ThinkFast: March 23, 2007
ThinkFast: March 23, 2007
“The U.S. military’s faulty war plans and insufficient troops in Iraq left thousands and possibly millions of tons of conventional munitions unsecured or in the hands of insurgent groups after the 2003 invasion — allowing widespread looting of weapons and explosives used to make roadside bombs that cause the bulk of U.S. casualties,” according to a Government Accountability Office report released yesterday.
New emails show that “two months before Bud Cummins was fired as U.S. attorney in Little Rock,” Rove protege Tim Griffin “was maneuvering with the Justice Department to take” Cummins’ place. “Some of the thousands of pages of e-mails released this week underscore the extraordinary planning and effort, at the highest levels of the Justice Department and White House, to secure Griffin a job.” “The evidence runs contrary to assurances from Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales that no such move had been planned.”
Another ousted U.S. prosecutor speaks out. Former Michigan U.S. Attorney Margaret Chiara “said in an interview that a senior Justice Department official had told her that her resignation was necessary to create a slot for ‘an individual they wanted to advance.’ The identity of the likely replacement was not disclosed, she said.”
“Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie was wounded in a suicide bombing inside his Baghdad compound,” CNN reports, making this the “second assassination attempt on a senior member of the U.S.-backed government in a month.”
“After more than 30 years of strict federal protection, the Yellowstone population of grizzly bears is being removed from the endangered species list by the Bush administration.” Groups dedicated to protecting the grizzlies criticized the move, “warning that climate change is reducing a vital food source and human population growth is increasing the chances of lethal run-ins.”
State regulators in California have issued a $1 million fine to the state’s largest health insurance provider, Blue Cross of California, after an investigation found the company “systematically dropped policyholders after they became sick or pregnant.” The company “used computer programs and a dedicated department to cancel the policies.”
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) yesterday signed a state minimum wage increase. “The move makes Kentucky the 31st state to raise its minimum wage above the federal one.”
“Rising sea levels and melting polar ice-sheets are at upper limits of projections, leaving some human population centers already unable to cope, top world scientists say as they analyze latest satellite data.”
“A total of 3,196 active-duty soldiers deserted the Army last year, or 853 more than previously reported, according to revised figures from the Army.” “Some Army officers link the recent uptick in annual desertion rates to the toll of wartime deployments and point to the increasing percentage of troops who are on their second or third tours in Iraq or Afghanistan.”
And finally: He must really be a fan of wax museums. Freshman lawmaker Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH) told attendees at a welcome reception “late at night” at the Capitol “he’ll sometimes go over to the statue of fellow Granite Stater Daniel Webster in Statuary Hall and chat him up.” “We have conversations,” Hodes said, “although he wouldn’t reveal what about.”
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Why can’t Cynthia McKinney (or Barbara Lee) be President…
…THEY’ve been right about EVERYTHING…
…and yet McKinney’s career is practically ruined…
…because of AIPAC and the right wing al Crackkker Bushite Klan…
…DUHmerica is going to reap what it sows…
…mark you all these words…
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:13 amAnd your point? Pres. Bush has every right to get rid of USA Chiara if he wants to put someone else in her place.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:20 am“Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie was wounded in a suicide bombing inside his Baghdad compound.”
Consider yourself “surged,” sir.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:20 amThe Democrats are now co-owners, along with Bush, of the Iraq War/Occupation. Good job guys. This is disasterous on so many levels.
Liberals Relent on Iraq War Funding
House Likely to Pass Bill With Pullout Date
By Jonathan Weisman Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 23, 2007
Liberal opposition to a $124 billion war spending bill broke last night, when leaders of the antiwar Out of Iraq Caucus pledged to Democratic leaders that they will not block the measure, which sets timelines for bringing U.S. troops home.
The acquiescence of the liberals probably means that the House will pass a binding measure today that, for the first time, would establish tough readiness standards for the deployment of combat forces and an Aug. 31, 2008, deadline for their removal from Iraq.
A Senate committee also passed a spending bill yesterday setting a goal of bringing troops home within a year. The developments mark congressional Democrats’ first real progress in putting legislative pressure on President Bush to withdraw U.S. forces.
Even more than the conservative Democrats leery of appearing to micromanage the war, House liberals have been the main obstacle to leadership efforts to put a timeline on the withdrawal of U.S. forces. They have complained that the proposal would not bring troops home fast enough. Their opposition has riven the antiwar movement, split the Democratic base and been the main stumbling block to the legislation, which had originally been scheduled for a vote yesterday.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:22 am“The U.S. military’s faulty war plans and insufficient troops in Iraq left thousands and possibly millions of tons of conventional munitions unsecured or in the hands of insurgent groups after the 2003 invasion — allowing widespread looting of weapons and explosives used to make roadside bombs that cause the bulk of U.S. casualties,†according to a Government Accountability Office report released yesterday.
We’ve found out who’s furnishing the materials for all those IEDs…turns out it was us.
This is so boneheaded, one wonders how such a mistake could possibly be made. But it must be a mistake, right? I mean, there’s no way the government would purposefully botch such a call, virtually ensuring that ‘victory’ could never be achieved, and the occupation of Iraq would have to continue pretty much forever?
Right?
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:23 amDale sez:
Not when he intends to abuse a provision in a piece of anti-terror legislation to install a political operative to the position while bypassing Senate approval of said operative.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:25 am#9 “Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie was wounded in a suicide bombing inside his Baghdad compound.â€
Consider yourself “surged,†sir.
