For Dems only.

[YASNY]

Which is not the decisiveness the situation demands, at least in Kerry's eyes. I think the Dems are trying, after blaming the entire admnistration, to find a poster child and are attempting to make that Rummy. I can't see that getting much traction. I actually find him pleasant, even though I don't agree with him all the time. If they can't convince me he's evil personified, I don't think they will get the rest of America to.

 

Not really concerned with how things look from Kerry's eyes. He lost.

[Texsox]

Not really concerned with how things look from Kerry's eyes.  He lost.

 

I am still interested in what Bush Sr has to say and he lost as well. Dan Quayle also has some interesting insights as did Newt this week. I don't believe losing an election necessarily should eliminate you from discussions. But then, I enjoy all sorts of opinions.

[Texsox]

Dear YASNY,

 

When Governor Dean was elected chairman of our party, he promised to transform the way we do business.

 

On April 29th, thousands of Democrats across the country will be part of the next big step in our drive to build the party infrastructure and bring new people into the political process. At Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day events in all 50 states, people like you will be making the contacts and getting the experience that will build our organization and bring us closer to victory not only this November, but in 2008 and beyond.

 

Chances are there's an event near you where folks will be knocking on doors and having conversations with neighbors about the future of our country -- will you join them? You can find an event near you here:

 

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/find

 

Most of the door-hangers have already arrived at various state party headquarters around the country for distribution to people hosting canvassing events in their communities.

 

We also received a large shipment here at national headquarters this morning, which we will be distributing directly to the events in and around Washington. I've included a few photos on the right.

 

Whether you're a seasoned campaign volunteer or you've never knocked on a door in your life, this canvass will be a fun and important opportunity to reach out in your community. If you haven't yet found your nearest canvass, you can search for one now:

 

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/find

 

This 50-state canvass is only possible because ordinary people decided to make it happen. You funded the door-hangers and you will be having the conversations with your neighbors on April 29th.

 

If you want to change this country, it's up to you to take the next step. Please get involved and spread the word!

 

Thank you,

Tom

 

Tom McMahon

Executive Director

Democratic National Committee

 

P.S. -- For more about the Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day, including online resources like canvassing tips and flyers you can download, visit:

 

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass

[FlaSoxxJim]

I'm the Decider, Koo-koo-ka-choo!

 

[Balta1701]

Phrases you don't expect to hear from your Congressperson:

 

"I think you're an ass hole"

[Texsox]

Phrases you don't expect to hear from your Congressperson:

 

"I think you're an ass hole"

I was thinking no big deal, someone on her staff is in trouble, then got to this

Connor said that Emerson personally signed the letter, dated Feb. 15. She included a handwritten personal message at the bottom: "PS - please forgive the delay in responding."

 

I guess she'll be reading those things before sending them

[Balta1701]

Oh great...now our PA announcers are trying to start a war with China!

 

The meeting between President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao began with a gaffe Thursday when an announcer referred to China by the formal name of Taiwan, which China considers a rebellious province.

 

As Bush and Hu stood at attention outside the White House, an announcer said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem of the Republic of China, followed by the national anthem of the United States of America."

 

"Republic of China" is the formal name of the island 100 miles off the Chinese mainland. China is known formally as the People's Republic of China.

It's like a Bushism, but not even out of Bush's mouth!

[FlaSoxxJim]

Jason Leopold has got some things right and some other tthings wrong before, but he says Fitz presented new evidence against Turd Blossom to the Grand Jury this week will soon be seeking an indictment.

 

Here's hoping it comes before he can throw himself full into 2006 GOP campaign gear.

 

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042006Z.shtml

[FlaSoxxJim]

Olbermann’s (Countdown) and David Shuster (MSNBC) now also report report "signs" that Fitzgerald has now focused on a Turd Blossom indictment.

 

I know prosecutors often send a lettter to a target ahead of a pending indictment to alert them. I wonder if Karl got a letter like that and it played into his change of White House duties.

[KipWellsFan]

CNN: Bush approval at 32%

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/04/24.html#a8027

[Texsox]

The Top 9 Signs You're About to Be Fired From Your Political Post

 

 

9> Geraldo's on line 2.

 

8> Dick Cheney questions the veracity of your MySpace profile.

 

7> A car backfires and your Secret Service guy ducks.

