Jeebus, I liked that movie better the first time I read the story... when it was called Atlas Shrugged.
Slight spoilers, highlight text to read:
And, no, that's not an entirely fair comparison, but the basic framework of the whole society is a mess and people of all political stripes are screwed up and the only hope of progress comes from a bunch of possibly mythical smart people who have dropped out of society and are holed up in an isolated location was still eerily reminiscent.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Good for Him
Obama:
Click through for Digby's post on the subject.
I didn't take Senator Biden's comments personally, but obviously they are historically inaccurate. After all, we've had presidential candidates like Jesse Jackson, Shirley Chisholm, Carol Mosely Braun and Al Sharpton. They gave a voice to many important issues through their campaigns and no one would call them inarticulate.
Click through for Digby's post on the subject.
Those Clever Persians
So, according to CNN the whole "Iran is behind the kidnapping/killing!!!!!!!!" story is only based on "suspicion" because the operation was so "sophisticated."
Those poor stupid Iraqis couldn't have possibly been behind it.
The crazy season is ramping up again.
Those poor stupid Iraqis couldn't have possibly been behind it.
The crazy season is ramping up again.
Serious
I'm not sure what Garance's point is here. No one should ever be surprised that outsider candidates of any kind are treated with disdain by Washington power brokers and High Pundits, but the fact that Washington insiders didn't want to have much to do with Jesse Jackson has little bearing on the fact that the guy had fairly broad appeal and managed to attract a hell of a lot of votes, quite possibly many more votes than Obama will eventually receive (this is not judgment or prediction, just highlighting the fact that no one's, you know, cast a vote for the guy yet). He certainly had, by the only measure which is really important, a hell of a lot more broad mainstream support than did the very serious mainstream Joe Lieberman. I have serious doubts that he'd have managed to actually win the presidency had he won the primary, but he couldn't have done much worse than Mike Dukakis.
Jackson also ran in 1984, and got 20% of the Democratic primary vote and 10% of the delegates.
Jackson also ran in 1984, and got 20% of the Democratic primary vote and 10% of the delegates.
Boston Boxes of Doom
The race is on to determine whether they were put there by a right wing nut or a left wing nut.
...ah. Neither. Marketing for Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
Hilarious.
...ah. Neither. Marketing for Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
Hilarious.
Swampland
In this edition, Joe Klein channels the collective wit of Jonah Goldberg and Mallard Filmore and refers to John Kerry as "Frenchy," and then channels the blogger ethics of Andrew Sullivan and edits it out.
(ht hesiod)
(ht hesiod)
Wanker of the Day
Richard Cohen.
...adding, some actual coverage from Hardball yesterday:
...adding, some actual coverage from Hardball yesterday:
MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL.
Another day of testimony in the Scooter Libby trial. Former “New York Times” reporter Judith Miller took the stand today, the first time she testified publicly against Libby, who was the source she chose to protect, leading her to spend several weeks—many weeks in jail.
HARDBALL‘s David Shuster is standing by at the courthouse.
David, I was shook today to hear that Scooter Libby told Judy Miller, told Judy Miller, that it was the vice president‘s inquiry about a uranium deal in Africa that led to Joe Wilson‘s trip. This is the first time we‘ve heard out of the vice president‘s office, even secondhand, ad admission, a confession that that trip was because of a question raised by the veep, not because Mrs. Wilson, Valerie Plame, thought her husband needed a junket.
DAVID SHUSTER, MSNBC CORRESPONDENT: Right, I mean, it was the missing piece of the puzzle that the vice president‘s office has been loathe to acknowledge these last three years and that certainly Scooter Libby has not want to come out of this trial. But it did happen when Judy Miller was testifying about a conversation with Scooter Libby in June of 2003. And she testified that Scooter Libby brought up Joe and Valerie Wilson.
And it was during this testimony, when Judy Miller said that she was told by Libby about the genesis of Joe Wilson‘s trip, and that it was the vice president who had asked the CIA about an intense report that Iraq was seeking uranium from Niger in 2002, and that, according to Miller, Libby told her that the CIA then followed it up with Joe Wilson, but that Libby was also adamant, according to Miller, in saying the vice president‘s office didn‘t know anything about this trip, the vice president‘s office didn‘t get a report from the CIA, it was the fault of the CIA.
And, Chris, what was so remarkable is the glimpse that Judy Miller‘s testimony offered us again, about the extent that—extent to which the vice president‘s office wanted to blame everybody else for the faulty intelligence. They were blaming the CIA for not getting back to the vice president‘s office. They were blaming the State Department and the Energy Department for having a footnote in a report that expressed the dissension about what aluminum tubes were for. And according to Miller, Libby said, “It‘s not our fault that we didn‘t see this in this report.”
It was always somebody else‘s fault. And it goes to the idea, Chris, that even after the war had begun, the vice president‘s office was adamant about suggesting that everybody else was unanimous in agreeing that Iraq was trying to expand a nuclear program.
Tim Hates Chris
Ana-Marie confirms that is indeed what Matalin said.
The cocktail parties just got a bit more uncomfortable. Here's a preview of tomorrow's column from David Broder:
The cocktail parties just got a bit more uncomfortable. Here's a preview of tomorrow's column from David Broder:
Patrick Fitzgerald came in here and he trashed this place, and it's not his place.
Joementum II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
The heavily moderated comments at Joe's blog are hilarious.
More Charitable
As I said, there are more charitable ways to characterize what Joe Biden said, but even in those readings it's still extraordinarily offensive.
And lets stop writing the 1988 presidential primary out of history. Whatever spot in our political landscape Jesse Jackson currently holds, he was a very mainstream African-American presidential candidate then who got, IIRC, about a third of the delegates.
And lets stop writing the 1988 presidential primary out of history. Whatever spot in our political landscape Jesse Jackson currently holds, he was a very mainstream African-American presidential candidate then who got, IIRC, about a third of the delegates.
JMM on Joe
I'm not sure about the reflexive "extremely knowledgable on foreign policy" praise as it seems like everyone who is "extremely knowledgable on foreign policy" seems to get everything wrong these days, but otherwise Josh has the right take. The are more and less charitable readings of what Biden said, but there's no way to read it which doesn't reflect very poorly on Biden.
Buh-Biden
Volumes could be written about all that was wrong with what Biden said about Obama, but I believe we've just witnessed the shortest presidential run in history.
Silly Sully
Unlike Heritage, which knows what they're doing, I'm reasonably sure Andrew Sullivan is just an idiot. He really doesn't understand this stuff at all.
Joementum II: The Final Sacrifice
Joe Biden says that Barack Obama is "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
"Articulate."
oy
"Articulate."
oy
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Obama Introduces Iraq Plan
From CNN, legislation to force redeployment of all combat troops by March '08.
Incoherent
So, the wise old men of David Broder's beloved Iraq Study Group testified to the Senate today. From what I gathered from CNN coverage just now, they support sending more troops to Iraq (James "Give it a chance!" Baker more than Hamilton), but they warn that nothing will improve unless there's also diplomacy with Iran and Syria.
Personally, I don't really understand their obsession with diplomacy with Iran and Syria. It's probably a good idea on its own merits, though what it has to do with Iraq I'm not sure.
Still, they say they support sending more troops to Iraq. Then they say it needs to be accompanied by things which won't happen.
I just don't understand this game anymore.
...adding, of course regional diplomacy is going to be necessary, I just don't think it's particularly useful until the people in charge acknowledge a few elements of reality that they are unwilling to acknowledge. Their unwillingness to engage in diplomacy is a problem, but there isn't much point in engaging in Iraq-related diplomacy until they're willing to see reality a bit more clearly.
Personally, I don't really understand their obsession with diplomacy with Iran and Syria. It's probably a good idea on its own merits, though what it has to do with Iraq I'm not sure.
Still, they say they support sending more troops to Iraq. Then they say it needs to be accompanied by things which won't happen.
I just don't understand this game anymore.
...adding, of course regional diplomacy is going to be necessary, I just don't think it's particularly useful until the people in charge acknowledge a few elements of reality that they are unwilling to acknowledge. Their unwillingness to engage in diplomacy is a problem, but there isn't much point in engaging in Iraq-related diplomacy until they're willing to see reality a bit more clearly.
Who the Hell is Johnny Isakson?
A complete wanker, a senator from Georgia, and the occasional reminder that as much as I pay attention to this stuff there are senators whose names I just do not know.
What Should He Have Said?
Rich "We're Winning!" Lowry is mad at the objective of K. Lo's love for not talking about the war. I'm really curious about just what your basic National Review reading wingnut wants Republican presidential candidates to say about Iraq. I feel that even though they'll abandon Bush on just about every issue, they'll cling to The Great and Glorious Iraq war until the end.
In Which Mara Liasson Makes a Useful Observation
"That's the press."
Years later, they still dream of the Tubesteak Messiah. They really need to get some help.
Years later, they still dream of the Tubesteak Messiah. They really need to get some help.
Dreaming of Dead Americans
Wingnut Mike Gallagher hopes thousands of Americans are slaughtered.
