Inspire Political Discourse

FLASHBACK: Sarah Palin Details Her Foreign Policy Credentials

2008 Interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson, "Russia is our neighbor".

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President Obama Dismisses Sarah Palin’s Foreign Policy Cred

Yesterday, the ever non-credible Sarah Palin compared the President’s new nuclear policy to a playground fight.

PALIN: No administration in America's history would I think ever have considered such a step that we just found out that President Obama is supporting today.

You know that's kinda like getting out there on the playground, a bunch of kids ready to fight and one of the kids saying 'Go ahead, punch me in the face and I'm not going to retaliate. Go ahead and do what you want to with me.

During a GMA interview this morning, George Stephanopoulos asked President Obama to respond to Palin's ridiculous comment:

STEPHANOPOULOS: I want to get to some of those broader issues [of nuclear proliferation]. Because you're also facing criticism on that. Sarah Palin, taking aim at your decision to restrict the use of nuclear weapons. Your pledge not to strike nations, non-nuclear nations, who abide by the nonproliferation treaty. Here's what she said. She said, "It's unbelievable, no other administration would do it." And then she likened it to kids on the playground. She said you're like a kid who says, "Punch me in the face, and I'm not going to retaliate." Your response?

OBAMA: I really have no response. Because last I checked, Sarah Palin's not much of an expert on nuclear issues.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But the string of criticism has been out there among other Republicans as well. They think you're restricting use of nuclear weapons too much.

OBAMA: And what I would say to them is that if the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff are comfortable with it, I'm probably going to take my advice from them and not from Sarah Palin.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But not concerned about her criticisms?

OBAMA: No.

A strong, pointed response from Obama. I do not, however, understand what the hades Stephanopoulos was thinking when he asked this question. As most of us recall Palin's utterly childish response to Charlie Gibson's question to Palin regarding her foreign policy credentials, or lack thereof, the question to President Obama seems particularly outrageous.

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Trash Talking: the health care reform bill not as unpopular as you think

At least according to Ana Marie Cox at The Wire, and she makes a very good case for her position:

I was on the phone with a Republican staffer the other day, talking about the GOP's response to the passage of health care reform legislation. He said that his side was actually pleased, not because they like the bill, obviously, but because "the public will fight back in November. It's an enormously unpopular bill and the Democrats will suffer for having supported it."

But, I replied, what about the most recent polling? The USA Today poll, that showed 48 percent of respondents think of the bill as "a good first step"? Or the ABC/Washington Post poll that showed a more voters -- (40 percent) -- say that their representative's vote on the legislation will make "no difference" in who they support in the fall than say it will be a positive or a negative? Or the CBS poll that showed a five point bump in favor of the bill after passage? Or the second ABC/WP poll that showed that Congressional Democrats and Nancy Pelosi got steady in their approval ratings among after it passed?

Be sure to read the entire article.......there is much more to it than what I quoted, and it will help you to bolster your arguments with the naysayers/proponents of "I hate the bill so I'll claim that everyone else does too, and because of all this hate, Democrats are gonna lose big in the midterms".  Heh.

Teabagging Liars

In case you missed the gathering of the teabagging wingnuts yesterday, here's a pic from Crooks and Liars. Please note that the wingnuts greatly exaggerated the number of them in attendance at the Hate Fest in DC.

ABC News also called them out for claiming greater numbers than were actually there.

ABC News Vs. Sarah Palin-the-Not-a-Fiscal-Conservative

Sarah Palin continually amazes me. You would think, as a long time political operative, she would understand that responding to well-deserved bad press will only draw more attention to it. And yet......Palin still does so, this time, she took on ABC News, or more specifically, Jake Tapper at ABC News.

Tapper is a conservative who can be counted upon to point out conservative and liberal faults, and thus is that exceedingly rare reporter, the one who struggles to report in an unbiased manner.

Last Thursday, Tapper invoked a hissy fit from Palin when he posted the following article on his blog, Political Punch(bolding is mine):

Palin's Back to Lovin' Her Some Earmarks

March 12, 2009 9:55 PM

Not only are earmarks a bipartisan affliction, but the double-talk and hypocrisy surrounding them are as well.

After spending sigificant time and airspace bashing the earmark process as the running mate of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin requested an unspecified number of earmarks in the omnibus spending bill, Jonathan Stein and David Corn report at Mother Jones.

