Molly Ivins

Another of the original hackwhackers, and one of the best ever, Molly Ivins passed away today after a long battle with breast cancer. Molly was the well-respected syndicated columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and author of "Shrub," an account of Bush's record as a businessman and Governor of Texas. She had a wonderful sense of style and language, and whether you agreed with her or not on every position, she was always a joy to read. Rest in peace.

Biden Running (His Yap)!

To no one's great surprise, Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Egoland) is announcing yet another unsolicited run for the White House. Biden, known for a lack of neurological connection between his cerebrum and his mouth, began his latest presidential quest inauspiciously, but totally in character, with a blundering interview published in the New York Observer. In that interview, Biden provided this example of his finesse as a thinker and communicator when asked about Sen. Barack Obama: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy...I mean, that's a storybook, man." Yeah, man!! Prediction: Biden will not be running for long -- it's too hard to run when you've permanently got two feet in your mouth.

Meet the Joseph Goebbels of Television News

We hate to be in the position of refereeing an Anderson Cooper/Greta Van Cistern smack down, but since this is really a product not of those two but rather the Faux News Disinformation Department, as echoed by the micronweights at "Fox and Friends," here goes.
It seems Faux News is running a print ad campaign touting the Van Cistern show, which is aired opposite Cooper's. One page of the ad portrays the back of Cooper with the heading "Meet the Paris Hilton of Television News," and contains some blurbs suggesting Cooper is all style, no substance, blah, blah. (The ad's facing page is a picture of Van Cistern noting that she beats him in their time slot.) The bobbleheads at F & F dutifully ran a little piece on the ad, noting that Van Cistern, "a woman" (!) no less, had accomplished this. Yay! Yippy-yay! Note to irony-free Faux bobbleheads and the ad department's obergruppenfuehrer: The day that Faux News in general, and F & F in particular, discover what "substance" is (other than that stuff in Field Marshal Hannity's hair), we will all have to be retrofitted for anti-pig-shit helmets.

He Doesn't Learn

A product of Bush's war in Iraq (in addition to diverting resources from the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan) is the grim regional impact. Iran is ascendant, according to this article. The Kuwaitis are backing away, and our other erstwhile allies in the region are blaming the U.S. intervention in Iraq for fanning sectarian flames. The Maliki government would like to improve relations with its neighbor to the east, despite pressure from the Bush/Cheney Administration for a chill in relations with Iran. Bush didn't listen to voices of caution prior to Iraq, and he's not going to learn at this late date.

Just A Little "Tic"

The Decider and his Press Suckertary Tony Snow claim that the State of the Union reference to the "Democrat" Party was inadvertant. Riiiight. Like this hasn't been recurring for, oh say, 50 years at least. See, the Rethugs don't like the fact the when people hear "democratic", they respond positively and associate the term with democracy, which is what we defend here and abroad. The Rethug Party base is, at its core, undemocratic, elitist, authoritarian and exclusionary. This is imbedded in their political DNA, and they're hoping people won't notice their little "tic."

The"Little Churchills"

There have been numerous comparisons over the past year by Bush supporters to Bush's wartime leadership and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's leadership during WW II. Glenn Greenwald has a great post on the subject, which concludes with:

"Churchill accomplished exactly that which Bush cannot manage - - namely, he convinced his country that the war he was leading was legitimate and necessary and that confidence in his war leadership was warranted. It's precisely because Bush is incapable of achieving that that he and his followers are now insisting that democratic debate itself over the Leader and the war is illegitimate and unpatriotic. One can call that many things. 'Churchillian' isn't one of them. Nor, for that matter, is 'American.'"

As Congressional hearings delve more into the manipulation of intelligence and the bogus arguments for attacking Iraq - - and how this was deeply damaging to the war on al-Qaeda that was being waged in Afghanistan - - the more desperate the Leader and his followers will become to deny the reality that their war of choice in Iraq undermined the legitimate war on terror. And put America at greater risk.

2006 Kippy Awards Announced

The Poorman Institute has announced their 2006 Kippy Awards. Congratulations especially to Hugh "Man Boobs" Hewitt, Crazy Pammy Atlas, and Dan "Not For" Riehl for their most deserving awards. Better luck next time to Victor Davis Marmaduke Zebediah Halitosis Hansen for his near miss. These are very competitive awards, with all of the worthy competition in Wingnuttia (think Pantload, Malkin, Kristol, Ken Doll Sean on and on). The video tribute to Pammy is especially endearing. Watch it!

Dick Hearts Timmy

Sweet. Yes, Dead Eye can "control the message" by going on Meet the Press. Come join the Timmy/Broderella/Friedman/Joe Klein crew as they weigh in on issues of the day in a most serious manner. Above all, maintain decorum and keep the news source happy, so that unpleasant glances won't be exchanged at the next cocktail party. And for God's sake, don't use the word "blunder" with Dead Eye; he gets all cranky. (photo - Alex Wong/AP)

Cheney's Meltdown

Was there anything more disturbing than Cheney's snarling interview with the timid Wolf Blitzer? Taylor Marsh has a good summary. There have been "enormous successes" in Iraq, we're going ahead no matter what Congress does, I won't discuss my right wing allies' criticism of my lesbian daughter, etc. ad nauseum. Defiant, sullen, glaring, snippy, lying. He clearly has contempt not only for Blitzer, but for the viewing public. 'We know what's best', 'to doubt our policy is to encourage the enemy' and so on in that vein. No credibility, and he doesn't even care at this point. Just lie and plow ahead - - with countless service men and women to bear the sacrifice for his arrogance and recklessness. Go fuck yourself, indeed.

