Thursday’s Mini-Report

October 19, 2006

Today’s edition of quick hits.

* The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll is worth reading, in large part because it’s amazing to see just how unpopular the GOP is right now. Voters’ approval of Congress has fallen to 16% — the lowest since NBC and the WSJ started doing polls together 17 years ago. By 52% to 37%, voters say they want Democrats to control Congress. It’s the biggest lead by either party has ever had in a Journal/NBC poll and the first time voter preference for one party has exceeded 50%. Wow.

* Jonah Goldberg’s column on how he was wrong about Iraq for the right reasons is unpersuasive to the point of comedy. Kevin Drum helps highlight some of the column’s more glaring flaws.

* As I’ve said before, I’ll stop linking to Keith Olbermann’s extended commentaries just as soon as they stop being so powerful and poignant. They’re all worth watching, but last night’s monologue on habeas corpus included some of the strongest word choices to date: “Your words are lies, Sir. They are lies that imperil us all.”

* James Wolcott’s blog has been picked up by Vanity Fair. Good for him; Wolcott doesn’t post every day, but his writing is some of the best and most entertaining in the ‘sphere. (I’ve often thought having a magazine pick up a blog is the best way for a blogger to make real money. Note to editors: my door is always open…)

* I’m trying to think of the best word to describe the concern among far-right leaders that the GOP base is not going to turn out this year. “Panic” is the only word that comes to mind.

* A former Army JAG officer has a must-read item in the WaPo today on the lessons we didn’t learn from Abu Ghraib. He argues, persuasively, that the policies that led to the abuses haven’t been corrected, and in fact will lead to new abuses. (thanks to B.P. for the tip)

* Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) is still carrying on about a vast left-wing conspiracy? Jeez, can’t that guy keep it together a little bit?

* I know he was kidding, but for McCain to suggest that he’d “commit suicide” if Dems regained the Senate majority is a little over-the-top, isn’t it? I mean, if the right-wing smear on this guy is that he’s a little unbalanced, comments like these may not help him in the long run. (thanks to SKNM for the tip)

* Remember that patently false RNC ad in Ohio I mentioned earlier? Stations in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Youngstown pulled the ads from their airwaves today, and more stations expected to follow.

* Speaking of the RNC’s ads, the scare-America-first crowd unveiled a real doozy today.

* Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state during Bush’s first term, today endorsed a phased troop-withdrawal plan for Iraq. It’s a shame the Bush administration hired all of these cut-and-run defeatocrats, isn’t it?

* And, finally, if you’re looking for a coloring-book for a special child in your life, you may want to consider The Pat Robertson & Friends Coloring Book. Yes, it’s very funny, and yes, it’s a parody.

If none of these particular items are of interest, consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.

Breaking news: DOJ Deploys More Attorneys in War on Corruption.

  • Great news about Wolcott. Maybe he’ll write more frequently now. He’s one funny dude. Hey CB, see if you can rent ad space on his forehead and maybe a magazine will pick up your blog. I don’t think you can promise to write more though. You’re already doing a superhuman job.

    Oh here’s an inspiration for wannabe bloggers. If my understanding of archiving is correct then CB wrote over 3500 posts during a two year period BEFORE he got a half dozen total comments. Then it took off. That’s dedication.

    You’re right about Obermann. They said when Plato spoke the people said, “What a fine speech.” But when Arephilates spoke they said, “Let us March.” Obermann’s the Let us march kinda guy.
    (hey ancient greek scholar among us, help me out. I just guessed at those greek names)

  • know he was kidding, but for McCain to suggest that he’d “commit suicide” if Dems regained the Senate majority is a little over-the-top, isn’t it?

    Considering that Hannity believes martydom is the key to keeping power in Congress, this kind of rhetoric has become par for the course

  • Olbermann thing is great. Not sure he’s got the “fear of fear itself” thing right, though. Quibble.

  • Breaking news: DOJ Deploys More Attorneys in War on Corruption.
    Comment by jurassicpork —

    🙂 Funny stuff, j-pork.

