MORE WAR WHORE WHINING

From FAUX News:

A day before New York Rep. Peter King called Michael Jackson a “pervert” unworthy of nonstop media coverage, the aunt of a U.S. soldier killed in Afghanistan on the same day Jackson died asked why her nephew's death went virtually unnoticed while the King of Pop got memorial shrines across the country.

"Mr. Jackson received days of wall-to-wall coverage in the media," Martha Gillis wrote to the Washington Post. "Where was the coverage of my nephew or the other soldiers who died that week?"

Here's the coverage for her nephew, Lt. Brian Bradshaw:

Results
1. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 7, 2009 Tuesday 12:55 AM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 172 words


2. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 7, 2009 Tuesday 12:55 AM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 172 words


3. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 7, 2009 Tuesday 12:55 AM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 172 words


4. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 6, 2009 Monday 6:41 PM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 128 words


5. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 6, 2009 Monday 6:40 PM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 128 words


6. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 6, 2009 Monday 6:40 PM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 128 words


7. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 6, 2009 Monday 2:18 PM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 128 words


8. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 6, 2009 Monday 2:17 PM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 128 words


9. Afghan war takes toll on Washington soldiers
The Associated Press State & Local Wire, July 6, 2009 Monday 2:17 PM GMT, STATE AND REGIONAL, 128 words

The mother of Bradshaw said the same thing:

Bradshaw's mother, Mary, said she agreed with Gillis, saying the nonstop coverage of Jackson's death has become "totally ridiculous" and laughable.

"I can watch the news many nights and there's no mention of what's going on in Afghanistan or Iraq and there's boys dying over there," Bradshaw told FOXNews.com. "Oh God, I can't talk."

Here are the results for the week from Jackson's death on June 25th and July 1st, inclusive:

Results
1. Michael Jackson's Will Names Katherine Jackson, Then Diana Ross as Guardians
CNN, July 1, 2009 Wednesday, NEWS; International, 1924 words, Kyra Phillips, Don Lemon


2. CQ Transcriptions , SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY GENERAL MICHELE MONTAS HOLDS OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL REGULAR NEWS BRIEFING, July 1, 2009 Wednesday, LOAD-DATE: July 1, 2009


3. EPISODE TWENTY TWO OF "ARMED WITH SCIENCE: RESEARCH APPLICATIONS FOR THE MODERN MILITARY," A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WEBCAST HOST: DR. JOHN OHAB; GUESTS: KELLEY HUGHES, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, JOINT NON-LETHAL WEAPONS DIRECTORATE; ALICIA OWSIAK, DEPUTY CHIEF, TECHNOLOGY DIVISION, JOINT NON-LETHAL WEAPONS DIRECTORATE
Federal News Service, July 1, 2009 Wednesday, DEPARTMENT DEFENSE BRIEFING, 2581 words


4. TEXT OF DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS (UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, JUNE 30, 2009)
Federal News Service, July 1, 2009 Wednesday, 2988 words


5. NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO "ALL THINGS CONSIDERED" SPECIAL REPORT; SUBJECT: MARINES LAUNCH OFFENSIVE IN HELMAND PROVINCE ANCHOR: MELISSA BLOCK REPORTER: TOM BOWMAN
Federal News Service, July 1, 2009 Wednesday, PRESS CONFERENCE OR SPEECH, 795 words


6. THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES (ACUS) MEETING; SUBJECT: "CHALLENGES FACING THE PAKISTAN ARMY" WELCOME AND MODERATOR: SHUJA NAWAZ, DIRECTOR, SOUTH ASIA CENTER, ACUS; SPEAKER: GENERAL JEHANGIR KARAMAT, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN; LOCATION: WASHINGTON, D.C.
Federal News Service, July 1, 2009 Wednesday, PRESS CONFERENCE OR SPEECH, 10080 words


7. In Afghanistan, Marines Prep For Taliban Battle [U]
National Public Radio (NPR), July 1, 2009 Wednesday, 763 words


8. In Afghanistan, Marines Prep For Taliban Battle [FtF]
National Public Radio (NPR), July 1, 2009 Wednesday, 727 words


9. CQ Transcriptions , GENERAL RAY ODIERNO (USA), COMMANDER OF MULTI-NATIONAL FORCES- IRAQ, HOLDS A DEFENSE DEPARTMENT NEWS BRIEFING VIA TELECONFERENCE FROM IRAQ, June 30, 2009 Tuesday, LOAD-DATE: June 30, 2009


10. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING FROM IRAQ WITH GENERAL RAY ODIERNO, COMMANDER, MULTINATIONAL FORCES-IRAQ; SUBJECT: OVERVIEW ON IRAQI SECURITY AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. COMBAT FORCES FROM IRAQI CITIES; LOCATION: PENTAGON BRIEFING ROOM, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
Federal News Service, June 30, 2009 Tuesday, DEPARTMENT DEFENSE BRIEFING, 6550 words


11. PRESS CONFERENCE WITH SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ROBERT GATES; SUBJECTS INCLUDE: WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. FORCES FROM IRAQI CITIES; WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS; IRAN; LOCATION: EN ROUTE FROM GERMANY
Federal News Service, June 30, 2009 Tuesday, DEPARTMENT DEFENSE BRIEFING, 2833 words


12. DAILY UNITED NATIONS PRESS BRIEFING (AS RELEASED BY THE UNITED NATIONS); BRIEFER: MICHELE MONTAS, SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL; LOCATION: U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
Federal News Service, June 30, 2009 Tuesday, PRESS CONFERENCE OR SPEECH, 2991 words


13. Political Headlines
Fox News Network, June 30, 2009 Tuesday, NEWS; Domestic, 5264 words, Bret Baier, Malini Wilkes, Major Garrett, Shannon Bream, Steve Centanni, Brian Wilson, Wendell Goler, Brit Hume, Catherine Herridge, Eric Shawn


14. Emotional toll on soldiers facing down firefights in Afghanistan
NBC News Transcripts, June 30, 2009 Tuesday, 835 words


15. Madoff Faces Judge; Madoff's Path to Prison; Honduras President Zelaya Still Reeling From Yesterday's Bloodless Military Coup, Iran Conducts Partial Recount of Votes; All U.S. Combat Forces to be Out of Iraqi Cities Tomorrow; Celebrating Gay Pride Around the World
CNN, June 29, 2009 Monday, NEWS; International, 7268 words, Heidi Collins, Reza Sayah, Dan Simon, Dan Lothian, Barbara Starr, Steve Kastenbaum, Josh Levs, Rob Marciano, Susan Lisovicz, Christine Romans, Atia Abawi


16. CQ Transcriptions , SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON HOLDS STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR NEWS BRIEFING, June 29, 2009 Monday, LOAD-DATE: June 29, 2009


17. STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING WITH INITIAL REMARKS BY U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON; BRIEFER: IAN KELLY, DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN; LOCATION: STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ROOM, STATE DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Federal News Service, June 29, 2009 Monday, STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING, 6239 words


18. HIGHLIGHTS OF U.S. BROADCAST NEWS COVERAGE OF THE MIDDLE EAST FROM JUNE 24, 2009 (FULL TRANSCRIPTS) (FNS MIDDLE EAST, JUNE 25, 2009)
Federal News Service, June 25, 2009 Thursday, 5116 words


19. HEARING OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND SOUTH ASIA SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE; SUBJECT: A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF SOUTH ASIA; CHAIRED BY: REPRESENTATIVE GARY ACKERMAN (D-NY); WITNESS: ROBERT BLAKE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIAN AFFAIRS; LOCATION: 2172 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Federal News Service, June 25, 2009 Thursday, CAPITOL HILL HEARING, 11455 words


20. HEARING OF THE ASIA, THE PACIFIC, AND THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE; CHAIRED BY: DELEGATE ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA (D-AS); WITNESSES: JOSEPH NYE JR., PH.D., UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE PROFESSOR, SULTAN OF OMAN PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, HARVARD UNIVERSITY; MICHAEL J. GREEN, PH.D., SENIOR ADVISER AND JAPAN CHAIR, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE; KENT CALDER, PH.D., DIRECTOR, EDWIN O. REISCHAUER CENTER FOR EAST ASIAN STUDIES, DIRECTOR, JAPAN STUDIES, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY; ARTHUR J. ALEXANDER, PH.D, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF ASIAN STUDIES AND ECONOMICS, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY; LOCATION: 2200 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Federal News Service, June 25, 2009 Thursday, 20069 words


