Wednesday’s Mini-Report

August 1, 2007

Today’s edition of quick hits.

* I suspect this won’t surprise anyone: “President Bush is expected to claim executive privilege to prevent two more White House aides from testifying before Congress about the firings of federal prosecutors. Thursday is the deadline for Karl Rove, Bush’s top political adviser, to provide testimony and documents related to the firings, under a subpoena from the Senate Judiciary Committee. Also subpoenaed was White House political aide J. Scott Jennings. The Justice Department included both men on e-mails about the firings and the administration’s response to the congressional investigation.” Presumably, the no-oath, no-transcript offer still stands.

* Donald Rumsfeld showed up for a House hearing on Pat Tillman’s death, but he wasn’t able to shed too much light on the subject. “Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Wednesday there was no evidence of a cover-up of the circumstances of Army Ranger Cpl. Pat Tillman’s death. ‘I know that I would not engage in a cover-up. I know that no one in the White House suggested such a thing to me,’ Rumsfeld testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is examining what senior Defense Department officials knew about Tillman’s death and when they knew it.”

* There’s been some talk about whether Speaker Pelosi would give the green light to an effort within her caucus to impeach Alberto Gonzales. Pelosi is reportedly cool to the idea, but she acknowledged today that impeachment is “merited.” She added, “I’ve called for the resignation of the attorney general. But right now, we’re focusing on health care for America’s children, a strong energy bill for energy independence, lobby reform. … If that’s something he wants to introduce, I think there are certainly grounds.”

* Speaking of the Speaker, Harold Meyerson had a good column on Pelosi’s underrated skills as a leader. It’s a good point.

* Rep. Jack Murtha’s (D-Pa.) latest withdrawal plan appears to be just about dead, scuttled this time by opposition from the left.

* Never one to let an opportunity slip by, Hillary Clinton’s campaign is going to the well again, hoping to capitalize one more time on the Edelman letter, this time in response to Dick Cheney’s bizarre defense of the correspondence.

* A sign of progress on Darfur? “The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize a force of about 26,000 U.N. peacekeepers to help end more than four years of violence in the Darfur region of Sudan, which has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions from their homes.”

* Military officers continue to insist that AQI isn’t the main threat in Iraq; Shiite militias are.

* Sen. David Vitter’s (R-La.) sex scandal isn’t quite over yet — the senator’s “favorite escort” is scheduled to testify as a prosecution witness at Palfrey’s trial.

* David Frum thinks the GOP is in trouble because there aren’t enough white people.

* My friend Cliff Schecter let me know about a fun “My Bad Boss” contest. You’ll like the prize for the winner: an all-expenses paid vacation, which presumably the winner will have earned by virtue of their awful employer.

* Oh, Canada: “It may seem like a quiet country where not much happens besides ice hockey, curling and beer drinking. But our neighbor to the north is proving to be quite the draw for thousands of disgruntled Americans. The number of U.S. citizens who moved to Canada last year hit a 30-year high, with a 20 percent increase over the previous year and almost double the number who moved in 2000.”

* Oh my: “On the July 31 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh claimed that Democrats have ‘aligned themselves with the enemy’ in Iraq and went on to assert: ‘The enemy kills more soldiers, their spokesmen here in the U.S. are the Democrats. When we kill more of the enemy, the Democrats are silent and they say nothing.’ He continued: ‘But when we have reports of, you know, another IED, or pictures of a car on fire — then the Democrats assume the role of media PR spokespeople for Al Qaeda.'”

* The International Association of Firefighters, anxious to tell the whole story about Rudy Giuliani’s 9/11 performance, is about to get some public relations assistance — from Michael Moore.

* And finally, you may have noticed on a several other blogs that folks are heading out to Chicago for YearlyKos. In case anyone’s interested, I thought I’d mention that I’m one of the small minority who won’t be able to make it this year, and I’ll be blogging away as usual during the conference. (A friend told me yesterday that I’m like the guy in the president’s cabinet who avoids the State of the Union, just in case.)

Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.

