Monday’s Mini-Report

July 7, 2008

Today’s edition of quick hits.

* Violence in Afghanistan continues to worsen: “A car bomb ripped through the front wall of the Indian Embassy in central Kabul on Monday, killing 40 people in the deadliest attack in Afghanistan’s capital since the fall of the Taliban, officials said.”

* And in Pakistan: “A suicide bomber marked the first anniversary of the military operation against Islamabad’s radical Red Mosque by targeting police guarding the site, killing at least 15 people. The attack on Sunday raised fresh concerns about the stability of nuclear-armed Pakistan and whether it can cope with the scale of the extremist challenge now confronting it. The unofficial death toll stood at 19 late in the day, mostly policemen. There were over 40 injured.”

* And in Iraq: “Yesterday, a ‘wave of attacks in Baghdad and areas north of the capital…shattered a relative lull in violence, killing 16 people and injuring 15.’ The attacks came just one day after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declared that his government had ‘defeated’ terrorism in Iraq. Today, a female suicide bomber ‘killed nine people and wounded 12 others in an attack on an Iraqi market.'”

* Interesting: “Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has for the first time suggested establishing a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, a step that the Bush administration has long opposed. Maliki floated the idea on Monday during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he spoke with Arab ambassadors about a security pact being negotiated to determine the future role of U.S. troops in Iraq. The agreement would replace a U.N. mandate authorizing the presence of the troops, which is set to expire Dec. 31.”

* After months of speculation, Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) announced that he will not join the Democratic ticket this year: “Last week I communicated to Sen. Obama and his presidential campaign my firm intention to remain in the United States Senate, where I believe I am best equipped to serve the people of Virginia and this country,” Webb said. “Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for vice president.”

* Dems are awfully close to overcoming Republican obstructionism on Medicare: “Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Finance Committee, said Monday that Democrats are “oh so close” to finding a 60th vote to move forward with a Medicare fix that would postpone a 10.6 percent cut in doctors’ reimbursements. ‘We don’t always get a second chance in life, but this week senators will get a second chance to do the right thing on Medicare,’ he said on a conference call.”

* You know, John McCain isn’t a good speaker.

* Given recent history, when a U.S. Attorney resigns, there’s reason to be suspicious.

* We haven’t had enough Lee Stranahan videos lately. Here’s a new gem.

* This really isn’t acceptable and warrants an on-air apology: “Recalling previous media attention given to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s laugh, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said to Air America Radio’s Rachel Maddow: ‘[Y]ou might support Obama, but you’ve got the Clinton cackle down, Rachel. I’m proud of you.'”

* This ought to be interesting: “The Buffalo News reports that former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards will debate Karl Rove on Sept. 26 on the campus of the University of Buffalo as part of the school’s Distinguished Speakers Series. In the midst of the U.S. attorney scandal, Edwards called on President Bush to ‘fire Karl Rove.’ When Rove announced he was resigning from the White House, Edwards released a statement that simply read ‘Goodbye, good riddance.'”

* Brian Beutler’s recovery is reportedly going well after he was shot three times last week, and Spencer Ackerman has set up a Brian Beutler Medical Relief Fund to help with Brian’s medical expenses. To help, go to Spencer’s site and click on the “donate” link.

* Take a moment to check out this chart. And then consider the fact that McCain wants four more years of the identical policies that produced these results.

* Lifelong Nebraska Republican David Sayers: “The Republican Party has lost its soul…. In the long term, a catastrophic loss in November could be very good for the party.”

* What 1992 and 2008 have in common: “It’s the economy, stupid — again.”

* Good lord, Fox News is still telling viewers that Al Gore claimed to invent the Internet.

* The Plame scandal began five years ago today.

* I really do hate term limits.

* Sounds like progress: “Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) is responding well to radiation and chemotherapy treatments for brain cancer, his wife reported in an e-mail to friends and family obtained Monday by The Associated Press.”

