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4/30/08
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Obama denounces Rev. Wright
(by Ben Smith at Politico)
Obama sharply attacks Reverend Jeremiah Wright and the substance of his remarks
[Monday], a far sharper disavowal than he gave in
Philadelphia… "I am outraged
by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw
yesterday," he said.
Hmmm… From crazy
old uncle to I am outraged. What he’s outraged about is Wright’s attacks on
HIM, not the attacks on America.
The World
37 die in Iraq clashes
More than 37
people were killed in
Baghdad's
Shi'ite militia bastion of Sadr City yesterday, as gunmen clashed with US
soldiers under cover of a severe sandstorm. Several rockets or mortar rounds
also struck the Iraqi capital's heavily fortified government compound, as
militants took advantage of the absence of US air cover during the storm,
witnesses said.
Iraq to see $70 billion windfall as oil prices rise, U.S. military says
Iraq's
government is expected to reap a $70 billion windfall from soaring oil prices,
about double the previous projections, the
U.S.
military's reconstruction watchdog reported Wednesday. Congress has approved
about $47 billion in reconstruction funding since the invasion.
Palestinian factions agree to truce with Israel: MENA
CAIRO (Reuters) -
Palestinian factions meeting in Cairo for talks with Egyptian security officials
have agreed to an Egyptian proposal for a truce with Israel starting in the Gaza
Strip, state news agency MENA said on Wednesday.
Taliban militants kill themselves in Afghan siege
KABUL (Reuters) -
Five Taliban militants blew themselves up in a house in the Afghan capital Kabul
after 10 hours of clashes with besieging Afghan security forces on Wednesday, an
Interior Ministry official told Reuters.
US launches 'mini surge' in Afghanistan
A strike force of
US marines punched through Taliban frontlines in southern Helmand yesterday as
part of an Afghan "mini surge" intended to weaken the 'insurgents'' grip on the
war-ravaged south. The marine force, numbered in the hundreds, exchanged fire
with Taliban fighters as they pushed through Garmser, a town abandoned by its
inhabitants in recent years and ringed by poppy fields.
New U.S. carrier in Gulf a 'reminder' to Iran: Gates
The U.S. Navy has
'temporarily' added a second aircraft carrier in the Gulf as a "reminder" to
Iran, but this was not an escalation of American forces in the region, U.S.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday. News of the second carrier came
amid simmering tension between the United States and Iran that has fed
speculation about a possible
U.S.
military strike.
Official: Explosion near Italian embassy in Yemen
SAN'A, Yemen -
Two mortar shells fired Wednesday in Yemen's capital exploded outside the
customs authority and near the Italian embassy, an Interior Ministry official
said.
US 'concerned' about prison terms for Tibet protesters
WASHINGTON (AFP)
- The United States
said Wednesday it was "concerned" about reports that China has sentenced 30
people to between three years and life in prison for their role over last
month's Tibetan unrest.
Olympics: 100-day countdown starts amid Tibet, torch troubles
BEIJING (AFP) -
China hailed the 100-day countdown to the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday, but
simmering controversies over Tibet and the torch relay, as well as heavy
pollution, cast a shadow over the milestone.
Australian gay couples get equal rights, but no weddings: minister
SYDNEY (AFP) -
Gay and lesbian couples will have the same rights as heterosexuals under new
Australian laws but marriage will remain off limits, Attorney General Robert
McClelland said Wednesday.
Canada pledges C$50 mln in extra food aid
OTTAWA (Reuters)
- Canada's government announced on Wednesday an additional C$50 million ($49.5
million) in international food aid this year and said it would speed up existing
food aid projects, particularly in Haiti and Argentina.
Mexican lawmakers decriminalize migrants
MEXICO CITY
- Migrant rights activists applauded a vote by
Mexico's Congress to remove
long-standing criminal penalties for undocumented migrants found in the country.
Colombian police kill suspected drug lord
BOGOTA, Colombia
- Police killed one of Colombia's most-wanted drug lords in a shootout Tuesday
after an informant led officers to a ranch hide-out, the defense minister said.
The U.S. government had a US$5 million (euro3.2 million) reward out for the man.
Zimbabwe gloats over UN stalemate
HARARE (AFP) -
The Zimbabwe government savoured a rare diplomatic victory on Wednesday after
the United Nations Security Council failed to agree on how to respond to the
country's post election crisis.
Two battalions to join Darfur peace force in June
KHARTOUM
(Reuters) - About 1,600 troops will join Darfur's U.N.-African Union
peacekeeping mission in June as part of plans to deploy 80 percent of the force
by the end of the year, the head of the mission said on Wednesday.
The Nation
US troop deaths hit 7-month high in Iraq
BAGHDAD - The
killings of three U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad pushed the
American death toll for April up to 47, making it the deadliest month since
September.
Gates: Lull in Iraq violence over, withdrawal to go on
MEXICO CITY —
U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on Tuesday acknowledged that a
seven-month lull in U.S. troops deaths in Iraq has come to an end and blamed the
bloodshed on Shiite Muslim militiamen who have bombarded the Green Zone and key
parts of Baghdad with rockets and mortar rounds.
Bush holds firm on war funding bill
WASHINGTON -
President Bush and Democrats controlling Congress continued on course toward a
veto confrontation Tuesday as Bush said he would veto any attempt to add a
popular veteran benefits bill to his $108 billion war funding request.
Airline's bankruptcy strands U.S. troops in Middle East
WASHINGTON — The
abrupt collapse of ATA Airlines has left an untold number of U.S. soldiers,
sailors and Marines stuck in Iraqi and Afghan airports while they await a ride
home. Some face travel delays of up to a week, military officials acknowledge.
New bid, same result: KBR shares big Army contract
Houston-based KBR
has again been selected to participate in a 10-year military logistical support
contract valued at up to $150 billion, the U.S. Army announced today. The Army
Sustainment Command, at the insistence of the Government Accountability Office,
had re-evaluated its decision last summer to award the massive contract to KBR,
Fort Worth-based DynCorp International and Fluor Intercontinental of Greenville,
S.C. But after rebidding the contract, the Army chose the same three players.
