountability nor oversight.

Posted by at 3:10 PM | Comments (7)

South Dakota Ban Crosses State Lines

(The following entry was submitted by Christy Agner, Director of the Women's Vote Center at the DNC -- Tim)

Last week, the South Dakota GOP-Controlled Legislature passed legislation specifically to challenge the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling - a ruling that keeps politicians out of the private health decisions of women. Now GOP 2008 presidential hopefuls are testing the waters - and the patience - of the majority of Americans who support the privacy of individuals to make their own health care decisions. Over the weekend, at a dinner set up to hob-knob with newsmakers in Washington, DC, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee - who is rumored as a 2008 hopeful - voiced his support for a ban on all abortions except if the women will die. "I've always felt Roe v. Wade was illegitimate," Huckabee said, and in fact, Arkansas has a law on the books which has the same prohibition, but Roe vs. Wade made it illegitimate. No beating around the bush here - if the Supreme Court meddles with Roe v. Wade, politicians - in South Dakota, Arkansas and possibly the state where you live - will be unwelcome third wheels in your bedroom.

Read news coverage for yourself: Huckabee supports S.D. bill restricting abortions.

The DNC knows where it stands - FIRMLY with women and their privacy.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, speaking on South Dakota approval of a ban on abortion:

"Once again, Republican politicians, this time in South Dakota, are injecting themselves into deeply personal and private health care decisions that Americans believe women and families have the right to make for themselves. We can all agree that abortion should be rare, but it should also be safe and legal. This difficult personal health care decision should be made by a woman, in consultation with her physician, and not by politicians."

Posted by at 3:02 PM | Comments (22)

"Bonded by Democracy"

Jessica, who does our graphics work, put together a beautiful montage of photos and testimonials from Democracy Bond holders across the country -- it's worth a look. Leave the appropriate props in the comments.

Posted by at 10:44 AM | Comments (7)

Polls ... Polls ... Polls ...

The first set of primaries are but a week away. It almost makes me feel as I did as a boy when the "Boys of Summer" took the field for the first time each year. Being a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, I am used to hearing the phrase, "hope springs eteranla." With election season nipping at our heels, these numbers begin to take on new meaning. Unless otherwise indicated, all polls are conducted by Rasmussen Reprts, 500 respondents, have an MoE of +/- 4.5%, and applicable trend lines in parentheses.

Oregon Governor
Ted Kulongoski (D): 51%
Kevin Mannix (R): 36%

Ted Kulongoski (D): 47%
Ron Saxton (R): 33%

Ted Kulongoski (D): 48%
Jason Atkinson (R): 36%

This is terrific news, as the incumbent governor has struggled somewhat in some of the 50 state polling on governor popularity across the country.

Alabama Governor
Bob Riley (R): 53%
Lucy Baxley (D): 37%

Roy Moore (R): 44%
Lucy Baxley (D): 46%

Illinois Governor
Rod Blagojevich (D): 42% (37)
Judy Baar Topinka (R): 36% (48)

Rod Blagojevich (D): 49% (43)
Jim Oberweis (R): 37% (39)

Rod Blagojevich (D): 47% (40)
Ron Gidwitz (R): 33% (40)

As you can see by the HUGE gains Governor Blagojevich has made over the past few weeks, I'm guessing that something was seriously amiss with the last set of numbers Rasmussen released on this race. Of couse, it could have something to do with a biting Republican primary.

West Virginia U.S. Senate
Robert Byrd (D): 58%
John Raese (R): 32%

Robert Byrd (D): 60%
Hiram Lewis (R): 29%

Robert Byrd (D): 61%
Zane Lawhorn (R): 28%

This ... is terrific news. For months we heard from Senator Elizabeth Dole that West Virginia would be a state with a bullseye on it in 2006. But, much like the poor job she did recruiting in multiple states across the country (See Nebraska/Florida), the GOP is left-with third teir candidates that potentially make this race close only because of their ability to self-finance. Doesn't matter, Senator Byrd is extemely popular and looks to be well on his way to a walk in November.

Colorado Governor
Bill Ritter (D): 40%
Bob Beauprez (R): 33%

Bill Ritter (D) 41%
Marc Holtzman (R): 28%

Gary Lidstrom (D): 36%
Bob Beauprez (R): 37%

Gary Lidstrom (D): 35%
Marc Holtzman (R): 33%

I saved the best for last on this set of numbers. Now that Mayor Hickenlooper (D) has decided to sit out the race, the numbers for the Democratic candidates have surged. I say the best for last because Beauprez is absolutely shameless and insufferable. It was only earlier this month he was parading around the campaign trail in full military flight regalia despite requesting, and receiving, three deferments during the Vietnam war. What's worse, Beauprez has the worst voting record in Congress on military issues according to the Disabled American Veterans.

The New York Times ran a nice piece late last week providing a decent snapshot of where we stand as of right now in gubernatorial contests across the country.

