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5/5/08
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United States is drawing up plans to strike Iranian insurgency camp
The US military is drawing up plans for a "surgical strike" against an insurgent
training camp inside Iran if Republican Guards continue with attempts to
destabilise Iraq, western intelligence sources said last week. One source said
the Americans were growing increasingly angry at the involvement of the Guards’
special-operations Quds force inside Iraq, training Shi’ite militias and
smuggling weapons into the country. "If the situation in Basra goes back to what
it was like before, America is likely to blame Iran and carry out a surgical
strike on a militant training camp across the border in Khuzestan," said one
source, referring to a frontier province.
Gotta have
another war, eh George?
The World
US military says 9 Shiite extremists killed in Baghdad
BAGHDAD - A U.S. Air
Force gunship strafed Shiite extremists who attacked U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on
Monday, and the military said it killed at least nine militants in recent
clashes in the capital.
Kurdish rebels threaten suicide attacks against US
QANDIL MOUNTAINS,
Iraq - Kurdish rebels could launch suicide attacks against American interests to
punish the U.S. for sharing intelligence with Turkey after Turkey bombed rebel
bases, a spokeswoman for a wing of a rebel group warned.
Bomb attack on Iraqi President's wife
Iraq's
first lady escaped unharmed from a bomb attack that hit her motorcade and
injured four body guards in downtown Baghdad [Sunday]. President Jalal
Talabani's wife, Hiro Ibrahim Ahmed, was headed to the National Theater to
attend a cultural festival when her motorcade was hit in the Karrada district of
Baghdad, the president's office said.
Baghdad hospital damaged by U.S. missile, dozens injured
BAGHDAD — A major
hospital in Baghdad's Sadr City slum was damaged Saturday when an American
military strike targeted a militia command center just a few yards away, the
U.S.
military said.
Iraq backs off allegations on Iran as violence continues apace
BAGHDAD — The Iraqi
Government seemed to distance itself from U.S. accusations towards Iran Sunday
saying it would not be forced into conflict with its Shiite neighbor. And Prime
Minister Nouri al Maliki ordered the formation of a committee to look into
foreign intervention in
Iraq.
US: Hezbollah training Iraqi Shiite extremists in Iran
BAGHDAD - Iraqi
Shiite extremists are being trained by members of the Lebanese militant group
Hezbollah in camps near Tehran, a U.S. military spokesman said Monday.
Iran suspends talks with US on security in Iraq
TEHRAN, Iran - Iran
said Monday it would not hold a new round of talks with the U.S. on security in
Iraq until American forces end their current assault against Shiite militias.
Probe of USS Cole Bombing Unravels
Almost eight years
after al-Qaeda nearly sank the USS Cole with an explosives-stuffed motorboat,
killing 17 sailors, all the defendants convicted in the attack have escaped from
prison or been freed by Yemeni officials.
US 'to send 7,000 extra troops to Afghanistan'
The US is drawing up
plans to send 7,000 additional American troops to Afghanistan to combat a
resurgent Taleban and al-Qaeda, at a time when Nato countries appear unwilling
to contribute further forces. The plans, which have yet to be formalised or sent
to the White House, would increase the number of US troops in Afghanistan to
about 40,000, the largest American presence since the war began more than six
years ago.
Corruption eats away at Afghan government
The man considered
by many observers to be the most powerful and feared figure in the Afghan south
is Ahmed Wali Karzai, appointed by his brother, President Hamid Karzai, to
represent Kandahar province in Kabul. A U.S. government document leaked to ABC
News two years ago accused him of being the central figure in the region's vast
opium-export market, which produces the majority of the world's opium and
heroin.
Pot smokers light up in Toronto street march
TORONTO (Reuters) -
Thousands of marijuana enthusiasts marched in downtown Toronto on Saturday, many
openly smoking the drug as part of a globally coordinated rally meant to
celebrate cannabis culture and push for the drug's legalization.
Indonesia extradites 4 suspects in East Timor plot
JAKARTA, Indonesia -
Indonesia extradited four rebel soldiers suspected in the attempted
assassinations of East Timor's president and prime minister, the police chief
said Monday.
Indonesia extradites 4 suspects in East Timor plot
JAKARTA, Indonesia -
Indonesia extradited four rebel soldiers suspected in the attempted
assassinations of East Timor's president and prime minister, the police chief said
Monday.
Australian doctor proposes paying $47,000 for a kidney
SYDNEY, Australia -
An Australian doctor proposed Monday that the government pay up to $47,000 for
kidney donations to overcome a chronic shortage.
Sporadic violence in Bolivia as province approves autonomy
SANTA CRUZ DE LA
SIERRA, Bolivia
— While sporadic street battles erupted, voters in this divided country's
richest and second most-populous province appeared to approve a controversial
measure Sunday that would make them autonomous from the leftist government of
President Evo Morales.
Robobug goes to war: Troops to use electronic insects to spot enemy 'by end of
the year'
British defence
giant BAE Systems is creating a series of tiny electronic spiders, insects and
snakes that could become the eyes and ears of soldiers on the battlefield,
helping to save thousands of lives. Prototypes could be on the front line by the
end of the year, scuttling into potential danger areas such as booby-trapped
buildings or enemy hideouts to relay images back to troops safely positioned
nearby.
Scotland's new counter-terrorism chief: neo-Nazis as much of a threat as
al-Qaeda
Scotland's new
terror tsar has warned that the threat from right-wing extremism is as damaging
to community relations as the menace posed by al-Qaeda. In an exclusive
interview on his first day as the Association of Chief Police Officers in
Scotland's counter terrorism co-ordinator, Allan Burnett said forces should not
ignore the latent neo-Nazi presence across the
UK.
Crunch time for Serbs in EU vs Kosovo election
BELGRADE (Reuters) -
The final week of campaigning began for Serbia's most crucial election in the
post-Slobodan Milosevic era, with every sign that divisions over the country's
future course are deepening.
Serbia's pro-Western president gets death threats
BELGRADE (Reuters) -
Serbian President Boris Tadic has received death threats for "betraying the Serb
people" by seeking closer ties with the European Union despite its support for
Kosovo's secession, officials said on Monday.
