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Friday’s Mini-Report

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Today’s edition of quick hits.

* War breaks out between Russia and Georgia: “Russian and Georgian military forces clashed in the separatist province of South Ossetia on Friday, with Russian tanks and troops pushing in after a Georgian assault on the disputed area. Russia, which has peacekeeping troops in the area, said it was coming to the defense of its citizens, who it says were threatened by Georgian aircraft, tanks and artillery. Georgia’s president, meanwhile, said the two countries were at war, and he called on the United States to back up its support of a nation that is vying to become a member of NATO.”

* For more on developments in Russia, They Gave Us A Republic and James Joyner offer some solid coverage of today’s events.

* The political angle to the conflict: “The situation on the Russia-Georgia border today is a undoubtedly a complicated situation. But it would be difficult for John McCain to give a credible response since his top foreign policy advisor, Randy Scheunemann, was until recently a paid lobbyist for the Georgian government.”

* Sadr is offering a deal: “Anti-American Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr would dissolve his Mehdi Army militia if the United States started withdrawing troops according to a set timetable, a spokesman said…. Sadr’s decision to link disarming his militia to a U.S. withdrawal comes at a crucial point in talks between Baghdad and Washington over a security pact to provide a legal basis for U.S. troops in Iraq when a U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year.”

* Also in Iraq: “A car bomb in the northern town of Tal Afar killed 21 people and wounded 72, police said, an attack that demonstrated the potential for violence that persists in a country that has become far more peaceful over the past year. Police said the bomb struck a crowded vegetable market.”

* An attack on Iran “could backfire by strengthening Tehran’s resolve to acquire the bomb.”

* John Boehner managed to tear himself off the golf course. What a trooper.

* All manner of interesting: “The Justice Department investigation into the firings of nine U.S. attorneys has been extended to encompass allegations that senior White House officials played a role in providing false and misleading information to Congress, according to numerous sources involved in the inquiry. The widened scope raises the possibility that investigators will pursue criminal charges against some administration officials, and recommend appointment of a special prosecutor if there is evidence of criminal misconduct.”

* I think the book is true: “Ron Suskind’s bombshell report — that the CIA essentially forged a letter in late 2003 linking Saddam Hussein to 9/11 and nuclear weapons — has been getting knocked around all week. And so far, it’s holding up well under scrutiny.”

* Facts and reality notwithstanding, Stephen Johnson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, refuses to resign.

* Will Farrell vs. John McCain.

* Conservative pundits follow instructions and stick to the Republican Party script, parts I, II, III, and IV.

* As it turns out, yes, things can get worse for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who now faces a new set of felony charges.

* Gingrich is hopelessly confused.

* Fox News confuses the Iranian and the Iraqi flags. The network is unique in its ability to screw up both big and little things.

* And finally, the Spin of the Week, by way of senior International Olympic Committee official Arne Ljungqvist, who said the deadly air pollution in Beijing is “mist,” not a “major risk” and blamed the media for hyping the non-problem. Yes, “mist.” Riiiiiight.

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

Comments

  • Racer X

    says:

    “…the CIA essentially forged a letter in late 2003 linking Saddam Hussein to 9/11 and nuclear weapons…”

    And that, media morons, USED to be the kind of thing that the “fourth estate” cared about. But I’ll bet we get more stories about Edwards’ tawdry affair this weekend than we get about the sitting president lying us into a war that has (so far) cost over half a trillion dollars and perhaps a million lives.

    And your lack of interest in such important matters practically insures a repeat.

    Ptui.

  • Dale

    says:

    the deadly air pollution in Beijing is “mist,” not a “major risk” and blamed the media for hyping the non-problem. Yes, “mist.” Riiiiiight.

    🙂 In the Stephen King meaning of the word perhaps. Or maybe it’s just Myst.

  • petorado

    says:

    “the deadly air pollution in Beijing is “mist,” not a “major risk” and blamed the media for hyping the non-problem”

    I wasn’t aware there were Republicans on the staff of IOC. Heck of a job Arne!