21. New Biography Examines Rumsfeld's 'Rules'
National Public Radio (NPR), June 25, 2009 Thursday, 1835 words


22. REP. GARY L. ACKERMAN HOLDS A HEARING ON A REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF SOUTH ASIA
CQ Transcriptions "All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ Transcriptions. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.", June 25, 2009 Thursday, 11445 words


23. DEL. ENI H. FALEOMAVAEGA HOLDS A HEARING ON JAPAN'S CHANGING ROLE
CQ Transcriptions "All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ Transcriptions. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.", June 25, 2009 Thursday, 20043 words

YES, THE STIMULUS IS PROVIDING JOBS

And even the Wall Street Journal admits it.

Boost in Food-Stamp Funding Percolates Through Economy
JULY 7, 2009
By ROGER THUROW and TIMOTHY W. MARTIN
Wall Street Journal

The president's stimulus plan has been aimed primarily at the top of the economy, pumping money into banks and car companies and state and city governments. But it also has put more money into the hands of the poorest Americans by boosting monthly food-stamp allocations. Starting in April, a family of four on food stamps received an average of $80 extra.

Money from the program -- officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- percolates quickly through the economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture calculates that for every $5 of food-stamp spending, there is $9.20 of total economic activity, as grocers and farmers pay their employees and suppliers, who in turn shop and pay their bills.

Farmers markets in Iowa have been particularly aggressive in courting the business of food-stamp recipients. At the Davenport market, food-stamp purchases have boosted business at Sawyer Beef. As farmer Norman Sawyer's sales increase, he says he plans to buy more fencing and water tanks to improve grazing areas for his cattle. "This has been a good deal for us," he says.

THANX, ANDREW SULLIVAN

He's put a link post to all the lies (32 so far) he caught Palin making.

NEAL BOORTZ ASKS...

"How's the Stimulus Working For You So Far?"

For me, it's been pretty good. I really needed the extra $25 a week in unemployment benefits to stay in my apartment and the extra food stamps are a great help.

MEMO TO CAROLINE GLICK

She argues here that Israel should basically greatly reduce its reliance on America, to which I say: "About damn time."

AN ALL-PUROSE RESPONSE TO WINGNUT POSTS

This is derived from the movie Billy Madison:

[INSERT NAME OF WINGNUT], what you've just written is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever read. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this thread is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

ALMOST GONE BUT STILL IGNORANT

(h/t Atrios)

Sarah Palin still can't get the basics of American government correct. You might recall that she thought the Founders wrote the Pledge of Allegiance and that the VP had a direct role in the Senate's legislative process. Now we learn that she has "discovered" a brand new department!

Sarah Palin: Why She Resigned
Sarah Palin Talks to ABC News About Why She Resigned
By KATE SNOW
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, July 7, 2009

As to whether another pursuit for national office, as when she joined Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in the race for the White House less than a year ago, would result in the same political blood sport, Palin said there was a difference between the White House and what she had experienced in Alaska. If she were in the White House, she said, the "department of law" would protect her from baseless ethical allegations.

"I think on a national level, your department of law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out," she said.

There is no "Department of Law" at the White House.

MIKEY ♥ SARAH

Mike Gallagher came to the defense of Sarah Palin today and repeated the meme that Katie Couric is a vicious interviewer simply for asking Caribou what she reads.

KISSINGER SAYS PRES. OBAMA WAS CORRECT

In May 2008, Obama expressed a little bit of reality-based thinking about Iran:

I mean, think about it: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela — these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don’t pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us.

The war-whore neocons strongly objected to this statement but none other than Henry Kissinger agrees with now-Pres. Obama:

SPIEGEL: The situation in Iran doesn't make you fearful?

Kissinger: Fear is not a good motivation for statesmanship. It could be that some kind of at least local conflict will happen, but it does not have to happen. Iran is a relatively weak and small country that has inherent limits to its capabilities. The relationship of China with the rest of the world is a lot more important in historic terms than the Iranian issues by themselves.

THIS ONLY MEANS SOMETHING IN WINGNUT WORLD...

because there are a LOT of things Michael Barone doesn't get but he is another conservative voice who thinks Palin just blew it. He wrote this in the new wingnut paper, Washington Examiner:

I was astonished by Sarah Palin’s announcement that she is going to resign as Governor of Alaska. I’ve read over her “point guard” explanation for doing so, and I still don’t get it.