At a time when considerable political attention is focused on the Democrats' uphill struggle to recapture Congress, leaders of both parties say Democrats appear to be in a much stronger position on another pivotal battlefield this November, the contests for governors.
Democrats have a strong chance to pick up a number of seats held by Republicans while keeping seats even in states that President Bush won in 2004, potentially allowing Democrats to put their view of government on display across a bigger swath of the country and strengthening their position for the 2008 presidential race, party officials said.

Among the states that could flip to the Democratic column are Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Ohio, all general election battlegrounds carried by Mr. Bush, as well as New York and perhaps California.

Play Ball!

Posted by at 10:07 AM | Comments (33)

Open Thread

Late start ... thread's open.

Posted by at 9:54 AM | Comments (377)

February 24, 2006

9/11 Commission Chair Speaks Out Against Port Deal

Republican Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, Thomas Kean*, spoke out today against the Republican plan to sell of six major U.S. ports to a foreign, state-owned corporation. The Associated Press:

Thomas Kean, a former Republican governor of New Jersey who led the bipartisan probe of the Sept. 11 attacks, said the deal was a big mistake because of past connections between the 2001 hijackers and the UAE.
"It shouldn't have happened, it never should have happened," Kean said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

The quicker the Bush administration can get out of the deal, the better, he said. "There's no question that two of the 9/11 hijackers came from there and money was laundered through there," Kean said.

Also of note in the article, President Bush says he refuses to reconsider the deal that places corporate interests ahead of national security ... again. The president has said before that he wasn't "all that concerned" with Osama bin Laden, but now it's becoming clear that he isn't all that concerned with national security in total. You might remember the last time the Chairman of the 9/11 Commission was forced to speak out on the president's national security creds. "It's not a priority for the government. A lot of things we need to do to prevent another 9/11 just simply aren't being done by the president or by the Congress." In fact, the commission found the president and his rubber stamp Republican Congress' were a collective failure in protecting the country -- giving them 1 A (and it was an A-), out of 41 categories in a post-9/11 progress report.

*Thomas Kean Sr. should not to be confused with Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in New Jersey, Thomas Kean Jr. (as much as Jr. would like you to)

Posted by at 8:24 PM | Comments (92)

FL-Sen: More Bad News for Katherine Harris

First she wakes up to find herself trailing Senator Bill Nelson by 22 points, 53 to 31...

A few hours later, she is outed as having received huge amounts of illegal campaign contributions from Mitchell Wade. San Diego Union Tribune:

In a summary of the prosecution's case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard R. Sklamberg disclosed that Wade made about $80,000 in illegal campaign contributions in 2004 and 2006 to two members of Congress he did not name. The lawmakers were targeted because they had the potential to steer federal contracts to MZM.

Roll Call lowers the hammer a few hours later.

Wade also steered $78,000 in illegal contributions to the re-election campaigns of Reps. Virgil Goode (R-Va.) and Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) during the 2003-04 and 2005-06 election cycles. Neither lawmaker was aware that Wade was reimbursing other donors for making those contributions, according to the criminal information document.

Posted by at 3:28 PM | Comments (22)

Notes From Rumsfeld Meeting on 9/11

2:40 P.M - Notes Taken By DoD staffer Stephen Cambone in meetings with Donald Rumsfeld

"Best info fast ... judge whether good enough hit S.H. @ at same time - not only UBL."

"Hard to get a good case"

"- Near term target needs --
- go massive - sweep it all up
- Things related + not"

The documents were FOIA'd by... a blogger. Some of this information, like the SH [Saddam Hussein] & UBL [Usama Bin Laden] quotes, found its way into the 9/11 Commission Report and Bob Woodward's book. Some of them, like "sweep it up - things related + not" only saw the light of day in a little seen CBS news piece in November of 2002. Either way, it's pretty clear the adminstration's plans to attack Iraq were underway on 9/11, and they weren't going to let facts get in the way... a common theme over the past 5 1/2 years.

The blogger has posted the full compliment of notes totaling four different pages in .pdf form and on his flickr account. Here is the a letter to Mr. Anderson from the Department of Defense.

Posted by at 2:40 PM | Comments (7)

"In Case YOU Missed It" ...

... the American people trust the Democratic Party in Congress more than President Bush when it comes national security.

Rasmussen. 1000 Adults. Febrary 23-26, 2006. MoE +/- 4%

Trust More on National Security
President Bush: 41%
Democrats in Congress: 43%

Should Dubai Ports World Be Allowed to Buy Port Operating Rights?
Yes: 17%
No: 64%

At long last, a plurarity of Americans see right through an adminstration so completely out-of-touch with reality.

Posted by at 1:29 PM | Comments (33)

Anything for a Buck

Bob Dole, International Man of Mystery:

With his wife under fire from Democrats, and lobbying spouses under increased scrutiny, former Sen. Bob Dole pledged Thursday not to pitch members of Congress -- including Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. -- on the controversial ports deal involving a Persian Gulf-based company. Dubai Ports World has hired Dole and his law firm, Alston & Bird, to help rescue the deal giving it control of six U.S. ports.