Sudan bombs Darfur school and market, 13 killed
KHARTOUM (Reuters) -
Sudanese government bombs have hit a primary school and a busy market place in
Darfur, killing at least 13 people, including seven children, two aid
organizations said on Monday.
Witnesses: Soldiers kill 2 in Somalia riot over food prices
MOGADISHU, Somalia -
Troops opened fire and killed at least two people as tens of thousands of people
rioted over high food prices in
Somalia's capital Monday.
The Nation
Bush seeks $193 million for Pakistan in Iraq war funds request
President Bush said
earlier this week that $108 billion is $108 billion, and he would allow no more
than that on the latest Iraq funding bill. But, Bush today requested $70 billion
in funding that would pay for Iraq operations into the next presidency. The $70
billion is for fiscal 2009, and the pending $108 billion is for fiscal 2008.
Bush's request released Friday also includes $193 million for Pakistan.
Lori at
Citizens for Legitimate Government reminds us that in December of last year,
“US
Senate approves Pakistan aid worth $785m”, not to mention that “Billions
in U.S. Aid to Pakistan Wasted, Officials Assert”.
Another Iraq Contractor Avoiding Millions In Taxes Through Off-Shore Havens
(Think Progress)
Last March, the Boston Globe reported that KBR — one of the top profiteers of
the Iraq war — has avoided paying more than $500 million “in federal Medicare
and Social Security taxes by hiring its workers through shell companies” based
in the Caymen Islands. [Sunday], the Globe reports that another Pentagon
contractor, Virginia-based MPRI, has also established offshore havens that have
the appearance of avoiding payment of millions of dollars in Medicare and Social
Security taxes and also evading scrutiny from the IRS:
Bush troubled by rising gas prices, says no quick fix
WASHINGTON -
President Bush said Monday that he's troubled by rising gas prices and will take
a look at proposals to relieve the crisis but warned that there is no quick fix.
Or any long-term
fix, either, according to Bush. Don’t depend on the government!
Few Details on Immigrants Who Died in U.S. Custody
[Boubacar Bah] is
one of 66 on a government list of deaths that occurred in immigration custody
from January 2004 to November 2007. The list, compiled by Immigration and
Customs Enforcement after Congress demanded the information, and obtained by The
New York Times under the Freedom of Information Act, is the fullest accounting
to date of deaths in immigration detention, a patchwork of federal centers,
county jails and privately run prisons that has become the nation’s
fastest-growing form of incarceration.
Bomber targets San Diego courthouse
A pipe bomb or
series of pipe bombs exploded at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Courthouse
downtown early Sunday morning, sending shrapnel into a courtyard and to the
eighth floor of a building across the street.
Democratic lawmaker expects tougher bank rules
WASHINGTON (Reuters)
- The current mortgage crisis has exposed the need for financial reform, but
there is no time for legislative fixes this year, a leading member of the U.S.
House of Representatives said on Sunday.
Patently Unconstitutional?
(American Constitution Society)
A Georgetown
Washington
University
Law
School
professor noted that two-thirds of patent appeals judges may have been
unconstitutionally appointed, calling into question hundreds of decisions
rendered over the past eight years. Professor John F. Duffy wrote that the
Director of Patent and Trademark Office appointed the judges, which likely
violates the appointments clause of the Constitution.
Clinton, Obama, predict fight stretches to June 3
GREENVILLE, N.C. -
Resolute rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama straddled North Carolina
and Indiana on Monday on the eve of a pair of crucial primaries in the unceasing
contest for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Democratic candidates agree on expanded US military aggression in the Middle
East
In dueling
television appearances Sunday morning, Democratic presidential candidates Barack
Obama and Hillary Clinton declared their determination to escalate US military
action in the Middle East, disagreeing mainly over which country should be
targeted first. Obama called for a "surge" of US troops into Afghanistan, while
Clinton reaffirmed her bloodcurdling rhetoric about the "obliteration" of Iran.
Louisiana Dem Cazayoux Nabs GOP Seat in Saturday House Special
Democratic state
Rep. Don Cazayoux scored a nationally significant takeover victory in Saturday's
election to fill the vacant and formerly Republican-held seat in Louisiana's 6th
Congressional District. A Democrat who projects a conservative image, Cazayoux
scored a close but clear victory over Republican Woody Jenkins, a former state
House member.
Analyst: Democrat's win in Louisiana could be false hope
BATON ROUGE, La. -
Even as Democrats rejoiced Sunday at having snatched a Louisiana congressional
seat long held by Republicans, observers warned it doesn't necessarily mean
voters are spurning the GOP.
Of course, that’s
from the GOP-centric Associated Press.
Hispanics may put Fla. in play for Dems
Democrats are poised
this week to pass a crucial milestone in Florida: For the first time, the number
of Hispanic Democrats in the state is expected to exceed the number of Hispanic
Republicans.
Taser International Wins Lawsuit In Cause-of-Death Decision
The Scottsdale-based
stun gun manufacturer increasingly is targeting state and county medical
examiners with lawsuits and lobbying efforts to reverse and prevent medical
rulings that Tasers contributed to someone's death. That effort on Friday helped
lead an Ohio
judge's order to remove Taser's name from three Summit County Medical Examiner
autopsies that had ruled the stun gun contributed to three men's deaths. "It is
dangerously close to intimidation," says Jeff Jentzen, president of the National
Association of Medical Examiners. "At this point, we adamantly reject the fact
that people can be sued for medical opinions that they make."
What a Deal: Virginia Tech Victims Worth One-Fourth of Minnesota Victims
(by Jonathan Turley)
Minnesota
lawmakers in St. Paul have announced a tentative settlement deal with the
victims of the collapse of the Minneapolis bridge collapse that killed 13
people. The deal would cost $38 million with each victim receiving $400,000.
What is most striking is the fact that the state of Virginia has used its highly
restrictive laws to force victims of Virginia Tech to receive a maximum of
$100,000. Both states were accused of negligence. Thus, it would appear that it
is simply a bargain to kill Virginians rather than Minnesotans.
Seized funds often not used for crime war
Pima County law
enforcement agencies seized almost $24 million from criminals over the last five
years under state and federal forfeiture laws. The vast majority of that money
was channeled back into the war on crime… But an Arizona Daily Star
investigation of how those funds were spent over the last five years found
hundreds of thousands of dollars that could have been spent on law enforcement
or crime prevention went instead for banquets, promotional items such as golf
tees and polo shirts, expensive office furniture and funeral flowers.