Army widens probe after finding bad conditions at Fort Bragg
Army officials
said Tuesday they are inspecting every barracks building worldwide to see
whether problems revealed at
Fort Bragg,
N.C.,
last week are widespread. Brig. Gen. Dennis Rogers, who is responsible for
maintaining barracks throughout the Army, acknowledged the revelations from a
video shot by the father of an 82nd Airborne Division soldier showing poor
conditions such as mold inside the barracks, peeling interior paint and a
bathroom drain plugged with sewage.
You just have to
wonder if KBR has the contract for maintenance of the facility.
2 beef processors are cited for humane violations
WASHINGTON - A
government inspection of slaughterhouses found significant problems with the
treatment of cattle and two of the nation's largest beef processors — both of
which provide meat for the National School Lunch Program — were slapped with
humane handling violations.
Cheney lawyer claims Congress has no authority over vice-president
The lawyer for US
vice-president Dick Cheney claimed today that the Congress lacks any authority
to examine his behaviour on the job. The exception claimed by Cheney's counsel
came in response to requests from congressional Democrats that David Addington,
the vice-president's chief of staff, testify about his involvement in the
approval of interrogation tactics used at Guantanamo Bay. Ruling out voluntary
cooperation by Addington, Cheney lawyer Kathryn Wheelbarger said Cheney's
conduct is "not within the [congressional] committee's power of inquiry".
KBR workers in Iraq stole weapons and artwork, senators told
KBR employees
working in Iraq stole weapons, artwork and even gold to make spurs for cowboy
boots, two former company workers told Senate Democrats on Monday.
Senate panel makes second try at preventing waterboarding
WASHINGTON
- The Senate Intelligence Committee voted Tuesday to limit CIA interrogators to
techniques approved by the military, which would effectively bar them from
waterboarding prisoners, congressional officials said.
Kennedy: On-the-job deaths should lead to prosecutions
WASHINGTON —
Employers who intentionally disregard hazards that cost workers their lives
should face the threat of felony prosecution and stiff prison sentences,
lawmakers said Tuesday.
GOP fears Pelosi power grab on Iraq
Staffers say
Pelosi’s office is considering taking $178 billion war funding bill straight to
the House floor.
We can always
hope, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
House votes on requiring combustible dust rule changes
WASHINGTON
- House Democrats are pushing for new standards to protect workers from
combustible dust explosions and fires after 13 people were killed in a
Georgia
sugar plant blast in February.
Today on the presidential campaign trail
Obama to get
endorsements from two congressmen; Clinton gets backing from Pa. union president
... No matter how Obama handles Jeremiah Wright, some supporters won't be happy
Dartmouth Professor Announces Intention to Sue Students for Being Mean to Her
(by Jonathan Turley)
A Dartmouth lecturer Priya Venkatesan appears to have some unresolved teaching
issues with her Winter ‘08 Writing 5 class. Most professors deal with a rude
class with stern lectures, implied grading threats, and more homework.
Venkatesan reportedly took a different tack: she informed the class that she is
going to sue them for discrimination under Title VII. This appears genuine,
though it remains hard to believe that any rationale academic would threaten
such legal action.
Because we don’t
have enough frivolous lawsuits in America.
Witness says Hastert linked to alleged plot
The name of
former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert was added Monday to the roster of
political heavyweights linked by witnesses to an alleged plan to dump Chicago's
top federal prosecutor and kill a criminal investigation into a top fundraiser
for Gov. Rod Blagojevich. A witness at the corruption trial of Blagojevich
insider Antoin "Tony" Rezko testified that Rezko told him in February 2005 about
an effort under way to fire U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald and replace him with
someone more compliant to be hand-picked by Hastert, then the top Republican in
the House.
Economy & Finance
Stocks rise ahead of Federal Reserve's rate decision
NEW YORK
- The stock market advanced Wednesday, driving the Dow Jones industrial average
up more than 100 points as investors reacted to better-than-expected economic
and corporate reports ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates.
Fed expected to cut rates one more time
WASHINGTON - The
Federal Reserve, which began the year aggressively fighting a severe credit
crunch and economic weakness, may push the pause button after delivering perhaps
one more quarter-point cut in interest rates.
Foreclosure filings double, striking 46 of 50 states
WASHINGTON — U.S.
home foreclosure filings continued to climb in the first quarter of 2008,
jumping 23 percent over the previous quarter and more than doubling from the
first quarter of 2007, according to a new report released Tuesday. It was the
seventh consecutive quarter that foreclosure activity increased, said James J.
Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, a real estate data firm in
Irvine, Calif.
Economy grows by only 0.6 percent in first quarter
WASHINGTON - The
bruised economy limped through the first quarter, growing at just a 0.6 percent
pace as housing and credit problems forced people and businesses alike to hunker
down.
Bush says no 'magic wand' to lower fuel prices
U.S. President
George W. Bush said on Tuesday there was no "magic wand" to bring down
record-high fuel prices but would consider a proposal to suspend federal
gasoline taxes this summer.
Bush rhetoric on energy strays from the facts
WASHINGTON -
President Bush put politics ahead of the facts Tuesday as he sought to blame
Congress for high energy prices, saying foreign suppliers are pumping just about
all the oil they can and accusing lawmakers of blocking new refineries.
Can anything be done about skyrocketing oil prices?
WASHINGTON
— President Bush lamented Tuesday that there was no magic wand to wave to lower
oil prices, but there are simple steps he could take to lower the soaring price
of crude. Here are some answers to questions about making oil cheaper.