WHY WE NEED GOVERNMENT IN HEALTH CARE

Hugh Hewitt interviewed Prof. Clayton Christiansen about his new book, The Innovator’s Prescription. The professor makes two great points, one about computer-based diagnostics and the other about system design.

The data we have on diagnostics can be automated to arrive at the most likely diagnosis and the preferred care:

CC: Well, what will happen is primary care doctors will disrupt physicians. So there are technologies now that will bring to the desk of the primary care physician the expertise to do things that in the past had required a specialist. For example, there’s a firm here in the Boston area called Simulconsult, that is starting out in neurological disorders, and then broadly expanding. And so if you as a patient present yourself to your primary care doctor, and the doctor judges that you’ve got a neurological problem, she’ll just input into the Simulconsult system the symptoms that she observes, and any test results that she’s collected. And the system will come back to her and say well, there’s a 68% probability that your patient has this disease, 17% that she has that disorder, 8% that it’s this one, and then there’s a long tail. Now collect these four other pieces of information from the patient if you would, please, and input them. And you put that in, and then the system comes back and says gosh, it looks like that what we thought was a 68% probability is a 93% probability that it’s this syndrome. The 17% idea looks like it’s dropped down. And now get two more pieces of information, and we’ll tighten it even further. And what they’ve done using the miracle of the internet is captured over 30,000 published studies of neurological disorders, and synthesized them in a way that is distills all of that expertise onto the desktop of your primary care physician, so she doesn’t have to refer you to the specialist, because that specialty expertise is right there.

The second point he makes is that the "invisible hand" isn't going to get the job done. Hewitt didn't make a stink about this.

CC: I’m not sure that the market will drive it, but management could drive it in the sense that Adam Smith in the Wealth Of Nations, the treatise of capitalism, introduced this construct called the invisible hand, that in competitive markets directs resources to the highest use. And there are just some problems where Adam Smith’s invisible hand is impotent. And it requires what Al Chandler calls the visible hand of managerial capitalism. And that means that there has to be an entity that has the scope that can wrap its arms around all of the pieces of the system to just re-architect it. And in most of America’s health care system, you don’t have that scope. ... But there are only a few institutions that we call in the book integrated fixed fee providers that have the scope to rethink it all. And some of those institutions are the military’s health system, the Veterans’ Administration health system, Kaiser Permanente in California, Health Partners in Minneapolis, Intermountain in the intermountain states. And what those institutions have is they control the payments or the insurance system, they employ doctors, they own the hospitals.

THE OTHER MCCAIN VS. FATS LIMBAUGH

Robert Stacy McCain has uncanny powers of ramble comprehension:

I've got MSNBC on my office TV and the mid-day newsette just referred to Palin's "baffling" resignation. It's not baffling. Palin explained her reasons, and her reasons sounded entirely plausible to me.

Fats Limbaugh doesn't have those powers:

On this Palin business, you know, one of the reasons I haven’t said anything to anybody is I don’t know what this means – and I think all of this is just speculation. We don’t know what her reasons for doing this are yet.

A SWEET FACTOID

(h/t David Weigle)

Caribou Barbie infamously used the phrase "real America" in a speech at Guilford County, North Carolina. Those "real Americans" opted for Obama/Biden over McCain/Palin, 59% to 41%.

LIZ TROTTA SMACKDOWN OF SARAH PALIN

Andrew Sullivan had the video. I especially liked the line "The woman is inarticulate, undereducated." In the latter, she has a lot in common with Joe the Plumber.

RADIO TIDBITS

Sean Hannity really is plugged in to the movement conservatives. On his radio show today, he admitted that one of Palin's aides called him up about 30 minutes before her rambling press conference to let him know what was happening.



On Glenn Beck's radio show, Joe Pagliarulo (sp?) was the guest host and he thought this move made Palin look like a quitter.



The Tucson Tea Party had a pretty good turnout:





And there were the usual wackos. Note the "death" sign...


And Tammy "The Shrill" Bruce did make it...

SARAH PALIN, THE HIDDEN LIBERAL SIDE

(h/t James Wolcott)

I didn't read Caribou's Runner's World interview but Wonkette did and found this paean to Liberalism:

Is there anything else the world should know about you as a runner?

