Voices In His Head

Dana "The Dick Whisperer" Milbank seems to be gradually smelling the noxious tea brewing on the far right. In his column today, he focuses on the calls to violence that are now becoming routine on Boo Hoo the Hoot Beck's televised psychotic episodes. The latest involves Boo Hoo's obsession with an obscure foundation, the Tides Foundation. In his fevered imagination Boo Hoo believes the Tides Foundation is a massive conspiracy out to destroy capitalism. One individual apparently took Boo Hoo's rant seriously enough that he packed up his car with weapons and headed out to shoot up the Tides Foundation headquarters and the ACLU for good measure. Fortunately, he was intercepted before he could carry out the mass murder. Unfortunately, two police officers were wounded in apprehending him.

With the mainstream media largely silent in the face of extreme rhetoric on the far right, the wingnuts are emboldened each time they push the violent language envelope and don't face repercussions. The next time we may not be so lucky, as a deranged individual who's been tuned into Beck, Limpalls or other hate merchants carries out his "mission" from them.

(image: courtesy Driftglass)

Birthday Boys

In honor of two birthdays coming up -- Jerry Garcia, who would've been 68 on August 1, and President Obama, who'll be 49 on August 4) -- we offer the following song saga, with the observation, "What a long, strange trip it was." Here's to Barry and Jerry!

As The Wasilla World Turns

There are reports that soon-to-be Winky son-in-law Levi "Big Johnson" Johnston may have impregnated his ex-girlfriend, Lanesia Garcia, while separated from Winky's daughter, Bristol, who is said to be heartbroken at the news of Big Johnson's "accomplishment." Paternity tests are being conducted, since Garcia (dang them Meskin aliens!) apparently slept with three different guys the week that she likely became pregnant. . .classy!! We're taking bets that Big Johnson's "little swimmers" got there first.

We can't blame Big Johnson for his randy behavior. What is there to do in Wasilla those cold winter nights besides boinking and consuming the meth that your family produces?

(photo: Somebody's been a bad boy. . .again!)

"Turning Point for Dems?"

Pollster Charlie Cook, who usually provides support for the CW that "it's always bad news for Democrats," surprises us with some analysis that goes in the opposite direction: i.e., that we may have seen the high water mark for Republicans. We thought we noticed that potential several times in the recent past, and the usual caveats apply in predicting outcomes. But it's always seemed odd that those in the incestuous circle jerk that covers politics in the zero-sum, who's-up-who's-down manner we're accustomed to were ready to declare 2010 the year of the Rethug tsunami -- a year ahead of schedule.

Video Clip of the Month

Well, the month's not over, but no one is going to top the magnificent Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY), who took the House floor yesterday to deliver a world-class smackdown of Rethuglicans over funding of a 9-11 first responders relief bill. He gets extra bonus points for having recently wed Huma Abedin, a major hottie and assistant to Secretary of State Clinton. We need many, many more Dems with Rep. Weiner's gonads and passion. Sit back and hold on to your seat:

Sue The Bastard

According to news reports, Shirley Sherrod is planning to file a defamation suit against right-wing smear artist Andrew "Not So" Breitbart for his role in disseminating the partial tape of appearing to make racist remarks. Sherrod, who resigned under pressure from the Agriculture Department, was later proved to be telling a story of her personal redemption and rejection of racism.

Not So Breitbart is infamous for driving smears against ACORN, ultimately forcing them to close shop, and former Obama aide Van Jones. We hope this opens the floodgates to everyone that's been harmed by his malicious work. One lawyer thinks not only Not So is in legal jeopardy, but Fux News may be vulnerable to a lawsuit for eagerly running with the smear:

"Defamation law clearly puts Breitbart in a tough position. He deliberately aired a video that was edited in a way to put Sherrod in a very bad light. Breitbart even said on Fox News that the purpose of the tape was to show that racism existed in the NAACP, even though the speech Sherrod gave was precisely the opposite -- it was about overcoming prejudice and stereotypes. Before the tape, Sherrod was not a public figure for whom a higher legal threshold of 'actual malice' would be required, though in this case it would be hard to say that malice or a reckless disregard to the truth wasn't present.

Fox, by way of offering Breitbart a forum, may be similarly at risk. Under the 'republication' doctrine, Fox may be as liable as Breitbart for recklessly running (and rerunning) the doctored footage."

This should be fun to watch.

(photo: Not So Breitbart looking for his tin-foil hat)

Quote of the Day

"The Republicans want to be mayors of crazy-town. They've embraced a fringe and proto-racist isolationist and ignorant conservative populism that has no solutions for fixing anything and the collective intelligence of a wine flask." -- Marc Ambinder in the Atlantic, 7/28/10 (h/t Washington Monthly). Too harsh? Nah.

The Prez That Wouldn't Go Away

Word that Dumbya's memoir "Decision Points" will be released on the eve of the November elections apparently has some Rethugs very concerned. Fearful of reminding the voters of the disastrous Bushit years, some Rethugs are calling the timing of the book's release "monumentally bad timing." Hee hee, snicker snicker. Of course the book itself will be as lame and uninteresting as Dumbya himself; on the other hand, if The Dick were to write a memoir, he'd outsell his former (nominal) boss ten-fold.