  • TCG

    says:

    * Fox News confuses the Iranian and the Iraqi flags. The network is unique in its ability to screw up both big and little things.

    Well this is not a bad as Bush and Bremer creating the New Iraqi Flag to look like the Israeli flag back in 2004.

  • TCG

    says:

    * I think the book is true: “Ron Suskind’s bombshell report……..

    It is a good book and fun to read. It is not just another Bush F’d up read all about it book. Go get it.

  • MsJoanne

    says:

    TCG says: It is not just another Bush F’d up read all about it book.

    As an avid reader, I doubt I have enough time remaining on this earth to read all the books about how Bush fucked up…even if I lived to be 200 years old (or about the age of the Senator from AZ).

  • ROTFLMLiberalAO

    says:

    Best line of the week that you probably didn’t see:

    McCain could dismiss W. as a lightweight, but he knows Obama’s smart. Obama wrote his own books, while McCain’s were written by Salter. McCain knows he’s the affirmative action scion of admirals who might not have gotten through Annapolis without being a legacy. Obama didn’t even tell Harvard Law School that he was black on his application.

    Barack has been covering his tracks since he was 9. Every move and every step has been calculated to bring him to this moment now. There aren’t any affairs to uncover. No blow jobs in limos. No affairs a la Edwards. Barack is way to smart to have shit himself that way.

    Of course, the republicans are trying to dig up and defame. But it is a hilarious effort. They’ve got less than nothing. There aren’t any uncovered tracks. They’ve been outsmarted every step of the way. Truly: Since he was 9 he has been planning this! Good luck finding any dirt suckers…

    Did you see this NYTimes story on Barack’s teaching at the Uni. of Chicago? Read it from the perspective of “republicans trying to dig up and defame.”

    There is nothing there. All the republicans cited in the article can do is bitch about the fact that he didn’t assert his personal opinions in the classroom. Since there is a history of republicans bitching about liberal professors asserting their politics in the classroom… there is a rich irony here. Now the Socratic method isn’t good enough either…

    You see?
    They’ve got less than nothing. All the tracks have been covered.
    And we’ve got the most perfect candidate. He has had his eyes on this prize since he was 9.
    He is winning. We are lucky as hell to have him.

    I said in an earlier post this week I wouldn’t contribute to his campaign until he called the liars out on their lies. He has done so. Twice. I am back in. Today is payday.

    Let’s kick some dirty-old-man republican ass.
    Let’s wipe that creepy smile off of McCreepy’s face:

    https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/baracksresponse?source=feature

  • TCG

    says:

    Conservative pundits follow instructions and stick to the Republican Party script, parts I, II, III,

    Oh, Noonan. Here’s some good Noonan quotes. First a prescient one. Here’s Noonan warning Bush about homeland security and the importance of FEMA circa January 12, 2001.

    And that is homeland security. The fact that we have virtually nothing protecting our continent from nuclear attack, from missile attack, that we have no infrastructure created to deal with nuclear terrorist attack, no strong broad civil-defense system to deal with chemical or biological attack, that we are utterly open to and vulnerable to cyber-terrorism, that we have an essentially unwarned populace. And this when everyone in Washington knows what’s coming, and knows that the only question is when.

    You would do a great service to speak of these things in your inaugural. But it would cost you because it would be unpleasant. People won’t like it. But they need to hear it. They need someone to say, at least somewhere and soon if not next week: This is going to happen, and we have to unite and take strong measures now. (Maybe this is best for the State of the Union. And maybe a way to approach it is to make the Federal Emergency Management Agency, long a backwater, one of the most crucial government agencies. Maybe you signaled your intentions by putting Joe Albaugh, your friend and confidante, in charge of it.

    Bush doesn’t read the newspapers so he missed these warnings. And here is Noonan after one too many belts of Koolaid circa January 30, 2003, running on about George Bush’s Leadership being a gift from god.

