Malkin And The Moustache Man

I would never, ever, never-ever call Fox News "fair and balanced," even I had a gun held to my head. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself. Though to their credit, they let one wacko Republican by the name of Geraldo Rivera counter certified wingnut Michelle Malkin for attacking him on one of their programs. Geraldo completely obliterates Malkin for the lunacy that comes out of her mouth. Maybe it was the shouting match between him and Bill O that lit some sort of fire under him. Of course in the end, I wouldn't want to touch either one of them with a ten foot pole.

Giuliani's Toxic Lies

Earlier this week Rudy made news when he claimed he spent as much time or more down at the World Trade Center than the rescue workers themselves. Obviously this riled anyone that cares about the firefighters and rescue teams more than they do about Giuliani and his ego (meaning the great majority of Americans). The heat got so bad that Rudy had to "clarify" his statements but he never answered how many hours he was down there. You want to take a guess at the real number?

From Your New Reality:

Rudy Guiliani (second from right) knew he had to protect his lungs from the toxic dust at Ground Zero. This is rare photo of Guiliani in a mask. He usually removed it for interviews and photographs.

Following up our recent report on wannabe Republican president, and former New York City Mayor, Rudy Guiliani's absurd claim that he was just like all those first responders and rescue workers, who clocked up many hundreds of hours in the toxic pit of 9/11's Ground Zero, a story in the New York Times reveals just how much time Guiliani actually spent on site.

The number of visits Guiliani made to Ground Zero between September 11 and December, 2001, is one-tenth of the number of visits he's previously claimed to have made.

Considering, also, that when Guiliani did visit the smoking ruins of the World Trade Centre he spent no more than 15 to 30 minutes at a time there, only increases the suspicion that Guiliani knew exactly how toxic the air was at the site, as did clearly the staff and security detail of the luminaries and world leaders he took there for tours.

Why am I not surprised? Rudy seems to be a run of the mill pathological liar. Usually these people do not amount to much since their lack of credibility keeps them down. Yet Rudy has skillfully alluded the adjective and replaced it with a blatantly false "America's Mayor" stamp. This qualifier needs to be quashed, and people should start calling him what he is, a liar that will go to any length to gain more power and feed that goddamn inflated ego of his.

We're Running Out Of Purple Hearts

With all the shouts and cries from the right that we are turning the corner (so 2004) and that things are getting better with the surge, it is hard to think good things about the occupation of Iraq when our military does not have enough purple hearts to send out to its veterans. Korean War Vet Nyles Reed was approved for his medal but only received a certificate and a letter that said he could buy his own. One might ask, why didn't he get it immediately after his injury? Well when you hear this story, you would think the military would want to jump to reward this dedicated soldier.

From The Houston Chronicle:

On the day he was injured, getting a medal was the last thing on his mind. Stationed close to the front lines at Panmunjom, where peace talks were under way, Reed "was a forward observer — the one that's up on the front line directing the artillery. I had to get to the observation point."

Reed jumped in a Jeep and had started out when a 76-millimeter shell "comes in and hits right below the Jeep in the mud. And when it went off, it blew the Jeep over and threw me into the windshield, where I busted my cheek — you can see the scar — and I was bleeding like a stuck pig."

"And I could see this battalion aid station, with Navy corpsmen. So this doc, this surgeon, sewed me up and he says, 'Do you want a Purple Heart?' That's when I said, 'I haven't got time! They're waiting for me up at the front lines,'" Reed recalled. He rushed back to duty.

About three years ago, Reed said, he started thinking that it would be nice to have the Purple Heart to pass on to his two sons or daughter, or to show to his eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

First of all, this is a smack in the face to any veteran to be asked to buy their own medal, especially one that was earned by being wounded in a conflict fought for their country. Secondly. how the hell could we have run out of medals?!? If the "surge" was going so well, we should have more control over Iraq and less casualties. Instead the medals are either being handed out quicker than they can be made, or the Pentagon was careless enough not to have more being put into production. Either way, it is a shame that Nyles Reed was made to pay for his medal. It is even more of a shame that the chaos in Iraq is to blame for this type of crap.

Oh and by the way, Mr. Reed spent $42 dollars plus tax at a surplus store for the purple heart. The army should refund him his money and his time spent going to get it.

Young Turks Recap The Week

From Karl Rove's departure and the mine safety fiasco to Dick Cheney's old video that shows he thought invading Iraq would be a complete disaster; its been a hell of a week.