 

6> The staff secretary asks you what you favorite kind of cake

is.

 

5> You've just been invited on a hunting trip with Dick Cheney.

 

4> There's a note in your coffee cup that reads

theguywhoneedstofindanewjobsezwhat... what?

 

3> Your Secret Service code name suddenly changes from "Greyhound"

to "Old Yeller."

 

2> You were the one who leaked the leak about Bush leaking leaks.

 

 

and the Number 1 Sign You're About to

Be Fired From Your Political Post...

 

 

1> "You're doing a heckuva job, [insert your name here]."

 

 

 

[ Copyright 2006 by Chris White ]

[ http://www.topfive.com ]

[Balta1701]

So, I think by Mr. Bush's own definition, the Bush Administration no longer supports our troops, flip flops, and supported funding our troops Before they were against it.

[FlaSoxxJim]

You think Turd Blossom is starting to sweat a litttle?

 

Met with his lawyer and then Fitz this morning, after Fitz met with the new Grand Jury for just the second time since it was convened.

 

I read that the meeting was an atttemptt to address some "serious inconsistencies" in his earlier testimonies based on what is now known.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12388079/

 

Looks like the new Press Secretary is going to have to hit the ground running.

[Balta1701]

Rick Santorum, casually admitting he no longer lives in Pennsylvania.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I think Lawrence O'Donnell's assessment of Rove's situation is on the money.

 

Karl Rove's return to the grand jury today could mean the end of the Rove investigation or the beginning of the Rove prosecution. It depends on who asked Rove to return. If Fitzgerald asked Rove to return to the grand jury, that means Fitzgerald thinks he doesn't have enough for an indictment.

 

If Rove asked to return to the grand jury, that means Rove's lawyer, Bob Luskin, believes an indictment is imminent and is sending his client back to make a final desperate attempt to avoid indictment.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-odo...rn_b_19858.html

 

And most sources are indeed now saying that Rove volunteered to testify to the Grand Jury today.

 

I'm finally smelling a pergury indictment for Karl in the not too distant future.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Turd Blossom is starting to really feel the heat now.

 

MSNBC reports Rove believes he is in legal jeopardy

 

Karl Rove has described his three and a half hour meeting with a grand jury as grueling, and is more worried about being prosecuted than ever, MSNBC is reporting.

 

RAW STORY has also learned that an MSNBC report tonight will reveal that one of Rove's lawyers said the presidential adviser describ

 

. . .

 

Also not boding well for Rove is the fact that the grand jury plans to meet tomorrow. Some are speculating that an indictment for Rove may be handed up tomorrow, though others have claimed such a fast turnaround time is unlikely.

Edited April 27, 2006 by FlaSoxxJim

[Balta1701]

Bill O'Reilly attacks Newspaper Editor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who died 4 years ago.

[Balta1701]

Senator Pat Roberts is so determined to delay a real probe into the Bush administration's prewar deceptions that he's breaking the promises he makes in his own press releases. On March 14, Roberts, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, put out a  press release that purported to lay out a timetable for the committee's ongoing probe.

 

One of Roberts' key promises in the release was that on April 5 -- over three weeks ago -- a preliminary draft of the probe into the "public statements" section of the investigation would be delivered to committee members. This would be a very important step. That's because the "statements" section is the most critical and controversial part of the ongoing "Phase II" of this probe -- it's supposed to investigate White House conduct, i.e., whether prewar public statements were supported by intelligence. From Roberts' release:

 

  April 5, 2006 - Preliminary draft on “statements” section of Phase II ready for members/liaison to review during the two week recess.

 

You'll no doubt be surprised to hear this, but guess what: It didn't happen.

Linky.

[Balta1701]

So a few weeks ago, President Bush signed a version of a budget bill which was different from the ones passed by the House and Senate. The differences were slight, but they existed. The Democrats Have filed a lawsuit in the case, as that bill should as far as I can see be invalid.

Edited April 28, 2006 by Balta1701

[Balta1701]

So, it turns out there's another $4 billion in U.S. dollars that have been spent in Iraq that the Congressional Research Service just can't find. Presumably this is on top of the $10 billion or so in old Iraqi funds (largely from the oil for food program) that disappeared in 2003. And oh yeah, the Executive branch diverted funds in 2001 and 2002 to prepare for the Iraq war without authorization from Congress, to the tune of $2.5 billion. (end of the article)

 

Just another day in the park, right?