Comment by And You Thought REAGAN Was Stupid — March 23, 2007 @ 9:20 am
But Repugs laugh when someone ducks evading a bomb. Probably they like the ones too stupid to duck when a bomb explodes. Tackling a blast is sooo macho…
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:25 am“Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zubaie was wounded in a suicide bombing inside his Baghdad compound,â€
If it wasn’t for the surge he probably would have died. Thank goodness there are more American troops in Iraq.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:28 amAnd now the crazies start coming to the forefront.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:28 amThe repugnican toadies are out in force this morning decrying the bill put forth in the House – if they are not sneering at the persuasive efforts to get more of the anti-war dems on board, or proclaiming the bill is meaningless, they are charging that the dems are harming the troops.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:29 amUnfortunately, I think the next 2 years will be even worse for America as we will have to endure the rats who know their days are numbered because the die is cast. Bush&co have many scandals at their doorstep in addition to the totally incompetent management of this illegal war. If it is possible, they will become even more ugly.
“Some Army officers link the recent uptick in annual desertion rates to the toll of wartime deployments and point to the increasing percentage of troops who are on their second or third tours in Iraq or Afghanistan.â€
Gee,I wonder how much that study cost. And why only “some Army officers”? What else would it be? 3000+ soldiers just decide that their lives would be better if they became a fugitive?
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:31 amOh so the Iraq surge is so successful that the Deputy PM is almost assassinated? Iraq has become a failed state thanks to Bush baby.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:31 amWatch out TMM, keep talking like that and you will end up like Winston Smith in a famous Orwell book. And that would be doubleplus ungood.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:32 amThis whole USA flap is a non-issue. Pres. Bush had every right to replace the US attorneys, and there’s no evidence that he was trying to thwart an y investigation. It’s possible A.G. Gonzalez didn’t handle the firings in a professional manner, but there’s no crime here.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:34 amLets see how true Libs feel about the Dems new support of the Iraq war when the Dems finally pasted Bush’s needed money to extend this war:
“We’re just heartbroken that Nancy Pelosi has decided to keep funding George Bush’s war, and now the war belongs to the Democrats as well as the Republicans,†said Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin. “We thought we were going to get a change when they came into power.â€
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/anti-war-protesters-arrested-at-pelosis-office-2007-03-22.html
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:34 am“The U.S. military’s faulty war plans and insufficient troops in Iraq left thousands and possibly millions of tons of conventional munitions unsecured or in the hands of insurgent groups after the 2003 invasion — allowing widespread looting of weapons and explosives used to make roadside bombs that cause the bulk of U.S. casualties,†according to a Government Accountability Office report released yesterday.
Looks as if planning a war is only for sissies. And NeoCons are soo straight…
New emails show that “two months before Bud Cummins was fired as U.S. attorney in Little Rock,†Rove protege Tim Griffin “was maneuvering with the Justice Department to take†Cummins’ place. “Some of the thousands of pages of e-mails released this week underscore the extraordinary planning and effort, at the highest levels of the Justice Department and White House, to secure Griffin a job.†“The evidence runs contrary to assurances from Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales that no such move had been planned.â€
Exit Democracy, enter Nepotism…
“After more than 30 years of strict federal protection, the Yellowstone population of grizzly bears is being removed from the endangered species list by the Bush administration.†Groups dedicated to protecting the grizzlies criticized the move, “warning that climate change is reducing a vital food source and human population growth is increasing the chances of lethal run-ins.â€
(Yogi) bears have enough with picnic baskets to live a healthy and (re)productive life.
State regulators in California have issued a $1 million fine to the state’s largest health insurance provider, Blue Cross of California, after an investigation found the company “systematically dropped policyholders after they became sick or pregnant.†The company “used computer programs and a dedicated department to cancel the policies.â€
But public universal health care is sooo bad… in the other hand, in private health care, there aren’t long lines to get treatment. Of course, the ones ill are being abbandoned, there is no one to clog the hospitals’ services.
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) yesterday signed a state minimum wage increase. “The move makes Kentucky the 31st state to raise its minimum wage above the federal one.â€
It’s a common sense and common good thing to do.
“Rising sea levels and melting polar ice-sheets are at upper limits of projections, leaving some human population centers already unable to cope, top world scientists say as they analyze latest satellite data.â€
Looks as if Annie Ghoulter must start looking for another residence in another state…
“A total of 3,196 active-duty soldiers deserted the Army last year, or 853 more than previously reported, according to revised figures from the Army.†“Some Army officers link the recent uptick in annual desertion rates to the toll of wartime deployments and point to the increasing percentage of troops who are on their second or third tours in Iraq or Afghanistan.â€
Surprise, surprise, they’re not just “numbers”.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:34 ambig papa > Cynthia McKinney was my Representative in Georgia. She was defeated because Georgia uses dirty Diebold machines for voting. Only reason GOPers get elected in Georgia is by vote fraud. Only way to get rid of them is to remove the Diebold machines, but the GOP Gov. refuses to replace the equipment, so we might get screwed in 2008 election again.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:36 amAnyone wondering why Rove wanted one of his best operatives in Little Rock of all places? Hillary had better keep her eyes open.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:39 amDoes that make you happy Roger about Dem leadership in DC being dumb about funding the Iraq Fiasco War?
