This is Our President

I'm sure you don't need yet another anecdote to help you define the character of our President. So, take this as a reinforcement. if you didn't see it on TPM or The Hill, here it is. If you did, then, with apologies, here it is again:

At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.

Webb confessed that he was so angered by this that he was tempted to slug the commander-in-chief, reported the source, but of course didn’t. It’s safe to say, however, that Bush and Webb won’t be taking any overseas trips together anytime soon.

Mickeleh's Take: It's gonna be a long two years.

(Tags: Bush, George Bush, Jim Webb, Iraq, News and Politics)

Bush: Half a Billion for Brain Whores to Whitewash His Fiasco

Why does the worst president ever need the most expensive presidential library ever? At least half the money will be funding brain whores (more politely known as tank thinkers) who will work at spinning up a silk purse or two out of the mountain of pig's ears that are Bush's unvarnished legacy. Thomas DeFrank, who broke the story in the New York Daily News writes:

Bush's institute will hire conservative scholars and "give them money to write papers and books favorable to the President's policies," one Bush insider said.... "It's a stretch," said another source briefed on the plans. "It's so much bigger than anything that's been tried before. But the more you have, the more influence [on history] you can exert.

Half a billion is a lot of money. More than it took run his losing campaign in the first place and to elect the summabitch in the second place. Who gives that much of a sh*t about his legacy? DeFrank says, "Bush loyalists have already identified wealthy heiresses, Arab nations and captains of industry as potential 'mega' donors." And, of course, proud Texans.

Megadonations are $20 million dollars each. Anonymously. You gotta wonder what a $20 million piece of baksheesh gets you from a lame duck White House. We'll only find out if we press to make the donors public.

Keith Olbermann and Arianna Huffington kicked it around on Countdown yesterday. (video)

Shakespeare's Take: Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh! (Macbeth Act V, Scene 1)

(Tags: Bush, Library, Bush Library, Arianna, Arianna Huffington, Olbermann, Keith Olbermann)

R.J. Eskow Offers Michael Richards Career Advice: Stop Apologizing

Reviewing the record for Glenn Beck (CNN Headline) and Michael Wiener "Savage" (MSNBC), R. J. Eskow makes the case that hate-speech is a job-qualification for working in cable news.

Mickeleh's Take: MSNBC cleaned house of "Savage," though he still has many radio outlets. Time for CNN to show Beck the door.

Much Ado About Pelosi's Forehead

Is the press focusing too much on whether Nancy Pelosi's forehead has been chemically immobilized? Is there a double standard that forces women to hold back time while men can remain both sexy and powerful as they age naturally? And if there is such a double-standard, is it strictly a guy thing or are women complicit in perpetuating it.

Melinda Henneberg on Huffington Post picks up on a recent Maureen Dowd column that reports Ted Olson (whose Clinton-bashing wife was spared futher aging by dying in a hijacked plane on 9/11) was making jokes about the state of the faces of Speaker-elect Pelosi and Senator Clinton.

The new Congress could amuse itself, he said, by “searching for any sign of movement in Speaker Pelosi's forehead.” The Senate, he added, would be entertained by “the expressionless, Pelosi-like forehead of Sen. Clinton.”

Henneberg calls Dowd on playing the same sexist card. Later in the same column, Dowd says Pelosi throws like a girl.

Mickeleh's Take: It ain't just women who are dinged on superficial appearance and vanity issues. Try these Google searches: Kerry Botox, Giuliani comb-over, John Edwards hair, Al Gore wardrobe.

An Even Better Take: Liberal Comment points out why we should be thankful that they're going after the Botox. They can't attack Pelosi on the issues because the public backs her on the issues. (We won and they lost, remember.) All they have left are the superficial smears.


(Tags: Dowd, Maureen Dowd, Hillary, Hillary Clinton, Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi, Botox Sexism, Politics)

Here's One They've Stopped Asking

The ghastly news from Iraq yesterday—more than 200 dead in Shiite Sadr City folowed by revenge killings and burning alive of Sunni's—brings to mind a question I haven't heard from the war apologists lately: "Do you think Iraq would be better off with Saddam still in power?"

Mickeleh's Take: Well, do ya, punk? Some "last throes," eh, Cheney? Still not a civil war? Are there no penalties that apply to the neo-con cabal that dreamed up the groundless fantasy that toppling Saddam would engender a peaceful democratic middle-east and sold that line to Bush? Please answer if you know.