The Bush's Family Bad Latin American Real Estate Investment
(by Dave Lindorff, Counterpunch)
Back in late 2006, it was widely reported in the Latin American media that
President Bush, or perhaps his old man, had bought a 100,000-acre farm in a
remote area of Paraguay… [which] has no extradition treaty with any nation…
Given that President Bush, once he leaves office on January 20, 2009, will no
longer have the diplomatic immunity conferred upon heads of state, or the
Constitutional protection against indictment by domestic prosecutors, it makes
sense that he would be looking for a safe haven from the long arm of the law.
After all, they guy is guilty of a huge laundry list of international crimes…
Only trouble is, Paraguay
may not be such a safe haven for long.
Economy & Finance
Stocks trade lower after Microsoft pulls Yahoo bid
NEW YORK - Wall Street pulled back Monday as investors digested
Microsoft Corp.'s decision to withdraw its bid for Yahoo Inc. and oil prices
again approached $120 a barrel. The Dow Jones industrial average at times fell
more than 100 points.
Gas prices slip more than a cent over the weekend, oil jumps
NEW YORK - Retail gas prices fell more than a cent over the weekend,
offering further evidence that prices may have peaked for the year. However, oil
futures soared once again Monday, nearing $120 a barrel as supply threats
emerged overseas and the dollar weakened against the euro.
Oil conservation: getting over the hump
(by Paul Krugman)
Trade in your SUV — the answer to high oil prices is here! Farmers in the Indian
state of Rajasthan are rediscovering the humble camel. As the cost of running
gas-guzzling tractors soars, even-toed ungulates are making a comeback, raising
hopes that a fall in the population of the desert state’s signature animal can
be reversed.
Service sector grows in April: ISM survey
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. service sector grew unexpectedly in
April, snapping a three-month period of contraction, according to a report
released on Monday.
Success Breeds Failure (by Paul Krugman)
Cross your fingers, knock on wood: it’s possible, though by no means certain,
that the worst of the financial crisis is over. That’s the good news. The bad
news is that as markets stabilize, chances for fundamental financial reform may
be slipping away. As a result, the next crisis will probably be worse than this
one.
Helping the Unemployed (New York Times)
Job loss is clearly a hit to families’ finances and, in the aggregate, to
consumer spending and economic growth. Job loss coupled with the exhaustion of
unemployment benefits leads not only to personal desperation, but will further
damage consumer confidence, already sorely tested by the housing bust, the
credit crunch and soaring prices for food and gasoline. What is needed — now —
is for Congress to extend jobless benefits for people who exhaust their initial
26 weeks of payments. Research is unequivocal that bolstered jobless benefits
are more effective stimulus than tax rebates. They also have the advantage of
being targeted to people in need.
Media
Permanent link to MTA daily media news
Despicable Sexist Sign Outside Indiana Dinner… (by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
This abhorrent, sexist sign
is being held proudly by OBAMA supporters outside the Indiana Jefferson-Jackson
Dinner, where Hillary Clinton just spoke and Barack Obama is speaking… IN PLAIN
VIEW of OBAMA STAFF, an Obama supporter is holding up this sign, and NONE of the
Senator’s staff is doing a thing about it… HERE’s a report from a person outside
the event, and what this person witnessed: “The kids with this sign were on the
same side of the street (but across another street) from the obama people. They
put the sign towards cars and towards Obama supporters more than towards our
side of the street.”… Obama supporters were taking pix of it from across the
street and laughing. GO TO
Obama’s campaign site and register a protest...
Gee, where could that kind of talk be coming from? Not the Obama
campaign, surely? See below.
Hillary doesn't look like the familiy that Michelle wants in the White House
(by jeqal at Corrente)
Michelle [video]
“rolemodeling what families should look like” then brings up Bill Clinton’s
infidelities in a speech at Southside Black Women’s event: “if you can’t run
your own house you can’t run the white house” White women and all women who have
ever been cheated on by their spouses can crawl under the bus now.
So how about the Obamas’ family values? See below.
Presidents and Young Children
(by Jeralyn at TalkLeft)
When Hillary Clinton appeared on Nightline this week, Cynthia McFadden asked her
(from the transcript, ABC News, May 1, 2008, Clinton on the Rise, available on
Lexis.com): “Would you be running for president if Chelsea were 10? Hillary: No.
Not a chance. I just couldn't have done it. I could never have run for office if
I had young children. I just couldn't have done it.” Barack Obama brought his
daughters, ages 6 and 9, along to campaign events in Indiana today. Michelle
said it was an exciting time for the girls, a special treat. Obama often
mentions how he misses his children while campaigning… I'm curious. Does anyone
have feelings about the time Obama's daughters will lose with their father if
he's President or is this a non-issue?
Bingo! Malicious YouTube Hoaksters Exposed
(by SluggoJD at No Quarter)
The Internet was ablaze with You Tube videos early Friday (5/1/08) showing
footage from The War Room, Part 9, a documentary about Bill Clinton’s 1992
campaign, that supposedly depicted Clinton aide Mickey Kantor referring to folks
in Indiana as “shit.” More outrageous versions were spawned later that also
claimed that Kantor called people “white nig**rs.” None of it was true. By late
Friday, it had been completely debunked, and Mickey Kantor vowed to take legal
action against the culprits… Based on my research, I recommend that Kantor’s
legal team immediately contact Jamal Brown of Venice, CA (Brown owns a small
business that specializes in videos); Dietrich Cusseaux of Spring, TX;
JedReport.com out of Las Vegas; Markos Moulitsas, owner of Daily Kos; and the
Barack Obama campaign.
Click through for more details.
Thanks for covering the news, "Josh"
(by lambert at Corrente)
WKJM [Whoever Kidnapped Josh Marshall] burbles happily: “If you missed the
two-night Hillary-O’Reilly lovefest extravaganza (as I did, deliberately), we’ve
got an easier-to-digest six-minute highlight reel just for you… “ Yeah, with a
lead-in like that, I’m sure I can totally trust the highlights to represent the
event accurately. No doubt about it. None. Seriously, you’d think Obama
supporters like “Marshall” would have learned something from about the perils of
doctoring “editing” videos from their recent experiences, but n-o-o-o-o! Which
reminds me: ABC called the doctored video of “War Room” that smeared the
Clintons a “the definition of a dirty trick”; in other words, Ratfucking [age
impaired:
see Wikipedia]. And not only do we know that an Obama supporter created it,
the Obama campaign has issued a classic “non-denial denial.” Sounds to me like
there just might be a story here!