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:39 amAnd, from the same NYT article (emphasis mine):
Nice cherry picking, TP.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:45 amDale,
Aboslutely right, and congress has every right and responsibility to investigate the cause for his actions. See in our form of government that’s called “checks and balances”, look it up it’s about responsible government and ensuring that this country doesn’t become too much of a dictatorial fascist regime.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:47 amAnd to think, a little more than a month ago, Bush was blaming Iran.
Who would have thunk (intentional spelling) that our own military bears the responsiblity for providing the insurgents with perhaps millions of tons of explosives. Remember, the Bush Administration considered Rumsfeld the Best Secretary of Defense Ever.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:50 amThanks Dale I often think to myself “gee I wonder whats going on in Denver”
Thanks really for coming to the forefront.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:51 amIf it wasn’t for the surge he probably would have died. Thank goodness there are more American troops in Iraq. Comment by dlet
Bwaahahaha! Where did you pull that out of? If it weren’t for Bush’s personal war 3,000+ troops would be alive, all American children would have health care insurance, the federal deficit would be a record surplus, Social Security would be whole for then next 2,000 years, and butterflies would flitter about the nation’s capital year round. See, I can make things up even better than you!
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:51 amRx2,
We all think you look good in pink, but your should really stay out of congressional offices; you may get arrested. BTW, was that you in the background of the Plame hearings? You know, breast implants look good on you! Keep up the good work.
On a more serious note…
The evidence runs contrary to assurances from Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales that no such move had been planned.â€
Here he is again, speaking with forked tongue. Sure, Abu, you’re looking out for kids & porn. Sure.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 amYou’re a lying sack of shit, and must be taken out to the curb. March is clean up month in America. Let’s all do what we can to make sure Gonazles is tossed out like the garbage he is.
#23, you’re welcome… just pointing out some of the extremism.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 am(AP) The nomination of Bill Mercer, currently the U.S. attorney for Montana, to become associate attorney general has been put on hold by Democrats. They want to question him about his role in the dismissal of several federal prosecutors late last year.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for Mr. Mercer to hold both of these jobs,” Democratic Sen. Jon Tester said in a statement Tuesday. “Montana needs a full-time U.S. attorney.”
That same day, a spokesman for Montana’s other senator, Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, said Baucus is hearing from lawyers and judges in the state who say Mercer’s prosecutor’s office is stretched too thin.
This is not the first time Mercer has been criticized for working two jobs. In 2005, when Mercer served a temporary term at the Justice Department, Chief U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Montana chided Mercer for neglecting the state.
And yet, this guy is being nominated for the #3 position at the DoJ. That shows you how concerned they are about job performance.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:53 amDale,
Is obstruction of justice ok by you?
Is it ok to limit FEDERAL PROSECUTORS to only investigating the opposition party?
Is it ok to turn the Department of Justice into a political machine?
If so, you have just agreed to a totalitarian government with One-Party Rule. The most recent examples of which are Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. Is that your prefered future for America?
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:53 am#2 Dale
And your point? Pres. Bush has every right to get rid of USA Chiara if he wants to put someone else in her place.
Really? Then why did they feel they had to lie and say she was being let go because of poor performance?
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:54 amYou can’t keep animals on the endangered species list forever. If their numbers have come back, then they need to be removed from the list. IN this case, it doesn’t even matter as the Bears are within Yellowstone. Humans aren’t taking away yellowstone habitat nor is hunting allowed so they are completely protected anyways. Of course one of the very best ways to help many animals is hunting as the money can be funneled to their cause and be used to buy much more habitat and research.
In Africa for example, many of the countries with Elephants now have to many. Elephants in most every country are not only surviving but now thriving all due to Hunters. Hunters take a nominal amount of elephants every year for big fees and that money is used to buy more elephant habitat. In fact, in recent years the number of Elephants most countries hunt has tripled due to the success of the program and now they have a problem with to many elephants. This same logic can be applied to many species. Once you make them have a market value, we then care about saving them.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:58 am#22 BnF
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:59 amI blame the lazy media for neglecting to remind Americans that the alibis and excuses given by Bush&Co change from week to week, so that everything they claim is totally incredible.
Instead, however, they report the latest news, and the forgetful public just accepts the latest version.
With the press simply acting as stenographers instead of journalists, the longest two years in the Bush presidency lie before us.
#14 Dale
This whole USA flap is a non-issue. Pres. Bush had every right to replace the US attorneys, and there’s no evidence that he was trying to thwart an y investigation. It’s possible A.G. Gonzalez didn’t handle the firings in a professional manner, but there’s no crime here.
The Fox Noise line doesn’t really work around here. Unlike Fox and its viewers, we’ve been paying attention to this thing. Obstructing federal investigations is not a non-issue. Republican members of Congress lobbying prosecutors to indict Democrats right before an election is not a non-issue. Getting a mole on the Judiciary Committee staff to insert a provision into legislation that would allow the DoJ to bypass the Senate in seating U.S. attorneys is not a non-issue. In fact, that last one would be a clear case of the Executive branch sticking its mitts into the business of the Legislative branch. What happened to Separation of Powers? It only goes one way?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:00 amHas anyone noticed the similarity in syntax of messages by “Dale”, “Jake” and “Patrick1″? They are all strangely similar and even use the same word phrases between them. I guess that means either 1) all Reichwing nut cases “think” exactly alike on all issues, or 2) comments by all three are written by the same paid Reichwing gasbag operating under different names.
