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5/9/08
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Top Story
White House: Time not right for three-way Mideast meeting
WASHINGTON -
President Bush's second trip to the Mideast this year, designed in part to make
progress toward a peace deal before the end of his presidency, will not see him
hosting a joint session with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian
Authority, the White House said Wednesday.
Of course we’re
not ready to talk. Bush only talks AFTER he’s blown a country to smithereens.
Project for the Old American Century
The World
At least 16 dead in Iraq blasts, clashes
A car bomb killed seven people and injured 19 in the Iraqi capital on Thursday,
shortly after two rockets slammed into the city centre, killing two civilians,
police said. Three policemen and four civilians were killed by the car bomb in
the Mansur neighbourhood of west
Baghdad, a police official
said, adding that two policemen were among the wounded, apart from two women and
a child.
Iraqi military orders Sadr City residents to evacuate
BAGHDAD — Iraqi
security forces, after more than of 40 days of intense fighting, on Thursday
told residents to evacuate their homes in the northeast Shiite slum of Sadr City
and to move to temporary shelters on two soccer fields.
Charity work shows another side to Sadr's movement in Iraq
BAGHDAD — When Ali
Ateya was killed last month at the age of 23_ a victim of an American airstrike
on a block of concrete tenements in Baghdad's Sadr City slum, according to his
family — there was no money for his burial.
US military denies Iraq report of al-Qaida arrest
BAGHDAD - The U.S.
military on Friday denied Iraqi government claims that the leader of al-Qaida in
Iraq was captured and said a man with a similar name had been arrested in the
northern city of Mosul.
Hezbollah gunmen seize control of Beirut neighborhoods
BEIRUT, Lebanon -
Shiite Hezbollah gunmen seized nearly all of the Lebanese capital's Muslim
sector from Sunni foes loyal to the U.S.-backed government on Friday in the
country's worst sectarian clashes since the 15-year civil war.
Israeli prime minister denies taking bribes as investigation deepens
JERUSALEM — Facing a
deepening investigation that threatens his political career, Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert late Thursday night held an unusual press conference on his
nation's Independence Day to deny allegations that he accepted bribes from an
American businessman.
Report: Land mine kills 3 in Turkey
ISTANBUL, Turkey - A
land mine explosion in southeast
Turkey
killed three people and injured three others on Friday, state-run media said.
Marines ignore Afghan poppy fields, assure locals plants won't be touched
Last week, the 24th
Marine Expeditionary Unit moved into southern Helmand province, the world's
largest opium poppy-growing region, and now find themselves surrounded by green
fields of the illegal plants that produce the main ingredient of heroin. The
Marines are not destroying the plants. In fact, they are reassuring villagers
the poppies won't be touched. American commanders say the Marines would only
alienate people and drive them to take up arms if they eliminated the
impoverished Afghans' only source of income.
Rocket attack kills Pakistani police: official
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP)
- Suspected Islamic militants killed a policeman and injured two other police
officers in a rocket attack Friday in northwest Pakistan, an official said.
Putin signals he intends to stay in charge of Russia
MOSCOW - When Boris
Yeltsin left the Kremlin eight years ago, he gave Vladimir Putin the pen he had
used to sign important documents and decrees, a gesture symbolizing the transfer
of power to Russia's new president.
Myanmar still will not accept US aid workers
YANGON, Myanmar -
The top U.S. diplomat in Myanmar says the junta is not ready to accept American
aid workers to help cyclone survivors.
Australia probes Afghan detainees mistreatment allegations
SYDNEY (AFP) - The
Australian military Friday said it was investigating allegations that its troops
mistreated suspected insurgents in Afghanistan, shortly after a special forces
soldier was killed there.
Acting Mexican police chief killed outside his home
MEXICO CITY - Mexico's
acting federal police chief was shot dead early Thursday outside his home — a
brazen attack as drug traffickers increasingly lash back at a nationwide
crackdown on organized crime.
Chavez: Venezuela won't tolerate secession in Bolivia
CARACAS, Venezuela -
President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela will not tolerate a movement for secession
in Bolivia's
eastern lowland states. Chavez says his government has not meddled in the
domestic affairs of other Latin American nations, but would if Bolivian states
now seeking greater autonomy from
Bolivia's
central government push for total independence.
President Morales agrees to Bolivian recall vote
LA PAZ, Bolivia -
President Evo Morales agreed Thursday to stand for election in a nationwide
recall vote, gambling that Bolivians will re-elect him after just two years in
office and shore up support for his pending reforms.
Argentine farmers revive massive strike
BUENOS AIRES,
Argentina — After more than a month of failed negotiations with government
officials, thousands of farmers have re-created roadblocks and held back
production all over this country to protest a controversial increase in
agricultural export taxes.
Central African Republic, rebels sign peace accord
LIBREVILLE (AFP) -
The Central African Republic (CAR) government and the country's main rebel group
on Friday signed a ceasefire agreement in a bid to end three years of unrest, a
government spokesman said.
Mbeki faces Mugabe for Zimbabwe crisis talks
HARARE (AFP) - South
African President Thabo Mbeki on Friday held intensive talks with veteran
counterpart Robert Mugabe over Zimbabwe's post-election crisis as doctors
reported a dramatic rise in violence.
Sudan steps up security, says Darfur rebels advance
KHARTOUM (Reuters) -
Sudan's army has stepped up security in Khartoum, saying it has intelligence
that a heavily armed convoy of
Darfur rebels has advanced to the neighboring Kordofan province and
is planning an attack.
Somali police fortify headquarters after raid by Islamists
MOGADISHU, Somalia -
Police fortified their headquarters Friday in fear of another attack after
Islamist fighters raided the station in the heart of the government's Mogadishu
stronghold.