(emphasis mine. ht reader c)
Seeing Jane Fonda Saturday was enough to make me wish the unthinkable: it will take another terror attack on American soil in order to render these left-leaning crazies irrelevant again. Remember how quiet they were after 9/11? No one dared take them seriously. It was the United States against the terrorist world, just like it should be.
It's time to stand tall, speak loudly and defend America against these enemies like Hanoi Jane.
She's back. Are we going to let her get away with it....again????
(emphasis mine. ht reader c)
Bank Wal-Mart
I actually don't have any established opinion on this, but at first pass I don't see why this is a good idea.
But, anyway, open for discussion.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Democrat and Republican on the U.S. House Financial Services Committee on Monday introduced a bill that would ban Wal-Mart (WMT.N: Quote, Profile , Research) and other commercial companies from owning a type of bank known as an industrial loan company (ILC).
The bill was co-sponsored by Barney Frank of Massachusetts, a Democrat who is chairman of the panel, and Paul Gillmor of Ohio, the ranking Republican.
"We are seeking to prevent the expansion of a historically small special niche into a full-fledged alternative banking system, which dissolves the line between banking and commerce," Frank said in a statement.
But, anyway, open for discussion.
Punting for the Boy King's Ego
Your courageous Republicans:
Things will still be awful by the end of May, and most Republicans won't change their position at all.
Even Republicans supporting President Bush's new Iraq strategy have been saying this is the last chance for the Iraqi government, and there may be an underlying message for the President there as well. US News Political Bulletin hears from GOP strategists with close ties to Capitol Hill that the President and his senior aides are too optimistic about keeping GOP congressional support for the Iraq war over the long term. One senior Republican adviser says Bush has "until April or May" to improve things in Iraq. If he cannot, he could face a GOP rebellion that could result in reductions in spending for the conflict and legislation to start bringing the troops home.
Things will still be awful by the end of May, and most Republicans won't change their position at all.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Stupid Chris Bowers
He forgot:
The fact that he left this one off the list leads me to conclude that Chris Bowers is a wholly owned subsidiary of the DLC.
7. They're being paid off, or hope to be.
The fact that he left this one off the list leads me to conclude that Chris Bowers is a wholly owned subsidiary of the DLC.
Dickerson
I'll be charitable and offer the possibility that neither is lying, but there is a serious discrepancy between what Ari Ari Bo Bari testified to today and what Dickerson had previously reported.
Bugs and Features
Kenneth Pollack and friends:
Of course, to the administration this is a feature not a bug.
US troops, says the study, should withdraw from Iraqi cities. This was "the only rational course of action, horrific though it will be", as America refocused its efforts from preventing civil war to containing its effects.
The unremittingly bleak document, drawing on the experience of civil wars in Lebanon, the former Yugoslavia, Congo and Afghanistan, also offers a remarkably stark assessment of Iraq's "spill-over" potential across the Persian Gulf region.
...
In a "war game" testing US options, the Saban Centre for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution found that, as the descent into civil war gathered pace, confrontation between the US and Iran intensified, and Washington's leverage on Tehran diminished. Civil war in Iraq would turn Iran into "the unambiguous adversary" of the US.
Indeed, everything indicates that that is already happening. The study appeared on the same day as the Iranian ambassador in Iraq told The New York Times that Tehran intended to expand its influence in Iraq. US commanders now claim that thousands of Iranian advisers are arming and training Shia militias.
Of course, to the administration this is a feature not a bug.
Record Vacancy
I've been keeping one eye on housing market developments, and the increase in the housing vacancy rate is huge.
Plame Game
Kevin's obsessing about Bob Novak and his use of Valerie Plame, believing that it's significant. Clearly, Bob Novak wasn't too happy when one of his then-colleagues was going to ask about it. My guess is lots of people know what the deal is, but as has always been the case with this story they aren't bothering to share.
Evil
Only our lunatic beltway press could imagine that when Hillary Clinton referred to "evil men" that she was referring to her husband. Do these people live on this planet?
For my own personal irrelevant reasons I've always hoped she wouldn't run, because when it comes to the Clintons members are the press literally live in a different universe, they feel entitled to say anything, and this drives me crazy. Can you imagine any other politician being asked if they thought their spouse was evil?
For my own personal irrelevant reasons I've always hoped she wouldn't run, because when it comes to the Clintons members are the press literally live in a different universe, they feel entitled to say anything, and this drives me crazy. Can you imagine any other politician being asked if they thought their spouse was evil?
Cooties
Aside from the obvious inanity of the horror that is our elite discourse, I do find it really quite fascinating how so many of our elite pundits really seem to think that when voting for a candidate for high office their personal idiosyncratic likes and dislikes are actually important. I mean, I'm sure lots of people actually vote this way, but I would've thought that people who spend a lot of time thinking about this stuff should be able to get beyond "ewww, that person's icky!" as an important determinant of their vote or support. Isn't the point of elite punditry that maybe these Wise People Who Go On TV can help try to simplify and explain and highlight important issues to us rabble, instead of elevating personal navel gazing and the ultimate in trivia? Though, really, Sullivan's too stupid to actually understand policy at any level so this shouldn't be especially surprising.
Yes, I know, simple answers to simple questions blah blah...
Yes, I know, simple answers to simple questions blah blah...
The Women I Know
Personally I was pretty horrified at the Hirshman column. Argument by anecdote (and, no, the plural of anecdote is not data) is usually inappropriate, especially when the argument is that women are a bunch of clueless nitwits.
Traitor
I'd call John McCain a lot of things, but I wouldn't call him a traitor. Really awesome, National Review Institute!
Question
Why is Kenneth Pollack on my teevee?
...ah, this is it. Apparently the civil war in Iraq is now the central front in our war on civil wars.
...ah, this is it. Apparently the civil war in Iraq is now the central front in our war on civil wars.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Dealing With the Freak Show
I'm not optimistic it will continue, but I hope the the more responsible players in the mainstream media increasingly understand that part of their job is dealing with the right wing freak show which has had such power over them for so long.
Even my good friend Howard Kurtz was showing some signs of life on Reliable Sources this morning.
Even my good friend Howard Kurtz was showing some signs of life on Reliable Sources this morning.
Promise and Greatness
Bob Herbert:
The public, though not always exactly where I would have wanted them to be, has always been out in front of the politicians on this war. The sad truth of the last 4+ years is that too many of our leaders failed to lead.
This fact reminded me of this passage in an article about Scooter Libby by a self-described "old friend."
I'd never really quite thought about it in that way, that "conformity to power" is too often confused with "leadership" in David Broder's Washington.
But there you go.
The public is way out in front of the politicians on this issue. But the importance of Saturday’s march does not lie primarily in whether it hastens a turnaround of U.S. policy on the war. The fact that so many Americans were willing to travel from every region of the country to march against the war was a reaffirmation of the public’s commitment to our peaceful democratic processes.
It is in that unique and unflagging commitment, not in our terrifying military power, that the continued promise and greatness of America are to be found.
The public, though not always exactly where I would have wanted them to be, has always been out in front of the politicians on this war. The sad truth of the last 4+ years is that too many of our leaders failed to lead.
This fact reminded me of this passage in an article about Scooter Libby by a self-described "old friend."
For all these reasons, I want to insist that Scooter's respect for power is not just a front for cold self-interest. At bottom, there's a kind of innocence about Scooter. He has submitted to masters like Paul Wolfowitz and Cheney because he respects them, just as a Zen novitiate submits to a meditation master or a young violinist reveres the prodigious talent of her teacher. This attitude was zealously nurtured by the prep schools we attended, where conformity to power was called "leadership" and submission to the system understood as "success." And it is Scooter's celebration of this attitude -- not the sex scenes unfairly ridiculed by the New Yorker -- that makes his novel "The Apprentice" so interesting today. The book tells the story of a young man just like Scooter, a man with the humility to bow before a master warrior and undertake a life of apprenticeship to figures mightier than himself.
I'd never really quite thought about it in that way, that "conformity to power" is too often confused with "leadership" in David Broder's Washington.
But there you go.
The Lieberman Problem
Well, we tried to warn them. Anyway, if Joe doesn't have a prime time spot at the RNC in '08 I'll be shocked. I think he's gonna put his chips on a cabinet seat in (what he hopes will be) the next Republican administration.
ME!
While doing some opposition research on Matt Stoller (otherwise known as He Who Must Be Destroyed), I came across this pic from Seattle.
When you're done gazing at the beautiful people you can continue on to the open thread.
When you're done gazing at the beautiful people you can continue on to the open thread.
Blogger Ethics Panel
Please, media, when quoting people saying negative things about a candidate please check to see if they have connections to another candidate. Can we have more of that transparency you all keep pretending doesn't exist for bloggers?
Last Chance
McConnell:
...and then what?
"Last chance" talk is all the rage these days. I put people down for a Friedman when they use the phrase.
Like other GOP lawmakers, McConnell said time is running out for the president.
"I think everybody knows what the consequences are. The president doesn't have a stronger supporter in the Senate than the person you're looking at, but I repeat, this is the last chance for the Iraqis to step up and demonstrate this government can function," he said. "The message to the Iraqi government could not be more clear."
...and then what?
"Last chance" talk is all the rage these days. I put people down for a Friedman when they use the phrase.