Click through to read Lambert’s questions for “Josh”.
The Clinton Wars, Part II
(by eriposte at The Left Coaster)
Peter Dreier has a breathless post at The Huffington Post titled "Sidney
Blumenthal Uses Former Right-Wing Foes to Attack Obama"… At the end of the day,
Dreier's horribly misleading screed against Sidney Blumenthal is more revealing
of the mindset of the Obama campaign and some of its prominent supporters than
it is of Sidney Blumenthal. Blumenthal forwarded articles and blog posts that
were both positive and negative with respect to Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton. You
can criticize him all you want for some of the sources he chose (to me some of
the fake "progressive" blogs have turned out to be no different from the Free
Republics, World Nut Dailies and Accuracy in Medias of the Right when it comes
to their common embrace of character assassination) but it is not in any way
outrageous for Blumenthal to use some of the articles - as long as he does not
endorse false claims or smears - as a way of rebutting claims that Sen. Clinton
is somehow going to face much more vile attacks from the right-wing machine than
Sen. Obama… Actually, I think the accusations will help Sen. Obama online - to
keep the Clinton-hatred going as they continue their attacks on the
Clinton legacy.
Keeping the Clinton hatred going is certainly what the Obamalites have
been doing. Click through for more detail
Was WV[WV] smeared because the Obama movement wants to destroy a competing
registration effort?
(by lambert at Corrente)
When the WVWV [Women’s Voices Women’s Vote] wankfest was at its height, I got
this mail from Michelle [Obama]: “lambert — In every state across the country,
there are thousands of qualified voters who are not registered to vote. Some
believe their vote doesn’t matter, some have been actively disenfranchised, and
some have been overlooked or excluded by a broken system that has lost touch
with the concerns of ordinary Americans. Barack and I entered this race because
we believe there’s a chance to change that… That’s why I’m excited to announce a
50-state voter registration and mobilization drive we’re calling Vote for
Change.”…
Treating Obama’s campaign as a movement, rather than as a party faction, would explain why they’re so willing to burn what we regard as Democratic Party assets for the general — by trying to drive the Clintons from public life by smearing them as racists, or by smearing parts of the Democratic base that don’t support Obama as racists, or Archie Bunkers, or low information voters — not to mention the Hillary hatred and the relentless misogyny. What we Democrats regard as assets, movement Obama supporters regard as obstacles to control of the party by their movement. Obviously, if the Obama Movement has a real institutional presence — and what’s more institutional than a massive database combined with a voter registration drive — that has implications for the drive for “unity” when the Democrat nominee is chosen.
How does a party “unify” with a movement?...
UPDATE One of the hideous consequences of this line of thinking is that we’re going to be dealing with the OFB [Obama Fan Base] for years.
Superdelegates Must Tell Color of Change What it Can Do With its Silly Vote for
Obama Petition
(by Earl Ofari Hutchinson, an African American, writing at the Huffington Post)
Color of Change which presumptuously bills itself as the premier national
grassroots organization is the latest to jump into bully the super delegates for
Obama game. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, DNC
Chair Howard Dean tried their hand at it and failed. Now Color of Change says it
will urge the alleged legions of activists it claims to speak for to petition
and flood Pelosi, Reid, and Dean with letters demanding that they stop
Clinton from hijacking the
nomination. Reid, Pelosi, and Dean should toss this silly petition and their
letters in the can. Here's why. The group claims that Clinton thumbs her nose at
blacks, plays the race card (figure that contradiction out), sows divisions, and
disenfranchises millions of voters. She also, they assert, falsely says that the
Democratic race is a tie. This thwarts the will of the pledged delegates who
overwhelmingly back Obama. These are all self-serving myths.
Click through for more information.
How this story was posted to
Digg:
Another House Slave Attacks Senator Obama
huffingtonpost.com — I wonder how much Earl Ofari Hutchinson owes the Clintons?
Race-Card Nonsense: Why Dr. Maya Angelou Supports Hillary
(by D. Cupples at Buck Naked Politics)
Most Americans who watch Oprah know of Dr. Maya Angelou [who is also African
American] as Oprah's mentor, but Dr. Angelou earned acclaim years ago through
her civil-rights leadership, poems and books. Dr. Angelou is a national
treasure, as Bill Clinton acknowledged when he invited her to recite a poem
during his 1993 inauguration. While some Obama supporters -- e.g., Rep. James
Clyburn -- are busy trying once again to "play the race card" in some strange
hope of benefiting Obama, Dr. Maya Angelou (who turned 80 last month) has been
busy positively campaigning for Hillary Clinton. “…I am inspired by her courage
and her honesty. She is a reliable and trustworthy person. She is someone I not
only admire but one for whom I have profound affection. Hillary does not waver
in standing up for those who need a champion…”
Obama, Clinton talk post-primary unity at North Carolina Dem dinner.
(by Lynn Sweet, Chicago Sun-Times)
"We are going to be united in the fall," said Obama, who went on to give one of
his stem-winders, updated with a mention of the crisis triggered by his former
pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Clinton, who went on to talk about "real and
immediate solutions," said, "I will tell you this. If Sen. Obama is the nominee,
you better believe I'll work my heart out for him. And if I'm the nominee, I
know Sen. Obama will do the very same for me."
One of his stem-winders! Lynn, I think I love you!
Analysis: Candidates use news shows to woo superdelegates
(AP)
NEW YORK
- Two presidential candidates, two celebrity interviewers, two agendas, one
audience: the undecided superdelegates likely to select the Democratic nominee.
It may seem obvious, but:
No Super Delgate has voted yet. They can't vote until the Convention.