(Tags: Iraq, Saddam, Iraq War)

Tom Hayden: Some Hope on Iraq

Tom Hayden in Huffington Post offers the first peek into what the admininistration's post-Rummy Iraq strategy might be.

Mickeleh's Take: Maybe the grownups are really in charge. But to believe that, you have to disregard everything that President Bush has ever said on Iraq.

(Tag: Iraq)

Fake News Channel Preps Fake News "comedy"

Here's the key market insight that Roger Ailes (not the good one), used to build the Fox News Channel: there's a right-wing audience for a "news" presentation that confirms their world-view, one that's slanted even more to the right than CNN.

He's now applying that insight to comedy: there's an audience unserved by the fake news and truthy comedy stylings of Stewart and Colbert.

And where does he turn for talent to meet the comic yearnings of the Fox News audience? Yes, to the producers of Laura Ingraham's favorite pop torturer, Jack Bauer. The Hollywood Reporter says Joel Surnow and Manny Coto of 24, originally pitched the show to Fox (If I Did It) Broadcasting, who passed.

The still-untitled show is created by Ned Rice, whose writing credits include Politically Incorrect and Late Late Show with Craig Fergusen.

Mickeleh's Take: Fox News demos are old (and fading). A hep new comedy is just what they need, you know, for kids!

(Tags: Fox News, Fox, Jon Stewart, Steven Colbert, 24, Jack Bauer)

"Hoyer beats Murtha" Hits the Spin Cycle

Fox News:
Hoyer Wins House Majority Leader Race, Giving Pelosi First Setback

Huffington Post:
Murtha Loses... But It's Still a Victory for Pelosi

Arianna Huffington points out that Murtha still remains the moral leader for Dems on Iraq policy. She dismisses the notion that this is a setback for Speaker Pelosi, who backed Murtha.

Even though her guy lost, this was still a big win for her. A victory for taking a stand -- and for her leadership. Because that's what real leaders do, they take stands. They listen to their hearts and follow their gut. If you only jump into the fights you're sure you can win -- notches in the W column that will look good on your political resume -- you're a hack, not someone who can move the party and the country forward. It's not about trying to have a spotless record; it's about knowing which battles are worth fighting, whatever the outcome.

It bodes well for Pelosi that was willing to spend her political capital right off the bat -- especially on the issue that will define her time at the helm. Far too many modern politicians save their political capital until it's lost all its value.

Mickeleh's Take: What she said.

(Tags: Murtha, John Murtha, Hoyer, Steny Hoyer, Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi, House, Democrats)

Guardian: Bush wants a big push for Victory in Iraq

From Robert Bolt's Academy Award winning screenplay for Lawrence of Arabia:

Lawrence has been tortured (raped?) by the Turkish Bey in Deraa. Back in Jerusalem he tells General Allenby that he want to stop fighting, but Allenby has other plans for Lawrence.

ALLENBY
You're an important part of the Big Push!

LAWRENCE
I don't want to be part of your big push!!

ALLENBY
What in hell do you want, Lawrence?

LAWRENCE
I've told you -- I just want my ration of common humanity.

The American voters have just demanded our ration of common humanity, but Bush wants us to be part of his Big Push. David Kurtz on TPM quotes extensively from a Guardian report on the Bush plan. (This, apparently, has been developed in parallel with the famed Baker Iraq Study Group).

According to the Guardian, the four pillars of the strategy are

• Increase US troop levels by up to 20,000 to secure Baghdad and allow redeployments elsewhere in Iraq


• Focus on regional cooperation with international conference and/or direct diplomatic involvement of countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia


• Revive reconciliation process between Sunni, Shia and others


• Increased resources from Congress to fund training and equipment of Iraqi security forces

For more on this, see Memeorandum.com

Update (8:53 am): Dave Winer reminds us, "When you watch Baker in motion, don't think he's working for you. He's working for the Bush family, and more broadly, the Republican Party, Corporate America and the defense industry."

Mickeleh's Take: I used to work with a client who asked, at the start of every project, "How will we know if we've won?" Bush still thinks he can snatch victory from the jaws of fiasco. But he's never been able to the that question. "How will we know if we've won?"

