Imperial Screw Up

Headline of the Day - Army study: Iraq occupation was understaffed.

The reports keep coming out demonstrating that Bush and Company were fairly reckless, callous or just plain indifferent to planning out the Irak war and what was to come next. The link above is from the AP, so I won’t include any quotes. But if you’ve read Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s book Imperial Life in the Emerald City, you’ll see just how understaffed we are talking about. The under staffing wasn't just in terms of boots on the ground.

As East German state owned industries were privatized, bureaucracies were created and resources allocated. The German government dedicated 8,000 people to the task. When it came to Privatizing Irak, the Bush Administration allocated just…… 3 people to privatize 150 state-owned factories. From Rajiv’s book, here's a scene where these three dudes looked for some advice:

’Even more significant at the time was a practical challenge. There was no way Corliss, Jackson, and Carney could do it by themselves. Financial records would have to be scoured, offers posted and evaluated, financing arranged. When the trio met with a team of Germans to discuss how factories in the former East Germany had been privatized, the CPA team was told that the Germans had eight thousand people working on the project.

“How many do you guys have?” one of the Germans asked. “You’re looking at all of them,” Corliss responded.

The German laughed and asked again. “No, how many people work for you?”

“No, this is it. Three people,” Corliss said.

“Don’t bother starting,” the German said. '

In the aftermath of the Irak War, when decisions were made on the fly, it was decided that privatizing all of Irak’s state owned industries was the thing to do. What’s better a soviet style economy or a market oriented economy? Every wingnut can answer this question in their sleep.

So from within its Department of Good Intentions, the CPA decided that Irak would get Privatized, Supply-Side Style. Problem: just three people were allocated to privatize 150 state-owned factories. And they were given only about two weeks instead of two years or more. But this ain’t like TeeVee when Scotty says the warp engines are broken and it will take 2 days to fix them. Irak wasn't gonna get privatized in two weeks regardless what Bush and Bremer ordered.

An interview with the author is here. Imperial Life in the Emerald City is a recommended read.

Romney tops McCain veep list

Williard Romney is in first place in the VeepStakes? Hard to believe, I know.

But others are still being considered, including Hardcore Irak War Fan, John Thune, who has been “described to Politico by a McCain Flack “as a possible ‘compromise’ if the senator can’t stomach picking Romney.”

McCain May not be able to stomach picking Romney? Nah, this couldn’t be an issue, could it?

Thune, who is down with Pre-emptive and Preventative War Hardcore, may be a compatible choice for McCain. Downside is the whole empty suit thing Thune has going on. You See With Mittens, McCain’s got someone who also supports his position on Irak and a preventative war in Iran, but Mitten’s problem is that at times has been simultaneously to the right and left of McCain on the issue, too.

That is because.... Mittens is a weasel.

UPDATE: Word on the street is McCain may be pimping out Mittens before bailing on him. Seems that it may be a good idea for McCain to placate the theocracist wing of the GOP with at least the idea that Mittens got serious consideration before picking someone else.

Quote of the Day

Quote(s) of the Day, from the NYT

"…it is increasingly clear that the Bush administration will leave office with Al Qaeda having successfully relocated its base from Afghanistan to Pakistan's tribal areas, where it has rebuilt much of its ability to attack from the region and broadcast its messages to militants across the world.”

AND from the same article, Seth Jones, a Pentagon consultant and a terrorism expert at the RAND Corporation:

“The United States faces a threat from Al Qaeda today that is comparable to what it faced on Sept. 11, 2001 ……. The base of operations has moved only a short distance, roughly the difference from New York to Philadelphia.”

W....T....F ?

Since 9/11 our gov't has spent $1 Trillion, $2 Trillion or maybe upwards of $3 Trillion on the Global Struggle Against Violent Extermists War on Terror and these assholes, who were wanted dead or alive, are still running free?

I knew GWB was incompetent, but this is really mind boggling.

No To Racism...

....or that's what the endline banner read behind the goal at the Germany - Turkey EuroCup* Soccer game..... two states with a burdensome past on the topic of race. Historically speaking, this is a good reminder.

* EuroCup is just a guess on the name of the game.

Link Round Up - June 27

Got some week ending links to throw down for all to review. Call this Link Salad, Obama Poll edition for June 27.

An Obama McBlowout coming this November? Don’t know but it is one of the scenarios kicked around, here. It most likely will be somewhat close, so it goes, but then you never really can know. And the legend of one Mike Dukakis tells us that June ain't November.

Well the winds are blowing well for Obama for the moment. Obama is up two in Ohio. This may be a must win state win for both.

New Democrats are continuing to register to vote in big Numbers in Pennsylvania. Will Obama have a friend in Pennsylvania? The trends are trending that way, including this Poll which has Obama by 6 in PA.

The upper Midwest is said to be in play, but for the moment the polls look good in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. Add polls from Colorado for good measure and that swing state is looking up, too.