Maryland balks at pay package for former CareFirst CEO
(thanks to DCblogger at
Corrente)
The Maryland Insurance Administration argued Monday that the nearly $18 million
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield is prepared to pay William Jews, its former top
executive, is too much. Attorneys with the state agency said the MIA wants to
cut the annual and long-term incentives CareFirst, the region’s largest health
insurer, plans to pay Jews, who left the nonprofit in November 2006. The
insurance administration also argued that the primary focus of a nonprofit is
not to generate profits or encourage its top managers with incentives to
increase profits.
Media
Permanent link to MTA daily media news
Electoral-Vote.com, April
29, 2008
Clinton 291
McCain 247
Tie 0
Obama 243
McCain
269
Tie 26
Click through to
see the maps.
Round-Up of Blog Responses to Obama Presser (and buzz about a N.C. poll last
night) (by
SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
RightTriangle, N.C. blog: “I’m watching MSNBC and Andrea Mitchell is asking NBC
correspondent Athena Jones why Obama chose now to finally, unequivocally, part
ways with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. In her reporting wisdom, Jones is talking
about how Wright offended Obama with his remarks yesterday at the National Press
Club. I don’t think so. My guess is it had something to do with the poll call I
got last night. All questions were about the Obama-Wright relationship and
whether that made me think more unfavorably about Barack Obama [and if] I was
more inclined now to vote for Hillary since this blew up. Due respect to Athena,
but she should do a little more reporting and actually ask Obama why he did what
he did a few minutes ago. I would put money on the fact that Obama saw the
results of that snap poll and said, ‘My God, I’ve got to ditch this guy.’”
Click through for
more reactions.
Uncle Jeremiah Wright was Right
(by Larry Johnson at No Quarter)
Boy did Reverend Wright call it correctly the other day. He indicated that
Barack is the kind of guy who will say politically what needs to be said
regardless of what he believes. Well, Barack proved him right. Two months ago he
had never heard Wright say anything objectionable in 20 years. Now, apparently,
in the last eight weeks, aliens have taken over the body and mind of Wright and
he is saying things he has never said before. Right? Wrong.
When it suits his all-consuming political ambitions, at the time …
(by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
Obama has over-emphasized his Christian faith to fend off accusations from the
right that he is a secret Muslim. That suits his ambition to become the
Democratic nominee and to become president. But, it’s a delicate dance to claim
he’s a devout Christian when he also claims that he never heard Wright’s rants —
which would LOGICALLY mean that he rarely attended Wright’s Trinity church.
Which is it, Barack? Did you carefully select to attend only on the Sundays when
Wright never railed against America and white people? Or is this another of your
cover-ups?
Some folks have
the audacity to think that the only reason Obama, formerly a skeptic if not a
full-blown atheist, joined the church to gain political juice.
Obama will do anything to win.
(by John: south of Melrose
at Liberal Rapture)
Obama is a liar. He stayed in that church for 20 years. He listened to Wright
for 20 years. Wright said nothing new yesterday. Obama is lying to save his
fraudulent ass. Obama went after Wright and "repudiated" him today because he
poll numbers are falling in N.C. End of story. Any tall tale from Obama now
about how surprised he is by Wright is BULLSHIT. Barack Obama has no integrity.
Zero. Obama cannot be trusted to walk the dog, much less run the country. CNN
said Obama looked "hurt". Good God. What's next- Keith Olberman brings him a
blanket while Huffington rubs his shoulders, and Ducky at the Cheetos blog plays
patty cakes with him to cheer him up? THIS MAN CANNOT BE PRESIDENT. Obama is
poison. By taking deception and deceit to new levels Obama now represents the
opposite of hope. He represents a contempt for the process that rivals Nixon.
Obama's quandary over preacher reflects supporters' divide
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
- Thirteen hours after his former pastor startled some with a defiant
performance that was televised nationwide, Barack Obama urged 18,000 supporters
to stay calm and shrug off such "distractions."
Obama’s ‘Race Neutral’ Strategy Unravels of its Own Contradictions
(by Glen Ford at the Black Agenda Report)
The worldviews of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Sen. Barack Obama were incompatible
from the start, just as the mythical American Manifest Destiny worldview is
directly at odds with the facts as perceived by Blacks in the United States.
Wright finally forced Obama to choose sides in the conflict of racial/historical
visions, and in doing so, performed a service on behalf of clarity. Obama lashed
out in a startlingly personal manner, calling Wright a “caricature” of himself
and linking the minister to forces that give “comfort to those who prey on
hate.” Rev. Wright exposed the flimsy tissues of so-called “race neutrality” in
a nation founded on racial oppression.
What is so
seriously pitiful about all this is that Obama had the chance to bring race to
the forefront. In fact, we had the chance to really hash out issues of race AND
sexism. But it turns out that Obama’s just a politician. He wants to win, not
to change the world.
Obama’s ‘Race Neutral’ Strategy Unravels of its Own Contradictions
(by Glen Ford at the Black Agenda Report)
The worldviews of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Sen. Barack Obama were incompatible
from the start, just as the mythical American Manifest Destiny worldview is
directly at odds with the facts as perceived by Blacks in the United States.
Wright finally forced Obama to choose sides in the conflict of racial/historical
visions, and in doing so, performed a service on behalf of clarity. Obama lashed
out in a startlingly personal manner, calling Wright a “caricature” of himself
and linking the minister to forces that give “comfort to those who prey on
hate.” Rev. Wright exposed the flimsy tissues of so-called “race neutrality” in
a nation founded on racial oppression.
What is so
seriously pitiful about all this is that Obama had the chance to bring race to
the forefront. In fact, we had the chance to really hash out issues of race AND
sexism. But it turns out that Obama’s just a politician. He wants to win, not
to change the world.
The press and Obama:
(by Bob Somerby at The Daily Howler)
For better or worse, it was always clear that Reverend Wright would be a part of
this campaign. But the press corps was very slow to go there, even though it was
clear that Wright—a key figure in Obama’s life—was, for better or worse, well
outside the political mainstream… “This is as openly radical a background as any
significant American political figure has ever emerged from,” Rolling Stone
judged [in February of 2007]. But for the next year, the mainstream press corps
made little attempt to explore this… [I]t was always clear that Reverend Wright
would play a role in this campaign. The press corps walked away from this for a
very long time.