Flashback, from Congressman Sherrod Brown's book, Myths of Free Trade:

"We discovered that the Chilean government had hired Bob Dole to represent them against U.S. salmon farmers. Dole had served as chair of the Senate Finance Committee, the panel with jurisdiction over trade. After my office alerted the media, Dole angrily demanded to know who that Ohio Congressman was who had outed him."

Posted by at 10:51 AM | Comments (8)

An Apocalyptic Day In Iraq - An Out Of Touch Administration

You need look no further than the front page of the Republican National Committee website to see just how out-of-touch the current administration is with reality -- the message: "Clap Louder." A whole week worth of good news compiled from a total of four links... Here's a few more links with information conspicuously missing from their "news of the week."

Because the nation teeters on the brink of civil war, there are now day and night time curfews (Link)

Iraqi police admit attacks on at least twenty-seven mosques in Baghdad alone, coupled with the murder of three clerics. (Link) And that's just what has been confirmed by Iraqi police; "the main Sunni religious group said 184 Sunni mosques had been damaged, some destroyed; 10 clerics had been killed and 15 abducted." (Link)

And oh yeah, bombers blew up one of Shiite Islam's holiest shrines, the Golden Dome, in Samarra (Link)

Here's how one of the top stories in the New York Times this morning described the scene across Iraq:

After a day of violence so raw and so personal, Iraqis woke on Thursday morning to a tense new world in which, it seemed, anything was possible.
The violence on Wednesday was the closest Iraq had come to civil war, and Iraqis were stunned. In Al Amin, a neighborhood in southeast Baghdad, a Shiite man said he had watched gunmen set a house on fire. It was identified as the residence of Sunni Arab militants, said the man, Abu Abbas, though no one seemed to know for sure who they were.

"We all were shocked," said Abu Abbas, a vegetable seller, standing near crates of oranges and tomatoes. "We saw it burning. We called the fire department. We didn't know how to behave. Chaos was everywhere."

In a world where naysayers and pessimists are all to often branded by Republicans as "giving aid and comfort to the enemy", isn't about time someone at Republican Party Headquarters and in the White House do something other than "clap louder?" Even Karl Rove was at it again this morning on ... wait for it ... Fox News.

SNOW: So you expect this [the bombing of the mosque] is going to strengthen the opposition to the terrorists?
ROVE: I think it could. I think it’s likely to.

It's just a complete denial of reality from a completely out-of-touch administration. The three year public relations plan for success of crossing our fingers and hoping for the best has run its course. The Democratic Party is focused on a positive plan for Iraq -- one that acknowledges reality.

Posted by at 9:42 AM | Comments (13)

Open Thread

One more before bed. And if this story from Rochester, New York doesn't put you down for the evening, or help you wake up, with a smile on your face... well, then I just don't know what to tell you:

An autistic teenager proved hoop dreams can come true. Jason McElwain is the basketball manager for Athena-Greece High School. For three years, he suited up and sat on the sidelines during every game. On Feb. 15, the coach let him play in the school's final varsity basketball game of the season.

What happened next? Jason hit a three-pointer. And another. And another. And another... Five three pointers in a row. The tear-jerker? There's video.

Posted by at 1:00 AM | Comments (483)

February 23, 2006

VT-$en: PWN3D

It's only fitting that the candidate hoping to purchase a U.$. $enate seat in Vermont with $10 million dollars of his personal fortune found himself "owned" in a public debate over campaign finance.

Republican gazillionaire Richard Tarrant asked Independent candidate Bernie Sanders to stand with him against third-party advertising in the upcoming U.S. Senate election. A cynic might believe that Tarrant's overture had something to do with the ridiculous amout of his own personal fortune he intends to spend in the race ...

But Sanders, to his credit, accepted anyway and basically says, since we are all about holding Vermont up as a national example, why don't we put spending caps on our campaigns? And I'll tell ya what, since my name ID is a bit higher than yours, and I already hold a statewide office, I'll even agree to let you spend 20% more than I will in the campaign. And oh yeah, no negative ads... and if you gotta go negative, we'll agree to talk directly into the camera, no hiding behind manipulated photos and digitally remastered audio tracks. And while we're at it, let's take our case directly to the people a bit more often; how about a debate in each and every one of Vermont's counties between now and election day?

Tarrant... wait for it ... hold on... refused. His campaign manager called the counter offer by Sanders an "incumbent protection plan." Never mind the Senate seat is open. Looks like the early cynics might have been correct.

As an aside, Sanders landed one of my personal favorite writers for his campaign blog ... making it a daily must-read.

Posted by at 11:40 PM | Comments (2)

Open Thread - Quotable Edition

President Bush, earlier today:

"People don't need to worry about security."

The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned, Page 53 (.pdf)

Our current system for homeland security does not provide the necessary framework to manage the challenges posed by 21st Century catastrophic threats.

Posted by at 7:27 PM | Comments (80)

Support the Troops ... Price Them Out of Health Care

Associated Press:

The Bush administration wants many military retirees to pay more for health care, a proposal that could force the Republican-run Congress to choose between savvy politics and budget discipline.