One hundred earmarks worth $144 million are headed for Alaska, Taxpayers for Common Sense says. That works out to $209.71 per state resident -- more money, per capita, than any other state.

"We have drastically, drastically reduced our earmark request since I came into office," Palin told ABC News' Charles Gibson last year after he pointed out that Alaska received $231 per person in earmarks in 2008.

"The abuse of earmarks, it's un-American, it's undemocratic, and it's not going to be accepted in a McCain-Palin administration," she said. "Earmark abuse will stop."

Palin went on to call it "an embarrassment that abuse of the . . . earmark process has been accepted in Congress. And that's what John McCain has fought. And that's what I joined him in fighting."

Palin then made the egregious error of contacting ABC News to complain, and in return, she got this from Tapper(bolding is mine):

Alarmed, I asked McAllister how Palin was "literally" injured. Was she okay? Was she infirm?
"I didn't say physically injured," he wrote back. "Certainly her reputation was injured by the erroneous reporting."
Ah.
In any case, the point is, Gov. Palin as a vice presidential candidate claimed that she "championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending of Congress."
And yet, she has asked for and is still asking for -- and receiving -- tens of millions of dollars in earmarks -- pork barrel spending that does not go through the normal appropriations process.
Including, you might be interested to know, moneys for alcohol bootlegging interdiction and North Pacific fisheries programs.
Her former running mate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., requests no earmarks.
That's a fiscally conservative position.
We've never hesitated to point out political mixed messages, on earmarks or other subjects, whether they come from Democrats such as President Obama (read HERE or watch HERE) or Republicans such as Gov. Palin.
We will continue to do so.
Have a great weekend, everybody.

Be sure to read the entirety of Tapper's response which details the letter received from lt. gov Bill McAllister---very amusing.

And just think, had she not responded, it would not have required a public response by Tapper, nor would it have landed on The Huffington Post, or many, many liberal blogs, including this one.

A comment posted on Huffpost:

What is so offensive about the process is the abject hypocrisy of those who piously claim no association with or opposition to earmarks but seek and/or take the money anyway.
You paying attention Sarah? You've got our attention, unfortunately, and in return we're keeping score. Sound like a good deal?

Brilliant move, Palin.

Finally, Palin on earmarks in September 2008:

PS....note to Jake --- DAMN IT! Now Palin is going to start ranting again about "bloggers sitting in their parent's basement in their pajamas". Just sayin'......

Image courtesy of The Huffington Post.
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February 27, 2009 on Media Matters

 

• Dobbs falsely claimed Holder had "no empirical basis" for suggesting Mexican cartels are using weapons from America

• Media Matters: Asymmetrical class warfare

• Down for the count: The real fight for 2012

• Politico falsely suggested that a secret-ballot election is currently required to form a union
• ABC's Tapper joins media advancing small business falsehood

• Matthews did not challenge Ehrlich's false suggestion about small business taxes

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One Month in, Obama Approval Rating at 68%

:: From an ABC News-Washington Post poll; according to the American people, President Obama's first month is a rousing success. From ABC News (emphasis is mine):

Obama clearly holds the upper hand, both in overall approval and on the dominant issue of the day. He leads the Republicans in Congress by 61-26 percent in trust to handle the economy, the biggest such lead for a president in ABC News/Washington Post polls since late 1991. (Bill Clinton came close at the start of his first term.)

More broadly, 68 percent of Americans approve of Obama's job performance to date.

Partisanship, though, seems inescapable: Obama's approval rating, 90 percent among Democrats, dives to 37 percent among Republicans

Support for Obama's stimulus plan, similarly, is 64 percent overall, but half that, 32 percent, among Republicans.

If Obama's hopes for a post-partisan presidency are falling short, he does get credit for trying – another area in which he far outpoints the opposition. Seventy-three percent of Americans say he's been trying to compromise with Republican leaders in Congress on important issues. Fewer than half as many, 34 percent, say the Republicans are trying to compromise with him.