    I wonder where the War on Terror would be if there wasn’t the continual violence of Iraq to give the impression of global turmoil. There’s not really that much happening Terror-wise if you take away the daily blood-fest of the Iraq War.

  • OK, last time I’ll bother anyone today but I wouldn’t be doing this so soon after my last post if it wasn’t important:

    Those of you following the little backstory of that troll who’s been trying to get me reported for posting NY Times articles finally got the attention of Blogger.com. They’ve just emailed me to say that they’re taking down those posts. The whole thing is up here.

    Then do me a favor and swarm this little prick’s blog. I know that’s in bad taste but turnabout is fair fucking play and this guy’s finally beginning to piss me the fuck off.

  • In 2004 most GOP pundits and candidates were traveling downstream in their “swiftboats” attacking every Democratic candidate that dared to criticize the Bush administration’s war in Iraq. In 2006 you not only can’t find the GOP “swiftboat”, you can’t find a Republican willing to jump in and try to navigate the hapless dingy against the strong current of voter dissatisfaction with the seemingly never ending war.

    Someone throw Jonah a lifeline!

    Read more here:

    http://www.thoughttheater.com

  • Me at #7: Re: McCain — can we please stop calling him “bipartisan” now?

    PS – McCain can still be shown to be “bipartisan” if he also says he’ll commit suicide if the GOP retains control of congress.

  • This is hysterical. This congresswoman refused to participate in a debate because they were going to ask her questions about what she knew about Foley. When she didn’t respond, they decided to have the debate anyways but she was represented by an empty chair. They told her that was their plan and that they weren’t going to let her refusal stifle the community’s ability to discuss the issues. Now there is some journalistic integrity!!

    http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2006/oct/19/ny_19_see_sue_kelly_run_from_reporters

  • 6Comment by jurassicpork
    Those of you following the little backstory of that troll who’s been trying to get me reported for posting NY Times articles finally got the attention of Blogger.com. They’ve just emailed me to say that they’re taking down those posts. The whole thing is up here.

    If this is the crusade you have chosen, good luck fighting it, but I doubt seriously that you will find many professional writers who agree with you, even progressives. Copyright protects everyone’s right to make a living from their writing, not just the NY Times, and you are clearly violating it intentionally, repeatedly.

    I don’t like what the Times is doing with Select either and no longer read their columnists as a result, but they have every right legally to choose that strategy if they want to. You don’t have the legal right to reprint full columns and blogger is legally liable too if they don’t remove your posts. This isn’t a fight you’re going to win. If you choose to fight it and get your blog cancelled as a result, it will be from your choice, not because you were oppressed in any way.

  • Homer, @#11

    There was an almost mirror image — empty chair ‘n’all — of this “debate” somewhere (be damned, though, if I can find it now)… The Dem refused to show up, having debated the Rep 6 times before and he refused to do it on a Sunday (which he’d rather spend with his family). A much better reason than Sue Kelly’s, but, all the same, reminiscent.

    * I know he was kidding, but for McCain to suggest that he’d “commit suicide” if Dems regained the Senate majority is a little over-the-top, isn’t it? — CB

    I most sincerely hope he’s *not* kidding. I also hope many, many of his friends an allies will join him on the pyre; I’m making list and checking it twice 🙂

  • It’s the biggest lead by either party has ever had in a Journal/NBC poll and the first time voter preference for one party has exceeded 50%. Wow.

    Yes, definitely– agreed.

  • Shalimar:

    I have tens of thousands of readers who would disagreee with you on certan points. Why do you think I get linked on Buzzflash several times a week?

  • so mccain and hannity will kill themselves? cool, vote democratic for the good of the country

  • NYT article on right-wing “pre-criminations” (love that term): http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/us/politics/20conserve.html

    Anyone hoping the right will emerge from this thing sadder but wiser will be disappointed.

    Check out this quote from David Frum: “There is a bit of a battle between people who say, Hey, your tax cuts wrecked our war and people who say, Hey, your war wrecked our tax cuts,”

    Anyone out there saying, “Hey, your pig-headed refusal to set realistic budgetary priorities gave us both an unwinnable war and unaffordable tax cuts”?

    Naaah.

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