In Which I Apologize to Tim Russert
Contrary to my prediction, he did in fact ask Huckabee about Wayne Dumond. I'll have to wait for the transcript to judge how he handled it, but he did at least broach the topic.
Sunday Bobbleheads
Document the atrocities.
ABC's "This Week" - Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.; actor Kevin Bacon.
---
CBS' "Face the Nation" - Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.
---
NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and David Vitter, R-La.; former presidential speechwriter Michael Gerson; Kenneth Pollack, a Brookings Institution analyst.
---
CNN's "Late Edition" - Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.; former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele; Democratic strategist Donna Brazile.
---
"Fox News Sunday" - Sens. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.; Ellen Miller, executive director of the Sunlight Foundation.
Morning Thread
Because posting it will immediately cause Atrios to post the Bobblehead thread.
--Molly Ivors
--Molly Ivors
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Meanwhile
Over there:
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two car bombs in quick succession struck a market in a mainly Shiite district in Baghdad on Saturday, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 40, police said.
Also Saturday, the U.S. military on Saturday reported the deaths of seven more American soldiers, raising to at least 12 the number of service members killed in the past three days.
The most recent seven death reports were all the result of roadside bombs, two in Diyala province, two in Baghdad and three others at an unspecified location north of the capital.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEARGH
Blogger is simultaneously demanding I switch to new blogger and
refusing to let me try to do it.
Limbo.
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Newsweek
Jan. 27, 2007 - President George W. Bush concluded his annual State ofthe Union address this week with the words "the State of our Union isstrong … our cause in the world is right … and tonight that cause goeson." Maybe so, but the state of the Bush administration is at itsworst yet, according to the latest NEWSWEEK poll. The president'sapproval ratings are at their lowest point in the poll's history—30 percent—and more than half the country (58 percent) say they wish the Bush presidency were simply over, a sentiment that is almost unanimous among Democrats (86 percent), and is shared by a clear majority (59 percent) of independents and even one in five (21 percent) Republicans. Half (49 percent) of all registered voters would rather see a Democrat elected president in 2008, compared to just 28 percent who'd prefer the GOP to remain in the White House.Public fatigue over the war in the Iraq is not reflected solely in the president's numbers, however. Congress is criticized by nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Americans for not being assertive enough in challenging the Bush administration's conduct of the war. Even a third (31 percent) of rank-and-file Republicans say the previous Congress, controlled by their party, didn't do enough to challenge the administration on the war.
And The Winners Are...
Congratulations to Hugh Hewitt, Richard Cohen, Mark Halperin, Pam Atlas, and Dan Riehl, and everyone involved in Jamilgate for being this year's recipients of the illustrious Kippie Award.
The Tale of Wayne Dumond
Wayne Dumond was convicted in 1985 for the rape of Ashley Stevens. In 1999, he was released after the parole board, under pressure from Huckabee, voted to do so. Two years later he was convicted of murdering a woman, who he also sexually assaulted. Dumond was also a victim of a vigilante attack, having been attacked and castrated after his rape of Stevens.
Now, normally this would just be usual tale of leniency being granted to the wrong person, the kind of thing which is inevitable in the criminal justice system. But Wayne Dumond wasn't just any criminal, he was a minor player in the grand epic of Clinton-era wingnuttery, and a cause célèbre of Freepers, a Village voice writer, authors, and most of all NY Post columnist Steve Dunleavy, who had made Dumond his personal cause and even went as far as claiming that Stevens wasn't raped.
What does all this have to do with Clinton? Well, Stevens is a distant relative of Clinton and this happened in Arkansas and... well, that was about it. Still, by the rules of the time, there must have been some grand conspiracy.
Huckabee has a wee honesty problem:
Now, normally this would just be usual tale of leniency being granted to the wrong person, the kind of thing which is inevitable in the criminal justice system. But Wayne Dumond wasn't just any criminal, he was a minor player in the grand epic of Clinton-era wingnuttery, and a cause célèbre of Freepers, a Village voice writer, authors, and most of all NY Post columnist Steve Dunleavy, who had made Dumond his personal cause and even went as far as claiming that Stevens wasn't raped.
What does all this have to do with Clinton? Well, Stevens is a distant relative of Clinton and this happened in Arkansas and... well, that was about it. Still, by the rules of the time, there must have been some grand conspiracy.
Huckabee has a wee honesty problem:
We note the governor accuses an unnamed "tabloid" of regularly speaking inaccurately of his "pardon" of Wayne Dumond. We know who he's talking about and we have done no such thing. We are well aware that he issued no pardon, but he did pull strings with the parole board to do the deed to let the killer out of prison to kill again. Check our article for yourself here. In this brief book passage, the Huckster also makes it appear that all the parole board members were Democratic appointees, though a a reappointee of his -- a lifelong Democrat who desperately wanted to hang onto the well-paying job -- was a key vote for Dumond's release and others who went with Huckabee would likewise be reappointed by Huckabee. In short, the book blames Dumond's release on Clinton and Tucker, overlooking his own loud and long advocacy of Dumond's cause, including through a right-wing tabloid columnist in New York using Dumond to beat up on Clinton, then popular. Huckabee has always looked good joining a parade. He could tell the truth here and not look so bad.
He could say accurately: He thought a wrong had been done to the castrated Dumond. He backed off executive clemency -- with its immediate release -- in the face of the victim's outcry. But he encouraged a supervised parole because he thought Dumond was rehabilitated and had served long enough. He was wrong in his judgment of the man's character he came to find out. He's sorry.
No breath will be held for this outcome. Indeed, Huckabee's book erroneously says Dumond died in prison in Missouri without having been convicted of another murder and with questions unanswered. But he was convicted of a killing in Missouri, with the help of DNA evidence. He did die before a second similar murder could be pinned to him there but he was the prime suspect.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Sunday Bobbleheads
Here they are:
So, let's take these one by one.
Joe Biden - supported the war
Richard Lugar - supported the war
Duncan Hunter - supported the war
Kevin Bacon - unsure of his opinion on war.
Jim Webb - opposed war, though not in Senate at time.
Mitch McConnell - supported the war
Arlen Specter - supported the war
Mike Huckabee - supported the war
Chuck Schumer - supported the war
David Vitter - supported the war
Gerson - former Bush speechwriter, supported the war
Kenneth Pollack - supported the war
Chris Dodd - supported the war
Jon Kyl - suppported the war
Michael Steele - supported the war
Donna Brazile - unsure if she took stand on Iraq war, but is on board of wingnutty Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
Sam Brownback - supported the war
Joe Lieberman - loves the war
Ellen Miller - N/A
So, while I have somewhat mixed feelings about relevance and effectiveness of protest politics, it's clear that 4 years later the dirty fucking hippies really have no choice but to take to the streets to get the message out.
ABC's "This Week" - Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.; actor Kevin Bacon.
---
CBS' "Face the Nation" - Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.
---
NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee; Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and David Vitter, R-La.; former presidential speechwriter Michael Gerson; Kenneth Pollack, a Brookings Institution analyst.
---
CNN's "Late Edition" - Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.; former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele; Democratic strategist Donna Brazile.
---
"Fox News Sunday" - Sens. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.; Ellen Miller, executive director of the Sunlight Foundation.
So, let's take these one by one.
Joe Biden - supported the war
Richard Lugar - supported the war
Duncan Hunter - supported the war
Kevin Bacon - unsure of his opinion on war.
Jim Webb - opposed war, though not in Senate at time.
Mitch McConnell - supported the war
Arlen Specter - supported the war
Mike Huckabee - supported the war
Chuck Schumer - supported the war
David Vitter - supported the war
Gerson - former Bush speechwriter, supported the war
Kenneth Pollack - supported the war
Chris Dodd - supported the war
Jon Kyl - suppported the war
Michael Steele - supported the war
Donna Brazile - unsure if she took stand on Iraq war, but is on board of wingnutty Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
Sam Brownback - supported the war
Joe Lieberman - loves the war
Ellen Miller - N/A
So, while I have somewhat mixed feelings about relevance and effectiveness of protest politics, it's clear that 4 years later the dirty fucking hippies really have no choice but to take to the streets to get the message out.
FUTK
Toby Keith says he was always against the Iraq war. Glad he had the courage of his convictions at the time, when this was the image he would show at his concerts.
Go Sell Some Shoes
One wonders, really, what they're scared of. Bush is a lame duck and everyone hates him.
In Which The Balance of the Universe is Upset
This will be my second nice post about Joe Klein. I actually liked Primary Colors. One thing it did for me was give me my first inkling that the elite pundit class in Washington was wired differently than me. When it came out, I got the sense that they all thought it was some vicious attack on the Clintons, a scathingly mean parody. I thought it was kind of an affectionate parody, really, not totally without bite but not vicious either. I remember thinking "if this is what these people think is vicious..." at the time.
Having said that, Klein engaged in some "rules don't apply to me" behavior regarding his identity as the author, but I actually thought the book itself was okay.
...and, oh, hey Blogger let me post again. yay blogger.
Having said that, Klein engaged in some "rules don't apply to me" behavior regarding his identity as the author, but I actually thought the book itself was okay.