Funny how “Dale” is here this morning but his altered ego Jake and Patrick 1 aren’t. Hmmmmmm
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:00 amI see that Dale has overcome his fear of brown people long enough to crawl out from under the bed and post some comments here.
Dale, your comments are a bit behind the times. Judging from the frantic circling of the White House wagons it appears that Bush and the gang have just realized that they can’t do whatever they want to, no matter what you and the other lickspittles here claim.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:01 amRoger_Roger is right on the money with that comment. The ESA was enacted to recover species. When they are recovered they need to be removd from the list. Once removed there is the provison for a 5 year monitoring program to ensure that they are stable. If not they can go back on. One of the species most deserving of delisting is the Bald Eagle but extreme emotionalism has kept it listed. Funny thing. If it were not on the endangerd or threatened list it will still be protected by the Bald and Gold Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Both laws are actually more restrictive than is ESA. But emotionalism is keeping them from being even more protected than they are now.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:03 amTP, improve your filtering system. Do Allow Posts or Do Not Allow Posts, but do not “Maybe Allow Posts”. A post of mine that appeared for a second (supposesdly after being scrubbed by the filter system, has dissappeared after a refresh or two. And, a page of response or a link of the type
Comment of Evil Spaniard deleted because [link to reason #number]
would be great, and “ghost posts” or misterious behavior of the filter wouldn’t be so annoying to the regular posters.
Not hard to code.
Thanks.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:04 amCouldn’t we please learn that using war as a foreign policy tool is about as effective as using a chainsaw to perform surgery. Ostensibly, we used the Iraq war to effect “Regime Change” and remove Saddam yet seem surprised that Iraq is dying on the operating table.
The Constitution was designed to make war difficult to begin. Those Constitutional restrictions were illegally circumvented. We need to reestablish the high hurdles to allowing military force. War is too extreme a tool to be casually lied into.
I suppose, now, Jake, Patrick1 and Roger-Roger will point out the myriad of times that chain saws were effectively used in operating rooms.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:05 amNo it isn’t; however there’s absolutely no evidence of obstruction of justice.
Uh, ask Rep. Duke Cunningham about that.
No it isn’t, but there’s no evidence that this is what happened.
So I guess I answered your last question. If you have any evidence for the charges you made in your post, please give the links. Otherwise, you’re just blowing smoke.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:05 amThe Morning Report
=*=
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:06 am#29 and #32, chimpeach, do you have any proof of what you’re stipulating? As far as the ‘mole inserting a provision (etc)’, it was a congressional staffer who ‘inserted’ the provision, which provision was then approved without debate by Congress. But the provision only allows for a 120-day ‘interim appt’, it doesn’t allow the President to make the appt. permanent.
#33, does it make you feel better thinking we’re all one person?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:09 amAh, another reasoned, rational post by VerbalKint.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:11 am#5 ,yes
“U.S.-trained Iraqi military is
engaging in terrorist death-squad activity, following the
pattern we’ve seen in South and Central America, under the
influence of the School of the Americas. It would be naive
to ascribe this activity to ‘rogue elements’. What we are
seeing is part of a comprehensive campaign by occupation
forces to stir up a civil war among Iraqi factions. We’ve
also seen false-flag ’suicide’ bombings, a one-sided
Constitution, and atrocities committed by U.S. troops
against Sunni towns and villages. The path out of the
quagmire, according to this strategy, is to get the
Iraqi’s to fight one another instead of fighting against
the occupiers. It’s a standard method of imperial
management.”
——–
I can’t remember where I read it but, there are several reports of Iraqi’s working for the U.S being told to go and pick something up from the market or some such place. They make a detour or do something else, like go home or visit someone, and their car explodes,(as in a large suicide bomb), they are outside and live to tell about it. As the accounts go, they are in contact with their U.S. employers who want to know just when they arrive at their destination, which of course raises a red flag in some of the Iraqi drivers minds.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:13 amI don’t believe that they’re the same troll. They are different trolls most of the times, but they share the same neurone, and this, united with the “groupthink” favored by the daily faxes coming from the Rove’s office with talking points for the right wing pundits, creates a legion of clonic drones.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:14 am#23
Comment by And You Thought REAGAN Was Stupid
Sorry. Forgot to add at the end of it. Too early in the morning. Although I have to say being taken as a true troll woke me up pretty quick.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:14 amTrollbaiters Textbook Tip #221: Dealing with a repetitious troll
When dealing with one of those trolls who will post the same questions/talking points repeatedly, regardless of the number of times his points have been refuted (See: “Jake”) , it’s not necessary to craft a unique and thoughtful response each and every time. After you’ve responded to the question once and you’re satisfied with your response, open up Windows Notepad, or whatever text editor you use, cut and paste the troll’s question and your response into it and save it as a file. You can keep adding questions and responses for a particular user and give the file an appropriate name, such as “Jake” or “braindead” or “waste_of_time”. This way, when the troll posts the same question/talking point again in 15 minutes or an hour or even days later, you don’t have to waste your time trying to think up a new way of explaining the obvious to him. Simply cut and paste. It’s that easy!
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:15 amIf it weren’t for George Bush, the United States would be a respected member of the international community.
If it weren’t for Dick Cheney, gasoline prices would be $1.15 per gallon.
If it weren’t for Alberto Gonzales, the CIA wouldn’t be shipping prisoners off to be tortured in other countries.
If it weren’t for Donald Rumsfeld, there would have been a plan for what to do with Iraq after the invasion of Baghdad.