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Political News Summary: Tuesday, January 27, 2009

:: Rush Limbaugh copies GOP liars, makes false claim that ACORN is mentioned in the stimulus and will receive $4.19 billion. What a sad loser cherub-cheeked Rushie is...... From Media Matters:

Summary: Parroting GOP talking points, Rush Limbaugh falsely claimed $4.19 billion of President Barack Obama's economic recovery package "is going to ACORN." In fact, the bill does not mention ACORN or otherwise single it out for funding.

TAGS: Rush Limbaugh, Conservative Pundits, GOP/Republicans, President Obama, LIES,
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Full Transcript - This Week's George Stephanopoulos' Interview With Obama, January 11, 2009

George Stephanopoulos' Exclusive Interview with President-Elect Barack Obama

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Hello, again. In nine days he will be president of the United States. This morning Barack Obama is our exclusive headliner. Welcome back to THIS WEEK.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT-ELECT: Thank you, George.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Does it feel like you're president already?

OBAMA: No.

Political News Summary, Monday, January 5, 2009

:: IPD Daily Political Cartoon Find.

Gary Wasserman, the Boston Globe
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:: Update on the Coleman-Franken senate race.

Political News Summary - Wednesday, December 17, 2008

:: Obama expected to name Mary Schapiro as the SEC chairman tomorrow.

Schapiro is currently the CEO of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Politically, she is an Independent.

“If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Schapiro will take over an agency whose reputation has been tarnished by its failure to detect Bernard Madoff’s alleged $50 billion fraud and to prevent the collapse of investment banks Bear Stearns Cos. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. The SEC’s relevance and competence will be scrutinized as Congress weighs overhauling market regulation.

“The agency is at a critical juncture in its history,” said William McLucas, a former SEC enforcement director. “What the agency needs right now, more than ever, is leadership. She is going to be exactly what the agency needs.”” Bloomberg.com

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:: Bush to put 110,000 acres of wild lands in Utah on the auction block, to be sold to the highest bidders in the oil and gas industry.

Robert Redford is making an appeal to the public to stand up and be counted. To deny Bush this last effort to enrich his friends, and save this land for future generations.

“You can't put a price on silence or solitude. You can't quantify the beauty of wilderness. And yet that's not going to stop the Bush administration from trying to sell off what should be the birthright of future generations.
In three days, this Friday, 110,000 acres of majestic Utah wild lands go on the auction block, to be sold to the highest bidders in the oil and gas industry. It's a last-ditch effort by a corrupt administration to further enrich its friends in the dirty fuels business. If they succeed, they'll leave a wasteland behind them.
Never mind that we the People of the United States just rejected the failed energy policy of "drill, baby, drill!" Never mind that once industrialized, these precious lands will be marred for centuries. Ravaging these places will put cash in the pockets of greedy speculators, even if it won't solve our energy problems.”  Robert Redford

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:: Calls for Cheney to be prosecuted gaining ground after he confessed to the authorization of waterboarding on Monday.

According to international law, waterboarding is defined as a form of torture, and it is illegal. Cheney's admittance to the authorization of waterboarding during his interview with Jonathan Earl on ABC News on Monday, has put him ever more at risk of prosecution as a war criminal. Indeed, he will not be able to leave the country without the risk of being arrested as a war criminal.

“Here's the thing: If members of the Bush administration would have at least acted like they might have done something wrong, a truth-and-reconciliation-type Congressional commission like the one currently under consideration could have found out what happened, and we could have learned our lesson and moved on. At least maybe. But if Cheney is going to go on national television and endorse torture, I feel like he has tied the hands of the country. How can we change our image, both to the rest of the world and to our own citizens, if we allow a sitting vice president to confess to supporting a policy of torture and do nothing about it?”  HUFFPO

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:: Republican Roy LaHood reported to be Obama's choice for transportation secretary.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Peoria, Illinois congressman Ray LaHood, who is a moderate Republican with an excellent rep on Capitol Hill, has been asked to take a cabinet position in the Obama administration.

“LaHood, a long-time staff aide to the affable then-House Minority Leader Bob Michel (R-Ill.) who took his boss's seat when Michel retired, was elected along with a tide of Republicans led by Newt Gingrich. But he did not follow the same highly partisan path that characterized the class elected with him.

Among those LaHood maintained a friendly relationship with over the years is White House chief of staff- designate Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), whose aggressive style infuriated many Republicans but whom LaHood praised publicly for competence and pragmatism.”  Chicago Tribune

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:: Liz Moynihan endorses Caroline Kennedy.