Much to their chagrin, the Rethugs can't seem to disentangle themselves from the Dumbya / The Dick traveling crap-circus, and the Dems are loving it. The Dems are building a mid-term elections strategy around reminding voters that Dumbya's policies almost wrecked the economy, after he deceived us into a catastrophic war of choice with Iraq.

Dumbya: the gift to Dems that keeps on giving.

(photo: Reading passages from his upcoming memoir to schoolkids, Dumbya remarks, "Hey kid, he who smelt it dealt it.")

Dems Roll Out A Message

The Dems are beginning to roll out their campaign themes for the fall, and on first blush, they're headed in the right direction. Conventional wisdom says that the Dems need to remind voters of the direction we were heading in 18 months ago with the failed policies of the Rethugs, policies which the Rethugs will bring back if allowed. If it's simply a referendum on the incomplete Obama agenda as defined by deceitful Rethug ads, that's not good for the Dems.

TPM has a video that the Dems will use to begin to draw the contrast. It will tie the Rethugs to the extreme positions of the tea bagger "movement" (i.e., the far-right Rethug base). The 10-point "Republican - Tea Party Contract On America" is a list of extreme policies which are featured prominently in the video. We like the choice of the word "On" in the title "Contract On America," as in a murder for hire.

The Next Battle

The Kaplan Daily rolled out all it's guns this morning --including an editorial!-- arguing against retaining the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy while keeping the low-and-middle class tax cuts in place. Obama will need to insert spine into the usual conserva-Dems in the Senate, including Kent Conrad and Ben "Dover" Nelson, to get this done. They've been making noises about letting earners over $250,000 keep their tax cuts against all evidence that, generally speaking, this income bracket has been doing rather well in the Great Recession compared to the rest of us, and raising their taxes would not harm the economic recovery. Good reads: Steven Pearlstein on why this is critical to Obama's agenda; and Ruth Marcus on the Rethugs' "quack medicine on taxes."

Winky's Golden Embrace

It's workin' fer Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire, you betcha! Please endorse every Rethuglican candidate running this year! Democrats all over are counting on you!

(Image: "Can I call you Schmo?")

"The Shame of the Fourth Estate"

You can add Charles Kaiser's piece to the growing oeuvre on the media's shocking failure to separate news from right-wing propaganda (as E.J. Dionne put it). Needless to say (but we'll say it anyway), progressives have to continue to push back hard at the lazy complicity of the media in the right's Big Lies. The media gets continual pressure/ badgering from the right to be "fair and balanced," whether or not there's any truth to the "story" the right is peddling (debunked but not gone: the ACORN "scandal," health reform "death panels," the Obama birth certificate, etc.). Push back must continue through the mid-term elections, otherwise the narrative will continue to be the one created by the liars.

(Image: Three-fourths of the estate)

Storms Hit D.C. Area

Powerful storms hit the D.C. area a few days ago, resulting in widespread --and continuing-- power outages. One family was particularly hard hit.

Getting His Life Back

Disgraced BP CEO Tony Hayward was forced to step down from his position at Big Polluter, effective October 1. As information seeps out about BP's corner-cutting and willful violations of safety regulations, it's obvious that Hayward was comfy with the rule-averse, bottom-line driven corporate culture at BP.

In a delicious twist, BP is assigning Hayward to (bwahahaha) its Russian projects to a "non-executive board position." We wonder if he can adapt to those cold Siberian winters, so far from his sailboat.

(photo: We hear that ice sailing is big in Krasnoyarsk)

Birthday Boy

Sir Mick Jagger was born 67 years ago today in Dartford, England. Here are a couple of the Stones' tunes, out of literally dozens that made them famous. Enjoy.
(P.S. - George Best was a famous soccer - er, football player, mostly for Manchester United in the 60's and 70's.)

"Time to Stand Up..."

E.J. Dionne says what we've been waiting to hear on the op/ed pages of the Kaplan Daily: it's time to stand up to the Fox News crowd. He takes on the Kaplan Daily's own useless idiot, ombudsman Andrew "Not Great" Alexander, among others in the fearful media. Money quote:

"...[t]he mainstream media should stop being afraid of insisting on the difference between news and propaganda."

Sunday Morning Reading

Frank Rich nails it on the Sherrod affair;

Kathleen Parker finds her occasional nut, this time on the "Journolist" non-story peddled by wingnut weenie Tucker "*ucker" Carlson; and

Dana Milbank drops the snark to skewer corporate evil doers like Massey Energy's Don "Big Shit" Blankenship.

Grassroots Billionaires

Primo asshole Karl "Turdblossom" Rove isn't resting on his fat derriere this election, no siree! With fellow wingnut flamer Ed Gillespie, Rove founded a money raising/ laundering outfit called "American Crossroads" designed to dump cash into Rethuglican campaigns. American DoubleCrossroads is ostensibly a "grassroots" organization (aren't they all?), but recent filings show that 97 percent of the $4.7 million raised so far has come from 4 billionaires! That's some pretty high maintenance grass you got there, Turdblossom!