...and, oh, hey Blogger let me post again. yay blogger.
Swampland
In this edition, Joe Klein manages a post without any reflexive bashing of Democrats, positioning himself as some sort of Noble Third Way, invocation of cliche political narratives, or elevation of style over substance.
baby steps, Joe, baby steps... come back into the light...
baby steps, Joe, baby steps... come back into the light...
Spineless
Come on, Marty, have the courage to say what you really think. But, regarding this:
I guess American Exceptionalism has been redefined as Exceptionally Ignorant.
I actually believe that Arabs are feigning outrage when they protest what they call American (or Israeli) "atrocities." They are not shocked at all by what in truth must seem to them not atrocious at all. It is routine in their cultures. That comparison shouldn't comfort us as Americans. We have higher standards of civilization than they do. But the mutilation of bodies and beheadings of people picked up at random in Iraq does not scandalize the people of Iraq unless victims are believers in their own sect or members of their own clan. And the truth is that we are less and less shocked by the mass death-happenings in the world of Islam. Yes, that's the bitter truth. Frankly, even I--cynic that I am--was shocked in the beginning by the sectarian bloodshed in Iraq. But I am no longer surprised. And neither are you.
It's great that over the past 150 years or so there has been no sectarian bloodshed in this country or elsewhere in the enlightened Western world. I guess American Exceptionalism has been redefined as Exceptionally Ignorant.
Ari Ari Bo Bari
Pig in a poke:
WASHINGTON - Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald took a gamble three years ago that White House press secretary Ari Fleischer might break open his leak investigation.
As Fitzgerald's inquiry was heating up into who revealed CIA operative Valerie Plame's name to reporters, Fleischer stepped forward with an offer: Give me immunity from prosecution and I'll give you information that might help your case.
What prosecutors didn't know was that Fleischer was one of the leakers. And without immunity, he refused to talk. Not even a hint.
Prosecutors normally insist on an informal account of what a witness will say before agreeing to immunity. It's known in legal circles as a proffer, and Fitzgerald said Thursday that he never got one from Fleischer, who was chief White House spokesman for the first 2 1/2 years of President Bush's first term.
"I didn't want to give him immunity. I did so reluctantly," Fitzgerald said in court. "I was buying a pig in a poke."
As The Pendulum Swings
As Roy notes, we're inevitably swinging back from a "peeance and freeance and painted schools!" period of wingnuttery to yet another "kill the brutes" phase. Should be fun.
Damn You Al Gore!
10 degrees? There was a cherry tree in full blossom around the corner from me just a week ago.
I want my global warming.
I want my global warming.
Oy
It looks like Blogger is trying to force me to switch my blog over again. Which probably won't work. Again. So now all I can do is post by email.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
They Likey Tim
Shocking:
Memo to Tim Russert: Dick Cheney thinks he controls you.
This delicious morsel about the "Meet the Press" host and the vice president was part of the extensive dish Cathie Martin served up yesterday when the former Cheney communications director took the stand in the perjury trial of former Cheney chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.
Flashed on the courtroom computer screens were her notes from 2004 about how Cheney could respond to allegations that the Bush administration had played fast and loose with evidence of Iraq's nuclear ambitions. Option 1: "MTP-VP," she wrote, then listed the pros and cons of a vice presidential appearance on the Sunday show. Under "pro," she wrote: "control message."
"I suggested we put the vice president on 'Meet the Press,' which was a tactic we often used," Martin testified. "It's our best format."
Even More Thread
Thanks to Atta J. for stepping in. When things are hopping here, even just going out for a dinner and a movie takes too much time. It's like I have children and have to run home to relieve the babysitter, except that I don't.
Mini-review: Volver... eh, ok.
Mini-review: Volver... eh, ok.
Helping Lara Logan
Lara Logan writes:
You can watch the report here.
From: lara logan
Subject: help
The story below only appeared on our CBS website and was not aired on CBS. It is a story that is largely being ignored, even though this istakingplace verysingle day in central Baghdad, two blocks from where our office is located.
Our crew had to be pulled out because we got a call saying they were about to be killed, and on their way out, a civilian man was shot dead in front of them as they ran.
I would be very grateful if any of you have a chance to watch this story and pass the link on to as many people you know as possible. It should be seen. And people should know about this.
If anyone has time to send a comment to CBS – about the story – not about my request, then that would help highlight that people are interested and this is not too gruesome to air, but rather too important to ignore.
Many, many thanks.
You can watch the report here.
In Which I Play Against Type
Yes, I'd like to know that Barack Obama was truly committed to a health care plan which matched his rhetoric on the subject, but presidential campaigns, especially this far out, aren't won on policy documents.
There's one issue which requires immediate leadership, and that's Iraq. On most other issues, happy soaring campaign rhetoric is fine with me.
There's one issue which requires immediate leadership, and that's Iraq. On most other issues, happy soaring campaign rhetoric is fine with me.
The Price of Entry
Another reason income inequality matters is that it tends to increase the price of entry into mainstream society. Social (and economic) exclusion happens to people who can't afford the various status items - cell phones, nice cars, nice clothes, etc... - which are social markers which signal that you aren't a loser, which further impacts your ability to get a decent job, etc...
The Big Money
Bowers discusses where it's not going.
Not so infrequently I'm asked to do things, usually in DC, like talk to groups of people about how they canexploit and manipulate harness the magic powers of people like me. I do it, sometimes even paying my own way, for free in the general "we're all in this together" sense, and I can afford it so I really don't mind. Still, the assumption shouldn't be that just because someone cares about progressive politics that they're willing to do lots of stuff for free. Lots of people aren't in a decent financial situation.
Another issue is ad campaigns, the desire by interest groups and others to get support whatever their latest issue is. Nothing wrong with their desire to get free attention, but it's a bit annoying when they drop hundreds of thousands or more on traditional media ads, and don't throw some of that money at blogs.
Sure, it's great when bloggers get hired by campaigns to do stuff, but then they, you know, generally stop being bloggers.
Anyway, I guess I'm just meandering here. I don't have a solution.
damn blogger, I swear it's inserting typos into my posts.
Not so infrequently I'm asked to do things, usually in DC, like talk to groups of people about how they can
Another issue is ad campaigns, the desire by interest groups and others to get support whatever their latest issue is. Nothing wrong with their desire to get free attention, but it's a bit annoying when they drop hundreds of thousands or more on traditional media ads, and don't throw some of that money at blogs.
Sure, it's great when bloggers get hired by campaigns to do stuff, but then they, you know, generally stop being bloggers.
Anyway, I guess I'm just meandering here. I don't have a solution.
damn blogger, I swear it's inserting typos into my posts.
Drive Up The Price
I haven't given a lot of thought about the optimal ordering of Democratic primaries, but I think I tend to side with Drum if for somewhat perverse reasons.
First, it is true as he says that the reality is that a good candidate has to be good at raising money and manipulating the national media, so it makes sense that good candidate training would require them to do just that in the primary. Having said that I really don't buy that Iowa and New Hampshire are all about making nice with voters at a neverending stream of diners. Iowa's about getting local political leaders who run the caucuses on your side, and New Hampshire's won in the media just like everywhere else, no matter how many times I see narcissistic voters from that state talk about "how they won't make up their minds until they meet the candidates..."
Still, I have hopes and dreams that both paid media and free national media will decline in their power to shape elections. Raising the effective price of running a primary campaign using traditional means might force candidates to get creative about other ways of campaigning, particularly by creating and mobilizing volunteers. You can't knock on every door in California, but your volunteers can.
First, it is true as he says that the reality is that a good candidate has to be good at raising money and manipulating the national media, so it makes sense that good candidate training would require them to do just that in the primary. Having said that I really don't buy that Iowa and New Hampshire are all about making nice with voters at a neverending stream of diners. Iowa's about getting local political leaders who run the caucuses on your side, and New Hampshire's won in the media just like everywhere else, no matter how many times I see narcissistic voters from that state talk about "how they won't make up their minds until they meet the candidates..."
Still, I have hopes and dreams that both paid media and free national media will decline in their power to shape elections. Raising the effective price of running a primary campaign using traditional means might force candidates to get creative about other ways of campaigning, particularly by creating and mobilizing volunteers. You can't knock on every door in California, but your volunteers can.
Plank v. Spine
I wonder if the failure of the Plankers to confront Marty has anything to do with the fact that he controls the purse strings and their need to be in his good graces sometimes prevents them from saying what they really think.
Nah, not possible.
Nah, not possible.
Canon
It's true, as Matt says, that the root of the netroots is the defense of Bill Clinton, though I think that simplifies it a bit. To me, it all comes from a fundamental critique of the beltway media - politics-as-high-school, High Broderism, opinion that ranges from The New Republic to the Free Republic, the mainstreaming of horseshit from the right wing press, liberals-who-hate-liberals, and of course the Getting It Wrong About Everything.
Move On began by, you know, agreeing with Joe Lieberman, at least until Joe Lieberman decided that censure wasn't just a ploy to get impeachment off the table but his personal moral quest to punish that wicked wicked man for his wicked wicked blowjobs. Even The Nation, no Clinton fans, eventually woke up and realized that Ken Starr and his media sycophants were more troublesome than he was.