“No one in New York politics knows more about the state than Liz Moynihan. No New Yorker knows more about how to do the job of senator than Liz does, especially after living through the day-to-day duties of Pat Moynihan's years as chairman of two committees including Finance, the senate's most important committee. And no one else can tell us what Pat Moynihan would think about who should be the next person to take his old seat in the Senate. Liz Moynihan has just released this statement about Caroline Kennedy:

“Caroline is a very intelligent, serious person with a long interest in government and the Constitution. As a US Senator she could be a great help to New York. I'm sure Pat would be thrilled to see her in that seat.””  HUFFPO

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:: TIME names Obama "Person of the Year".

“In one of the craziest elections in American history, he overcame a lack of experience, a funny name, two candidates who are political institutions and the racial divide to become the 44th President of the United States.” TIME

 

 

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:: Tom Vilsack will be Obama's nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, and Ken Salazar the nominee for Secretary of the Interior.

“Mr. Vilsack, who has spent the fall semester as a political fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, works as a lawyer in Des Moines. Four years ago, he was among those who were considered to be a running mate for Senator John Kerry. He was not on the short list of candidates to join Mr. Obama’s ticket this year, but agreed to join the Obama-Biden cabinet as Agriculture Secretary.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, Mr. Obama is set to name Senator Ken Salazar, a Colorado Democrat, as his Interior secretary and Mr. Vilsack to lead the Department of Agriculture.”  NYT

Image credits: Wikimedia Commons

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:: Obama charms Republicans.

In an outreach heretofore unseen from an incoming president, Obama is reaching out to GOP members of the House and Senate with personal phone calls.

““It appears to me that he has made a very genuine and aggressive attempt to reach out,” said Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.), ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, who received what he described as “a very nice courtesy call” from Obama.

“He said he wanted to work with me and I said that I wanted to be as constructive as possible,” said Gregg, describing the conversation. “I very much appreciate it. I think there’s not any question it makes a difference. It sets the right tone and it’s the way to get things done.”

Rep. Pete King (N.Y.), the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, said that Obama’s earliest calls to Republicans with power over economic and security issues shed light on his priorities for the 111th Congress.

“It shows that he’s focusing on security and the economy,” said King. “I welcome the outreach.””  TheHill.com

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:: The Republican revolt against the RNC's attempts to falsely tie Obama to the Blagojevich scandal continues.

In the IPD daily summary yesterday, we told you that former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, had ripped in to RNC chairman, Mike Duncan, for his blatant attempts to tie Obama to the disgraced governor. Today, more Republican voices have joined with Gingrich in their condemnation of the RNC tactic. A wise, self-preservational move if you look at the poll numbers detailed in an article from the Washington Post.

“The sentiments expressed publicly by Gingrich and Ruffini are echoed privately by a number of Republican strategists who view the attempts to link Blagojevich and Obama as nothing more than a fool's errand given the lack of evidence that the public sees any real connection between the two men.”

“Calling the video a "destructive distraction," Gingrich added: "This ad is a terrible signal to be sending about both the goals of the Republican Party in the midst of the nation's troubled economic times and about whether we have actually learned anything from the defeats of 2006 and 2008."

His chorus of dissent was joined later in the day by Patrick Ruffini, a prominent online voice for Republicans. (Ruffini was the e-campaign director for the RNC during the 2006 election cycle and did the same for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.)

In a post on post on The Next Right (a new-ish online gathering place for conservatives), Ruffini wrote:

"It's fair to say that any residual connections Obama may have with Gov. Blagojevich as a result of being an Illinois Senator are not the strongest part of our argument. I can understand the desire to go at Obama. But with Obama at 76% approval for the transition, our hits against him have to be clean hits, or they will blow up in our face."

The sentiments expressed publicly by Gingrich and Ruffini are echoed privately by a number of Republican strategists who view the attempts to link Blagojevich and Obama as nothing more than a fool's errand given the lack of evidence that the public sees any real connection between the two men.

As we wrote earlier this week, the strategy adopted by the RNC poses a real risk to the party because of Obama's strength and Republicans' weakness in the eyes of voters.

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll more than three in four voters approve of the way Obama has handled the transition and a majority (51 percent) of of independents said he had done enough to explain any conversations his aides had with Blagojevich.

