ThinkFast: December 16, 2008
ThinkFast: December 16, 2008
70 percent: The share of Americans who say that President-elect Obama “should fulfill his campaign promise to withdraw U.S. forces from the country within 16 months.” Two-thirds continue to believe that the war in Iraq is not worth fighting, whereas a majority supports the efforts in Afghanistan. As the Washington Post notes, these views “appear to largely dovetail with the views expressed by Obama.”
The Interior Department’s inspector general “has found that agency officials often interfered with scientific work in order to limit protections for species at risk of becoming extinct, reviving attention to years of disputes over the Bush administration’s science policies.” The report “found serious flaws in the process that led to 15 decisions related to policies on endangered species.”
Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) has accepted a Cabinet appointment as Interior Secretary pending the outcome of a background check. Salazar, who was the Colorado Attorney General before becoming a senator, has been an outspoken critic of environmentally-destructive energy policies like oil shale development.
Minnesota’s state canvassing board will start inspecting as many as 1,500 disputed ballots one-by-one beginning today. “Both campaigns had pledged to abandon many of the challenges lodged during the recount.” Norm Coleman leads Al Franken by 188 votes at this time.
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced committee chairmanships for the next Congress yesterday. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) will lead Intelligence, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) will lead Appropriations, while Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) will take over for Vice President-elect Biden as head of Foreign Relations. See a complete list of committee assignments here.
The Illinois House, by a vote of 113 to zero, authorized a bipartisan committee to explore the possibility of ousting Gov. Rod Blagojevich. “But lawmakers did not move forward with a bill to create a special election to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.”
The Supreme Court yesterday ordered an appeals court to reconsider a lawsuit against Donald Rumsfeld and other Bush administration officials, brought by three former Guantanamo detainees (all British citizens) who say they were tortured there. The appeals court should reconsider its dismissal of the case in light of last summer’s Boumediene v. Bush decision, allowing Guantanamo prisoners to challenge their detentions, the order said.
Former defense contractor Mitchell Wade, who gave more than $1 million in gifts to former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison yesterday. District Judge Ricardo Urbina gave Wade “a break,” as the D.C. resident “had faced nine to 11 years under federal sentencing guidelines.”
Citing a new Treasury Department report on the government’s financial outlook, leading conservative Democrats said yesterday that “they want the economic stimulus package to call for the creation of a new commission on the nation’s long-term fiscal health.” Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), a leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, said he hopes the new report will get Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) attention.
And finally: The White House has released its final “Barney Cam” holiday greeting, this year starring Olympic gymnasts Michael Phelps and Nastia Liukin, in addition to President Bush’s beloved “lump.” This year, “Barney is shown in cutout animation as an Olympic vaulter, swimmer and synchronized diver with fellow terrier Miss Beazley, both in red swimsuits. He also dreams of sinking the final putt to secure the Ryder Cup, with the entire U.S. Ryder Cup team chanting ‘Barney, Barney, Barney!’” Watch it here.
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Let us hope that the officials in the Interior Dept. who were interfering with protection for endangered species are now an endangered species with no hope of revival.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:14 amThe only “species” cared about by this administration has been the “pnacasaurus fascistus”, a highly aggressive and immoral creature.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:16 amim sorry barney.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:17 amThe list of Senate chairmanships just revives the ineptness and cowardice of reid and a real question of what was Obama really thinking? Sixty votes was not a real goal because everyone knows that joLIE will bolt to the repugs whenever the repugs want to stop something.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:19 amIf I were Barney, I’d want to be put down. :|
December 16th, 2008 at 9:22 amThe AEI is Bush-Hitler’s bunker..maybe the Repuke Party will commit suicide there?