If it weren’t for John Ashcroft, the Constitutional would still mean something.
If it weren’t for Halliburton, we would know where that $30 billion went in Iraq.
If it weren’t for FEMA Chief Mike Brown, hundreds of people in New Orleans wouldn’t have suffered and died as a result of hurricane Katrina.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:17 amIs obstruction of justice ok by you?
No it isn’t; however there’s absolutely no evidence of obstruction of justice.
Comment by Dale
Okay. Now how do you suggest that Congress finds out if there was obstruction of justice. Meet with the people involved behind clsed door, no oath and no transcript? What about the gap inthe e-mails leadin gup to the firings? Your dismissal of the evidence is wrong since all the evidence has not been gathered.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:18 am#43 should have (snark) in the first sentence….geesh.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:19 amDale sez:
Well, if what you say is in fact true, that raises disturbing questions. Congressional staffers are not members of Congress, and are not allowed to directly author legislation. You were aware of this, weren’t you?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:20 am
chimpeach,
I loved #44, being kinda new here I’ve actually fallen into the trap of trying to explain to these idiots the consequences of following fascists, but I do see now that that is pointless.
Thanks for tip 221
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:25 am#39 Dale
chimpeach, do you have any proof of what you’re stipulating?
Proof only comes when the investigation is allowed to take place. Evidence is plentiful.
May 5, 2006
# Porter Goss, director of the CIA, resigns unexpectedly, amidst controversy surrounding his chosen CIA Executive Director, Kyle “Dusty” Foggo.
# The Wall Street Journal reports that Foggo is under investigation as part of the ongoing San Diego/Cunningham scandal. The office overseeing the investigation is that of U.S. Attorney Carol Lam. (sub. req.)
May 8, 2006
# Foggo resigns from the CIA.
May 10, 2006
# Carol Lam informs the Justice Department that she intends to serve search warrants to Foggo.
May 11, 2006
# The LA Times reports that the investigation of Cunningham has expanded to include Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA), House Appropriations Committee Chairman.
# Sampson emails deputy White House counsel William Kelley: “The real problem we have right now with Carol Lam that leads me to conclude that we should have someone ready to be nominated on 11/18, the day her 4-year term expires.”
As far as the ‘mole inserting a provision (etc)’, it was a congressional staffer who ‘inserted’ the provision, which provision was then approved without debate by Congress.
Michael O’Neill was inserted into Specter’s staff as a way of appeasing the conservatives who didn’t want Specter to chair the Judiciary Committee in the first place. He and Specter don’t see eye to eye. Specter is “liberal” by comparison.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:32 am#48, you’re correct in one respect, the Patriot Act removed the consecutive 120-day appt by a judge. But instead of getting your data from a blog, why don’t you read the testimony before Congress of the Deputy A.G.?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:33 amWhy are Bush supporters so afraid of everything?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:33 amTripMaster Monkey,
Nice smack down of Dales idiocy!
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:34 am#49 Rocks911
Jake’s shtick is to emulate Tony Snow and constantly repeat the same talking points no matter how tedious or stupid it sounds. If you took him to the window and pointed out that the sky is indeed blue, the instant you walked away from the window he’d go back to insisting that it’s red.
It’s important to respond to bullshit, but it’s not necessary to work hard at it. He’s not putting much thought into his posts, so why should we? Dale’s doing pretty much the same thing, but he’s a few days behind Jake.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:39 amDale is a different troll than Patrick or Jake. He is a volunteer freelancer. His general focus is fear of brown people, which pairs well with his love of authoritarianism and a creepy man-worship thing he has for Bush. A thrill passes through Dale’s body whenever he refers to Bush as the Commander-in-Chief (or CinC for those in the know).
Patrick and Jake don’t usually show up this early in the day. Jake works for some branch of Team Rove. Who knows what the story is with Patrick-the-talking-point-robot.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:43 amI see that Dale never answered the question of why his manly leaders are so scared of testifying under oath, or why they lied to begin with.
There has got to be a reason, Dale. Think hard.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:48 amThe decision to take the Grizzly of the Endangered Species rolls comes directly from the vp. He can’t wait to join his friends in a great hunt at the park.
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:53 amDale sez:
Well, let’s see. From your link:
This, I assume, is the reason you linked to this, correct?
However, the reality is far different, as these email excerpts show:
Any questions?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:56 amPehaps Dale would like to testify under oath as to his man worship of the chymp? The Truth is Out There…
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:58 am#34 and the very best thing a species can receive is hunting. Hunting a species means we put a value on it. Any resource we value is a resource we conserve. This has held true in modern time with many species that used to be threatened and are now thriving. THe species I most worry about are those that wouldn’t be helped by hunters. Species like Polar Bears are screwed for example as we need to fix the whole planet to save them which is looking more impossible everyday since even those that believe and care about Global Warming are more worried about winning debates then actually solving the problem. Grizzly Bears will be fine as they have value and we can conserve them through hunting. Using emotions to try and protect animals is a waste and is usually dangerous and can cause more harm to animals. Setting a value on them, saves them every time.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:01 amTripMaster,
Thanks for taking that particular pile of B.S. on, you da man!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:02 amOnce you make them have a market value, we then care about saving them.