And this week we also learned that Martian soil appears able to support life. Throw in Bush’s Mars Exploration Plan of 2004 which all of you thought was an election year gimmick, and I guess we are starting to understand the basis for Bush’s environmental policy now.

Which brings us to 7 Dollar Gas in the near future and the fact which is getting more and more indisputable now each week now that people still think that Bush Sux as in Redux Redux Ad infinitum and then some.

To Be, or ... to Move to France

Victor Davis Hanson May Hate America.

Or that is what this recent article tarnishing America as a "can't-do society," sounds like. There have been and always will be challenges for our nation to confront and obstacles to overcome. And the future sometimes gives cause for worry. But, is all hope for tomorrow lost, just because the challenges of today seem daunting?

Are we doomed for the ash bin of history as some in the past and still others today, such as VDH, suggest? Have we chosen "not to be" as a nation? VDH indicts America and answers all these questions affirmatively.

But before VDH moves from The Corner to France, here's a little something to give VDH some hope.




Don't give up, VDH. Say "Yes We Can" to Wingnutopia and "No You Can't," to HOPE. You won't have to move to France this way. Or move to France, I guess I really don't care.

Book for this Week

I mentioned that a couple of days ago that I started reading Fareed Zakaria’s new book with the very wingnut unfriendly title of “The Post American World.” At about the half-way point, this article can be used to sum up some of Fareed’s points so far.

Willard Sighting

Well wouldn't you know it, I write a post defending poor ol' Willard Romney, aka Mitt! against an unfair attack, and Mittens comes out of the woodwork and says something incredibly stoopid.

Seems that Mittens has come out against nuclear non-proliferation. Non-proliferation includes the rounding up of loose nukes and other material that could be used in a nuclear bomb. Most rational people, including Obama and most republicans and democrats, believe it is better to secure such material rather than leave it where, say, terrorists could get a hold of it.

But not Mittens!!! Apparently, if Obama is for rounding up the loose nuke its because he is a liberal! And if he is a liberal, then well, you know the tired old refrain.

Now it has been whispered that McCain’s age and mileage may limit him to one term as president. This makes a VP post particularly attractive to the ambitious Mittens. So much so that Mittens has invited his name to be added to the McCain potential VP list. And Mittens flack Kommrade Karl Rove, impressed by weasel like behavior, is now shilling on behalf of Mittens.

So it goes should McCain be elected and if what is whispered about happens, Mittens would be right there from his role as VP to carry on the good fight as the presumptive nominee in 2012.

So we can continue to count on Willard Romney as a source of fun as mock the stoopid things he says and does in order to suck up to McCain and weasel his way on the GOP ticket.

Willard Romney, I hereby nominate you for The Willard Award for shameless opportunism. This is an Award named in Mittens honor and is sometimes awarded for "Pulling a Romney" or for, you know, being a weasel.

Drafty?

Headline of the Day: McCain says only World War III would justify draft

No word on whether or not McCain is in favor of starting a new World War, however. But by neo-con calculation aren't we up to world war 4 or 5 by now?

Joe Klein is Shrill

Joe Klein tries to break out of his dead tree mind set with a bout of shrillness, here. Apparently, Joe does not believe that Irak was gonna get us, so we had to get them first, anymore. Nor does he seem to infer that whacking Irak instead of Bin Laden, was a good idea. Of course, this is just Joe being shrill.

Random Linkage

Here is some random links, that I've come across and am passing on to you.

Indonesia backs sharia law, poll shows. And the slippery slope begins. First Indonesia, then India and then Indiana. We are all doomed.

California Supreme Court rules that its OK to discriminate against dope smokers in hiring decisions. DFH’s (hippies) are gonna be outraged when they sober up or mellow out or whatever they do after smoking dope!

Uncle Ted’s concerns about big trucks and dumping aside, the Series of Tubes appears alive and well and growing. Or so says the FCC. The Last mile of connectivity (to get The Tubes connected to your house) may still be a problem however.

Phrase of the day. From Supreme Court Justice Kennedy …. “ ‘the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society’ to determine which punishments are so disproportionate as to be cruel and unusual.” This is sure to set off a cacophony of crazies commenting over the series of tubes. I mean, for starters Kennedy uses a form of the word “evolved” which everyone knows should be replaced in the dictionary with the word “designed.” And furthermore, “maturing?” When your mind is made up, who need maturing? Anyway, I’m sure the blogosphere wingnutosphere will be ablaze with outrage.

Headline of the Day times two

HEADLINE OF THE Day: GAO Report Faults Post-'Surge' Planning

Taking a moment to reconnect with the Series of Tubes, briefly.

Now Everybody knows that setting a timetable is just like waving the white flag of surrender. Or so said The Decider many times. Why did Mitt Romney waive the white flag of surrender; why he did do it? Nobody knows this. But Mittens got beat up after he waived this flag, by John McCain.