Nobody knows anything
(by lambert at Corrente)
The polls are wrong, the campaigns are wrong, the DNC is wrong, the RNC is
wrong, and especially, especially our famously free press is wrong. (The
conservatives are always wrong about everything, so this state of affairs is
normal for them.) It’s as if there’s an undiscovered planet that’s throwing off
the orbits of all the known planets. It’s as if there’s a huge but untracked
source of narratives that’s throwing off all the other narratives. Could it be….
The blogosphere? (And, even more radically, the B, C, and D listers in their
tens of thousands of writers and millions of readers?)
Insiders Say Obama Has Won Elected Superdelegates
(Political Wire)
"Capitol Hill insiders say the battle for congressional superdelegates is over,"
according to The Politico, and Sen. Barack Obama appears to have won the
majority. A Wall Street Journal story yesterday came to the same conclusion.
"While more than 80 Democrats in the House and Senate have yet to state their
preferences in the race for the Democratic nomination, sources said Tuesday that
most of them have already made up their minds and have told the campaigns where
they stand."
Those wouldn’t be
insiders OF THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN saying this, would they?
From Reba Shimansky, via
email: Super Delegates Should Think Twice Before Endorsing Obama
After Kentucky Congressman Ben Chandler endorsed Obama the congressman's
offices in Lexington and Washington had received about 300 phone calls opposing
his decision -- and only five in favor -- by about 2:30 p.m. [Tuesday].
Where the Dem Rules Really Lead
(by Craig Crawford, CQ Politics)
The mandatory penalties set forth by the Democratic National Committee’s
delegate selection rules call for outlaw states like Florida and Michigan to
only lose half of their delegates to the national convention. And yet the DNC
went beyond its own rules to add further penalties, stripping those states of
all delegates. The DNC rules also prohibited public appearances and electronic
advertising before the polls closed by candidates in states that had jumped the
approved primary calendar. Barack Obama made a public appearance in
Florida in September 2007,
talking to reporters after a fundraiser. His campaign also bought television ads
on cable news outlets that ran throughout Florida before its renegade primary.
Strictly speaking, if the DNC rules were tightly construed in this case, Hillary
Rodham Clinton would receive half of the Florida delegates she won and Obama
would receive none -- the penalty for violating the campaign ban.
Obama's money advantage over Clinton may not matter
WASHINGTON —
Barack Obama is poised once again to dramatically outspend Hillary Clinton, this
time in North Carolina and Indiana before next Tuesday's primaries there — and
once again, the imbalance may not matter.
POLL: PPP Indiana (4/26-27)
Clinton 50, Obama 42
In North Carolina, Clinton Closes To Within 5 Of Obama
In a Democratic Primary in North Carolina today, 04/29/08, one week till votes
are counted, the 10-point lead that Barack Obama has had for two months is
halved, to now 5 points, Obama 49%, Clinton 44%, according to SurveyUSA's 7th
tracking poll, conducted exclusively for WTVD-TV Raleigh. In SurveyUSA last four
polls, over the past two months, Obama has led by 10, 8, 10, and 9 points.
Today: 5.
No Change in Democratic Presidential Contest in Kentucky -- Clinton Still 2:1
Atop Obama
In a Democratic Primary in
Kentucky
today, 04/29/08, three weeks until votes are counted, Hillary Clinton decisively
defeats Barack Obama, 63% to 27%. In three SurveyUSA tracking polls over the
past 30 days, there is no movement in the contest. Obama gains a little bit of
ground in Greater Louisville, but loses an equivalent amount in other portions
of the state.
That’s 36
points. Mighty impressive.
Oh, now it's blackmail
(by lambert at Corrente)
Charlie Cook: “One of the most salient arguments made these days by
superdelegates is the fear of what would happen to the party if Obama were to be
spurned. Even if they wanted to nominate Clinton, the fear of damage to the
party is sufficient to argue against it. Between the newbies — the young and new
voters who are so enthusiastic for Obama — and the black community — who
ironically were somewhat late to join the Obama bandwagon after his Iowa win —
the fallout from a spurning of Obama would be profound.” Well, splendid. Vote
for me, or I take my ball and go home. Hey, remember when there used to be
actual reasons — however weak — to vote for Obama? Happy days. Now, it’s just a
straight power play.
And what does
Senator Clinton say? She cares about party, not about personality. See below.
Hillary's Interview With the Indianapolis Star
(by Jeralyn at TalkLeft)
From Hillary's interview with the Indianapolis Star today… “Sen. Hillary Rodham
Clinton said [Tuesday] that it would be ‘the height of political foolishness’
for Democrats to back a Republican, or not vote at all, if they’re disappointed
by the outcome of the long-running nomination battle between her and Barack
Obama. ‘Anyone, anyone, who voted for either of us should be absolutely
committed to voting for the other’ in the general election, Clinton said... “no
matter what the differences are between Senator Obama and myself, they pale in
comparison to the differences we have with Senator McCain and the Republicans.”
Click through for
a link to the video.
Senior Hillary Adviser On Whether She'll Take On O'Reilly: "That's Not The Plan"
(by Greg Sargent at TPM Election Central)
So why did Hillary agree to go on The O'Reilly Factor and will she be taking on
O'Reilly in some way, as Obama was criticized for not doing during his interview
with Fox's Chris Wallace? I just posed these questions to Hillary spokesperson
Howard Wolfson. He would only say: "We've had a standing offer from them for a
while -- Hillary obviously doesn't agree with Bill O'Reilly on many issues, but
he has a large audience of politically engaged people." They may be politically
engaged, but are they persuadable in any way?... Meanwhile, a senior adviser to
Hillary, asked whether she'd be taking on O'Reilly in some fashion, said, on
condition of anonymity: "That's not the plan."