More Moonie Madness

The wingnuts over at Reverend Moon's (aka Jesus Christ II) InsightMag.com claimed yesterday that CNN didn't debunk their "Obama is a Muslim Manchurian candidate" drivel (January 22 edition of CNN's "The Situation Room"- see below). InrightRag says, "To simply take the word of a deputy headmaster about what was the religious curriculum of a school 35 years ago does not satisfy our standards for aggressive investigative reporting." They also continue to claim that "Hillary's people" tipped them to the "story." Reaching new lows of absurdity, ImightGag thinks more digging into this should be done by "other news outlets -- such as Fox News -- who will look the facts straight on, without a vested ideological interest in downplaying Obama's Muslim heritage."

Pardon us, but UnsightlyBag HAS NO STANDARDS for ANY kind of reporting. It's purely an orifice for some of the most marginal wingnuts in the Right's panoply of wingnuts. And Fox News an outlet "without a vested ideological interest?" I think someone should check the offices of Roger Ailes, Bill O'Really?, Sean Hannity, John Gibson, Neal Cavuto, Brit Hume, Steve Doocy, and the other Rethug culture warriors at Fox to make sure they're all right and still have their positions.

The Decider's Diary

The Decider is standing alone. It's my 6th State of the Union and my poll numbers are getting almost as low as Dead Eye Dick's. Changing the subject from Iraq didn't work. Forget about the Democrats - I know they'll reject my "hand across the aisle" (that finger across the aisle that we Republicans used to flash didn't work out so well in the end). No! It's my own people that are turning on me now.

My base is mad because I want to give amnesty to illegal immigrants.

They don't like my new health insurance proposals because it would raise, um, you know, the "t" word...heh-heh.

They don't like my calling for more reliance on alternative energy instead of drilling the bejesus out of our fair (and balanced...heh-heh) land. I save the world from global warming moments after I discover it, and Al Gore gets the Oscar nomination!

And Iraq. First Hagel, then Smith, then Warner and a whole bunch more. Even Man-Tan Boehner wants to put me on a tight leash! Where was he four years ago? (Oh, yeah - flashing the finger across the aisle...) I saw Joe Lieberman there, but I avoided him 'cause I think he wanted to give me another sloppy kiss this time.

Meanwhile, Scooter Libby's attorney is saying Scooter was set up to take the fall for Turd Blossom! Shee - it!

A fellah does't know who's gonna sneak up and stab him in the back anymore... oh, excuse me... gotta go. Didn't hear you come up behind me! (Laura's here - she must want me to help her carve something up...)

Rethug Smear Machine in Overdrive

Well, by now, last week's bogus story about Sen. Obama attending a madrassah school in Indonesia as a young boy has been debunked (by CNN, most prominently), along with the claim that Sen. Clinton's camp was responsible for planting the smear. The smear first appeared in an online Moonie operation, Insight, which is related to the TP substitute known as the Washington Times. Citing "unnamed" sources (yeah, riiight; sources in the Rethuglican oppo research operation is more like it), the smear piece attempted to imply that Obama is a Manchurian Candidate - style Muslim "terrist", who can't be trusted. Of course, right wing outlets Faux News, the New York Post, and Glenn Dreck ran with the smear, eager as they are to throw dirt on a rising Democratic star. What is surprising, though, is the clumsiness of the smear, which any competent news organization could independently check out quickly. What is not surprising is that they've already started, and Democrats need to be armed and ready to respond.

The Unfairness Of It All!

We heard that Congressman Steven La Tourette (Rethug.-OH) is complaining that under the new House ethics rules, he won't be getting freebie tickets, and thus won't be able to see Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James play. Awww. Simple solution, Congressman Asshat: buy a ticket like your consituents have to.

Outgoing Rethuglican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman stated that the 2008 elections will not bode well for his gang if they do not reach out to minorities and address ethics. Hold on, excuse me for a moment. . .

Bbwwwwhaahaaahaaahaaahaaa. Whew! OK, I think I'm ready.

Let's see, reaching out to minorities: how about Ken Blackwell in Ohio and Michael Steele in Maryland in 2006? Or the gang's mostly nativist position on immigration, alienating Hispanic voters? Yeah, that worked out well for the Rethugs, didn't it? Ethics? The Rethugs will be dragged kicking and screaming, when they're not overtly blocking, ethics reform legislation with poison pills like line item veto authority for the Decider. Reform is akin to a crash diet for them. How about Rethug focus on a more, shall we say, pressing matter, like IRAQ? No, they just want to run out the clock on that one.

"I'm In"

Well, this is a stunning development. Zzzzzz. We have our reservations about whether Senator Clinton can go the distance, much as we acknowledge her abilities, if not her evolving position on Bush's war. Many voters' minds have been made up (apparently only 3 percent say they want additional information on the Senator), but she still has to be considered the 800 pound gorilla in the race, at least initially. The Democratic candidate field has grown, with Obama's and Dodd's recent announcements, with Bill Richardson's announcement soon to come, so it will be interesting to see what comes of the mix in the months ahead.