The only other thing I'd like to add is I've been very fortunate to be a recipient of all the efforts people put into Title IX all those years ago where girls got equal opportunity to participate in sports and extracurricular activities because sports growing up were my world. I'm so thankful for Title IX allowing equal access to these opportunities, and I'm a huge proponent of girls being able to realize what they're made of by participating in sports, and whatever I can do there I'm going to be doing.

ESSE EST PERCIPI

Berkeley was wrong about metaphysics but correct about politics: Palin is now a confirmed joke.

GAIL COLLINS: When she ran for vice president, she frequently became disjointed and garbled when she departed from her prepared remarks. Now the prepared remarks are incoherent, too.

MAUREEN DOWD: Caribou Barbie is one nutty puppy.

ED ROLLINS: Palin now seems more like a kook than a serious candidate.

SHORTER MARY MATALIN

Palin's move was brilliant (unless it's not).

ANOTHER CASE OF WINGNUT CENSORSHIP

Once again, I've had my posts deleted from a thread on a wingnut site. As I noted below, I wrote that I only had some sympathy for Palin but that was too much for the blog owner. The only evidence that I posted are the replies:

Howard Roark

July 4, 2009 at 4:35 am

SJ, you’re not answering my question: just what did anyone (even the swiftboaters) do to Gore and Kerry, specifically, that compares to the attacks on Sarah’s Down Syndrome child or any of the other attacks she, her daughters, and her family have withstood? Answer my question without asking a question if you know what you’re talking about.

I never heard Sarah claim that only Conservatives are real Americans. Where did you hear it, SJ? And if that upset you so much, how upset were you that Gore said that Conservatives were the “extra chromosome” crowd?

Log in to Reply

bronzeprofessor

July 4, 2009 at 4:38 am

Steve, could you elaborate what reference you mean? I think she used “real Americans: in passing when she was referring to people in the crowd, who were from a small town. But I am pretty sure she didn’t go on to say that people who weren’t in small towns were not real Americans. She was trying to affirm small town people who felt disconnected from the election and ignored by McCain. Just to clarify.

Howard Roark

July 4, 2009 at 5:25 am

As Karl Rove put it, “she’s fair game.” Now do you understand?

What is it about “answer my question” that you struggle so much with, SJ? Put down the crack pipe and type out some specific answers to my simple question if you’re so sure of yourself.

[aren't squealing libs fun when you challenge them?]

Howard Roark

July 4, 2009 at 5:40 am

Just about all of them.

If that’s so, it will be REALLY easy for you to name one, SJ. Can you try that for us, oh brave one?

Log in to Reply

tranquil.night

July 4, 2009 at 5:41 am

Just about all of them.

Can you even name one? Here I will and then you will and if you respond in reasonable time I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you didn’t just search the reuters archive.

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth charged that John Kerry blatantly lied when he returned from his abbreviated 4 and a half month tour and wrote in his book ‘Tour of Duty’ of witnessing horrible atrocities committed by swift boat patrols, charges over hundreds of veterans who were there claim they never saw.

Howard Roark

July 4, 2009 at 5:58 am

She was addressing a campaign rally and spewing a popular meme among movement conservatives.

Your retort is beside the fact of your argument that Sarah said, specifically, conservatives as the only “real Americans.” Can you understand your flaw, here, SJ? Are you really that dense?

Besides your irrelevant argument above, do you have the courage to answer the question of “how upset were you that Gore said that Conservatives were the “extra chromosome” crowd”?

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Howard Roark

July 4, 2009 at 6:09 am

But in an interview with The Oregonian, French freely admitted he had no firsthand knowledge of the events surrounding Kerry’s medals and that his information came secondhand from “friends.”

How does that amount to a lie? Are you really that craven that you deem this flimsy bunch of nonsense as morally equivalent to saying that Sarah will run on the “More Retardation Platform” in 2012?

You’re trying hard, here, SJ, but you really are showing yourself to be nothing more than ‘hysteria in the diaper’. Maybe this kind of immature banter passes for intelligent reasoning on your sites, but the people here on S&L are much more considerate, fair, and cogent to entertain ridiculous claims such as yours.

canary

July 4, 2009 at 6:32 am

SteveJ/ I’d also like to add that Palin in part brought this on herself by referring to conservatives as the only “real Americans.” Paybacks can be vicious. [NOTE: I ADDED THE ITALICS - STEVE J.]