Only in a Republican controlled congress would funding the health care promises we make to veterans when they sign the contract be a choice between "savvy politics" and "budget discipline." How about it gets funded because it's the right thing to do ... Because its the promise we make when that young Marine signs the contract in his kitchen alongside his wife and newborn child.

The Pentagon projects that as many as 600,000 military retirees will be priced out of TRICARE as a result of the higher fees. This adminstration never hesitates to stand infront of the troops when it comes to a photo-op, but consistently fails to stand behind them when it comes time to fulfill the promises made.

Posted by at 5:40 PM | Comments (6)

All Your Reproductive Rights Are Belong To Us

South Dakota State House:

13 Women
57 Men

South Dakota State Senate:

2 Women
33 Men

The South Dakota Argus Leader:

A bill designed to urge the Supreme Court to reconsider the ruling that legalized abortion passed its highest hurdle Wednesday, clearing the South Dakota Senate with a 23-12 vote.
HB1215, which declares that human life begins at conception, would ban most abortions in South Dakota.

The bill now goes back to the House, which passed an earlier version and now must decide whether to accept changes made by the Senate.

The South Dakota Senate rejected amendments to the bill that would have allowed exceptions in the case of rape/incest. They also rejected, by a vote of 13-22, an amendment allow an abortion to protect the health of a pregnant woman.

Current U.S Supreme Court:

1 Woman
8 Men

Posted by at 4:18 PM | Comments (14)

DNC Podcast: Senator Mary Landrieu

This week, the Democratic National Committee's Podcast features an interview with Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu. Following a House report issued last week by Republican Rep. Tom Davis, Senator Landrieu criticized the Bush Administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.

"Having the Republican leadership that has been loath to give much oversight at all to this Administration release such a report says volumes about how far we are from where we should be as a nation preparing our people," Landrieu said. "I agree with Tom Davis's scathing assessment. It really should have Americans all over, whether they're Republicans, Democrats, or Independents, waking up."

In contrast to the Davis report, the White House introduced a report from a White House conducted "investigation" that concluded everyone but top White House officials were to blame for the failed response to Hurricane Katrina. Go figure...

Listen to Senator Landrieu here.

Posted by at 3:37 PM | Comments (4)

Trivia Time...

Where have we heard a similar exchange before?

Levin, raising his voice at the briefing, told Kimmitt, "If you want the law changed, come to Congress and change it but don't ignore it."
Kimmitt responded, "We didn't ignore the law. Concerns were raised. They were resolved."

Warner then jumped in to assure Levin that he would ask Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to prepare a memorandum on the administration's interpretation of the law.

Acceptable answers:

Today, at a Senate briefing about handing over the security of six of our nation's largest ports to a foreign, state-owned corporation.

or...

The past few months, when it became clear that President Bush authorized an illegal domestic spying program.

This is what happens under Republican one-party rule; there is absolutely no oversight and the adminstration is allowed to run amuck over existing statute and even the Constitution. Bonus points for those who can come up with the laws violated in each instance.

Posted by at 3:09 PM | Comments (4)

Governor Dean at UCLA

The Daily Bruin:

As elected chairman of the Democratic Nominating Committee and a frontrunner for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, Howard Dean has faced larger, more critical audiences but Wednesday evening he spoke to a UCLA lecture hall filled with student supporters to its 227-person capacity. ...
The event, put on by the Bruin Democrats, consisted of a 20-minute speech and a 20-minute Q-and-A session, and is one of the many college stops Dean has made.

The article in its entirety is linked above.

Posted by at 10:58 AM | Comments (3)

Senators

Survey USA released it's latest state-by-state polling of all 100 United States Senators. Of note... the four seeking re-election with the lowest approval ratings are Republicans.

Posted by at 10:50 AM | Comments (4)

Priorities

Associated Press/Ipsos. 1,000 Adults. February 13-16, 2006. MoE +/- 3.1%

"Which do you think should be the higher priority for government spending: the war in Iraq or recovery from Hurricane Katrina?"

Iraq: 31%
Katrina: 64%
Unsure: 5%

"Thinking about the areas in Louisiana and Mississippi hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina: To the best of your knowledge, are those areas now mostly recovered, or are they still badly damaged?"

Mostly Recovered: 7%
Badly Damaged: 87%
Unsure: 6%

"How confident are you in the federal government's ability to handle a major disaster in the future?"

Confident: 47%
Not Confident: 52%

For some of us that live in different parts of the country, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is something we think about when we see the words pop up on a television screen or scroll past them when reading something online or in a newspaper. It's only then that we recall the horrific images of people standing on top of roofs, clammoring outside the convention center, and images of young children starving for food... and within minutes, it leaves our minds again.

For the people of Louisiana, and formerly of Louisiana who still want to return, Katrina and specifically the response to Katrina is something that continues to impact almost every aspect of their lives, and impacts it every single day. All you have to do is take a look at the Times Picayune on a daily basis for a sobering reminder of what they are going through months after the Hurricane struck and the levees broke. As the polls above show, the people of America get it right again as the Republican congress in D.C. continues to come up way short for the people of the Gulf Coast. We simply must do better.

