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July 31, 2007

Can't make this up

This just got sent my way:

"Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, whose home back in Alaska was raided by federal investigators Monday in a wide-ranging corruption investigation, has threatened to place a hold on the Democratic-drafted ethics legislation just passed by the House and expected on the Senate floor by week’s end."

FBI Raids Alaskan Senator's Luxury Home

Yesterday, FBI agents raided the luxury Alaskan home of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), the 83-year-old Republican senator who is the focus of a corruption investigation.

Stevens, 83, has been under a federal investigation for a 2000 renovation project more than doubling the size of his home in Girdwood that was overseen by Bill Allen, a contractor who has pleaded guilty to bribing Alaska state legislators.

The agents hauled off undisclosed items and took extensive pictures and video, but they wouldn't say what they were looking for. Two dozen agents searched the property from noon until at least 9:30 p.m.

Bush Administration Deadline of Noon on Tuesday

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) told the Bush administration that it must resolve the contradictions in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' congressional testimony by noon today. From The Hill:

Specter aides released a statement late Monday that suggested a bombshell to come on Tuesday afternoon.

Alberto Gonzales testified last week about the late-night hospital visit in which he tried to force former Attorney General John Ashcroft to authorize the Bush administration's domestic spying program. His version was different from the sworn testimony of former deputy Attorney General James Comey, who was present at the scene.

Frustrated Democrats have called for a special prosecutor to investigate Gonzales for perjury, while others are preparing to introduce a resolution to impeach.

Domenici: Iraq Caused McCain's Fall

In a new podcast posted at the official Senate Republican Conference website, Senator Domenici speaks out about McCain's fall.

His message? That McCain is tanking because his support of the war and President Bush. Yes, it's something Democrats have known for a long time, but it's worth noting when his Republican colleagues finally start admitting it.

You can listen to the whole thing, but here are a couple excerpts:

Domenici: I think it's obvious that Senator McCain was much higher and has now come down and I think you can see it in just talking to him -- the tone of his voice, the way he appears, the way he reacts -- that things aren't going like they were a year ago.

[...]

Caller: Do you think the fact that Senator McCain has supported the war to the point to have been so close to the president -- that that might have impacted his popularity?

Domenici: McCain's?

Caller: Yes, sir.

Domenici: Yes, I do. I think he probably he himself would sit down and go through it and would say that he dropped off by staying too close too long with the president for the war and that probably caused him to drop.

Tuesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 30, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Here are yet another set of posts I'd like to bring to your attention, originally posted over at PartyBuilder.

• Howard Dean, in an email sent out today, asks every one of us to Pledge to Live a Life that Will Protect our Environment for Generations to Come and to sign Al Gore’s Live Earth pledge.
• Louisa Kinoshi and Joanna Pucci, interns in the Women’s Leadership Forum, call attention to the multitude of problems experienced by Women In The Military.
• NYT: Mining of Data Prompted Fight Over Spying. My Vote describes the process by which the majority of emails are screened by the government. “The FISA law would allow this only on a case by case basis but Bush has claimed [that] his never-ending war against terror precludes that law.”

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

U.S. Government Turned Down Offers of Help After Katrina

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) reported today that the U.S. government turned down offers of help from around the world in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, telling one diplomat that "human assistance of any kind is not on our priorities list."

The report reveals the US was interested mostly in cash assistance and materials, rather than direct aid from foreign relief workers and doctors, after Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in 2005.

According to Raw Story, a plane from Israel loaded with relief supplies sat on the tarmac for 48 hours. An offer of aid from Estonia was met with "deafening silence."

Voting Machines Can't Stand Up to Hackers

According to a University of California study that was released on Friday, teams of computer hackers were able to break through the security of virtually every model of California's voting machines, change results, or take at least partial control of the systems' electronic functions.

Matt Bishop, UC Davis computer science professor, who led one of the hacker teams, was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle:

[Bishop] said he was surprised by the weakness of the security measures, both physical and electronic, protecting the voting systems. His team of hackers found ways to get into the systems not only through the high-tech equipment in election headquarters but also through the machines in the polling places.

If the testers had had more time, they would have found more flaws, he added.

Democratic Reunion A Success!

Thanks to those of you who made it out this past Saturday for the Democratic Reunion. You cleaned up parks and rivers, planted trees, and recycled. You truly lived your values, making the planet cleaner for all of us.

Here are some pictures from one event, where Adam's County Democrats cleaned up Heartwell Park (you can see more here):

Republicans Say No to YouTube Part II

The CNN/YouTube debate for Republican presidential candidates scheduled for September 17 has been postponed. A new date has yet to be determined. Democratic presidential candidates answered questions from YouTube users on July 23.

Meanwhile Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Friday that he will not participate in the CNN/YouTube debate because the debate did not "show the proper respect for the process of selecting a presidential nominee." Remember, this is the guy who posed for campaign pictures with this sign.

Monday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 29, 2007

Sunday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 28, 2007

From the Archives

It's up to you; it's up to you; it's strictly up to you.

Saturday Open Thread

Chat away...

But not until you participate in the Democratic Reunion!

July 27, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Have a nice weekend, and don't forget to attend the Democratic Reunion!

• In PBS - Uncovering Vote Caging, Robert Donovan makes note that "this evening's broadcast of NOW on PBS will look at allegations of voter caging in the 2004 campaign."
• Andy writes that we cannot wait any longer, we need Alternative Energy NOW!! He says that focusing on the transportation industry is a good place to start and advocates higher fuel standards and hybrid vehicles.
• And to Faith Shirley, I'm sorry you're Depressed Today. So here's a kitten for you. Feel better!

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Democrats in Congress Implement the 9/11 Commission

The Democratic Congress passed legislation today to make the country safer by implementing the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission. Governor Dean issued the following statement:

"Today Democrats did what President Bush and Republicans refused to do: implement the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission to make our country more secure. While President Bush and his Republican allies ignored the bipartisan 9-11 Commission recommendations, choosing instead to focus on Iraq, Al Qaeda began to rebuild and Osama bin Laden remains on the loose," Dean said. "But today Democrats delivered on their promise to protect America by passing these homeland security measures despite previous attempts by Republicans to block it every step of the way. It's no wonder that Americans trust Democrats more than Republicans to keep them safe."

Rough Seas Ahead For Thompson

The Fred Thompson campaign has seen some tough times lately, confronted with his record as a lobbyist and the subsequent cover-up. That was followed by staff problems at the very top of the campaign.

But rather than kick a man when he's down, we decided to throw him a life vest. The Democratic Party interns paid a visit to his office:

Text of the letter, below the fold.

Keep reading "Rough Seas Ahead For Thompson"

The Friday Five: Democratic Reunion Edition

Every Friday we're highlighting five events happening around the country that we've found in PartyBuilder's Events system.

But with the Democratic Reunion tomorrow, we've got a special edition featuring July 28th events where Democrats in every state will take action in their community to clean up America.

Here are 5 events happening around the country. If you don't see one in your neck of the woods, click here to search for one near you. Or better yet, create your own!

1. Heartwell Park Clean-Up (Hastings, NE)
   

   Partnering with the national chapter of Democrats Work and the Democratic National Committee (DNC), volunteers from the Adams County Democrats will be cleaning up the historical park from 8-10 am.

2. Cleaning the Waters Edge (Gallatin Gateway, MT)
   

   The Gallatin River is a major source of fun for outdoor enthusiasts but it is constantly in a state of litter and garbage. This event would begin at the Axtel Bridge parking access and go as far as the legs of the volunteers will take them.

3. Beach Cleanup at Salt Creek Beach (Dana Point, CA)
   

   Come be a part of the Democratic Reunion and help support a cleaner environment by helping us clean up Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point, CA from 10am to 2pm!

4. City of Wilmington Tree Planting (Wilmington, DE)
   

   Join volunteers from the City of Wilmington on Saturday, August 4th, as we plant trees on Bancroft Ave. We will be meeting between Lancaster Ave. and 2nd Street.

5. Checking the Air and Helping the Environment (El Paso, TX)
   

   As part of the 2007 Democratic Reunion, The El Paso Democratic Party is asking to join us and to donate 2 hours this Saturday, July 28th to a "tire check", 8:00 am - noon, Chevron at I-10 & Airway. Besides actual tire checkers, we need sign holders, instructors, windshield washers and morale boosters!

Are you going to be at Yearly Kos? Meet Governor Dean

We posted this at Dailykos. Please feel free to recommend and if you're going to be at the convention please sign up to meet Governor Dean.

Over the last two years, tens of thousands of Democrats have invested in rebuilding the Democratic party and implementing the 50-State Strategy. Block by block, and contribution by contribution Democrats around the country have bought Democracy Bonds to build the foundation for Democratic successes in 2006 and beyond.

Next Thursday at YearlyKos, we've set aside some time for some Democracy Bond holders at the YearlyKos Convention to meet with Governor Dean. The informal meeting will take place at 6:15, before Governor Dean's keynote address. We've set up a page on our website where Democracy Bond holders can RSVP to the informal chat with the Governor. If you've always wanted to become a Democracy Bond holder, you can join the Democracy Bond movement at our website.

Space is limited, so if you're a Democracy Bond holder at Yearly Kos, please sign up.

PS. Don't forget that tomorrow is the 2nd Annual Democratic Reunion. You can join other Democrats in your community clean up the environment.

The Atmosphere Ate My Computer

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has lost over $94 million in equipment in the last ten years, according to a new report from the General Accountability Office. Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), who chairs the Science Committee, blames a lack of oversight.

One employee lost a laptop computer worth $4,265. The excuse was:

"This computer, although assigned to me, was being used on board the International Space Station. I was informed that it was tossed overboard to be burned up in the atmosphere when it failed."

Surely the most creative excuse in the history of lost office supplies...

Senate Democrats Request Special Counsel

From the AP via OpenCongress:

Senate Democrats called Thursday for a special counsel to investigate whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales perjured himself during Capitol Hill testimony.

Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) sent a letter to Solicitor General Paul Clement to request the special counsel. Read the letter at Talking Points Memo.

Republicans Won't Answer Questions From YouTube Users

The first CNN/YouTube debate on Monday in Charleston, South Carolina provoked some interesting, unguarded moments from the Democratic presidential candidates. So why are the Republicans avoiding the next one? From the Washington Post:

Four days after the Democratic debate in Charleston, S.C,. more than 400 questions directed to the GOP presidential field have been uploaded on YouTube--targeted at Republicans scheduled to get their turn at videopopulism on Sept. 17.

But so far, only Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) have agreed to participate in the debate, co-hosted by Republican Party of Florida in St. Petersburg.

Even though Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney both have dozens of videos on their YouTube channels, neither have agreed to participate in the debate. Neither has Tom Tancredo, who has a YouTube channel called "Tancredo Takes."

So what are they scared of? Talking snowmen?

Friday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 26, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

My favorite blog post of each and every day -- when I get to highlight some of what all of you are writing over at PartyBuilder.

• D. Tree alerts us to Trouble In The Supreme Court: Roberts & Alito Testimony to be Probed. The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to review the records of Justices Roberts and Alito’s confirmation hearings to “determine if their reversal of several long-standing opinions conflicts with promises they made to senators to win confirmation.”
• Nancy G writes in support of the Wounded Warrior Legislation passed by Senate[and moved] to Conference Committee. This very important legislation promises to “close the [benefits] gap from the time a service member is separated from the Armed Forces and the time VA benefits begin.”
• Dedicated to positive change for all! asks What does responsible government leadership mean to you? and suggests that “the current Republican Administration has grown to be the opposite of the principles that founded this country.”

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Senate Democrats Vote to Add $3 Billion to Border Security Spending

The Senate voted today to add $3 billion in emergency spending for border security to the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill currently under consideration. Bush has threatened to veto the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) had this to say:

"Democrats believe stronger border security is an important first step toward fixing our broken immigration system, and we will continue to work toward the enactment of comprehensive immigration reform. Tightening our borders is also one our nation’s highest-priority security projects...The Senate demonstrated today this it overwhelmingly supports tough border security, and we hope the President shows us he shares our concern by dropping his irresponsible threat to veto the Homeland Security spending bill."

From FBI Director Mueller: Alberto Gonzales Lied Under Oath

FBI Director Robert Mueller testified this afternoon that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was not accurate in his sworn testimony to the Senate. From the Associated Press via firedoglake:

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller said Thursday the government’s terrorist surveillance program was the topic of a 2004 hospital room dispute between top Bush administration officials, contradicting Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ sworn Senate testimony.

...On Tuesday, Gonzales repeatedly and emphatically denied that the dispute was about the terrorist surveillance program.

So is it perjury? Judge for yourself at The Gavel.

Mitt Romney: Iraq Like a GOP Fundraiser

Mitt Romney's endorsement of a Republican fundraiser where donors will be firing Uzis and M-16 rifles: "Let them participate in that and come back with a much bigger appreciation for our military men and women in uniform in harm's way."

A Republican fundraiser is just like what our troops in harm's way in the middle of a civil war, in the heat of summer, are going through? Way to minimize their sacrifice, Mitt.

UPDATE: Here's the video, and there's a lot more that's worth noting on top of what I just described. Just watch.

Governor Dean Thanks the YouTube Community

Governor Dean thanks the YouTube community after the first ever CNN/YouTube debate last Monday night:

Thompson-Gingrich '08 - Christmas Comes Early to the DNC

From the Politico:

Newt Gingrich's long, slow striptease over whether he will seek the presidency in 2008 looks like it might come to an unexpected conclusion: a date with Fred Thompson. [...] The same day that Gingrich made his comments, his former communications director, Rich Galen, disclosed that he had signed on as an adviser to Thompson's campaign in waiting. In an interview, Galen termed the coincidence "an unfortunate confluence of events," denying that there was any link.

But that was not the only evidence of a possible Thompson-Gingrich alliance in 2008. Gingrich and his wife, Calista, had dinner with Thompson and his wife, Jeri, at the former senator's home in McLean, Va., on July 16, according to two Republican sources close to both men.

Senate Democrats Subpoena Karl Rove

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) announced today he is issuing subpoenas for the testimony of White House officials Karl Rove and J. Scott Jennings, due to evidence that they were involved in the political purge of eight U.S. attorneys last year. Breaking via ThinkProgress:

"What the White House stonewalling is preventing is conclusive evidence of who made the decisions to fire these federal prosecutors," Leahy wrote. "Indeed, the evidence we have been able to collect points to Karl Rove and the political operatives at the White House."

Satyam at ThinkProgress points out that Karl Rove initially suggested firing all 93 U.S. attorneys in early January 2005, and discussed the idea with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Show Me the Money! Anatomy of a Campaign Collapse

More dirty details on the collapse of Republican John McCain's presidential campaign, this time from the Wall Street Journal.

McCain's new campaign manager, Rick Davis, is being blamed by sources who say his business and lobbying activities "amounted to profiteering at the campaign's expense and risked embarrassing the senator."

Last year Mr. Davis and lobbying partner Paul Manafort had started and co-owned an Internet services firm, 3eDC, which billed the campaign more than $1 million. Mr. Davis also arranged for the campaign to give its property-management business to a second new company started by a lobbyist-friend's client, Indian-casino developer Richard Fields. That move came despite the fact that Mr. McCain had become known as the Senate's biggest critic of scandals involving Indian casinos. The campaign has ended both companies' deals, though it still owes them money.

The other advisers also objected that Mr. Davis and his firm lobbied for a Kremlin-backed Ukrainian Party that is opposed by the U.S. government and Mr. McCain.

Meanwhile, media team Russ Schriefer and Stuart Stevens quit the campaign on Monday because they hadn't been paid.

Congress Reaches Consensus on 9/11 Commission Recomendations

The Democratic-led Congress just reached consensus on legislation that would "require a greater share of Homeland Security grants to be based on risk, instead of a political formula, and seeks to tighten security of cargo carried on ships and passenger planes."

The bill, if signed into law, will implement many of the recommendations of bipartisan 9/11 Commission. Consider it a win for the "Jersey Girls" that extremist right-wingers like Ann Coulter love to hate. More importantly, of course, it's a win for those of us who are committed to a real plan for security that's smart, not just tough.

Some specifics of the legislation, thanks to the NY Times:

The so-called 9/11 commission bill would make a major change in the way grants from the Department of Homeland Security are distributed to states. It would cut in half the guaranteed minimum grant, which this year was $3.8 million, that each state would receive, allowing Homeland Security officials to distribute more money in discretionary grants to states where the threat and consequences of a terror strike are deemed greatest.

The change in the grant formula moves in the direction advocated by the Sept. 11 commission, whose recommendations were the inspiration for this bill. Still, the minimum amount of grant money set aside for small population states like Wyoming, West Virginia and Montana is 50 percent higher than what the House first proposed when the bill was introduced in January. In past years, officials from some more populous states that were considered likely terrorist targets, like New York, complained that small or rural states collected outsize grants.