Compare those solid numbers to a new national poll from Gallup that shows just one in four adults approving of the way Republicans in Congress are doing their job while 69 percent disapprove. (In fairness, congressional Democrats' numbers weren't much better: 37 approve/55 disapprove.)

So, what should Republicans do -- given that they are out of power at the executive and legislative level?

Gingrich boils it down to a single sentence: "Republicans should be eager to work with [Obama] when he is right, and, when he is wrong, offer a better solution, instead of just opposing him."

Ruffini is more expansive -- offering three solutions, the savviest of which is to push the idea that Democrats are seeking to rob voters of a say in Illinois by refusing to pass legislation that would create a special election to fill Obama's Senate seat.

The RNC may be listening. Duncan released a statement Tuesday evening on the need for a special election. "We agree with President-elect Barack Obama that his Senate seat belongs to the people of Illinois," said Duncan. "The only way the people's voice will be heard and Illinois can end the taint of the Blagojevich scandal is to have a special election."”  Washington Post

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The Senate, the Bailout, and Politics as Usual

UPDATE 2 - 4:00pm:  WXYZ, a Detroit area ABC affiliate, has confirmed that the Treasury is going to step in and lend the automakers $14 billion to stay afloat short term.

WATCH the report on wxyz.com

UPDATE 1 - 12:25pm:  WXYZ, a Detroit area ABC affiliate, just announced that Treasury Secretary Paulson is going to release $14 billion in short-term loans to the automakers.

This has not yet been confirmed, but the source is from Rep. Sander Levin's office. 

From an AP report, earlier:

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United Auto Workers union is welcoming the Bush administration's vow to prevent the possible failure of any U.S. automakers in the next few weeks.
After the Senate rejected a $14 billion rescue plan for the industry, the White House today says the economy "could not withstand a body blow" that a "disorderly bankruptcy in the auto industry" would create.
Bush press secretary Dana Perino says Congress doesn't "have the votes to do anything," so the White House will have to consider other options.
The Treasury Department says it "will stand ready to prevent an imminent failure until Congress reconvenes" and takes action.
Tapping the $700 billion financial rescue is one of the few remaining options for General Motors and Chrysler, which have said the could run out of cash within weeks.

:: The Senate is playing politics as usual concerning the auto bailout, the dissent led by Sen. Shelby.

14 out of 35 votes against the bill came from the South, the Republican charge led by Alabama Sen. Shelby, the man who has succeeded in providing at least three, possibly four, foreign automakers in his state with BILLIONS in US taxpayer funds. WTF? How wrong is this? Shelby obviously has a very vested interest in the failure of the big three, as do the politicians in Kentucky, South Carolina, Mississippi and Texas.

Additionally, the GOP is interested in using this bailout as a union-busting tool, at the expense of the rest of the country, and millions of American jobs.They should be ashamed to call themselves Americans.

Conservatives Use Auto Rescue To Engage In Union Busting Campaign» - Think Progress

>>WATCH as the worldwide financial markets react negatively to this news. U.S. Stocks, Dollar, Oil Tumble After Auto-Rescue Bill Fails 

Image credit: Bloomberg.com

>>WATCH: What's next for the big 3?

The best single source for breaking news and background on the auto bailout is on wxyz.com, an abc affiliate, and the leading source for news in the Detroit area.

>>Contact the White House to demand action by President Bush on this issue.

Mailing Address
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Phone Numbers
Comments:202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX:             202-456-2461
TTY/TDD
Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121

E-Mail

Send your comments to [email protected]. Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House cannot respond to every message.Note: Please submit messages in text format only. This inbox is unable to receive e-mails that contain graphics or attachments. After it arrives, you will receive an e-mail confirmation indicating successful delivery.
Vice President Richard Cheney: [email protected]

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Day Two of the Blagojevich Corruption Scandal

| The arrest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich [D-IL] on Monday, remains the headliner on newspapers, and blogs, pushing all else aside. The fallout can only be unreliably predicted.