The Nation
4th Fleet returns, gunning for drug smugglers
Almost 60 years
after closing shop, the Navy’s 4th Fleet, which oversaw the hunt for German subs
in the South Atlantic, is coming back. Only this time, the prey is drug runners
in the Caribbean. The Navy announced April 24 the re-establishment of 4th Fleet,
to be based at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. The command will operate as the naval
component of U.S. Southern Command and will have a SEAL at the helm.
Judge threatens to suspend Guantanamo terror trial
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY
BASE, Cuba
-- A military judge in the trial of Canadian captive Omar Khadr threatened
Thursday to suspend the terror trial unless the prison camp releases a detailed
log of Khadr's treatment in more than five years of detention as an alleged al
Qaeda terrorist.
Report Urges Greater US Response to 'Terrorist Ideology' on Internet
A U.S. Senate panel
has released a report concluding that terrorist groups have stepped up their
appeals to English-speaking audiences, including those in the United States. The
report, warning that such appeals could foment homegrown terrorism, is urging
the U.S.
government to do more to isolate and discredit the violent extremist ideology.
F.B.I. Says the Military Had Bogus Computer Gear
The prospect of an
electronic Trojan horse, lurking in the circuitry of a computer and allowing
attackers clandestine access or control, was raised again recently by the F.B.I.
and the Pentagon.
Plame seeks to resurrect lawsuit in CIA leak case
WASHINGTON - Former CIA operative Valerie Plame is trying to resurrect
a lawsuit against those in the Bush administration she says illegally disclosed
her identity.
Lawmakers craft big farm bill, defy Bush's veto threat
WASHINGTON — Weary congressional negotiators on Thursday completed a
massive farm bill that confronts a presidential veto threat amid complicated
election-year politics.
Bill Targets Oil Firms and OPEC
Democratic leaders
in Congress unveiled energy legislation [Tuesday] targeting big oil companies
and members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. The
package drew sharp criticism from Republicans, oil firms and foreign policy
experts. The legislation, dubbed the Consumers First Energy Act, features a 25
percent windfall profits tax on oil companies operating in the United States, a
rollback of existing tax breaks for oil and gas companies worth $17 billion over
10 years, and an authorization for the U.S. attorney general to bring price
collusion charges against OPEC members.
State Secrets Privilege Act Passes Senate Judiciary Committee
On Thursday, the
Senate Judiciary Committee passed the State Secrets Privilege Act, which
provides for judicial review when the executive asserts the privilege and
quashes lawsuits.
Senate ethics complaint against Vitter dismissed.
(Think Progress)
Last year, after it was revealed that Sen. David Vitter’s (R-LA) telephone
number was part of the late D.C. Madam’s records, CREW asked the Senate Ethics
Committee to investigate whether it amounted to “improper conduct which may
reflect upon the Senate.” Today, the committee informed Vitter that it was
dismissing the complaint against him because the incident occurred before he ran
for the Senate. CREW responded by saying that “the Senate Ethics Committee has
once again done what is does best: nothing.”
US judge orders CIA to turn over 'torture' memo-ACLU
A U.S. judge ordered
the Central Intelligence Agency on Thursday to submit to the court a 2002 memo
said to specify harsh interrogation methods used on suspected terrorists held
abroad. The American Civil Liberties Union said the memo was written by the
Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel and sent to the CIA in August
2002. The ACLU described the memo as "one of the most important torture
documents still being withheld by the Bush administration."
Mich. court bars benefits for same-sex couples, roiling Fla.
The Michigan Supreme
Court, upholding a ruling from a lower court, said in a 5-2 decision Thursday
that the state's 2004 constitutional ban on gay marriage also bars local and
state governments and public universities from offering health-insurance
benefits to same-sex domestic partners.
Economy & Finance
Stocks decline as AIG reveals need for cash, oil surges
NEW YORK - Wall Street retreated Friday as investors contended with
wider-than-expected losses at insurer American International Group Inc. and
another worrisome spike in oil prices. The Dow Jones industrial average at times
gave up more than 100 points.
Gas jumps above $3.67, oil passes $126 on Venezuela concerns
NEW YORK - Oil rose above $126 a barrel for the first time Friday,
bringing its advance this week to nearly $10.
U.S. economic anxiety hits women harder: study
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. economic downturn has spread personal
financial worries far and wide, but women are more worried about paying bills,
losing jobs, providing for children and saving for retirement, according to a
study released on Thursday.
More shoppers seeking shelter from economy in discounters
NEW YORK - Caught in
the maelstrom of higher gas and food prices, Americans — even more affluent ones
— are seeking shelter in wholesale clubs and discount apparel chains.
March trade deficit drops by bigger-than-expected amount
WASHINGTON - The U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in March as demand
for imports fell by the largest amount since the last recession was ending.
Media
Permanent link to MTA daily media news
I will be a guest on Head-On with Bob Kincaid today at 6:00 PM ET. Listen to Bob from 6:00 to 9:00 PM ET every weekday on the Head-On Radio Network.
BUTTRESSING BOEHLERT:
(by Bob Somerby at the Daily Howler)
We know—you’re not supposed to quote someone who’s quoting you. But we think
it’s worth adding one point to what Eric Boehlert says in his current post over
at Media Matters… “…As Somerby has noted, there was almost universal, real-time
silence from them back in 2000 when the press unleashed perhaps the most
sustained, unfair attack on a U.S. presidential nominee in modern times.