As awful as our media can be now, as awful as it was post-9/11, as awful as it was in the runup to the Iraq war, 1998-2001 is really the period when they collectively lost their minds, from The Blowjob through the Gore campaign, the contested election, and the post-Clinton "pardongate"/"white house trashing"/etc. Fox News, while annoying, was irrelevant because they really weren't any different than the rest of the media, where Lanny Davis represented "The Left."
The media problem was a political problem as well because for some reason the Democrats have a history of caring what these blubbering idiots think of them. So, "our side" takes it cues from Meet the Press and the Washington Post, constantly trying to please them and compounding the problem. But, fundamentally it's a media problem.
So, what to read? In no way am I trying to come up with a comprehensive list, and certainly one could reach farther back in time. None of this stuff "begins" at a specific point in time, really. If not for the return of the Iran Contra crew I'd probably not even start until we get to Clinton, but it's probably necessary to reach back for a bit of a reminder.
So, in rough order. First, the Reagan years. Haynes Johnson's book suffers from being boring, but it's a pretty good Reagan era primer, or at least I thought so a few years ago when I read it. Some of the general social critique I imagine is a bit dated.
Hertsgaard's On Bended Knee (Tom Tomorrow just reminded me to include this).
Next, Lawrence Walsh's book about Iran Contra.
Next, Eric Alterman's history of the punditocracy.
Then, Sidney Blumenthal's book The Clinton Wars, which I think is especially useful for its earlier chapters.
Gene Lyons' Fools for Scandal.
Conason & Lyons Hunting of the President.
For the fictionalized version, Philip Roth's The Human Stain.
David Brock's Blinded by the Right.
The book that Josh Marshall never wrote about "Clinton hatred" in the 1990s.
Marvin Kalb's One Scandalous Story.
The book that Bob Somerby never published about the Gore campaign coverage, or just go read the Daily Howler archives.
Toobin's Too Close to Call.
Late edition - Johnson's The Big Chill.
Alterman's What Liberal Media.
David Brock's The Republican Noise Machine.
Wolcott's Attack Poodles.
Boehlert's Lapdogs.
I haven't read any of the books about the press and the Iraq war coverage (aside from Boehlert's, which gives it some coverage), though I guess as a first stab I'd recommend Massing's articles in the NYRB.
The Unseen War.
Now They Tell Us.
Unfit to Print.
Iraq, the Press, and the Election.
Obviously the point isn't that I agree with every idea or opinion expressed in these books, but they provide a rough narrative strand which certainly informs my view of recent history and the media and one which I think is, to a great degree, shared in the "netroots."
Move On began by, you know, agreeing with Joe Lieberman, at least until Joe Lieberman decided that censure wasn't just a ploy to get impeachment off the table but his personal moral quest to punish that wicked wicked man for his wicked wicked blowjobs. Even The Nation, no Clinton fans, eventually woke up and realized that Ken Starr and his media sycophants were more troublesome than he was.
As awful as our media can be now, as awful as it was post-9/11, as awful as it was in the runup to the Iraq war, 1998-2001 is really the period when they collectively lost their minds, from The Blowjob through the Gore campaign, the contested election, and the post-Clinton "pardongate"/"white house trashing"/etc. Fox News, while annoying, was irrelevant because they really weren't any different than the rest of the media, where Lanny Davis represented "The Left."
The media problem was a political problem as well because for some reason the Democrats have a history of caring what these blubbering idiots think of them. So, "our side" takes it cues from Meet the Press and the Washington Post, constantly trying to please them and compounding the problem. But, fundamentally it's a media problem.
So, what to read? In no way am I trying to come up with a comprehensive list, and certainly one could reach farther back in time. None of this stuff "begins" at a specific point in time, really. If not for the return of the Iran Contra crew I'd probably not even start until we get to Clinton, but it's probably necessary to reach back for a bit of a reminder.
So, in rough order. First, the Reagan years. Haynes Johnson's book suffers from being boring, but it's a pretty good Reagan era primer, or at least I thought so a few years ago when I read it. Some of the general social critique I imagine is a bit dated.
Hertsgaard's On Bended Knee (Tom Tomorrow just reminded me to include this).
Next, Lawrence Walsh's book about Iran Contra.
Next, Eric Alterman's history of the punditocracy.
Then, Sidney Blumenthal's book The Clinton Wars, which I think is especially useful for its earlier chapters.
Gene Lyons' Fools for Scandal.
Conason & Lyons Hunting of the President.
For the fictionalized version, Philip Roth's The Human Stain.
David Brock's Blinded by the Right.
The book that Josh Marshall never wrote about "Clinton hatred" in the 1990s.
Marvin Kalb's One Scandalous Story.
The book that Bob Somerby never published about the Gore campaign coverage, or just go read the Daily Howler archives.
Toobin's Too Close to Call.
Late edition - Johnson's The Big Chill.
Alterman's What Liberal Media.
David Brock's The Republican Noise Machine.
Wolcott's Attack Poodles.
Boehlert's Lapdogs.
I haven't read any of the books about the press and the Iraq war coverage (aside from Boehlert's, which gives it some coverage), though I guess as a first stab I'd recommend Massing's articles in the NYRB.
The Unseen War.
Now They Tell Us.
Unfit to Print.
Iraq, the Press, and the Election.
Obviously the point isn't that I agree with every idea or opinion expressed in these books, but they provide a rough narrative strand which certainly informs my view of recent history and the media and one which I think is, to a great degree, shared in the "netroots."
Wrong
I know nobody listens to me, so someone please tell Chuck Schumer that he's wrong.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Iraq will certainly be the central issue of the 2008 election.
Please. Explain. This. To. Them.
Sen. Charles Schumer, architect of the new Democratic Senate majority, argues that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the 2008 elections will not center on Iraq.
"I think Iraq will not be as strong an issue in the 2008 elections," said the senior senator from New York, as he enters his second straight cycle as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "I think the surge will fail and the president will have no choice but to begin removing troops."
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Iraq will certainly be the central issue of the 2008 election.
Please. Explain. This. To. Them.
Infantalism
Here's what Kevin Baker said about Klein's latest book in a review he wrote for Harper's:
Mostly unrelated, Kevin Baker's novel Dreamland was quite good.
Far from the objectivity that he claims, Klein exists at a perfect confluence of infantalism: all politics must be directed towards meeting his personal needs and prejudices, and all politicians must constantly entertain him.
Mostly unrelated, Kevin Baker's novel Dreamland was quite good.
Original Sin
JMM writes:
This is true of the Bush presidency specifically, but I think when we look back at the modern political-media era, the original sin really is Jeff Gerth's first bit of journalistic fraud which was his first Whitewater piece for the Times.
It paved the way for everything which followed.
...which reminds me, for some time I've been meaning to do a post on the liberal "canon" which wouldn't so much be about the Great Thinkers and Philosophers which animate our discourse, but rather the books/essays which provide the basic narratives which are the foundation for the liberal/netroots view of the universe since 1992.
The whole Bush presidency was conceived in the original political sin of the stolen 2000 election.
This is true of the Bush presidency specifically, but I think when we look back at the modern political-media era, the original sin really is Jeff Gerth's first bit of journalistic fraud which was his first Whitewater piece for the Times.
It paved the way for everything which followed.
...which reminds me, for some time I've been meaning to do a post on the liberal "canon" which wouldn't so much be about the Great Thinkers and Philosophers which animate our discourse, but rather the books/essays which provide the basic narratives which are the foundation for the liberal/netroots view of the universe since 1992.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
They Write Comments
Thersites writes to Joe Klein:
...they write Blog Posts. Thersites writes to Joe Klein.
So Klein's criteria for whose ideas are best for the nation rest on the question, "who is most butch?"
What does Klein contribute to the public discourse? Projecting his sexualized, class-based fantasies onto the public sphere isn't so much a public service as it is a disturbing look into the psyche of a shallow, anxious man.
Klein needs a shrink, not a column.
...they write Blog Posts. Thersites writes to Joe Klein.
[F]or all the fetishization of the corner bar where people are measured by the Infallible Test of Beer Having-With, pundits like Klein become awful fucking prissy when the actual language of American bar-goers is turned upon them: then, they polish their nails with disdain about the incivility of the Rabble. Klein wants to speak for the barroom: the last thing he wants is for the barroom to speak.
The Return of Scottie
Scott McClellan on the Daily Show:
He's actually the one who I hope writes a "tell all."
I think I'm the only one who didn't hire a lawyer.
He's actually the one who I hope writes a "tell all."
More on Fox
This is a point I've returned to repeatedly, but the mainstream media - the "serious" media - really needs to figure out how to handle outlets like Fox. Aside from their complete lack of ethics or standards, they also imagine (or claim to imagine) they're correcting an imbalance which doesn't exist.
Fox came of age during the late Clinton years, when the Clinton Rules of journalism - later transferred to Gore - were in full force. In terms of substance they didn't differ much from what you could find on MSNBC or CNN night after night. Mostly, they differed in style. There were some signs that the rest of the media were slowly recovering from their Clinton hangover when 9/11 hit, and they let Fox be the leader in how to approach the news then as well.