But now here's the real question: Isn't a temporary troop surge really kinda like setting a time table? If you tell the terrorists when the surge ends, like Bush did, you are telling the terrorists just how long they have to lie low. And shouldn't ya have a plan to deal with the terrorists who come to ground when the time line ends?

Bush excoriated such talk of temporary benchmarks, and yet Bush silently repudiated this repudiation. And then Bush set a timetable with THE SURGE.

Is Bush waving a white flag of surrender now for telegraphing a troop withdrawal to the enemy?

Will John McCain now call on Bush to apologize to the troops, just like he did to poor ol' Mittens? Mittens never set a timeline; but Bush did. And John wanted Mittens to apologize to the troops.

All serious questions. Probably not gonna get answers anytime soon though.

But you can do it if you try, John, REPUDIATE BUSH! Quit pussyfooting around; try some straight talk for a change. REPUDIATE GEORGE JR.

Or wait a moment. Isn't John McCain's campaign lingo claiming that he is the architect of the Surge? And if John McCain is the architect of The Surge and the temporary time tables that followed, isn't it John McCain that should call out John McCain for raising a white flag of surrender just like the same John McCain called out Mitt Romney for such treachery?

Then if that is all true, shouldn't John McCain call out John McCain to apologize to the troops?

John, we want to know. Do you owe an apology to the troops? You said Mittens did. John do you owe the same apology that Mitten's owes to the troops?

Random Headlines

I am looking maxed out for the rest of the week. Here are some links until I can make it back to the Series of Tubes.

The Federales are looking at Sharpton. I remember listening to a BBC radio report on Sharpton a while ago. The reporter was describing Sharpton Head Quarters in New York, when he indicated that the Building looked and felt just like a church, with one notable exception. Where one would expect to see depictions of Jesus on the wall, instead there were pictures of Sharpton……a not so subtle dig at Reverend Al from our friends from the other side of the pond.

Quote of the day, discussing a pending anti-Obama Book: "Conservatives know they're supposed to dislike Obama, but they haven't yet entirely agreed upon why. Books like this one build that framework."

Diebold Voting Machines are on sale. Want one? They’re just $600.

An election year primer on the Supreme Court can be found at Slate, here. Don’t forget what’s at stake here. Currently the Court is made up of seven Republicans and two Democrats. The two most liberal justices are looking to retire during the next President’s term.

Also I’m about half way through Fareed Zakaria’s new book with the very wingnut unfriendly title of “The Post American World.” Seems that K-Lo is venting about Fareed’s new Sunday Show today over the internets. Maybe the title of the Book has put her on edge. Anyway, I’ll be reviewing his Book and posting some quotes, hopefully in the near term.

In other news, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that employees have a privacy interest to their e-mail text messages that may prohibit access by employers in certain circumstances. But this decision is limited in scope. I’ll throw down a post on this next week maybe.

Headline of the Day

Army issues Internet Awareness RFP

No word yet as to whether John McCain is aware of the Internet Awareness RFP.

UPDATE: If the Army thought about this some, maybe they could delay awarding this contract until after the presidential election. Because if John McCain wins, the Army can just use John McCain's Awesome Internet Awareness instead of paying a contractor for it.

Propaganda on the Series of Tubes

It has come to my attention that Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) recently requested a congressional investigation of Scott Bloch, head of the Office of Special Counsel, to determine if Scottie Bloch urged colleagues to anonymously post Scottie friendly comments (also known as BS) in defense of Bloch on internet comment boards.

“This secret use of government resources and personnel constitutes an unlawful use of appropriated funds to publish covert propaganda," Davis wrote in a letter to Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman.”

More bad news for Scottie, who has been in the news lately and also, faces an obstruction of justice investigation regarding destroyed files sought in a separate investigation.

Now Comment Board Abuse on the internets may be a federal offense, not to mention $400 hand towels. Anyway, we'll see if Davis and the rest of Congress can sort out Scottie's alleged propaganda campaign over the series of tubes.

Internet Awareness Achieved

By June 23, 2008, it has been noted that John McCain has achieved internet awareness. Not so much for The Google yet, however.

Apparently, the internet is a series of tubes.

McCain/Bush 08

According to a Klein source, McCain’s top 3 candidates for Veep are unacceptable for one reason or another. Number 2 on the wish list is:

“Former Governor Jeb Bush of Florida--Ahhh, Florida. But, oy, that last name”

Stay the Course? Four More Years? A third Bush Term?

Put your hands together for McCain/Bush 08!

A new twist on Marriage Equality

Legalization of Same Sex Marriage may lead Massachusetts to extend Maternity Leave to ...... Men.