    This, truly, is a good man. And that is a rare thing. Agree with Mr. Bush’s stands or disagree, there can be no doubting the depth of his seriousness and the degree to which he attempts to do what he is convinced is right, and to lead his country toward that vision of rightness. We have had many unusual men as president and some seemed like a gift and some didn’t. Mr. Bush seems uniquely resolved to be as courageous as the times require and as helpful as they allow. There is a profound authenticity to him, and a fearlessness too.

    A steady hand on the helm in high seas, a knowledge of where we must go and why, a resolve to achieve safe harbor. More and more this presidency is feeling like a gift.

    Yep. Noonan. Watching GEORGE BUSH and his steady hand on the helm guiding our nation through the stormy seas IS LIKE A GIFT FROM GOD.

    Take what these people write with a grain of salt.

  • Shalimar

    says:

    “The Justice Department investigation into the firings of nine U.S. attorneys has been extended to encompass allegations that senior White House officials played a role in providing false and misleading information to Congress, according to numerous sources involved in the inquiry. The widened scope raises the possibility that investigators will pursue criminal charges against some administration officials, and recommend appointment of a special prosecutor if there is evidence of criminal misconduct.”

    Why do I get the feeling that the fact the Justice Department was allowed to expand the investigation is evidence pardons are definitely coming in January and this is just running out the clock so no charges are filed before then?

  • libra

    says:

    * The political angle to the conflict: “The situation on the Russia-Georgia border today is a undoubtedly a complicated situation. But it would be difficult for John McCain to give a credible response since his top foreign policy advisor, Randy Scheunemann, was until recently a paid lobbyist for the Georgian government.”

    Not that Georgia is “without a blemish” but Russia, like Bush, seems to have “selective attitude” when it comes to freedom, human rights, etc. According to Russia, Ossetia should be allowed to secede (from Georgia) and they’re gonna do everything they can to “help” Ossetia gain independence. But, when Kosovo wants independence (from Serbia, Russia’s staunch ally)… Not to mention Chechnya (from Mother Rossiya herself)… Then, all of a sudden, it’s “NYET”.

    So, maybe, Scheunemann’s biggest sin was taking the money and not doing a good enough job of actually making Georgia’s case to the American public. But, getting paid for being inefficient (at best and thieving at worst) is what Republicans *do*. Lobbying for Georgia doesn’t compare with lobbying for Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan or Burma.
    ____________________________

    Anti-gay Phelps group sneaks into Canada — Michael W, @11

    I hope Canada *keeps* them. Maybe in a nice, cold, gulag somewhere, laying train tracks through a forest.

  • 2Manchu

    says:

    Well, it’s a good thing for the Russians that the whole John Edwards flap came out immediately after their attack on Georgia, otherwise their operation might get more coverage on CNN, FNC, and MSNBC.

    Seriously, I spent an hour watching all three looking for news on the fighting in Georgia (didn’t have the internet available), and all of them spent the entire time talking about Edwards’ affair.

    Gotta love American news channels.

  • libra

    says:

    Another “plug” for the Electoral Vote site (no connection, just a satisfied customer):
    http://www.electoral-vote.com/
    and its daily posting. Several subjects are discussed (with links), including the sTinker story, but this quote caught my eye:

    CQ Politics has catalogued all the votes in the Senate and House during the Bush presidency and produced a table of how pro/anti Bush each member was and how often each member voted the party line. For example, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) voted the Democratic Party line 98% of the time. Senators Brown, Leahy, Whitehouse, Kennedy, and Durbin scored 97%. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) was the only Republican to score a 98% party-line vote, but senators Bunning, Allard, Barrasso, Vitter, Isakson, Kyl, Inhofe, and Cornyn all scored 97%. Over in the House, 27 Democrats and 8 Republicans clocked in at 99% or more.