(Tags: Bush, George W. Bush, War, Iraq, Elections, Elections 2006)

WA-08: Burner Concedes; Reichert Takes One Last Swipe

Last night, the AP called the WA-08 Congressional Race for freshman GOP incumbent Dave Reichert. Democratic candidate Darcy Burner called Reichert last night to concede, and then followed up with a public meeting with her supporters this morning.

Reichert's reaction, according to the Seattle Times, : "I am a little surprised it was as tough as it was, because of the inexperience of my opponent. The national environment played a significantly higher role, and had more of an impact, than I expected it to play." (During the campaign, Reichert had stressed Burner's inexperience as a key reason not to vote for her.)

Meanwhile, the bloggers who supported Burner weighed in with strong expressions of gratitude for her run--and pointed to her strong showing despite starting from near-zero name recognition.

Kos hopes Burner will run again. NPI reminds us how hard it is to take down an incumbent. David Kurtz at TPM points out that Darcy's impressive race caught the attention of national Dems. Daniel Kirkdorffer says Reichert claimed much greater independence from Bush than the warrants, essentially pulling a fast one on the voters. Darryl Holman reminds us that Burner's strong showing forced the GOP to spend heavily to defend Reichert's seat, pulling resources away from other races where Democrats prevailed.

Mickeleh's Take: I wish Darcy had won. I'm proud of the showing she made. But, frankly, both sides in this race spent -- including the DCCC and RCCC--way too much money on obnoxious TV advertising. There has to be a better way to run elections.

(Tags: WA-o8, Elections, Democrats, Darcy Burner, Dave Reichert)

Glenn Greenwald: The Military Commissions Act in Action

Glenn Greenwald outlines the actions of the Bush administration against Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri. Arrested in 2001, declared an "enemy combattant" in 2003 just before his trial began, al-Marri is still being held. He has no ability to communicate to the outside world, not even to his lawyers. He's not charged with a crime. He has no recourse. His detainment is indefinite. The Justice Department now claims that this is justified by the Military Commissions Act.

Jack Balkin (Knight Professor of Constitutional Law and the First Amendment at Yale Law School) argues:

The government's argument is a fairly straightforward application of one of the worst features of the Military Commissions Act of 2006-- the elimination of habeas corpus rights for non-citizens within the United States when the government chooses to brand them enemy combatants. I've argued that this provision is unconstitutional, but no court has yet ruled on the question

See also, Jayne Lyn Stahl, "What Part of Outrage Don't They Understand?"

Mickeleh's Take: Now that the president's approval rating is down to 33%, and now that they control a majority of both House and Senate, the Democrats should find the courage and honor to change the law and restore our commitment to Habeas Corpus. Do we have to wait for the Supreme Court to recognize its unconstitutionality?

(Tags: Habeas Corpus, Military Commissions Act, George Bush)

Let's not let the Robo-calls slide

After the cheering fades, let's remember the nasty dirty tricks. The fliers and bumper-stickers where Steele mascaraded as a Democrat. The districts where harrassing, repeat robo-calls pissed off voters. And then there were calls that threatened voters with arrest if they showed up to vote.

Overall, the Democratic tide was strong enough to win despite the crap that Republicans threw at the voters. But TPM Muckraker notes that in seven close races Dems lost. And it's reasonable to investigate whether the Republicrap prevailed.

Mickeleh's Take: What will it take to get the Republicans to play fair? More prosecutions? New laws? So much for the "values" party. Is cheating permitted in the Bible?

Molly Ivins: Press has no standing to preach "etiquette" to Democrats

Molly Ivins has been on to George W. Bush longer than most of us. So it's worth paying attention when she warns Democrats on falling too easily for media calls that they have to play nice with Bush and the Republicans.

"... after 12 years of tolerating lying, cheating and corruption, the press is prepared to lecture Democrats on how to behave with bipartisan manners. Given Bush's record with the truth, this bipartisanship sounds like a bad idea on its face... "

All well and good for Pelosi to start with the low-hanging fruit of the first 100 hours. That's what all the Democratic talking heads have been pounding home on the talk shows. (Minimum wage, negotiated prices for prescription drugs, implementing 9/11 Commission recommendations, cutting subsidies to oil companies, and reducing student loans.) But Ivins urges the Democrats not to roll over on the main event: the war.