* And finally, just so readers know, this past month was the best month ever for The Carpetbagger Report, traffic wise. Whether you’ve been reading for five minutes or five years, I just thought I’d take a moment to thank all of you for the support.

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

“Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has for the first time suggested establishing a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, a step that the Bush administration has long opposed.

What’s wrong with those Iraqi surrender monkeys? Whose country is it, anyway?

Oh. Right.

  • Glad to hear you’re doing so well, Steve! You’ve worked hard and richly deserve your success in bringing thoughtful progressive commentary to the net community.

  • And finally, just so readers know, this past month was the best month ever for The Carpetbagger Report, traffic wise.

    Woooo!

    That is all.

  • I will gladly accept an on-air apology from Joe Scarborough, but only if it includes either (1) an announcement that he’s “retiring” from television altogether, or (2) he shoots himself in front of a flock of ravenous feral dogs. Other than that, all he gets from me is request denied….

    And actually, I’ll go one better than Mr. Sayers: In the short term, an extinction event in November could be even better for the party….

    Finally, as for the Iraq Nightmare—we might actually be lucky enough, some day, for a model of liberating imperialism— almost identical to Bushylvanianism—to invade the United States, find George W. Bush hiding in a hole, and hang him in front of a live audience for his crimes against humanity. And then pack up and go home, demonstrating its superior difference from what the GOP and its cluster of bipedal failures have wrought upon this Republic; this Constitution; this People.

  • Actually, if one listens to McCain for a time, considers his positions, his incomprehensible flip-flops, his superstitions, his blatant screwups in the home, the service, and neat little things like the Keating scandal you really get the feeling that the guy isn’t too bright. ‘Course after Bush—-

  • A recent issue of Vanity Fair (the one with Angelina Joile on the cover) had a very good article on the history and development of the Internet. It very clearly describes Gore’s role in the creation of legislation that led to the funding of the research that helped create the web as we know it today.

  • “Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has for the first time suggested establishing a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, a step that the Bush administration has long opposed.

    Maybe I’ve been down too many rabbit holes these past few decades, but if Bush were to agree to something like this, it would take the wind out of Obama’s sails. Of course, there are many ways to withdraw U.S. troops. They could, for example, stay indefinitely because “conditions on the ground” demanded the withdrawal be delayed — a week or two after the election.

    BTW, congrats on the site stats, but you really should thank Mary, and LittleBear, and …

  • Rachel Maddow isn’t one of the panelists on the 6pm David Gregory show, we’ll see if she is on Olbermann. Could Scarborough have enough power to get her banned from MSNBC? He was pissed at her for laughing in his face last week over the Obama flip-flop in Iraq b.s..

  • Congrats on the high-traffic month Steve.

    I first got your name from Salon, and liked your writing when you took over their War Room segment.

    When Joan Walsh got all Clinton-eyed, and it was clear it was clouding judgement(and several other contributors), I bailed on Salon – except for Greenwald – he still rocks.

    Now, all you need to do is just stop posting links from AP and Politco – as they are nothing but trouble, and you’d be a total hit.

    Or if you must, what you could do is post their links and provide a slightly increased level of skepticism regarding the contents.

  • Could Scarborough have enough power to get her banned from MSNBC?

    Olbermann could always bring her on as a co-host for a 90-minute Countdown, or maybe a weekend edition of the program. Joe Burro doesn’t have the power to stop THAT….

  • The Republican Party has lost its soul…. In the long term, a catastrophic loss in November could be very good for the party.”

    What’s good for the Republican party is good for America.

  • I think Salon did many of us a favor by focusing attention on the Carpetbagger just as many of us were looking for a replacement for The War Room. Aside from a little too much attention given to McCain at the expense of a larger picture (not really a complaint, but why not a little more coverage of DLCers and Blue Dogs who function as Bush enablers?), this is the best concise, in-depth political report I’ve found. That you concentrate on quality journalistic analysis without an overreliance on video is just another plus. Please keep it up; it’s a national service.