At some point one would hope these outlets would recover their moral center and start living up to the standards they claim to, and in part that will require seeing themselves as a counterweight to the bullshit spewed by the right wing propagandists at outlets such as Fox. Not necessarily an ideological counterweight, though giving a liberal a TV show every now and then wouldn't be such a bad idea, but a factual one.
The right wing noise machine has not only gone unchecked for too long, it's been embraced and mainstreamed. It's long past time for that to change.
Fox came of age during the late Clinton years, when the Clinton Rules of journalism - later transferred to Gore - were in full force. In terms of substance they didn't differ much from what you could find on MSNBC or CNN night after night. Mostly, they differed in style. There were some signs that the rest of the media were slowly recovering from their Clinton hangover when 9/11 hit, and they let Fox be the leader in how to approach the news then as well.
At some point one would hope these outlets would recover their moral center and start living up to the standards they claim to, and in part that will require seeing themselves as a counterweight to the bullshit spewed by the right wing propagandists at outlets such as Fox. Not necessarily an ideological counterweight, though giving a liberal a TV show every now and then wouldn't be such a bad idea, but a factual one.
The right wing noise machine has not only gone unchecked for too long, it's been embraced and mainstreamed. It's long past time for that to change.
What To Do About Fox
At some point those in the media who imagine they have some standards are going to have to figure it out.
Scoring Points
What Yglesias says, and then even one more thing. Unlike a couple of months ago, the Democrats control Congress. They have no reason to try to take Bush proposals and make them better, because they get to actually put their own proposals up for a vote. Republicans not named Bush also don't have any particular reason to support Bush proposals, unless they like them, so there's just not much reason to really care what Bush thinks about health care, immigration, or any other potential areas where Congress might be passing laws. Given the nature of the Senate, they do have to worry about pleasing some Republicans, but not ones named Bush.
Sure there's that veto thing, but Bush's ability to block good legislation is no reason to support bad legislation.
Sure there's that veto thing, but Bush's ability to block good legislation is no reason to support bad legislation.
His War
Kos has some discussion of Republican attempts to make this a bipartisan war. I think they all missed something. Bush doesn't want to share his war. It's his war. His baby, his mission, his quest.
Imperial Tone
Drum takes care of Ruth Marcus fairly well, but what really struck me about her column was the Pundit On High tone which is increasingly grating. Memo to Marcus: Many people who are much smarter than you are very capable of coming to their own conclusions about proposed public policy. If you would stop hectoring and dismissing them, and implying that they are Not As Smart As You Are, maybe you'll learn something other than what Bush administration officials tell you.
The common rhetorical pose among just about all the Washington Post columnists is We Know What is Best For You So Stop Worrying Your Pretty Little Heads. God they're annoying.
The common rhetorical pose among just about all the Washington Post columnists is We Know What is Best For You So Stop Worrying Your Pretty Little Heads. God they're annoying.
Free Sam Seder
WWRL pulled Sam Seder off the air in NYC because he said mean things about Armstrong Williams.
New Yorkers, you know what to do...
UPDATE Call WWRL (over and over again) tell them you want the sam sedershow!
office: 212-631-0800
listener call-in line: 212-868-0975
send them a letter...
WWRL
333 Seventh Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10001
fax 212-239-7203.
or email
bishop@wwrl1600.com
New Yorkers, you know what to do...
UPDATE Call WWRL (over and over again) tell them you want the sam sedershow!
office: 212-631-0800
listener call-in line: 212-868-0975
send them a letter...
WWRL
333 Seventh Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10001
fax 212-239-7203.
or email
bishop@wwrl1600.com
Payroll Tax Deduction
While there isn't a lot of point in discussing what I assume is a DOA plan, as Dean Baker points out the proposed health plan would in fact have the deductions affecting not only the payroll tax but the social security tax income tax but the payroll tax.* As Baker says, this would also impact worker benefits later on (presumably). In addition it would impact the amount of money the system brings in.
*no tax policy before coffee
*no tax policy before coffee
Brit Hume, Bush's Sock Puppet
It really is pathetic.
Wonder what kind of health plan Brit Hume has? Or the people at Cato?
...regarding Cato, I've been informed they have plans with high deductibles and HSAs. True believers, apparently. Good for them.
Wonder what kind of health plan Brit Hume has? Or the people at Cato?
...regarding Cato, I've been informed they have plans with high deductibles and HSAs. True believers, apparently. Good for them.
The Math
This is a late night half-baked thought, but it occurs to me that Rover may have convinced the White House Gang that he was indispensable, causing them to sell out Libby...
...and then there was a problem with the math.
oops
...and then there was a problem with the math.
oops
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Scuba Flippers and a Fruit Hat
Oddly, Webb did give his address in scuba flippers and fruit hat. You can watch it here.
or, on youtube:
or, on youtube:
Manly Men
Jay Carney is all agog about the Jim Webb response. Which is fair enough; I liked it myself. But cynic that I am, I do have to wonder a bit about how he (and Tweety too, in his very Tweety way) are reacting to what Webb said:
But you know, if what it takes is for the Democratic party to find a Manly Ideal like Webb to articulate simple common sense for the Punditry to get on board with coming out against a hideously stupid meatgrinder foreign policy, then, so be it. It kind of reinforces something Digby has often said about how subtle issues about "masculinity" and "femininity" play into our politics. But hey, if this dynamic is now ours, well, OK.
Interestingly enough, I'm watching McCauliff (Now HRClinton's campaign committee manager) on the Daily Show, and he's telling Stewart "hit us, hit Hillary, we'll hit back harder." I like it -- mostly.
I wish our elections would be decided rationally, on issues, but they aren't. But if the Dem candidates have learned at long last to be feisty, hell, it's about goddamn time.
His direct delivery, his deliberate pauses between sentences, his old-fashioned accent -- all made it an unapologetic speech but not a lecture. He showed the Democrats, and all those who oppose Bush on Iraq, a way to oppose the war with dignity, humility and strength.There's a bit of an annoying focus on process here: if Webb is right about Iraq, who the hell cares if he gave his address in scuba flippers, a fruit hat, and a Dennis Kucinich mask? Right is right, especially in matters of life and death, right?
But you know, if what it takes is for the Democratic party to find a Manly Ideal like Webb to articulate simple common sense for the Punditry to get on board with coming out against a hideously stupid meatgrinder foreign policy, then, so be it. It kind of reinforces something Digby has often said about how subtle issues about "masculinity" and "femininity" play into our politics. But hey, if this dynamic is now ours, well, OK.
Interestingly enough, I'm watching McCauliff (Now HRClinton's campaign committee manager) on the Daily Show, and he's telling Stewart "hit us, hit Hillary, we'll hit back harder." I like it -- mostly.
I wish our elections would be decided rationally, on issues, but they aren't. But if the Dem candidates have learned at long last to be feisty, hell, it's about goddamn time.
SOTUS
Here it is.
Embargoed Until Delivery of the State of the Union Address at 9:01 PM EST
January 23, 2007
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
As Prepared For Delivery
TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
Thank you very much. Tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own — as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words: Madam Speaker.
In his day, the late Congressman Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., from Baltimore, Maryland, saw Presidents Roosevelt and Truman at this rostrum. But nothing could compare with the sight of his only daughter, Nancy, presiding tonight as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Congratulations.
Two members of the House and Senate are not with us tonight — and we pray for the recovery and speedy return of Senator Tim Johnson and Congressman Charlie Norwood.
Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
This rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour — when decisions are hard and courage is tested. We enter the year 2007 with large endeavors underway, and others that are ours to begin. In all of this, much is asked of us. We must have the will to face difficult challenges and determined enemies — and the wisdom to face them together.
Some in this Chamber are new to the House and Senate — and I congratulate the Democratic majority. Congress has changed, but our responsibilities have not. Each of us is guided by our own convictions — and to these we must stay faithful. Yet we are all held to the same standards, and called to serve the same good purposes: To extend this Nation’s prosperity … to spend the people’s money wisely … to solve problems, not leave them to future generations … to guard America against all evil, and to keep faith with those we have sent forth to defend us.
We are not the first to come here with government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences and achieve big things for the American people. Our citizens don’t much care which side of the aisle we sit on — as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done. Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and help them to build a future of hope and opportunity — and this is the business before us tonight.
A future of hope and opportunity begins with a growing economy — and that is what we have. We are now in the 41st month of uninterrupted job growth — in a recovery that has created 7.2 million new jobs … so far. Unemployment is low, inflation is low, and wages are rising. This economy is on the move — and our job is to keep it that way, not with more government but with more enterprise.
Next week, I will deliver a full report on the state of our economy. Tonight, I want to discuss three economic reforms that deserve to be priorities for this Congress.
First, we must balance the Federal budget. We can do so without raising taxes. What we need to do is impose spending discipline in Washington, D.C. We set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009 — and met that goal 3 years ahead of schedule. Now let us take the next step. In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget that eliminates the Federal deficit within the next 5 years. I ask you to make the same commitment. Together, we can restrain the spending appetite of the Federal Government, and balance the Federal budget.
Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour — when not even C-SPAN is watching. In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over 90 percent of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House and Senate — they are dropped into Committee reports that are not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You did not vote them into law. I did not sign them into law. Yet they are treated as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice. So let us work together to reform the budget process … expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress … and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session.
Finally, to keep this economy strong we must take on the challenge of entitlements. Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid are commitments of conscience — and so it is our duty to keep them permanently sound. Yet we are failing in that
duty — and this failure will one day leave our children with three bad options: huge tax increases, huge deficits, or huge and immediate cuts in benefits. Everyone in this Chamber knows this to be true — yet somehow we have not found it in ourselves to act. So let us work together and do it now. With enough good sense and good will, you and I can fix Medicare and Medicaid — and save Social Security.
Spreading opportunity and hope in America also requires public schools that give children the knowledge and character they need in life. Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass the No Child Left Behind Act — preserving local control, raising standards in public schools, and holding those schools accountable for results. And because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap.
Now the task is to build on this success, without watering down standards … without taking control from local communities … and without backsliding and calling it reform. We can lift student achievement even higher by giving local leaders flexibility to turn around failing schools … and by giving families with children stuck in failing schools the right to choose something better. We must increase funds for students who struggle — and make sure these children get the special help they need. And we can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future, and our country is more competitive, by strengthening math and science skills. The No Child Left Behind Act has worked for America’s children — and I ask Congress to reauthorize this good law.
A future of hope and opportunity requires that all our citizens have affordable and available health care. When it comes to health care, government has an obligation to care for the elderly, the disabled, and poor children. We will meet those responsibilities. For all other Americans, private health insurance is the best way to meet their needs. But many Americans cannot afford a health insurance policy.
Tonight, I propose two new initiatives to help more Americans afford their own insurance. First, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income. With this reform, more than 100 million men, women, and children who are now covered by employer-provided insurance will benefit from lower tax bills.
At the same time, this reform will level the playing field for those who do not get health insurance through their job. For Americans who now purchase health insurance on their own, my proposal would mean a substantial tax savings — $4,500 for a family of four making $60,000 a year. And for the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans.
My second proposal is to help the States that are coming up with innovative ways to cover the uninsured. States that make basic private health insurance available to all their citizens should receive Federal funds to help them provide this coverage to the poor and the sick. I have asked the Secretary of Health and Human Services to work with Congress to take existing Federal funds and use them to create “Affordable Choices” grants. These grants would give our Nation’s Governors more money and more flexibility to get private health insurance to those most in need.
There are many other ways that Congress can help. We need to expand Health Savings Accounts … help small businesses through Association Health Plans … reduce costs and medical errors with better information technology … encourage price transparency … and protect good doctors from junk lawsuits by passing medical liability reform. And in all we do, we must remember that the best health care decisions are made not by government and insurance companies, but by patients and their doctors.
Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America — with laws that are fair and borders that are secure. When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country. To secure our border, we are doubling the size of the Border Patrol — and funding new infrastructure and technology.
Yet even with all these steps, we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border — and that requires a temporary worker program. We should establish a legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis. As a result, they won’t have to try to sneak in — and that will leave border agents free to chase down drug smugglers, and criminals, and terrorists. We will enforce our immigration laws at the worksite, and give employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers — so there is no excuse left for violating the law. We need to uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals. And we need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country — without animosity and without amnesty.
Convictions run deep in this Capitol when it comes to immigration. Let us have a serious, civil, and conclusive debate — so that you can pass, and I can sign, comprehensive immigration reform into law.
Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy that keeps America’s economy running and America’s environment clean. For too long our Nation has been dependent on foreign oil. And this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes, and to terrorists — who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments … raise the price of oil … and do great harm to our economy.
It is in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply — and the way forward is through technology. We must continue changing the way America generates electric power — by even greater use of clean coal technology … solar and wind energy … and clean, safe nuclear power. We need to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles, and expand the use of clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol — using everything from wood chips, to grasses, to agricultural wastes.
We have made a lot of progress, thanks to good policies in Washington and the strong response of the market. Now even more dramatic advances are within reach. Tonight, I ask Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal. Let us build on the work we have done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20 percent in the next 10 years — thereby cutting our total imports by the equivalent of 3/4 of all the oil we now import from the Middle East.
To reach this goal, we must increase the supply of alternative fuels, by setting a mandatory Fuels Standard to require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels in 2017 — this is nearly 5 times the current target. At the same time, we need to reform and modernize fuel economy standards for cars the way we did for light trucks — and conserve up to 8.5 billion more gallons of gasoline by 2017.
Achieving these ambitious goals will dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but will not eliminate it. So as we continue to diversify our fuel supply, we must also step up domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways. And to further protect America against severe disruptions to our oil supply, I ask Congress to double the current capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
America is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that will enable us to live our lives less dependent on oil. These technologies will help us become better stewards of the environment — and they will help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate change.
A future of hope and opportunity requires a fair, impartial system of justice. The lives of citizens across our Nation are affected by the outcome of cases pending in our Federal courts. And we have a shared obligation to ensure that the Federal courts have enough judges to hear those cases and deliver timely rulings. As President, I have a duty to nominate qualified men and women to vacancies on the Federal bench. And the United States Senate has a duty as well — to give those nominees a fair hearing, and a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.
For all of us in this room, there is no higher responsibility than to protect the people of this country from danger. Five years have come and gone since we saw the scenes and felt the sorrow that terrorists can cause. We have had time to take stock of our situation. We have added many critical protections to guard the homeland. We know with certainty that the horrors of that September morning were just a glimpse of what the terrorists intend for us — unless we stop them.
With the distance of time, we find ourselves debating the causes of conflict and the course we have followed. Such debates are essential when a great democracy faces great questions. Yet one question has surely been settled — that to win the war on terror we must take the fight to the enemy.
From the start, America and our allies have protected our people by staying on the offense. The enemy knows that the days of comfortable sanctuary, easy movement, steady financing, and free-flowing communications are long over. For the terrorists, life since 9/11 has never been the same.
Our success in this war is often measured by the things that did not happen. We cannot know the full extent of the attacks that we and our allies have prevented — but here is some of what we do know: We stopped an al Qaeda plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We broke up a Southeast Asian terrorist cell grooming operatives for attacks inside the United States. We uncovered an al Qaeda cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks against America. And just last August, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up passenger planes bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean . For each life saved, we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave public servants who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping them.
Every success against the terrorists is a reminder of the shoreless ambitions of this enemy. The evil that inspired and rejoiced in 9/11 is still at work in the world. And so long as that is the case, America is still a Nation at war.
In the minds of the terrorists, this war began well before September 11, and will not end until their radical vision is fulfilled. And these past 5 years have given us a much clearer view of the nature of this enemy. Al Qaeda and its followers are Sunni extremists, possessed by hatred and commanded by a harsh and narrow ideology. Take almost any principle of civilization, and their goal is the opposite. They preach with threats …. instruct with bullets and bombs … and promise paradise for the murder of the innocent.
Our enemies are quite explicit about their intentions. They want to overthrow moderate governments and establish safe havens from which to plan and carry out new attacks on our country. By killing and terrorizing Americans, they want to force our country to retreat from the world and abandon the cause of liberty. They would then be free to impose their will and spread their totalitarian ideology. Listen to this warning from the late terrorist Zarqawi: “We will sacrifice our blood and bodies to put an end to your dreams, and what is coming is even worse.” And Osama bin Laden declared: “Death is better than living on this Earth with the unbelievers among us.”
These men are not given to idle words, and they are just one camp in the Islamist radical movement. In recent times, it has also become clear that we face an escalating danger from Shia extremists who are just as hostile to America, and are also determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah — a group second only to al Qaeda in the American lives it has taken.
The Shia and Sunni extremists are different faces of the same totalitarian threat. But whatever slogans they chant, when they slaughter the innocent, they have the same wicked purposes. They want to kill Americans … kill democracy in the Middle East … and gain the weapons to kill on an even more horrific scale.
In the 6th year since our Nation was attacked, I wish I could report to you that the dangers have ended. They have not. And so it remains the policy of this Government to use every lawful and proper tool of intelligence, diplomacy, law enforcement, and military action to do our duty, to find these enemies, and to protect the American people.
This war is more than a clash of arms — it is a decisive ideological struggle, and the security of our Nation is in the balance. To prevail, we must remove the conditions that inspire blind hatred, and drove 19 men to get onto airplanes and come to kill us. What every terrorist fears most is human freedom — societies where men and women make their own choices, answer to their own conscience, and live by their hopes instead of their resentments. Free people are not drawn to violent and malignant ideologies — and most will choose a better way when they are given a chance. So we advance our own security interests by helping moderates, reformers, and brave voices for democracy. The great question of our day is whether America will help men and women in the Middle East to build free societies and share in the rights of all humanity. And I say, for the sake of our own security … we must.
In the last 2 years, we have seen the desire for liberty in the broader Middle East — and we have been sobered by the enemy’s fierce reaction. In 2005, the world watched as the citizens of Lebanon raised the banner of the Cedar Revolution … drove out the Syrian occupiers … and chose new leaders in free elections. In 2005, the people of Afghanistan defied the terrorists and elected a democratic legislature. And in 2005, the Iraqi people held three national elections — choosing a transitional government … adopting the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world … and then electing a government under that constitution. Despite endless threats from the killers in their midst, nearly 12 million Iraqi citizens came out to vote in a show of hope and solidarity we should never forget.