Comment by Roger_Roger — March 23, 2007 @ 9:58 am
Roger I think you ought to just shut the f#ck up now. It was the market value of elephants that made them almost extinct. Remember ivory dipshit. Why don’t you go hunting with Cheney big man and get the f#ck out of here. Nobody around here wants to hear from some asswipe who thinks its a good idea to hunt elephantS or even grizzlies in a NATIONAL PARK!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:04 am#14 Dale, if there is no issue, then why the flap over going on the record and explaining that there is no issue? If the flap is about presidential advice, well, according to Tony Snow Bush was not included in these discussions, so the testimony will not be involving presidential advice? Maybe, just maybe there is a little obstruction of justice here? Way back in the 1990’s (before honor and integrity were restored to the White House) t did not even take real evidence to launch investigation after investigation about inane things having nothing to do with running our country. Face it nothing that could come out of having Rove or Meirs testify could possibly hurt the republican crime syndicate. They have their loyal 30% and the rest of us have very strong opinions. Perhaps good could come of this for the republican crime syndicate, perhaps they could show that everything they have said thus far is legit. However doing it behind closed doors, not under oath with no transcript does not provide and opportunity for them to clear their names, and even if they were able to clear their names the public would have no clue. If they have nothing to hide, then they should not fear the process. I though President Bush was all about openness and transparency, or at least that is what he said.
I will give them a few points for consistency, because they want everything secret behind closed doors, closed to the prying eyes of the public, sounds like a Guantanamo hearing.
#27 John Bolton pretty much said that was OK the other day on Jon Stewarts Show. The President has every right to put people into place who are going to carry out the wishes of the people who voted the president into office. Those are the people he should be serving. Rush pretty much said as much to Arnold the other day. It is the mind set of the 30% club. So if they obstruct justice to save a loyal foot soldier in the party or if they prosecute dems only it is ok because that is what the 30% seem to want.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:08 amKentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) yesterday signed a state minimum wage increase. “The move makes Kentucky the 31st state to raise its minimum wage above the federal one.â€
COME ON, IDAHO!
Geez….
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:08 am“After more than 30 years of strict federal protection, the Yellowstone population of grizzly bears is being removed from the endangered species list by the Bush administration.†Groups dedicated to protecting the grizzlies criticized the move, “warning that climate change is reducing a vital food source and human population growth is increasing the chances of lethal run-ins.â€
“Rising sea levels and melting polar ice-sheets are at upper limits of projections, leaving some human population centers already unable to cope, top world scientists say as they analyze latest satellite data.â€
It’s hard out there for a bear. :(
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:09 amComment by Roger_Roger — March 23, 2007 @ 9:58 am
Your are a f*cking twit, RR.
Ever seen a grizzly in the wild?
If you ever do, just understand that if he’s hungry, you just moved down the food chain.
Take a hike, moron.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:13 amdo you have any proof
Comment by Dale — March 23, 2007 @ 10:09 am
Trolls, please be advised, nobody around here has to give you asswipes any proof for anything.
Why don’t you ask the people you get your talking points from for proof. Ask Fox News ask the White House, you quote their lies quite liberally without any proof.
We’re not officially speaking for anybody, we’re not a major media outlet, we’re people who read backstory and figure things out when the msm has fed us a load of crap.
I’m tired of you guys offering up crap and wanting gold in return. When you come up with a factually accurate instead of a politically biased opinion we’ll give you proof. But I don’t see that happening.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:14 amWell put, Shane. How many times have the trolls been told to use the google to search the internets for their proof, anyway?
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:18 amwhich of course raises a red flag in some of the Iraqi drivers minds.
Comment by null — March 23, 2007 @ 10:13 am
That’s good, now the Commander in Chief and cronies going to destroy the ethic of soldiers so that we lose respect for many of them. It was the atrocities committed by soldiers in Viet Nam like the My Lai Massacre that moved public opinion against the soldiers as well as the war. We already have the individual cases of rape and murder by troops but now organized efforts by troops too.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:20 amRocks911 sez:
Thanks, Rocks…I do what I can. ^_^
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:22 amBriseadh na Faire are you still here?
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:22 amWhy are Bush supporters so afraid of everything?
Comment by RantingTommy — March 23, 2007 @ 10:33 am
Obviously they’re not too bright.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:25 am#70 – dlet
He’ll be at work by now. :)
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:28 amPehaps Dale would like to testify under oath as to his man worship of the chymp? The Truth is Out There…
Comment by RUCerious — March 23, 2007 @ 10:58 am
Truth, truth – the truth bit Dale in the ass once and he sent Bush a thank you note.
Dear Mr. President:
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:30 amThe affection you showed to my derriere was just dreamy. I will never wash again.
All My Love
Dale
Shane,
Great laugh! Thanks.
Off to class — no playing nicely!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:32 amComment by VerbalKint — March 23, 2007 @ 11:18 am
Why thank you. Of course Dale won’t get it.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:33 amZooey,
Thanks. There is a question about impeachment and Constitutional law and exactly what “high crimes and misdemeanors” means and includes. Only crimes or offenses that are non-crimes. Also is “abuse of power” an actual crime? It’s on the O’Donnell htread. RemoveBush and I are trying to get a solid answer. Do you have any info or do you know anyone that you could point me to?
No more Mistress Z?
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:34 amNo more Mistress Z?
Comment by dlet
She’s just for fun. :)
No time….
I’d check with TripMasterMonkey or VerbalKint.
See ya!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:37 am#37 – “there’s absolutely no evidence of obstruction of justice.” Comment by Dale — March 23, 2007 @ 10:05 am
We don’t know if there was or not.