    And, I understand and admire your regard for Alex Koppelman, but is “venerable” a synonym for “twerp”?

  • “Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has for the first time suggested establishing a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, a step that the Bush administration has long opposed.”

    just who the hell does he think he is, anywat?!?!

  • “* Take a moment to check out this chart. And then consider the fact that McCain wants four more years of the identical policies that produced these results.”

    What’s missing from the charts is the fact that ordinary Americans did not share in the fruits of this expansion, as small as they were compared to the average. Only the rich got ahead, but boy did they.

    Curiously, Paul Krugman’s column today dealt with the Bush economy, pointing out that much of its lackluster performance was not Bush’s fault. But Krugman left out Bush’s tax cuts in his analysis, and didn’t speak to the staggering redistribution of income and wealth toward the top 1% in the Bush years. A very strange omission indeed. I think he’s wrong about the effect of the housing bubble, too, until it burst – it gave the economy a false boost. Here’s the link:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/opinion/07krugman.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

    I’m surprised. Krugman has always impressed me with his analyses, but some of it has been disappointing, off the mark lately.

  • Just thought I’d mention that Digby today has a column saying many of the same things I said about Obama’s new policy on a woman’s right to choose. Digby is of course that well-known Republican and McCain troll.

    I’d also like to point out that Wes Clark is now booted from the campaign trail and won’t be considered for VP. Webb is saying he won’t accept the job either. I guess when you stick your neck out for Obama you really cannot expect him to back you up. Given the loyalty Obama has exhibited in other circumstances, I’d have to say that this is an example of someone being expendable from the start, not a friend being betrayed. Makes you wonder who Obama’s real friends are.

    I also saw an interesting item stating that Obama’s camp welcomes the McCain attack ads because they lead to more contributions. If they lead to fewer votes but more money, how does that help the campaign? Contributions were important during the primary because they dictated the ability to continue, and also showed one’s standing as a viable competitor. But now that we’re in the general election, that is no longer the appropriate measure. Money without votes means nothing.

    I received yet another Obama solicitation from the DNC and tried to unsubscribe but they wouldn’t let me do it without entering a 4 digit code, which they never emailed. (Yes, I checked the junk mail.) Apparently they’ve learned that trick of making it too difficult for people to get off the mailing list. Democratic adoption of Republican tactics always warms my heart.

  • Re: #15: Digby is a Republican? I do not think you are thinking of the same Digby that I am thinking of. That Digby is most certainly not a Republican troll, she is one of the most well-written liberal, Democratic bloggers in existence. I read Digby regularly, my third-favorite political blog next to this site and Glenn Greenwald.

  • Just thought I’d mention that Digby today has a column saying many of the same things I said about Obama’s new policy on a woman’s right to choose.

    Mmmmm, but as usual, she’s a 100 percent better analyst and writer and 100 percent less crazy than you are, so we all respect her. You, not so much. Or at all, come to think of it.

  • Digby is a Republican? I do not think you are thinking of the same Digby that I am thinking of

    Psycho Mary doesn’t do sarcasm (or non-sarcasm) so well. She’s just continuing the fingers-in-her-ears-while-singing thing of pretending that we call everyone who criticizes Obama a Republican troll, as opposed to our correctly slapping that label on the few people here, including Mary, who actually consistently act like Republican trolls. This allows Mary to continue pretending that the problem is everyone else in the world and that no criticism of her is ever valid. It takes a very special mind to keep this self-delusion up even while many of Obama’s strongest supporters here are lambasting him for FISA, etc., but Mary has nothing if not special needs.

    Without a doubt, the same dynamic plays out at every social gathering, casual grocery store encounter and faculty meeting she attends. Our Mary is a very angry and very lonely girl.

  • No, Maria, the difference is that Digby is supporting Obama and I’m not. Digby is still respected because she didn’t take any obvious position during the primaries. Otherwise, she’d be criticized, just as people here are talking about how much certain websites have deteriorated since they came out for Clinton, etc. It is way too easy to fall off the “respected” list in the blogosphere.