Posted by at 10:23 AM | Comments (5)

Civil War

Most of us saw the news yesterday morning; bombers wearing uniforms entered one of the most sacred Shi'ite sites -- the "Golden Mosque" -- and detonated explosives that blew the top off of the site's signature dome. Dozens died, and many view the horrific event as the tipping point that sends Iraq spiraling into civil war.

The aftermath looks even worse -- Associated Press:

Gunmen shot dead 47 civilians and left their bodies in a ditch near Baghdad Thursday as militia battles and sectarian reprisals followed the bombing of a sacred Shiite shrine. Sunni Arabs suspended their participation in talks on a new government.
At least 47 other bodies were found scattered across Iraq, many of them shot execution-style and dumped in Shiite-dominated parts of Baghdad.

The hardline Sunni Clerical Association of Muslim Scholars said 168 Sunni mosques had been attacked, 10 imams killed and 15 abducted since the shrine attack. The Interior Ministry said it could only confirm figures for Baghdad, where 90 mosques were attacked in Baghdad, one cleric was killed, and one abducted.

Officials said at least 110 people had been killed across the country in violence believed triggered by the mosque attack.

The president called for restraint and asked the people of Iraq to "pursue justice in accordance with the laws and constitution of Iraq." Unfortunately, they are seeking the only justice they know in the "new Iraq." The circus that is the Saddam Hussein trial isn't doing us any favors in convincing the people of Iraq that the rule of law is really the way to go. And the country we attacked to save is now spiraling deeper and deeper into civil war... and that is a tragedy.

Posted by at 9:54 AM | Comments (14)

Open Thread

Respect.

Posted by at 9:39 AM | Comments (217)

February 22, 2006

Open Thread

Yet Another Reason...

The New York Times provides yet another reason why handing over control of U.S. port security to a foreign, state-owned company in the manner the president continues to insist upon is a bad idea ... cause it's against the law.

The administration's review of the deal was conducted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a body that was created in 1975 to review foreign investments in the country that could affect national security. Under that review, officials from the Defense, State, Commerce and Transportation Departments, along with the National Security Council and other agencies, were charged with raising questions and passing judgment. They found no problems to warrant the next stage of review, a 45-day investigation with results reported to the president for a final decision.
However, a 1993 amendment to the law stipulates that such an investigation is mandatory when the acquiring company is controlled by or acting on behalf of a foreign government. Administration officials said they conducted additional inquires because of the ties to the United Arab Emirates, but they could not say why a 45-day investigation did not occur.

There is still time for the president to order such an investigation, and the International Longshoremen's Association just joined Senators Schumer, Clinton, Menendez, Coburn, Lautenberg and Dodd in calling for the full 45 day review.

Posted by at 4:17 PM | Comments (13)

Candidate Senator McCain Plays Presidential Politics With Port Deal

Everyone's favorite "maverick," Senator John McCain, has transformed his "straight talk express" into the only fully-funded first reponse operation paid for by the current Bush Adminstration.

Bush and McCain have begun to build a political alliance for 2008. As public opinion on the war continued to drop, Bush highlighted McCain's "strong support" for the war in Iraq in December of 2005. In turn, Bush loyalists "have talked [McCain] up in private chats with Republican strategists and have even tried to steer people to the Arizonan's effort.” In addition, McCain has used Bush's direct mail list of major political donors to raise funds for his PAC. [Oval Office press conference, 12/15/05; CBS News Poll Summary, 12/28/05; U.S. News and World Report, 2/20/06; Chicago Sun Times, 2/19/06]

Indeed, it was ~~candidate~~ Senator McCain coming to the aid of President Bush first in regards to the impending national disaster that would be handing the keys to six major U.S. ports over to a foreign country, the United Arab Emirates.

We all need to take a moment and not rush to judgment on this matter without knowing all the facts. The President's leadership has earned our trust in the war on terror, and surely his administration deserves the presumption that they would not sell our security short...let's make a judgment when we possess all the pertinent facts.

Judgement has been reached, we have all the pertinent facts -- starting with the fact that this would be the the "first-ever sale involving U.S. port operations to a foreign, state-owned company." Senator Menendez said it best, "I don't think any foreign government company should be running our ports, managing, leasing, owning, operating. It just raises too many red flags."

Posted by at 1:42 PM | Comments (30)

Governor Dean in Washington

Traveling the country, raising money for state parties, inspiring activists, and continuing his work on the 50 State Strategy. From The Olympian:

Democrats credited both President Bush and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean with bringing people to Saint Martin’s University Monday, as the state Democrats raised a record amount of money at their annual crab feed. [...]
About 1,000 people registered for the day's events, and at least 200 more showed up for the crab feed, raising about $70,000, said party spokesman Viet Shelton.

He said a previous record of around $43,000 was set in 2004.