Some of the headlines today:

> The Early Word: Blagojevich Fallout - NYT

>  Illinois Governor in Corruption Scandal - NYT

>  Blagojevich plans to return to work on Wednesday - CNN

>  FBI: Ill. Gov. Tried To Sell Senate Seat - The Washington Post

>  Editorial: Resign, governor - The Chicago Tribune

| The disclosures continue, and I'll do my best to keep you updated throughout the day. The revelations regarding Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, began yesterday, so do check out my day one  post in order to get caught up if you haven't yet done so.

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Daily Political News Round-Up - Friday, December 5, 2008

►Is Impeachment now out of the question? Bush admin rids us of a reg from the Reagan years.

From Think Progress:

“Interior Dept. overturns regulation, clearing the way for concealed, loaded firearms into national parks”

“Today, the Department of Interior overturned a Reagan-era regulation, permitting loaded firearms at 388 of 391 national park sites. The decision allows guns in parks in “any states with concealed carry laws, not just those that allow guns in their state parks as originally proposed.” While the Department cited safety concerns as a factor, the National Park Conservation Association notes.”

President-elect Obama Announces His National Security Team [of rivals] - Video and Complete Transcript

President-elect Obama announces his "team of rivals" as with a statement deriding "group think", he turns a page in history. You may now (well almost - she still has to undergo confirmation hearings) call Hillary Clinton "Madame Secretary". As I type, President-elect Obama is formally announcing his national security team, which will include Hillary Clinton as the secretary of state, Susan Rice as the US ambassador to the UN, General James L. Jones as national security advisor, Eric Holder as the attorney general, Janet Napolitano as the secretary of homeland security, and Robert Gates as the secretary of defense. Video and transcript after the jump.

Daily Political News Round-Up - Tuesday, November 25, 2008

►Bush is handing out Presidential pardons to a group of people who created the last financial meltdown in the 1980's. Despicable and predictable.

“President George W. Bush has not thus far granted many pardons, but he has been generous in coming to the aid of one particular constituency group: S&L executives and others who swindled thrifts in the mid-1980’s.” HARPER'S MAGAZINE

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►The New York Post reported today that Ann Coulter has broken  her jaw, and her mouth is now wired shut.
Seriously. I am LMAO, however, nothing will shut up the nasty Ms. Coulter as long as her fingers are intact. Too bad.

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►According to ABC News, Robert Gates will be staying on as the Secretary of Defense for at least one year.

“The former Eagle Scout is expected to be rolled out immediately after the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend as part of a larger national security team expected to include Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, as Secretary of State; Marine Gen. Jim Jones (Ret.) as National Security Adviser; Admiral Dennis Blair (Ret.) as Director of National Intelligence; and Dr. Susan Rice as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.”

Daily Political News Round-Up - Monday, November 24, 2008

►Joe Biden's longtime aide and friend, Edward Kaufman, has been named to replace him in the senate.

“Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner announced on Monday that she would name Mr. Kaufman, the senator’s chief of staff for 19 years and a close personal friend, to fill the vacancy through 2010. Mr. Kaufman, 69, said he intended to retire after two years, leaving opening the possibility that Senator Biden’s son Beau, the state’s attorney general, could run in 2010.” NYT

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►According to ABC News, Susan Rice will likely be Obama's UN Ambassador.

“ABC News has learned that Dr. Susan Rice has emerged as the leading candidate to be President-elect Obama's nominee as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.” Jake Tapper - ABC News
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►Obama announces economic team appointments - Obama has formally announced the appointments of Tim Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury, Larry Summers as Director of the National Economic Council, Christina Romer as  Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, and Melody Barnes as Chair of the  Domestic Policy Counsel.  ABC News, live. 12:10pm EST.

View the video and the transcript here.

:: Melody Barnes to Run Domestic Policy Council »Think Progress
:: Obama Introduces His Economic Team  »HUFFPO
:: Obama announces economic team »Jake Tapper - ABC News

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►Yet another big bail-out of a financial services company announced by President Bush this morning. Citicorp is the latest to be added to the taxpayer dole. On the plus side, the stock market reacted favorably to the announcement.

“Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks climbed for a second day after the government said it will guarantee $306 billion of troubled Citigroup Inc. assets and Democratic lawmakers pledged to pass an economic stimulus package by January.” Bloomberg.com

:: Massive effort to rescue Citigroup »HUFFPO
:: Regulators approve a radical plan to help Citigroup »NYT

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►P-E Obama has appointed Professor Christina Romer, of UC Berkeley, to Chair President Elect Obama's Council of Economic Advisers. Great choice, kudos to Obama.