* And finally, you may have noticed on a several other blogs that folks are heading out to Chicago for YearlyKos. In case anyone’s interested, I thought I’d mention that I’m one of the small minority who won’t be able to make it this year, and I’ll be blogging away as usual during the conference. (A friend told me yesterday that I’m like the guy in the president’s cabinet who avoids the State of the Union, just in case.)

I can think of no one better to hold down the fort.

  • I love Pelosi’s line expressing skepticism about the Petraeus Report:

    “”The plural of anecdote is not data,”

  • I’d like to enter the Bad Boss contest because I think I’d have a good chance of winning, but I’m self-employed and my boss wouldn’t give me time off if I won the vacation anyway. No respect.

  • Ah, the Petraeus Report:

    “There are now 200% more soccer balls in Diyala Province.”

    “The number of Dixie Cups in Baghdad exceeds prewar levels.”

    “Grommet production in Kurdistan is at an all-time high.”

    “Therefore, we need six more months to reduce the record number of civilian and military deaths in order to provide the Iraqi government with more breathing room to pass the legislation that was to have been passed by June of this year.”

  • Military officers continue to insist that AQI isn’t the main threat in Iraq; Shiite militias are.

    Clearly they hate the soldiers.

    Since this is an open thread:

    A Public Safety Announcement:

    Apparently a bridge over the Mississippi in Minneapolis has collapsed. In these calm and rational times I would advise any people in the vicinity who are darker complected than John McCain to avoid wild-eyed, fRightwing pants wetters until this is all cleared up.

    Seriously, I hope no one knows anyone who was hurt.

  • Did you hear about the major bridge collapse in Minneapolis? 6 lane bridge, major artery, 100-150′? high, 20-50 cars in the water. A federal highway…I wonder how long since george had it inspected?

  • Thank goodness that you’ll be around. All those people having themselves a good time, basking in the light of all that progressive-y goodness, while depriving me of my daily readings will probably make my attitude curdle!
    Yaaay for the CarpetBagger Report!

  • Nancy Pelosi – “The plural of anecdote is not data.”

    Why do I think that the world would be a better place if everyone thought that line was as funny/poignant/appropos as I do?

  • * I suspect this won’t surprise anyone: “President Bush is expected to claim executive privilege to prevent two more White House aides from testifying before Congress about the firings of federal prosecutors. Thursday is the deadline for Karl Rove, Bush’s top political adviser, to provide testimony and documents related to the firings, under a subpoena from the Senate Judiciary Committee. Also subpoenaed was White House political aide J. Scott Jennings. The Justice Department included both men on e-mails about the firings and the administration’s response to the congressional investigation.” Presumably, the no-oath, no-transcript offer still stands.

    Have we entered the age of the unaccountable executive?

    * * *

    * Donald Rumsfeld showed up for a House hearing on Pat Tillman’s death, but he wasn’t able to shed too much light on the subject.

    * * *

    * Speaking of the Speaker, Harold Meyerson had a good column on Pelosi’s underrated skills as a leader. It’s a good point.

    * * *

    * A sign of progress on Darfur? “The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize a force of about 26,000 U.N. peacekeepers to help end more than four years of violence in the Darfur region of Sudan, which has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions from their homes.”

    * * *

    http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3433005&page=1

    * * *

    * Oh my: “On the July 31 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh claimed that Democrats have ‘aligned themselves with the enemy’ in Iraq and went on to assert: ‘The enemy kills more soldiers, their spokesmen here in the U.S. are the Democrats. When we kill more of the enemy, the Democrats are silent and they say nothing.’ He continued: ‘But when we have reports of, you know, another IED, or pictures of a car on fire — then the Democrats assume the role of media PR spokespeople for Al Qaeda.’”

    * * *

    * The International Association of Firefighters, anxious to tell the whole story about Rudy Giuliani’s 9/11 performance, are about to get some public relations assistance — from Michael Moore.

  • Speaking of the Limberger, here’s an item: Krazy KJ over at the Dunce’s Corner celebrates Rush Limbaugh’s celebration of his 19th year of excellence in bloviating. Can’t you just feel the love? Wonder what she’s planning for his 20th…

    These people really do deserve each other, you know.