As we learned with the Vermont Decision regarding Social Security Benefits last week, the extension of marriage and civil union rights to same sex couples will cause a series of changes to trickle through society and possibly result in confrontations. Photographers may decline to photograph ceremonies. Some Preachers may decline to perform ceremonies. And other conflicts are sure to occur as this right works its way into the main stream. Here’s is an unexpected development along the same lines:

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination recently announced that it will interpret the Massachusetts Maternity Leave Act in a gender neutral fashion. This change was brought on due to Commission consideration of maternity leave rights for same sex couples. The Commission now, by this interpretation, has extended parental leave rights under the law to all employees to ensure equal treatment between male and female employees, but also to guarantee equality between same-sex couples.

So extension of civil rights to same sex couples by legalizing marriage has led to recognition of parental leave rights for all parents, rather than Maternity rights just for mothers. What remains to been seen is whether the courts or the legislature will chime in on this topic. But employers would be wise to revise leave procedures, pending further action from the other branches of state government.

More info here.

Corruption Watch: Alaska Edition Redux

Well we all know from the post below, that AK Senator Stevens, aka Uncle Ted, has seen happier days. Here is one the not so fun ones:


Okay, I know what you are thinking. He's in Congress and it is not out of the ordinary for a Congressman to have his home raided. That'd be right, or partially right anyway. So let's put the corruption issue aside and listen to Uncle Ted in action representing the constituents. The man is sharp as a tack. Take it away, Ted.

Alright, so this is just one clip and it could've been taken out of context. Taking a fellow out of context ain't all that fair. So let's provide some context and clear up what Uncle Ted is talking about.

Make Sense Now? Thought so. Come election day, you all know the right thing to do. Retire Ted.

Peeps Still Think Bush Sux Redux Ad Infinitum

The ARG, June 20 edition finds that:

"Among all Americans, 25% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 71% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 23% approve and 73% disapprove."

This seems to be an ongoing theme. Hey, wasn't half of Baghdad supposed to be renamed after Bush by now. I think it was! Richard Perle, I'm talking about you.

RED ALERT - RED ALERT - RED ALERT

If McShamnesty and immigration reform was not enough already to deal with, Greater Wingnuttia now must contend with the encroaching threat posed by the Mexican Garter Snake as it attempts to move in and take away the jobs of hard working American Garter Snakes. So we will pass this Red Alert along for immediate consideration to Generalissimo Tancredo, Mistress Malkin and all those others who are dedicated to creating greater Wingnutopia on earth.

The following RED ALERT goes out to all of Greater Wingnuttia:

Be on the look out for a growing menace from south of the border. The Mexican Garter Snake and its bureaucratic and ideological allies from the so-called Fish and Wildlife Service have joined in alliance with territorial designs on portions of the AMERICAN southwest for undocumented and ILLEGAL migration. While there is still time to use the judicial system to turn back this scourge and keep this foreign born snake from being allocated an unfair quota and special preference under the Endangered Species Act, all volunteers and citizen journalists should prepare for immediate disembarkation to the Border Fence Construction Zone. In the unfortunate event of failure in the legal system, you are to report to your assigned Border Fence Construction Zone Area upon further instruction.

I repeat. A RED ALERT has been issued to all of greater Wingnuttia.

UPDATE: This may be more serious than first thought. It looks like actually the Mexican Garter Snake is trying to muscle its way into habitat that coincides with an area that used to be Mexico. This turf is formerly referred to as the Gadsden Purchase. Coincidence? Not likely.

Before you know it next, we might be saying goodbye to the treaty of Guadalupe-Hildago, Mi Amigos.

I repeat. A RED ALERT has been issued to all of greater Wingnuttia. RED ALERT.

FURTHER UPDATE: If you watch Lou Dobbs or are a proud member of the right wing blogosphere, you can do your part by contacting the So-Called Fish and Wildlife Service and opposing the territorial ambitions of the Mexican Garter Snake. Use the US Mail. Or really throw them for a loop by delivering your message by hand. Contact Info as follows:

Public Comments Processing
Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2008-0065; Division of Policy and
Directives Management;
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,
Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.

Citizen journalists, you now know what to do.

FURTHER UPDATE: The AP is reporting a huge Victory in the battle
over the border.Wingnuts are sure to rejoice in this Fence related
news, but the war is not over yet.

FURTHER UPDATE: Texas under Invasion Threat. Mexican Garter Snake
not thought to be involved ...... but this is unconfirmed.

Corruption Watch: Alaska Edition

With Obama running adds in Alaska, let's take a look at the cast of characters representing Alaska in our nation's capitol. All three of Alaska ’s officials elected to national office have, shall we say, issues. Two of the three are up for re-election in November. All have had run ins with THE LAW. Now check out da characters:

First up is Rep. Don Young. He is under a Department of Justice corruption investigation regarding a project he ear-marked in Florida. He has racked up $1.1M in legal bills just in the past 12 months. This guy is a real piece of work. The Lobbyists love him! But so do the Lawyers, too.