    Rian, I was being sarcastic — sorry. Every time I say something here that isn’t praise for Obama, I am called a Republican and a McCain troll. Now that Digby is also being critical of Obama, I thought she should receive the same treatment, since it is patently ridiculous with respect to Digby (and me).

  • congrats on the success of your site. i first learned of you by way of seven days, and it’s been a wonderful visit to cbr ever since. 🙂

  • On previous threads, I’ve written that Mary has an occasional valid point but it’s usually not worth digging through the bile to find. This is one of those cases. Read the Digby post.

  • Mary, most of us are critical of Obama when he does something specific that we don’t agree with. You criticize every single thing Obama does regardless. He could cure cancer and your response would be about how ambitious and self-serving he is. You may not be a Republican troll, but there is no discernible difference between you and the real article if you aren’t.

  • my dear sweet dumber-than-a-bag-of-wet-hammers Mary…

    digby’s crticism of Obama is based on analysis, insight, and a thorough understanding of the political ramifications.

    Your criticism of Obama is based on him not-being-Hillary-Clinton. Kinda like betting on the 6 foot 5 inch steroid using football player to win a fight against an elderly man in an iron lung because you think his muttonchops are dreamy. It has nothing to do with anything, so stop trying to pretend your opinion matters.

    If you want your opinion to matter, answer this: you claimed inthe past Obama hasn’t proved his patriotism. What does he have to do…FOR YOU…to prove he’s patriotic?

    It’s not a hard question. Just one you can’t answer honestly.

  • http://www.demconwatchblog.com/2008/07/win-trip-to-obamas-acceptance-speech-at.html

    Please note the last paragraph. I don’t know what John Sidney can be thinking of; what about *women* who might want to hear it too? Especially these women:
    http://www.womenforjohnmccain.com/

    Maria (19, 20, 23),
    So glad to see you back; I’ve been worried (also, badly missed your pithy postings)

    Every time I say something here that isn’t praise for Obama, — Mary, @21

    Which suggests that there have been times (or, at least, *one time*) when you *had* said something in praise of Obama. Yet I don’t remember the sky falling, which it most certainly would have, had you strayed off your Obama-bashing path even once. Ergo, you’re lying as usual.

  • Thanks, libra! Nothing to worry about, just vacationing in a thankgodfully remote place. Great, as always, to see you.

  • Mary has ever said anything which praises Obama? Wow. I missed that!

    Did you hear that McCain said he hates bloggers? He has also said that he’s computer illiterate. He knows what the internet is, which I suppose is a start, but do we really want someone shaping American policy who has no knowledge of the things that shape American society?

    So, should the POTUS be computer literate?

    Be sure to watch the video. It’s quite interesting.

  • Mary, I see. I definitely know how difficult it is to pull off sarcasm in writing.

    I went back and read the rest of your post, and from the way you suggest things and draw conclusions it sounds more like you have a grudge against Obama. I guess I’m just not familiar with most of what you reference, since a lot of it isn’t covered here. I know about the Clark thing, and I agree Obama failing to stick up for him was lame and disappointing, but I don’t know anything about anything else you mentioned. I don’t think Webb saying he doesn’t want to run for VP doesn’t mean Obama did anything to him, or that Obama lost an ally somehow – you don’t mention any of that anyway. What other examples of Obama disloyalty are you referring to? (I’m sorry, I haven’t followed your comments before.)

    I’m not “in the tank for Obama”, I’m really pissed at some of his recent turnarounds, his decision to support telecom amnesty and warrantless searches was utterly demoralizing, so much so I might stay home in November because I can’t support someone who so doesn’t believe in the Constitution, even though I liked the guy a lot otherwise (in no small part due to his previous outspoken opposition to such measures.) But ultimately, a McCain presidency would be an utter disaster.