    (h/t to Steve Benen’s other job)

  • A good post on Pelosi’s under rated skills as a leader? Are you joking. Even the article has little to suggest that statement is true.

    Rather it seems to allude to the idea that the job is just too much for her. Like trying to pat head and rub tummy at the same time. Pelosi seems like a caring and wonderful person and no one is denying that or her dedication to her job, but her logic, her thinking as to what is important and what “works” is troubling to me. This is not an attack on Pelosi or her motivations but rather on her actions or her inactions as the case may be.
    Times have changed already since she became speaker and everyday more incriminating evidence, more abuses of power, more infringement on our personal freedoms demand a new look at the stance she has taken on impeachment.

    “If I were not the speaker and I were not in Congress,” she said, very quietly, as she concluded her answer, “I would probably be advocating for impeachment.” But the consequences she foresees from stopping the nation’s business for an unwinnable fight outweighs those considerations.”

    So as a citizen she would be for impeachment but as a congresswoman she cannot. Does this mean that she feels she can ignore the pleas of citizens for impeachment because now she is a member of congress and knows what is best for us or what?

    She doesn’t think it should take priority over the “nation’s business”, she doesn’t think it’s winable so it would be a waste of time; and would drop congress”s approval rating because they would not be getting anything done.

    The Republican Senators are blocking any good legislation from even coming up for a vote. Minimum wage increase only got through because it was attached to the war funding bill, kind of like by blackmail. Already know that Ethics reform bill will be blocked in the Senate, already know Child Health care Ins, will be blocked in the Senate, Energy legislation also will get blocked and so Pelosi’s policy making is taking 10X the amount of time and energy it would normally take because Senate Repubs are obstructing everything coming to it and meanwhile the WH is causing mischief everywhere.
    Re-writing the DoJ rules to allow prosecutions that would effect election outcomes, wiretapping and eavesdropping being turned over to the AG, plans to attack Iran finalized, the list goes on and on and on.

    Pelosi can’t seem to get it through her brain that congress’s disapproval rating is stemming from her refusal to impeach, from her failure to stop Bush. Pelosi can’t understand the back door approach to changing Bush’s behavior, and consequently the senate’s obstructionism is by impeachment, and it doesn’t even have to be Bush.
    Can’t turn any classified programs over to an AG who is being impeached. Impeachment would weaken WH operations as they have to deal with the increased revelations of corruption and abuse of power because with impeachment they can’t hide behind executive privilege and the truth will out. Bush’s support would dwindle as it would be seen as political suicide. And supporting Bush’s Iraq policies is supporting Bush so it would weaken Senate support. There is already enough information available to prove guilt on Cheney and Gonzales and few people like or respect either one of them but without them Bush cannot operate effectively.
    The corruption is everywhere and plenty of it so if Pelosi would just get impeachment started the votes would come and even if they didn’t congressional Democrats will be seen as strong, forceful, united and highly popular defenders of the constitution.
    They would be seen as protectors of the troops who are being held as hostages by Bush to get funding to keep his occupation going. Senate Republicans would just bring outrage against themselves as obstructionists and could not continue threatening filibusters. Impeachment is the answer to all the current problems preventing Pelosi’s “policy making”.
    The question now…Is Pelosi as stubborn as Bush in changing direction based on a changed environment? The Gonzales situation is giving her the opportunity to change directions on impeachment that hopefully will head to Cheney and HR333. His perjury happened for that reason, to give her this opportunity. I hope she takes it.

  • You got it, bjobotts.

    Regardless what you may think of Ron Paul and his candidacy for President, or whether you think he’s a “nut” as I have heard parroted time and again, you cannot deny that his message of liberty and freedom is resonating, even among the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. Hooah!

    From the August 6 edition of The Army Times (print edition only, not online):

    Washington

    Surprise fave among troops

    WHAT’S UP: Among Republicans running for president, the anti-war candidate — Texas Rep. Ron Paul — has the highest total of campaign contributions from service members, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission reports. Paul collected $14,840 from service members, slightly more than the $14,775 collected by Arizona Sen. John McCain, a supporter of the war in Iraq. The other Republican candidates got $2,600 or less from contributors who identified themselves as service members.