Virtually none of the A-list liberal commentators came to Al Gore's aid when it
mattered most; when the press was at times depicting him as unstable and
pathological. (Conservative pundits never would have stood by silently if their
nominee were torn apart by the media like that.)”…
Which raises a question: Why would conservative pundits have screamed if their candidate had been getting savaged? Our guess: Because conservative pundits can make a good living within the realm of the conservative press corps! They get hired, for good pay, by conservative entities. And they get paid to voice conservative views within the mainstream press. Conservative voices can earn a living within the conservative press corps. But liberal voices earn their Jaguars within the mainstream press. Thus, liberals defer to the mainstream press—and conservatives are much more free to attack it. Over the past sixteen years, this has drastically tipped the scales against progressive and Dem Party interests.
Based on those assumptions, here’s the basic shape of your ongoing discourse:
Over the course of the past sixteen years, the mainstream press corps has increasingly become more Republican, more conservative, more wealthy, more corporate. On the presidential level, they have made secular saints out of several Republicans—and they have savaged Big Dems. How much of that reflects a structural change? How much of that has simply reflected a personal, crackpot war against Clinton/Gore? We’ll get a chance to ponder that question if Obama gets to the White House. But as these processes have played out, your liberal leaders have relentlessly kept their traps shut. The U. S. Army is in Iraq today because they deferred to the mainstream consensus—in 1999. When Ceci Connolly and the Post were blatantly savaging Gore.
Did young liberal superstars
keep their traps shut, hoping for mainstream wealth and glory? We don’t have the
slightest idea. By the way: Did you hear that progressive feminist Rachel Maddow
thinks Chris Matthews is just super-brilliant?
What I’ve been saying. WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING! Is anybody listening?
When are progressives going to
build our own infrastructure to counter this ongoing catastrophe?
Time declares Obama the Democratic nominee, but adds an *
(On Politics, USA Today)
Time magazine's new cover makes its analysis of the race for the Democratic
presidential nomination clear: But note the asterisk: "Really, we're pretty sure
this time."
Obama May Declare Victory Before Winning
(by Jake Tapper at Political Punch, ABC News)
In an interview with Brian Williams on NBC, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois,
said that he may declare victory on May 20 after winning the Oregon primary
(assuming he does) -- even though he will not have reached the magic number of
2,205 delegates. “That will be an important day," Obama said. "If at that point
we have the majority of pledged delegates, which is possible, then I think we
can make a pretty strong claim that we’ve got the most runs and it’s the ninth
inning and we’ve won.” Except of course that this isn't a fight for a majority
of pledged delegates. It's a fight for the majority of total delegates -- which
includes superdelegates. And the number is 2,025. Not the majority of pledged
delegates -- the majority of total delegates.
What, he hasn’t
bought enough superdelegates? Get out the checkbook, Barack, you
cheapskate! From a member of the Hillary’s Voice message group: It’s a ploy to
cover up the beating he will take in W VA ,Kentucky and EVEN Oregon. From me:
Maybe so, but it’s also part of the shock and awe plus aura of inevitability
type of campaigning perfected by Karl Rove in 2000, especially after the
election and before Nino Scalia gave the White House to George Bush.
Who will Obama pick as his vice president?
(McClatchy)
WASHINGTON — With the
Democratic nomination almost within his grasp, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama
sometime soon will start the next great guessing game in American politics: Who
will be his running mate?
More aura of inevitability. David Axelrod learned well from his
mentor, Karl Rove. And has McClatchy become an adjunct of the Obama campaign?
Sure looks like it. Is that what we want in our party? Pushing, shoving,
elbowing, get the fuck out of the race? Not me, thanks.
Hang on in there, Hillary. It's too soon to quit
(by Sarah Churchwell, The Independent,
U.K.)
The most common reason put forward for insisting that Clinton "do the right
thing" and "bow out graciously" is that she is doing the Democratic party, and
its chances in November, irretrievable harm by prolonging the internecine
struggle of the primary contest and taking it to the convention (despite the
fact that the chairman of the National Democratic Committee, Howard Dean, has
suggested that the nomination should be decided around 1 July). A similar
argument was advanced in 2000, pressuring Gore to concede the presidency to
Bush, or risk a "constitutional crisis" – American code for "rip the country
apart". He was told he couldn't win, that the people had spoken, that he should
concede graciously and let the system work – the one the Republicans were busy
rigging. So he conceded. That turned out well, didn't it?
Clinton presses on, urges supporters to ignore calls to quit
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Her voice raspy, her tone determined, Hillary Rodham Clinton
urged her supporters Thursday to ignore the political pundits who have declared
her toast.
Offering Clinton Money to “take a dive”
(by riverdaughter at The Confluence)
If this is true, it is the most despicable thing I’ve ever read. Thomas Edsall
at Huffpo has a post called “Big Rewards Await Clinton If She Ends Campaign
Now”… The Big Boyz’ Haka has been very successful in shutting down the Clinton
campaign’s ability to raise funds. She most likely has a treasure chest of money
she can use to fund herself in the General Election but she can’t touch it right
now. Now is the time to reward her for not taking a dive. If you’ve got it, send
it. If you don’t, ask someone else to do it for you.
Just do it.
Obama Shifts Strategy
(Political Wire)
The Los Angeles Times reports Sen. Barack Obama "hasn't managed after months of
political combat to force" Sen. Hillary Clinton "out of the presidential race,
so he's about to try another approach: ignoring her." "Confident that he has
built a near-impregnable lead, his campaign aides said Wednesday that Obama
would begin shifting his focus toward the general election."
Ignore the little woman. Not exactly a new strategy–it’s been used
against us women for millennia.
Obama Woos Superdelegates on House Floor
(by Political Wire)
"The fight for Democratic superdelegates moved to the House floor on Thursday as
Sen. Barack Obama spoke to dozens of Democrats in the House well," The Hill
reports.
"Obama, increasingly looking like the Democratic presidential nominee, strode
into the House chamber just before 11 a.m.as the House was beginning a series of
votes. Obama, who was greeted with hugs and backslaps, slipped in the side door
along with what appeared to be only his security detail." Said Obama: "I wanted
to see what's going on over here. I hear there's a lot of action on this side."