The bill, which is expected to pass with bipartisan support by the end of next week, will also require the screening of all cargo carried by passenger jets.

PuppyGate Part II?

PETA was upset about Romney's PuppyGate scandal, with the president saying, "If you wouldn't strap your child to the roof of your car, you have no business doing that to the family dog."

Well, here's Romney's reply:

I can see the excuses now. The little one just wanted some fresh air! No, wait. They installed a windshield! I mean, he was in a completely enclosed area! Hmm... that doesn't work. Oh, I know -- he got himself up there!

House Democrats Vote on Contempt Charges

The House Judiciary Committee voted 22-17 yesterday to cite White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers for contempt of Congress. Bolten and Miers refused to testify before Congress about the political purge of eight U.S. attorneys.

Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) also prepared a 52-page memo "that for the first time alleges specific ways that several administration officials may have broken the law during the multiple firings of U.S. attorneys." Jesse Lee at The Gavel has the link.

Thursday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 25, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Time for another installment of PartyBuilder rescue, where I make special note of some highly-deserving posts.

• This is so sad! Bentley Davis reports that “an army base has decided to allow the units to have only one group memorial a month, instead of a memorial for each soldier's death as it happens,” which both takes the individuality out of what should be a very personal service, and is a comment on how many people have died in this war.
• B points out the many loopholes that permit employers to force their truck drivers to work 70 hour weeks and the risks that stem from this in Transportation.
• In A Family Affair, Barry C aka Casey calls the YouTube debate"the culmination of 22 years of having the evening news as a constant dinner companion."

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Senate Democrats Pass Important Wounded Warriors Act

Today the Senate Democrats passed "The Dignified Treatment of Wounded Warriors Act," the same day that Robert Dole and Donna Shalala's bipartisan "Presidential Commission" released a 29 page report on veteran care.

The legislation would upgrade military health care and the transition of wounded soldiers from the Pentagon's health care system to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill also included a 3.5% pay raise for our nation's troops.

Governor Howard Dean and the Democratic Party's Veterans and Military Families Council Chairman Don Fowler demanded that President Bush join Democrats in providing our wounded veterans the resources they need:

"President Bush has an obligation to the brave men and women wounded in service to our country to not treat this report like he treated the Iraq Study Group or the 9/11 Commission by paying lip service to it before sticking it on a shelf somewhere to rot. The American people were shocked to learn of the dreadful conditions at facilities treating our heroes wounded on the battlefield. Democrats responded by taking real steps to improve the care they receive and kept our promise to America’s veterans and military families by passing the largest increase in veterans' health care funding in history. The time has come for President Bush and the Bush Republicans in Congress to join us in truly putting our veterans and military families first."

I Bet You Think This Post is About You...

Don’t you?

The Mitt Romney campaign has been keeping track and noticed today that the DNC has produced more press releases attacking him than other candidates. If there are more Romney releases, that's just because there always seems to be more than one Mitt Romney running.

Anyway, this one goes out to our favorite Smooth Talking, Flip Flopping, Trooper Faking, Castro Quoting, Varmint Huntin'...Mitt Romney!

Fuzzy Logic

Brilliant "thinking" by House Republicans. We should allow the White House to go completely unchallenged when they ignore subpoenas. Why? Because if we try, and fail, then the White House might ignore subpoenas!

No, really. Watch for yourself...

But it doesn't stop there. We might lose, according to House Republicans, because they claim a lack of evidence. But the point is that the White House is potentially withholding evidence when they ignore subpoenas and withhold documents!

Mitt Romney: So Bad, He's Good?

Did you know the fact that we point out Romney's many inconsistencies is a sign that we secretly fear the Romney Juggernaut? That's what the Romney campaign is trying to tell anyone who will listen.

The truth is, we really can't help ourselves. When a candidate regularly takes such contradictory positions in an attempt to pander to the far-right base of the Republican party, we feel the need to point it out. Besides, the fact that pointing out his flip-flops is so easy should probably strike Romney as a bug, not a feature. As one commenter at Marc Ambinder's blog points out:

Personally I attack Romney because it is fun, easy and deserved. Did you realize the Iraq War has been going on so long that when it began Mitt Romney was pro-choice, pro-gun control, and refused to sign a no new tax pledge?

White House Aides To Be Held in Contempt of Congress

Two White House aides, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former legal counselor Harriet Miers, refused to testify before Congress about the political purge of eight federal prosecutors, even after they received subpoenas.

Now House Democrats will vote today to cite Bolton and Miers for contempt of Congress. From Huffington Post:

The White House has said that Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former legal counselor Harriet Miers, among other top advisers to President Bush, are absolutely immune from subpoenas because their documents and testimony are protected by executive privilege.

House Judiciary Committee Democrats, led by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., reject that claim and have drafted for a vote Wednesday a resolution citing Miers and Bolten with contempt of Congress, a federal misdemeanor punishable by up to a $100,000 fine and a one-year prison sentence.

The article points out that contempt of Congress is a federal crime--but a sitting president has the authority to commute the sentence or pardon anyone convicted or accused of any federal crime.

Republican National Committee Smears Senator Reid

According to a poll in the Washington Post, Americans trust Democrats over Republicans by a 2 to 1 margin to manage a responsible end to the war in Iraq.

But the same day that the poll was released, the Republican National Committee sent a mass email smearing Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV). Why? Because he tried to force Republicans in Congress to take public responsibility for their votes to continue the war in Iraq.

Steve Benen at The Carpetbagger Report tells us what the Republicans are up to:

I obtained, this afternoon, a copy of the new RNC talking points--which, I kid you not, devote a whole section to David Broder's criticism of Reid--which were surprisingly weak.

Clearly, Republicans are threatened that Sen. Reid is acting to hold them accountable. Especially since, as the Washington Post points out, "the public stands with Congress"--the Democratic Congress--on the Iraq war.

Wednesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 24, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

More posts over at PartyBuilder that I'd like to direct your attention to. Enjoy!

• PartyBuilder favorite D. Tree writes that it’s Not Just Foreign Policy, Conservative Ideology Fails Domestically too. He shows that every time the republicans have tried a “business-style” approach they have failed because they “only look at short term gains, and miss the larger…picture - often to their own detriment.”
• Democrats hold a commanding lead over Republicans in fundraising, says one of my personal favorites, Robert Donovan, in Starting the week off on a good note.
• Percy H Florez says "The Equal Rights Amendment [is] Unfinished Business for the Constitution."

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Bush Has Worst Job Creation Record in 40 Years

Over at Daily Kos, Bonddad tells us that Bush’s record of job creation is the lowest of the last 40 years:

No matter how you slice the job growth of the current expansion, it is the weakest the country has seen in the last 40 years. The compound annual growth rate is the lowest we have seen. And the higher-paying jobs lost have been replaced by lower-paying jobs, partially explaining why wages have been stagnant for this expansion.

Definitely worth a read.

Mitt Flips on the Minimum Wage

Mitt Romney flips on the minimum wage:

Automatic increases to the state minimum wage were a key part of Mitt Romney's campaign platform for governor--No. 39 on the list of promises he offered Massachusetts voters in 2002.

Now that Romney is seeking the 2008 Republican nomination for president, he is shying away from minimum wage indexing at the federal level.

His enthusiastic support in the past for raising the minimum wage is now making trouble for him with the right-wing base.

Thanks to the Democratic Congress, the federal minimum wage was raised today for the first time in a decade. About 5.6 million workers will now make just over $15,000 a year, due to raises of 70 cents an hour.

Thompson Has Staff Trouble Already?

He is only "testing the waters," but the waters just got choppier. CNN is reporting that top Fred Thompson advisor Tom Collimore has resigned. According to CNN sources, Collimore, former vice president of food and tobacco giant Altria, was frustrated that Thompson's second wife Jeri was so deeply involved with the management of the campaign.

Of course, the campaign already has trouble answering questions from both the right and the left about Thompson's lobbying career, his pro-choice lobbying work, and those pesky campaign finance laws.

Gingrich Calls Republican Field "Pathetic" and "Pygmies"

Newt Gingrich dismissed the Republican presidential field as a "pathetic" bunch of "pygmies," hinting Monday that he might enter the race.

And just a day after a lively Democratic CNN/YouTube debate in Charleston, Gingrich ridiculed debates as "the idea of 10 or 11 people standing passively at microphones," and said he refused to "shrink to the level of 40-second answers, standing like a trained seal, waiting for someone to throw me a fish."

Another Gonzales Contradiction

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales really needs to get his story straight. Either they went to see an "under sedation and incapacitated" John Ashcroft without the intention of overruling the acting Attorney General at the time, or they didn't.

If they didn't, then what exactly did Gonzales mean when he said that even though Ashcroft gave up his authority temporarily that he "can always reclaim it?"

Video below:

UPDATE: Even more, possibly more serious (and obvious), contradictions.

Governor Dean Making the Rounds

Just wanted to give all of you a heads-up that your favorite DNC Chair will be making the media rounds, first on the Ed Schultz Show at 1:30pm ET (listen live at their website), and then on MSNBC with Ann Curry at 2:00pm ET. You won't want to miss it.

Also, in case you missed his CNN appearances from yesterday, I've included those below. Enjoy!

Cohen Calls Out Lobbyist Thompson On His "Lie"

In today's Washington Post Richard Cohen points out that Fred Thompson hasn't been forthcoming to say the least in regards to his past. As lobbyist Fred Thompson has been running a "campaign" question about his past have arisen. The Los Angeles Times originally noted that Fred Thompson had been a lobbyist for a pro-choice orginization, something that Fred Thompson categorically denied through a spokesman. It turned out that that denial wasn't up to snuff, and Fred Thompson had to quickly back away from that "denial" when billing records became public.

Today Richard Cohen points out that major problem with the Thompson campaign and his as a "straight-shooting"lobbyist.

Fred Thompson has stepped out of character. To much of America, he is Arthur Branch, the district attorney he portrays on the TV series "Law and Order." Branch is a straight shooter, a no-nonsense kind of guy who says what he means and means what he says. In contrast, the actor who plays him can be quite a different man. I don't think Arthur Branch would vote for Fred Thompson.

Branch's problem, as well as my own, is that Thompson does not always tell the truth. He clearly did not when it was revealed that back when he was a lobbyist, he worked for a family-planning outfit. Such honorable work is, of course, verboten to most Republicans, and so, for understandable but inexcusable reasons, Thompson -- through a spokesman -- lied. There are nicer words, I know, but when you give the impression that what is true is false, that is a lie. Arthur Branch would understand.

"Fred Thompson did not lobby for this group, period," his chief spokesman, Mark Corallo, said in an e-mail to the Los Angeles Times. A bit later, Thompson himself tried the old disparagement dodge: "I'd just say the flies get bigger in the summertime. I guess the flies are buzzing.' " Arthur Branch would see through this folksy piece of evasion and note not only that Thompson now denies nothing but also that flies buzz around BS.

Romney Staffer Likes To Party All the Time

And conduct "Special Ops:"

An aide to former Gov. Mitt Romney who was linked to the campaign’s alleged use of phony badges has created personal Internet pages where he boasts that he’s a top secret “special ops” employee who toils in the “underbelly of politics.”

Will Ritter, who helps plan Romney’s presidential campaign events, included the bizarre, Jason-Bournesque job description on Internet networking pages that also contain boisterous pictures of him hoisting a champagne bottle in a hot tub and other party shots.

The Romney campaign has been besieged by allegations of questionable conduct by aides on the campaign trail. Ritter’s boss, Jay Garrity, stepped down last week after the Herald reported he was accused of distributing phony badges to Ritter and another campaign staffer.

Minimum Wage Increases Today

Obstructionist Republicans wouldn't allow it to come to a vote under the last Congress, but the Democrats made sure they made it a priority when they took office earlier this year.

Now, finally, after a decade, the minimum wage will increase 70 cents. It's the longest amount of time it's gone without a boost since the minimum wage was introduced. American workers earned this raise, and while it's a shame that Republicans blocked it for so long, finally we can celebrate that it will go into effect and improve the lives of families across America.

And it isn't just workers that are happy about the changes. According to one columnist:

In Georgia, one of the reddest of the "red states," one might expect an almost universal denouncement of the raise in the minimum wage. In fact, the opposite is true.

Business owners and managers I've spoken with aren't concerned. They're glad the minimum wage is going up because workers deserve it and they believe it will help our local economy.
[...]
"Higher wages benefit business by increasing consumer purchasing power, reducing costly employee turnover, raising productivity and improving product quality, customer satisfaction and company reputation," a statement by Business for a Fair Minimum Wage explains.

"A fair minimum wage is a sound investment in the future of our communities and our nation," concludes the statement, which I endorsed along with hundreds of business people nationwide, including the owners of Georgia businesses such as Morning Glory Farm in Clermont, North Georgia Woodworks in Toccoa, and Sugar Magnolia B&B, Flyer Candy Bars, Simply Web and Grand Central Pizza in Atlanta.

It's not just good politics, it's good economic policy that is good for workers and their employers. Americablog and others will be liveblogging the issue on this important day.

UPDATE: Governor Dean's statement:

Because Democrats kept their promise, America’s working families will receive a long-overdue pay raise today. Democrats believe that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to earn a decent living in our country. Republicans blocked Democratic efforts to increase the minimum wage for 10 long years but today, all Americans win. This milestone only reminds us that there is much more work to be done to help all Americans achieve a better life for themselves and their families.

Gonzales Begins Testimony

He's not out of the woods yet, with his testimony about to begin in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. We already know what to expect.

• He'll promise to fix the problems of the Justice Department, while claiming no such problems of politicization existed in the first place.
• Cite "mistakes," but not clarify what those mistakes were beyond communication errors (therefore ignoring the more substantive complaints).
• Three words: "I don't recall."

Hopefully, we'll get some specifics on this topic submitted to Gonzales in advance: "Monica Goodling testified under oath before the House Judiciary Committee that she had an 'uncomfortable' conversation with you during which you outlined your recollection of what happened and asked her for her reaction to your version."

You can watch a webcast of the hearing on the Senate Judiciary Committee website. It starts now.

Tuesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 23, 2007

YouTube/CNN Debate About To Begin!

There's a general open thread below (for the discussion of other topics), but I wanted to make sure there was a thread dedicated 100% to the debate. How do you think it's going? Who are you pulling for? Which YouTube video questions are you hoping they'll show?

We'll be keeping a live chat up for tonight with some of our DNC staff at the debate in Charleston, SC. It starts at 7pm ET.

Chat away...

UPDATE: Live-chat transcript after the jump!

Keep reading "YouTube/CNN Debate About To Begin!"

PB Rescue Open Thread

I'm going to have another open thread for the debate, but I wanted to make sure to highlight some of the posts you've been writing over at PartyBuilder.

• It's not JUST the Economy, Stupid. Julie asks why our government is willing to shell out hundreds of billions for an unpopular war, but refuses to fund programs that protect and support the Americans at home.
• Sam Sedaei criticizes Deficit Reduction Blowback and Balancing the Budget on the Backs of Seniors and writes that “cuts to Medicare and other public assistance programs without considering their repercussions” are a trademark of this administration.
• Gretchen exposes the unacceptable situation that is Military dependant medical insurance. Many military families are forced to apply for welfare in order to, for example, pay the medical expenses associated with a pregnancy. She denounces this as a shameful way of the supporting our troops.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Lobbyist Thompson Pays Lobbyist Son From Federal PAC For Doing Nothing

The New York Post reports that Fred Thompson's son did virtually nothing running a federal PAC for Lobbyist Fred Thompson.

WHAT did Fred Thompson's son, Daniel, do to earn the more than $170,000 that his firm, Daniel Thompson Associates, was paid from his father's federal political action committee, the Fred D. Thompson PAC?

The records suggest he did next to nothing.

Why is this problematic? The NY Post explains,

The FEC ruled that a campaign could hire a family member "at market value for bona fide campaign services."

But it's hard to find any evidence of bona fide work done by Daniel Thompson Associates for his father's PAC. Presumably, Fred Thompson made the decision about what money would go to candidates - especially since many of them were his former colleagues.

Maybe Daniel Thompson wrote the 20 checks a year that the PAC mailed out. How much time or skill could that take? Not $85,000 a year worth.

These culture of corruption issues played an important role in places like California's 11th Congressional district in 2006.

Gonzales to Appear for Further Questioning

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow about his involvement in the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, among other issues. In his opening statement for tomorrow’s hearing, submitted in advance, Gonzales will state that “…there is no place for political considerations in the hiring of our career employees or in the administration of justice.” But admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.

This time around, Leahy included a list of questions for Gonzales to anticipate when he appears before the Committee on Tuesday. The most interesting and hard hitting questions deal with contradictions in Gonzlaes’ previous testimony.