So Steve?, by Payback to do you mean instead of an American, we got a muslim terrorist lover, a communist lover, a bitter American hater for the world, much like John Kerry is.
Her statement on conservatives is the truth by the laws and beliefs that America was formed to be run by.

Steve? , you were asked “So what claims from the swiftboat veterens were false again Steve J?”
And you didn’t name one. Anyone that throws fake medal over a fence, and then has to publically admit it was fake, and he still has the real one. Kerry was far outvoted as to what the truth was. Majority rules. And Al Gore using a fake scene from a fiction movie and trying to decieve the world that is was truth, is bizarre.

Sara Palin was a threat, and must still be a threat to the Democratic party, or they would not have had to stoop so low to find fault. Her hairstyle, and glasses and children.
The Huffington Post and Time are perfect examples of the continuation of superficial and superfluous fault with Sara Palin. I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of those that make of an innocent child.
Oh. Let’s not forget Obama making fun of Speical Olympics, and laughing that he could dance better than John McCain, when John McCain, is handicapped and crippled and truly deserved his war medals, unlike John Kerry.

YEAH BUT WE'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE

Palin released a statement on her Facebook site and Politico covered it. She trotted out the all-too familiar whine about unfair press coverage and repeated her goal of furthering these stale GOP memes:

“I am now looking ahead and how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint, Palin wrote. “I hope you will join me. Now is the time to rebuild and help our nation achieve greatness!”

Why does Palin think the American public needs more of this crap from a new source?

YOU MIGHT RECALL THE PINE TAR GAME

George Brett hit a home run off Goose Gossage and Billy Martin pointed out to the umpires that there was more than 18 inches of pine tar on Brett's bat. That's against a simplistic interpretation of the rules, so Brett was called out. This gives you an idea of his reaction:



And you may also recall what Gossage said:

"I can sympathize with George," Gossage remarked after the game, "but not that much."

That was my initial reaction to Reid Wilson's whine about politics:

Anyone who seeks to run for or hold office as a conservative should have their head examined. They and their family and friends will be endlessly savaged in every way possible.

I wrote "not much" because not only what happened to Gore and Kerry but also because of Palin's own divisive politics. Paybacks are sometimes a bitch and I don't think the GOP will give up on talk radio tactics until we shove the same up their kazoos.

I RUN INTO ANOTHER PALIN SUPPORTER

On this Politico thread, I got a chance to read what EMILY09 thinks. Here was the 1st sign that she's a little lost:

It's a friggin joke made for idiots who believe anything any stupid brainless libbie tells them because they are so mentally retarded after having been drinking water with sodium fluoride in it for years that they couldn't figure it out if their very life depended on it.

The 2nd sign:

THIS MAY VERY WELL BE THE LAST INDEPENDENCE DAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE AS A SOVERIEGN NATION FOR SOME YEARS TO COME.

And the confirming symptom:

However, why don't you look at the recent research on how it [sodium fluoride] lowers your IQ? Some are saying that a good portion of our population is now mentally retarded because of mainly that, but other chemicals and drugs being used by the population.

Which recalls this marvelous exchange from a famous Cold War movie:

General Jack D. Ripper: Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridating water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk... ice cream. Ice cream, Mandrake, children's ice cream.
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: Lord, Jack.
General Jack D. Ripper: You know when fluoridation first began?
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: I... no, no. I don't, Jack.
General Jack D. Ripper: Nineteen hundred and forty-six. Nineteen forty-six, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your post-war Commie conspiracy, huh? It's incredibly obvious, isn't it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual. Certainly without any choice. That's the way your hard-core Commie works.

ANOTHER PORTION OF WORD SALAD FROM PALIN

WTF does this mean?

"No productive fulfilled people determined where to put their efforts choosing to wisely use precious time to build up — and there is such a need to build up — and fight for our state and our country and I choose to fight for it."

SOURCE: NYT transcript of Palin's speech

THE MOTIVATIONS OF THE PROPHETS OF DECEIT

I came across this quote from the Book of Jeremiah on the frontispiece of Prophets of Deceit, a book about the rabble-rousers of the 30s and 40s.

JEREMIAH 23:25-27 (American Standard Version)

25 I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? 27 that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal.