For the foreseeable future, thanks to the Supreme Court "Citizens United" decision allowing unlimited corporate spending on campaigns, expect to see more of the right-wing plutocrats out there aggressively trying to buy elections.

(Image: Turdblossom gives the official American DoubleCrossroads greeting)

Save Your Confederate Money

It must be the season of wingnuttery gone even nuttier. Tennessee Rethuglican Rep. Zach "Wamp There It Is" Wamp is running for Governor, and he's trying to out-treason Texas Rethug Gov. Rick "Hair" Perry. Wamp There It Is is saying that if the voters don't return Rethugs to power in 2010 and 2012, states (presumably red ones) may have to to "consider separation from this Government." In other words, a new Confederate States of America. Gee, maybe they could bring back slavery.

But as Think Progress notes, Wamp There It Is may want to reflect on history:

In 1860, American voters elected an obscure former congressman named “Abraham Lincoln” to the presidency. Eleven southern states — all of whom disagreed with the new president on the issue of slavery — soon decided that they didn’t want to be bound by the results of that election. Before Wamp starts campaigning to become the next Jefferson Davis, however, he might want to give some thought to what happened the last time right-wing state governments engaged in an act of mass treason.

Looking on the bright side, a second, more severe Reconstruction might do some states some good.

The Platform of Crazy

Minnesota loon Michele "I See Commies" Bachmann, fresh off of forming a tea bagger caucus in the House, is promising that if the Rethugs take control of the House in November, subpoenas will fly:

“Oh, I think that’s all we should do. I think that all we should do is issue subpoenas and have one hearing after another. And expose all the nonsense that is going on."

Their aim is virtually identical to the Rethug-controlled House in the late '90s, when impeachment of Clinton was the only thing they had. Their positive agenda? It's to take the country back to the late 19th century, gut all laws and regulations on corporations; suppress minorities; establish a swaggering, Imperial America that engages in global wars, and violate the Constitutional rights of Americans at home. Sounds a bit like where we were heading under Dumbya/The Dick, until voters put a stop to it. But will they remember that at the polls in November?

A Musical Tribute to Breitbart and the RWNM

Here's a little musical "tribute" to Shirley Sherrod slanderer Andrew "Not So" Breitbart and all of his fellow travelers in the Right-Wing Noise Machine. "Straight outta Compton"... no, make that "straight outta South Dakota and Minneapolis, it's the Castaways!"

Rethug Sex Blotter - Gumbo Edition

We reported a few weeks ago that Sen. "Diaper Dave" Vitter (Rethug-Depends) got a last-minute challenger in the Rethuglican primary in Louisiana, fella by the name of Chet Traylor (a former State Supreme Court judge). Now it looks like the primary's family-values quotient is going through the roof with the disclosure that Nail'er Traylor is sleeping with the estranged wife of his stepson. WTF is in the gumbo down there?!

Gotcha, Little Tim!

We saw this clip earlier today, where Villager Prince Luke "Little Tim" Russert attempts to interrogate Rep. Charlie Rangel and gets smacked across his smirking face. We're waiting for Little Tim to do an expose on nepotism in the media.



Note the American flag pin on Little Tim's lapel -- nice touch!

Our Broken Media, Cont'd

If there were a better example of how our Rethuglican-wired, Washington beltway media has been corrupted than the Shirley Sherrod episode, we're hard pressed to find it. The typical life-cycle for the "Drudge Rules Our World" media crowd is as follows. First, right wing operatives (including those working for Rethug fronts like FreedomWorks) gin up a "controversy" either by spinning an event or making it up out of whole cloth. Second, Drudge/Breitbart/other wingnut outfits feed it into the mainstream media, who report on it with a straight face as if it's factual simply because, as Villager Cokie "Okie Dokie" Roberts once put it, "it's out there." Lastly, the Administration or other victim of the "controversy" is belatedly forced to respond to the falsehoods, which have already become villager conventional wisdom because they're too lazy or cynical to check facts first.

Greg Sargent noted in his blog that one way for this open sewer to be closed would be if the mainstream press stopped treating Breitbart, Drudge, etc. as their assignment editor:

"Big news orgs are far too willing to take their cues from people who are known to cook the facts on a regular basis. It's true that Gibbs didn't directly call out right wing media, but his point was clear enough, and one can only hope media figures give it a passing moment of thought and don't just cynically dismiss it as spin."

Good advice, but extremely unlikely that the broken media will look themselves in the mirror. They threw the mirror out a long time ago.

(photo: "What's on Breitbart's website today? We've got a deadline to meet!")

Video of the Week

In case you missed Keith Olbermann's special comment last night on the Sherrod affair, here it is. He slams right wing hack propagandist Andrew "Not So" Breitbart as "scum" and skewers the totally discredited Fux News. He also takes to task the cowardly performance of the Administration and the NAACP.



(via MediaMatters.org)

Quote of the Day

"They intended exactly what they did. They were looking for the result they got yesterday. I am just a pawn. I was just here. They are after a bigger thing, they would love to take us back to where we were many years ago. Back to where black people were looking down, not looking white folks in the face, not being able to compete for a job out there and not be a whole person." -- Shirley Sherrod, speaking to Media Matters about Fux News' biased "reporting" on her.

