Wednesday’s Mini-Report

February 14, 2007

Today’s edition of quick hits.

* The defense rested in Scooter Libby’s criminal trial today, but not before a little drama. Apparently, Libby’s defense team had led the judge to believe that the defendant would testify, which led to the lawyers having access to specific classified information. When the lawyers announced Libby would not take the stand, the judge said he would not allow some classified information to be presented to the jury as Libby’s defense team had planned. Closing arguments begin Tuesday.

* The Kansas State Board of Education, after having been taken over by creationist activists, returned to the reality-based community yesterday, dismissing the old state science standards and voting, 6 to 4, to replace the guidelines with teaching standards that embrace modern biology.

* Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) decided not to sign a proclamation recognizing Feb. 6 as “Ronald Reagan Day,” much to the dismay of Republican activists. Good for Patrick.

* The National Football League refused to run a recruitment ad for the U.S. Border Patrol during last week’s Super Bowl, saying it was “controversial” because it mentioned duties such as fighting terrorism and stopping drugs and illegal aliens at the border. “The ad that the department submitted was specific to Border Patrol, and it mentioned terrorism. We were not comfortable with that,” said Greg Aiello, a spokesman for the NFL. “The borders, the immigration debate is a very controversial issue, and we were sensitive to any perception we were injecting ourselves into that.” Border Patrol agents (and conservative activists) have taken issue with the decision.

* Among the lurid details in the federal indictment in the Duke Cunningham bribery scandal yesterday was the revelation that Cunningham, in addition to the cash and luxury goods, was entertained by prostitutes hired by a defense contractor.

* A recall effort is underway in Arizona against Sen. John McCain (R) for his advocacy of the president’s Iraq policy. Though there is no recall mechanism in the law for U.S. senators, McCain has signed a voluntary pledge, on file with the Secretary of State’s Office agreeing, to resign immediately if defeated in a recall election. The recall group must collect 381,696 valid petition signatures by June 13 to force a statewide vote. It seems unlikely.

* James O’Beirne, who screened potential candidates for jobs with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq by asking whether or not they voted for George W. Bush or agreed with Roe v. Wade, is being sought out by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Defense Secretary Bob Gates has until next Tuesday to turn over documents relating to O’Beirne’s tenure; the staff of Waxman’s committee wants to interview O’Beirne by March 2.

* Apparently, the war in Afghanistan isn’t cool anymore. Yesterday, the House Armed Services Committee held a hearing on progress in the war, featuring testimony from Gen. Karl Eikenberry, the outgoing commander of all NATO troops in Afghanistan. The only reporter to show up was a cameraman from CNN.

* Demonstrating the kind of cultural sophistication we’ve come to expect from the House GOP, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) told his colleagues yesterday, “Some people from the other side seem to believe that if we pull out of Iraq, the Iraqi people are going to go back to tending sheep and herding goats.”

* The Wall Street Journal notes today that the indictments in the Cunningham scandal should send a wave of fear through the GOP caucus: “The indictment and its details would seem to heighten the risk to other members of Congress still under investigation; Mr. Wilkes also had dealings with several of them. A separate federal criminal investigation of Rep. Jerry Lewis, the California Republican who until January 2006 was chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, is continuing in Los Angeles. Prosecutors in that case are looking at Mr. Lewis’s relationship with Mr. Wilkes, which included campaign contributions from Mr. Wilkes and associates and the hiring by Mr. Wilkes of a lobbying firm founded by one of Mr. Lewis’s closest friends, former Rep. Bill Lowery.”

* And, finally, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) called the Capitol Police yesterday when smoke from Rep. Tom Tancredo’s (R-Colo.) cigar wafted into his office. “It’s very bizarre,” said Tancredo, who has never met Ellison. “Seemed to me not a good way to say hello.” My question: whose idea was it to put Ellison and Tancredo next door to one another?

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

The item about Iraqi tending sheep gave me a thought. One of the best PR campagins that Iran could pursue would be documentaries showing Iranians going about the business of everyday life; driving cars, eating at restaurants, trading stocks, mechanics, showing how much it is like any Western culture. All the pictures we see of middle-easterners is of them rioting or wailing at funerals or in religious settings. Their is a big disconnect between the exotic picture we’re presented and the very familiar realities of their lives.

  • An interesting note at the end of the Dukestir bribery case indictments on the prostitute issue –

    “The indictment appears to have been written carefully so as not to disclose the names, gender or other identifying characteristics of the prostitutes.”