Late Update: MoveOn, a major
Obama supporter that hit the Illinois Senator over his Fox appearance and has
led the charge against Fox, emails over this response… "With no plan to call out
Fox's Republican agenda, Senator Clinton's appearance on 'The O'Reilly Factor'
does nothing more than legitimize a network that will then use that credibility
to smear Democrats and progressive ideas in 2008. She's pandering to a small
audience that is not persuadable."
She’s once again
showing that she can speak to people who hold different views from her. When
Obama CLAIMS he can do it, everyone falls all over themselves admiring him.
When Clinton does it, she’s being very, very bad.
Schism Grows Between Obama and Liberal Bloggers (Wired)
Liberal bloggers are expressing outrage over Barack Obama's appearance this
weekend on Fox News, accusing the Democratic presidential front-runner of
kowtowing to the network's conservative viewers, and throwing his online
supporters to the wolves… Ahead of the appearance, an Obama spokesman told TPM
Election Central that Fox has "been the tip of the spear when it comes to
repeatedly broadcasting some of the most specious of rumors about Obama."
Promising on-air fireworks, the spokesman said that Obama "is going on their
Sunday show to take Fox on." Instead, Obama was decidedly non-combative, and
calmly addressed all of the issues thrown his way by the show's host. He even
highlighted some of his differences with liberal blogs, singling out Daily Kos
by name while discussing John Roberts' nomination to the Supreme Court.
Break out your
tiny violin and click through for the reactions.
Skelton backs Clinton for Democratic nomination
(Kansas City Star)
Democratic superdelegate and veteran Congressman Ike Skelton of
Missouri said Tuesday he
will back Hillary Clinton for president. In a brief statement, Skelton of
Lexington said he backed
Clinton
“because of her support in rural
America, her commitment to
national security, and her dedication to our men and women in uniform.”
New Clinton supporter is a potent symbol
(Politico)
NC Gov. Mike Easley's endorsement offers
Clinton a potent symbolic
and electoral boost in biggest state left to vote. North Carolina Governor Mike
Easley's scheduled endorsement of Senator Hillary Clinton today offers her a
potent symbolic and electoral boost in the biggest state left to vote. Easley is
a meaningful ally in the culture war she's waging against Senator Barack Obama,
as she seeks to cast him as a hopelessly unelectable liberal elitist and to
persuade the Democratic Party leaders who will decide the nomination – the
"superdelegates" – to choose her instead… Easley had endorsed Edwards for
president, but again became a heavily sought superdelegate once Edwards bowed
out of the race.
CNN: Hillary is a Bunny Cooker
(by TexasDarlin at MyDD)
Well, these blokes on cable TV just keep drivin' up the female vote for
Hillary...Go for it, guys! You have know idea how your sexism helps our GOTV
efforts. Dumbos. Here's Ken Rudin, "NPR Political Editor" sharing a long guffaw
with CNN's "Media Matters" moderator (sorry, don't know his name) after
comparing Hillary to the stalker character played by Glen Close in "Fatal
Attraction".... Ok, all you gals (and enlightened guys)....donate your latte
funds today, in honor of the Cable TV Asses (CTAs): [Contribute!
Until midnight tonight, your donation will be matched.]
Obama: The know-too-much candidate?
(by Roger Simon at Politico)
The superdelegates, the party insiders who will decide the nomination, are
watching events very, very closely. And what do they see? Obama has now lost the
popular vote in Ohio,
Texas and
Pennsylvania. He has been hurt by the irresponsible statements of his former
pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and Obama insulted small-town Americans when he accused
them of “clinging” to guns and religion… Comparisons are already being made
between Obama and Adlai Stevenson, who was an intellectual (read: loser)… And
Americans don’t want presidents who are too brainy. (Obviously.) We would rather
plunge into foreign wars or fall off economic cliffs than have presidents who
know too much. That is because braininess is elitist, and being an elitist is
the worst thing you can be if you want to be president.
Eyes on Blue-Collar Voters, Obama Shifts Style
(New York Times)
ANDERSON, Ind. —
Senator Barack Obama is making subtle changes to his campaign style and message
in an effort to strengthen his appeal to blue-collar voters and to avoid a
defeat in Indiana that aides fear could give Democratic Party leaders further
pause about his viability in a general election.
Clinton PANDERS,
but Obama SHIFTS STYLE. The article also goes on to say, “In interviews with
several associates and aides, Mr. Obama was described as bored with the campaign
against Mrs. Clinton and eager to move into the general election against Senator
John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee.” I’m telling you,
just as I’ve BEEN telling you, this guy is an amateur.
Hope for Corporate America
(by Chris Hedges at Truthdig)
The corporate state is our shadow government. Candidates who aspire to higher
office get corporate money if they promote corporate interests. Barack Obama’s
campaign message, filled with lofty promises of change and hope, is also filled
with repeated reassurances to the corporate elite.
Clinton: $2.3B in earmarks
(The Hill)
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has requested nearly $2.3 billion in
federal earmarks for 2009, almost three times the largest amount received by a
single senator this year. The Democratic presidential candidate’s staggering
request comes at a time when Congress remains engaged in a heated debate over
spending federal dollars on parochial projects… The money is needed for homeland
security, emergency response and health projects throughout New York, according
to documents provided by her office.
In case anyone
has forgotten, New York was hardest hit by the 9/11 attacks.
Obama to donate funds received from Rezko friend
(Chicago Sun-Times)
Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama is giving $2,300 in presidential
campaign contributions to charity -- money he got from Aiham Alsammarae, a dual
U.S.-Iraqi citizen who posted more than $2.7 million in property to help spring
Tony Rezko from jail.
Alsammarae,
Iraq's
former electricity minister, gave to Obama's presidential campaign six times in
January, February and March.
Also, do not
forget that money lent to Tony Rezko made it possible for him to buy part of the
property that
made Obama’s mansion purchase possible.
