Monday’s Mini-Report

June 2, 2008

Today’s edition of quick hits.

* CNN: “Sen. Edward Kennedy underwent ‘successful’ surgery for a brain tumor at Duke University Medical Center, his doctors said Monday. Doctors said Kennedy was awake during the surgery, which lasted roughly three and a half hours. Dr. Allan Friedman said Kennedy should suffer ‘no permanent neurological effects’ and he hoped the senator would have ‘an uneventful and robust recovery.'”

* The Abramoff scandal isn’t quite done yet: “A former chief of staff for an Oklahoma congressman is the latest figure caught up in prosecution of Jack Abramoff’s lobbying ring. John Albaugh, the former chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK), has been charged with a conspiracy to defraud the House of Representatives, taking perks and doling out official favors.”

* It’s probably best not to read too much into this: “Obama campaign spokesperson Bill Burton confirms to me that Obama and Hillary spoke privately on Sunday night — but those looking to read their conversation for clues to how or whether the race will end tomorrow may be disappointed. ‘They did speak,’ Burton tells me via instant message. Asked if they had discussed anything relating to post-primary activities, Burton said: ‘He called to congratulate her on her victory in Puerto Rico, that’s it.'”

* Ugh: “Karl Rove is facing contempt citations for his refusal to answer subpoenas to testify before congress. But lucky for him, he’s gotten himself a friendly judge in Bush appointee John Bates.” Bates is, of course, a former deputy to Ken Starr. Great.

* Remember the Coalition of the Willing? Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, fulfilling a campaign promise, ended his country’s combat missions in Iraq over the weekend.

* Retired Air Force Gen. Merrill A. McPeak, was a Republican, a former chief of staff of the Air Force, a former fighter pilot who flew 285 combat missions, and a veteran who campaigned for Dole in ’96 and Bush in ’00. This year, he’s supporting Obama — and isn’t at all impressed with McCain. “It doesn’t take very long to uncover national security issues that McCain is weak on,” McPeak said. “For McCain to think he has a monopoly on virtue in the national security issue is going to be shown a pretty flimsy idea very quickly.”

* The latest on the Siegleman controversy: “A bipartisan group of 54 former state attorneys general from across the country has filed a federal appeals brief supporting former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman’s bid to overturn his criminal conviction. Saying the prosecution and sentencing of Siegelman ‘raised serious First Amendment concerns,’ the brief asks the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Siegelman’s conviction.”

* Crazy: “Arthur Mkoyan’s 4.0 grade-point average has made him a valedictorian at Bullard High School in Fresno and qualified him to enter one of the state’s top universities. But while his classmates look forward to dorm food and college courses this fall, Arthur Mkoyan may not make it. He is being deported.”

* Details are sketchy, but if Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) told a “joke” at a Republican event about Hillary Clinton dying, it’s outrageous and demands, at a minimum, a public apology.

* Our very own “Prup” has another great piece at Mark Kleiman’s place about John McCain’s “religious cluelessness.”

* On a related note, I wonder what more it would take for Joe Lieberman to disassociate himself from John Hagee.

* It’s a good thing we have David Brooks to tell us which issues we’re going to care about.

* Why is Bill Kristol borrowing ideas from far-right blogs?

* Why can’t Bush administration officials turned media personalities get their facts straight on the Plame scandal?

* I’m really disappointed that Sam Seder is unlikely to return to the Air America Radio schedule. He’s one of the greats. (Full disclosure: I’ve been on Sam’s show several times as a guest.)

* Rest in peace, Bo Diddley.

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

Is it just me, or is the Religiopolitical Right rejoicing in debauched glory over the fire as destroyed a good part of Universal Studios Hollywood yesterday, complete with the usual Wrath of G-d card in circumstances such as this?

  • “For McCain to think he has a monopoly on virtue in the national security issue is going to be shown a pretty flimsy idea very quickly.”

    Especially after it’s made public how the Admiral’s son managed to “joke” hsi way into killing more sailors and doing my damage to the Navy in 5 minutes than the NVA did in 10 years. Yes, the Forrestfire.

  • * Details are sketchy, but if Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) told a “joke” at a Republican event about Hillary Clinton dying, it’s outrageous and demands, at a minimum, a public apology. — CB

    Jokes about a plane, a bunch of people and one parachute less than needed are legion. The one I remember off-hand involved Bush, a priest and a schoolboy. After Bush bailed out and the priest and the schoolboy were left with a single parachute between them, the priest tells the boy to take it, since he’s an old man, while the boy has all his future in front of him. The boy replies “that’s OK, Father; we still have two parachutes. The president grabbed my backpack”

    Not, perhaps a joke to tell in public, under the eyes of journos, but… And I wouldn’t even be surprised to hear that that’s the joke that was told, simply replacing Bush with Hillary. I’ve heard a lot of anti-Hillary jokes (I keep a sort-of “Joke Exchange”, and some of the people in it are Repubs. Not many — they tend to be sense-of-humour-impaired — but a couple) and *every one of them* (except the latest, titled “Dear Abby”) had been a rip-off of an anti-Bush one.