Mid-Week Song

A nice tune for Wednesday from 1958 by the late Clyde McPhatter.

Fux Reports, White House Panics

The wingnut Wurlitzer is constantly pumping out rumors, distortions, and fabrications 24/7 in their zeal to topple the Obama Administration. One of the most unhinged of these wingnuts is Andrew "Not So" Breitbart, who ran an edited video on his right wing website that purported to show a U.S. Department of Agriculture official, Shirley Sherrod, at an NAACP event claiming to have discriminated against a white farmer. Not So Breitbart was eager to flip the "tea bagger movement has racist members" story against the NAACP, so he publicized the deceptive video and Fux gleefully ran with it over and over.

Of course, a viewing of the entire video completely vindicated Sherrod, and the white farmer she helped came strongly to her defense. But not before the NAACP and Obama Administration fell for the right wing smear; she was denounced and fired from her job by an Administration fearful of . . . .what Boo Hoo the Hoot Beck was going to say about it. Seriously.

Bravo, oh fearless ones. Cowering in fear of wingnuts seems to be the only consistent position this White House is comfortable assuming. Their actions embolden the wingers to produce more false slime, after their successes with the phony Jeremiah Wright, Van Jones, ACORN, etc. "controversies" that the Village media dwelled on ad nauseum.

Have Some Champagne With Your Tea

From the beginning of its existence, the tea bagger "movement" has been organized, funded and supported by such right-wing corporate lobbying groups as FreedomWorks (Dick "Major Dick" Armey) and Americans For Prosperity (not yours, theirs). It's been an effort to appear "grass roots" rather than the corporate "astro-turf" movement they happen to be. Rupert Murdoch's Fux Channel has been the megaphone and message communications vehicle, along with the usual suspects in hate radio.

One of the groups, Americans for Prosperity, was launched by billionaire right wing activist David Koch, of Koch Industries to push an agenda that would favor the super-rich (e.g., blocking the reinstatement of the estate tax, which affects less than 1% of the public). His spokespeople are claiming credit for propping up the tea bag movement. So -- surprise, surprise! -- the clueless tea baggers are nothing more than a means to an end: to keep people like David Koch rolling in his billions, even if it takes food out of their own mouths.

Surge for Dems?

The latest Gallup poll on the generic Congressional ballot is only one poll, but taken as it was after passage of the Wall Street reform bill, it might indicate yet another corner is being turned. By 49 to 43 percent, voters prefer Democrats to Republicans, a 12-point reversal of the numbers from June and May, and the biggest spread since Gallup starting tracking this number in March.

One thing is certain: you won't hear much about this poll from the media since it doesn't conform to the narrative of a Democratic debacle in November that they've been constructing for the past year.

Exposing the Rethugs

The sickness at the heart of the Rethuglican/New Confederate Party is exemplified by the relentless, cynical obstruction of everything that would help repair the damage that their misrule caused. From opposing the original stimulus (despite including billions in tax cuts), health insurance reform (despite runaway health care costs for the middle class), and the financial reform bill (only months after a near-collapse due to unregulated risk-taking), the Rethugs' record is abysmal. President Obama took to the Rose Garden today to blast them for their most recent obstruction of unemployment benefits, and their desire to extend Dumbya's tax cuts for the wealthy.

Most Americans are, as Paul Krugman noted today, misinformed about the state of affairs, and understandably busy making a living and trying to make ends meet. But Dems need to seize the opportunity given them by Rethugs who are revealing their true nature: apologizing to BP, calling the financial crisis an "ant" and caring more about tax cuts for Pills Limpballs than keeping people in their homes.

Yep, She's an Idiot

Winky You Betcha (a.k.a. Mama Grizzly) could choose to "refudiate" her previous misuse of the English language, but why refudiate it when you're only demonstrating your genius (like that Shakespeare guy!)?!

Bonus: Winky's created a new comedy genre -- "Shakespalin."

(Image via HeyDidYaKnow.com)

Krugman on Playing to the Pundits

Paul Krugman talks about why playing to the chattering class is a mistake, and how the Obama administration has made that mistake over and over in its economic policy choices. Is 4 months enough time to turn it around with a public that is being misinformed on a regular basis?

Sunday Smoothie

The strings suggesting a summer breeze, the horns bringing in the warming sun... no wonder it's the number one instrumental of all time (Billboard). It's summer, so you might as well embrace it!

Cartoon of the Day

Lighting the Fire

As the 2010 mid-term elections gear up, we need to have the President remind the public, over and over, of whose side the Rethugs are on: insurance companies, big oil, Wall Street banks, etc. What would normally be an easy vote to extend unemployment benefits -- and keep people in their homes -- has been made difficult by Rethuglican obstruction. As the President says in today's weekly address:

"[The Republicans] say we shouldn't provide unemployment insurance because it costs money. So after years of championing policies that turned a record surplus into a massive deficit, including a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, they've finally decided to make their stand on the backs of the unemployed. They've got no problem spending money on tax breaks for folks at the top who don't need them and didn't even ask for them; but they object to helping folks laid off in this recession who really do need help."