    The least faithful Democratic senator was Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) at 56% and the least faithful Republican senator was Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) at 59%. The least faithful House Democrat was Bud Cramer (AL-05) at 71% and the least faithful House Republican was Christopher Shays (CT-04) at 70%. The table also shows how often each member supported President Bush. For example, Barack Obama supported Bush 40% of the time and John McCain was aboard the Bush bandwagon 90% of the time. The much-maligned Sen. Joe Lieberman, who many Democrats regard as a traitor, voted with the Democrats 87% of the time, a tad better than blogosphere darling Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) who came in at 86% and also better than Sen. Evan Bayh (81%) who is considered a possible Obama Veep. Senators and representatives often have a public image that does not jibe with their actual voting records. The table is enlightening.
    _________________________

    Warren Street, @17,

    A few days ago, I nearly compared the “New! Improved! (Murdoch! Fournier!)” AP to TASS. Decided not to, because I didn’t think most Carpetbagger readers would know what TASS was. Now, I find myself — egg all over my face — having to ask: what in hell’s name is ITAR? (even my spell-checker doesn’t know, though it recognizes TASS)

  • doubtful

    says:

    Yeah, it’s mist. It’s like when you exhale on a cold day and you can see your breath. Only it’s from cars and factories. And it’s warm.

  • Warren Street

    says:

    Information Telegraph Agency of Russia
    Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union or Telegrafnoe Agentstvo Sovetskogo Soyuza (TASS)

    Sort of a smashing together of two organizations that can mainline bullshit into the public arena…

  • The Answer is Orange

    says:

    Announcer 1. “And here come the judges’ scores on Mr. Ljungqvist’s* triple reverse spin.”

    Announcer 2. “He certainly stuck that landing – Oh, would you look at that! 9.9, 9.8, 10, 10 9.7 and another 10! The President is standing up to cheer!”

    Christ. When athletes start keeling over he’ll call them “Big babies who are making a big fuss over a little not-smog.”

    Also, re: White Supremacist – I guess the membership has been falling off for a while, but please keep hoping for that “backlash.” The SS thinks that sort of thing is hilarious.

    Now, who wants to help me set up and patrol a three layer razor wire fence along the Canadian border so Phred Felch and his brood can’t come back?

    *I initially read his last name as “Lungqvist.”

  • Prup (aka Jim Benton)

    says:

    Ironically, I could have scooped you on the Russian War, CB. My wife’s psychotherapist is Russian, an emigree, yes, but someone who vacations ‘back home’ every year (in Moscow, in February — the mind boggles as the body shivers). Today, during my wife’s session, the therapist got a call from someone from home who told her this, but I didn’t take it seriously. She also heard, from her friend, that at least some Russians believe America will automatically support Greorgia ‘to gain position’ against Russia.

  • Michael W

    says:

    Absolutely stunning opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics. It’s hard to imagine how any country is going to top that any time soon.

    I’ll say one thing for the Chinese government. When they put on a spectacle, they really put on a spectacular one.

  • Crissa

    says:

    Although, Russian forces wouldn’t have anyone to shoot at if Georgian forces hadn’t entered… Not that I’m a friend of Russia, but it’s not like they have troops in Abkhazia, which is also reporting Georgian aggression.

  • Maria

    says:

    Decided not to, because I didn’t think most Carpetbagger readers would know what TASS was

    Aw, libra, that’s some serious misunderestimation, as our CinC would say.

  • libra

    says:

    Maria, @26,

    35yrs ago (which is when I left Poland), I knew what TASS was — the only official source of news — and have even heard of Reuters. But, AP? Who dat? Figured the reverse might have been true in US, since minutiae like that aren’t mentioned often and remain obscure to most population.

    After someone asked me — 30yrs ago, when Poland was still a long way from freeing itself from the “red regime” (only to fall under the spell of the “black regime”, alas) — whether I met my husband while he was *stationed there with NATO*… The guy who asked that question had a very firm opinion on how bad communism was but, apparently, never heard of the Warsaw Pact…