Rally For Workers Rights: Sept 8th At WTC Site

Union leaders are ditching their plans to hold the regular labor day parade on 5th Avenue this year, and I couldn't be happier. Instead of a march, there will be a giant rally to address the concerns of the brave men and women who worked on the pile nearly six years ago. The air in the area damaged their lungs, killing some already while city, state and federal officials mostly turn a blind eye. People were outraged to see what Michael Moore brought to the screen with SiCKO and those were just a few of the victims. Now we want to see action, this is the beginning of it.

From 1010 WINS:

The parade, headed by the Central Labor Council, usually winds down Fifth Avenue and has about 50,000 participants. This year, the event will take place Sept. 8 at the World Trade Center site, "to address the chronic health impacts, ongoing monitoring, medical treatment and worker's compensation for first responders and other workers suffering from the long-term effects of 9/11,'' said Ed Ott, executive director of the New York City Central Labor Council.

Ott was left in charge after the former leader, Brian M. McLaughlin, was arrested on federal racketeering charges. The labor council is an umbrella group of unions.

Thousands of first responders who got sick after Sept. 11 now blame their health woes on exposure to the toxic fumes and dust at ground zero.

The terrible aftermath that has befallen these people still goes largely unnoticed. This event is one that will try to change things. If fifty thousand can march in a parade, I know that the citizens of New York can at least double that number at this rally. So take out your calendars and set aside a couple hours that Saturday to show your support for the workers at the World Trade Center disaster and for all workers across the nation and the world.

Manhattan Mini Storage + Bloody Coathangers = *&^%#$ @(*&

The NYC company Manhattan Mini-Storage created a huge controversy over their new ad. In the past they have used funny one-liners that skew to the Democratic side, such as "Your closets's so narrow, it makes Cheney look liberal." The latest ad takes on abortion and tells us exactly what will happen if pro-lifers get their way by eliminating a woman's right to choose.

From The NY Post:

The Manhatttan Mini Storage advertisement reads, "Your closet space is shrinking as fast as her right to choose," and is overset on a picture of a coathanger.

"These billboards, we think they're absolutely disgusting," said Kiera McCaffrey of the Catholic League told WCBS.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue also spoke out against the billboard.

(snip)

A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of NYC told the New York Sun, "We think it's fabulous. We salute Manhattan Mini Storage for helping to make New Yorkers as aware as we are of the growing restrictions on reproductive freedom in this country."

Pro-lifers like Donahue obviously hate ads like these because it shows Americans the realities that would beset our nation without having the freedom of choice. It isn't a debate of whether abortions are bad. Aborting a baby is not like going to the amusement park. It is a serious decision that a woman needs to make about her body due to whatever circumstances are present. Do we really want to go back to the time when people used coat-hangers when there were no professional medical facilities? Obviously scumbags like Bill Donahue do....and by having billboards like those from Manhattan Mini-Storage, the national debate takes that aspect into account.

Super Agent "W"

This cartoon is a little hokey, but makes it's point about George Bush, his buddies and what they are doing by wiretapping everyone and everything in sight.

Responding To "Some Idiot" At Fox News

Jon Stewart is one of my heroes. He tells the news as it is, with all the humor that it deserves. When people personally attack him like John Gibson did the other day, it rolls right off his back while he gets a quick, humorous jab in at the perpetrator. A response to Gibson did not have to be a big to do, like you would expect from Bill O'Reilly, who happens to be another idiot at Fox News.

From Media Matters:

On the August 15 edition of Comedy Central's The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart briefly mentioned comments that, as Media Matters for America has noted, John Gibson and his Fox News Radio show's executive producer made on August 10 and again on August 14, mocking Stewart's emotional on-air reaction after the 9-11 terror attacks as "phony." On The Daily Show, during an interview with Stephen F. Hayes, author of Cheney: The Untold Story of American's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President, (HarperCollins, July 2007) about Hayes' characterization of Vice President Dick Cheney, Stewart said that "there's a real feeling in this country that your patriotism has been questioned by ... people in ... very high-level positions. Not fringe people." Stewart continued: "I myself had some idiot from Fox playing the tape of me after September 11th -- very upset. And them calling me a phony ... because, apparently, my grief didn't mean acquiescence."