    What caught my eye in that link was the bit above the Reichert thing:

    U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers just spoke briefly. The high point of her speech was her “Top 10 reasons it’s good to be a Republican in 2008.” Here you are:

    10. We believe federal judges should follow the rule of law, not the latest episode of “Law and Order.”

    I found that hilarious, since they also seem to think that interrogators aren’t supposed to follow laws (or Conventions; Geneva), but some old episodes of “24” (I think that’s the title of the show with the ticking bomb scenarios? Sorry, don’t watch TV myself)…

  • * Remember the Coalition of the Willing? Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, fulfilling a campaign promise, ended his countries combat missions in Iraq over the weekend.

    Oh my god, has any checked to make sure western civilization has survived?

    Does anyone know if Hillary congratulates Obama when he wins another primary?

    Bo Diddley Bo Diddley Where you beeeen?

    Another great piece, Prup. Keep them coming. (a phrase also heard at a bukkake festival)

    Did the brain surgeons pick up any more details on Chappaquitic while they were in Ted’s head?

    * Why is Bill Kristol borrowing ideas from far-right blogs?

    My question is why aren’t more pundits borrowing from left-wing blogs like this one.

    I like lludium’s Wrathe of G-d Card.

    Danp’s on top of the news as usual.

    Oops sorry I projectile snarked a couple of times in this message.

  • “On a related note, I wonder what more it would take for Joe Lieberman to disassociate himself from John Hagee.”

    Hagee is truly unbelievable, and I mean that as someone who has done some study of Revelations. There is nothing in there that points to the Antichrist being half-Jewish or gay! I notice he doesn’t point to any scripture that would support his wacked-out theory either. I know that he’s had to do some apologizing lately for his statements, but the one he really needs to apologize for is his pretense of being a Christian.

  • Why is it “crazy” when we deport someone who has broken the law?

    I think it is even more crazy when the college educated, fluent english speaking, employed wife of an American citizen can’t celebrate her first anniversary with her husband because immigration is so slow.

    Maybe we should change the law so that kids who came here under 5 get automatic green cards after 15 years of breaking the law? After all, we are the only country in the world who grants automatic citizenship to anyone born here.

    Maybe we should allow spouses into the country within one year? After all, no other country in the world takes longer than 4 months to allow a spouse into the country.

  • You know, if Obama called Clinton to congratulate her on her victory in Puerto Rico and his guy said that’s all they discussed, why does it even merit a mention here? This kind of speculation is just another thinly disguised push toward the exit and it stinks.

    If anyone on Obama’s team is remotely sincere about uniting the party, this kind of crap is what annoys Clinton supporters. And you’re still doing it. Why? If Obama is so confident in his nomination why is this kind of thing still necessary? Or is it that you just cannot resist needling Clinton’s supporters? Indulging that impulse is costly to Obama’s campaign.

  • neil wilson said:

    Why is it “crazy” when we deport someone who has broken the law?

    I agree with you about the waiting wives, but this family didn’t break the law. They spent 15 years battling the bureaucracy on the meaning of being in danger in Russia.

  • Mary come over here and give me a hug. Cleaver, hold Mary’s hand. We’ve got to let the healing begin.

  • I guess nobody even rolled over the McPeak story — which great news by itself — and discovered which paper broke the story.

    The Washington TIMES!

    This is the second major blast they’ve sent McCain’s way — the first was criticizing him for not releasing Cindy’s tax returns.

    And people here still think McCain has his base behind him and that the Republicans have a chance.

    (I wonder if Daddy Bush and his friend the All-Father got together to stab McCain in the back. After all, after Charlie Ctrist was in office less than a year JMc called him one of the — or the — greatest governor in Florida history — a backhander to the chops of his predecessor.)

    Maybe that’s why nobody’s suggesting Jeb as his VP.

  • Our very own “Prup” has another great piece at Mark Kleiman’s place about John McCain’s “religious cluelessness.”

    I hadn’t really thought about what a spotlight McCain has inadvertently shown on fundie preachers. Who said there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Good stuff again, Prup.

    A note on formatting: The first time I read the article I was halfway through your part still thinking Mark was writing. Maybe he could put his part in italics or do something to make it clear?

  • MsJoanne said:
    Click to view comment.

    Dale, you letch! 😉

    Hey I’ve got another hugging arm. Come here and get some rapprochement. .:-)

  • Hey I’ve got another hugging arm. Come here and get some rapprochement. .:-)

    THAT’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout! 😉

  • Can someone tell me what’s gotten into the SCOTUS? They’re acting unlike the SCOTUS of the last many years.

    The Supreme Court dealt federal prosecutors dual setbacks Monday in efforts to prosecute the laundering of drug ring and organized crime profits.

    The Supreme Court considered a pair of cases involving hidden money and an illegal gambling ring.

    The justices ruled that merely hiding money headed out of the United States is not proof of money laundering.

    Justices also concluded that prosecutors had to prove that an illegal gambling ring had laundered profits of its betting, rather than just proceeds.

    http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/02/scotus.moneylaundering/index.html

    I am confused.