Yeah, chuckle, chuckle, Barack. Glad you could find your way to the
chamber, because you sure haven’t spent much time there representing us
constituents.
Obama As Electable As Kerry? And That's A Good Thing?
(by Big Tent Democrat at TalkLeft)
So writes our friend SusanG (and TalkLeft does think of her as a friend) at the
Great Orange Satan's place (also our friend Singer at MYDD), citing Gallup:
“Obama stacks up against McCain at this point is similar to the way in which
Kerry performed against Bush in 2004 within several key racial, educational,
religious, and gender subgroups. That is, the basic underlying structure of the
general-election campaign this year does not appear to be markedly different
from that of the 2004 election.” Assuming that is true, and I do have quibbles
with that, it is important to remember John Kerry LOST to Bush in 2004. This is
not exactly the electability argument I think I would want to make.
New Hampster at No Quarter [Click through to buy one.]
Quote of the Day
(Political Wire)
"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on... Sen. Obama's
support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening
again... There's a pattern emerging here." -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, in an
interview with USA Today.
Bonus Quote of the Day
(Political Wire)
"It would be a catastrophe for the party." -- Jimmy Carter, quoted by the
Detroit Free Press, who "warned of a disaster if party insiders try to wrest the
nomination from the candidate with the largest number of votes and state
victories."
Oh, yeah, add Jimmy Carter to that tshirt of losers. He didn’t win a
second term.
Clinton's campaign loans raise concerns about Bill's income
(McClatchy)
WASHINGTON — Hillary Clinton's decision to lend her presidential campaign
$6.4 million from assets she holds jointly with her husband is rekindling
questions about millions of dollars that special interests have paid Bill
Clinton for speeches and other work since he left the White House. In tapping
some of that cash, "the
Clintons have effectively
bypassed campaign finance reform in a manner that's ingenious — using Bill
Clinton effectively as a front for the fundraising," said Lawrence Jacobs, a
University of Minnesota political science professor.
Bringing this up is one of the most despicable acts by the Obama
campaign. They are the most hateful people I've ever seen. I never thought I'd
see vicious, Rovian attacks used by Democrats against Democrats. Has anyone
asked this question about McCain’s
loans to HIS campaign, when it’s his wife who has the fortune?
Obama's Money Cartel: How Barack Obama Fronted for the Most Vicious Predators on
Wall Street
(by Pam Martens at the Black Agenda Report)
The candidate that claims to be the only presidential contender who doesn't take
money from lobbyists is in fact the biggest recipient of lobby-related
contributions. Barack Obama rakes in millions from law firms serving the
interests of Wall Street, including the financial institutions that gave us the
subprime lending crisis. Lawyers that work for firms that earn hundreds of
millions of dollars for lobbying may technically not be lobbyists, but they
share in their colleagues' earnings as influencers of Congress - a legal
loophole that allows Obama to claim his hands are clean of lobby loot. "The top
contributors to the Obama campaign are the very Wall Street firms whose shady
mortgage lenders buried the elderly and the poor and minority under predatory
loans.
Not only that, his campaign finance chairman is a multi-billionaire
heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, and
ran a bank into the ground making bad loans to poor people. It was part of
the subprime loan scandal, where ultra-rich people weren’t content to live off
ordinary gains from their billions, but wanted outsized returns. And they
caused a lot of people a lot of misery.
Obama's Consolidation of the Party
(by Matt Stoller at Open Left)
Obama has created a number of significant infrastructure pieces through his
campaign, displacing traditional groups the way he promised he would by
signaling the end of the old politics of division and partisanship.
Voter Registration: Obama has launched a 50 state registration drive…
Obama Organizing Fellows… These are unpaid positions…
Money: MyBarackObama.com: With 1.5 million donors, this campaign has blown away
anything we've ever seen in terms of grassroots fundraising. The technology is
all centralized…
Field: MyBarackObama.com (MyBO): MyBarackObama.com is the cornerstone of the
campaign, and it will have between 10-15 million opt-in members by election day.
Message and Politics: MyBarackObama.com: Obama used youtube to push back on
Reverend Wright, something he will continue to do to move beyond sound bite
politics. He has a good press shop and a way to push message out to the web.
I'm also told, though I can't confirm, that Obama campaign has also subtly
encouraged donors to not fund groups like VoteVets and Progressive Media. These
groups fall under the 'same old
Washington politics' which
he wants to avoid, a partisan gunslinging contest he explicitly advocates
against.
All controlled by and obligated to him PERSONALLY, not to the
Democratic Party. Sounds like he's building a personal empire, not a party.
Dig your own grave, Democrats, you will be the Obamacrat Party soon.
Revolution of the Saints
(by Anglachel)
I watch the mass psychosis that has overtaken half of my party and I am left
stupefied. While I have had a cynical view of the netroots for several years,
what I see now so thoroughly surpasses the worst I had imagined that I am
struggling to come up with ways to comprehend the dissolution of what should
have been a solidly unified party… Instead of seeking to make ideals of unity
and benefit for all concrete, contempt has been mobilized. Those who say "Show
me what you've got," are reviled as racist, stupid, retrograde, besmirched and
fallen. We don't need no stinkin' working class! We will get new and shiny young
voters to replace you, untouched by your peculiar love of solid wages, health
care and Hillary… As Chris Bowers put it: “Cultural Shift: Out with Bubbas, up
with Creatives”
Let’s see, they
want to create their own reality. Hmm… where have I heard THAT before?
We deserve to know what we are getting.