"On April 19, you testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that you had not spoken with anyone involved in the firings about that process because you did not want to interfere with the investigation. Again, on May 10, you testified to the House Judiciary Committee that you had not spoken with anyone involved in order to protect the integrity of the investigation. Then on May 23, Monica Goodling testified under oath before the House Judiciary Committee that she had an 'uncomfortable' conversation with you during which you outlined your recollection of what happened and asked her for her reaction to your version. Is Ms. Goodling’s testimony accurate, and if so, how do you account for your previous, uncorrected testimony to this Committee?"

While he’s there, we also hope to find out what legal authority “Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General” Stephen Bradbury had to sign a memorandum granting Harriet Miers immunity from “compelled congressional testimony.”

In a letter sent to Gonzales early last week, Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy noted that Gonzales did “not recall” what had happened over 60 times when last questioned on April 19, 2007. Let’s hope that Gonzales is more honest and straightforward with the Committee and the American people come tomorrow’s hearings.

Bush Approval Rating Down to 25%

With just hours until the first Democratic Party-sanctioned debate, we learn that President Bush's approval ratings have fallen to record lows. Again.

According to a new American Research Group poll, just 25% of Americans approve of the way President Bush is handling his job as president and 71% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 23% approve and 73% disapprove.

We'll see if anyone submitted questions on the economy--or Bush--to the CNN/YouTube debate tonight.

Obstructionist Republicans

Senate Republicans still have no idea why they're stuck in the minority, and if they keep things up, it might just stay that way. Kos points to an article about how the Senate Republicans are threatening filibusters to block more legislation than ever before.

That's right. More legislation than ever in our nation's history (be sure to check out the chart). Never in the course of all of American history has any political party dedicated itself to blocking so much from getting accomplished.

Why are they going for the record? Do they think the voters aren't paying attention? Or maybe they're just stunned that the new Congress is doing something besides serving as a rubber stamp for Bush.

Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate Tonight in Charleston

Right now I'm writing from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, where the Democratic presidential candidates will be debating tonight in the first debate sponsored by the Democratic National Committee. I'll be writing updates and posting pictures through the day to give everyone a sneak peek behind the scenes at the Democratic Party in action.

Live-Blogging the Democratic Debate

We're very excited to announce that with today's Democratic debate, co-sponsored by YouTube and CNN, we'll be liveblogging the debate as it happens tonight at 7pm ET.

But in the spirit of bottom-up, user-generated content that this debate is all about (given that the questions will be submitted by regular folks via YouTube), we wanted to make sure that you also could join us in live-blogging the debate. So all day when you're blogging about the debate over at PartyBuilder, be sure to tag your diary as: July 23rd Debate

Using that tag will make sure that when people go to our debate website, they'll see your entries, as well. Go there and see for yourself. Once there, you'll want to click on where it says "Your Blogs." That'll link to all of your posts that are tagged correctly.

We're very excited about this new way of bringing people into the debates: having regular folks join the conversation with the candidates by submitting their video questions. And so, we want to make sure we allow those of you who don't get to have your question asked the ability to make your voice heard.

Mitt's Answer to the "Osama ... " Sign

There was a story this weekend about a sign that Mitt Romney held up, which you really need to see to believe. Romney was asked about it on the campaign trail, and we've got his reply on tape.

The cliffnotes version of his spin?

• I'm not responsible for signs I hold.


• I didn't hold the sign. Somebody else did. [Has he not seen the pictures?]

UPDATE: He not only held up the sign, but apparently he signed a picture of himself holding it up. Is that enough of an endorsement?

Monday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 22, 2007

Sunday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 21, 2007

Saturday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 20, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Special edition today. From Deputy Committeemen For (HDTV), a call to action:

"The time has come to stop complaining about politics and do something about it. When people get involved in politics, the more beneficial it will be for everyone. Our representatives need input from the community to convert the will of the people into legislation."

One way you can get involved? Start or join an environmental event for the Democratic Reunion!

The Friday Five: Democratic Reunion Edition

Every Friday we're highlighting five events happening around the country that we've found in PartyBuilder's Events system. Democrats who work and play together, win together, and keeping your local Democrats active and involved is the key to sustaining vibrant organizations.

Once again we've got a special Democratic Reunion edition, featuring July 28th events where Democrats in every state will take action in their community to clean up America.

Here are 5 events happening around the country. If you don't see one in your neck of the woods, click here to search for one near you. Or better yet, create your own!

1. Living our Values (Wichita, KS)
   

   In Sedgwick County, Democrats will gather for a presentation by Dr. Ed Cook, entitled “Global Climate Change.” Dr. Cook was trained by the Al Gore Climate Institute. Dr. Cook’s presentation is an updated version of Al Gore’s award-winning picture, An Inconvenient Truth.

2. Clean Abilene! (Abilene, TX)
   

   Hello fellow West Texas Democrats! I have been asked to organize an event for this year's annual Democratic Reunion. Our mission this year is to get out and clean up our community! I am asking people to plant trees, clean up our local parks and highways, and even begin recycling in their own homes.

3. Blue Wave Clean Up (Ellensburg, WA)
   

   Please join the Washington State Democrats as we host the "Blue Wave Clean Up" in Washington State. Party activist will descend on their neighborhoods to clean up highways, schools, parks, and senior centers.

4. Lake Balboa Park Clean-Up (Van Nuys, CA)
   

   Come join the California Democratic Party on July 28 in support of our National Community Service Day! We are encouraging volunteers and community members to come together for a park clean up (10am-12pm), followed by a picnic for the rest of the gathering. Sign-in will be availiable near the entrance to Lake Balboa (accessible from Balboa Blvd.)

5. Canvassing for Denver Tree Giveaway (Denver, CO)
   

   Volunteer for the DNC's National Day of Service. Join Democrats Work as we help The Park People secure commitments from Villa Park residents to help care for free trees provided by the City and County of Denver.

Kennedy Introduces Fair Pay Act in Senate

Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) introduced the Fair Pay Restoration Act today to undo the damage done by the Supreme Court's recent ruling in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire.

Lilly Ledbetter received less pay than her male colleagues through most of her twenty years as a supervisor at a Goodyear Tire factory in Gadsden, Alabama. She proved her case before a federal jury and was awarded back pay and punitive damages, but the company pursued the case, and she eventually lost before the Supreme Court.

People for the American Way filmed a powerful video about Lilly Ledbetter's experience. Watch it here:

Bush Has 18% Approval Rating in New Jersey

Holy cow. According to a new poll of 800 likely voters in New Jersey, Bush's approval rating has dropped to 18%.

The question: "Do you approve or disapprove of President Bush's overall job performance?" Of the voters polled, 18% approve, 71% disapprove, and 11% are undecided.

Dean: Bush Administration Has Damaged Our Country

Governor Dean responded today to Bush's false claim that the Democratic Congress doesn't want to give the troops a pay raise--despite the fact that it was the Bush administration that "strongly opposed" the raise:

"President Bush's comments today are exactly why America will elect a Democratic president in 2008 to restore our American values. President Bush and his Republican allies sent our brave troops into a war of choice without the proper equipment and on false pretenses. After the damage that President Bush and his Republican allies have done to undermine our core values, and a legacy that includes threatening to veto a pay raise for our troops because it was too much, overstretching our military to the breaking point after sending them to Iraq without the proper equipment, threatening to veto health care for our children, and knowingly putting survivors of Hurricane Katrina in toxic trailers, it’s clearer than ever that our country needs new leadership."

Bush Opposes Pay Raises for the Troops, Tries to Blame Congress

President Bush criticized Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) this morning for pulling the Defense Authorization bill from consideration, saying the move would deny a pay raise to soldiers serving in Iraq:

"Even members of Congress who no longer support our effort in Iraq should at least be able to provide an increase in pay for our fighting there."

Except that last May, Bush administration budget officials said that the troops don’t need bigger pay raises. The White House also opposed increasing benefits for widows of slain soldiers by $40 per month, and opposed additional benefits for surviving family members of civilian employees.

Democrats in Congress fought back. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), an Iraq war veteran, said at the time:

"But the fact is, is that those privates who are making $17,000 a year, those privates that are leaving their wives, their kids at home, many of whom have to survive on food stamps, those privates who saw what we did in the defense bill, who said that’s great, 3.5% pay increase, not even $1,000 more a year, a couple hundred dollars a year, the President of the United States said, private, 'Thank you for your service to your country, but that's too much of a pay increase.' Mr. Speaker, I hope the people at home are watching. The President of the United States said a couple hundred dollars more a year to a private making $17,000 a year is too much."

UPDATE: ThinkProgress has some additional analysis.

Pulling A "Mitt Romney"

You know you're in trouble when even ESPN sportscasters use your name as an adjective to describe someone who's willing to change their position to pander to an audience.

Is There a Draft In Here? Not for Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani is now struggling to explain how he skirted military duty in Vietnam:

Today Giuliani's problem is not avoiding military service but explaining how and why he avoided it. A spokesperson for the candidate recently told New York Magazine that he "has made it clear that if he had been called up, he would have served," which doesn't quite expiate his strenuous efforts to make sure that never happened. Giuliani opposed the Vietnam War for "strategic and tactical" reasons as well, according to his flack. Of course, that sounds much like the bipartisan dissent against the Iraq war that he now dismisses so contemptuously.

Maybe he could blame it on a bad knee, like the College Republicans captured in this amazing video by Max Blumenthal. Watch it on YouTube here.

Senate Passes Education Bill to Make College More Affordable

The Senate passed the Higher Education Access Act today by a vote of 78-18, after a last-minute Republican attempt to kill the legislation.

This legislation would cut federal subsidies to lending companies by as much as $19 billion, and channel the savings to student aid, lowering interest rates on student loans, and making it easier for students to repay their loans after graduation.

The House passed similar legislation last week. Bush has called the legislation an "entitlement program," and threatened to veto it.

Romney Fake Cop Problems Continue

Remember Mitt Romney's secret service impersonator who continues to be on the campaign payroll? According to the Boston Herald this morning Romney's private security aide was apparently creating fake law enforcement badges so the campaign could hassle reporters, get past security and avoid paying tolls.

In an apparent violation of the law, a controversial aide to ex-Gov. Mitt Romney created phony law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the campaign trail to strong-arm reporters, avoid paying tolls and trick security guards into giving them immediate access to campaign venues, sources told the Herald.

The bogus badges were part of the bizarre security tactics allegedly employed by Jay Garrity, the director of operations for Romney who is under investigation for impersonating a law enforcement officer in two states. Garrity is on a leave of absence from the campaign while the probe is ongoing.

A campaign source said Garrity directed underlings on Romney’s presidential staff to use the badges at events nationwide to create an image of security and to ensure that the governor’s events went smoothly.

H/T Josh Marshall.

Friday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 19, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

You know the drill. You write blogs on PartyBuilder, and I highlight a few of them daily. Today we've got some that I found particularly interesting.

• Democrat in Springfield, MO laments her Insurance Woes and wonders what the point of subscribing to an insurance policy is if it doesn’t cover any of her medical expenses. It's a touching post.
• Jessica, the only 11 year old democrat of Watchung, NJ asks why Racism exists.
• White House Spy Sentenced: Cheney Still Disobeys Law. PB celebrity D. Tree writes that “given the security breaches and abuse of classified information, plus the fact that Cheney still refuses to follow the law, one is left with the distinct impression the White House not only abuses the handling of classified material for political purposes, but they covet that ability more than our National Security itself.”

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Romney: I Hate Porn, I Swear

From the Examiner:

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney plans to unveil a series of initiatives aimed at combating what he called the burgeoning vulgarity of television and the pervasiveness of Internet pornography.

In an interview with The Examiner, Romney railed against “the unrequested pornography that comes into your computer — the pop-ups.”

“And you know, type in a wrong letter and bingo, you get all sorts of stuff you didn’t want, that I’d just as soon my kids not get,” added Romney, who’s a father of five and grandfather of 10. “You can get filters, and yet they keep finding ways around the filters.”

It's a topic Romney knows something about, having profited off of it.

Heckuva Job

This is a disgrace. FEMA "supressed warnings from its own Gulf coast field workers since the middle of 2006 about suspected health problems that may be linked to elevated levels of formaldehyde gas released in FEMA-provided trailers."

You know, you'd think that the failures during Hurricane Katrina might have told those senior officials at FEMA that maybe -- just maybe -- they have a special obligation to get things right after the storm cleared.

But no. Instead they insisted on a path towards what Rep. Waxman is calling "premeditated ignorance."

You can read more about this story in the Washington Post or watch video from the hearing, but only if you can think you can stomach it.

Flip Romney

Romney's new ad, re-edited:

Iowa Uninmpressed With Giuliani's Judge Pandering

From Fox News, of all places:

But, the event fell fairly flat to those in attendance, as Giuliani received only two applause lines during his opening remarks and the crowd of about 100 in the Jr. High School gym did not display much excitement. Additionally, Giuliani barely filled all of the seats in the room, with Giuliani campaign staffers scrambling to fill about 10 empty seats right before the former mayor entered the room.

His remarks come one day after Giuliani named his “Justice Advisory Committee," made up of key conservatives including former U.S. solicitor general Ted Olson, former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, Federalist Society co-founder Steve Calabresi and filibustered conservative judicial nominee Miguel Estrada.

But his record as New York City mayor shows that only six of the 75 judges he appointed during his eight-year term were Republicans.

Will Thompson Remember Charging Abortion Rights Group Thousands To Lobby For Them?

Maybe the billing records will magically spur his memory?

Billing records show that former Senator Fred Thompson spent nearly 20 hours working as a lobbyist on behalf of a group seeking to ease restrictive federal rules on abortion counseling in the 1990s, even though he recently said he did not recall doing any work for the organization. [...] His representation of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, which was trying to overturn the ban on abortion counseling, put him at odds with the anti-abortion movement, which considered the ban a crucial victory.

Faced with the facts, here's the new spin: If "a client has a legal and ethical right to take a position, then you may appropriately represent him as long as he does not lie or otherwise conduct himself improperly while you are representing him," lobbyist Thompson wrote at a GOP blog. Apparently that includes Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a proponent of the "gruesome practice of execution where gasoline-soaked tires are thrown over a person's neck and set ablaze."

Thursday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 18, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

It's a shame that with so many top-notch writers over at PartyBuilder, that I can only highlight a few.

• Carter K, a member of College Democrats at George Washington University maps out a plan for capitalizing on the democratic sympathies among students and instigating political action in GW Democratic Activism in 2007.
• EPA Stands Idle due to Politics. Marksg1 shares his frustration that the EPA is often muzzled by political appointees who, at the expense of the environment, refuse to make scientifically informed decisions.
• Carter K sends a message To those who are unsatisfied with the Party's performance and says that we must persevere because political change will never be instantaneous and will only be achieved by first provoking change at the local level and building from there.
• Happy to be living in the next Gilded Age? Mike Baker, Jr. remarks on an article from the New York Times profiling a new generation of tycoons which states that 15,000 families earned a full 5% of last year’s total income. He calls for constructing a new tax system that doesn’t advantage the richest hundredth of a percent.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

John McCain Won't Talk About Campaign

Now John McCain has decided to stop talking about his campaign. Period.

A frustrated Sen. John McCain snapped Wednesday when asked by CNN about his troubled presidential campaign and vowed he would no longer answer questions on that topic.

"I’m not going to talk about my campaign anymore," McCain said in a sharp tone. "I’m finished with talking about it. I’ve talked about it for two weeks. I will not discuss it or any aspect of it. Thank you."

We'll see how the decision not to talk about his campaign will affect his, um, campaign.

White House Used Drug Control Officers For Campaign Appearances

The Bush White House used top officials from the Office of National Drug Control Policy to make campaign appearances for as many as 18 vulnerable Republican congressmen during the November 2006 elections--even though a 1994 law bars the agency's officials from engaging in political activities, even on their own time.

According to the Washington Post, these officials also sometimes announced federal grants in the vulnerable districts:

Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said documents obtained by his panel suggest that the appearances by the drug control officials were part of a larger White House effort to politicize the work of federal agencies that "may be more widespread than previously known."

Douglas Simon, the drug policy office's White House liaison, wrote in an email that Karl Rove was being pleased that the office went "above and beyond" in appearing at campaign events. He added:

"The director and the deputies deserve the most recognition because they actually had to give up time with their families for the god awful places we sent them."

No word on whether the "god awful places" Simon was referring to included Columbus, Ohio or South Bend, Indiana--two locations where officials made campaign appearances in close races.

The Non-Candidate Candidate

Fred Thompson continues to raise money without officially declaring his candidacy, but he's also raising eyebrows as people start to question whether he's in violation of campaign finance laws by ducking the filing deadline. Legal experts, including those from CampaignLegalCenter and CREW, already said he "appears" to have violated the law.