Then we have Sen. Ted Stevens, whose home was raided in 2007 by the FBI and the IRS in a joint corruption related action. He's racked up some $50K in legal bills and is just getting started! However Uncle Ted assures us that these bills are just personal in nature kinda like credit card bills. And folks needn't worry about any of the unpleasantness, like associates going to the penitentiary or anything.

Apparently feeling left out is Alaska's other senator, Lisa Murkowski. She decided to get involved in a Penny land deal. That is the old real estate razzle dazzle where an innocent politician accidentally benefits from a below market real estate transaction from a campaign contributor. Oh No! Duke Cunningham excelled at this one. When news of the transaction became public a dazed and dazzled Senator Murkowski promptly reversed the transaction and returned the real estate to the contributor for a refund. An ethics compliant has been filed on this one. And fortunately unlike Messrs Young and Stevens, Ms Murkowski is not up for reelection until 2010.

If you live in Alaska, you now what to do this November. Throw the Bums Out.

Happy Juneteenth

On this day in 1865, federal troops arrived in Texas bringing with them the pronouncements of the Emancipation Proclamation. The newly liberated rejoiced. This day has been referred to as Juneteenth ever since.

Coat Tails Update

We first posited on the topic back here. And Yesterday, there is a little more elaboration here.

According to The Fix, Red State Dems may hope to pick up a few percentage points over the generic dem vote turnout with Obama at the top of the ticket . This may be particularly helpful at making senate races in AK and MS more competitive as well as bolstering the chance for retention of an LA senate seat. Then there is an At-Large house seat in AK that may also be more competitive.

UPDATE: We see that our Friends at RedState have also targeted the AK house seat belonging to corruption tainted Don Young ..... for a primary challenge. Seems that it just ain't honorable to support the Honorable Congressman Young this time around.

Feds to recognize Civil Unions.....to some extent

Gay Marriage is now legal in California.

In other news on a related front, a recent Department of Justice Memo approves recognition of social security benefits to children of same sex unions in Vermont.

Vermont law provides that the parties to a same-sex civil union enjoy the same benefits of parentage laws that would apply to a married couple, and so the natural child of one member of the union may be deemed to be the child of the other member for purposes of intestacy under Vermont law.

While passing on the interpretation of the words “marriage” or “spouse” under the Social Security Act or any other provision of federal law (DOMA), the DoJ Memo focuses on the parent child relationship as delineated under state law and specifically, the right to inherit as a child under state law. If a parent-child relationship is established under state law, the Federales will recognize the child’s eligibility for Federal Benefits.

The rationale, focused on the legal rights of the kid, in this opinion ain’t exactly Rocket Science or even particularly surprising especially since Bush is not up for re-election. But it is still noteworthy in light of the events in California earlier in the week.

So let’s give a double shout out on this one. Props go to Bush for not doing something stupid when he could have done something stupid and Props go to Mitt Romney who may or may not have brought gay marriage with him when he moved from Massachusetts to California. Way to go Bush! Way to go Mitt!

The AP Reports Bush vows storm assistance, plans to attack Iran

The Associated Press Reports………………………oops that’s my 4 word limit under the new policy. I’ll go with what the buzz on the street is instead.

And the buzz is that President Bush is vowing that assistance and aid will be provided to victims of the flooding in the Midwest…. unconfirmed reports indicate Bush will propose new tax cuts and a preventative attack on Iran to help people recover from the flooding. Also part of the relief plan..... trucks loaded with ice to be immediately sent to Rhode Island.

In other news, Woman sues Victoria Secret over defective thong. Bush vows new round of tax cuts to aid thong manufacturers fight frivolous lawsuits.

Stupid is, Stupid Does Award

You may know Mike Ledeen as a wingnut, or as a neocon but now he is also getting recognized for feats of Stoopidity for passing on this Stupid post over at The Corner. And though, Ledeen did not write the post, he gets called out anyway for promoting Teh Stoopid.

So we have a new award here at The Lair. It's the "Stupid is, Stupid Does Award." And it is awarded to those who are not actually infected with the stoopid, but link to drivel when the recipient should know better.... like Mike.

Way to link, Mike. Where does the NRO find these guys? Please tell me that the NRO ain't paying for this drivel.

Reform, Prosperity and Peace?

The new McCain slogan is out today: Reform, Prosperity and Peace.

Seems pretty good to me, but I'll break it down some and reveal some problems on its appeal to The Base:

• Reform - The Base actually hates Reform. Think Abramoff or Delay or Campaign Finance or Immigration. Big Problems here.
  
• Prosperity - The The Base loves Bush Style Economics But the corresponding Deficit/Debt makes this prong problematic as well.
  
• Peace - This really means war. So what's not to like here?

Since one out of the three prongs is unacceptable and another is problematic, I'll Cornerize the slogan so it can be pitched directly to The Base:

• Reform - but without Republicans going to jail or McShamesty!
  
• Prosperity - More Bush Style Tax Cuts, because they pay for themselves no matter how unaffordable!
  