(by John: south of Melrose at Liberal Rapture)
[Obama] has no vision beyond "we should not bicker so much." The past is bad,
mmmkay... This is the most pathetic aspect of Obama. It is the grand lie.
Politics in a democracy are divisive. They should be. Real issues and real
people are involved. The electorate and those who represent us should duke it
out. Countries that don't go to the matt over tough issues are called
dictatorships. In fact, we will continue to duke it out- even if Obama makes a
thousand lovely speeches. Obama's call to a greater unity is AVOIDANCE not
character. He doesn't want to address the difficult issues because he has no
core convictions. It means work. Work that does not involve self promotion.
Voting "present" on abortion bills in the state senate is emblematic. This is
who he is. "Present". The short hand for all this is: I don't like him.
Political Healing
(by Lynne in Lakeland
at Liberal Rapture)
I thought merit mattered. I thought experience mattered. You [Howard Dean] went
another direction. You and Donna Brazille have pushed for Senator Obama to be
the nominee and in a year where Democrats should blow the Republican nominee out
of the water you've assured us another crushing defeat. Wow. I never would have
thought of that. Supposedly those of us who won't vote for Obama in the general
election just feel this way because of the heat of the battle and we will come
around come the fall. Good luck with that. We have been told that we are
unimportant to the party. We're uneducated, we're not smart enough to see the
greatness that is Obama.
I will give Obama credit for winning almost all the I's: Iowa, Illinois and Idaho. I'll give his campaign credit for being well run. We have seen that a well run campaign doesn't translate into a well run Executive Branch. Bush & Rove sure knew how to campaign; they had no idea how to govern… It's a sad day for us, as Democrats and former Democrats, that we started this process with a plethora of qualified candidates and we ended up with Obama.
Declaring Victory: Remember, Florida And Michigan Will Count In November
(by Big Tent Democrat at TalkLeft)
Politico is reporting that Barack Obama will declare victory on May 20… So let
me get this straight -- the first act of the self declared Democratic nominee
Barack Obama will be to state that Michigan and Florida will not count? This is
insane. Two key states in November will be dissed in the first act of the newly
crowned Democratic nominee. At the least, Obama should wait until he has 2209
delegates counting the existing
Florida
and Michigan delegations. One assumes that will likely happen by the end of the
primaries barring some unforeseen event. I can not understand the logic of this
approach.
Thinking About November
(by Paul Krugman)
[W]hat can be done to heal the party’s current divisions? More tirades from
Obama supporters against Mrs. Clinton are not the answer — they will only
further alienate her grass-roots supporters, many of whom feel that she received
a raw deal. Nor is it helpful to insult the groups that supported Mrs. Clinton,
either by suggesting that racism was their only motivation or by minimizing
their importance. After the Pennsylvania primary, David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s
campaign manager, airily dismissed concerns about working-class whites, saying
that they have “gone to the Republican nominee for many elections.” On Tuesday
night, Donna Brazile, the Democratic strategist, declared that “we don’t have to
just rely on white blue-collar voters and Hispanics.” That sort of thing has to
stop. One thing the Democrats definitely need to do is give delegates from
Florida and Michigan — representatives of citizens who voted in good faith, and
whose support the party may well need this November — seats at the convention.
New Hampster at No Quarter
My Correspondance With Donna Brazile
(by Little Isis)
[After a very nice request for Brazile to seat the Michigan and Florida
delegates—click through to read it yourself, from Brazile:] As of today, I am
not going to respond to any more anti American, Anti Democratic emails. Have a
nice day. I am sorry because you are sincere, but the Hillary forces are
uncivil, repugnant and vile. When you come up for air and would like to email a
person who cares about
America and not just a
personality, I will respond. Thanks for your time and your interest.
What’ll Be Left of the Democratic Party
(by SusanUnPC at No Quarter)
After you, me, and a few more million leave: Eggheads and African-Americans.
Because, as Donna Brazile infamously said, “we don’t have to just rely on white
blue-collar voters and Hispanics..” (TRANSLATION: They’re a bunch of racists
anyway, so screw them.) Here’s what Donna wrote in an e-mail [Wednesday] to an
understandably unhappy Hillary supporter (the rest of her nasty e-mail is
below): “Message to the base: stay home.” Good luck with that coalition, Donna,
Barack, San Francisco Nancy, and Howard. Because, while we won’t stay home, you
elitists, we’ll all be writing in “Hillary Clinton” on our ballots — if she’s
not the nominee.
Was Hillary channeling George Wallace?
(by Joe Conason, Salon)
Hillary's reckless exploitation of racial division could split the Democratic
Party over race -- a tragic legacy for the
Clintons.
What’s tragic is that you are a traitor, Joe. A traitor to your own fight
against right wing hatemongering. You, of all people (co-author of The Hunting
of the President) shouldn’t be falling for the
Obama campaign’s hatemongering against the Clintons. You should know
better.
NO ONE DID IT BETTER:
(Bob Somerby at the Daily Howler)
Please get permission before you speak! No one expressed the notion better than
commissar[Josh Marshall]-friendly journo John Judis, in the wake of Bill
Clinton’s “Jesse Jackson” reference. For us, this is one of the silliest—and
most instructive—sound-bites of this whole campaign: “JUDIS (1/31/08): It would
have been fine, of course, for a political scientist or a journalist to make the
observation that Hillary Clinton stood little chance in the South Carolina
Democratic primary running against a black candidate. And it would have raised
no eyebrows if he or she drew comparisons between Barack Obama's win and Jesse
Jackson's 1988 victory.” See? It would have been fine if Judis’ group had said
it. When Bill Clinton said it, not so much! (Shorter Judis: People like me are
allowed to discuss this. We’re sorry, but other people are not. If they do,
we’ll mind-read their “calibrations.” It’s sad, but it’s really their fault.)
