Thank You Kanye West

The ridiculous behavior of Kanye West has allowed President Obama to indirectly tell us what he thought of Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst last week.

Barack Obama, as the President, handled the outburst during his speech exactly as he should have. After his initial pause he continued his speech. The next day he was gracious and quickly accepted Rep. Wilson's apology. Nothing for him to gain by dignifying the bad behavior of a "back bench" congressman with escalation. No need to stoop to his level and allow the story to get any bigger than it naturally was/is.

But in a leaked "off the record" conversation that was probably similar to so many "water cooler conversations" Americans everywhere have been having about a pop culture event, we get to see what Barack Obama, the regular American, thinks about someone who speaks out of turn and (attempts to) upstage someone who deserved the floor.

Audio of the President talking about Kanye West.

The question to him is even framed as Kanye West giving Taylor Swift "the Joe Wilson treatment."

So, by simple induction --- If Barack Obama says that Kanye is a "jackass" for Joe Wilson-like behavior, then we can assume that Barack Obama must think that Joe Wilson is a "jackass."

You can see here that House Rules were broken by Rep. Joe Wilson.

Under clause 1(a)(1) of Rule XI, the rules of the House are the rules of its committees as far as applicable. Consequently, Members should comport themselves with the rules of decorum and debate in the House and in Committees specifically with regard to references to the President of the United States as stated in Sec. 370 of the House Rules and Manual.

As stated in Cannon’s Precedents, on January 27, 1909, the House adopted a report in response to improper references in debate to the President. That report read in part as follows:

"It is... the duty of the House to require its Members in speech or debate to preserve that proper restraint which will permit the House to conduct its business in an orderly manner and without unnecessarily and unduly exciting animosity among its Members or antagonism from those other branches of the Government with which the House is correlated."

Tonight the House voted to officially "disapprove" of his behavior. In other words, he was formally and politely called a jackass.

Here is a bizarre thought - perhaps Kanye is another one of those Sacha Baron Cohen characters. He is, after all the same "jackass" that gave us this treasure -
"George Bush does not care about black people."

Torture

Everyone loves to bring up the scenario of the "ticking bomb" when discussing torture. Kevin Drum says what I have said for a long time--

OK, here's my view on ticking time bombs. It's not original:

Torture should always be illegal. But if you're really, truly convinced that a nuke is about to go off in downtown Atlanta and the human filth in your possession can tell you where it is, then do your worst. I'll cheer you on, the president will pardon you, and the nation will be grateful. OK?

I wish everyone could just agree on this. It's not as if it's ever going to happen, after all, and if it does, well, the guy who saved Atlanta really would get a presidential pardon, wouldn't he?

Everyone talks about the TV show 24, but while using that type of scenario to justify that torture actually works folks forget the fact that when Jack Bauer uses those techniques HE KNOWS HE IS BREAKING THE LAW and chooses to do it anyway. That's the true test of your convictions -- If you are willing to be punished and face the consequences if you are wrong.

The Bush administration wanted to have legal opinions clearing them of wrong doing before they handed down guidelines on "enhanced interrogation techniques." So bring this to the light of day and justify the crap that was done in our name for the last eight years.

The Republicans think that by throwing some of the muck onto Nancy Pelosi Democrats will back off. It sounds to me like she and the Dems are calling their bluff. All the more reason to hold investigations and put this horrible chapter of our history behind us once and for all.

I am bothered by the knowledge that if this investigation really gets going it will turn into a three ring circus and momentum will be taken away from all of the highly important things this new administration is trying to do to fix all of the problems we face right now. But if we demonstrate to the world that we actually believe the things that we say, and as a society can admit our mistakes and punish those that do wrong regardless of their position then we truly are a great country.

If we don't do the right thing because it is too hard or may cause problems then what kind of message are we sending?

What Bush taught this little girl

Sorry, this was too good to pass up.

Count it down!

Then I went for a run with the other dog and just walked. And I started thinking about a lot of things, I was able to -- I can't remember what it was. Oh, the inaugural speech, started thinking through that .

President Bush, before the first inaugural address, January 20, 2001

(from my page a day countdown calendar -- Thanks Taffy)

Now I'm just piling on, but I loved Letterman's "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" -

Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, He-ey Goodbye

I'm sort of "live blogging" Bush's farewell speech. Really I'm just jotting down thoughts as he speaks --

Was it just me or was the throat clearing and uncomfortable pause when he mentioned daily briefings of threats an indication of guilt at not reacting to the PDB (President's Daily Brief) entitled Bin Laden Determined to Strike within US?

The faces that this man makes while speaking is something that I'll never get used to. He says everything as if he's child looking for approval. I pronounced that word right, didn't I? Smirk Smirk

There can be no compromise between good and evil? Killing innocents is always wrong and liberating people is always right??? What about the fact that you have been killing innocent people in your quest to liberate them?