[Balta1701]

Link

 

House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Ill., center, gets out of a Hydrogen Alternative Fueled automobile, left, as he prepares to board his SUV, which uses gasoline, after holding a new conference at a local gas station in Washington, Thursday, April 27, 2006 to discuss the recent rise in gas prices. Hastert and other members of Congress drove off in the Hydrogen-Fueled cars only to switch to their official cars to drive back the few block back to the U.S. Capitol.

 

Now that's some good work by that photographer.

[Mplssoxfan]

Funny stuff from some of the 32% who are still in W's corner. Text possibly NSFW.

[Balta1701]

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has released a new estimate for the cost of the Afghan and Iraq wars: $811 billion. 71% of that would be for Iraq. That also assumes troop reductions of about 70% in both theaters by 2010.

[Texsox]

Dear Sam Clemons,

When we were in the Senate together, John Kerry and I shared a lot more than a last name. We both came to public service after having served our country in Vietnam. And that experience caused us to make a fifteen year effort to bring peace to Cambodia, resolve the POW-MIA issue, write a road map to normalization with our former enemy, and follow that road map until a former prisoner of war returned as our ambassador in 1998.

That diplomatic voyage was long and very contentious. It began with President George Herbert Walker Bush and ended with President Clinton. It was not possible without the courageous leadership of Senator John McCain and many other Vietnam veterans who served in Congress. It was angrily opposed by many and reignited many of the bitter, personal debates surrounding the war itself.

It's among my proudest accomplishments. We were able -- Republicans and Democrats together -- to achieve a great foreign policy success at the site of our worst foreign policy mistake. We stood shoulder to shoulder for peace and reconciliation. Millions of Cambodians and Vietnamese are better off today because of it. For me this was an effort worthy of our sacrifices and reflects my strongest desire for America's destiny as a peace maker.

For those who have fought in war, decisions about war and peace and how you send men and women to war become personal in a hurry. Wars -- even when we agree they are necessary -- are not the result of our successes; they are the result of our failures.

Something more, though, was seared into both John and me by our Vietnam experiences. Half of the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall are the names of Americans who died after the policy makers knew our nation was on the wrong course, after both political parties called for expeditious withdrawal. And yet the war dragged on for five more years.

"How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

Thirty-five years ago, John Kerry asked that question as a recently returned Vietnam veteran testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He acted because he believed it was right to dissent from a war he believed was wrong -- and he was willing to endure the attacks of the Nixon Administration which hated John for saying what he believed.

This testimony provoked more than partisan attacks. Even many of his fellow veterans were angry and some never forgave him. I remember this well because I nearly lost my first race for Governor because people thought I was John.

Say what you want about the content of that testimony, it was an act of profound courage. And say what you want about that testimony, there is little doubt that Vietnam and the United States would have been spared tens of thousands of its youth had John's advice been taken.

Ten days ago, in a powerful speech on Iraq and dissent at Boston's Faneuil Hall, John made it clear that those who disagree with President Bush's course in Iraq have a right and an obligation to challenge a President who they believe is wrong, a policy they believe is wrong, and a war in Iraq they believe weakens our nation.

John stood up and defended the dissenters -- whether retired generals or our fellow Vietnam veteran Congressman Jack Murtha.

In an age where those who speak out are too often vilified or worse, John spoke out about and acted on the real meaning of patriotism: having the courage to speak your mind, heart, and gut even when it's unpopular.

I urge you to watch this vitally important speech and to forward it to as many people as possible.

VIEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FANEUIL HALL SPEECH ON DISSENT AND IRAQ

We're at a big moment here - one where each and every one of us must reject attempts to silence criticism of the rudderless course Washington has charted, one in which each of us must absolutely refuse to let soldiers and civilians die to save face for politicians unwilling to admit their mistakes or change course.

I urge you to watch this speech and to join with John Kerry in speaking out and doing everything possible to make 2006 the year that we did what's right for our soldiers in Iraq, our nation's foreign policy values, and our national security.

Sincerely,

Senator Bob Kerrey

[Balta1701]

So, thanks to a lawsuit by Judicial Watch, by May 10th the Administration is required to release the secret service logs showing how often Jack Abramoff visited the White House.

 

We'll see.