I immediately thought of people like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Richard Land and James Dobson but it also applies to the prominent wingnuts, like Hannity and Krauthammer. Paul Krugman asks of these folks:

I mean, they’re not stupid — life would be a lot easier if they were. So they know they’re not telling the truth. But they obviously believe that their dishonesty serves a higher truth — one that is, in effect, told only to Inner Party members, while the Outer Party makes do with prolefeed.

The question is, what is that higher truth? What do these people really believe in?

I think F. A. Hayek gave a mostly correct answer back in 1961: They believe in Power. Mostly correct, because there are certainly other motivations, such as money, as commenter Stacy at Balloon Juice points out:

So for Limbaugh, he benefits from having the country go downhill. The shittier the county is, more bitter and pissed off people are, and they will be more likely to gravitate to someone that gives them an easy scapegoat for that anger. People like Rush and Glenn Beck provide that service. The more angry people, the more fans they get, more money.

Some undoubtedly have psychological problems that keep them trapped in paranoid delusions, like Michele Bachmann and the Census. Others naturally have an authoritarian personality and seek relief from Otherness in the "family values" movement.

IF TRUE, THIS IS REALLY BAD NEWS

If the employment situation doesn't turn around in time for the 2010 elections, the Dems will certainly lose more seats than expected for an off-year election.

White House Adviser: Stimulus is Working -- But Unemployment Could Grow in 2010
July 02, 2009 2:42 PM
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports:

Jared Bernstein, chief economist and economic policy adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, said on ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” today that the latest jobs report doesn’t tell the full story.

“The unemployment rate will likely be higher in 2010 than in 2009, just as it’s ramped up over the course of the year. In that sense you’ve got a tougher labor market,” Bernstein said.

AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF PALIN

I'm a bit surprised that Krauthammer was this honest and I suspect he'll get a lot of e-mail from Palin's more rabid supporters. (h/t Ben Smith at Politico)

Now, as to Palin, I agree entirely with what Mara said. She is — she has star power without any doubt. She has an extremely devoted following. But she is not a serious candidate for the presidency.

She had to go home and study and spend a lot of time on issues in which she was not adept last year, and she hasn't. She has to stop speaking in clichés and platitudes. It won't work.

It could work for eight weeks if you're the number two candidate, as she was last year. But even so, she got singed a lot in that campaign. You cannot sustain a campaign of platitudes and clichés over a year and a half if you're running for the presidency.

Of course, cliches and platitudes are exactly what right-wing radio thrives on.

NEO-CON PAPER TURNS FASCIST TOOL

I heard this last night on FAUX News radio and I thought FAUX had once again messed up and mistook a story from The Onion for reality. I was wrong. The WaPo decided to get into the influence-selling business, promising to arrange meetings with not only administration officials but also Post reporters and columnists.

Does Dana Milbank have anything to say about this? Will he be even the teeniest bit less pompous?

MORE RADIO GASBAGS AT THIS YEAR'S RUBE VOTERS CONVENTION

(It's "Values Voters" but there's no sense repeating that euphemism. )

The prominent radio gasbags are much more in evidence at the 2009 hate fest:

Glenn Beck
Lou Dobbs
Sean Hannity
Laura Ingraham
Mark Levin
Rush Limbaugh

Bonus Krazies:

Rep. Michele Bachmann, Pat Buchanan, David Horowitz, Bill O'Reilly, Gov. Sarah Palin and Ben Stein.

In 2008, there were 8 gasbags but many were from the minor leagues, like Kevin McCullough. In 2007, there were only 5, only 2 from the majors.

2009 VALUES VOTER SUMMIT (MINUS ONE)

(h/t Steve Benen)

The Family Research Council, the explicitly political arm of Dobsonism, decided to uninvite Gov. "I just met a girl named Maria" Sanford. Kyle at Right Wing Watch has the screen captures.

SOME GOOD NEWS FROM PAKISTAN

(h/t David Corn)

Pakistanis still don't like us but they REALLY don't like the Taliban & Al Qaeda and that's a very welcome change. A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll conducted May 17-28, 2009 and found:

There has been a huge increase in those who think the "activities of Islamist militants and local Taliban" are a critical threat to Pakistan--a 47 point rise to 81 percent, up from 34 percent in late 2007.