He's actually going to bring up Katrina again...amazing.

Keith Olberman just said that it sounded like an acceptance speech to an award that he thinks that he's won. Chris Matthews response - yes in the sense that everyone gets trophies now-a-days.

I'm glad that was short. I don't know how much I could have taken.

President Bush is finished playing cowboy

Cenk Uygur (from the Young Turks) has a rather interesting, and slightly angry post at Daily Kos about how W used his ranch and his cowboy persona for PR (or more accurately BS) purposes. Now that his political career is over the ranch is history and he is moving into a very exclusive (until recently whites-only) neighborhood.

The highlights -

• He bought the ranch in Crawford in 1999 right before his campaign for president.
• The ranch has no livestock or crops (lots of brush though). It was a prop.
• The press was complicit in this propaganda. (damn liberal media)
• He grew up in New England as a prep school boy of privilege.
• His grandfather was a US Senator and his dad was President.
• He was probably one of the most privileged people in America and he was sold to us as a simple rancher.

Time to tune in and see what he's got to say in his farewell address.

Really??

I had to borrow from SNL's Seth Myers for the title to this post.

Really? Defiant to the end. That's how the President chose to handle his last press conference today. Rubbing salt in the wounds of New Orleans. Taking little to no blame for anything. Disappointments, not mistakes. And don't forget - "BE AFRAID! People want to kill us!" Really?

Josh Marshall hits the nail on the head with his title Still Bush After All These Years

Oh how we will miss him and how I'm looking forward to Keith Olberman and John Stewart critiquing this presser.

UPDATE 1/14 - Had to wait a day for The Daily Show to do their piece, but well worth the wait..

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Six Days Seven Nights

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Stewart really lights into Bush at about 4:25 with the bit about "disappointments"

They were a size ten

It's no secret that I'm no fan of George W. Bush, but this is just crazy. An Iraqi reporter threw his shoes (yes that is plural) at our President while in a joint press conference with Iraq's President Malachi. Bush was there to celebrate the signing of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) on an unannounced visit. Bush's reaction is pretty calm and cool. He ducks enough to dodge both shoes, but he remained upright and staring right at his assailant who was quickly taken to the ground and subdued. Bush later joked that "all (he) can report is that they were size 10." Somehow White House spokesperson Dana Perino managed to get a black eye out out of the deal during the scuffle to tackle the journalist. She's not visible in the video, but apparently was right in the thick of it.

And they thought Helen Thomas was tough!!



UPDATE - It didn't take long for several online games giving you a chance to virtually throw a few shoes yourself to pop up. Here's one.

Jon Stewart is Going to Miss Bush

"Every day has been joyous." ......What?

"Before I arrived in President....During I arrived in President" WTF!!?? This man has an MBA for crying out loud.

He is intrigued by the thoughts of doing charitable work. He's not going to do it, but isn't it intriguing?

January 20th can't come soon enough. Less than 48 days.

Bushonomics

The key economic factors on day one of Bush's first term compared to today.

January 19, 2001: 10,587.59
September 29, 2008: 10,365.45

NASDAQ Jan 19, 2001 = 2770.38
NASDAQ September 29, 2008 = 1983.73

CPI, January 19, 2001: 175
CPI, September 29, 2008: 219

Dollar exchange with Euro, January 19, 2001: 1.068
Dollar exchange with Euro, September 29, 2008: .695 (from Emptywheel)

How are you feeling eight years later?? McCain promises more of the same.

New Obama attack ad....

No Change

Despite the fervor over Gov. Palin in the media and here in the blogosphere (I admit it was pretty hard for me not to get swept up in it) we need to remember that in addition to the poor decision making skills this shows for Sen. McCain that the issues and the contrast between Obama and McCain are the same as they were before Friday --

Two great advertisements from the Obama camp -




Its time to step back and refocus efforts on the larger issues that this has always been about. John McCain is promising more of what George Bush has given us for eight years.

Barack Obama is promising real change.

I've been thinking about a comment that my brother-in-law made the other day a lot. He was hoping for more specifics from Obama on Thursday night about policy issues and what the "Change" will look like. I'll concede that we might not have gotten nitty gritty details, but I think the change that he is offering is crystal clear -

• He will not do foreign policy like Bush.
• He will not give tax breaks to the wealthiest 5% of our citizens.
• He will not allow the middle class to suffer disproportionately
• He will not allow the torture that is being done in our name.
• He will not continue the war in Iraq.
• He will not be beholden to special interest groups or religious extremists.
• He will not appoint people to the Supreme Court (or other key positions like VP) just to satisfy his base.
• He will not allow us to continue to be beholden to foreign oil or to pretend that we can come up with enough of our own oil to solve the problem.
• He will not plan to dismantle Social Security and attempt to hand it over to the "private sector"
• He will not leave 47 million Americans without health care.
• He will not work to overturn Roe v. Wade.