  • Dale: thanx twice for the praise. I passed on your formatting note to Mark. Maybe for the next one — when I come up with one — which should be soon. (I would love to expand my comment on ‘the Family’ but won’t unless Hillary keeps on going. And I DO have other things to talk about than the religion-politics interface.)

  • You know, if Obama called Clinton to congratulate her on her victory in Puerto Rico and his guy said that’s all they discussed, why does it even merit a mention here?

    Well, it’s interesting for two reasons. One, that they didn’t talk about anything else (though, if they had, I bet they wouldn’t admit to it, not before Wednesday). Second, that Obama bothered to call and congratulate her — proof that his manners are much better than hers. He’s been punctilious about congratulating her on every win while she, rather pointedly, dispensed with such “nonsense” when the shoe was on the other foot. And people like you claim *he* is not conciliatory enough…

    I’ve heard of people trying to turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse, but you’re the first person I’ve ever “met” who spends her entire time trying to achieve the opposite.

  • Asked if they [Hillary & Obama] had discussed anything relating to post-primary activities, Burton said: ‘He called to congratulate her on her victory in Puerto Rico, that’s it.’”–CB

    Given the huge gulf between the two candidates, I can’t imagine that they’ll “work out” much, except for perhaps some fundraising activities, and that will have to come later.

    Someone mentioned elsewhere that because Hillary has invited her big-gun fundraisers to the party, she may not have in mind what some people are anticipating. If she announces she plans to continue until the convention, why would she invite them? They can’t donate any more money. If she plans to announce that she’s suspending her campaign, maybe she plans to thank them for their support?

    Who knows what she plans to announce?

  • Piling it on:

    Mary: You know, if Obama called Clinton to congratulate her on her victory in Puerto Rico and his guy said that’s all they discussed, why does it even merit a mention here?

    Uh…
    Because the Steve opted to write about it?
    It is after all: his blog, his online home, his creation.
    The real question is: Where does someone like you get off telling him what he should or shouldn’t write about?

    That he tolerates your incessant whining, insolence, and waste of his bandwidth says heaps about his character. If I were you, I’d shut up and count my blessings. I’d have run a knife across the throat of your connection ages ago. Crikey, even mild-mannered Prup reached his saturation point today with your twisted and evil folderol.

    [PS: I know. So don’t remind me: That Steve tolerates me also says heaps about his character too.]

  • MsJoanne

    On domestic policies, not much difference, but on foreign policy, universes apart. And I think their foreign policy actions would have an enormous impact on America. Yet there is still a “huge gulf” between the two in their approach to governing — Obama wants to include Americans as much as possible in determining their own domestic fate, while Hillary wants to authoritatively bestow upon us what she thinks we deserve.

    [From the get-go, I’ve had a political line for the candidates. The Republicans and Hillary were on the right side with GW Bush, while the rest of the Democratic candidates ranged left and far left of that bunch. That’s the huge gulf I see between Hillary and Obama.]

  • You know, if Obama called Clinton to congratulate her on her victory in Puerto Rico and his guy said that’s all they discussed, why does it even merit a mention here?

    Because a) it’s Steve’s blog, and while critiquing a blogger’s analysis is acceptable, the universal response to trying to tell someone what to write about is “Don’t like it? There’s the door, jerk,” and b) the rest of the country is interestedly watching the Democratic nomination process wind up, and no one gives a damn that you’re perpetually offended that people have the nerve to discuss an event that you continue to deny is happening. Piss off with your continuous attempts at control freakery.

  • Jon Stewart proved once again last night that he’s the best political interviewer on TV. He started with a quote from Scott McClellan’s book. Being evasive is not the same as lying in Bush’s mind. From there Stewart pressed McClellan to see if he had a clear distinction in his own mind between a truth and a lie. Turns out he doesn’t.

  • Congratulations to Teddy Kennedy and his medical staff for a successful first step in treating his brain tumor. He was already talking about returning to the Senate and campaigning for Barack Obama a few short hours after his surgery. His enthusiasm for life and good spirits are an inspiration.

  • In another brilliant staffing move, the McCain campaign has apparently hired a Tor Johnson-lookalike named Steve Schmidt as their press spokesman.

    Just heard him on MSNBC in a dueling press secretary segment. The Obama guy is good, a smooth-toned but sharp-arguing guy from Alabama, and then McCain’s guy sounds like … well, like Tor Johnson. I couldn’t believe talking to the press was his actual job. He sounded as articulate as McCain behind a teleprompter.

  • Danp, and having Fred Schneider around never hurts any festive gathering, either!

  • on John Bates, I’ve seen posts on other sites (openleft?) that indicate that he’s actually qualified to be a judge, his legal background is nonpartisan, and his past decisions have reflected clear legal issues rather than mushy interpretations of the law in the favor of conservatives. Hope is not necessarily lost, if that’s accurate.

  • In case anybody cares what I think, my vote is that people are allowed to make jokes.

    Jokes about Hillary dying or Obama falling off a chair may not be particularly amusing, but as long as they aren’t being serious and intentionally malicious, I just don’t care.

    Falling in the malicious category, however, is that right-wing mouth-breathing radio “personality” who made fun of Ted Kennedy within a day of him being diagnosed with brain cancer.

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