(by JohnnyB at MyDD)
Alternate Delegates (Super Delegates) can't vote until the Convention. All 750
of them could cast their ballot for either Hillary or Obama. There's no way to
know who will be the nominee until the Convention seats Michigan and Florida and
the Alternate Delegates cast their vote at that time… There's no OFFICIAL way
for the Alternate Delegates to vote PRIOR to the Democratic Convention. The
Alternates will vote for the MOST ELECTABLE candidate, that is their only
FUNCTION… Hillary has the Big MO (momentum),and should take the majority of the
states left to vote. The questionis Electability. Who can win against McCain in
November. That is who the Alternate Delegates have to vote for.
Count WHOSE Vote 3: Separate AND Unequal
(by Paul Lukasiak at Corrente)
Or Why Obama Supporters Want Super-Delegates To Think That One Person In
Anchorage Is Worth More Than 36 In Akron
Click through to read Paul’s enlightening explanation.
Popular Mechanics
(by Rhodes Cook, author of “Race for the Presidency: Winning the 2008
Nomination.”)
WHILE Hillary Clinton probably can’t catch Barack Obama in the race for most
pledged delegates at the Democratic presidential nominating convention, she does
have a shot at overtaking him in the popular vote. Whoever triumphs in that
symbolic total will have a persuasive argument to use with the wavering
superdelegates who are likely to decide the race this summer… If Mrs. Clinton
can catch Mr. Obama in the popular vote, she could paint the race as a repeat of
the election of 2000, with herself in the role of Al Gore and Mr. Obama as
George W. Bush — a desirable position, needless to say, for a Democratic
candidate.
The Nuclear Option: Count the Votes
(by bostonboomer at The Confluence)
[A]t Huffington Post, Thomas Edsall reports that if Hillary campaign staffers
are discussing the possibility of going “nuclear” by convincing her supporters
in on the Rules and Bylaws Committee to force the DNC to seat the Florida and
Michigan Delegates. While the warlike imagery is a little offputting, it sounds
to me as if Edsall is acting as a stalking horse for the Clinton Campaign. With
at least 50 percent of the Democratic Party’s 30-member Rules and Bylaws
Committee committed to Clinton, her backers could — when the committee meets at
the end of this month — try to ram through a decision to seat the disputed
210-member Florida and 156-member Michigan delegations. Such a decision would
give Clinton
an estimated 55 or more delegates than Obama, according to
Clinton campaign operatives.
Edsall goes on to say that the Clinton argument will be that the economy, rather than Iraq, is now the most important issue in the campaign, and this “shift” is what led to Clinton’s strong showing in Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Clinton people also make the case that the past six weeks have seen examples of Obama’s political vulnerabilities… I see this article as a sign that Hillary and her campaign are getting more confident with each passing day.
Bonus Quote of the Day
(Political Wire)
"If she gave him one of her cojones, they'd both have two." -- James Carville,
quoted by Newsweek, on how "Hillary is the tougher of the two, the candidate you
want on your side in a knife fight."
Setting the Record Straight on the Gas Tax (by alegre at MyDD)
Hillary really does understand what working folks and families watching every
penny worry about and need from our next leader… Her plans to rebuild the middle
class, develop green color jobs that can't be off-shored, help young people go
to college, and reform our horrendously broken health care system are all
designed to help ease those worries and rebuild the economy Bush has neglected
for the past 7 years. So for anyone to pretend that her gas tax holiday this
summer is the only thing she's offering up to help folks hit by the skyrocketing
price of gas is just trying to pull the wool over your eyes folks… Hillary would
shift the tax from us to the big oil companies who're raking in record profits,
keeping the funds flowing to those much-needed projects. And Obama would do...
nothing.
The Gas Tax Brouhaha
(by eriposte at The Left Coaster)
Aside from the usual jokers rending their garments over it, I don't find the gas
tax holiday back-and-forth to be particularly earth-shaking. I already linked to
two Paul Krugman posts that touched on the gas tax issue in previous posts; one
of Krugman's posts was a specific critique of Sen. Clinton and Sen. McCain's
different proposals and another was an op-ed where he again mentions the gas tax
issue in a broader context. I agree with Krugman's view that Sen. Clinton's
proposal is "pointless not evil". All politicians pander and I've never said
Sen. Clinton is above pandering. That said, her proposal has been misrepresented
or distorted by the Obama campaign … and by some in the media… Sen. Obama's own
history of pandering and his repeated voting in favor of a gas tax holiday in
2000 (when gas prices were much lower) make his current pronouncements on this
matter, um, amusing.
Well, she's got my vote!
(by lambert at Corrente)
WKJM [Whoever Kidnapped Josh Marshall] appears to have gone tone deaf. If he was
not always tone deaf. Great and unintentionally revealing headline: “Clinton
Attacks ‘Elite Opinion’ On Gas Tax
Holiday” And your point
would be, Josh? What is it, 70% think the country’s on the wrong track? Clue
stick: That’s not a Bush problem, because those numbers say the rot goes
farther. It’s a ruling class problem; a problem of the elites that “Marshall”
and his ilk would have us trust and are doing whatever they can to join… Get
’em, Hillary. Get ’em.
Clinton, Obama press to show personal side in final days
(McClatchy)
INDIANAPOLIS — Barack Obama told voters on Saturday the only way he can win the
presidency is "if you decide that this election is bigger than flag pins . . .
or the comments of a former pastor" as he and rival Hillary Clinton began
closing arguments in two states with high-stakes Democratic primaries on
Tuesday.
HRC at the DQ
(Hot off the Trail, McClatchy)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton veered off the campaign
trail Sunday afternoon and stopped at a
Sotuh Bend, Ind., Dairy
Queen for a Snickers Blizzard and to chat with startled customers. Clinton's
motorcade pulled into the driveway of the ice cream emporium and the New York
Sen. and Democratic Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh stepped inside the place to view the
extensive menu. Bayh ordered an Extreme Chocolate ice cream treat, which Clinton
sampled. Clinton called the Snickers treat "my favorite thing."
Clinton
greeted children in the DQ and asked them to be her helpers. "C'mon everybody,
come get something," she said. She posed for pictures and signed authographs,
even signing one little boy's Barack Obama for President button.
Me, I love the hot fudge sundae—TOO MUCH!
Obama says Clinton's talk on Iran too much like Bush's
INDIANAPOLIS -
Barack Obama likened Hillary Rodham Clinton to President Bush for threatening to
"totally obliterate"
Iran if it attacks
Israel and called her gas-tax holiday a gimmick as he tried to fend off her
challenge ahead of two pivotal Democratic primaries.