Hayes responded: "Look ... I think we can agree that ... we shouldn't be questioning other people's patriotism. On the other hand, I think it's totally legitimate to talk about different ways of handling the war on terror."

Questioning the patriotism of those that disagree with the President is all wingnuts like John Gibson have. They do not rely on facts or common sense. Without those little essentials, all they can do is pull stunts like the cowardly attack against Stewart. Gibson is piece of work, but there is little work or thought that goes into his program. Anyone can act like a bully, it takes class to be on Jon Stewart's level.

More Rats Jumping Off U.S.S. White House Disaster

Tony Snow"job" told the White House Press Corp today in a not so clever way that he was going to be resigning soon due to 'financial reasons' (yeah, sure Tony) but did not give a specific date. He also mentioned others were going to be departing their posts at the White House. It seems that whoever joined the Bush team has left with deep scars. Tony already had some bad bruises from working at Fox, the White House added the lacerations. The full list was compiled by TP today.

From ThinkProgress:

Snow’s upcoming departure makes him one of a bevy of top administration officials who, since November, have left their posts. ThinkProgress has compiled a list of some of the key resignations:

- White House Senior Political Adviser Karl Rove
- White House Counselor Dan Bartlett
- White House Budget Director Rob Portman
- White House Counsel Harriet Miers
- White House Political Director Sara Taylor
- White House Director of Strategic Initiatives Pete Wehner
- White House Deputy National Security Adviser J.D. Crouch
- Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty
- Acting Associate Attorney General William Mercer
- Justice Department White House liaison Monica Goodling
- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
- Army Secretary Francis Harvey
- Joint Chief of Staffs Chairman Peter Pace
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
- U.N. Ambassador John Bolton
- USAID Director Randall Tobias

With so many key staff departures, the AP reports that “Bush has decided he might get more done in his final months by going it alone,” making increased use of executive orders and veto power.

Bush is definitely "going at it alone." He lost the support of most Americans a long time ago. Only the die-hard ideologues remain and even some of them have left him to twist in the perilous winds of history. He continues to make a mockery of our democracy and will stop at nothing to run America into the ground. We will be left to pick up the pieces in 2009 and rebuild from there.

Colbert Exposes Nazi-Traitor Markos Moulitsas

Stephen Colbert, the ever-intrepid investigator and interviewer follows Poppa Bear's lead and goes after Markos Moulitsas of DailyKos. Of course Bill O in his infinite wisdom thinks DailyKos, with its pictures of 'pooties' and Democratic blogging, is a hate site that is indistinguishable from the Nazis (sigh). Well Colbert gets to the bottom of it when he hosted Markos on his show yesterday.

Millions Of Gallons Wasted Everyday In NYC, Infrastructure To Blame

Public service announcements are bought and paid for to remind us to conserve water, but what is the point when the city itself wastes up to 35 million gallons a day. It would be like having almost every single New Yorker filling up a typical 5 gallon drum and pouring it out onto the street, every goddamn day. Due to our crumbling infrastructure, a pipe that delivers part of our water supply is quite a prolific leaker.

From AM New York:

The city Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the water supply, has been aware of the leaks since 1988, but hasn't yet made repairs and has not developed an emergency response plan to deal with a potential collapse of the tunnel, according to the audit released Wednesday by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

The leaking tunnel supplies more than half of the 1.3 billion gallons of drinking water consumed each day in the city.

The report found that the city has spent more than $28 million on engineering consulting services since 1998, but failed to consistently follow the consultant's recommendations. In that time, water loss due to the leaks has increased from about 20 million gallons per day in 1992 to 35 million per day, the report said.

Seriously, WTF is going on here. They have known about this for nearly twenty years and haven't done anything but 'study' it. Our steam pipes are antiquated, our electrical grid is shot to hell and now we find that the pipes that carry fresh water to New York has a mile and a half long 'leak'. A dripping faucet with a bad washer constitutes a leak. An old roof over your head that requires a few pots and pans during a storm....that would be called a leak. Thirty-five million gallons a day? That would be the daily flow of a small river. The city and the state needs to get their act together.

Giuliani Tells Voter To "Leave My Family Alone," Rudy's Family Leaves Him Alone Instead

Up in New Hampshire citizens take their Presidential politicking seriously. One likely Republican got up to give Rudy some praise, but then asked about why his family isn't supporting him. The other week his daughter Caroline had informally announced her support for Barack Obama on her Facebook page. Of course Rudy couldn't give a good answer since any truthful reply would look pretty damn bad. So instead he attacked the questioner and then gave the audience some bullshit about health care.