Dean was the featured speaker at the annual event. He was joined onstage by Gov. Chris Gregoire, State Auditor Brian Sonntag, State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, all six Democratic congressmen and, from the state Legislature, Speaker of the House Frank Chopp and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown.

Former Gov. Booth Gardner also made brief remarks.

Dean, addressing the crowd, said the party’s new "50-state strategy" of campaigning in all states, not just swing states, already is paying off. He cited recent Democratic wins in local elections in traditionally Republican states.

"If we can win in Mississippi, Alabama and Utah, Democrats can win anywhere in America," he said. "We're not going to win in 2008 if we don't go and stand there right now."

The entire article detailed and well-worth the read. LHfromSeattle also attended the event and has a write-up available on Howard Empowered People.

Posted by at 12:39 PM | Comments (22)

Rep. Louise Slaughter - "America for Sale: The Cost of Republican Corruption"

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter released a 103 page (.pdf) report detailing the Republican culture of corruption and it's impact on the American people.

A Confusing and Expensive Medicare Program Millions of American seniors have been forced into a confusing and expensive new Medicare drug program that was not created for them, but for the insurance and drug industries who were given special access to shape this legislation.
An Energy "Strategy" That Saves No Energy While American consumers must live with an energy policy that the Energy Department itself has found will not reduce our high oil and gas prices, the Republican Congress and the Bush Administration have rewarded the oil companies with billions of dollars in new tax breaks and subsidies.

Polluters Re-Writing Environmental Laws The quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink has been degraded because energy lobbyists temporarily working in the Bush Administration have undermined some of our country's most important environmental standards.

A Nation Still Vulnerable to Terrorist Attacks No American citizen can be sure that the billions of dollars the federal government is spending on homeland security projects are making us safer, rather than just making politically-connected defense contractors richer.

A Government Run by Political Hacks Americans have no confidence that their government will be able to adequately respond if a disaster (natural or man-made) strikes their community, because its agencies are staffed not by professionals, but by political cronies and lobbyists like Michael Brown, who botched the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina.

Fat Cats Get Their Defense Contracts, but Soldiers Don't Get Their Body Armor American soldiers and their families don't know if they are going to have the body armor and other supplies they need to fight in Iraq, because Members of Congress are instead steering hundreds of millions of dollars to defense contracts for products and services the military often says it does not need and, at the same time, unscrupulous contractors like Halliburton are defrauding the government of millions of dollars.

Drug Companies Get Off the Hook if Their Products Injure Americans While American citizens, public health officials, and first responders worry about how our country would handle the outbreak of a flu pandemic, the Republican Congress recently relieved the pharmaceutical industry of any responsibility for the harm their vaccines or other products might cause during such a crisis.

Corporate Profits Up, American Family Income Down While record numbers of American workers are losing their good-paying jobs as well as their health and pension benefits, large corporations are enjoying new tax breaks and record profits, and are still free to move their corporate organizations overseas to avoid taxes.

Student Loan Debt, Student Loan Industry Profits Both at Record Highs Thanks to the efforts of newly-elected Majority Leader John Boehner, private student loan companies are some of the most profitable companies in America and American students are graduating with record student loan debt.

The report pulls no punches, and names names. Congresswoman Slaughter stopped by Daily Kos to explain the report while going into a bit more detail than I provided above.

Posted by at 11:54 AM | Comments (21)

Who's In Charge Over There?

As the president runs around threatening to veto attempts to stop the transfer of our national security to a foreign government, the United Arab Emirates, it turns out even he had no idea about the port deal until after it happened.

President Bush was unaware of the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates until the deal already had been approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday.
Defending the deal anew, the administration also said that it should have briefed Congress sooner about the transaction, which has triggered a major political backlash among both Republicans and Democrats.

Calls for extended review by both political parties are completely warranted here.

Posted by at 11:09 AM | Comments (49)

MD-Sen: "Stem Cell Steele" in Big Trouble

Rasmussen Reports. 500 Likely Voters. February 19, 2006. MoE +/- 4.5%

Ben Cardin (D): 49% (40)
Michael Steele (R): 35% (45)

Kweisi Mfume (D): 41% (38)
Michael Steele (R): 42% (45)

That's quite a swing over the past month. Wonder why? Well, it's because the Michael Steele campaign is completely imploding. First, Steele compared stem cell research to the Holocaust -- ridculous on it's face and something I'll let go without further comment. Then, only a week later, he claimed to support embryonic stem cell research during a talk show interview. Next up... his campaign manager quit and Republican D.C. consultants swarmed in with the belief that their national expertise will help rescue Steele's local campaign -- which, essentially started a war inside the campaign leading to the resignation of his communications director.

Not a good few weeks.

Posted by at 10:20 AM | Comments (4)

FL-Gov & Sen: Crist (R) & Nelson (D) Lead

Governor's Race - Quinnipiac. 1,076 registered voters. February 15-20, 2006. MoE +/- 3%

Davis (D): 36% (40)
Crist (R): 40% (39)

Davis (D): 36% (41)
Gallagher (R): 37% (38)

Smith (D): 32% (36)
Crist (R): 42% (41)

Smith (D): 34% (36)
Gallagher (R): 38% (41)

Democratic Primary
Davis (D): 29%
Smith (R): 13%

The problem here, if there is any this early in the campaign, is that both Democrats have pretty low name identification throughout the state. By far and away, Republican Attorney General has the highest named ID of the lot, even though that is only at 31% statewide.