"Then we get to the real meat of this election. There are all manner of shuffle steps and politically shrewd thing for the D's to do. But now is not the time to be clever. The Democrats won this election because we are involved in a disastrous war"

Mickeleh's Take: Bush showed how eager he is to reciprocate Democratic offers of cooperation by putting the Bolton nomination and the warrantless wiretap legislation on the agenda for the current lame-duck Congress. Bolton looks to be DOA (Thank you, Sen Chafee). Warrantless wiretaps deserves an early death. Bush has enormous power, but he's lost the power to set the agenda for Congress--unless the Democrats foolishly give it back to him.

(Tags: Bush George W. Bush, Democrats, Congress, Election, Pelosi, Ivins, Molly Ivins)

Cheney's New Job Desciption: Pitcher of Warm Piss*

We'll get some glimpses of the backstage saga of Rummy's canning in the weeklies, with a detailed story in books that are published six months to a year from now. But we're already hearing that Cheney opposed it and yet it happened anyway.

How is that possible? Pick one:

1. W. stood up to his shadow-president and took the reins of government.
2. The real shadow government (Bush Sr? Wall Street? Scowcroft? Consigliere Baker?) stepped in and said enough is enough.

I favor 2. (see Maureen Dowd, which you can today because Times Select is free this week).

Mickeleh's Take: Either way, the Cheney-Rumsfeld axis of evil is smashed. I'm not going all Mission Accomplished here, but surely the world is be better off with Cheney demoted from shadow president to vice president. which, as John Nance Garner famously said,"isn't worth a pitehcr of warm piss." The thrall is gone. No guarantees that we'll find a good way out of this mess, but at least we've voided the guarantee that we won't.

*Update (1:58 PM) I had originally listed this as "bucket of warm spit." But I learned in woids comment that spit was but a euphemism. A little more Googling finds a split between "bucket" and "pitcher."

(Tags: Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bush, Vice President, Maureen Dowd, Axis of Evil, Elections)

Official Unofficial Virginia Vote Talley

You can watch this cliff-hanger here. You'll notice that there are more than 26,000 votes sitting in the talley of some idiot Green Party puke.

Mickeleh's Take: I, for one, am completely fed up with the Green Party. I try not to call names. But I make exceptions for the pukes who run on the Green Party ticket.

Update: (from the AP)

The new AP count showed Webb with 1,172,538 votes and Allen with 1,165,302, a difference of 7,236. Virginia has had two statewide vote recounts in modern history, but both resulted in vote changes of no more than a few hundred votes.

An adviser to Allen, speaking on condition of anonymity because his boss had not formally decided to end the campaign, said the senator wanted to wait until most of canvassing was completed before announcing his decision, possibly as early as Thursday evening.

When you're ready to sober up from your victory celebrations, read this.

The price of liberty is eternal vigilance. Tristero explains.

Bush will start testing the new Congress as soon as he can. He will claim the power to do something beyond the normal range of the Executive, and it will be nothing anyone should make a constitutional crisis over. Congress will let him get away with it.

Mickeleh's Take: Bush took a conciliatory tone today, but there is a huge body of "singular executive" doctrine floating around his presidency. Congressional Democrats--and all of us--should hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Darryl: Three announcements that might have helped the GOP

Darryl, over at Hominid Views points to three post-election announcements that might have helped the GOP had they come earlier: Rummy, Denny, and Britney.

Josh: Bush was for Rumsfeld before he was against him

Good quip from Joshua Micah Marshall.

Bye-bye Rummy

AP reports that Rumsfeld is stepping down. Thank you America. Thank you Ned. Thank you Cindy.

Mickeleh's Take: But what if Bush taps Lieberman to replace him?... and the Republican governor of Conncecticut replaces Joe with a Republican? Nah. Not gonna happen. The President nominates Bob Gates.

Did Harold Ford Just Call the Republicans Devils?

Harold Ford closed his concession speech by reminding his supporters not to be bitter and angry. He quoted and repeated something that Paul wrote to the Ephesians.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers...

Hmm. That verse goes on to conclude:

"...against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." —Ephesians 6:12

Principalities and powers in this context are fallen angels, followers of Satan.

Mickeleh's Take: It's gonna be fun to see Dems master the dog-whistle language of scripture.