From the AP:

The questioner, Derry mother Katherine Prudhomme-O'Brien, opened by thanking Giuliani for how he handled the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and introduced him to her 5-year-old daughter, Abby, who was playing on the floor next to the platform where Giuliani stood.

Prudhomme-O'Brien, 36, wasn't certain about Giuliani's answer.

"If a person is running for president, I would assume their children would be behind them." she said. "If they're not, you've got to wonder."

She said the issue is a question mark that is "going to stay there for a lot of people."

(snip)

Giuliani wants to give families a $15,000 tax credit to buy insurance privately rather than through employers and he proposes that any money left over from the credit be kept in tax-free health savings accounts.

Prudhomme-O'Brien is on to something. Your family should support you, regardless of divorce or separation, especially when it is your own daughter. After Rudy snarled in self-defense, he talked about his health care "policy" that would give tax credits only to people that could actually save $15,000 on their taxes. If you are in the working class and pay little taxes already, you won't save a dime. No wonder his family won't support him, no one can trust the garbage that comes out of his mouth.

Bill O Needs To STFU About DailyKos

The man is clearly a lunatic. Once he starts harping on a particular subject of interest to him, he becomes obsessed. Now he is focused on DailyKos, and despite all the facts, Mr. Loofah can't stop lying to suit his ridiculous premises.

The Elitist Snobs Of The Working-Class

"Elitist snobs" and "working-class" generally do not go together in a sentence unless you pit one against the other. Though when it comes to Karl Rove and his pathetic attempt to bash Bush's critics (if 75 percent of the country doesn't like his presidency, quite a few of those will be working-class Americans), his only retort is that a small section of the population doesn't like Georgie. The so-called 'brilliant' Rove had a few idiotic things to say on the show hosted by fellow retard Rush Limbaugh.

From ThinkProgress:

In his interview with Rush Limbaugh this afternoon, Karl Rove claimed that the people criticizing Bush are “sort of elite, effete snobs who can’t hold a candle to this guy. What they don’t like about him is that he is common sense, that he is Middle America.” Limbaugh suggest that Bush critics are frustrated the the President “outsmarts ‘em.” Rove argued Bush is far more intelligent than people give him credit for, and is “one of the best-read people I’ve ever met” whose “passion is history.”

Um, I hate to tell you this Karl, but you are dead f'in wrong. Common sense is the farthest thing from the empty-headed Bush Jr. Being born to the actually elitist enclave in Kennebunkport, ME with gobs of family money is not "Middle America." Average Americans do not have a daddy that headed the CIA, was Vice-President and then President and now works for the war-hungry Carlyle Group.

It is Rove's statements that do not stand up to common sense or even contain a shred of truth.

East Midtown Explosion Was No Accident

Since the blast last month, it was suspected that the explosion was not just a freak occurrence. Now there is proof and it is starting to complicate matters. Con Edison and the city want to get everything back to normal as quickly as possible and two lanes were opened on Lexington this week, but due diligence is still needed with lawsuits pending and people that demand accountability instead of a cover up. Well the fight between the tow truck driver's lawyer and Con Ed is about to heat up.

From The Daily News:

A crucial Con Edison steam valve wasn't working just before last month's deadly steampipe explosion, a bombshell affidavit from a top state regulator says.

The "steam trap," just feet away from the blast site at 41st St. and Lexington Ave., was supposed to drain water out of the steampipe to prevent a catastrophic condition called "water hammer," which causes water to slam into itself with incredible pressure.

The stainless-steel trap was installed in December 2006, but preliminary tests after the explosion revealed it wasn't operating and had a possible debris buildup, according to the sworn statement by Thomas Dvorsky, an engineer who heads the state Public Service Department office in charge of steam service.

So there was definitely a pre-existing problem. City and state officials want to cut the trap open to investigate, while the manufacturer of the device says that it was designed to keep water away even if it failed. The lawyer for Gregory McCullough also has reservations:

McCullough's lawyer Kenneth Thompson has blocked the tests, saying the utility can't be trusted to investigate itself.

"I do not want this to happen to any other family," said McCullough's mother, Tanya McCullough-Stewart. "He does cry. You can see the pain in his eyes."