What cases were the Attorney’s working on when they were “let go”, and are those cases still being worked on now?
Let’s say that Attorney-A was investigating a politician. Let’s say the politician was a Republican. Let’s say that the investigation was heading to an indictment. Has that case been continued or has it been dropped?
We don’t need to hypothesize what would have happened had the completely fictional example I gave was about a Democrat rather than a Republican.
Had that been the case, everyone knows that the Attorney in question would have gotten a “Medal of Freedom” from Pres. Bush and it would be front page news around the US care of the so-called “liberal MSM”.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:51 amTP might want to ease-up on the spam filter if we’re breaking the law when we cut-and-paste. This from MSN.com:
When I post links, only half of my attempts make it here.
This site is becoming very obsolete, very quickly, unless you actually like bickering like kindergarteners.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:53 amWe’re gonna be hearing this. A lot.
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:54 amOnly reason GOPers get elected in Georgia is by vote fraud. Only way to get rid of them is to remove the Diebold machines, but the GOP Gov. refuses to replace the equipment, so we might get screwed in 2008 election again.
Comment by Jay Randal 316
…EXACTLY Jay,
…which is why I say…
…starve the racist, TREASONOUS confederate south economically…
…drive as many of them back to England (so they can worship their white queen) as possible…
…time for the Federal Union (northeast and Blue states in the west)…
…to stop SUBSIDIZING sparsely populated red states with our tax dollars…
…they like TOYOTA so much, let TOYOTA subsidize ‘em…
March 23rd, 2007 at 12:15 pm“Obey me or die.” – Al Gore.
Environmental Prophet Al Gore warned a stunned Congress today of the dire consequences should we puny humans refuse to obey him. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Earthquakes. Plagues of locusts. Disoriented manatees. Cats and dogs living together. The deliberate and systematic destruction of all life on Arrakis. Terrifying, indeed – but just a taste of what’s in store for us all should we continue to blatantly defy Gore.
The time has come to cleanse ourselves of our capitalistic sins and save the earth from total obliteration, – but it won’t be easy, Gore assures us. Preserving the future for our children will involve tough choices and personal sacrifice. Most importantly it will require tax increases, wealth restribution, government control of production, and the abandonment of the free market system – by sheer coincidence, the exact same things liberal democrats have been calling for since before global warming was ever an issue. It would be sheer madness, then, for Repugs to continue to stand against such bold initiatives now that the scientific consensus is that we’re all going to die unless we do exactly as Al Gore says.
So there’s really no point in debating it any further.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:02 pmmuckdog sez:
muckdog, you’ve posted this ridiculous screed before. At that time, you followed it up with “So there’s no point in debating it any further.”.
We took that to mean that you wouldn’t be inflicting your pejorative garbage on us any longer. You see, we’re in agreement with you on one point:
There’s no point in debating it with you any further.
Message received, muckdog. You can run along now.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:15 pmmuckdog: “Most importantly it will require tax increases, wealth restribution, government control of production, and the abandonment of the free market system”
Set em up and knock em down, right muckdog?
Say, I must be a little confused on this. Maybe you can help me out. Can businesses working in a capitalist system produce and sell products which do not destroy the environment? If an American company sells a product designed to lower our dependency on fossil fuels, is this still capitalism? If profits are taken in such an enterprise, can shareholders prosper even though our environment might benefit as well?
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:16 pmThe best idea for the preservation of the grizzlies is to feed every politician in DC to them. Cheney would then find his Jackson Hole retreat more user friendly.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:17 pmHey TP. How about something on the peaceful government of Iran holding 15 British troops illegally?
Find it on MSN as links do not always work.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:47 pmSo there’s really no point in debating it any further.
Comment by muckdog — March 23, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
Exactly. And since your troll breath is stinking up the place why don’t you go agree with your friends on a different site.
Thanks, b’bye.
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:17 pmHow about something on the peaceful government of Iran holding 15 British troops illegally?
Comment by hacker bob — March 23, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
Exactly who is farthest from its territorial waters?
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:18 pmComment by animal lover — March 23, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
I’d like to see Cheney try his bird shot on a grizzlie. He’s such a man shooting quail with clipped wings in a fenced yard. Like to see him go after a grizzlie in wide open spaces. Teehee.
Then again I wonder how many of his friends would get shot in the process.
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:20 pmComment by Evil Spaniard — March 23, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
Did you ever read about it, or just jump to Irans defense?
Besides, 2 wrongs do not make a right..
March 23rd, 2007 at 2:53 pmbut three lefts do….
How about something on the peaceful government of Iran holding 15 British troops illegally?
Comment by hacker bob
Wasnt Britain the country that illegally hold Iran´s resources some decades back?
March 23rd, 2007 at 3:47 pmIt’s just hillarious. Liberal Larry is the best.
March 23rd, 2007 at 4:08 pm#62 Please reread my post. I clearly stated that in recent times Hunting is what brought many species back from low populations. I certainly didn’t lie about elephants. Their numbers are more then thriving in most Afircan countries at this point. As a matter of fact, some countries are now culling the excess Elephants because the OVER POPULATION of Elephants is destroying their own Habitat. When you have strong regulations and laws, when you have strict science to detrermine the number acceptable for harvest, you then get a bonus from hunters. They insert millions of dollars into habitat and other programs designed to save the environment. These things are GOOD and is the main reason I keep saying the environmental movement should work much more closely with the hunting community as they share a common goal.