The McCain Leadership Test
(By Mario Solis-Marich of
Neustra Voice, writing at the Huffington Post)
While the Democrats have been tested in a game drawing a level of national
attention that rivals America’s addiction to the most viciously intimate reality
shows, John McCain has not been pressured at all… Recently, a new test of
McCain's leadership has emerged. Rush Limbaugh, lead propagandist of the right,
has made it clear that the objective of his newest media project "Operation
Chaos" is to create riot conditions in Denver at the Democratic convention… John
McCain has positioned himself as a moderate Republican and has promised
"maverick" leadership. If McCain is truly not beholden to the divisive ugly side
of GOP politics, here is his moment to make that clear. John McCain should
denounce the words of Rush Limbaugh quickly and immediately.
Post-Pennsylvania Spin Drowns Out McCain
(Project for Excellence in Journalism)
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton generated a huge portion of the headlines last
week as Pennsylvanians finally went to the polls. The issue of race re-emerged
to play a substantial role in the media's Democratic campaign narrative. And
Republican John McCain struggled to be heard through the din.
New Orleans plans YouTube presidential debate
NEW ORLEANS
(Reuters) - New
Orleans hopes to hold a U.S. presidential campaign town meeting in September,
and while the candidates have yet to agree, the debate has already been
announced on YouTube.
Decision Making: Is It All 'Me, Me, Me'?
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 29, 2008) — People act in their own best interests, according to
traditional views of how and why we make the decisions that we do. However,
psychologists at the Universities of Leicester and Exeter have recently found
evidence that this assumption is not necessarily true. In fact the research,
funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, shows that most of us will
act in the best interest of our team -- often at our own expense.
Unfortunately,
however, the right wing has mounted an extremely successful multi-billion-dollar
campaign over the last 30 years to convince Americans that “me, me, me” is
what’s best for all. Too bad progressives haven’t caught on and
developed an infrastructure to counter that message.
Blaming Congress For His Failures
(by Steve Soto at The Left Coaster)
With consumer confidence in him falling through the floor, Bush blamed Congress
[Tuesday] for delaying help to consumers to deal with oil prices that have more
than tripled during his time in office. With a straight face, he tells the
gullible press corps that things would have been better if only Congress had
allowed him to turn over decommissioned military bases to Big Oil as sites for
new refineries, even though: 1) Oil companies have already said this is a
nonstarter; 2) Oil companies created the refining shortage themselves to drive
up prices… Mr. President, … [g]iven your limited world view, nothing you have
proposed over the last several years would have made any difference, and your
party ran Congress up until 2007. But now it's the fault of Congress.
How’s that finger
pointing working out for you, Mr. Bush? See below.
Bush hits all-time low on handling of the economy.
(Think Progress)
In a NBC/WSJ poll to be released tomorrow, “only 21% approve of President Bush’s
job in handling the economy — his lowest number ever as president on that
question.” Additionally, the poll found that 81% of Americans “believe the
US
is currently in a recession.”
Media Matters for America headlines
• CNN continues trend of uncritically airing McCain's false attacks on Dems' health care plans
• Matthews conflated Wright and Obama, then said they are "different faces of the same guy"
• Networks continue to ignore NY Times' military analyst story, but all find time for Hannah Montana
• Olbermann named NPR's Rudin "Worst Person" for comparing Clinton to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction
• Politico's Allen misrepresented Obama's April 16 debate response on "disown[ing]" Wright comments
CBS' Butler Says He Isn't Sure Who Kidnapped Him In Iraq
Richard Butler
said he believes he was kidnapped in Iraq by policemen with sympathies toward
the Hezbollah but isn't entirely sure who held him captive or why.
Man gets prison after hundreds of thousands of spam e-mails
DENVER - A
Colorado man accused of sending hundreds of thousands of spam e-mails has been
sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion and
falsifying e-mail headers.
The 50 Most Influential US Political Pundits
(The Telegraph, U.K.)
The Daily Telegraph today unveils its list of the 50 most influential political
pundits to help readers sort through whose opinions matter.
All the usual
suspects.
Why should we trust storytellers?
(by Adrian Monck, The Guardian)
The more elevated programme makers and journalist still cling to the notion they
are purveyors of the "truth", guardians of public standards, the fourth estate.
Journalists are storytellers. The best of these stories may be parables with
implications beyond the mere facts of who, what, where and when. They may prompt
further preaching on op-ed pages - family values, common sense and decency
versus moral failure, corruption and greed. But they are stories nonetheless,
real stories about real people, to use the TV slogan, and the media are losing
their monopoly on telling them.
ABC's Cuomo describes himself as an advocacy journalist
Chris Cuomo's
bosses like that. "He's had a real yearning to seek out the untold stories,
particularly of the disadvantaged," says ABC News president David Westin. "He's
almost a crusader." The "Good Morning America" news anchor tells Howard Kurtz:
"I don't want the job if I'm not contributing to this common cause of serving
the audience. I wouldn't want the job just for the face time."
Live (by Jeff
Jarvis)
Here’s the first example I’ve seen of a witness broadcasting live from a news
event with a mobile phone on Flixwagon. It’s very rough — extremely rough thanks
to a finger on the lens! — but it’s just a glimpse of what we’re going to see
more and more as witnesses are equipped to share what they experience in news.
Click through to
watch the video.
Williams just can't find anything to read in Sunday's NYT
New York Times
stories on newlywed gays, sex chairs, a painter from New Mexico, and vacation
spots for nudists -- they just don't hold Brian Williams' attention. "It's tough
to figure out exactly what readers the paper is speaking to, or seeking," writes
the NBC anchor. Thank goodness he had a Wall Street Journal around and could
enjoy Peggy Noonan's column.
WP's Pearlstein: "Too much local news is not sophisticated"
Washington Post
business columnist Steve Pearlstein said at the Society of American Business
Editors and Writers annual conference:
* "Things will probably get worse [for newspapers] before they get better, but
they will get better. And they will get better because people will pay for news.