Four Years Later: Why Did It Take So Long for the Press to Break Abu Ghraib
Story? (by
Greg Mitchell at Editor & Publisher)
Charles J. Hanley, Pulitzer winner for the Associated Press, uncovered
abuses at the infamous prison months before the scandal really exploded. Why
were so many others so slow to act?
Our Media Have Been So Wrong for So Long
(by Jayne Lyn Stahl, AlterNet)
In his new book, E&P editor Greg Mitchell offers a stinging indictment of the
media's complicity with Washington's war-marketing machine.
Ten of the 15 questions in [Thursday’s] press gaggle focused on Jenna’s wedding.
(Think Progress)
The White House press corps gave Bush administration spokesman Gordon Johndroe a
tough time in [Thursday’s] press gaggle. Of the 15 total questions asked during
the briefing, 10 were regarding the upcoming wedding of President Bush’s
daughter Jenna.
The Public is Too Dumb to Understand the Budget
(by Dean Baker)
Or at least reporters are. What on earth would any reader learn about the budget
from [an] AP story on the farm bill that ran in the NYT? The article just
reports every item in billions of dollars -- it never gives shares of the budget
or per person expenditures -- information that would tell readers whether the
spending on this bill is a big deal in terms of the budget or their tax dollars.
More importantly, the article never tells readers that the appropriations are
over 5 years. This does make a difference. The NYT would do its readers and the
environment a great service if they just saved the trees rather than print
budget stories like this.
Congress Acts to Keep Housing Unaffordable
(by Dean Baker)
That is an implication of the claim in a Washington Post article that a $7,500
first-time home buyer tax credit is intended to keep house prices from falling.
In large parts of the country the housing bubble pushed prices out of the reach
of most moderate and middle income families. The correction from this bubble was
again making prices affordable. While it is unlikely that this tax credit will
actually prevent the market adjustment, it could slow the process. In any case,
the Post should have pointed out the perverse implication of this policy. It is
not clear that many voters would approve of congressional efforts to use their
tax dollars to keep house prices artificially high.
Media Matters for America headlines
• Fox News' Cavuto, on-air graphic misrepresented projected cost of housing bill
• Matthews offers walk-and-chew-gum explanation for why media don't adequately cover McCain
• Will falsely claimed Clinton became Yankee fan "retroactively"
Media watchdog urges Morocco to lift Jazeera ban
RABAT (Reuters) -
A U.S.-based press freedom watchdog called on Morocco on Thursday to lift a ban
preventing the Al Jazeera television network from broadcasting a daily news
program focusing on north Africa from its Moroccan studios.
Reuters photographer detained in Zimbabwe
JOHANNESBURG
(Reuters) - A Reuters photographer covering the aftermath of Zimbabwe's
elections has been detained for three days for allegedly using a satellite phone
to transmit pictures, the global news and information company said on Thursday.
NPR show may stand in a class by itself for concealing bias
An episode of The
Infinite Mind called "Prozac Nation: Revisited" featured four experts who have
financial ties to the makers of antidepressants -- something that public radio
listeners weren't told. Also, they weren't informed that the show receives money
from Prozac manufacturer Eli Lilly. Paging Alicia Shepard!
Farm Radio Broadcaster Gets the Boot After Exposing Monsanto's 'Goon Squads'
(by Russell Mokhiber, Corporate Crime Reporter, posted at AlterNet)
Derry Brownfield was a veteran of farm radio reports, until he went after Big Ag
and its Mafia.
Ex-USAT reporter Locy goes before appeals court on Friday
When she stands
before the court tomorrow, Toni Locy -- found in contempt for refusing to name
sources -- "will not be wearing sensible shoes because she doesn't own any,"
writes Kevin Cullen. "That court has already sensibly stayed the fines against
her. It can do another sensible thing and throw this whole ridiculous thing
out."
Tribune posts 8% drop in operating revenue
A continued weak
advertising environment resulted in an 8% decline in first-quarter operating
revenue and a 16% drop in operating cash flow for Tribune Co., parent of the Los
Angeles Times, KTLA-TV Channel 5, the Chicago Tribune and other media holdings.
However, because of Tribune's conversion to a tax-advantaged, employee-owned
company in December, it posted a one-time, $1.86-billion income tax adjustment
that resulted in net income of $1.82 billion for the quarter that ended March
31, compared with $11 million in the same 2007 period.
Sun-Times' parent expects shares to be delisted from NYSE
The company's
share price doesn't meet the Big Board's minimum, so the stock will now trade on
the OTC bulletin board.
'Examiner' Newspapers Add Sunday Editions, Cut Back Home Delivery
Clarity Media
Group, which operates the free Examiner newspapers in Washington, D.C.,
Baltimore, and San
Francisco, plans to
add a Sunday edition to each and expand the current Thursday editions. Home
delivery, however, will be scaled back to two days a week.
'San Diego U-T' Reportedly Drops Top Internet Execs
The San Diego Union-Tribune has reportedly ousted three of its top Internet
executives, including those involved in the Web site's online radio efforts.
Murdoch's confident he'll soon complete his Newsday deal
Rupert Murdoch says he expects to wrap up his $580-million purchase of Newsday
in as little as a week, and that Cablevision's efforts will fail. "This is a
great market and this will give us a very powerful position." He says of the New
York Post and Newsday: "We're not putting them to be one newspaper. But there
are great savings in printing and distribution and normal back office . There's
a lot we can do together and we'll pursue that."
People, other celebrity mags become obsessed with politics
Readers are
craving coverage of the presidential candidates and their families, says People
managing editor Larry Hackett. "They are really, really interested in what's
going on, and so we're covering it more than ever."