This, keep in mind, despite the fact that he was "an advocate in the Senate of a campaign finance reform bill requiring greater disclosure of contributions."

If the non-candidate candidate wishes to avoid disclosing his finance figures, maybe he should stop referring to the fact that he already made his decision. He has said he's "going to do this," for example.

The blogosphere has been abuzz with stories about this disclosure controversy. And it also appears that the pressure is mounting on Fred Thompson so much that he's now making it public that at the end of the month he'll file partial disclosures with the IRS.

But that doesn't change his failure to file in the past -- or even the present, for that matter. Stay tuned.

Romney Burns Through Campaign Cash

John McCain's money woes are making headlines, but Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is spending more than it is raising.

Based on the report Romney filed with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend, his spending was so prolific he had to lend his committee $6.5 million during the quarter, allowing him to cover the difference between $20.5 million he spent and the $14 million he raised.

So what's he spending all his money on?

Mitt Romney's campaign found 9,732 ways to spend its money last quarter. From a $15 service fee for its travel agent to $300 for makeup work to $31,500 to rent the Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park for a celebratory barbecue, the Republican presidential contender was anything but fiscally conservative in spending money as fast as he raised it between April and June...

Package delivery by FedEx runs page after page in the report, even though items are listed 500 to a page. Romney is pouring hundreds of thousands monthly into his Web site, which recently featured a miniaturized image of him walking onto the screen, encouraging donations.

His campaign has also aired $4.9 million in television ads since he declared. Ironically, he is also spending tens of thousands a month...on finance consultants.

Republicans Block Levin-Reed Amendment To Withdraw Troops

After an all-night debate on Iraq, Senate Democrats tried today to end a Republican block on a vote on the Levin-Reed amendment, which would require a troop withdrawal to begin within the next 120 days. From The Swamp:

Sixty votes are required to end the Republican filibuster against the amendment sponsored by Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Jack Reed (D-RI), and Democrats are expected to fall short.

The Democratic Party blasted almost 60,000 faxes into Senate offices yesterday in support of the Levin-Reed amendment.

But at the end of the day, Republicans blocked the Levin-Reed amendment by a vote of 52-47.

UPDATE: Here is Governor Dean's statement:

"Today is a sad day for America, but it is not the end of this fight. While Democrats once again kept their promise to the American people by voting to change course in Iraq, Republicans chose to protect the President and his disastrous Iraq policy. Republicans in Congress have consistently failed to show the leadership and backbone needed to stand up to President Bush when it really matters.

"Democrats are united in their resolve to end the war and will continue to hold President Bush and his Republican allies accountable as long as American troops remain in the middle of a civil war. But if Republicans continue to ignore the will of the American people, electing a Democratic president in 2008 will be the only way to ensure that we can begin to responsibly redeploy our troops and refocus on the real war on terror."

How Long Is Too Long?

Thompson's endless tease may come back to bite him:

"There is a cost of lost opportunity — while he's not actively engaged in the race, his active opponents, particularly Mitt Romney, are going full speed ahead with their strategy," said Tony Fabrizio, a longtime Republican pollster. "By delaying it, they are in fact setting themselves to be hoisted upon their own petard in terms of expectations."

The effects of Thompson going so long without a full campaign organization may be starting to show. When the Los Angeles Time story broke, Thompson's staff first denied it outright. A few days later, Thompson, in a radio interview and a letter posted online, did not give a direct answer about the accusations, but noted that in his career as a lawyer, he often represented some unsavory people — a "horrible" response, Fabrizio said: "It sounded dodgy and you cannot be the straight-talking Ronald Reaganesque candidate and be lawyerly about it."
[...]
"When you push off your announcement, they'll expect you to put an A-level show on as soon as you get in and, a few days later, report A-level fundraising," said Fabrizio.

Wednesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 17, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

With people contributing every day to PartyBuilding, it's worth highlighting some of your posts. Here is a sample of the quality writing you'll find.

• Robert Donovan draws attention to the attempts of the DOJ [to shield the] Voting Section Chief from Congressional oversight. John Tanner played a critical role in the DOJ’s decisions regarding several voting laws that were found to discriminate against African American voters, and should make himself available to testify.
• Robert Pike gives a DoD Disability Evaluation System Update and pronounces it very flawed as “seriously injured service men and women are being medically discharged because they are no longer fit for duty, but given such low disability ratings that they don't qualify for lifetime compensation and benefits, including health care coverage for themselves or their families.”
• Mark in LA calls for [a] Small Donor Uprising and, drawing on an article by E.J. Dionne, proposes a government matching program for small campaign donations in order to effectively combat the political power of big contributors.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Over 23,000 59,000 Faxes to Senators Today In Support of Levin-Reed Amendment

Today the Democratic Party is asking senators to pass the Levin-Reed amendment through an online fax campaign. So far today, we’ve sent an amazing 23,000 faxes into senate offices. We still have a few hours to make a difference--you can send your own fax by clicking here.

The Levin-Reed amendment would require Bush to bring this war to a responsible end and bring our troops home, by reducing U.S. combat forces in Iraq and transitioning security back to the Iraqis themselves.

Senate Democrats are preparing to debate the amendment all night long tonight, to make Senate Republicans take responsibility for their votes to continue the war.

Here’s Governor Dean’s statement:

"Democrats believe we need to change course in Iraq now, not in September, and are holding Congressional Republicans accountable for obstructing the will of the American people and military experts," Dean said. "President Bush and Republican leaders stubbornly continue to ignore the facts on the ground. Today, a new National Intelligence Estimate provides additional evidence that Republicans have failed to make our homeland safe, allowing Al Qaeda to rebuild. While Republicans continue to back the war in Iraq, keeping us from fighting the terrorists where they are, on the Afghan-Pakistan border, Democrats have stood united in their fight to change course in Iraq. We hope that Republicans will have the backbone to vote with Democrats to end this war. But if they don’t, electing a Democratic president in 2008 is the only way to ensure that our troops return home soon."

UPDATE (by Mike): We blew past our goal at about 11pm last night, and it just keeps on going!

Labor Secretary Says American Workers Are Stinky

Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor in the Bush administration, told Parade magazine--a national weekly read by millions of Americans--that the nation’s workers need a bath if they want to keep their jobs. From the AFL-CIO:

Chao told Parade it’s not just the low-cost of foreign labor that is enticing many U.S. employers to ship jobs overseas—overseas workers dress and bathe better.

Beyond the cheaper cost of labor, U.S. employers say that many workers abroad simply have a better attitude toward work. "American employees must be punctual, dress appropriately and have good personal hygiene," says Chao.

In 2004, Chao’s Labor Department changed the rules on overtime pay, making millions of workers ineligible. This year, she tried to outsource around 250 Department of Labor jobs.

Members of AFGE Local 12 passed out bars of soap at Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, DC today. The soap says, "Chao Thinks You Stink."

The Government Classified 20.5 Million Secrets Last Year

According to a new report, the Bush administration decided to classify information as a "government secret" over 20.5 million times last year--even when there was little or no reason to do so.

The Information Security Oversight Office said more than 1 in 10 documents it reviewed lacked a basis for classification, "calling into question the propriety" of the decisions to place them off limits to public disclosure.

Meanwhile, Dick Cheney still refuses to cooperate with the office of the National Archives. According to the Washington Post via Raw Story, Cheney's office is so secretive that:

Cheney declines to disclose the names or even the size of his staff, generally releases no public calendar and ordered the Secret Service to destroy his visitor logs.

Stealth is among Cheney's most effective tools...Man-size Mosler safes, used elsewhere in government for classified secrets, store the workaday business of the office of the vice president. Even talking points for reporters are sometimes stamped "Treated As: Top Secret/SCI."

Will George Voinovich Protect George Bush or Protect The Troops?

Are Republican Senators more interested in protecting the president or doing the right thing in Iraq? For months, Republican Senators have been voicing their displeasure with progress in Iraq in front of a camera. More than a dozen Republican Senators have expressed doubts about the escalation six months ago and many have spoken out for redeployment of the troops. But when they vote, it's always a different story.

Tonight, Senator Reid is forcing Republicans in the Senate to take responsibility for their position on Iraq. You can help pressure Senators to support the Levin-Reed amendment, which calls for a responsible end to the war, by clicking here.

State parties across the country are getting in the act. In Ohio, the Ohio Democratic Party is reminding voters about Senator George Voinovich's recent statements regarding the war and asking whether he'll continue to vote to protect George Bush or protect the troops. They're holding an overnight vigil in Columbus and will be asking Ohio Democrats to call Voinovich and remind him to protect the troops and not George Bush.

He’s the High Maintenance Candidate

Romney dishes out campaign cash so he can get pampered. From the Politico, "'communications consulting' is how presidential candidate Mitt Romney recorded $300 in payments to a California company that describes itself as 'a mobile beauty team for hair, makeup and men's grooming and spa services.'"

FLASHBACK: Romney made fun of Edwards haircuts days before his own spa visit.

Poll: Republicans Not Excited About Their Candidates

A new poll commissioned by the AP-IPSOS finds that, like most Americans, Republican primary voters aren't excited about the status quo agenda being sold by the leading Republican presidential candidates.

And the leading Republican presidential candidate is ... none of the above. The latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that nearly a quarter of Republicans are unwilling to back top-tier hopefuls Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain or Mitt Romney, and no one candidate has emerged as the clear front-runner among Christian evangelicals. Such dissatisfaction underscores the volatility of the 2008 GOP nomination fight.

Tuesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 16, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Once again, it's time to turn our attention to PartyBuilder. Here are some of the posts written over the weekend and today.

• Tim Gruber strikes back at the claim that the US is experiencing an economic boom, saying “this boom is really a boom for Wall Street and not Main Street” in They're At It Again.
• Iraq is Coming Apart as Moms and Wives Wait, Hope and Pray. Marshall Adame contends that, having been given no other choice, [Prime Minister Maliki has begun] to untie the knot which has bound him to the Bush Administration” because of “its unwillingness to listen to the people of Iraq.”
• D. Tree wonders why it is seldom reported that Most Suicide Bombers in Iraq Come From Saudi Arabia not Iran or Syria, and is concerned that our newspapers and television news sources are not being critical and objective enough when reporting on this Administration's attempts to justify military strikes against Iran.”

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

BREAKING: Reid Will Force All-Night Senate Session on Tuesday

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) just announced minutes ago that if the Republicans filibuster the Reed-Levin troop redeployment bill, he will force the Senate on Tuesday into an all-night debate session. From Bob Geiger:

"Now, Republicans are using a filibuster to block us from even voting on an amendment that could bring the war to a responsible end," said Reid. "They are protecting the President rather than protecting our troops. They are denying us an up or down--yes or no --vote on the most important issue our country faces."

The Reed-Levin amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill requires George Bush to "commence the reduction of the number of United States forces in Iraq not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act" and mandates a withdrawal of most combat forces by April 30, 2008.

More to come...

UPDATE (by Mike): Here's information about a MoveOn event in DC to put pressure on Republicans for siding with President Bush:

Who: Members of Congress, Iraq war veterans, and MoveOn members like you
What: Candlelight call to action to support the Levin-Reed amendment to bring our troops home
Where: Upper Senate Park across from the U.S. Capitol. Constitution Ave NW, between New Jersey Ave and Delaware Ave. Washington, DC 20001
When: Tuesday, July 17th at 8:30 p.m.

Can You Trust Fred Thompson's Statements?

The Los Angeles Times reported last week that in the early 90's, Fred Thompson lobbied for an abortion rights organization, where he worked to overturn the first president Bush's "gag rule" on abortion counseling. Fred Thompson's spokesman flatly denied that he had ever lobbied for a pro-choice orginization. The revelation came right as Thompson was courting conservative activists. Immediately after the denial, Thompson and his campaign started to become cagey about the allegations. Here's the anatomy of a flip-flop:

On 7/7, Fred unequivocally denies that he lobbied for the abortion rights group.

"Fred Thompson did not lobby for this group, period." –Thompson spokesman Mark Corallo.

The same day, confronted with documents claiming that Thompson was hired by the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, he becomes less than certain:

"[Thompson] may have been consulted by one of [his] firm’s partners who represented this group in 1991." –Thompson spokesman Mark Corallo

Later that day at the National Young Republicans Convention in Florida, Thompson himself is asked whether or not he lobbied for the pro-abortion group. His cryptic response is:

"I’d just say the flies get bigger in the summertime. I guess the flies are buzzing."–Fred Thompson

Three days later on 7/10, Fred tries to explain to Sean Hannity that:

"You need to separate a lawyer advocating a position from a position itself."–Fred Thompson

On 7/12, Fred returns to the New Media, but he blows it again!

"I’ve experienced another gambit of those schooled in the creative uses of law and politics: dredging up clients--or another lawyer’s clients--that I may have represented or consulted with, and then using the media to get me into a public debate as to what I may have done for them or said to them 15 or 20 years ago."–Fred Thompson

Later in the column, Fred asserts "lobbyist-client privilege." There's a huge difference between attorney-client privilege, and a lobbyist that happened to go to law school. From The Shot:

There are plenty of lobbyists that aren’t lawyers in Washington, and to assert that they live under some moral code that prohibits them from talking about their clients is ludicrous--hell, they’re PAID to talk about their clients.

But Thompson says:

"Even if my memory serves me correctly, it would not be appropriate for a lawyer to make such comments."–Fred Thompson

On 7/7 his friend Senator John Sununu says:

"I don’t recall him ever lobbying me on that at all. I don’t think that ever happened."–John Sununu

And then Fred says this on 7/10:

"I called Sununu. I said 'You remember this?' He said 'No.' And that was the end of that."–Fred Thompson

But the next day on 7/11, Thompson's spokesman denied the conversation with Sununu:

"Contacted last night Corallo denied, despite Thompson’s on air comments, that Thompson had called Sununu to compare memory and/or question Sununu’s recollection."–Fred Thompson

Whew, that's a lot of flip-flopping over one small, though significant revelation. As of July 12th, he's completely disowning his earlier denial and then non-denials.

Fred Thompson is backing off his flat denial that he once lobbied for an abortion-rights group. He now says he doesn’t remember it, but does not dispute evidence to the contrary.

The climb-down could be a significant embarrassment for a prospective candidate with a plain-spoken appeal and who has courted the GOP’s anti-abortion base, although Thompson and his advisers had signaled for several days that it was coming.

FEMA Wastes $12.5 Million Storing Ice

What a waste. FEMA spent $12.5 million in taxpayer money to store 85 million pounds of unused ice after Hurricane Katrina. FEMA stored the ice for two years, even though the agency's own regulations required that they dispose of the ice after three months.

This week, FEMA finally decided to dump the ice because now it may be contaminated. From ABC News via ThinkProgress.

We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Press Shop

John McCain, enemy of pork and champion of fiscal discipline, is slimming down his campaign and getting rid of the non-essentials... like his national campaign's entire press shop:

Sen. John McCain's top three press aides resigned this morning, Republicans close to the campaign said and one of those aides confirmed.

The campaign's research director and two other press staffers also stepped down.

The departure of Brian Jones, the communications director, Danny Diaz, his deputy, and Matt David, another deputy, had been widely anticipated since last week's resignation of campaign manager Terry Nelson. All three were Nelson's proteges and worked closely with departed strategist John Weaver.

Shocker! Gilmore Drops Bid, Can’t Raise Enough Money to Compete

Former governor Jim Gilmore has announced that he will drop out of the Presidential race, citing "fundraising problems."

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore ended his long-shot campaign for the presidency on Saturday, saying he cannot raise enough money to compete for the Republican nomination.

Gilmore blamed the fundraising problems on his late entry into the race. He said he did not begin organizing his campaign until January, while most of the GOP front-runners had been preparing to run for years.

Thirteen days ago, Gilmore suspended his campaign indefinitely due to an eye injury. A spokesman at the time denied that the campaign was over.

Romney's Hardcore Porn Profits Not Mentioned in New Ad

Mitt Romney has a history of profiting from hardcore pornography. While a member of the board of Marriott for nearly ten years, he failed to voice any objections to providing the x-rated videos to those interested in renting them. Industry-wide, hotel chains make about $500 million dollars a year from this, and where was this culture warrior when he had a chance to actually do something about it?

No longer content with just profiting from money, now he's trying to profit politically with a new ad that talks about how the children are suffering due to a culture that has -- you guessed it -- pornography. It's fitting with the transformation he's been undertaking recently; just a few months ago he blamed pornography for the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

But what ever happened to personal responsibility? Namely, Mitt Romney's. If he's going to rail against it now, shouldn't he be forced to explain this obvious contradiction between his rhetoric and his record? The Deseret Morning News, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has already begun criticizing Romney for his hardcore porn profits, and look for more to come.