Today, where I live many of the old bare dirt fields are being bought by hunters. I myself own around 1,000 acres. Rest assured this land is now in a federal program and it will never be farmed again. It is all restored to CRP land and forest as it should be. Instead of dirt fields barren of life, I now have a home to well over 500 wild turkeys, uncountable deer and pheasents, as well as many other native species and many migritory species. What hunting has done is made this land (like the stuff I bought) have an increased value. The new value is way to high for a farmer to buy, thus it is now saved for wildlife. I, along with most every hunter would never “over hunt” a property as it is very tough to bring it back. It would also greatly devalue it.
On the flip side, if you suddenly made hunting illegal, the wildlife would be valuless. All this land would instantly go right back dirt fields and billions of wild animals would die a slow painful death due to starvation. As you see, environmentlists best friend is the hunter.
March 23rd, 2007 at 5:32 pmI agree with the concept of harvesting wildlife for population control. But in the case of elephants, it is not a good sign because the population has grown so much that harvesting is neccessary when one considers their incredibly shirinking habitat, due to human encroachment.
These huge herds are huge because you are trying to raise elephants on a chicken farm. Unless we make serious attempts of controling our own population, there soon will be no wildlife to harvest anywhere on earth.
What this world needs is more wildlife, and less humans. For the good of our herd as well as theirs. If we don’t control our numbers, nature, and the reality of finite resources will “thin the herd” for us.
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:37 pm…starve the racist, TREASONOUS confederate south economically…
…drive as many of them back to England (so they can worship their white queen) as possible…
…time for the Federal Union (northeast and Blue states in the west)…
…to stop SUBSIDIZING sparsely populated red states with our tax dollars…
Comment by big papa
I agree with you, big papa, about the Blue states paying too much to subsidize the Red ones. But I have a number of British friends, and frankly I don’t think today’s England would want to take those confederates back.
March 23rd, 2007 at 9:22 pmOur own troops—–KILLED by our own largesse of weaponry and STUPIDITY in leaving it UNSECURED for the enemy to use it to KILL US—-TALK ABOUT HOIST WITH OUR OWN PETARDS!!!!!
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:39 pmUNDERHANDED CHICANERY, BLACKGUARD MACHINATIONS, OUT-AND-OUT ILLEGAL ACTIVITY—-Just WHAT is to be EXPECTED from a CREATURE, Griffin, BORN FROM THE FILTHY ANUS of Karl FAT-F*CK Rove!!!!!
Ms. Chiara, You’re a GREAT worker and a diligent and responsible prosecutor—-Unfortunately Bushland Uber Allies NEEDS TO STACK THE DECK WITH POLITICAL ALLIES so we are letting you go with a sterling recommendation providing you do not speak out against our CORRUPT and CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES here at the IN-Justice Dept. under orders from GONZO the Magnificent, Grand POOBAH of Insanity and Iniquity!!!
Salam al-Zubaie? Sounds like what you put between two slices of white bread for a Deli sandwich—–GOOD THING he didn’t end up as a “COLD cut”, EH?
Hopefully the “lethal run-ins” between the grizzly bears and people will be with the IN-human members of Bushland Uber Allies, like CHIMPya, FRANKENCheney, Gonzo, Rove, Rice, et cetera ad nauseum!!!
Blue Cross SHOULD BE RENAMED “Double Blue Cross,”WHERE WE F*CK YOU OVER COMING AND GOING!!!!!
Are you sure Fletcher is a repugnant-repub? He sure isn’t acting like one!!!!! He must be running for re-election in 2008—-THAT’s THE ONLY REASON!!!!!
Why don’t we leave Inhofe, Sensenbrenner, Crichton and all other NUTS, repugnant-repub rightwingnut crank fudge-pachyderms on a melting polar ice-sheet and SEE HOW THEY COPE WITH IT, SINCE THEY DENY IT SO VEHEMENTLY!!!!! The Polar Bears ARE GOING TO HAVE A FEAST—-HOPE THESE POISONOUS F*CKS DON’T GIVE THE POLAR BEARS FOOD POISONING—-THESE SEWER-RATS ARE AS POISONOUS AS THE RAT POISON THAT KILLED THE POOR DOGS AND CATS!!!!!
DESERTED THE ARMY–”JUST DES(S)ERTS”, I SAY!!!!!
Paul Hodes was GETTING ADVICE from DANIEL WEBSTER on how to KICK THE DEVIL CHIMPya’s SATANIC BACKSIDE BACK TO HELL the way Dan did in “The Devil and Daniel Webster”(tm)!!!!!
Comment by Evil Spaniard — March 23, 2007 @ 2:18 pm
Did you ever read about it, or just jump to Irans defense?
Besides, 2 wrongs do not make a right..
but three lefts do….
Comment by hacker bob — March 23, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
I’m not defending the actions of Iran, but you of course do defend the british presence in the territorial waters of Iraq. After all, they’re the poodles of the USA in the illegal invasion of a sovereing country, and installing a puppet government in Iraq. Being both Great Britain and the USA members of the Security Council of the UN makes it soo convenient to veto any condemning resolution against your countries… If you happened to be an impartial person, you’ll condemn both presences, Coalition of the Waving and Iran in waters that AREN’T THEIRS. But we know you’re not impartial in this issue, and you want to be part and judge.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:33 am