Keep reminding the public, Mr. President. And it wouldn't hurt if Dems would quit hiding, grab the microphone from the Rethugs, and shout it, too.

Promising Developments

Not a bad week when you can say:

1. The Gulf oil gusher seems to be capped for now, pending further monitoring. The relief wells will presumably permanently seal the well by mid-August.

2. The Senate passed the financial reform legislation, one of three major pieces of legislation that add to Obama's legacy, the health insurance reform and stimulus bills being the other two. The Rethugs, always doing the bidding of the predatory bankers on Wall Street, are already talking repeal. Bring it on, jackasses.

The Earth Moved This Morning

At about 5:05 this morning, we had a 3.6 magnitude earthquake nearby, the largest on record here. Some shaking and rumbling, but little or no damage reported. Carole King can relate to the experience.

Quote of the Day

"In choosing to make an honest woman out of Snowpack Snooki, Levi may have hoped for a sincere and warm Mama Grizzly hug into the family, but Sarah Palin is as thin-skinned as Abe Foxman at Oktoberfest and she is not one to forget slights no matter how small." -- one of the wittiest people on Earth, TBogg, writing about Winky's soon-to-be son-in-law.

"Snowpack Snooki". . . . "Abe Foxman (Anti-Defamation League) at Oktoberfest." Priceless.

Headline of the Day

"GOP: No More Help For Jobless, But Rich Must Keep Tax Cuts" -- McClatchy News Service (h/t Washington Monthly). Wouldn't we love to see that in teevee spots and on billboards, newspaper and internet ads, and bumper stickers?

Weak Tea Indeed

Speaking of tea baggers, the mainstream media likes to push the narrative that the tea party "movement" is on a roll in electing candidates of their choosing. Not so fast. This week, tea bagging extremist Rick "Hick" Barber, infamous for his borderline seditious "gather your armies" TV campaign ad, lost by 20 points to a more mainstream conservative Rethug Martha Roby in Alabama's 2nd Congressional district primary election. Maybe Hick will declare the vote "unconstitutional" and march on Roby's headquarters. Or maybe he'll just secede from Alabama.

There's a bright side for Hick: he can sell those Revolutionary War costumes that he used in his commercials to fellow tea baggers.

Party Poopers

As we noted on Monday, the NAACP wasn't exactly swift in condemning the racist strains in the tea party "movement" and calling out the likes of Winky and Dick "Major Dick" Armey to condemn the racist behavior of a number of party followers. The wording of the NAACP resolution was also fairly mild, not condemning the "movement" as a whole, but saying that the leadership should make it clear that racists are not welcome (but that might force a collapse of the movement -- editor's note).

Almost immediately after the NAACP's challenge was issued, the wingnut right rose in phony outrage, twisting the NAACP's words into a blanket condemnation, or in Winky's case, a personal attack. Not surprisingly, they've chosen to use the issue for political purposes, rather than deal with the issue itself. E. J. Dionne has a great op-ed piece exposing the right-wing's bob-and-weave tactics.

Inmates Escaping the Asylum

There are reports that lunatic Congresswoman Michele "I See Commies" Bachmann's latest chief of staff is quitting, making him the fifth to do so in the crazy Congresswoman's 3 and a half years in office. The staffer, Ron Carey, was just hired last February.

One explanation is that these must be reasonably sane individuals. Therefore, when exposed to the raving lunacy of their boss, their embarrassment needle must be stuck on "maximum" and they have no choice but to go over the wall.

Bonus: As noted on tonight's "The Ed Show," Bachmann's Democratic opponent, Tarryl Clark, has a web site, "Michele Bachmann Said What?" that highlights the crazy woman's blatherings. Well done.

Snowbilly Engagement News

Snowbilly couple Bristol Palin and babydaddy Levi Johnston and are getting married! The surprise nuptials were announced in the latest edition of "Bear Skinning Monthly" - er, no, "US Weekly." Interestingly enough, the lovebirds didn't tell Mama Grizzly about the engagement before the announcement, allowing as how Mama could be "intimidating and scary" (scary, yes). Bristol is hoping Mama's "on board" with it (hee hee). We expect to see 140 characters or less on Mama Grizzly's Twitter about it as soon as she changes her underwear.

Of course, we wish the couple well. Those family dinners will be something, though, given the animosity between Mama Grizzly and her son-in-law to be (she referred to him as "Ricky Hollywood" and made fun of his "aspiring porn" career). Mama and Todd purportedly offered Levi a car to break up with Bristol at one point in the past (with the money Mama's making off her sheeple, they should be able to offer Levi his own airplane by now).

(Photo: The happy (?) couple)

Quote of the Day

"They should have been indicted. They absolutely should have been indicted for torturing, for spying, for arresting without warrants. I’d like to say they should be indicted for lying but believe it or not, unless you’re under oath, lying is not a crime. At least not an indictable crime. It’s a moral crime." -- Conservative Fux News analyst and former Judge Andrew Napolitano, referring to Dumbya and The Dick.