• Peace - 100 Years in a Iraq... A new War with Iran!!!

So now when a wingnut hears this three word phrase: "Reform, Prosperity and Peace," s/he can think of another three word phrase that'll work just as well for a McCain Slogan:

"Four more Years!!!"

RED ALERT - RED ALERT - RED ALERT

This just in: Second President Bush floats prospect of a third.

This is not a Joke. GWB thinks Jeb(!) would be a totally awesome President ...er um... Commander Guy and/or Decider.

Heaven help us all.

Willard Sighting

There has been another sighting of Willard "Mitt" Romney. Seems that turdblossom is hyping Mittens again for a Veep spot. One resolved question remains, however. Has Mittens apologized to the troops to McCain's satisfaction, yet.

Stupid is, Stupid does

Here is something I missed last week: a little ANWAR obsession from da korner.

So let's take a moment to recognize K-Lo for this fit of wingnuttery in passing on el rushbo's suggestion that America can drill here, there and everywhere to energy independence. But then not letting a dead horse alone, she suggests that there is something wrong with the world when the conversation of a gathering of concerned citizens at a McCain event doesn't address the all important question of: to drill or not to drill.

But the thing is, we can put an oil well in every backyard and in every national park and nature preserve and still not drill our way to energy independence. I guess it was a slow week at the house of krazy.

Question of the Day

It is said that nature abhors a vacuum. This can be said to be true of Regime Change as well.

If a Regime is toppled, a vacuum will be created in terms of governance, security, social norms and the like. One would posit that once toppled, and absent a leviathan style occupation, the social order provided by a particular regime would be replaced by other elements within that particular society. These elements could be formed around tribal, sectarian, sectional, ethnic, nationalistic or other bases.

And with a more fragmented society, one could also posit that the vacuum caused by the collapse of a regime would be filled by more fragmented and overlapping if not competing factions with in that particular society.

So the question of the Day is just WTF did TFSGOTFOTE and Wolfie think would fill the vacuum caused by regime change in Irak?

No doubt TFSBOTFOTE can offer some sort of tortured logic justifying GWB's emergency democracy initiative in Irak. Now if RedState would finish its noble review of TFSBOTFOTE, we'll all know WTF TFSGOTFOTE and Wolfie were smoking.

UPDATE: A further take on what's filling the vacuum.

100 years?

Today John McCain said it is: “not too important” when U.S. troops return from Iraq."

He should just come out and say he wants to occupy the Middle East forever instead of pussyfooting around.

Ya know some straight talk.

Traveling Man

I'll be roaming across parts of America for a couple of weeks. The blogging forecast during this period is predicted as sporadic. Will try to post something here or there as events dictate.

Not ready on day one

One of Hillary biggest supporters says that she was not ready for the fray on day one. But readers here already knew that.

This proclamation comes as Hillary throws in the towel to the inevitable and PROMISES to do all in her power to Seal the Deal in November rather than Steal the Deal in Denver. As one of her biggest fans, she urges Hillary's fans to throw down for Obama and November, too. Let's see if the marshian's can walk back from the edge after being urged relentlessly to jump in the precipice into chaos.

AbuGonz Stylin

Let's check in on Bush Buddie, AbuGonz, or Alberto Gonzales if you will. As you may recall, AbuGonz resigned in disgrace from a job he was clearly unsuited for. And, since there are no current vacancies on the Supreme Court, AbuGonz has been roaming free without one of them job types things. Curious?

But all that has changed. AbuGonz has found a Job, and no, it ain't as a dog catcher or the like. Abu has an official "Law" related job: Assistant to the Traveling Secretary of Patents or something I think.

Now I just bet this is not quite the career path AbuGonz expected when he signed up to clean up for George. But hey he needn't fall further when can still write a Book about his Boss. After all it seems to be in style these days.

People Still Think Bush Sux

Or at least that's what the polls say. Bush approval at 25%; disapproval at 67% in the CBS Poll.

This is lower than NIXON. Oh well, can't say he didn't earn this on his own.

Hillary and Mitt

What do Hillary Clinton and Willard Romney have in common, well among other things, these two kindred spirits both ran up over $30M in campaign debt during doomed campaigns.

With Friends like These

Now I haven't watch Fox and Friend much (for obvious reasons), but I have watched it enough to come to realize that the hosts of the Program tend to have a bad case of teh Stoopid. So much so, that that the program pimped an Onion-style fake news parody of a school lunch room incident as fact one morning. The parody attributed several demonstrably false, though fair and balanced, quotes to one of the head honchos of the school. The Honcho got mad at The Friends and filed a defamation suit.

U.S. District Court Judge Hornby, dismissing the suit, opined that Fox News was certainly unprofessional in reporting as fact certain "outrageous quotations" and that the Fox and Friends anchors hosts "were certainly gullible." The Judge further mused that portions of the parody were "so absurd that they should have raised the defendants' truth-seeking antennae and caused them to question the accuracy of the article."