Of course that is an emotional appeal (well-deserved of course, the poor guy is facing possible amputation of an arm and a leg) but so what. An independent observer needs to be brought in to oversee this, I wouldn't trust Con Edison either.

Super Tube Debate

Warning! This parody of the YouTube debate is not intended for the comically-challenged or easily-offended. I certainly LMFAO, hope you do as well.

Gingrich Is "Sickened" And Sickening

Nutty Newt keeps talking to the press as a non-candidate candidate who is sick of our government as it is. I will give him credit on that, President Bush is a complete idiot when it comes to effectively 'presidentin in mer-ika.' The problem is that Newt wouldn't do much better with what is coming out of his mouth now (and if you remember the Contract With ON America, he wasn't much better in the past either).

Here's Newt in all his glory, via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Gingrich said that the "war here at home" against illegal immigrants is "even more deadly than the war in Iraq and Afghanistan."

"As an American, I am sickened that the political leadership of America could continue to go on vacation and do nothing," he said. "Why are the August vacations for the president and the Congress more precious than the lives of young Americans who are being killed because of government incompetence and inaction."

Gingrich said that President Bush should call Congress back into special session for three days to pass a bill in honor of the slain students.

The measure should order the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security to outsource the development of an identification system to check the legal status of felons and have it up and running by Jan. 1, 2008, he said.

What this bill would do to effectively curb crimes like that in Newark is beyond me. Of course, Newt doesn't care about common-sense efforts to curb crime, he'd rather appeal to the racist and bigoted right-wing that loves this type of talk. Why mention the obvious (the great majority of undocumented immigrants come here to work, not commit crimes) when incendiary wing-nut talking points make headlines. Newt may be sickened by immigrants, but really, he is the most nauseating person in the room.

Bush's Outrageous Truth.....Now What Hillary?

So Hillary's "Invisible" ad touched a nerve with the White House. She hammered Bush for not caring about Americans other than himself and his friends. Its (obviously) true, he does not care about the troops, people who have trouble with health care, people who are losing their jobs....it goes on and on. Bush had his troll Dana Perino bark back at Clinton.

From The Huffington Post:

"As to the merits of it, I think it's outrageous. This is a president who, first and foremost, has helped millions of seniors across the country have access to prescription drugs at a much lower cost," Perino said. "As to whether or not our troops are invisible to this president, I think that is absurd and that it is unconscionable that a member of Congress would say such a thing."

Happy to be in a debate with the White House, the Clinton campaign quickly linked to the official transcript of Perino's comments on its campaign Web site, , with the headline, "White House Attacks Hillary's New Ad." http://www.hillaryhub.com

Campaigning in Dubuque, Iowa, Clinton referred to the White House criticism of her "invisible" comments.

"Apparently I've struck a nerve. The White House just attacked me a few minutes ago," Clinton said. "Not only have I said it and am saying it, I will keep saying it because I happen to believe it."

Well Hillary, we all believe it. What you would do to properly address all of the above issues is another story. The press on this is great for the Presidential front runner, thats for sure. Attacking George Bush is as easy as it gets these days. Back when he was popular, Hillary went "centrist" to appease the Republican trifecta. Now she is trying to smoothly move back to the left.

My parrot can rip Bush just as easily (though she would prefer to do it with her beak), so Hillary, lets see some leadership. Stop taking all that cash from the corporate lobbyist goons you pretend to not be influenced by and step up to the plate without all of those D.C. consultants.

Happy Macaca-versary

Wow, one whole year has passed since George Allen managed to show that wonderful racist side of his. The video was a milestone for web-based media in campaigning and the beginning of George Allen's slow descent into being kicked out of the Senate by the citizens of Virginia. Witness it in all its infamous glory:

Susan Collins And The Crazy Wingers Of Maine

The "moderate" Republican Senator from Maine made news today by going along with the local wingnuts from her home state. Apparently the right wing up there is much like the rest of their brethren across the country and even Bill O'Reilly. The website in question wrote a post that attacked Sen. Collins challenger Tom Allen for associating with Daily Kos and other "hate" sites on the left. I wonder if this commenter below has a User ID at dKos....I seriously doubt it.