U.S. Senate Race - Strategic Vision (R). 1,200 Likely Voters. February 17-19, 2006. MoE +/- 3%

Bill Nelson (D): 49%
Katherine Harris (R): 34%
Undecided 17%

This race remains a rout almost every single time any polling operation takes a look inside the sunshine state. Amazingly, Nelson doesn't do as well against two other potential Republican challengers.

Bill Nelson (D): 48%
Mark Foley (R): 40%
Undecided 12%

Bill Nelson (D): 47%
Allan Bense (R): 35%
Undecided 18%

Unfortunately for Elizabeth Dole and the NRSC, Harris is damaged goods in a general election -- Floridians remember well her role in the 2000 presidential election. However, among Republicans, her name is golden, despite the fact it appears she is not the best candidate to take on incumbent Senator Nelson.

Katherine Harris (R): 46%
Mark Foley (R): 12%
Allan Bense (R): 6%

If that's who they want... we'll take it.

Posted by at 9:53 AM | Comments (5)

Open Thread

Ever wake up and feel like you just got punk'd?

Posted by at 9:46 AM | Comments (142)

February 21, 2006

President Shrugs off National Security

The president is shrugging of consensus from both parties ... again.

This time it has to do with national security concerns -- specifically, allowing a foreign country to handle United States port security.

Dubai Ports World's agreed acquisition of US port operations from P&O , the British port operator, was facing jeopardy on Tuesday as more Washington lawmakers, including the Senate's top Republican, threatened to block the deal until it was investigated more thoroughly.
President George W Bush immediately responded by saying he would veto any legislation and warned the US was sending "mixed signals" by raising barriers now when no objection had been made against British ownership. Lawmakers, the president said, must "step up and explain why a Middle Eastern company is held to a different standard."

This isn't about holding a Middle Eastern company to a different standard, this is about turning over control of six of our nation's major entrances to ANY foreign country. Even Rick Santorum is outraged:

That's why I'm concerned any time it appears as if we're not taking the terrorist threat seriously enough. As I write you, the control of six major U.S. seaports -- including the Port of Philadelphia -- could be outsourced to the United Arab Emirates, a nation that was implicated in the events of 9/11.

The short-hand version of the email Santorum sent out basically accuses the president himself of not taking national security very seriously. And frankly, it appears he is right. Here is a president that has not used his veto power a single time in his five years of office -- and for this, to hand over our port security to a foreign nation, he is willing to break out the pen for the first time.

Posted by at 8:14 PM | Comments (74)

Open Thread

From earlier today:

All for the Photo-Op
IL-Gov: More Lord of the Flies
NM-AG: Patricia Madrid Delivers Radio Address
UT-Sen: Just Lie To Me, Baby...
Democrats Focused on Plan for Iraq
Ohio GOP Chair: Blackwell's "Guttural Politics"
PA-Sen: Casey Still Smoking Santorum
PA-Gov: Rendell/Swann Neck and Neck
OH-Gov: Strickland Leads All

Posted by at 5:05 PM | Comments (191)

All for the Photo-Op

Do they even try to hide it anymore?

On the eve of a presidential visit to a renewable energy lab in Colorado, the Department of Energy said it has transferred $5 million to the operation, which had funding cut and employees laid off this month due to budget shortfalls.
U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman transferred the money over the weekend to restore jobs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, according to a department news release.

...

According to The Associated Press, 32 workers, including eight researchers, were laid off two weeks ago at the Colorado lab.

The restoration of funding left lab employees and renewable energy proponents puzzled about the motivation behind the decision.

"I'm still questioning why the budget cuts even happened or why the layoffs had to happen in the first place -- like how it can happen two or three weeks later they restore the money to the budget," said Tina Larney, an employee being rehired who works with state and local governments on energy initiatives.

"It makes me question ... the seriousness of the commitment [of] the administration and the government in Washington to renewable energies and moving the U.S. forward in our energy policy."

After all these years, I shouldn't be surprised that the Bush Administration doesn't know the difference between a public relations and public policy.

Posted by Josh McConaha at 1:12 PM | Comments (13)

IL-Gov: More Lord of the Flies

Daily Herald on last night's Republican Primary debate:

Patience among the field of five appeared to be running thin, as evidenced by an end-of-debate exchange between Sugar Grove businessman Jim Oberweis and state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka of Riverside.
"Judy, do you really have to read a closing statement instead of speaking from your heart?" Oberweis interjected.

Replied Topinka, "Ah, I'm sick of listening to 'Oberweis dairies' and your milkmaid stories."

Oberweis is threatening to acquire the "frequent candidate" moniker after losing two straight bids in Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. Bear in mind that Oberweis was passed over in favor of Alan Keyes to take on Senator Obama in 2004.