But failure to investigate before broadcasting, "even when a reasonably prudent person would have done so, is not sufficient to establish reckless disregard." The judge concluded, that "the First Amendment protects journalists even when they are gullible"…..or in the case of Fox and Friends, undeniably STOOPID.

So Hey, like ya know, the First Amendment protects Stupid journalists, too! Welcome news indeed at Fox. Another day, another dollar and the news beat goes on.

One Strange Trip, A Front Row Seat

From the WSJ today we get a glimpse of the decline of the Clinton Campaign up close and personal from someone covering it from the front row. After initially sparing no expense from a chartered campaign Hill-o-copter, to Tuxedoed waiters, catered meals and lavish accommodations, the money ran out as Obama broke out.

....after suffering a string of losses in February to Sen. Obama, Sen. Clinton looked badly bruised. The big-name journalists hung around not to witness a comeback but to witness a possible Clinton downfall.

By early March the campaign was using a men's restroom as a press work area at an Austin, Texas, event. The image of Tina Brown, biographer of Princess Diana and former editor of The New Yorker, typing away inches from a urinal, suggested the campaign's reduced prospects. After the event, campaign spokesman Doug Hattaway said in a statement: "These accommodations should in no way be taken as a comment on the quality of our media coverage."

One morning in Pennsylvania, which voted April 22, the Clinton campaign downgraded to a smaller plane. Sen. Clinton, her staff, Secret Service agents, and the traveling media, piled into the rear of a cramped MD-80 aircraft. That same day, the Obama campaign upgraded to a B-757, with rows of empty seats, party spreads of appetizers and a dozen neatly dressed flight attendants.

Clinton staffer Sam Meyers billed his campaign's plane as a nicer "all-first class jet." But everyone on board knew the truth: We were witnessing first-hand the demise of a campaign in our plush leather seats.

While one can appreciate the comforts of home, casting Obama as an elitist is a little rich considering this attention grabbing gem:

Sen. Clinton often traveled back to New York at night so she could sleep for a few brief hours in her own bed in the New York City suburb of Chappaqua before hitting the campaign trail again the next morning. This particular extravagance irked the exhausted traveling press corps she brought along.

Hillary and Company went from sipping red wine while chatting with reporters and enjoying opulent dinners at the chic restaurants to throwing back shots and campaigning in the back of a pick up truck while talking about shooting bears and chopping wood with her grandpappy out in the sticks. Yep, its been a strange journey.

Glad it is over.

Quote of the Day

Clintonista Lanny Davis via bbc radio: "I certainly want her to be VP, but I just don’t know if he’d (Obama) have the wisdom to pick her."

Mitt Romney Brings Gay Marriage to California

Let me get this straight. Mittens moves to California from Massachusetts and the next thing you know..... Gay Marriage becomes legal there.

Coincidence?

I'm not sure. He's two for two so far. Maybe we should try to get him to move to Texas or Alabama and see what happens. Maybe we'll find something new that Willard is good at.

Way to go Mittens ! ! !

Shorter John McCain

Barack Obama is a young whippersnapper who is just plain wet behind the ears.

And:

Get off my Lawn Obama!

Book Tour Blues

Timing is everything.

The TeeVee just told me that Larry Craig is launching his book tour from the Minneapolis-St Paul Airport during the GOP convention this fall.

Interesting choice thumper Larry.

A Unificator without Parallel

Well, in 2000 GWB ran to unite the country. You know a unificator not a divider upperer. And though, I thought he was full of BS at the time, today I’m gonna give him his props.

He sure has unificated the Country. Pretty much everyone with an open mind these days thinks the Republican Brand stinks to high heaven. Check out these numbas from New Mexico, which has been pretty much a 50-50% state of late:

General Election: Democrat Udall Remains Far Ahead Of Either Republican: In a hypothetical General Election for U.S. Senator from New Mexico today, 06/02/08, Democrat Tom Udall defeats either Republican Pearce or Republican Wilson by a nearly identical margin. Today, against Pearce, Udall wins 60% to 35%. Against Wilson, Udall wins 60% to 36%. Udall leads among both men and women, young and old, white and Hispanic, regardless of opponent. 1 in 4 Republicans cross over and vote Democrat, as do 1 in 3 conservatives; 1 in 10 Democrats cross over to vote Republican, as do 1 in 10 liberals.

You can check the demographics yourself, but the poll reflects an across the Board Abandonment of support for either Republican candidate.

Here's to George: Mission Accomplished!

Give me PROPERTY or give me death

I wanna give a shout out to the Good State of Alabama as it celebrates the Jefferson Davis State Holiday today.

Wasn't he captured wearing a dress?
























Seems like it to me.

UPDATE: Gotta love the captioning: To Be: Or Not to Be. (hanged).