It's rare that you get anyone on the right -- or even among Dems for that matter -- to say that what the previous President and Vice President did was criminal. Sadly, he didn't say it on Fux, but on C-Span. On Fux, the issue would never come up for comment.

Younger Than Yesterday?

Happy 68th birthday to Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, whose vocal and beautifully understated 12-string Rickenbacker guitar break is featured in "My Back Pages."

NAACP's Quick Response System

Looks like the NAACP is just now considering a resolution condemning tea bagger racism. Hmmm... Welcome to the party, but where have they been for the past year?

Winky's Con Job Rolls On

You may have seen the idea-free, platitude-riddled TV spots that are running for "SarahPAC," the political "action" committee for the former half-term Governor of Alaska. Winky's PAC is raising money ostensibly for similar far-right candidates for office, but her Federal Election Commission filings tell a different story. In the last few months, the Wasilla grifter's group gave $87,500 to right-wing candidates, while spending $210,000 on "consulting." That would mean on the people who write her speeches, Facebook policy pronouncements, and tweets, or who otherwise fill her empty head. There might be a hair and fashion consultant or two in that figure.

Knowing how to separate rubes from their money is a required talent for grifters like Winky, but leaving the rubes smiling after they know they've been fleeced is a special gift.

(photo: "Oink")

Banks Aren't Making Withdrawals Easy These Days

(for more pics, go to the Huffington Post)

Diaper Dave To Be Challenged

Louisiana Rethug Sen. Diaper Dave Vitter thought he was going to cruise into the general election with Democratic Rep. Charles Melancon... until now. At the last minute, former Louisiana State Supreme Court justice Chet Traylor jumped into the Rethuglican primary to challenge Diaper Dave. Traylor is a practicing uber right-winger who's expected to take on Diaper Dave from the right (meaning he's likely to bring up Diaper Dave's moral shortcomings). Diapers! Prostitutes! Staff felons!

Melancon and Louisiana Democrats can only smile.

Friday Song - 50th Anniversary Division

Sorry to hit you fans with TWO songs on a Friday, but we had to acknowledge that today, July 9, is the 50th anniversary (!) of the release of Chubby Checker's landmark dance song of our youth, "The Twist." C'mon baby...

Friday Song

This song's been "racin' through my brain," as the song's lyrics say, for the last day or so. From a young '90s quartet from Liverpool that never had as big a hit again.

Quote of the Day

"Significant portions of the Republican coalition believe that it is a desirable strategy to talk of armed revolution, embrace libertarian purity and alienate Hispanic voters. With a major Republican victory in November, those who hold these views may well be elevated in profile and influence. And this could create durable, destructive perceptions of the Republican Party that would take decades to change. A party that is intimidated and silent in the face of its extremes is eventually defined by them." -- Conservative columnist Michael "Mushroom Cloud" Gerson, in today's Kaplan Daily.

When Rethug political leaders refuse to disagree with far-right demagogues like Pills Limpballs and Boo Hoo the Hoot Beck, it's not surprising when tea bagging radicals like Nevada's Sharron "Right" Angle and Rand "The Sprinklerhead" Paul fill the vacuum.

BONUS READ: Soon-to-be-former Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC), who was ousted in his primary by a tea bagger, condemns Rethug demagoguery and racism. Must be the day for Rethuglican introspection and confession.

IT GETS BETTER: Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN), one of the few sane Republicans, joins in today's reality check with a beat down of Willard "Mittens/ Flip Flop/ Muff" Romney's attack on the START treaty (see "Mittens: 'I See BMs" below).

Sharron Angle Meets Press, Disaster Ensues

Uber wingnut tea bagger Sharron "Obtuse" Angle, running for Harry Reid's Senate seat in Nevada, is fast becoming the Michele Bachmann of the current election cycle. It's easy to understand why Rethug pols have been trying to keep her under wraps as much as possible (even scrubbing her pre-primary web site to sanitize the crackpot views she holds). Herewith we present the latest three examples of why Obtuse + microphone = BOOM!

Obtuse on creating jobs in Nevada.

Obtuse's making lemonade out of lemons advice for rape victims.

Obtuse on the BP "slush fund."

(Photo: Obtuse Angle, the Rethugs' gift to Harry Reid)

Time To Dispose of The Diaper

Louisiana Rethug Sen. David "Diaper" Vitter has been avoiding the press of late, because there's a brewing scandal involving a member of his Senate staff. But yesterday, he faced press questions about staff member Brent Furer's arrest in 2008 for holding his girlfriend hostage, threatening her with a knife and cutting her in the hand and neck. Furer, who resigned last month, was reportedly in charge of women's issues for the Senator. Diaper knew about the assault charge and didn't dismiss Furer despite the disturbing circumstances.

The Senator, who liked to wear diapers during encounters with prostitutes a few years ago (remember the DC Madam case?), is up for reelection, and his odd attitude toward the treatment women should be made a central issue in evaluating his fitness for office.

(photo: "I thought these ladies were my day care sitters, officer!")