December 16th, 2008 at 9:24 amSpin Fast
What 70% of Americans really meant to say is that now the Iraq war has been won, several times, the US military deserves a ‘staycation’ back home in the US.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:28 amThe Interior Department’s inspector general “has found that agency officials often interfered with scientific work in order to limit protections for species
The scientists in this country must be jumping for joy now that we have elected an adult with an IQ higher than 90 as our President.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:29 amSen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) has accepted a Cabinet appointment…
Ok, now that’s four sitting Senators who will have to have someone appointed to their seats. Why did Obama rely so heavily on Senators for his cabinet posts?
December 16th, 2008 at 9:30 amMinnesota’s state canvassing board will start inspecting as many as 1,500 disputed ballots one-by-one beginning today. “Both campaigns had pledged to abandon many of the challenges lodged during the recount.” Norm Coleman leads Al Franken by 188 votes at this time.
Norm still has way more disputed votes than Al. That is because if he were to give up all his marginal disputes, the way Al has, he would no longer be in the lead. He’s trying to maintain the psychological advantage of being in the lead, no matter how he has to do it.
I am feeling more and more confident that Al is going to win this one.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:33 amIs anyone else bothered about the number of senators that seem to be leaving congress through Obama’s appointments?
December 16th, 2008 at 9:33 amSenate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced committee chairmanships for the next Congress yesterday. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) will lead Intelligence…
Well, that’s discouraging. All we need is a DINO in the intelligence position. I hope that Congress or the Democrats (whomever is responsible for making these chairs dependent on seniority) changes the way they select for their chairmanships.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:35 amThe Illinois House, by a vote of 113 to zero, authorized a bipartisan committee to explore the possibility of ousting Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Ouch. And crazy Blago will still not resign.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:36 amGood riddance to Salazar – let’s see, he voted for the bankruptcy bill, and he is also the one who supported and even introduced Alberto Gonzales – heck of a job Ken. Hopefully, Ritter will appoint someone who is not a republican in sheep’s clothing.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:39 amCheney Defends Use of Torture
Vice President Dick Cheney has admitted for the first time that he was directly involved in approving the use of torture by the CIA. In an interview with ABC News, Cheney was questioned about the treatment of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who was held in a secret CIA prison where he was waterboarded over 100 times.
Vice President Cheney explicitly endorsed the use of waterboarding – a practice widely viewed as a form of torture.
http://www.democracynow.org
December 16th, 2008 at 9:47 amSpin Fast
The Interior Department’s inspector general’s claims that agency officials somehow interfered with of “interference” with “scientific work in order to limit protections for species at risk of becoming extinct” suggests that the IG intends to propose yet another taxpayer-funded bailout for the now endangered wild-animal industry.
Republicans countered that if American animals didn’t agree to concessions in order to compete with imported Japanese creatures, then they would simply have to concede to Darwin’s “survival of the fittest”, although they also insisted that their invocation of Darwin in this case should not be construed in any way as an endorsement of evolution through adaptation.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:51 amI reserve the term “evil” for a very small group of people. Cheney is one of them. I seriously doubt this creature has a conscience.
December 16th, 2008 at 9:55 amObama’s dubious “dialogue” with the Middle East
Barack Obama has been toying with the idea of dialogue with the Islamic world for two years now – but he has yet to approach the idea of actually saying anything meaningful
Obama Cabinet Shy on Southerners, Republicans
Democrat’s star-studded roster lacks representatives from two groups: Southerners and the Republicans that he vowed to appoint during the campaign.
McClellan said he regretted that Obama hadn’t reached out further in picking his team.
“I personally would like to see maybe three members of the Cabinet that are not considered members of the Democratic Party,” McClellan said.
Journalist who threw shoes at Bush, Muntazer al-Zaidi, ‘has broken arm and ribs’
He may be a hero to millions of Iraqis but the “shoe man” has had to spend a second night in detention, during which he nursed a broken arm and ribs as well as cuts to his face, according to his brother.
Maybe ThinkProgress could get the shoe thrower his own blog, or start a legal fund to help this hero get out of jail?