Okay, Obamaphiles, where’s the outrage? How dare your candidate
compare my candidate to the most despised president ever?
ID law could depress black turnout in Ind.
(Politico)
Experts say Supreme Court ruling upholding law could disenfranchise minorities,
youth and the elderly.
Polls Can Be Funny
(by Big Tent Democrat at TalkLeft)
[A new CBS News/New York Times poll] is going around. This part is hilarious:
“Among Democratic primary voters (those who have voted or plan to vote in a
Democratic primary) Obama’s lead over Clinton has increased… However, among all
registered voters who identify themselves as Democrats (regardless of whether
they have voted or plan to vote in a Democratic primary) Obama and Clinton are
virtually tied -- 45 percent for Clinton and 44 percent for Obama…” What
pollster comes up with the "likely to have voted" screen? Even better, what are
the numbers for the people who will vote in the upcoming primaries?... The funny
thing is there is good news for Democrats in this poll - Obama beats McCain by
11 points. Oh by the way, Clinton beats him by 12 points. Somehow you will not
be hearing that part of the story I think. Moral of the story, be careful with
polls. Most of them are useless. This one surely is.
NC: Lessons From VA, SC and GA?
(by Big Tent Democrat at TalkLeft)
For North Carolina,
SUSA
is predicting, as of now, the following, Obama will get 30% of the white vote
(61%) and 87% of the African American vote (33%). Obama by 5. If SUSA has the
same errors as in Virginia, Obama takes 35% of the white (59% of the vote) and
90% of the A-A vote (34% of the vote.) What does this translate into? 54-46
Obama. SUSA is the best pollster in this cycle. I think an 8 point Obama win in
North Carolina is what we should expect.
Poll: Flap over pastor hurts Obama
(USA Today)
Barack Obama's national standing has been significantly damaged by the
controversy over his former pastor, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, raising
questions for some voters about the
Illinois senator's values,
credibility and electability. The erosion of support among Democrats and
independents raises the stakes in Tuesday's
Indiana
and North Carolina primaries, which represent a chance for Obama to reassert his
claim to a Democratic nomination that seems nearly in his grasp.
Chris Matthews Show: Doesn’t Matter What You Do, The GOP (And The Media) Will
Make Wright An Issue
(by Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars)
Reality clearly has no place in politics. Because no matter how many times
Barack Obama disavows Rev. Wright’s words, the GOP and by extension, their
complicit allies in the media (that’s right, Russert, I’m talking about you)
will not let it go and will continue to measure Obama by Rev. Wright’s words.
The crazy part about it is how for the most part, Wright hasn’t said anything
that most Americans–if they ever got to hear the full thing in context–would
disagree with. Nor are they any more inflammatory than words spoken by
conservative Christians leaders like Hagee, Robertson or Falwell. Yet, despite
these facts, as the Meter Question on The Chris Matthews Show prove, the media
is not ready to let this one go.
Um, Nicole, you’ve been at this for a while. When has reality EVER
played a part in our media circus? Click through to watch the video.
Republicans Gleeful at Obama's rocky period
WASHINGTON
- Republicans can hardly contain their glee as they watch Barack Obama battle
through a rocky period. And why should they? Nothing else is breaking the GOP's
way this year. But, at least now, the Democrats' political phenom is tarnished,
and, if he defeats Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination, will
enter the general election campaign not only bruised and battered — but also
carrying baggage as he faces Republican John McCain.
If Obama had come clean from the beginning about his associations, and
given better (and true) explanations early on, he wouldn’t be in this mess right
now.
Exclusive: NRCC Memo Reveals GOP Plan to Hit Candidates Who’ve Endorsed Obama
(by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
From North Carolina to Washington state, the GOP is already running TV ads that
tie Barack Obama’s negatives to down-ticket Democratic candidates. So far, the
GOP ads favor tying local candidates to Obama’s longtime association with his
radical, anti-American, racist preacher, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. No Quarter has
obtained a memorandum from the NRCC Communications Division on its strategy:
Click through to read the memo.
The True McCain Health Plan: Wealth Transfer From Voters to Corporations
(by RJ Eskow, writing at the Huffington Post)
The McCain plan, if enacted, would result in an enormous transfer of wealth from
the general public to large American businesses. In that sense, it reflects a
lot of what passes for "conservative" ideology nowadays. There is no underlying
belief system, just a mixed bag of policies - some "pro-big government" and some
"anti big-government" - that share only the ability to enrich the large
corporate donors that finance Republican campaigns. So Republican political
platforms are often little more than ideological smokescreens for policies that
benefit these special interests.
What's Wrong With This Picture?
(by digby)
Here are who the Telegraph considers to be the 50 most influential political
pundits in America.
The following are the top choices starting with number 10, Mark Halperin, all
the way down to number 1, Karl Rove:
The only good news here is
that Maureen Dowd is not among them. I have long held that the reason so many
people hate liberals in this country is because the right convinced them that
all of those pictured above who are not right wing icons --- are liberal. No
wonder they hate us. With the exception of Jon Stewart, they are all immense
jackasses. The list includes a few Democratic political operatives and a handful
of intelligent liberals like Paul Krugman and Rachel Maddow who are listed at 48
and 50, but for the most part they are rich, mainstream gasbags and conservative
dickheads.
Not to mention that all in the top 10, and almost all in the top 50
are white and male.
Why does FOX try to pin every sex scandal on Democrats?
(by SilentPatriot at Crooks and Liars)
[A] has been making the rounds on the internets, but for what I believe is the
wrong reason. Sure Geraldo makes a dumb remark about the recently-disclosed
affair Barbara Walters had with former Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke. But
the more interesting part, in my opinion, is when Steve Doocy reads from his
notes and describes Brooke as a “Democrat from Massachusetts.” Although Geraldo
and Gretchen quickly correct the record, both Doocy and Kilmeade insist he’s a
Democrat. Who prepares the script for these guys? I’d be willing to accept it as
an innocent mistake if it weren’t FOX’s pitiful track record on such matters.
Click through to watch the video.
Bush loyalist Fran Townsend joining CNN.