But this would not have been humor to Lincoln (RIP) who counseled against this kind of sentiment in all forms. Rather, Lincoln wanted a gentle peace, a tender peace. Gotta let'em up easy, he said.

Feith Throws Bush (and McCain?) under the Bus.

Now this has been reported before and confirmed recently by General Sanchez, that Bush ordered the April 2004 assault on the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah against the advice of his generals. The president "appreciated our caution but then ordered us to attack," according to Sanchez. But with the Marines objectives nearly fulfilled, again against the advice of his generals, Bush ordered a withdrawal, signaling to insurgents that the US would walk away from a fight when the political calendar so required.

Now we get this about Feith and TFSBOTFOTE from Small Wars Journal:

"....The interagency process in Washington concocted and debated policy theories, explained at length by Feith, that were disconnected from decisions, sensible or otherwise, about military strategy. These high-level policy discussions didn’t influence insurgent actions. In April of 2004, having ordered the Marines, against their better judgment, to seize Fallujah, a fractious city of 300,000, President Bush then stopped the assault mid-way to permit a 24-hour negotiation. Feith describes how at the NSC level, the battle for Fallujah was discussed in the context of political theories - how to placate the Sunnis, how to handle Sadr, etc. At the time, I was with a Marine commander whose battalion had gained momentum by breaking through a heavily-defended city block, only to be halted by the ceasefire. The battalion held onto that block, beating off attacks for 14 more days, while Feith describes the NSC deliberating political theory before calling off the attack altogether. The NSC became too wrapped up in itself, forgetting that battle is determined by the spirit of those doing the fighting, and that the first duty of leaders is to take care of their men."

A politician micromanaging and calling the shots, then putting the war on hold just to debate Philosophy? It can’t be. It’s like LBJ directing airstrikes, except in this case the guy doing “The Deciding” is utterly incompetent. And how did the Generals take it? Here’s Sanchez unplugged on the first battle of Fallujah:

"But Sanchez said he is sure one other factor was in play: worries about how a political breakdown in Iraq would affect Bush's 2004 re-election hopes.

“The domestic political issue is the concern with the polls and the attitude of the American people about what has happened to us in Fallujah, and the concern with the impact that would come from our inability to transfer sovereignty,” Sanchez told the Express-News.

Two days after the offensive began, Bremer ordered Sanchez to withdraw the Marines. He refused, warning that if the Marines pulled out under fire, it would be seen as a U.S. defeat, Sanchez wrote in the book. “You've got to withdraw! The transfer of sovereignty is in danger!” Bremer said.

“I won't do it!” Sanchez replied.

They were shouting at each other. Sanchez turned to Abizaid, who oversaw wars in Iraq and Afghanistan at the time. Abizaid, now retired, did not respond to an interview request.

“Look, sir, I am not going to issue that order,” Sanchez told him. “If you want that order issued, you will have to find another commander.”

The impasse was settled when Sanchez suggested a unilateral cease-fire. Bremer, he wrote, revealed the decision the next day — April 9. Four days after Bush's re-election that fall, the battle would be fought again at a much higher cost.

“Amid media speculation of incompetence. .. Fallujah came to stand for a failure to achieve clearly stated and defined missions,” Sanchez wrote, adding that his last orders to the Marines were to fight if attacked and eliminate resistance.

“The administration wanted us to cut and run. But from the warrior's perspective, we did not withdraw our forces under fire,” he continued. “We held our ground. In other words, we cut, but we did not run.”

And to think, John McCain believed GWB was the man of the hour; the indispensable man we needed to win the war. Embracing incompetence at a time of need ain’t a badge of honor. Let’s see in the coming months, if McCain is forced to wear the badge, Bush’s Badge of Shame.

Number of the Day: 125,000

The Clinton Campaign Popular Vote Leader meme is dead or so it says here. The Puerto Rico Victory narrowed but did not surpass Obama’s Popular Vote Margin.

With two Primaries left in Montana and South Dakota, Obama’s popular vote lead is about 125,000.

This 125K figure includes the totals from the renegade primary in Florida, but not the renegade Michigan Primary where Hillary was the only major candidate appearing on the Ballot. The figure also does not include several caucus States which only reported delegate awards and did not report popular vote.

UPDATE: RCP has da numba at 25K.

LATER UPDATE: Post SD and MT, RCP now lists the Margin at +41,622 for Obama. Looks like a popular vote victory for Obama is secured. The Margin is close, but it is what it is.

Scottie McClellan is a LIBERAL!

I guess this was to be expected.

TFSGOTFOTE....WTF?

Fareed Zakaria has a new show, Global Public Square, which debuted today on CNN. His first panel of experts included TFSGOTFOTE. The other guests seemed to snicker at him.

Timmeh!

Timmeh's have a good time rubbing Harold Ickes nose in the mess that the Clinton Campaign is and was on MTP right now.