Not everyone. We won't have as many customers as before, I suppose. But we will
have customers, and they will pay more."
* "I am not saying that local is not important. It is important. But too much
local news is not sophisticated. ...Every newspaper should have a business
section. If your business page is not as good as USA Today's business page,
there ought to be a good reason for that."
'WSJ' Committee Criticizes 'Notification' on Managing Editor's Resignation
The special
committee formed to oversee editorial independence at The Wall Street Journal
claims it was improperly informed of Managing Editor Marcus Brauchli's
resignation after the fact, according to a report the group released Tuesday.
They’re shocked,
SHOCKED that they had no say in the matter.
Bidding war expected to push Newsday sale price to $600M+
Cablevision's bid
for Newsday is expected to top two competing $580-million bids by Rupert Murdoch
and Mort Zuckerman. Cablevision's interest in the Long Island paper will likely
drive the sale price into the low $600-million range, says one bidding observer.
McGraw-Hill Profit Falls 44%
Earnings fell to
$81.1 million as business dropped at the company’s Standard & Poor’s ratings
agency. The results beat Wall Street estimates, but the company forecast a
decline in full-year earnings.
If they didn’t
have a blockbuster-only mentality, they might learn new ways to make a profit.
Oh, well, they’ll be beaten out by those who do.
Martha Stewart Living Narrows Its Loss
Martha Stewart
Living Omnimedia reported a net loss of $4.2 million, compared with a loss of
$11.9 million a year earlier, helped by higher advertising sales at its
magazine.
Television Segment Helps CBS Beat Forecast
CBS said its
television profit rose 15 percent, to $402 million, in part because of lower
production costs during the strike by the Writers Guild of America.
Radiohead says no more music freebies
LONDON (Hollywood
Reporter) - It was a pivotal moment for the music industry which many thought
sounded the death knell for recorded music sales, but Radiohead won't be
repeating its initiative to let fans pay what they want for their downloads, The
English rock band's frontman said Tuesday.
Hispanic Congressmen Demand Corporate Action Against CNN Host
(by Elana Schor, The Guardian, U.K.)
Latino members of Congress condemned the TV network for failing to recognise the
"potentially dangerous" consequences of Dobbs's "divisive commentary".
WWW inventor says web only in infancy
LONDON (AFP) -
The World Wide Web is still only in its infancy, its British inventor said
Wednesday, on the 15th anniversary of the web's effective launch.
Why Ballmer Will Keep Chasing Yahoo
If Microsoft dropped its bid for Yahoo, it would be admitting it couldn’t really
catch up to Google for consumer Web services.
Studios' viral marketing campaigns are vexing
LOS ANGELES
(Hollywood Reporter) - Viral marketing has gone positively bubonic. While this
unconventional approach to building buzz online is nothing new, it has achieved
full-blown plague status in the walk-up to the summer movie season.
Google AdSense in Feedburner RSS Feeds, Coming. Soon. Seriously!
(by Kristen Nicole at Mashable)
After a very long and arduous wait, Google AdSense will finally be integrated
into Feedburner RSS feeds. Even before Google acquired Feedburner last year,
integration of Google ads into Feedburner feeds was an exploratory wonderment
that many wanted to blossom into fruition… With the announcement that Feedburner
users will soon be able to login to their accounts with their existing Google
accounts, Feedburner has hinted on some of the upcoming features as the two
services continue to intertwine,
Technology & Science
Google Maps Driving Directions Add Street View Option
In the last year,
some users of the Google Maps utility have been treated to numerous upgrades,
including prediction-based traffic overlays and the Street View component.
Google has now expanded the power of the software package to incorporate the
Street View system into its long-standing engine for organizing driving
directions. No longer will the blue line be the only way to navigate the streets
of the US.
Users in “44 regions across the country” can now view images stored within
Street View to “have visual context for intersections and action points along
their route, enabling them to be aware of landmarks and other factors such as
tolls, speed limits, size of the road, and the availability of parking at their
destination.”
This is the first
really useful development I’ve seen of Google’s map features.
Cray and Intel Sign Pact to Build Petascale Computers
The two
manufacturers said they hope to develop a range of technologies and
high-performance computers over the next several years.
Wow! Just
yesterday, it seems, we were talking about reaching teraflop scale.
Race Is on to Advance Software for Chips
Three rival teams
of computer researchers are working on new types of software needed to better
use computer chips that can process many tasks at the same time.
Electronics makers to create home networking standard
SAN JOSE, Calif.
(AP) - Several electronics manufacturers said Tuesday they are working to create
a worldwide standard for how their devices will talk with each other in people's
homes.
Are world records linked to fastest swimsuit?
Italy's
Institute of Medicine and Science will study the relationship between the suits
and the recent onslaught of world records.
Australian scientists develop apple that doesn't go brown
SYDNEY (AFP) -
Australian scientists have come up with an apple that does not go brown when
cut.
'Emotional Inflation' Leads To Stock Market Meltdown
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 30, 2008) — Investors get carried away with excitement and wishful
‘phantasies’ as the stock market soars, suppressing negative emotions which
would otherwise warn them of the high risk of what they are doing, according to
a new study led by UCL (University College London). Economic models fail to
factor in the emotions and unconscious mental life that drive human behaviour in
conditions where the future is uncertain says the study, which argues that banks
and financial institutions should be as wary of ‘emotional inflation’ as they
are fiscal inflation.
Body Image Program Reduces Onset Of Obesity And Eating Disorders
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 30, 2008) — Oregon Research Institute scientist Eric Stice, Ph.D. and his
colleagues have found that their obesity prevention program reduced the risk for
onset of eating disorders by 61 percent and obesity by 55 percent in young
women. These effects continued for as long as 3 years after the program ended.
In their research on eating disorders, Oregon Research Institute (ORI)
scientists help young women reduce the influence of the "thin ideal," which is
described as associating success and happiness with being thin.