“Romer wrote, if not the book, at least the chapter for Encyclopedia Britannica on the Great Depression [pdf].” HUFFPO

:: Obama names Romer to lead Council of Economic Advisors »NYT
:: Obama appoints Christina Romer »Jake Tapper - ABC News

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►Bronx burough president, Adolfo Carrion Jr., considered for cabinet appointment.

“Adolfo Carrión Jr., the Bronx borough president, is being considered for a senior position in the Obama administration, possibly as secretary of housing and urban development, people involved in the transition said on Saturday. Mr. Carrión was elected Bronx borough president in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. He is one of several prominent Hispanic officials reportedly under consideration for a cabinet post; Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who is considered the country’s most influential Hispanic politician, is a contender for secretary of commerce.” NYT

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RELATED - RECENT POST

>Daily Political News Round-Up - Monday, November 24, 2008
>Op-Ed: About Inspire Political Discourse
>It's Torture, Not "Coercion" and Euphemisms are Unacceptable
>Full Transcript and Video of President-elect Obama's Weekly Video Address to the Nation, November 22, 2008
>Video of President-elect Obama's Weekly Address to the Nation as He Promises to Take Action on the Economy Immediately Upon Taking Office
>Jon Stewart and the Somali Pirates

Political News Round-up - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

►Eric Holder to be named Obama's attorney general [Holder was Clinton's deputy attorney general], and thus the first Aftrican-American US Attorney General. According to Charles Gibson on ABC World News, two senior Democratic senators told ABC that they expect Holder to be confirmed.

“President-elect Obama has decided to tap Eric Holder as his attorney general, putting the veteran Washington lawyer in place to become the first African-American to head the Justice Department, according to two legal sources close to the presidential transition.”  NEWSWEEK
:: Holder to be named attorney general   »MSNBC
:: Barack Obama picks Eric Holder as first black attorney general  »Weekly Telegraph - UK

►As we told you yesterday that he would, Lieberman has kept his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee but lost his chairmanship of the Environment and Public Works subcommittee, which is a minor post. This so ticks me off. Update: New movement - LOL- today is "International Laugh at Joe Lieberman Day".

“How about we make the rest of the calendar year International Grow Some Mother Fracking Balls Day, and deluge the rest of the Senate Democrats?”  Jason Linkins

Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel?

ABC News reports that President-Elect Obama has asked Rahm Emanuel to take the position of the White House Chief of Staff.

Emanuel, a knowledgeable source tells ABC News, has not yet given his answer. The sharp-tongued, sharp-elbowed, keenly intelligent veteran of the Clinton White House is said to have ambitions to some day be Speaker of the House. But he also has a keen sense of "duty."

Today on "Good Morning America" ABC's George Stephanopoulos reported Obama likes the fact that Emanuel "knows policy, knows politics, knows Capitol Hill" and has told associates that Emanuel would "have his back."

From Inspire Emotion: Live Blogging Election Day

Good morning. Are you ready? I am SO ready! Bring it on, let the ballots roll, baby! 

A few tips: - Take your government-issued ID and your cell phone, if you have one. If you have problems, or see problems, call a hotline immediately (see below). If you have trouble with your registration, ask for a provisional ballot.
- Avoid Straight Party Voting, if it's an option in your state. Vote for each race individually, even if it takes a little longer. 
- Verify your vote. If you’re voting on an electronic voting machine, check the review screen to make sure it reflects your vote. If the machine produces a paper record, check as you go along that everything is working correctly. If not, speak to a polling attendant—don’t leave until you’re sure your vote has been properly recorded.
- Document problems - If you encounter difficulties, or see others experiencing difficulties (excessive lines, voter harassment, malfunctioning machines, etc.), make a detailed record. Get all the facts you can—location, names, specific problem.
- Report problems encountered during voting to 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683), which has volunteer lawyers in 15 locations standing by to provide rapid-response assistance. [.....]

TRACKING [times are EST]

◄ 11:00PM |  ABC News has just projected Barack Obama to be the 44th president of the United States with at least 297 electoral votes!