Analyst: Upfront Sales to Fall 2% to 14%
Cites Economic
Woes, Ratings Decline and Writers Strike
To Reduce Costs, Warner Brothers Closing 2 Film Divisions
The company said
closing Picturehouse and Warner Independent Pictures was a cost-cutting move
rooted in the changing economics of the specialty film business.
Unstoppable Google
(by Jeff Jarvis)
Google now lets us explore places on its maps via the photos and videos we, the
people, submit. When I saw on a panel with Marisa Mayer at DLD in Munich, she
showed a map with dots covering the globe representing the data points users
have contributed by their use of maps. She also said people have submitted
millions of geo-tagged photos. This is what happens when you build a platform.
Gates: Microsoft shifts focus after Yahoo deal collapses
JAKARTA,
Indonesia (AP) - Microsoft Corp. will focus on growing its own advertising and
Internet search business after it withdrew its takeover offer for Yahoo Inc.,
Chairman Bill Gates said Friday. Microsoft has not presented an alternative
strategy to compete with its dominant rival in the Internet business, Google
Inc.
Inside The Deals: Forget Yahoo—Microsoft Needs To Go On The Ultimate Corporate
Diet (Paid
Content)
Several years ago, I had the memorable experience of listening to Bill Gates
defend the structure of the company that he built. It was during the height of
Microsoft's war with the Justice Department. Gates, facing a roomful of
skeptics, argued forcefully that breaking up the company made no business sense.
But having watched the failure of the company's $47.5 billion bid for Yahoo,
it's hard not to wonder: maybe the government had a point. Microsoft is
struggling to regain the initiative against Google. Size is relative, but Google
is the smaller and faster moving of the two giants. Google revenue soared 41
percent during the latest quarter, while Microsoft sales were nearly flat.
Microsoft's answer to this dilemma: get even larger. Maybe it would make more
sense to wage this battle by slimming down. A Microsoft breakup might seem
shocking, but it would be consistent with a broad movement toward corporate
consolidation.
Airports, Malls Get More 'Gesture' Ads
Interactive
Video-Out-of-Home Ads Let Consumers Play
Adults Spend Slightly More Than Half Their Media Hours With TV
TVB Releases
Nielsen Survey of Consumption Habits
Cablevision plans wireless broadband network
NEW YORK
(AP) - Cable TV provider Cablevision Systems Corp. disclosed plans Thursday to
offer high-speed wireless Internet service across its coverage area in the
New York
region.
Technology & Science
NEC to Expand Rugged Laptop Sales Worldwide
Spray them with
water, subject them to extreme temperatures or drop them on the ground, NEC's
rugged ShieldPro laptops are made to survive rough treatment. The biggest
challenge, however, is about to come: battling more established competitors in
the harsh international market.
Paper is passe for tech-savvy South Koreans
SEOUL (Reuters) -
Young, tech-savvy South Koreans are making coupon clipping a thing of the past
and turning to their mobile phones instead.
Tech tools bring big success for small businesses
Millions of U.S.
small-business owners are geeking out in the digital bazaar. As online commerce
grows and technology gets cheaper and easier to use, small firms especially
mom-and-pop shops that had shied away from technology are using tech tools more
than ever to sell goods, market themselves and run their operations. Technology
used for years by tech-savvy "early adopters" and big companies now is hitting
small businesses on Main Street USA.
Safer alternatives to standard earbuds
With a growing
number of young people plugged into digital music players, hearing loss is a
concern. A number of companies have come up with earphones that are safer to
use.
Study Offers Clues to Link Between Arrhythmia, Sudden Death
Uncovering molecular
underpinnings could lead to new, genetically targeted therapies
'Dancing' Hair Cells Are Key To Humans' Acute Hearing
ScienceDaily (May 9,
2008) — A new study shows how sounds are amplified in the inner ear, a finding
that could explain how hearing loss can result from genetic mutation or overdose
of drugs… [I]nvestigators have found that an electrically powered amplification
mechanism in the cochlea of the ear is critical to the acute hearing of humans
and other mammals. The findings will enable better understanding of how hearing
loss can result from malfunction of this amplification machinery due to genetic
mutation or overdose of drugs such as aspirin.
Nitrates In Vegetables Protect Against Gastric Ulcers, Study Shows
ScienceDaily (May 9,
2008) — Fruits and vegetables that are rich in nitrates protect the stomach from
damage. This takes place through conversion of nitrates into nitrites by the
bacteria in the oral cavity and subsequent transformation into biologically
active nitric oxide in the stomach.
Patients With Chronic Illness Benefit From Telehealth Intervention
ScienceDaily (May 9,
2008) — Telehealth, using telecommunication technology to deliver health care,
is increasingly being used to improve the delivery and availability of health
care services to patients. A University of Missouri researcher found that
patients who received a telehealth intervention from care providers had
significantly delayed hospital readmission rates when compared to patients who
received traditional care.
Flavonoids May Help Treat Alzheimer's
Compounds found in
fruits and vegetables reduced brain plaques in mouse experiments.
Elderly In Long-term Care Setting Suffer Depression More Than Those Cared For At
Home
ScienceDaily (May 9, 2008) — Elderly in a long-term care setting are more likely
to be prescribed antidepressants and to self-report depression compared to those
in a home-health care setting, according to a study by social work students.
Lost in the Holocaust: experts plumb newly opened archive
BAD AROLSEN, Germany
- A mother and child separated. A father's war wound. An uncle's name on a list.
Seaweed provides clues to earliest inhabitants of Americas
WASHINGTON (AP) -
Remains of meals that included seaweed are helping confirm the date of a
settlement in southern
Chile
that may offer the earliest evidence of humans in the Americas. Researchers date
the seaweed found at Monte Verde to more than 14,000 years ago, 1,000 years
earlier than the well-studied Clovis culture.