December 16th, 2008 at 10:04 ammuzz Says:
Good riddance to Salazar – let’s see, he voted for the bankruptcy bill, and he is also the one who supported and even introduced Alberto Gonzales – heck of a job Ken. Hopefully, Ritter will appoint someone who is not a republican in sheep’s clothing.
Amen. Our new favorite drinking game here in Denver is “Who will Ritter choose to replace the DINO?”
December 16th, 2008 at 10:04 amSen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) has accepted a Cabinet appointment…
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says: Ok, now that’s four sitting Senators who will have to have someone appointed to their seats. Why did Obama rely so heavily on Senators for his cabinet posts?
Fair question.
Maybe because he needs their experience in how the Senate really works and can ‘backfill’ their vacated seats with appointees for the interim that will be loyal by fact of their appointments.
Otherwise if he went with ‘outsiders’ they might not now how to bargain with other Senator’s effectively, despite having the backing of the President? I’m just guessing.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:09 amICEMAN Says:
Obama’s dubious “dialogue” with the Middle East
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Right – virtually all terrorists are Muslims. Like all those Muslims in FARC or Shining Path or ETA or the Lord’s Resistance Army or the Maoist rebels of Nepal.
Yup. Great article there, sport!
December 16th, 2008 at 10:11 amhussein toasterhead Says:
“Yup. Great article there, sport!”
Well of course it’s a great article. The NY Post is one of Rupert Murdoch’s pride and joys. The rest of us here in NY with an IQ over 90 see it as the piece of shit rag that it is.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:16 amThe Illinois House, by a vote of 113 to zero, authorized a bipartisan committee to explore the possibility of ousting Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
BHBaggins: Ouch. And crazy Blago will still not resign.
LOL, not much of a poke in Blago’s eye. really. Obviously he doesn;t give a ‘f—ing eff’what anyone else thinks of him, and really, an “exploratory committee”? The Illinois House is essentially saying “somone should DO something about this awful man’—anyone but them. :D
As in:
December 16th, 2008 at 10:22 amIll. House: “Quick call the cops!”
Victim: “You’ve got the cell phone, and besides you are the cops!”
Ill. House: “We’re off-duty and we don;t want to go over our minutes! Try and flag down the next person you see!”
Phelps is not a gymnast.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:31 amICEMAN Says:
Obama’s dubious “dialogue” with the Middle East
_____________
You’re quoting the NY Post? Oh puke. Why not the Enquirer while you’re at it?
_____________
Obama Cabinet Shy on Southerners, Republicans
_____________
No Southern Republicans? And this is a loss… how???
_____________
Maybe ThinkProgress could get the shoe thrower his own blog, or start a legal fund to help this hero get out of jail?
_____________
Must be painful, Li’l Feller… a mere shoe throwing journalist… FAR, FAR , FAR more popular around the WORLD at this moment than the leader of your rapidly collapsing 4th Reich. I feel for ya, Li’l Guy. Sniff… no, I do.
Botch – from the World’s Sheriff to the World’s Sh*tpile, in just a few short years.
December 16th, 2008 at 10:47 amFREE BARNEY!!!!
December 16th, 2008 at 11:20 amIt’s good to see you can still fail upwards in the new Administration and Congress. The American Dream is alive and well. Yep, DiFink as chairwoman is really Jello J with a wig. Senate Intelligence Committee is indeed a contradiction in terms.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:20 amAnd finally: The White House has released its final “Barney Cam” holiday greeting…
How… how… appropriate… the Botch Admin… at the end, reduced to cartoon characters, living in a complete fantasy world.
Does the cartoon Barney sniff Miss Beazly’s Cheney?
December 16th, 2008 at 11:29 amObama never said he would appoint anyone without the intelligence to do the job. Simple and straighforward. What’s you whining about. You want us to believe you have better judgment? Not likely.
Kinda knocks a hole in bushs claim that we had brought Iraq into the civilized world doesn’t it. How proud you must be.
December 16th, 2008 at 12:49 pm