(Think Progress)
Last month, President Bush appointed his former Homeland Security Adviser Fran
Townsend to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. Now, Townsend is
picking up another job. Politico’s Mike Allen reports today that Townsend will
be joining for Bush Press Secretary Tony Snow as a CNN contributor.
Send Flowers To Helen Thomas
(by Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars)
I’m amazed no one has thought of this before. Micah Fitch has created Helen
Thomas Deserves Some Flowers to thank the only White House Press Corps member
not afraid to ask the tough questions and confront the White House about
torture. In fact, along with all the plaudits that she deserves, I think that
she also deserves a “Letter to the Editor” from all of us to our local papers
asking WHY is she the ONLY journalist asking the question. Please consider it,
for there is no better way to show your support.
Click through for links.
Media Matters for America headlines
• Kristol falsely claimed Clinton and Obama didn't denounce "General Betray Us" ad
• NPR's Rudin said "I wish I hadn't" compared Clinton to Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction
What the Pentagon Pundits Were Selling on the Side
(by Diane Farsetta, Center for Media and Democracy, posted at AlterNet)
The Pentagon pundit scandal was not only a corrupt marriage of propaganda and
corporate lobbying -- it was completely illegal.
How Much for Those Baby Photos?
Can a few
snapshots of a baby or a bride, accompanied by a fawning article, really be
worth millions of dollars? In the competitive world of celebrity magazines, they
just might be.
Walters, Canny Survivor, Adds It All Up
Until Barbara
Walters wrote her autobiography, “Audition,” she resisted entreaties to tell all
about her eventful life.
Photo Finish for Miley Cyrus?
Vanity Fair Shot Tarnishes Star's Image With Parents, but She's Popular as Ever
With Kids
Nets Try to Get Fans to Go Where the Money Still Is: TV
CW Will Use
Contests to Lure Viewers to Couches Instead of Computers
Publisher Tested the Waters Online, Then Dove In
The niche
publisher I.D.G. has been working out the answers to some big mainstream
questions. The biggest: Can print media survive the transition to the Internet?
Microsoft abandons Yahoo bid, rebuffing higher sale price
SAN FRANCISCO
- Microsoft Corp. withdrew its $42.3 billion bid to buy Yahoo Inc. on Saturday,
scrapping an attempt to snap up the tarnished Internet icon in hopes of toppling
online search and advertising leader Google Inc.
Yahoo CEO facing possible rebellion after spurning Microsoft
SAN FRANCISCO -
Yahoo Inc. Chief Executive Jerry Yang is convinced that the company he started
in a Silicon Valley trailer 14 years ago is worth more than the $47.5 billion
that Microsoft Corp. had offered for the Internet pioneer.
Mobile TV Spreading in Europe and to the U.S.
Tiny TV, the kind
that is watched on a cellphone, is spreading beyond Japan and South Korea, where
it has been available for three years. But will it be profitable?
The office moves online with software
Online-based
software, especially office productivity suites, are starting to garner
interest from consumers, and from businesses, to a lesser degree, with some no-
and low-cost options.
Amazon Sues Over State Law on Collection of Sales Tax
The lawsuit raises questions over whether vendors who are not physically present
in New York
State
should collect tax on behalf of the state.
Online booking comes to small-business owners
Doctors, attorneys
and dentists have largely missed the e-commerce boom. So have other
service-based businesses like salons and interior design shops. Sure, your
website can provide information about your business. But it can't make a sale.
That's because your clients can't book appointments online. Your clients still
must call or e-mail to schedule an appointment. And you probably can't handle
client requests 24/7. This means wasted time calling back clients for
scheduling. New sites are offering solutions to the problem. They make it
possible for clients to schedule appointments online.
Japanese seniors go online to find love
Launched in Japan in
2004 and now boasting about 840,000 members, Match.com began targeting the
mature market after seeing the fastest growth in membership among the over-50
set, an age group once thought over the hill when it came to romance.
Lego's latest brick trick: a virtual world
BILLUND, Denmark
(Reuters) - Millions of children pick up Lego bricks each year to spend hours --
5 billion, in fact -- creating their own imaginary worlds. Now the manufacturer
of the little plastic playing blocks wants to take them online to "Lego
Universe," a virtual world for fans of the ubiquitous toy.
Bad idea? Posting all Italians' incomes on Web
For a few short
hours this week, Italians got a chance to be each other's Big Brother: The
government allowed Internet viewing of absolutely everyone's tax returns,
including those of politicians, soccer players and TV personalities.
Criminals try to 'copyright' malware
Even criminal
hackers want to protect their intellectual property, and they've come up with a
method akin to copyrighting — with an appropriate dash of Internet thuggery
thrown in.
100 E-mail Bouncebacks? You've Been Backscattered.
The bounceback e-mail messages come in at a trickle, maybe one or two every
hour. The subject lines are disquieting: "Cyails...
H.P. Unveils New Memory Technology
A team of Hewlett-Packard scientists reported Wednesday in the science journal
Nature that they have designed a simple circuit element they believe will enable
tiny powerful computers that could imitate biological functions. The device,
called a memristor, could make it possible to build extremely dense computer
memory chips that use far less power than today’s DRAM memory chips, which are
rapidly reaching the limit in how much smaller they can be made. The memristor,
an electrical resistor with memory properties, may also make it possible to
fashion advanced logic circuits, like a class of reprogrammable chips known as
field programmable gate arrays, that are today widely used for rapid prototyping
of new circuits and for custom-made chips that need to be manufactured quickly.
Laptops May Get More Battery Life From Silver-zinc
Laptop users may soon get longer battery life from their machines, with ZPower
set to plug in its new silver-zinc batteries.
Mechanical squirrels, robot lizards jump into research
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - One gray squirrel, its bushy tail twitching, barked a
warning as another scrounged for food nearby. It was an ordinary spring day at
Hampshire
College, except that the rodent issuing the warning was powered by amps, not
acorns. Dubbed "Rocky" after the cartoon character, the robo-squirrel is working
its way into Hampshire's live-squirrel clique, controlled by researchers several
yards away with a laptop computer and binoculars.
Pursuing the Next Level of Artificial Intelligence
Daphne Koller’s work
has led to advances in artificial intelligence that can be used to predict
traffic jams, improve machine vision and understand the way cancer spreads.