John McCain WILL. He will offer you what Bush has given us for the last eight years. What kind of "reform" is that?

Lest we forget

Three years ago today, while New Orleans drowned, John and George ate cake.

Obama and the American Promise

I was hoping that it would live up to the hype and the man did not disappoint me. Here is the full text and the video.

America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this. ....
We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.
...
Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."
...
It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.
...
Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.
...
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.
...
But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.
...
You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.
...
This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.
...
At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

That was right up there with his 2004 Keynote speech, the New Hampshire Primary "Yes We Can" speech, and the race speech. He is truly one of the most gifted orators that we have seen. Its so nice to see someone that can string words together intelligently again, despite republican cries to the contrary he is so much more than a good speech. Hillary tried that argument. Look where it got her. His judgement has again and again proven to be correct.

He hit McCain directly. He tore into Bush and the last eight years. He tied this moment in history to King and the march on Washington. He challenged the way campaigns have been run. He challenged all Americans to fulfill the promise that is America.

Hillary Delivers

The intro video was awesome, so everyone was supercharged when Chelsea introduced her and she took the stage. (You can watch the intro and full speech at CSPAN)

No way, no how, no McCain.

The time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team and none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. This is a fight for the future and this is a fight that we must win together.

It makes sense that George Bush and John McCain are going to be together next week in the twin cities because these days, it's hard to tell them apart.

KA POW!!!

Count me as a PUMAMA (Party Unity My Ass, MY ASS)

Andrew Sullivan - Does Bush think McCain was tortured?

Conservative Blogger Andrew Sullivan puts the torture debate in a very interesting context -- either John McCain was not tortured while captive in North Vietnam or the US government has been torturing prisoners under the Bush administration. Its one or the other.

The torture that was deployed against McCain emerges in all the various accounts. It involved sleep deprivation, the withholding of medical treatment, stress positions, long-time standing, and beating. Sound familiar?

According to the Bush administration's definition of torture, McCain was therefore not tortured.

Cheney denies that McCain was tortured; as does Bush. So do John Yoo and David Addington and George Tenet.

And...

Now the kicker: in the Military Commissions Act, McCain acquiesced to the use of these techniques against terror suspects by the CIA. And so the tortured became the enabler of torture. Someone somewhere cried out in pain for the same reasons McCain once did. And McCain let it continue.

These are the prices people pay for power.

Get to work

This ad doesn't even scratch the surface of McCain's absenteeism.

He hasn't voted on anything since April 8th.

Last month there was the big Medicare bill that was so important that Ted Kennedy, who is being treated for brain cancer, felt it was too important to miss. It was so important that 99 out of the 100 Senators were there. John McCain is the ONLY senator that missed that vote.

He is the MOST ABSENT Senator in the 110th Congress. He has missed more that 60% of the votes.

Why didn't he campaign on the weekends every once in a while so that maybe he could have shown up to vote a few times this spring? He doesn't work weekends!

I guess since he is running to replace the most vacationing president ever that isn't such a big deal. But don't call him "Bush's third term" he's soooo different from Bush..

Gozer the Gozerian is Back!

I'm not sure that many people will find this as funny as I do, but perhaps that's because Mike, my classmate and teammate from the academy, and I used to quote lines from the movie Ghostbusters constantly. To see Rick Moranis' bizarre speech about the evil that is to come at the end of the movie being used in a pseudo political ad just cracks me up.

It also correctly points out the tone of the McCain campaign right now. The campaign has taken on a "dog whistle" quality. To most mainstream folks and the media his ads seem frivolous at worst and they don't get what all the fuss is about. But to those tuned in to the subtext (which is precisely who the ads are meant for) the message is loud and clear. The republican smear machine has effectively used these tactics in the past against Harold Ford, Max Cleland, and countless others. Hell, Bush even used them against John McCain in the 2000 primary.

The big question is - will it work again?

President Visits Disaster Zone

From The Onion

Main Stream Media, where are you????

Last night at approximately 7:30PM Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) took to the floor of the House of Representatives and for over 4 hours read his 35 Articles of Impeachment against President Bush. It was a true Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moment in history.

Strangely (not) there has been no mention of it on the evening news or even the 24 hour news channels. I couldn't find it mentioned on their web sites either. NO ONE but the liberal bloggers are discussing this. Even there the community is split as to whether this is a great thing or a foolish waste of time. Personally I come down on the side of this being a great thing. Whether or not this gets any traction I think that it is fantastic that someone has the guts and sense of patriotism to get it into the official record of the Congress.

ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH Resolved, that President George W. Bush be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against President George W. Bush for high crimes and misdemeanors.In his conduct while President of the United States, George W. Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has committed the following abuses of power.

Follow the link above to read all 35 articles and see Rep. Kucinich's supporting documentation.

UPDATE: Finally, Keith Olberman covers this on his show tonight!