Shift From Savannah to Sahara Was Gradual, Research Suggests
By analyzing
thousands of layers sediment in a core drilled from the bottom of a lake, a team
of scientists has reconstructed the climate of northern Africa.
Space Shuttle Discovery in Good Shape for May Launch
NASA's shuttle
Discovery is on track to ferry seven astronauts and a large Japanese laboratory
to the International Space Station (ISS) later this month.
John Glenn wants shuttles' lives extended
For legendary
astronaut and former senator John Glenn, the video clips brought back memories
of old friends. For the rest of the nation, they provided a glimpse of NASA's
glory days.
Merging Antennae Galaxies Move Closer
ScienceDaily (May 9,
2008) — New research on the Antennae Galaxies using the Advanced Camera for
Surveys onboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows that this benchmark
pair of interacting galaxies is in fact much closer than previously thought - 45
million light-years instead of 65 million light-years.
Environment
An Eco-Friendly Gift Guide for Mother's Day
Now that Earth Day
has come and gone, it's that time of year when "love your mother" can be taken
literally again. But here's a bonus: green Mother's Day festivities allow you to
be kind to Mother Earth and the woman who pushed you out her cervix. Of course,
the best gifts are stuff-free (and even free free -- carefully planted smooch,
anyone?), but here are some ideas if you feel the need to drop some dough.
Is global warming to blame for Burma cyclone?
It was Asia's answer
to Hurricane Katrina. Packing winds upwards of 120 mph, Cyclone Nargis became
one of Asia's deadliest storms by hitting land at one of the lowest points in
Burma. Some scientists suggest that global warming may have played a role.
1.5 Million Chinese Children Take Part in Painting Competition on Climate Change
An unprecedented 1.5
million Chinese children have participated in a painting competition on the
topic of climate change, in a sign of the country's growing awareness of
environmental issues. The competition, held in China for the first time, saw the
children collectively submit 200,000 paintings on the theme of climate change.
Study: EU emissions trading provides lessons for US to follow
Washington - The
United States should learn the lessons of the European Union's emissions trading
system and create a longer- term plan to reduce global warming, a new
environmental report said Thursday.
Voluntary Carbon market is fast becoming big business
If anyone had doubts about the importance of the voluntary carbon market they
would certainly have been overcome by the announcement last month by Merrill
Lynch of a new carbon offset service to assist businesses to reduce emissions
through voluntary offsets.
Kick the oil habit and make your own ethanol
A new company hopes
drivers will kick the oil habit by brewing ethanol at home that won't spike food
prices. E-Fuel Corp unveiled on Thursday the "MicroFueler" touting it as the
world's first machine that allows homeowners to make their own ethanol and pump
the brew directly into their cars.
Another recipe for ethanol: homegrown sweet sorghum
WASHINGTON — What's sweet like sugarcane, looks something like corn and
could be grown in much of the
United States to make ethanol?
Monsanto enters partnership to make biofuel from grass
Mendel Biotechnology
Inc. is getting lessons from an agricultural master, Monsanto Co. of Creve
Coeur, in developing a grass crop for use in producing biofuel. The companies
said Monday that Monsanto will lend its crop-testing, breeding and
seed-production expertise to the Bioenergy Seeds & Feedstocks unit of Mendel,
based in Hayward,
Calif.
Sugarcane biofuel becomes Brazil's second energy source
RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP)
- Biofuel and other derivatives from sugarcane have for the first time overtaken
hydroelectric power as an energy source in Brazil, according to an annual
official study released Thursday.
Hello Kitty Harnesses the Power of the Sun
The tech blogosphere
has been aflutter this week with the next, biggest thing to change our lives.
Well, perhaps the lives of millions of pre-teens across the world. The Hello
Kitty Solar Charger. Fresh after last year’s release of the Hello Kitty space
heater, this nearly 6”x 6”ťx
3” contraption can recharge your iPod, Blackberry, or any other portable
electronic device with a USB plug. The charger also has a DC battery for those
unfortunate moments when sunlight just isn’t cutting it (a typical solar charge
takes 6 hours while a DC charge takes 1).
Wal-Mart Set to Measure Energy Use of 20 U.S. Capitols
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Through a partnership with the National Governors
Association, the "Greening State Capitols" program will provide energy audits in
20 U.S. state capitols to identify ways in which they can reduce energy
consumption.
Truckers Roll Out Sustainability Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. --
The "Trucks Deliver a Cleaner Tomorrow" program offers six recommendations that
will help the industry shrink its carbon footprint and preserve its livelihood
during a time of skyrocketing fuel prices.
Dell Asks Customers for Packaging Advice
ROUND ROCK, Texas --
Under criticism from bloggers during Earth Week over the use of oversized boxes
to ship tiny products, Dell sought the advice of its customers this week to help
the company improve its packaging.
American Apparel Finally Comes Clean(er)
American Apparel, a
company well known for sexual harassment suits, scandalous barely legal
marketing imagery, and de rigeur retro basics, is quietly known among
environmentalists for something different”¦setting the bar for fair wages in
manufacturing and incorporating solid steps towards environmental
sustainability. Now clearly, a manufacturing behemoth is going to have a tough
time calling itself “sustainable,”ť but American Apparel doesn’t even try. They do. Since 2006, 20% of their
electricity for their factory in downtown LA is produced by solar energy,
there’s recycled content in their shopping bags, and a majority of their
manufacturing scraps get reclaimed for the making of their smaller items, like
thongs and such.
Overlooked in the global food crisis: A problem with dirt
WASHINGTON (AP) -
Science has provided the souped-up seeds to feed the world, through
biotechnology and old-fashioned crossbreeding. Now the problem is the dirt
they're planted in. As seeds get better, much of the world's soil is getting
worse and people are going hungry.