OTOH, 82% are opposed to our drone strikes in Pakistan, so maybe we should reduce, if not eliminate, them?

IT'S A COMPLICATED WORLD

This story in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights how two seemingly politically distant groups can agree on one major political stance. This probably traces back to the agrarian myth of the self-supporting, independent farmer that began in Jefferson's time and apparently still lives for some American.

State's most conservative county uses much cash
Kevin Fagan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The prevailing attitude among the right-wing ranchers and modern hippies who define Modoc County is of fierce self-reliance...

Ken McGarva and Tina Hodge will both tell you with equal ardor that government should stay out of their faces. But you wouldn't know they could agree by looking at them.

McGarva is a cowboy. The real kind, one who ropes and brands his cattle in the dot-in-the-road town of Likely. At 70, he loathes liberal politics.

Hodge is a back-to-the-land hippie. The real kind, one who raised her kids in a tepee on a remote mountaintop near tiny Eagleville and now lives off the grid in a hobbit-style house on that same mountaintop. At 57, she loathes conservative politics.

PALIN IS A LIE FACTORY

Andrew Sullivan catalogued dozens of her lies and now CBS reveals another one in campaign e-mail:

"That's not part of their platform and he was only a 'member' bc independent alaskans too often check that 'Alaska Independent' box on voter registrations thinking it just means non partisan," Palin wrote. "He caught his error when changing our address and checked the right box. I still want it fixed."

Palin was attempting to bend the facts ever so slightly to fit neatly into her version of events. In truth, the box that Alaskans have the option of checking when registering to vote states the full name of the party, "Alaskan Independence Party," not "Alaska Independent," which would make an error by uncommitted voters more plausible.

ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION...

why haven't the "family values" mullahs spoken or written about Gov. "I just met a girl named Maria" Sanford? Could it be they don't want to speak out against a fellow social conservative from the South? At least one of these groups did speak out about Sen. Ensign but he's not from the Bible Belt.

Family Values Groups Still Silent on Mark Sanford
July 01, 2009 11:37 AM ET Dan Gilgoff
By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
US News and World Report

One week after Mark Sanford admitted to his affair with an Argentine woman—and a day after he called his mistress his "soul mate" and acknowledged further indiscretions—I'm struck by the total silence of pro-family groups.

The Family Research Council has been completely quiet on the South Carolina governor's affair. So has Concerned Women for America. Ditto for Focus on the Family.

CAN CNN DO FRACTIONS?

Apparently not....

The first sentence in this article tells us a "fact":

The new president of the American Medical Association, which represents the interests of the nation's doctors, said Wednesday the group is open to a government-funded health insurance option for people without coverage.

At the end of the article, we are also informed of this fact:

The 162-year-old AMA has about 250,000 members, including practicing physicians, medical students and retired doctors. Overall, there are more than 900,000 doctors in the United States.

Doesn't this mean that the AMA only represents a minority of our nation's doctors?

MEDIA WINGERS BACKING DOWN?

Today, a caller to the Glenn Beck Show asked a hypothetical question: What would've happened to our revolution if the Founding Fathers had adopted the non-violent tactics of Gandhi and Martin Luther King? He clearly wanted an answer that would support the call for violence in the face of what the wingers think is an authoritarian, statist Federal government. I have to give Beck some credit because he shot down the callers pre-supposition: "anyone who picks up a gun is going to destroy the Republic."

In an interview with Ann Coulter¹, Bill O'Reilly also back away from incendiary winger madness:

COULTER: Right, right. Well, apparently, this one random nut who shot Tiller, I don't really like to think of it as a murder.

O'REILLY: Easy.

COULTER: It was terminating Tiller in the 203rd trimester.

O'REILLY: You can't -- you can't diminish what that killer did or you have anarchy.

COULTER: I am personally opposed to shooting abortionists, but I don't want to impose my moral values on others.

O'REILLY: OK. But if you can't...

COULTER: If you don't believe in shooting abortionists, then don't shoot an abortionist.

O'REILLY: You must have society, or it will collapse, that has laws.

¹Fox News Network
June 22, 2009 Monday
SHOW: THE O'REILLY FACTOR 8:29 PM EST
Ann Coulter Weighs in on Tiller Murder
BYLINE: Bill O'Reilly
GUESTS: Ann Coulter