  • Rep. Jack Murtha’s (D-Pa.) latest withdrawal plan appears to be just about dead, scuttled this time by opposition from the left

    Ok I give up which one of his or any Democratic member of congress hasn’t been scuttled. The beat goes on, just vote us in we will end this war! Now Obama and the rest of Democrat’s continue to press the concept that we should have a larger war effort in Afgan by invading its neighbors, sounds like Nixon during the Vietnam era. A Democratic president leading the War on Terror will be the next guy to order torture (we had to do it) and enlarge the military, order more spying ( we are at war), sound familiar?

  • David Frum thinks the GOP is in trouble because there aren’t enough white people.

    Can someone send this piece of Canadian bacon that’s been left in the sun too long back where it belongs????

    Every time I think of Canada as “the civilized sector of North America,” someone reminds me he lives, and I have to completely revise my opinion.

  • “Therefore, we need six more months to reduce the record number of civilian and military deaths in order to provide the Iraqi government with more breathing room to pass the legislation that was to have been passed by June of this year.”

    There was a little thing on the front page of my paper today- a capsule summary of an article inside- that stated that July was the month with the least US fatalities in the last 8 months. What does that mean? Were these the most violent eight months of the occupation? Was the number of injuries still just as high as last month, and we just got lucky on the deaths somehow? Anyway, the next statement of the capsule summary was something about military leaders stating we are taking control of militant stronghold areas. Aren’t we always taking control of militant stronghold areas, according to them? It was a real pitch for the surge. Fox news couldn’t have done a better job of picking out a condensed piece of misleading information to put on the front page of a NJ paper and framing it so it would be maximmaly misleading to the public and celebratory of the White House.

  • Among Republicans running for president, the anti-war candidate — Texas Rep. Ron Paul — has the highest total of campaign contributions from service members, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission reports. Paul collected $14,840 from service members, slightly more than the $14,775 collected by Arizona Sen. John McCain,

    JKap, all this says to me is that the guys actually doing the fighting (not the 101st Fighting Keyboarders) want to get the f*** out of there. Not a resounding statement in support of this war. Ron Paul is still a nut.

  • From the Frum article (don’t miss it!)

    “large new community of people who are both economically struggling (and thus open to Democratic arguments) but who lack deep attachment to the American nation (and who are thus immune to the most potent of Republican appeals).”

    The most potent appeal is patriotism.
    I can’t believe one of their own would actually admit that the biggest draw the GOP can muster is loving your homeland. Something entirely independent of anything a party does. He essentially argues that the most important achievement the Republicans offer they have no actual contribution to bringing about. He’s proud of his vacuous fecklessness!

    The mind boggles.

  • Answer@6, Muchael@7.
    Quitcherbitchin. Minnesota voted for Mondale in 84.
    They can wait.

    Bill Press on Air America was polling listeners asking about Obama’s pledge to invade Pakistan.
    He said no such thing.

    I envisioned cruise missile strikes (a la Clinton) if we have good intel and Pakistan refuses to act.
    I’m unconvinced this is unreasonable. We used the same reason behind Afghanistan. Bin Laden was there, Afghanistan won’t help, we invade. (Though there’s a new rumor that the Afghans were ready to hand him over.)
    If bin Laden is in Pakistan, we ask Pakistan’s help and on refusal, we strike. Same thing. Do liberals care as little about bin Laden as Bush now? I hadn’t thought so. It’s not the song our leaders have been singing. Has Obama called a bluff he didn’t know was a bluff?

    I’d like to get that old bastard alive, but if Pakistan can’t make it happen, I’m not interested in sending more of our boys to die just to cage that monster.

  • If there was no cover up in Pat Tillman’s death, then why the hell don’t they tell his family what happened to him?

  • The GOP–like the Israelis–is on the wrong end of the demographic time bomb. David Frum doesn’t have a clue. Even Bush’s Brain (Karl Rove) realized that immigration (and acceptance) mattered to the growing Hispanic demographic. It’s a mudslide that won’t be pushed uphill.

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