◄ 11:25PM |
Obama >338-EV
Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Virginia, California, Colorado, Colorado, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Iowa,
McCain > 155-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Arizona, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 11:00PM |
Obama >297-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Virginia, California, Washington, Oregon, Iowa,
McCain > 145-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 10:42PM | 
Obama >207-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Iowa,
McCain > 141-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah,
◄ 10:02PM |  Obama takes Iowa!
Obama >207-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*, Iowa,
McCain > 138-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Utah,
◄ 9:40PM |  Barack takes Ohio! It is very unlikely at this point that McCain can get to 270 electoral votes. A Republican has never become the president without taking Ohio*.
Obama >200-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania*, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Ohio*, New Mexico*,
McCain > 130-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia, W. Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi,
◄ 9:05PM |  Dems have picked up 4 Senate seats thus far.
Obama >174-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Michigan, New York, Minnesota,
McCain > 90-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, N. Dakota, Wyoming, Georgia
◄ 8:30PM |  Elizabeth Dole has lost the Senate race in NC.
Obama >102-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania,
McCain > 49-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas,
◄ 8:01PM |
Obama >102-EV
>Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, Wash. D.C., New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Pennsylvania,
McCain > 34-EV
>Kentucky, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Carolina
◄7:36PM | CNN has an excellent electoral map, and allows you to track things like which states are processing votes, etc.. I am using the info from ABC live television for tracking, however.So far, Vermont has gone to Obama, and Kentucky for McCain. No surprises there.
* indicates battleground states

ELECTION NEWS and whatever.....

► Ha ha. Palin hates the blogosphere and also said that she would like to “help improve the profession because she has “great respect for the world of journalism.” ” [.....]Yeah, I bet. By shutting down our first amendment rights, no doubt..
► Exit polls indicate that 8 out of 10 people say that the economy is the most important issue.
► In the Detroit area (listening to wxyz in Detroit now), the wait is 6+ hours, largely due to understaffing. Although the polls close at 8pm in Detroit, if you are in line at 8pm, you will be able to vote.
►In an interview on CNN today, Rick Sanchez makes Joe the Plumber look like what he is -- an opportunistic idiot who needs to get a clue. [video]
► An hour ago (approx. 4:30pm EST) the GOP filed a lawsuit re provisional ballots in Ohio. No news on the net as of now.
► From MSNBC - heavy voting reported as polls approach closing times.
► DAMN the GOP! GOP Poll Watchers in Indiana Violated Court Order On Foreclosure Lists
► I am so freakin' tired -- I could not sleep last night. *sigh*
► Ten reasons why you should ignore exit polling data.
► Reports of voting problems all across Virginia this morning.
► The Alaska state polls will be the last to close tonight, at 12am EST. The last to close that will truly matter are California, Oregon, and Washington, at 11pm EST.
► African-American community in Florida, only one machine.
► GOP Officials Trying To Disqualify Iowa Student Ballots
► Across the country, polling places report long lines and heavy turnout.
► In California, same sex couples rush to beat the ballot. “With polls showing the outcome of a ballot measure on Tuesday on outlawing same-sex marriage in California a tossup, couples were not taking any chances on Monday”
► Who is funding California's Proposition 8? “The Mormons' donations are well known, and are a source of outrage among the church's more moderate elements. But little attention has been focused on two of the proposition's biggest individual donors: Elsa Broekhuizen, the mother of Blackwater founder Erik Prince, and Howard F. Ahmanson Jr., the reclusive theocratic millionaire who inherited $300 million from his philanthropist father at age 18.”
► Keith Olbermann produces evidence (cue cards) that Palin was scripted to compliment Tina Fey for her  impression when she appeared on SNL but ad-libbed and left the line out. Not really surprising as she is known in Alaska as an inveterate  grudgeholder.[video]
► At 7AM, 1000+ students lined up to vote at Penn State [video]
► John Kerry on the short list for Secretary of State [.....]
► Carl Rove predicts huge win for Obama: “The final Rove & Co. electoral map of the 2008 election cycle points to a 338-200 Barack Obama electoral vote victory over John McCain tomorrow, the largest electoral margin since 1996. ” Projections from other pundits.
► Palin's doctor released a brief letter summarizing her medical history. There are still many unanswered questions about her last pregnancy.

Cross-posted on Inspire Emotion. Comments accepted on Inspire Emotion only.

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