A thinking enemy watched all of these scenes, adjusted their tactics, and in 2006 they struck back. In Lebanon, assassins took the life of Pierre Gemayel, a prominent participant in the Cedar Revolution. And Hezbollah terrorists, with support from Syria and Iran, sowed conflict in the region and are seeking to undermine Lebanon’s legitimately elected government. In Afghanistan, Taliban and al Qaeda fighters tried to regain power by regrouping and engaging Afghan and NATO forces. In Iraq, al Qaeda and other Sunni extremists blew up one of the most sacred places in Shia Islam — the Golden Mosque of Samarra. This atrocity, directed at a Muslim house of prayer, was designed to provoke retaliation from Iraqi Shia — and it succeeded. Radical Shia elements, some of whom receive support from Iran, formed death squads. The result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and reprisal that continues to this day.
This is not the fight we entered in Iraq, but it is the fight we are in. Every one of us wishes that this war were over and won. Yet it would not be like us to leave our promises unkept, our friends abandoned, and our own security at risk. Ladies and gentlemen: On this day, at this hour, it is still within our power to shape the outcome of this battle. So let us find our resolve, and turn events toward victory.
We are carrying out a new strategy in Iraq — a plan that demands more from Iraq’s elected government, and gives our forces in Iraq the reinforcements they need to complete their mission. Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides them security, and is an ally in the war on terror.
In order to make progress toward this goal, the Iraqi government must stop the sectarian violence in its capital. But the Iraqis are not yet ready to do this on their own. So we are deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down terrorists, insurgents, and roaming death squads. And in Anbar province — where al Qaeda terrorists have gathered and local forces have begun showing a willingness to fight them — we are sending an additional 4,000 United States Marines, with orders to find the terrorists and clear them out. We did not drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven in Afghanistan only to let them set up a new safe haven in a free Iraq.
The people of Iraq want to live in peace, and now is the time for their government to act. Iraq’s leaders know that our commitment is not open ended. They have promised to deploy more of their own troops to secure Baghdad — and they must do so. They have pledged that they will confront violent radicals of any faction or political party. They need to follow through, and lift needless restrictions on Iraqi and Coalition forces, so these troops can achieve their mission of bringing security to all of the people of Baghdad. Iraq’s leaders have committed themselves to a series of benchmarks to achieve reconciliation — to share oil revenues among all of Iraq’s citizens … to put the wealth of Iraq into the rebuilding of Iraq … to allow more Iraqis to re-enter their nation’s civic life … to hold local elections … and to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province. But for all of this to happen, Baghdad must be secured. And our plan will help the Iraqi government take back its capital and make good on its commitments.
My fellow citizens, our military commanders and I have carefully weighed the options. We discussed every possible approach. In the end, I chose this course of action because it provides the best chance of success. Many in this Chamber understand that America must not fail in Iraq — because you understand that the consequences of failure would be grievous and far reaching.
If American forces step back before Baghdad is secure, the Iraqi government would be overrun by extremists on all sides. We could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by
Iran, and Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda and supporters of the old regime. A contagion of violence could spill out across the country — and in time the entire region could be drawn into the conflict.
For America, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, this is the objective. Chaos is their greatest ally in this struggle. And out of chaos in Iraq would emerge an emboldened enemy with new safe havens … new recruits … new resources … and an even greater determination to harm America. To allow this to happen would be to ignore the lessons of September 11 and invite tragedy. And ladies and gentlemen, nothing is more important at this moment in our history than for America to succeed in the Middle East … to succeed in Iraq … and to spare the American people from this danger.
This is where matters stand tonight, in the here and now. I have spoken with many of you in person. I respect you and the arguments you have made. We went into this largely united — in our assumptions, and in our convictions. And whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure. Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq — and I ask you to give it a chance to work. And I ask you to support our troops in the field — and those on their way.
The war on terror we fight today is a generational struggle that will continue long after you and I have turned our duties over to others. That is why it is important to work together so our Nation can see this great effort through. Both parties and both branches should work in close consultation. And this is why I propose to establish a special advisory council on the war on terror, made up of leaders in Congress from both political parties. We will share ideas for how to position America to meet every challenge that confronts us. And we will show our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory.
One of the first steps we can take together is to add to the ranks of our military — so that the American Armed Forces are ready for all the challenges ahead. Tonight I ask the Congress to authorize an increase in the size of our active Army and Marine Corps by 92,000 in the next 5 years. A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when America needs them. And it would give people across America who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time.
Americans can have confidence in the outcome of this struggle — because we are not in this struggle alone. We have a diplomatic strategy that is rallying the world to join in the fight against extremism. In Iraq, multinational forces are operating under a mandate from the United Nations — and we are working with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Gulf States to increase support for Iraq’s government. The United Nations has imposed sanctions on Iran, and made it clear that the world will not allow the regime in Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. With the other members of the Quartet — the U.N., the European Union, and Russia — we are pursuing diplomacy to help bring peace to the Holy Land, and pursuing the establishment of a democratic Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. In Afghanistan, NATO has taken the lead in turning back the Taliban and al Qaeda offensive — the first time the Alliance has deployed forces outside the North Atlantic area. Together with our partners in China, Japan, Russia , and South Korea, we are pursuing intensive diplomacy to achieve a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons. And we will continue to speak out for the cause of freedom in places like Cuba, Belarus, and Burma — and continue to awaken the conscience of the world to save the people of Darfur.
American foreign policy is more than a matter of war and diplomacy. Our work in the world is also based on a timeless truth: To whom much is given, much is required. We hear the call to take on the challenges of hunger, poverty, and disease — and that is precisely what America is doing. We must continue to fight HIV/AIDS, especially on the continent of Africa — and because you funded our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the number of people receiving life-saving drugs has grown from 50,000 to more than 800,000 in 3 short years. I ask you to continue funding our efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. I ask you to provide $1.2 billion over 5 years so we can combat malaria in 15 African countries. I ask that you fund the Millennium Challenge Account, so that American aid reaches the people who need it, in nations where democracy is on the rise and corruption is in retreat. And let us continue to support the expanded trade and debt relief that are the best hope for lifting lives and eliminating poverty.
When America serves others in this way, we show the strength and generosity of our country. These deeds reflect the character of our people. The greatest strength we have is the heroic kindness, courage, and self-sacrifice of the American people. You see this spirit often if you know where to look — and tonight we need only look above to the gallery.
Dikembe Mutombo grew up in Africa, amid great poverty and disease. He came to Georgetown University on a scholarship to study medicine — but Coach John Thompson got a look at Dikembe and had a different idea. Dikembe became a star in the NBA, and a citizen of the United States. But he never forgot the land of his birth — or the duty to share his blessings with others. He has built a brand new hospital in his hometown. A friend has said of this good-hearted man: “Mutombo believes that God has given him this opportunity to do great things.” And we are proud to call this son of the Congo our fellow American.
After her daughter was born, Julie Aigner-Clark searched for ways to share her love of music and art with her child. So she borrowed some equipment, and began filming children’s videos in her basement. The Baby Einstein Company was born — and in just 5 years her business grew to more than $20 million in sales. In November 2001, Julie sold Baby Einstein to the Walt Disney Company, and with her help Baby Einstein has grown into a $200 million business. Julie represents the great enterprising spirit of America. And she is using her success to help others — producing child safety videos with John Walsh of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Julie says of her new project: “I believe it’s the most important thing that I’ve ever done. I believe that children have the right to live in a world that is safe.” We are pleased to welcome this talented business entrepreneur and generous social entrepreneur — Julie Aigner-Clark.
Three weeks ago, Wesley Autrey was waiting at a Harlem subway station with his two little girls, when he saw a man fall into the path of a train. With seconds to act, Wesley jumped onto the tracks … pulled the man into a space between the rails … and held him as the train passed right above their heads. He insists he’s not a hero. Wesley says: “We got guys and girls overseas dying for us to have our freedoms. We got to show each other some love.” There is something wonderful about a country that produces a brave and humble man like Wesley Autrey.
Tommy Rieman was a teenager pumping gas in Independence, Kentucky, when he enlisted in the United States Army. In December 2003, he was on a reconnaissance mission in Iraq when his team came under heavy enemy fire. From his Humvee, Sergeant Rieman returned fire — and used his body as a shield to protect his gunner. He was shot in the chest and arm, and received shrapnel wounds to his legs — yet he refused medical attention, and stayed in the fight. He helped to repel a second attack, firing grenades at the enemy’s position. For his exceptional courage, Sergeant Rieman was awarded the Silver Star. And like so many other Americans who have volunteered to defend us, he has earned the respect and gratitude of our whole country.
In such courage and compassion, ladies and gentlemen, we see the spirit and character of America — and these qualities are not in short supply. This is a decent and honorable country — and resilient, too. We have been through a lot together. We have met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go forward with confidence — because the State of our Union is strong … our cause in the world is right … and tonight that cause goes on.
Thank you.
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