Limpballs' Latest Outrage

Hate radio talkmeister Pills Limpballs has a history of racist statements, whether they're directed at Jesse Jackson, Donovan McNabb, or President Obama. The President is, of course, the Drugster's most frequent target. On his hate-fest yesterday, Pills attacked the President, saying he "wouldn't have been voted president if he weren't black," and adding, "if Obama weren't black he'd be a tour guide in Honolulu." He went on to suggest that all successful black Americans attained their wealth simply because white America wanted it, not from any special gift or talent.

Of course, Limpballs wouldn't be a successful right wing radio host if he weren't such an insecure, sick f**k with a gigantic inferiority complex fueling his hatred.

Mittens: "I See BMs!"

The Kaplan Daily gave Willard "Mittens/ Muff/ Flip Flop" Romney primo op/ed space yesterday (refuse to link) to demonstrate his chops on a major foreign policy issue: the new START treaty. Why the Kaplan Daily would do this is questionable. Were they just giving him enough rope to hang himself with (nope), or was it because they see Mittens as a Serious Person with a Serious Position (yep)?

Well, the reviews are in. Sen. John Kerry provided an immediate rejoinder in today's paper; Washington Monthly cites people who know better than Mittens (one of whom characterizes Mittens' droppings as "shabby, misleading and...thoroughly ignorant"); and the SadlyNots finish with a coup de grace, pointing out a basic flaw in Mittens' terminology.

Mittens. What passes for a Serious Person in the Rethuglican presidential sweepstakes, and on the editorial pages of the Kaplan Daily.

(Image: Ask Mittens anything, unless it has something to do with technical stuff.)

Wretched Excess Alert

"ESPN reported Tuesday night that [LeBron] James will announce his future NBA plans during a one-hour special on its network at 9 p.m. Thursday." (Emphasis mine)

He gets paid, admittedly a boxcar full of money, to bounce a ball filled with air down a wooden court and deposit it into a cylinder approximately 10 feet off the ground. Think about it.

Quote of the Day

"Even in a fairly polarized national electorate where McCain/Palin could manage to get 47% of the vote in the midst of a financial meltdown at the tail end of the second term of one of the three most unpopular postwar Presidents, a ticket headed by Palin would be hard-pressed to break 40%. Palin as the nominee would probably make 2012 the most lopsided election victory for the incumbent President since 1984." -- conservative writer Daniel Larison, who will probably be shunned for writing an "emperor has no clothes" opinion on the far right's proudly ignorant champion.

Is It Hot Enough For You?

Well, yes. Hell yes. Hitting 100 and above -- with humidity -- on the east coast, from Virginia to Massachusetts. We'd rather have a heatwave burning in our hearts than the one all around us, especially one involving the wonderful Linda Ronstadt.

Political Malpractice

It's not enough that the "mainstream media" is actively abetting the Rethuglican narrative that people are scared, SCARED I tells ya, about the deficit when, in fact, jobs and the economy are by far the biggest concern.

It's not enough that conservaDems (hello, Sen. Ben "Dover" Nelson) are aligning with Rethugs to thwart or water down financial reform, additional stimulus spending, and a clean energy bill.

And it's not just the Dems' inexcusable message mis-management (see health care reform; BP oil spill, etc.) and lack of consistent message reinforcement, although that's a huge continuing problem going into November that's not being addressed.

Why do the White House and Congressional Dems have to engage in political malpractice on top of all of this? Why is there discussion in the White House* about whether to focus on economic stimulus or the deficit at this critical juncture in the recovery? Why are Congressional Dems giving up on passing a budget with reconciliation instructions for FY 2011 - which will make it virtually a certainty nothing will get done next year? If anyone has a clue why these Dems have a death wish, please let us know.

*UPDATE: Ryan Grim at HuffPo calls the political advisers Obama's Mayberry Machiavellis.

Monday Morning Reading

Paul Krugman takes a look at the "coalition of the heartless, clueless and confused" who are blocking extension of unemployment benefits to millions of Americans. It's past time for Democrats to stand united for something, and what better issue than to relieve the misery of those suffering from the economic policies brought on by the party now try to compound the misery.

Happy Fourth of July!

Sunday's Asswhistle Trifecta

Celebrate the Fourth of July with Sens. John "Walnuts" McCain on ABC's "This Week," Lindsay "Cracker" Graham on CBS' "Face the Nation," and Joe "Lieberliar" Lieberman on Fux's "Fux News Sunday" -- or not...

Discuss: Why the media is beyond redemption.

(Image: Not Larry, Moe and Curly)

Department of Huge Surprises

Gallup has a new poll out that indicates that the teabaggers are overwhelmingly conservative Rethuglicans. We're shocked, SHOCKED at this surprising revelation! When you have a "movement" -- and you should have one every day -- that is organized by a former far right-wing Rethug politician like Dick Armey and a group of Club for Growth moneybags like David Koch, it shouldn't surprise anyone that these are the right wing of the right wing of the Rethuglican / New Confederate Party. Consider these points:

-- Who shows up to address their rallies? Bachmann, Palin, Armey, etc. Not a single independent or Dem.