Drinking dulls the brain's response to threats
CHICAGO (Reuters)
- Drinking alcohol dulls the brain's ability to detect threats, U.S. researchers
said on Tuesday in a study that helps explain why people who are drunk cannot
tell when the guy at the end of the bar is angling for a fight.
Medicare Costs Soar for Cancer Care
Expenditures will
continue to rise as the population ages, experts say.
Or, they could
find cheaper ways of fighting cancer. Which is what they ARE doing—cheaper and
more targeted ways to kill just the cancer.
Cervical Cancer Screens Effective But More Can Be Done
Women who don't
have timely tests 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease
New genes for osteoporosis may help guide treatment
LONDON (Reuters)
- Researchers looking for genes that raise the risk of osteoporosis found seven
different sequences associated with the bone-thinning disease, and one team
found two that might predict the risk for 20 percent of people.
DNA confirms IDs of czar's children
MOSCOW - DNA
tests carried out by a U.S. laboratory prove that bone fragments exhumed last
year belong to two children of Czar Nicholas II, putting to rest questions about
what happened to Russia's last royal family, a regional governor said Wednesday.
Absinthe's mind-altering mystery solved
An analysis of
century-old bottles of absinthe — the kind once quaffed by the likes of van Gogh
and Picasso to enhance their creativity — may end the controversy over what
ingredient caused the green liqueur's supposed mind-altering effects.
Israeli Satellite Reaches Orbit in Land Launch Debut
PARIS -- Israel's
Amos-3 telecommunications satellite was placed successfully into geostationary
orbit on Monday aboard the inaugural flight of the Russian-Ukrainian Land Launch
system, setting the stage for what satellite-fleet operators hope will be a
lively competition between Land Launch -- affiliated with Sea Launch Co. of Long
Beach, Calif. -- and Russian Soyuz rockets launched from Europe's equatorial
spaceport.
Hubble mission: Big on safety, pressed for time
The astronauts
who will make the next space shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space
Telescope say safety upgrades at NASA will make their flight safer but their job
harder.
Long-lived storm rages on Saturn
A monster storm
spawning bolts of lightning 10,000 times more powerful than any seen on Earth is
raging on the ringed planet Saturn.
Huge Black Hole Catapulted Through Space
A colossal black
hole has been spotted exiting its home galaxy, kicked out after a huge cosmic
merger took place.
Young galaxies are a star-packed puzzle
Several newfound
galaxies seen as they existed when the universe was young are packed with
improbable numbers of stars. Astronomers don't know what's going on.
Environment
Climate change hitting Arctic faster, harder
Climate change is
having a greater and faster impact on the Arctic than previously thought,
according to a new study by the global conservation organization WWF. The new
report, called Arctic Climate Impact Science — An Update Since ACIA, represents
the most wide-ranging reviews of arctic climate impact science since the Arctic
Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) was published in 2005.
President Uses High Gas Prices to Bushwhack Arctic Refuge
Gas prices are
sending everyone into a state of hysteria. But the fact that the cost of
gasoline is skyrocketing should come as no surprise to anyone: the planet has a
limited amount of petroleum, and people have been using it up as fast as it gets
sucked out of the ground, processed in a refinery, and trucked to the nearest
pump.
Mass Mobilizations in Mexico Temporarily Stop Bush-Calderon Oil Privatization
The Peaceful
Civil Resistance Movement in Mexico has entered a new stage in their struggle
against the U.S.-led offensive to privatize Pemex, Mexico's national oil
corporation. On Friday, April 25, the deputies of the three political parties
that make up the Broad Progressive Front (FAP) ended their 16-day
takeover/occupation of the Senate and National Assembly chambers in Mexico after
a deal was worked out with the legislative coordinators of the two ruling
parties in Mexico: the PRI and the PAN.
Germany, France cancel 2009 nuclear waste transport - Summary
Berlin - The
controversial shipment of highly radioactive nuclear waste from a French
reprocessing plant to a German storage facility will not take place next year,
the German Environment Ministry said in Berlin Tuesday.
Biofuels under fire as food crisis looms
Hamburg - The
increased use of biofuels has been partially responsible for a hefty increase in
food prices worldwide with Western governments now having second thoughts on
green fuels such as ethanol.
Washable diapers are better for the environment, says Dutch study
Amsterdam -
Washable diapers contribute to a better environment, a Dutch foundation for the
protection of the environment said Tuesday.
Boost For 'Green Plastics' From Plants
ScienceDaily
(Apr. 30, 2008) — Australian researchers are a step closer to turning plants
into ‘biofactories’ capable of producing oils which can be used to replace
petrochemicals used to manufacture a range of products.
Using degradable
plastics could negate the problem with disposable diapers.
Tesco Adds Carbon Footprint to Product Labels
LONDON, UNITED
KINGDOM -- Shoppers at Tesco supermarkets can now see the carbon footprint of
certain items just by checking the label.
SAS Develops Software to Analyze, Recommend Sustinability Efforts
LONDON, UNITED
KINGDOM -- Business intelligence software developer SAS has releases SAS for
Sustainability Management to help companies better understand their current and
future environmental impact.
Getting the Most Out of Your E-Waste
When companies
recycle e-waste, they need to ensure that every stage of the recycling process
is set up appropriately, from where the waste is sent to how it's processed. But
the effort is worth it. Aside from helping the environment, proper e-waste
disposal can be a revenue stream and protect a company's work.
Pepsi Cans to Promote Recycling
Over seven
billion Pepsi cans will be branded with recycling messages provided by the
National Recycling Coalition as part of Pepsi’s new “Have we met before?”¯
campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to show that new aluminum cans are
produced with at least 40 percent recycled aluminum. Recycling factoids will be
featured on 750 million Pepsi/Diet Pepsi aluminum cans per month.
Judge Gives Agency Deadline for Decision on Polar Bear
A federal judge
gave the Interior Department until May 15 to come to a decision on whether to
give polar bears protection under the Endangered Species Act.