Democrats Pass Student Loan Reform, Bush Threatens to Veto

Last week House Democrats passed dramatic reforms in student aid programs, voting to cut $19 billion in federal subsidies to lending companies and to channel the savings to student aid, lowering interest rates on student loans, and making it easier for students to repay their loans after graduation.

The legislation passed 273 to 149. But President Bush has already threatened to veto the bill, calling it an "entitlement program." Other House Republicans called the bill a "welfare program."

By the way, Bush vetoed nothing during his first five-and-a-half years in office, but has now vetoed 2 bills and threatened to veto 16 more. The folks at The Gavel point out that Bush opposes or has threatened to veto 60 percent of the House's work.

Check out their new feature "Veto Watch" here.

Monday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 15, 2007

Giuliani Misleads On 9-11 Response

On Hannity Radio, Rudy Giuliani defended himself against criticism for his decision to put New York's emergency command center in the World Trade Center, by saying that in the aftermath of 9-11, they had a new command center up and running in "half an hour" at Police Academy.

But it's not true. The reality, documented in his own book (and the media) is that he and others traipsed around Manhattan for THREE HOURS trying various sites out before settling at the police academy.

From the Democratic Party's research team, here's the timeline:

WTC 7 Evacuated Shortly After 9 AM: Giuliani wrote that "Now that the second plane had hit, the command center was being evacuated – it was too near to the attacked buildings and could itself be a target...We had to set up a new command center." [Giuliani, Leadership, p. 5-6]

1 Hour Later: 75 Barclay, Picked On The Run, Is Another Brief Stop: According to Giuliani’s book "Bernie [Kerik] and his staff had already identified a building at 75 Barclay Street, just northeast of 7 World Trade Center." [Leadership, p. 6] He wrote that "at about 9:50 A.M. we commandeered the offices at 75 Barclay." [Leadership, p. 10] There the group was trapped and had to escape through the basement into 100 Church Street [Leadership, p. 12]

Another 90 Minutes Later, Tower 1 Falls, Government "No Longer Had A Place To Work": Giuliani wrote that after Tower 1 fell at about 10:30 AM, "There was no way to find out what was going on." [Leadership, p. 15]

Now NYPD Searching For New Command Post, Hotel Tribeca Grand Rejected On Arrival: "Bernie had sent a couple of his guys ahead to the Tribeca Grand to set up phone lines and clear the place out, like a scouting party in an Old Western." Finding this space unsuitable, the group moved on again. [Leadership, p. 15]

Next Stop: Locked Out From Firehouse With A "Couple of Working Phones:" Giuliani wrote that as they continued to seek a new command post, "Somebody mentioned Engine Company 24, a firehouse at Houston Street and Sixth Avenue. We made our way the few blocks north." [Leadership, p. 15] Because the firefighters were at the World Trade Center, the door was locked and "the entire city government—mayor, deputy mayors, commissioners--spent several minutes trying to get into the firehouse." [Leadership, p. 15] Once inside "we found a couple of working phones." [Leadership, p. 16]

Three Hours Later, At Noon, City Government Finally Settled At Police Academy: After a continuing search for a workable location, "Bernie [Kerik] had heard back from his scouts and suggested the Police Academy on 20th Street." [Leadership, p. 19]

"We arrived about noon, and nearly every member of my administration crammed into the small administrative offices. Soon we were at work, planning our response." [Leadership, p. 19]

Sunday Open Thread

Chat away... Did I mention you should sign up for the Democratic Reunion?

July 14, 2007

Saturday Open Thread

Chat away... and sign up for the Democratic Reunion!

July 13, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

This weekend, when you're looking for lots of good stuff to read, be sure to head on over to PartyBuilder. Here's just a sample of what people wrote about today.

• D. Tree believes that Miers [should] Be Held in "Contempt of Congress" and that “the Bush administration has paved the way for a confrontation with the law in its unprecedented claim of "executive privilege." He praises Congress for beginning proceedings to bring this matter to a swift conclusion.
• “The current Bush Administration and their Senate allies are completely unwilling to bend to majority rule… In the Republican elitist world, the people are to be ruled over instead of represented by Republican officeholders and judges.” Republican Rulers Are Out Of Control and Stephen Crockett appeals to all Americans to begin the process of healing our government.
• Our military deserves the best, Letitrip spotlights a petition on the Party Builder website that advocates supporting our troops through modernization of the military and standing up for the families of those who serve.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

The Friday Five: Democratic Reunion Edition

Every Friday we're highlighting five events happening around the country that we've found in PartyBuilder's Events system. Democrats who work and play together, win together, and keeping your local Democrats active and involved is the key to sustaining vibrant organizations.

This week we've got a special Democratic Reunion edition, featuring July 28th events where Democrats in every state will take action in their community to clean up America.

Here are 5 events happening around the country. If you don't see one in your neck of the woods, click here to search for one near you. Or better yet, create your own!

1. Democratic Food Drive and Picnic meeting (Toledo, OR)
   

   The Democratic Party of Oregon is organizing a
   statewide food drive to help feed the hungry in
   our state. Many County Democratic Parties have
   pledged to participate and Lincoln County
   Democratic Central Committee is no exception

2. Cleaning the Waters Edge (Gallatin Gateway, MT)
   

   The Gallatin River is a major source of fun for outdoor enthusiasts but it is constantly in a state of litter and garbage. This event would begin at the Axtel Bridge parking access and go as far as the legs of the volunteers will take them.

3. Blunn Creek Preserve Clean Up (Austin, TX)
   

   The Texas Democratic Party and the Texas Environmental Democrats invite you to join us as we help clean up Blunn Creek Nature Preserve.

4. Beach Clean (Long Branch, NJ)
   

   Let's gather to better our beaches with a Beach Clean at Seven Presidents Ocean Front Park in Long Branch, NJ 07740. It will be from 12pm until 2pm on Saturday July 28th. Show up whenever you can to make our world a little bit cleaner.

5. Redman-Williams Check-up (York, PA)
   

   Our reservoir and active source of water needs the occasional check-up, just like any living organism. Come take an "unprofessional" look at how the lakes are doing, clean up some litter/recyclables, and have a tailgate picnic with your fellow Dems at Noon.

So Now He Believes in Evolution?

Remember the Republican presidential debate a few months ago when Sam Brownback, Mike Huckabee, and Tom Tancredo all raised their hands and said that they don't believe in evolution?

Today the Brownback campaign issued a press release attacking Mitt Romney for "Mitt-amorphasis," the flip-flopping condition defined as:

"The evolutionary process by which a member of the species homo sapiens becomes a dolphin."

No word on whether this impacts Brownback's views on creationism.

Mitt Romney: Republican of Convenience

From the Massachusetts Democratic Party, RomneyFacts:

“I’ve been very clear, I think, to people across the commonwealth that my ‘R’ doesn’t stand so much for Republican as it does for reform,” he said in one clip to a reporter on September 21, 2002 on WBZ-TV.

In another interview on WGBH Greater Boston on Sept. 19, 2002, he said, “I’m not running as the Republican view, or a continuation of Republican values. That’s not what brings me to the race.”

The video also shows Mr. Romney speaking negatively of the dominance of Republicans in Utah, where he had just spent three years running the Olympics.

Adding one more flip-flop to the pile...

McCain Campaign is Broke

According to new reports, Sen. John McCain's pro-war presidential campaign is in dire financial straits, with only $250,000 left.

The sources tell CNN that next week the McCain campaign will reveal it has about $1.75 million in unpaid debts, wiping out the $2 million in cash-on-hand the campaign currently has in the bank.

And while we're on the subject of McCain--why is this guy still the Florida co-chair of his campaign?

House Democrats Pass Redeployment From Iraq Act

The House passed the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act yesterday by a vote of 223-201. The vote is the largest margin in favor of redeployment to date. From The Gavel:

The legislation, sponsored by Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, would begin the responsible redeployment of U.S. troops within 120 days and complete redeployment by April 1, 2008. The President would have to report to Congress why troops should remain in Iraq for limited purposes such as to fight terrorism or to train Iraqi forces.

Friday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 12, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Some of the best content at our website can be found over at PartyBuilder, where anybody has the ability to make their voice heard. Here are some of the highlights from the last 24 hours.

• Alright for the House helping students! Bentley Davis applauds the House for passing groundbreaking legislation that will make college more affordable.
• In Where are the youth?, Chandra recounts the excitement and sense of responsibility she felt when voting for the first time and challenges all Americans to perform their civic duty and cast a ballot in the next election.
• Cato Meador pays tribute to Lady Bird [Johnson]....Texas' Only Real First Lady and, in comparing her to other celebrated Texans including Ann Richards, says that “[Texan] history was built on the backs of just [these sorts] of larger-than-life folks.”
• Dorothy McKenzie, JD, DVM recognizes The Importance of Caring for Seniors in the USA and declares that “one of the most serious failures of recent administrations…has been the shabby treatment afforded to many retiring workers with respect to the security of their pensions.” She appeals for compassion and returned focus to this issue.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Congress Starts Contempt Proceedings Against Harriet Miers

Former White House Counsel Harriet Miers defied a Congressional subpoena today and skipped a hearing on the firing of eight U.S. attorneys. She acted on the orders of President Bush, who claims "executive privilege" over her testimony, and who says that his top advisors, current or former, cannot be summoned by Congress.

Today House Democrats on the Judiciary Subcommittee cleared the way for contempt proceedings against her, voting 7-5 to reject Bush's claim of executive privilege.

"If we do not enforce this subpoena, no one will ever have to come before the Judiciary Committee again," Rep. Conyers, D-Mich., said.

"What we've got here is an empty chair. I mean, that is as contemptuous as anybody can be of the government," said Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. "I resent the fact that this lady is not here."

Governor Dean Responds To Bush

Governor Howard Dean responded to President Bush's remarks today by saying that it is wrong to keep our troops in the middle of a civil war in Iraq just to learn what we already know--that the escalation is not working.

Read the transcript after the jump.

Keep reading "Governor Dean Responds To Bush"

Defense Department Risked U.S. Lives With No-Bid Contracts

A new study by the Pentagon's Inspector General concludes that the Bush administration's Department of Defense risked the lives of U.S. troops in Iraq by how they chose to award contracts for MRAP vehicles, the armored vehicles that are safer for soldiers than Humvees.

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) requested the study, which reported that since 2000, the Department of Defense has awarded contracts valued at $2.2 billion dollars to just two companies, Force Protection, Inc.(FPI) and Armor Holdings, Inc (AHI).

Inspector General auditors found that the Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) made these two companies the sole providers of armored vehicles and armor kits for troops, despite knowing that other suppliers may have produced the equipment so desperately needed in Iraq substantially faster. Both manufacturers fell far behind delivery schedules, while AHI also produced inadequate and faulty equipment.

We reported earlier that these armored MRAP vehicles and armor kits are essential for the safety of our troops. Roadside bomb attacks on armored humvees cause 70% of U.S. injuries and deaths in Iraq.

MRAP vehicles are much safer than Humvees. As of May 7, 2007, no Marines had died in the more than 300 attacks in MRAP vehicles in Anbar province.

9 out of 10 Republican Candidates Refuse To Speak To African American Voters

Only one Republican presidential candidate, Tom Tancredo, showed up for the NACCP's presidential forum in Detroit this morning. Regardless, the forum continued with the NAACP placing podiums for the presidential candidates. You can view a picture of the forum at the Detroit News Website.

Update: They changed the picture at the Detroit Free Press website, but Marc Ambinder has the picture.

Bush: "War Fatigue" is Affecting Our Psychology

At the press conference this morning, President Bush was asked why he is "so resistant" to a "change of course in Iraq," despite the war's massive unpopularity. He answered with some Psych 101.

Bush dismissed the reporter’s question, stating that he isn’t surprised "that there is deep concern amongst our people," but ascribed it to "war fatigue." "It’s affecting our psychology."

ThinkProgress has the clip. Watch it.

Lady Bird Johnson, 1913-2007

Lady Bird Johnson, widow of President Lyndon B. Johnson, passed away yesterday at her home in Austin, Texas. She was 94.

She is remembered as a brave fighter for civil rights, champion of Head Start, conservationist and friend of the environment. Read here the story of her brave tour of the South in 1964 after President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Bill.

Governor Dean issued the following statement:

"I'm deeply saddened by the passing of a great woman, Lady Bird Johnson," Dean said. "With a calm demeanor and steady presence, Johnson was a source of strength, serving as first lady during a difficult period in our nation’s history. A champion of Democratic ideals, she advocated for Head Start and fought tirelessly to preserve America’s natural beauty, leading many to call her one of our country's first environmentalists. Johnson will be sorely missed, but her legacy will live on. Our thoughts and prayers are with Johnson’s family and friends."

Thursday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 11, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

There's a lot going on at the PartyBuilder group blog, where everybody can participate.

• Reflections on Live Earth - A Concert/A Movement for a Climate in Crisis: Lorraine Pasquali spent her Saturday at the Live Earth concert and, armed with new knowledge, calls upon us to do our part to help the environment because, “By saving our planet, we are saving ourselves.”
• D. Tree urges all of us to Take Action: Help Restore Habeas Corpus. Senators Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter will introduce an amendment reinstating this celebrated safeguard of liberty on Friday.
• Bentley Davis highlights a New York Times article that details the testimony of Formal Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The Former Surgeon General Testifie[d] that his actions were severely restricted by the administration which regularly chose political agenda over scientific reality.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Firefighters Speak Out About Giuliani's Record In New York City

The firefighters in New York City have put together a video explaining their opposition to Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign. It's a powerful video in which firefighters discuss how Giuliani's decisions while he was mayor put them at risk.

Miers Will Be No-Show in the Showdown

Former White House Counsel Harriet Miers said that she will not appear at a hearing tomorrow before the House Judiciary Committee, even though the committee issued her a subpoena.

The Bush administration has claimed that Miers and former White House Political Director Sara Taylor cannot testify about their roles in the firing of eight U.S. attorneys because of "executive privilege."

From the Judiciary Committee, Rep. John Conyers and Rep. Linda Sánchez responded to that claim today:

"We are aware of absolutely no court decision that supports the notion that a former White House official has the option of refusing to even appear in response to a Congressional subpoena. To the contrary, the courts have made clear that no present or former government official--even the President--is above the law and may completely disregard a legal directive such as the Committee's subpoena."

UPDATE: Former White House Political Director Sara Taylor testified today before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Or rather, sort of testified. Join the lively community discussion here.

MCCAIN ACTUALLY VOTED???

For John McCain to actually show up to vote against the Webb Troop-Protection Amendment, either the campaign's over or they just can't afford to fly him out of Washington anymore.

Geez, I guess poor guy actually has to work now...

Michael Chertoff Bases Security Warnings on a "Gut Feeling"

Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff told the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune that he has a "gut feeling" the country is unsafe:

Fearing complacency among the American people over possible terror threats, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in Chicago Tuesday that the nation faces a heightened chance of an attack this summer.

"I believe we are entering a period this summer of increased risk," Chertoff told the Chicago Tribune’s editorial board in an unusually blunt and frank assessment of America’s terror threat level.

"Summertime seems to be appealing to them," he said of al-Qaeda. "We do worry that they are rebuilding their activities."

Still, Chertoff said there are not enough indications of an imminent plot to raise the current threat levels nationwide. And he indicated that his remarks were based on "a gut feeling" formed by past seasonal patterns of terrorist attacks, recent al-Qaeda statements, and intelligence he did not disclose. [Italics mine]

Today Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Chair of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Chertoff demanding an explanation of his remarks. Read it at The Gavel.

Heroes Vs. Rudy... Round One

What's the truth about Rudy's leadership during times of crisis? A group of New York firefighters today slammed Giuliani's response to 9/11, saying that his record on fighting terror is "all a fallacy":

In a video being released today, New York City firefighters and their families criticize former mayor Rudy Giuliani for his handling of the Sept. 11 , 2001, terrorist attacks.

They argue that Giuliani's administration failed to provide adequate radios for first-responders at the World Trade Center. And they remain angry at his decision to speed the removal of the enormous pile of rubble at ground zero, cutting back the size of the group searching for remains.

Political Director Used RNC Account For Political Matters

Yes, that's actually Sara Taylor's excuse for not using her official White House email, which is subject to the Presidential Records Act which makes them public record.

Are we supposed to forget her job was the POLITICAL Director? Here's the video, thanks to TPM Muckraker:

Webb Amendment To Protect the Troops Blocked by Republicans in the Senate

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced the Webb Amendment, a troop readiness amendment which would require that troops have guaranteed periods of rest at home between deployments. The Senate just voted on whether or not to effectively block the amendment. The amendment failed with only 56 votes out of 60.

UPDATE: Bob Geiger has the list of all 41 Republicans who voted against the troops today. He points out that 14 of them are up for reelection in 2008.

Former White House Political Director Sara Taylor Testifies

Testimony happening now, watch live on C-SPAN 3. (You'll need RealPlayer or Windows Media.)