-- When did the "movement" start? Not during Dumbya's term when spending and deficits were out of control. It started immediately after the election of an African-American Democrat.

-- Whose primaries do the teabaggers seek to influence and run candidates? Not the Dems, only the Rethug primaries.

So why has there been such a false mainstream media narrative that the teabaggers represent a new, independent party, rather than just Rethugs who lost the last elections? Largely because the broken MSM needs political conflict and extremism to draw viewers/readers and survive, and the "Tea Party" charade filled that need. Also, it doesn't help that the MSM is timid in the face of right wing pressure and accusations of bias.

Boo Hoo U

Deranged weeper and college drop-out Glenn "Boo Hoo the Hoot" Beck has found a new way to separate his sheeple from their money. The shill for gold companies (practically his last advertisers) is starting up a new, unaccredited on-line "university" he's calling, modestly, Beck University. We kid you not.

The "university" will offer high-cost misinformation in three categories: faith, hope, and charity (matching up to his faculty, Larry, Moe, and Curly). We'd like to offer a few suggestions. Boo Hoo's title? Dizzy Dean. For the "student" body nickname: The Fightin' Suckers.

"This Is The Height of Stupidity. . ."

Rethuglican National Committee Chairclown Michael "Shizzle" Steele has had a rough tenure, what with bondage-themed strip clubs used for fundraising efforts, wasteful RNC spending stories, off-message gaffes that draw attention to his general stupidity. But news of his latest f**k up is fueling speculation that he may be forced to resign. Talking to a group of Rethug candidate hopefuls, Shizzle called the war in Afghanistan a "war of Obama's choosing" and said no one had ever achieved victory there. Outraged Rethugs, who support military action in Afghanistan almost universally, were quick to call out Shizzle; it's being reported that some will be calling for his resignation. In the words of neocon wizard Wee Willie Kristol,

"There are, of course, those who think we should pull out of Afghanistan, and they're certainly entitled to make their case. But one of them shouldn't be the chairman of the Republican party."

It will be amusing to watch Shizzle, under pressure to resign, play the race card to keep his job for the next few months.

(photo: That's all folks)

Quote of the Day

"A debate this week about judicial activism seems to have revealed only one thing: One person's activism is another's adherence to constitutional principle. And to my ear, a progressive jurist sounds far more desirable than a regressive one." -- Thurgood Marshall, Jr., son of the former Justice, in an op-ed piece in the Kaplan Daily, discussing the Kagan confirmation hearings.

Marshall also states that he believes that the spectacle of Rethug Senators disparaging his father's work goes back to his role in his Brown v. Board of Education victory for school desegregation. Southern Rethugs and their right wing brethren have never gotten over their defeats during that era.

Don't Tax That Tan!

Perpetually russet-colored House Rethug leader John "Boner" Boehner is hopping mad. Mad about slow economic growth? Mad about the course of the war in Afghanistan? Noooo. It's something that's really gotten under his skin. It's the so-called 10 percent "tanning tax" on indoor tanning beds that was included in the recent health care legislation. Talk about getting burned!

Of course, as this Think Progress piece notes, the American Association for Cancer Research says that people who use tanning beds are 74% more likely to develop melanoma. The point of the tax is to offset the costs of treating skin cancer, much in the way cigarette and alcohol taxes help to pay for research and treatment of lung cancer, heart disease, etc. Of course Boner, as a Congressman, has access to the best, most affordable menu of health care services, thanks to the Federal Employee Health Benefits program, the kind of care he wanted to deny his constituents by voting against the Affordable Care Act.

Quote of the Day

"Ronald Reagan would have a hard time getting elected as a Republican today." -- South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, reflecting on the toxic influence of the teabaggers, predicting that their movement "will die out." Ooooo, Lindsey, better hope they die out before you run for reelection in 2014.

Dumbya Wins!*

A poll of 238 Presidential historians ranks the Presidents from first (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) to superlatively dead last*: who else but George "Dumbya" Bush. Others:

2. Teddy Roosevelt
3. Abraham Lincoln
4. George Washington
5. Thomas Jefferson
13. Bill Clinton
15. Barack Obama (preliminary of course)
18. Saint Ronald Reagan

*CORRECTION: Oops! Thanks to literate reader P.E.C., it has been brought to our attention that Dumbya finished 39th out of 43 in the poll. So, by staying out of last for now, he's still a winner!

(Photo: Bush: "I won something?!?)

"This Is How They Would Govern"

It seems that the Rethugs are letting it all hang out with more regularity with respect to their core philosophy: let big business do what it wants. On financial reform, health insurance reform, and even the Gulf oil gusher, the Rethugs are growing less and less cautious about disguising their corporate DNA from middle class voters. The Democratic National Committee has latched on to the theme, and has a new ad out, "On Their Side." With their abject fear of offending teabaggers and Limpballs' ditto heads, the Rethug political apparatus has shifted so far to the right that the Dems need to hammer this theme over and over. Remind the middle class and those independent voters that these "e-coli conservative" Rethugs would return us to the conditions of the 1890s, a social Darwinist world in which large companies and monopolies ran America without regard to public good.