    This could get interesting …

  • * And, finally, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) called the Capitol Police yesterday when smoke from Rep. Tom Tancredo’s (R-Colo.) cigar wafted into his office.

    Good for Ellison. Although he is not the one who called and the call went to the Superintendents office first before being referred to the Capitol Police.

    The article was really snarky:
    Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) believes it is his right as a Muslim to be sworn into Congress with the Quran. But apparently, the freshman lawmaker doesn’t believe it’s Rep. Tom Tancredo’s (R-Colo.) right to smoke a cigar in his congressional office.

    It seems to me that Ellsion just doesn’t think that Tancredo has a right to smoke “in” Ellison’s office.

    Maybe it’s just California, but people who can smoke in their offices at work are few and far between.

    Second hand smoke is deadly and the battle against it in adjacent apartments and offices is the next big front.

  • So the Dukester got free hookers along with all the other stuff? Dang, now I know why people want to get elected so bad.

  • This is from a November 21, 2007 artricle in the The Hill:

    “Currently, only members of Congress are cleared to light up in the lobby, an ornate passage located directly off the House floor where reporters gather to try to talk to lawmakers and gather quotes between votes.

    “The lobby is one of the few inside refuges that still allow smoking on the House side of the Capitol. A move to end smoking there would follow a trend of rolling back smoking rights in Congress.

    ******

    “On June 22, the House Office Building Commission issued two new amendments to the smoking policy in the House, limiting smoking in House office buildings to room B-219 in the Longworth building and room B-112 in Cannon, according to a “Dear Colleague” letter.

    “The letter noted that smoking is also prohibited outside of the buildings within 25 feet of a public entrance or exit, including garages.”

  • It was still a bit absurd to call the frickin’ police on Tancredo. Go over and ask him to stop smoking the cigar. If Tancredo decides to be a jackass about it, then call the cops. But as a first resort it’s over the top.

  • “Some people from the other side seem to believe that if we pull out of Iraq, the Iraqi people are going to go back to tending sheep and herding goats.”

    What does that even mean?? That Democrats think that, post-US involvement, Iraqis will become peaceful pastoralists? Or that their modern economy will collapse? I don’t know what he’s even trying to get at.

    “Seemed to me not a good way to say hello.”

    In my experience, most Americans these days are introduced to their neighbors with a hearty “Turn down the goddamn stereo!”

  • Better yet, go into Tancredo’s office, take the fucking cigar and cram it down his throat, lit end first, like you do with any halfwit still slowwitted enough to smoke.

    Surprise surprise that it’s still Republicans dumb enough to be smoking. Let ’em all die.

  • […] the Iraqi people are going to go back to tending sheep and herding goats.” — L. Westmoreland (R, Georgia)

    Please note the “go BACK to”. Which suggests that’s what they’d been doing before. If so, WTF did we invade them? Since when are goats and sheep WMDs (except, perhaps, through their flatulence and methane emission)?

  • Surprise surprise that it’s still Republicans dumb enough to be smoking. Let ‘em all die.
    Er, I remember hearing not long ago that Obama is a smoker too, Tom.

  • According to the information in the Cunningham indictment, the prostitutes arrive at 11pm, 15 minutes later they’re with Randy, and then they’re paid off at midnight, 45 minutes later.

    Given that it takes Viagra approximately 40 minutes to have effect, this leaves 5 minutes. This gives a new meaning to the strategy of successful fighter aces: “get in and get out before they know you’re there.”

  • …testimony from Gen. Karl Eikenberry, the outgoing commander of all NATO troops in Afghanistan. The only reporter to show up was a cameraman from CNN.

    There was a pretty good interview with Gen. Eikenberry yesterday on NPR. He seems like a sharp and straight-shooting soldier. But it’s quite right that the media seems bored with Afghanistan. An update on what’s actually happening there (quite a lot, it turns out), was long overdue.

  • I think we have to remember that the source and slant of the story about Tancredo’s cigar is from The Hill website, home of Dick Morris and Armstrong Williams.

  • Personal congressional offices are assigned strictly by seniority. There is a lottery for Members with equal seniority. At the end of each Congress, most Members try to move to better digs, one that is bigger, or closer to their main committee, or has a nicer view of the dome. Each move costs several thousand dollars since telephone and computer lines have to rewired, stationery changed, etc. Some Members think this is a waste of money and keep the office they were originally assigned. Tancredo seems to be in this group.

  • Please note the “go BACK to”. Which suggests that’s what they’d been doing before. If so, WTF did we invade them? Since when are goats and sheep WMDs (except, perhaps, through their flatulence and methane emission)?