Are McCain Staff Now Outnumbered by McCain Pets?

Hopefully they won't run away from him this week...

If election victory was solely dependent on the pet factor, the Arizona senator would have excellent chances at a landslide victory: a cat, two turtles, a ferret, three parakeets and 13 saltwater fish inhabit the 70-year-old's house along with his two dogs.

Does Lobbyist Fred Thompson Believe Anything He's Said or Anything He's Saying?

It seems Mitt Romney has some competition in the "say-anything-to-get-elected" department. Election central links to a David Brody post which has some choice quotes from lobbyist Fred Thompson in 1996--when he wanted to chuck the national Republican platform.

Thompson wants to change the way the 1996 Republican National Convention is conducted. For starters, he wants to abolish the party platform--just toss the archaic thing away. 'It's the most useless device I've ever heard of,' Thompson said during a recent visit to Memphis."

"Thompson said he opposes making early-term abortions a crime, as some Republicans would like to do with a constitutional amendment. 'But I don't think you should bolt on one issue. I'm still not convinced platforms are a good idea. We know what we believe in and I don't think we need to write it all down in a document,' Thompson said.

The Tennessee Republican, a pro-choice defender in a party with an anti-abortion tilt, is preparing for next week's convention in San Diego. He said the party must avoid distracting issues and focus on electing Bob Dole as president. 'We need to concentrate on what brings us together and not what divides us,' Thompson said in an interview with The Tennessean published Tuesday.

So if Fred Thompson thought in 1996 that the Republican platform is divisive, when did he change his mind? He's an actor, so was he acting then--or is he acting now?

Cheney About As Popular As Paris Hilton

With Cheney's approval rating at a record low of 13-percent, I thought I'd put that into perspective.

Paris Hilton: 12-percent
Dick Cheney: 13-percent
Britney Spears: 13-percent
Nicole Richie: 14-percent
Lindsay Lohan: 20-percent
Tom Cruise: 32-percent

Bush Administration Suppressed Public Health Reports

Surprising testimony yesterday by former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, who served under the Bush administration from 2002 to 2006:

Former Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona told a Congressional panel Tuesday that top Bush administration officials repeatedly tried to weaken or suppress important public health reports because of political considerations.

The administration, Dr. Carmona said, would not allow him to speak or issue reports about stem cells, emergency contraception, sex education, or prison, mental and global health issues. Top officials delayed for years and tried to "water down" a landmark report on secondhand smoke, he said.

Dr. Carmona said he was ordered to mention President Bush three times on every page of his speeches. He also said he was asked to make speeches to support Republican political candidates and to attend political briefings.

Dr. Carmona spoke just two days before confirmation hearings for Bush's latest pick for Surgeon General, James Holsinger. Two members of the Senate health committee already oppose Holsinger because he manipulated medical studies in a 1991 paper in order to advance his anti-gay agenda.

Democrats Move to Cut Funding to Cheney's Office

From the Associated Press:

Senate Democrats moved Tuesday to cut off funding for Vice President Dick Cheney's office in a continuing battle over whether he must comply with national security disclosure rules.

A Senate appropriations panel chaired by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., refused to fund $4.8 million in the vice president's budget until Cheney's office complies with parts of an executive order governing its handling of classified information.

More from Sen. Durbin on his decision to cut funding:

"Neither Mr. Cheney or his staff is above the law or the Constitution," Durbin said. "For the vice president to believe that he has no responsibility to meet this requirement of the law is a dereliction of duty."

Wednesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 10, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

It's that time again. Let's take a look at some of the best from people like you over at PartyBuilder.

• Mr. Bush, It's Time You Learned: Slogans Don't Win Wars. D. Tree proposes that the Bush Administration develop and implement a new strategy for Iraq instead of finding new ways of selling the old, ineffective plan.
• Moses directs us to the 60 Minutes report featuring US Comptroller General David Walker who in predicting Our real economic future? foresees “dire consequences for failing to act fiscally responsibl[y].”
• Marksg1 reminds us and the President that Executive privilege is only a privilege. Honesty really is the best policy.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

What a Question!

Giuliani's going to have to work on a new answer to his repeated staff problems...

John McCain, Post Implosion

After John McCain's campaign manager Terry Nelson, chief strategist John Weaver, and chief of staff Mark Salter all deserted him today, McCain brought in veteran Republican lobbyist Rick Davis as his new manager.

Meet Rick Davis.

Rick Davis was founder and managing partner of the very partisan Davis, Manafort & Freedman, Inc., a lobbying firm based in Arlington, Virginia. Some of the firm's notable clients include:

Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha: The firm was hired by the Nigerians in March 1998, at a time when the country's dictator, General Sani Abacha, was engaged in an aggressive public relations campaign to persuade Americans that he was the leader of a progressive emerging democracy. Human rights groups described General Abacha as a ruthless and corrupt dictator.

Companies that moved jobs offshore: The firm also lobbied Congress for favorable treatment for Fruit of the Loom in a trade bill that was expected to deliver a quick $25 million to $50 million to the company's bottom line. The company had recently saved additional money by moving about 17,000 of its American jobs offshore, mostly to the Caribbean Basin, and reincorporating in the tax haven Cayman Islands.

Companies with business before McCain's committee: Two of the companies represented by Davis' firm, COMSAT and SBC, had major (and controversial) mergers pending before the Federal Communications Commission in 1999, and both mergers were approved. That same year, Davis was working both for McCain and for the lobbying firm representing the two companies seeking permission from the FCC to merge. McCain refused to recuse himself from the proceedings, despite his connections with the involved parties.

Davis also played a central role in the McCain Reform Institute Scandal. McCain founded The Reform Institute to push for clean campaigns and elections nationwide, but then used the 501(c)3 to draw large donations from industries seeking legislative favors. He also used the Institute to pay political advisors like Davis, who earned $110,000 a year from the Institute.

Many of the Reform Institute donors were also communications industry players with business before the Commerce Committee--when Sen. McCain was its chairman.

Echosphere, a communications company started by Charles Ergen, a founder of EchoStar Communications and the DISH Network, gave $50,000 or more to the institute. So did CSC Holdings, a subsidiary of the Cablevisions Systems Corporation, headed by Charles F. Dolan, and the Chartwell Foundation, the charitable group funded by A. Jerrold Perenchio, the Univision billionaire.

In fact, Cablevision's money accounted for 15 percent of the Institute's fund-raising in 2003.

Bush's Disapproval Rating Now Tied With Nixon's

From his new home at Open Left, Chris Bowers points out that the percentage of people who disapprove of Bush now equals the percentage of people who disapproved of Richard Nixon--the week before he left office:

His current disapproval rating in the latest Gallup poll, 66%, equals Richard Nixon's highest Gallup disapproval rating of 66%, registered the week before he resigned from office. Back then, Gallup was the only organization conducting presidential approval polls, and thus the Gallup poll is always taken as the gold standard for historical comparisons. this figure also puts Bush only 1% away from the all-time highest disapproval, set by Harry Truman in early January, 1952.

Chris also includes a chart of the worst Gallup poll results for every president over the past 70 years, so you can compare the ratings for yourself.

Gov. Dean Wants You To Clean Up The Mess

This year, Governor Dean is asking Democrats to get their hands dirty. We’re dedicating our annual Democratic Reunion to an effort that is critically important--the fight for a cleaner environment.

Each year Democrats come together at Democratic Reunion events to build a stronger party. Last summer, we knocked on doors in thousands of neighborhoods right before the 2006 elections. We were supporting the important work of organizers on the ground, putting the 50-State Strategy into action and helping win back Congress in November.

This year Democrats across the country will plant trees, clean up parks and streams, and start recycling programs. We’ll also plant the seeds of something bigger--the effort to take back the White House in 2008. We told our members in an email today: "Let’s work on making our towns greener places to live--it’s a good start to cleaning up the Republican mess in Washington."

At the Democratic Reunion website Democrats can plan or find events in their own communities using Partybuilder, the Democratic Party’s social networking system.

There’s a lot of momentum on our side right now. Governor Dean just signed Al Gore’s Live Earth pledge, and Speaker Pelosi’s legislative agenda makes energy independence a top priority. We hope you can join us on July 28.

White House "Do Not Admit" List Still Making News

While President Bush is giving a speech in Columbus today to a town hall forum. Even as Bush tries to justify the escalation in Iraq, legal questions about the White House's 2006 "Do Not Admit" list is still making news.

The names of 42 Fargo area people, including City Commissioner Linda Coates, discovered their names on a list of individuals banned from getting tickets to Bush’s town hall talk on Social Security.

The ACLU says a “Presidential Advance Manual” aims to keep people who are critical of Bush away from him and the news media.

“This is a nationwide problem, not a couple of isolated incidents,” ACLU attorney Chris Hansen said Monday.

Thompson Not Always a Conservative Darling

From the LA Times:

At the pinnacle of Fred D. Thompson's career in the Senate, a conservative activist was so disappointed in him that he put the Tennessee Republican on a "wanted" poster. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the GOP leader of the Senate, was fuming at him. Republican colleagues were steamed when Thompson threw his weight behind a campaign finance bill that conservatives loathed.

"Has Fred Thompson Blown It?" blared a headline in a conservative magazine, accusing him of squandering an opportunity to use a set of 1997 hearings to nail Democrats for illegal fundraising.

Its Called The "Scooter" Provision

From The Hill: "Senate defense authorizers tucked deep within a defense bill a repeal of the department’s restriction on granting security clearances to ex-convicts, drug addicts and the mentally incompetent."

Republican Flounders: McCain Loses Top Staffers

It's been a hard year to be a Republican candidate, from flip-flopping and having to pander to the right-wing fringe of the Republican party. After a bad fundraising quarter, MSNBC is reporting that John McCain's campaign manager Terry Nelson and chief strategist John Weaver are leaving the campaign.

UPDATE: Mark Salter, McCain's long-time chief of staff and co-author of his five books, is apparently also leaving the campaign. Republican sources close to the campaign are saying that the three did not leave amicably.

Alberto Gonzales Knew About Violations of the Patriot Act

Two years ago, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asked Congress to renew the USA Patriot Act. During his testimony, he assured senators that the FBI had not abused its new powers under the Act:

"There has not been one verified case of civil liberties abuse," Gonzales told senators on April 27, 2005.

But according to a new story in the Washington Post, Gonzales received a report six days earlier from the FBI about the Patriot Act that described how agents had obtained personal information that they were not entitled to have.

In fact, in the three months before Gonzales testified before the Senate intelligence committee, he received at least six reports that detailed legal or procedural violations that had occurred under the Patriot Act.

The acts recounted in the FBI reports included unauthorized surveillance, an illegal property search and a case in which an Internet firm improperly turned over a compact disc with data that the FBI was not entitled to collect, the documents show. Gonzales was copied on each report that said administrative rules or laws protecting civil liberties and privacy had been violated.

...Caroline Fredrickson, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the new documents raise questions about whether Gonzales misled Congress at a moment when lawmakers were poised to renew the Patriot Act and keenly sought assurances that there were no abuses. "It was extremely important," she said of Gonzales's 2005 testimony. "The attorney general said there are no problems with the Patriot Act, and there was no counterevidence at the time."

Did Giuliani Purge Vitter From His Website?

The now-famous "D.C. Madam" escort service recently released a list of their telephone numbers, which has now led to Republican Senator David Vitter apologizing for "a very serious sin."

It's a setback for the Giuliani campaign, since Vitter is serving as his southern regional chair. At the time, National Journal's Hotline called the endorsement "major" and "important." It also said Vitter would "help whip support among Southern conservatives."

But did the Giuliani campaign purge Vitter from their website, or was there a simple mix-up?

Lots of blogs across the political spectrum, at the time of the endorsement, linked to a press release on Giuliani's website talking up the Vitter endorsement. However, when we go to that page today, we get nothing but an error message saying "We're sorry! The page you are looking for is no longer available."

So did they take down the page? Move it? Is there some other explanation?

UPDATE: Nope, they didn't purge it. They just moved it with some other web changes. So it appears they're still flaunting their support of the guy:

"David Vitter is a good man - a conservative reformer in the Senate who has fought for free market economic policy, ethics reform and much more," Mayor Giuliani said. "I am honored to have David join our team and lead our campaign efforts in the South and in the United States Senate," said Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Tuesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 9, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Over the weekend and today, there was plenty to read over at PartyBuilder. Here's a sample of some of the highlights:

• In Checkmate for '08: Beating the Republicans With Their Own Game, Deanie Mills spills her thoughts on how Democrats should take back the White House in 2008. Democratic Presidential hopefuls should learn from the 2004 Republican strategy by recognizing that “voters' emotional reactions to candidates are more important than those candidates' stand on the issues.” Democrats must not appear “weak on defense,” and they must expose “silly” Republican “smears.”
• Mark in LA brings to light an important NY Times editorial in his post, The Road Home. The editorial “lays out clear and precise reasoning for and how to extricate ourselves from Iraq.” Mark’s recommendation? “Print it. Save it. Memorize the key points,” and let Republicans know that “It's time to leave Iraq.”
• Dorothy McKenzie, JD, DVM argues in Liberal values serve everyone that “liberal values are inherently comprehensive and therefore inclusive in nature.” One of the most important liberal values is “public welfare.” It is essential that our government “serve the public trust in favor” of public welfare issues rather than promoting “essentially private or limited interests.”
• Take 8 in '08: Louisa Kinoshi and Sharon Grosfeld of WLF push for each commit to register at least 8 women to vote, noting that "the Democratic Party can build a formidable alliance with a critical group that will help to insure a Democrat sits in the White House in 2008".

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Rudy Giuliani: Racecar Passenger

Rudy Giuliani went to his first Nascar event, pandering to the crowd in his shiny cowboy boots:

When he was mayor, Mr. Giuliani was not shy about indulging in such New York treats as the opera or expensive Italian restaurants. But he now finds himself on different terrain as he runs for president, and so he has started educating himself on the sport that claims some 75 million fans who skew distinctly Republican.

To that end, he told reporters that he had just finished reading “The Female Fan Guide to Motorsports.”
[...]
As he toured the speedway, Mr. Giuliani’s casual look, a blue blazer and khakis, did not exactly blend in among the throngs of men with tank tops and deep red tans.

Giuliani also reportedly had a chance to "lead the 43-car field riding in an official event vehicle." Thinking about the awkwardness of Rudy Giuliani riding inside, this old Mitch Hedberg joke came to mind:

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) Fears Corruption Investigation

Sen. Ted Stevens, the 83-year-old Republican senator from Alaska who has served longer than any other incumbent, is now under investigation by the Justice Department for corruption.

At the heart of the investigation is a renovation project in 2000 that more than doubled the size of Stevens' home in the resort town of Girdwood. The remodeling work was supervised by Bill Allen, a contractor who pled guilty to bribing Alaska state legislators.

Federal investigators are now asking who paid for the home improvements--and what Allen might have received in return for the work.

Allen is also founder of VECO Corp., an Alaska-based oil field services and engineering company that has reaped tens of millions of dollars in federal contracts. He is now cooperating with the FBI.

"The worst thing about this investigation is that it does change your life in terms of employment potential," Stevens said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It doesn't matter what anyone says, it does shake you up. If this is still hanging around a year from November, it could cause me some trouble."

Last week, Alaska Democratic Party Chair Jake Metcalfe demanded some answers:

"Sen. Stevens continues to refuse to answer questions about his actions," Metcalfe said. "He owes Alaskans more than the excuse that his lawyers have told him not to comment."

"Dumb as Hell..."

The New Hampshire Union Leader today reports that President Nixon had strong reservations about leaving his legal defense to a young lawyer named Fred Thompson. After hearing that Fred had been chosen to represent the administration during the Congressional hearings, Nixon had only the nicest things to say of Thompson - most prominently, that he is "dumb as hell."

Fred Thompson gained an image as a tough-minded investigative counsel for the Senate Watergate committee. Yet President Nixon and his top aides viewed the fellow Republican as a willing, if not too bright, ally, according to White House tapes. . . . Nixon was disappointed with the selection of Thompson, whom he called "dumb as hell." The President did not think Thompson was skilled enough to interrogate unfriendly witnesses and would be outsmarted by the committee's Democratic counsel. . . . "Oh s---, that kid," Nixon said when told by his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, of Thompson's appointment on Feb. 22, 1973.

"Well, we're stuck with him," Haldeman said.

Ouch... Maybe Nixon would have been happier with him if he had known that Fred would be leaking sensitive information to the President throughout the hearing...

Democrats Push for Troop Readiness

This afternoon, with the 2-week debate beginning for the defense authorization bill, Democrats will push to bring the war in Iraq to an end. It begins with the Jim Webb Troop-Readiness Amendment, which is being introduced today in the Senate.