    If you linked to sites where you found stuff like the item about the McCain attack ads, it would help your case. I’ve learned over the course of years defending my arguments on various forums that you lose audience with blunt passion.

  • from CNN: “Supplies for Katrina victims went to Mississippi. FEMA stored $85 million worth of supplies meant for Katrina victims, CNN learns…Supplies given in February to federal agencies and 16 states…Mississippi agency not told there was “great need” for supplies, spokeswoman says…Nonprofits that work with hurricane victims say there’s desperate need for the goods”

    One more glaring piece of evidence of this administration’s utter, complete, and yet still almost unbelievable ineptitude.

  • I received yet another Obama solicitation from the DNC and tried to unsubscribe but they wouldn’t let me do it without….

    Y’know, Mary, you’re the second person I’ve heard of recently who doesn’t know how to use the “block” function on unwanted email traffic. Now, lemme see—who was that other person who couldn’t understand simple computer functions?

    Oh, right………………John McCain….

  • ‘block’?

    WTF, man, there’s no such thing in email. It wastes your time and money (fragments of value they may be) when you receive email you don’t want, even if you roundfile it immediately.

  • And finally, just so readers know, this past month was the best month ever for The Carpetbagger Report, traffic wise. Whether you’ve been reading for five minutes of five years, I just thought I’d take a moment to thank all of you for the support.

    “Build it and he (they) will come.”

    Hollywood knew long ago that the best publicity is word-of-mouth, I know that everyone I know here recommends you to everyone they know. So surprise surprise – quality work will get recognition.

  • Marytroll (#21) said: Every time I say something here that isn’t praise for Obama, I am called a Republican and a McCain troll.

    Nobody here has ever called you a Republican or a McCain troll (I doubt you could pass the IQ test to qualify as either, since I am reliably informed that a solid, positive-number single-digit IQ is the minimum, and you definitely don’t have that). But the fact you believe peope have said such merely reinforces your reputation as the Deadend Delusional Dingbat From An Alternate Universe that you are.

    Don’t go away mad, Mary, just go the hell away.

    Can’t you just go back to annoying the idiots at Kevin’s site???

  • On a positive note, San Franciscans are making sure that Bush’s legacy is remembered by history:

    Group seeks Bush sewage ‘tribute’

    A citizens group in San Francisco wants to pay an ironic tribute to President George W Bush when he leaves office – by naming a sewage plant after him.

    The group, calling itself the Presidential Memorial Committee of San Francisco, wants the issue voted on at this November’s election.

    “It’s important to remember our leaders in the right historical context,” said petition organiser Brian McConnell.

    The Republican Party thinks the plan stinks, and it will fight the measure.

    Mr McConnell’s group has submitted more than 12,000 signatures on a petition to the San Francisco Department of Elections.

    If at least 7,168 of those signatures are found to be valid, the question of whether to rename Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant after the outgoing president will be added to the ballot papers in November.

    “In President Bush’s case, we think that we will be cleaning up a substantial mess for the next 10 or 20 years,” said Mr McConnell.

    “The sewage treatment facility’s job is to clean up a mess, so we think it’s a fitting tribute.”

    ‘Ashamed’

    But one Californian Republican, Patrick Dorinson, said the plan was “a horrible idea”.

    “This is why San Francisco is considered wacky,” the former California Republican Party spokesman told the Associated Press.

    “It makes me ashamed to be a San Franciscan if this is all they’ve got time to do.”

    And a city official stressed that Oceanside offered “extraordinary environmental benefits”.

    “That’s not our understanding of what the authors of this initiative believe the current president has delivered,” said Tony Winnicker of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

    Mr Bush will leave office in January 2009.

  • Tom @ 36, I can not tell a lie. I totally think Mary’s voting for McCain & I’ve said it often.

  • Congratulations on the achievement CB!! Carpetbagger is required reading for me and the comments can provide some good laughs when I’m feeling like I can’t make it through another day of King George and his cronies.

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