    [libra]

    LOL, excellent.
    Perhaps WMD stands for Wool (bearing animals) of Mass Destruction (to your garden).

  • Here’s what I half-heartedly put together: it didn’t really come together well.
    News so distorted they’re able to kiss their own asses.
    Here are what appear to the be the actual facts of the story.

    People in Ellison’s office smell smoke coming through the walls.
    His press guy calls the Superintended to report it.
    He is referred to the Capitol Police.
    A Capitol Cop comes to Tancredo’s office as required when a report is filed.

    The headlines in the various versions of the story read (Notice the political orientation of these “news” sources.)
    WorldNetDaily – WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S IRE
    Tancredo smokes cigar, Ellison calls cops Lone Star Times
    Democrat’s Staff Calls Capitol Police to Stop GOP Congressman From … FOX News
    Rep. Ellison calls the cops to snuff Tancredo’s cigar The Hill
    Ellison calls the cops on Tancredo Hot Air

    According the the available facts Ellison did not call cops.
    Nobody tried to stop Tancredo from smoking his cigar.

    Out of this
    The Hill (home of Dick Morris, Armstrong Williams and AB Stoddard)
    Mentions the Quran as if it were relevant to the discussion.
    Interprets the complaint as Ellison not believing Tancredo has a right to smoke in his office. (It’s Ellison’s office that he doesn’t a have a right to smoke in.)

    WorldNetDaily the phoney rightwing “news” agency added that “Shortly thereafter, an apologetic police officer walked into [Tancredo’s]his office to inform him of the report. ” The Hill said the visit was a formality. Fox said the officer went to Tancredo “for due diligence went to check on the smoke.”

    The Hill claims “Tancredo was still stunned a day later.” Stunned?

    The Lone Star Times which, I guess, claims to be a “news”paper said, “Apparently, Tancredo smokes magical cigars that emit wall-penetrating smoke:
    This is the legislative equivalent of that annoying neighbor who calls the homeowner’s association when you don’t cut the grass every other day.
    Congratulations, Rep. Ellison. You’re that guy.”

  • Ronald Reagan day. Very depressing. Flags should be flown upside down in observance of the occasion. Good for Gov. Patrick indeed. And he tweaked Grover, “Bipartisanship is date rape” Norquist at the same time. A twofer.

    Er, I remember hearing not long ago that Obama is a smoker too, Tom.
    Comment by James Dillon

    Whether he’s sticking with it or not I don’t know, but Obama said he was setting aside the coffin nails a few weeks ago. But it doesn’t sound like it’s going to be easy.
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/11/AR2007021101336.html

    6 to 4 in Kansas? Guess it’ll have to do but I would have hoped for better. The loser creationists must be just seething and plotting.

  • This is the latest news out of Bushworld from of tomorrows NYTimes.

    When Gen. Tommy R. Franks and his top officers gathered in August 2002 to review an invasion plan for Iraq, it reflected a decidedly upbeat vision of what the country would look like four years after Saddam Hussein was ousted from power.

    A broadly representative Iraqi government would be in place. The Iraqi Army would be working to keep the peace. And the United States would have as few as 5,000 troops in the country.

    Military slides obtained by the National Security Archive under the Freedom of Information Act outline the command’s PowerPoint projection of the stable, pro-American and democratic Iraq that was to be.

    The general optimism and some details of General Franks’s planning session have been disclosed in the copious postwar literature. But the slides from the once classified briefing provide a firsthand look at how far the violent reality of Iraq today has deviated from assumptions that once laid the basis for an exercise in pre-emptive war.

    You can see the slides here and here.

  • Back when smoking was allowed in public office buildings, one of my bosses would occasionally light up a cigar. It stank up the entire office. Blech.

  • A McCain recall effort? It’ll be a great big nail in the coffin of his presidential aspirations, to be sure. And as for Tancredo? We’re talking Tom “Over-the-Top” Tancredo here? Good for Mr. Ellison….

  • Yeah, I also quit smoking. But I don’t shove it down other people’s throats. What bothers me about the whole “smoke” incident is – why do elected officials think the laws are for the public but they do not have to pay any attention to the laws they create?

  • “The National Football League refused to run a recruitment ad for the U.S. Border Patrol during last week’s Super Bowl”

    So now the Border Patrol has so many advertising dollars they can buy the most expense air time.

    Tom, I smoke, what of it. You sound like a republican with your “if I can do it, you can too”, you are insinuating that others have your same point of view, I don’t. I like smoking and I like doing many other things that are life risking, so what.

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