The amendment would require that active-duty troops have at least the same amount of time at home as the length of their previous tour overseas.

The fact of the matter is that the war in Iraq has stretched our military too thin, and we need to make sure we have the ability to keep our country safe from attack. That means getting our troops out of a civil war, and making sure we aren't squandering our resources where they shouldn't be.

There are various pieces of legislation we'll be seeing in the coming weeks. Democrats are committed to getting us out of this civil war. Right now, on C-SPAN 2, Senator Webb and Reid just finished answers questioning from the press about his plan.

Some Republicans have said they're ready for change. Seeing how they vote on Democratic legislation will make it clear whether or not they'll vote for that change.

Fred Thompson, Lobbyist for Choice?

Fred Thompson, lobbyist and Republican presidential candidate (and conservative darling), once lobbied to ease abortion restrictions. Thanks to Cliff Schecter for catching this:

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred D. Thompson, who is campaigning for president as a "pro-life" Republican, accepted an assignment from a family-planning group to lobby the first Bush White House to ease a controversial abortion restriction, according to a 1991 document and several people familiar with the matter.

A spokesman for the former senator denied that Thompson did the lobbying work. But the minutes of a 1991 board meeting of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Assn. say that the group hired Thompson that year.

His task was to urge the administration of President George H. W. Bush to withdraw or relax a rule that barred abortion counseling at clinics that received federal money, according to the records and to people who worked on the matter.

Thompson has already been questioned by conservative groups for past pro-choice statements. When asked yesterday about the latest revelation, he enigmatically replied:

"I'd just say the flies get bigger in the summertime. I guess the flies are buzzing."

White House Defies Congressional Subpoenas

The politically-motivated firings of several US Attorneys continues to cause controversy, but this time the White House wasn't content with simply ignoring an equal branch of government. No, this time they decided to show their contempt for checks and balances by refusing to even explain themselves.

Late last month, House and Senate judiciary committee chairmen John Conyers and Pat Leahy sent a letter urging the White House to provide subpoenaed documents. And if they refused, then the White House must actually start explaining which parts of the documents qualify for executive privilege.

If they aren't willing to even do that, and instead resort to some blanket assertion, then how can we even assume there's a good faith effort by the White House to determine whether they're even trying to provide the information they know not to be covered?

The letter pointed out that if the White House refused to make this "log," then Conyers and Leahy would need to "consider whether the White House is in contempt of Congress."

Today the White House has come out and said they refuse to even show this minimal amount of respect for Congress. And more than that, they're reportedly refusing to even allow former White House aides Harriet E. Miers and Sara M. Taylor to testify.

More from the AP:

"Increasingly, the president and vice president feel they are above the law," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Bush's assertion of executive privilege was "unprecedented in its breadth and scope" and displayed "an appalling disregard for the right of the people to know what is going on in their government."

This isn't the first time the Bush administration has asserted executive privilege in this matter, and it's the type of "Nixonian stonewalling" that just shows that the famous Republican culture of corruption is still alive and well.

Monday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 8, 2007

Sunday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 7, 2007

Saturday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 6, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

Here's some more of the great content over at PartyBuilder. Did I mention it's a great place to be over the weekend, where you can always find fresh content?

• Loss of "Fast Track Authority": Sam Schoolsky responds to David Broder’s column in today’s Washington Post by contending that the President lost this power not because of “congressmen and senators…feeling the heat at home” but due to a widespread loss of faith and trust in the President’s judgment.
• Net Neutrality is Patriotic, Net Neutrality is American, Net Neutrality is Needed. Now. says JM Bell who challenges the FCC to “ensure that broadband providers do not block, interfere with, or discriminate against any lawful Internet traffic based on its ownership, source, or destination.”
• MarkG writes in By the people that it is “only by participating in our government [that we can] regain our freedoms” and achieve the changes that the majority of Americans crave.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

No Libby Questions During the Gaggle

Something as important as the Bush administration commuting the sentence of convicted felon Scooter Libby -- a former top White House aide who obstructed justice to cover-up the circumstances around the outing of a covert CIA agent -- deserves some follow-up questions.

Yet today at the gaggle (the morning press briefing), not a single question was asked about the cloud that now exists over this entire administration. Certainly the topic that dominated the gaggle was important, but there should also be some time dedicated to such an abuse of power.

For well over a year, the White House has stonewalled attempts to get to the bottom of this mess. They blamed it on an "ongoing investigation" that prevented them from telling us the truth. Well, now that the investigation is over, Scooter Libby has been convicted, and President Bush has commuted the sentence, you'd think that the press corps would be asking every one of those questions again.

You'd be wrong.

From just the first page of results that I got at WhiteHouse.gov, here are some questions that never got answered. You can check them out below the fold.

Keep reading "No Libby Questions During the Gaggle"

Ron Paul Is Better Positioned Than McCain, and Romney?

ABC News is reporting that third tier candidate Ron Paul has more cash on hand after the second quarter than John McCain. It should be noted that without a large infusion of cash ($9 million dollars) from Mitt Romney, Ron Paul would have almost as much cash as two of the Republican front runners.

He may even have outraised Fred Thompson, but we may not know immediately since Thompson is trying to skirt the campaign finance laws he helped write by not reporting his donors on July 15th.

The Friday Five

Every Friday we're highlighting five events happening around the country that we've found in PartyBuilder's Events system. Democrats who work and play together, win together, and keeping your local Democrats active and involved is the key to sustaining vibrant organizations.

Here are 5 events happening around the country in the next week. If you don't see one in your neck of the woods, click here to search for one near you.

1. LIVE EARTH (Free!) (Washington, DC)
   

   On Saturday over 2 billion people will rally around the world to save our climate. There will be concerts in Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Sydney, London, and Tokyo. But until today, Live Earth was blocked from Washington, D.C. by politicians allied with right-wing industry groups.

2. Drinking Liberally in St. Helens (Saint Helens, OR)
   

   Lift a liberal libation to life and liberty & pursue happiness with like-minded lefties as you share your ideas while sharing a pitcher at your local progressive social club.

3. Lunch on Las Olas with Senator Nan Rich and Rep. Dan Gelber (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
   

   Join us on July 12th at noon for a DPC luncheon with a Florida Legislative Special Session Update with Senator Nan Rich and Representative Dan Gelber.

4. Hampton Film Series: U.S. vs John Lennon (Hampton, CT)
   

   “THE U.S. vs. JOHN LENNON” is a compelling and provocative look at John Lennon's transformation from beloved musical artist to anti-war activist. The evangelical storm that greeted John Lennon and The Beatles in America after Lennon observed that they were 'bigger than Jesus' might have made him think twice before making provocative statements again.

5. Democracy for New York City Astoria Linkup (Astoria, NY)
   

   Democracy for NYC Presents the Astoria Link-Up. An opportunity for like-minded progressive Democrats to get together,discuss politics and eat. Hosts Jeremiah Frei-Pearson and Costa Constantinides.

Cost of Iraq War Now $12 Billion a Month

American operations in Iraq now cost $12 billion a month, and the total cost of the war could reach $1.4 trillion, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service. From Danger Room:

Additional war costs for the next 10 years could total about $472 billion if troop levels fall to 30,000 by 2010, or $919 billion if troop levels fall to 70,000 by about 2013. If these estimates are added to already appropriated amounts, total funding could be $980 billion to $1.4 trillion by 2017. [Italics mine]

Meanwhile, Inside Defense also reports that "top Pentagon budget and program officials have directed the military services to prepare spending proposals to finance Iraq and Afghanistan operations... through fiscal year 2009, which will span the last days of the Bush administration and the early months of the next administration."

Republicans in Congress Abandon Bush

Within the last twenty-four hours, Bush was deserted by two more prominent Republicans on the issue of the Iraq war.

Rep. John Doolittle, a consevative California congressman, today joined others in his party rapidly deserting the president on the Iraq war.

At a town hall meeting in Rocklin and then in a meeting with the editorial board of the Sacramento Bee he questioned whether the conflict was worth the loss of more American lives. He said U.S. troops should be pulled back from the front lines "as soon as possible" and the fighting turned over to Iraqi forces.

Earlier, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) also broke with the White House when he called for a change in course in U.S. military strategy in Iraq--without waiting for the September report on the "surge."

Fred Has First Campaign... er, "Testing the Waters" Scandal

From the NY Daily News:

All-but-declared GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson is shilling for a company whose co-founder was accused of secretly tapping into people's bank accounts.

The ex-"Law & Order" actor is airing a one-minute radio spot around the country for LifeLock, an identity-protection company co-founded by Robert Maynard.

Giuliani Will Say Anything: Defends Bush's Libby Decision

On Tuesday we made the point that a lot of the Republican candidates were tripping over themselves to pander to the far-right and defend Bush's decision to commute the sentence of convicted felon Scooter Libby.

Rudy Giuliani's position on the issue is particularly odd because he spent years as a federal prosecutor dealing with obstruction of justice charges.

Think Progress dug deeper and found that Giuliani has changed his position on executive clemency completely in order to pander to the far right Republican base.

Giuliani hasn’t always believed that such a hasty process was "reasonable" for executive clemency. In 1982, when he was an assistant attorney general in the Reagan Department of Justice, Giuliani said clemency entailed "a complex, yearlong procedure":

According to Associate Attorney General Rudolph W. Giuliani, executive clemency involves a great number of people and a complex, yearlong procedure. Every request is subject to a detailed inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which conducts as many as 50 interviews to flesh out each application. That background investigation is as comprehensive as any the bureau conducts on a prospective United States Attorney, Mr. Giuliani said.

The case is next studied by the pardon attorney, who makes a judgment that Mr. Giuliani reviews. His judgment, in turn, goes to Fred Fielding, the White House counsel who re-examines the files and makes his own judgment. Then, according to Mr. Fielding, every request is presented to the President for his concurrence.

[Note: Notice the familiar face? Fred Fielding was the White House counsel both then and now.]

Mitt Gone Wild! Criticized For Hardcore Hotel Porn

Mitt Romney, pandering for the support of groups like the Family Research Council, famously blamed pornography for the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech. The Virginia Tech shooter, Romney said, "had drunk from the cesspool" of pornography.

But apparently the rhetoric didn't work, and now he's being criticized for not attempting to end hardcore hotel movie offerings during his time on the Marriott board. Industrywide, estimates for hotel profit from pornography go up to $500 million.

Knowing Romney's love of excuses, maybe he can try this one that a Marriott spokesman gave a few years back: "You're asking me if nudity is involved? I'm not a critic so it's not like I can tell you piece by piece what's going on."

Or maybe he can just say he installed a special shield to protect hotel-goers from the pornography on their television screens.

Maybe that excuse is next, but right now he's simply clamming up and hoping it will go away. It looks like the hypocrisy will just be too much for this to simply go without notice.

Friday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 5, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

There's some particularly good content over at PartyBuilder. If you've never checked out PartyBuilder before, today's a good day to start.

• Sam Schoolsky writes in Stupidity or Lying????? that he was raised to have faith in our leaders, but, especially regarding the Iraq War, no longer knows what to believe.
• In America, My America, Chris Vaughn reminds us that in spite of the many negatives present in our everyday lives, that the 4th of July is a day to remember and celebrate the many reasons why America is a great country.
• Democrat in Ong, NE promotes buying goods made in the USA as outsourcing “undercuts” wages at home and working and environmental conditions everywhere, in The Economy: The Importance of "Made in America."

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

Mitt Says He Would Attack Iran. "Five Brothers" to Enlist?

How far will Mitt go to appease war-mongering, right-wing ideologues? Read more about Mitt's machismo on Iran:

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday that he would consider using military force against Iran if attempts to isolate and pressure its current regime fail.

Romney, answering questions at a lunchtime campaign event, said Iran's history of genocide and the potential for it to develop a nuclear arsenal merit a "possible military strike," after economic and diplomatic sanctions.

"I'm not going to shrink away" from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Romney told an audience of 65 at the Cass County Community Center. Ahmadinejad, Romney said, is "a dangerous man" and a threat to U.S. interests.

White House Reacts to Hearings: "Knock Yourself Out"

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has scheduled hearings for Wednesday to investigate Bush's decision to commute Scooter Libby's prison sentence.

"In light of yesterday's announcement by the President that he was commuting the prison sentence for Scooter Libby, it is imperative that Congress look into presidential authority to grant clemency, and how such power may be abused," Conyers said. "Taken to its extreme, the use of such authority could completely circumvent the law enforcement process and prevent credible efforts to investigate wrongdoing in the executive branch."

Here is White House spokesman Tony Snow's reaction:

"Well, fine, knock himself out," Snow said of Conyers.

Scooter Libby was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in March in the investigation into the leaked identity of a covert CIA agent. He was ordered to serve 33 months in prison and pay a $250,000 fine. Bush commuted the prison sentence on July 2.

Libby paid the $250,000 fine this morning by cashier's check. Smoking Gun has the picture.

Great Moments in White House History

From today's White House briefing:

Question: Scott, is Scooter Libby getting more than equal justice under the law? Is he getting special treatment?

Scott Stanzel: Well, I guess I don't know what you mean by equal justice under the law.

From the DOJ's Strategic Plan 2001-2006: "Equal Justice Under the Law. Upholding the laws of the United States is the solemn responsibility entrusted to us by the American people. We enforce these laws fairly and uniformly to ensure that all Americans receive equal protection and justice under the law."

But then again, I guess that plan wasn't supposed to continue into 2007...

Fred Thompson: Watergate Mole

It now appears that lobbyist Fred Thompson, who was minority counsel on the Watergate investigations committee, repeatedly gave Nixon's team an unauthorized heads-up.

Lobbyist Fred Thompson admits to his role as a mole for Nixon in his Watergate memoir, At That Point in Time (which, by the way, is pretty expensive these days):

When Thompson learned of Butterfield's admission, he leaked the revelation to Nixon's counsel, J. Fred Buzhardt .

"Even though I had no authority to act for the committee, I decided to call Fred Buzhardt at home" to tell him that the committee had learned about the taping system, Thompson wrote.

Most notably, the decades-long lobbyist "tipped off the White House that the committee knew about the taping system and would be making the information public." These famous Nixon tapes included the smoking gun conversation that led to his impeachment. Luckily, unlike the famous 18 minute gap, it wasn't lost.

And while he claims that he led the "inquiry that revealed the audio-taping system," the facts simply don't back that assertion up anymore. Here's the real story, since you won't get that from him:

On July 13, 1973, Armstrong, the Democratic staffer, asked Butterfield a series of questions during a private session that led up to the revelation. He then turned the questioning over to a Republican staffer, Don Sanders, who asked Butterfield the question that led to the mention of the taping system.

To the astonishment of everyone in the room, Butterfield admitted the taping system existed.

Republican Candidates In Trouble With Money

Democratic candidates raised far more money than Republican candidates last quarter in the race for the presidency. From the New York Times:

The top three Democrats, including former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, raised $68.5 million over the past three months, compared with $48.7 million for the top three Republicans, according to the reports. Since the start of the year, the Democrats raised nearly 50 percent more than the Republicans, $144.3 million compared with $101.7 million. That includes money that the candidates can use in the primary and in the general election.

Even Republican strategists blame the gap on their party's lack of enthusiasm for the 2008 elections.

"It’s a combination of the president’s historically low approval rating and the overall state of affairs in Washington that is demoralizing Republicans and energizing Democrats," said Scott Reed, who managed the 1996 Republican presidential campaign of Senator Bob Dole of Kansas. "It doesn’t mean it’ll make it all the way to 2008 Election Day, but that sure is the climate we are in now."

John McCain, once considered the top contender for the Republican presidential nomination, now only has $2 million in the bank. This week his campaign fired 80 out of 120 staff members, and he won't compete in the important Iowa straw poll, which would have cost the campaign close to $3 million.

Romney Launches the Mutt Mobile

Oh, and the Mitt Mobile, as well:

Details here.

Bush Administration Starves Endangered Species Program

The division of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that is supposed to protect endangered species is being starved of resources and staff by the Bush administration, according to an article today in the Los Angeles Times.

There are 279 species that are now near extinction as they wait to be added to the official endangered species list. Another 200 of the 1,326 officially endangered species are also close to extinction, according to environmental groups, because funds have been cut for their recovery.

Bryan Arroyo, acting assistant director of endangered species for the Fish and Wildlife Service, acknowledges a 30% vacancy rate in the program's staff, and the fact that the agency's top position has been left unfilled for more than a year.

"We have a national deficit, and we are in the midst of a war," he said. "We have to live within the president's budget."

The Bush administration has only added 58 species to the endangered list, and 54 of those were added in response to lawsuits.

Meanwhile Julie MacDonald, the deputy assistant secretary of the Interior who was responsible for the endangered species program, resigned last month after the inspector general found that she had ordered scientists to change their findings, and shared internal documents with lobbyists for agricultural and energy interests.