Exercise Your Brain, or Else You’ll ... Uh ...
The fear of a decaying brain has inspired a mini-industry of products from
dietary supplements to computer games.
Can You Become a Creature of New Habits?
Brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits,
we create parallel synaptic paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can
encourage a way to innovation.
Making history: Women win medical prize
The nation's richest prize in medicine and biomedical research was awarded
Friday to two researchers for work that has improved disease treatments and may
lead to new ones for degenerative and other age-related disorders.
Riches found in 500-year-old wreck
Tons of copper
ingots, elephant tusks and 500-year-old gold coins have been discovered in a
shipwreck off Africa's coast — along with the cannons used to fend off pirates.
Baby birds babble before singing adult songs
The happy babbling that entertains parents as their babies try to mimic speech
turns out to have a parallel in the animal world.
Inner Earth filled with 'peanut butter'?
Like the gooey
center of a chocolate morsel harboring peanut butter and honey, inner Earth is
far more nuanced than outward appearances would suggest.
History of Ancient Supercontinent's Breakup Detailed
Dinosaurs roamed,
mammals started to flourish, the first birds and lizards evolved, and a massive
supercontinent began to split apart on Earth about 180 million years ago. Yet,
the details of the breakup of one of the largest landmasses in history have
stumped scientists until now.
Shuttle reaches launch pad for May 31 liftoff
HOUSTON (Reuters) -
Space shuttle Discovery reached its Cape Canaveral, Florida, launch pad on
Saturday in preparation for a May 31 liftoff to place a huge Japanese research
complex on the International Space Station.
Mission to repair Hubble Telescope delayed a month
NASA's final visit
to the Hubble Space Telescope has been delayed at least a month, until the fall,
because of extra time needed to build the shuttle fuel tanks needed for the
flight and a potential rescue mission.
What Mars Fossils Might Look Like
Fossil microbes
found along an iron-rich river in Spain reveal how signs of life could be
preserved in minerals found on Mars. The discovery may help to equip the next
generation Mars rover with the tools it would need to find evidence of past life
on the planet.
Environment
Major Arctic sea ice melt is expected this summer
WASHINGTON (AP) -
The Arctic will remain on thinning ice, and climate warming is expected to begin
affecting the Antarctic also, scientists said Friday. "The long-term prognosis
is not very optimistic," atmospheric scientist Jennifer Francis of
Rutgers
University
said at a briefing.
Poison ice
As the sea ice
melts, a toxic stew of mercury and synthetic chemicals is seeping into the
Arctic food web, harming the area's people. We may be next
Study: Warming water means less oxygen for sea life
Low-oxygen zones
where sea life is threatened or cannot survive are growing as the oceans are
heated by global warming, a new study warns. Oxygen-depleted zones in the
central and eastern equatorial
Atlantic and equatorial Pacific oceans appear to have expanded over the last 50
years.
Why the 1930s Dust Bowl Was So Bad
The Dust Bowl
drought of the 1930s was arguably one of the worst environmental disasters of
the 20th century. New computer simulations reveal the whipped-up dust is what
made the drought so severe.
Fire officials brace for scorching summer
With more than 1
million acres burned by wildfires across the USA already this year -- more than
double the amount burned by this time in 2007 -- fire officials are preparing
for a devastating summer.
Australia needs years of heavy rainfall to crack drought: experts
SYDNEY (AFP) -
Australia will need several years of heavy rainfall to reverse the devastating
effects of a drought that has battered farm production, the Bureau of
Meteorology said in a report received Monday.
Pittsburgh Takes Sooty Air Crown From L.A.
A city outside
California has for the first time been named the sootiest in the nation, one of
the categories the American Lung Association uses to determine the most polluted
cities in the country.
E.P.A. Proposes New Limits on Lead in the Air, the First Revision in 30 Years
The agency is under
court order to complete a new rule by Sept. 1, because of a lawsuit brought by
environmentalists.
Smarter electric grid could be key to saving power
Done right, the
smarter grid should save consumers money in the long run by reducing the need
for new power plants, which we pay off in our monthly electric bills.
Tesla rolls out its long-awaited electric sports car
After several years
of development, the Roadster - with sleek lines like a Ferrari or Porsche and a
sticker price of $109,000 - officially moves from the drawing boards to the
market next week when Tesla's first store opens. It's near the University of
California, Los Angeles, in the city's toney Westwood neighborhood where
Beverly Hills,
Brentwood and Hollywood practically intersect. "Because it's
Hollywood
and glamorous, this is the flagship store," Snyder said.
Brazil aims to provide efficiently produced ethanol, but has few takers
ORINDIUVA, Brazil —
The ethanol giants of southeastern
Brazil
have transformed how 185 million residents of this South American nation power
their cars and trucks. Now, they say they're ready to start the same ethanol
revolution in the rest of the world, if only the world will let them.
Kansas legislature upholds governor's veto of coal plants
TOPEKA — Opponents
of two power plants proposed for western Kansas won a stunning victory Thursday
that they hope signals the end of a six-month war over coal when the Kansas
House failed to muster the 84 votes needed to defy Gov. Kathleen Sebelius's veto
of the plants.. The vote was 80-45.
Kansas town destroyed by tornado looks to "green" future
GREENSBURG, Kan — ou
can’t be in this town a couple of minutes without hearing the three words
"before the tornado." People can’t talk much about where they’ve been or where
they want to go without first saying them.
Feds declare West Coast salmon fisheries disaster
Federal authorities
declared the West Coast ocean salmon fishery a failure Thursday, opening the way
for Congress to appropriate economic disaster assistance for coastal communities
in California,
Oregon and Washington. "This is a bleak year," Jim Balsiger, NOAA Fisheries
Service acting assistant administrator, said in announcing the declaration in
Portland, Ore.
Cheney delaying protections for endangered whales.
(Think Progress)
Four years ago, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) “started a
rulemaking process to protect the
North Atlantic
right whale” — there are only about 300 still alive — from collisions with
ships. The threat to the species’ population is so serious that the NMFS says
that “the death of even a single whale, particularly of a breeding female, “may
contribute to the extinction of the species.” But according to a letter sent by
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), efforts to protect the whales are being undermined by
Vice President Dick Cheney’s office.