The fight for the conch continues:

Brady said he's been serving as a lawmaker for 12 years and thinks the lack of accountability in education is a problem.
That prompted Gidwitz to reply: "Bill, I've been working on education reform for 20 years. You may have been in Springfield, and maybe you’re part of the problem, Bill."

Said Brady in response: "Ron, you've been chairman of the state board. You want to talk about a problem?"

And more Republican fun:

For perennial candidate and former Democrat Andy Martin of Chicago, it meant explaining a past that includes a 12-year mail fraud sentence that later was overturned, the Illinois Supreme Court’s refusal to grant him a law license citing paranoid delusional behavior, and anti-Semitic comments made during the 1980s. ...
For Topinka, it meant discussing her past praise of George Ryan, the ex-Republican governor who now faces federal corruption charges in an ongoing trial. Topinka said when she made her comments, people didn’t know about the actions that prompted federal charges against Ryan.

And so it was yesterday evening... Recent polling shows a tight race between Governor Blagojevich (D) and his Republican rivals. You can visit the incumbent Democrat's campaign website, here.

Posted by at 12:41 PM | Comments (2)

NM-AG: Patricia Madrid Delivers Radio Address

This week, New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid was the first Democratic challenger of the 2006 cycle to to deliver the Democratic Radio Address.

I was at my local pharmacy here in New Mexico a few weeks ago, I was in line behind a senior who couldn't afford his prescription drugs. It hurt me to see seniors in my own community asking the pharmacist for half-orders, so they can at least have some of their medicines.
I have elderly parents who rely on medication, and I know that the prices are astronomical. Like many Americans, I was pleased when the President and Congress decided to address this problem. What I didn't know is that the Republican Congress would put the pharmaceutical companies in charge of the process, and write a law that serves their interests while making things harder for seniors. ...

You can listen to the entire address, here.

Posted by at 12:09 PM | Comments (2)

UT-Sen: Just Lie To Me, Baby...

Stolen in it's entirety from Think Progress:

What Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) said about Saddam Hussein’s relationship with al-Qaeda on Saturday:
Nobody denies that [Saddam Hussein] was supporting al-Qaeda ... Well, I shouldn't say nobody. Nobody with brains.

What the bi-partisan 9-11 commission said about Saddam Hussein’s relationship with al-Qaeda:

The Sept. 11 commission reported yesterday that it has found no "collaborative relationship" between Iraq and al Qaeda, challenging one of the Bush administration's main justifications for the war in Iraq.

Hatch made his remarks at an invitation-only luncheon. They’ve only been reported in a small Utah paper, The St. George Daily Spectrum.

Democrat Pete Ashdown is running an innovative and inspirational campaign to unseat Senator Hatch in November.

Posted by at 12:03 PM | Comments (7)

Democrats Focused on Plan for Iraq

While From the Boston Globe:

Democratic Party leaders are beginning to coalesce around a broad plan to begin a quick withdrawal of US troops and install them elsewhere in the region, where they could respond to emergencies in Iraq and help fight terrorism in other countries.
The concept, dubbed "strategic redeployment," is outlined in a slim, nine-page report coauthored by a former Reagan administration assistant Defense secretary, Lawrence J. Korb, in the fall. It sets a goal of a phased troop withdrawal that would take nearly all US troops out of Iraq by the end of 2007...

Howard Dean, Democratic National Committee chairman, has endorsed Korb's paper and begun mentioning it in meetings with local Democratic groups. In addition, the study's concepts have been touted by the senator assigned to bring Democrats together on Iraq -- Jack Reed of Rhode Island -- and the report has been circulated among all senators by Senator Dianne Feinstein, an influential moderate Democrat from California.

This common sense plan, though not a formal policy, puts Democratic ideas squarely at odds with the Republican three-year plan of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, a nifty public relations plan for success, and asking people to serve their country by placing U.S. Senate campaign bumper stickers on the back of cars. The current course staked out by President Bush, which completely ignores reality and military commanders' advice on troop levels, is no longer an option. That's why the majority of Americans now feel the war was a mistake and disapprove of the way the president has handled the prosecution of the effort. And that's to say nothing of the majority who also believe the president deliberately misled the American people on WMDs and Iraq in the run-up to the war.

Posted by at 11:19 AM | Comments (45)

Ohio GOP Chair: Blackwell's "Guttural Politics"

Ha! Ohio GOP Chairman Bob Bennett on Kenneth Blackwell's latest slash-and-burn primary campaign ad:

"The race for governor should be a contest of ideas, not smear tactics and attack ads. I expect this kind of negative campaigning from the Democrats, but Ken Blackwell should have a better strategy for winning this primary than simply burning down the house. A man who models himself after Ronald Reagan should have a little more respect for winning on ideas and vision. He knows the accusations in these ads are politically motivated, and this kind of guttural politics doesn't win votes. If we can't win with substantive ideas for leading Ohio, we don't belong in the race."

Lord of the flies, indeed.