And last week, Rep. Nick Rahall II (D-WV), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, announced he would hold hearings to investigate whether Dick Cheney interferred in a dispute over the Klamath River.

According to a report in the Washington Post, Cheney objected to the amount of water withheld to preserve fish, and the water was diverted to irrigation. An estimated 70,000 salmon died, including a species listed as threatened in the region.

Thursday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 4, 2007

Wednesday Open Thread

Happy 4th! Chat away...

July 3, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

There's always lots of good content over at PartyBuilder to choose from, so consider this a healthy sample:

• In Scooter's Free Ride: A Lesson For Congress, D. Tree examines what Democrats can learn from this whole ordeal.
• Pat Crowley draws attention to a Group Home in Lincoln Slated for Closure saying that to make such a decision without consulting or notifying the residents and their guardians is a violation of patient’s rights.
• In Mitch McConnell: Shows Scorn for the American Worker, Again, RDillon looks at the record of Mitch McConnell when it comes to the rights of workers -- adding a personal touch.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

New DNC Web Ad

Despite assuring the American people that anyone within his Administration involved in the leaking of classified information would be "taken care of," President Bush commuted Scooter Libby's sentence. Here's the web video we just put out:

Thompson and Libby

This morning during a press conference with White House spokesman Tony Snow, a reporter tried to make an important distinction about Scooter Libby and his friends in the Republican establishment. We used the footage to make this video:

Republican Presidential Candidates Trip Over Themselves to Support Bush

A poll from Survey USA found that more than 60% of Americans disagreed with Bush's decision to commute the sentence of Scooter Libby. Meanwhile the Republican presidential candidates tripped over themselves to stand with Bush and against justice.

Fred Thompson, who helped raise over 5 million dollars for the Scooter Libby Defense Fund, praised Bush saying, "while for a long time I have urged a pardon for Scooter, I respect the President's decision."

Anthony Circosta, an Iraq war veteran, asked then-Governor Mitt Romney for a pardon, twice. When Circosta was 13 years old he'd shot a BB gun at the arm of a friend and had been convicted of a felony, even though his friend was completely unharmed. Circosta needed a pardon in order to become a police officer in Massachusetts, but was denied twice by Romney. Today Mitt Romney praised Bush's decision to commute Libby's sentence.

Rudolph Giuliani, who fancies himself a "tough on crime" candidate, instantly caved when he heard about Bush's decision. Like Patrick Fitzgerald, Giuliani was a federal prosecutor at one time, though he may have changed his position on obstruction of justice.

More Dean On Television

Today Governor Dean will appear on CNN's Situation Room at 4:15 PM ET and then Bloomberg's Money & Politics at 5:00 PM ET. Don't miss it!

And for those of you who didn't get to catch Governor Dean on Hardball yesterday, I've got the video below. Enjoy!

Having trouble? Download the file here.

Brushing Off the Leak of a Covert CIA Agent

Adding insult to injury, Tony Snow brushed off the leak of the identity of a covert CIA agent. As if it wasn't enough to just excuse the obstruction of justice, today in the press briefing Tony Snow mocked the importance of this case, saying "In Washington, things get leaked all the time" in response to the characterization of the case as "serious."

(Video at AmericaBlog).

So if he's going to take issue with this being serious, let's take a look at what they've said about leaking classified information in the past:

Vice President Dick Cheney: "Those leaks do do enormous damage to our national security. It happens in several ways. It, obviously, reveals techniques and sources and methods that are important to try to protect. It gives information to our enemies about how we go about collecting intelligence against them. It also raises questions in the minds of other intelligence services about whether or not they can work with the United States intelligence service, with our CIA, for example, if we can't keep a secret."

Former WH Spokesman Scott McClellan, on President Bush: "The President has made it very clear that the leaking of classified information is a serious matter, and he takes it very seriously. That's why he is saying that we need to get to the bottom of this, and the sooner, the better."

Homeland Security Advisor Frances Fragos Townsend: "Let me be clear that, you know, with every unauthorized disclosure of classified information it does harm to our national and homeland security. Every leak is a victory for our enemies who plot to kill us, because we tell them something about our knowledge, our intelligence capability and our perspective on their capability."

So What About Everyone Else? Most Defendents Can't Challenge Federal Prison Sentences

Convicted felon Scooter Libby is free, thanks to his friends in the White House. So what about the average Joe convicted of, oh say, perjury?

The Supreme Court made it harder Thursday for most defendants to challenge their federal prison sentences.

Appeals courts that review prison terms imposed by trial judges may deem them reasonable if they fall within federal sentencing guidelines adopted in the mid-1980s, the high court said.

The justices upheld a 33-month sentence given to Victor Rita for perjury and making false statements. Rita is a 25-year military veteran and former civilian federal employee.

The prison term falls within the guidelines range and was upheld by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, posing the question of whether sentences within the guidelines ordinarily will be considered reasonable.

From ABC: "Rita had sought a sentence lower than 33 months, based on his physical condition--he has diabetes and other illnesses--his likely vulnerability in prison and his military service in Vietnam and in Operation Desert Storm."

From USA Today (June 21, 2007), via Talking Points Memo.

Wonder if Fred Thompson would call for a pardon for Victor Rita, like he did for Scooter Libby, based on the fact that he's "done a lot for his country."

Convicted Felon Libby Running Free

President Bush's move to commute the sentence of convicted felon and former top White House aide Scooter Libby goes beyond the usual display of contempt for our system of justice we see from this administration.

It's not just because of the overwhelming public opinion in opposition to Bush's move. Americans are tired of this administration, and opposition to the White House is basically par for the course. It's not just because he thumbed his nose at our system of justice. Again, par for the course, as we've seen with the politicization of the Justice Department. It's not just because the White House dishonestly claimed the sentence was harsh, even though it was mid-range for sentencing guidelines. Once again, it's what we've all come to expect.

No, there are three main reasons why this goes beyond their usual contempt for the law:

• Scooter Libby was convicted for lying and obstructing justice while a top White House aide in order to protect others in the White House. After being convicted, the White House intervenes to protect him from prison without even claiming he was innocent. All this comes despite the "cloud over the White House" that Fitzgerald spoke about in his closing statement.
• President Bush completely ignored the Justice Department's Manual on Commutation. This sends the message that there's one system of justice for "loyal Bushies" and another system of justice for the rest of us. Here's the important section from the guidelines:

  Requests for commutation generally are not accepted unless and until a person has begun serving that sentence. Nor are commutation requests generally accepted from persons who are presently challenging their convictions or sentences through appeal or other court proceeding.

• As Fire Dog Lake points out, "by commuting Libby’s sentence rather than pardoning him, Bush insures that Scooter will remain silent and be able to invoke the fifth before before Congress and not risk being cited for contempt."

Democrats aren't just going to take this lying down. To start, Rep. John Conyers will be holding hearings on the commutation starting next week. And we're going to keep the pressure on this administration and hold them accountable for this disgraceful move to free convicted felon Scooter Libby.

Until then, you can call the White House and let them know what you think: 202-456-1111. Make sure to report back in the comments.

Bush Presidency Called "The Most Drastic Political Collapse In a Generation"

A story in the Washington Post calls the Bush presidency "the most drastic political collapse in a generation."

No modern president has experienced such a sustained rejection by the American public. Bush's approval rating slipped below 50 percent in Washington Post-ABC News polls in January 2005 and has not topped that level in the 30 months since. The last president mired under 50 percent so long was Harry S. Truman. Even Richard M. Nixon did not fall below 50 percent until April 1973, 16 months before he resigned.

The article describes Bush as "isolated" in the White House, a president who has stopped going out to dinner and no longer plays golf--although he did go fishing last weekend with his father and daughter.

In a very appropriate metaphor for his presidency, their boat got stuck in the rocks.

Tuesday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 2, 2007

PB Rescue Open Thread

You guys wrote quite a bit over at PartyBuilder this weekend and today, so here's a highlight of a few that stood out:

• The Horizon For Wise Women On Their Own. Joanna M. Pucci, an intern for the Women's Leadership Forum, points out that elderly women are living alone in greater and greater numbers and our social security system must recognize the reality of this very vulnerable segment of our population
• Davidual also takes aim at the Republican administration and says that they haven’t done enough to help Americans who cannot afford health insurance in Liberty, Justice, and Health Care for all!
• Paul Thompson advocates making donations to those in need from small gifts such as contributing hair to Locks of Love, to end-of-life organ donations that help turn tragedies into lifesavers.

The Democratic Party gives anybody the ability to write blog posts directly on our website over at PartyBuilder (PB). You can read what everybody has to say, or you can create your own account and start writing posts yourself.

This is an open thread. Chat away...

President Bush Commutes Libby Prison Sentence

We'll have more to come, but it the Bush administration has chosen to commute the sentence of Scooter Libby. More to come soon.

UPDATE 1: From Bloomberg:

``My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby,'' Bush said in a statement. ``The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long- lasting.''

The president's action means that Libby's conviction still stands and he is still required to pay the $250,000 fine ordered by a federal judge.

The question of whether to intervene in Libby's case had been termed a ``no-win situation'' for the president by David Gergen, who advised Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

UPDATE 2: Only 21-percent of Americans favor a pardon.

UPDATE 3: Ahhhh... memories:

UPDATE 4: Governor Dean's statement:

Once again President Bush and the GOP have undermined a core American value: equal justice under the law for every American. By commuting this sentence, President Bush is sending a clear message that the rules don’t apply to the Bush White House or loyal Republican cronies. After promising that anyone who violated the law would be 'taken care of,' President Bush instead handed Scooter Libby a get out of jail free card. Though Libby was convicted by a jury of lying about a matter of national security, President Bush is sparing him the consequences ordinary Americans would face. This conviction was the first moment of justice in a Bush Administration void of accountability. It’s a sad day for America when the President once again puts protecting his friends ahead of equal justice under the law.

Second Tier Party In Iowa!

Come on down to the second-tier party! Everyone's invited to take pot shots at flip-flopper Mitt Romney:

Participants in a Des Moines forum included several of the crowded field’s lesser-known candidates, some of whom took subtle jabs at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the Iowa leader in recent polls of GOP caucusgoers.

“I did not become pro-life because of politics,” former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told the more than 600 GOP stalwarts at the forum put on by Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance.

The comment echoed former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson’s comment earlier: “I didn’t become right-to-life on the road to Des Moines.”

“Conservatism doesn’t need an adjective. It needs a leader,” U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo said. “It needs a leader who will oppose abortions, not just because Iowa caucusgoers oppose abortions.”

Also participating in the forum were Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback and U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain were absent from the forum.

Are Campaigns Against "Voter Fraud" Part of Republican Electoral Strategy?

The New Mexico lawyer who lobbied for the ouster of former U.S. attorney David Iglesias was also the officer of a Republican group that pushed for tougher voter identification laws, possibly to make it more difficult for Democratic voters to cast a ballot.

According to an investigation by McClatchy newspapers, Patrick Rogers, an Albuquerque lawyer and secretary of the American Center for Voting Rights Legislative Fund, repeatedly pressured Iglesias to prosecute voter fraud cases where little or no evidence existed. Iglesias believes that he was fired in part because he did not pursue those cases.

David Iglesias was one of the nine U.S. attorneys fired by the Bush administration during a political purge last year.

During an April 2006 speech to the Republican National Lawyers Association, Karl Rove described the Republican Party’s “voter fraud” work as another method of voter suppression, through a mixture of tougher I.D. laws and other forms of intimidation.

These efforts are now under renewed scrutiny as Congress continues to investigate the political activities of the Bush administration’s Justice Department, as well as Republican financing behind organizations like the American Center for Voting Rights.

Amid the controversy, the American Center for Voting Rights shut down its website last March. But that doesn’t mean that its efforts have ended.

One of the directors of the American Center, Cameron Quinn, who lists her membership in the Republican National Lawyers Association on her resume, was appointed last year as the voting counsel for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

The division is charged with policing elections and guarding against discrimination against minorities.

What You Can Do To Get More Voices Heard During The Presidential Election

On July 23, the Democratic Party is sanctioning a Democratic presidential debate sponsored by CNN and YouTube that embraces the potential of web participation. Voters can film themselves asking the candidates questions and upload the video to YouTube. The night of the debate, CNN and YouTube will play those questions for the Democratic presidential candidates.

The only problem is that most of the users who use YouTube have two things that not all Americans have: a video camera and a high speed internet connection that allows them to upload and view video easily online. YouTube, CNN and the Democratic Party are trying to change that by asking YouTube users to record the questions of who don't have an internet connection or a camera.

You can take your camera to a nursing home, community center or to the home of a family members who isn’t connected. Record their question to the Democratic presidential candidates and have those questions uploaded to the CNN & YouTube debate section of the YouTube website.

Steve Grove explains:

McCain Fires Campaign Staff

This certainly can't be a good sign for the Senator. The AP reports that John McCain "is undergoing a significant reorganization," letting go "50 staffers or more." Our crack research team put together the numbers into this handy graphic:

Watch the McCain campaign crumble by the month:
July: TBD (50+)
June: Former Rockingham County Co-Chairman Rep. D.J. Bettencourt, Former McCain South Carolina Aiken County Chairman-David Nix, Former Senior Fundraiser- John Dowd, (Pending) Senior Advisor-Mark McKinnon, (Former-ish) National Co-Chair Georgette Mosbacher
May: Former National Director of his “Americans of Faith” Coalition- Marlene Elwell, Former Deputy National Director of McCain’s “Americans of Faith” Coalition- Judy Haynes
April: Former California State Director-Craig Goldman, Former Finance Director-Carla Eudy
March: (Non)Endorsee Alfonse D'Amato

Governor Dean Plays Hardball

Just a heads-up, since many of you will want to watch. Today Governor Dean appears on Hardball, with special guest host Rev. Al Sharpton. It's at 5PM ET and will re-air at 7PM ET.

PuppyGate and the Mitt Mobile

There are more excuses in the ever-changing story from Mitt Romney about strapping his dog to the top of his car for a 12 hour wild ride. But first, there's the announcement of the Mitt Mobile, which will officially launch July 4th. But there's something a little funny about the diagram they posted online (yes, the diagram is for real):

And in other PuppyGate news, add one more excuse to the long list of them being used to justify Romney's cruel act. Let me recap.

1) The dog liked fresh air. (Mitt couldn't open a window?)
2) It was the puppy's fault. He strapped himself up there!
3) There was a special windshield installed.

And now, the latest excuse:
4) The kennel was enclosed, with nothing but air vents at the back.

I'm not quite sure how that makes it any better. If anything, that's worse. Atrios points out just one of the problems here.

You know, the event itself happened a while ago, but what's really interesting here is how today -- right now -- he's flip-flopping about what took place.

Tied With Nixon - Within the MoE

With a new poll showing that President Bush's approval rating is a sad, pathetic 26-percent, it's worth noting that this finally puts him within the margin of error for Nixon's approval rating at the time he was forced to resign from office (August 1974).

Here's a chart to illustrate that point:

These approval rating numbers are historically low. The numbers for Nixon came well after he had been impeached for the Watergate scandal and just around the time he left office in shame.

Majority of Americans Believe Democratic Control of Congress Is Better for the Country

Speaking of polls...

As President Bush's approval rating drops to near-historic lows of 26% (ouch!), a majority of Americans still believe that Democratic control of Congress is better for America, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Poll released Friday.

57 percent said they believe Democratic control of Congress is good for the country, as opposed to 31 percent who said it is not.

...Fifty-three percent of 907 poll respondents who are registered voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress if elections were held today, as opposed to 41 percent who said they would vote Republican.

Overall, 51% of respondents have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party--compared to just 36% of respondents who have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party.

The Fourth Anniversary of "Bring 'Em On"

Four years ago, when President Bush first uttered the irresponsible "Bring 'em on" taunt, Democrats blasted him for the remark and the White House promptly defended it. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) said at the time:

"When I served in the Army in Europe during World War II, I never heard any military commander--let alone the commander in chief--invite enemies to attack U.S. troops."

So, yes, this was a big deal. And thousands of lost American lives later, it's an even bigger deal.

Years later, President Bush said at a press conference that he would offer "a confession, a regret, something." It wasn't exactly an apology, of course.

He also said at the press conference that when he got home the night of the "bring 'em on" remark, his wife asked, "what did you do that for?" Yet like the administration always does--no matter how right or wrong--they defended the remark anyway. They brushed it off, saying "I don't think people in Iraq who are loyal to Saddam Hussein are going to or not going to attack based on a news conference."

This wasn't just some slip of the tongue. It's a perfect example of why President Bush continues a failed policy in Iraq: arrogance, then stubbornness, then spinning a story to avoid accountability.

Monday Open Thread

Chat away...

July 1, 2007

Sunday Open Thread

Chat away...