From Crooks and Liars:

It appears Susan Collins doesn’t want to risk having a career ending blooper, like George “Macacca” Allen. One of her supporters posted this today on the Maine Web Report:

Markos Moulitsas’s hate-site The Daily Kos, the foul-mouthed fem-blog FiredogLake, and other ‘netroots’ extremists like MoveOn.org, have become the dominant fundraisers for Tom Allen’s senate campaign. This may be good news for Allen financially, but allowing these fringe fanatics to take over his campaign is creating a political atmosphere that will undoubtedly be rejected by Maine voters come next November.

Tom Allen’s involvement with these groups, particularly his participation in the website The Daily Kos, came onto the radar screen of Maine voters recently, as national media exposed a pattern of hateful, vulgar, and anti-semitic postings on the site. Now Allen’s extremist friends have landed on the ground in Maine, and are engaging in the same childish bullying campaign tactics that made Connecticut voters reject their attempts to unseat Senator Joe Lieberman in 2006.

The comments have been very interesting on MWR, especially this one:

Wanting to blow up an entire city with liberals (as in PEOPLE who are liberal) isn't a hateful thing to say, is it? For Ms. Collins to support these people is a smack in the face to America itself and the decency we would like to see in our political dialogue. To endorse a terror attack on our nation to persuade people to vote Republican is delusional at best. Of course these wingers will never learn, but Senators should have a better sense of morality.....obviously not here.

Fox's 1/2 Hour News Hour Loses Its Thirty Minutes

We all had our fun making jokes about Fox's lame attempt at creating a right-wing Daily Show. Sadly, that has to come to an end, since the program is off the air. Fox News promoted it to death, wingnut all-stars like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter made appearances to get it off the ground. Yet, it was all for naught.

From Media Bistro:

In a memo to senior producers this afternoon, FNC's SVP of programming, Bill Shine announced the network "will not continue the Half Hour News Hour beyond its current 15 episode run." Shine did leave the door open, however: "we are considering ways to retool the show for future scheduling needs."

The TV news satire show which airs Sunday nights, stars faux anchors Kurt McNally, played by Kurt Long, and Jennifer Lange, played by Jennifer Robertson.

The first airing, February 18 was a hit, with more than 1.4 million viewers. The show averaged 258,000 viewers (25-54 demo) in its last 10 airings, winning its timeslot all but once. FNC will air the final show September 16.

Retooling? As in making it funny perhaps? It may have won its timeslot, but we dont even have to try and compare it to The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. Not. Even. Close.

The Peaceman Versus The Chenguin

I've never heard of Dennis Kucinich as the "Peaceman" but this clip is worth it:

And Now More From The Vile Mouth Of John Gibson

John Gibson is in the blogosphere's eye again with more outrageous comments, this time involving the beloved Jon Stewart of the Daily Show. As we all know Jon is a comedian, but as New Yorker that felt the devastation of 9/11 up close and personal, it is no laughing matter. Making fun of the people in the Bush Administration for abusing the nation and the world's trust over the matter is one thing, but for Gibson to say this, it takes a stone cold heart.

From Media Matters:

On the August 10 broadcast of his Fox News Radio show, John Gibson and the program's executive producer, known on air as "Angry Rich," mocked Comedy Central host Jon Stewart for emotional remarks he made shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. While airing a clip of Stewart's remarks from the September 20, 2001, edition of The Daily Show, Gibson mimicked Stewart and sarcastically interjected, "Oh, God, Jon. Just tell me it's not true," and, "Oh! That's great. I'm -- God, I'm touched." Before playing the clip, Angry Rich asked, "Do you remember what the media was like shortly after 9-11?" Gibson answered, "Oh, Jon Stewart sobbing." After the clip concluded, Angry Rich called Stewart a "phony."

Both Gibson and Angry Rich are world-class jackasses. There is no doubt about that. Don't be expecting an apology anytime soon, just more of the same. The only way to combat shit like this is to call up their advertisers and demand to know why they would spend money and put their names alongside a crap-tacular program like this.

Bashing Veterans And Being A Hypocrite Takes Real Talent

I have to hand it to Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-N.Y.) on his performance the other night while talking about his challenger last year and for 2008, retired Navy man Eric Massa. Kuhl had some pretty nasty things to say about Massa, especially when the nastiest thing in the 29th district of New York is Kuhl, his ridiculous behaviors and his positions.

From The Daily Gotham:

What is it with republicans and actual veterans? They cut their healthcare, let things like Walter Reed happen, start illegal wars, and when push comes to shove, point to yellow-ribbon bumper stickers to cover up their systematic abuse of America's military and the men and women in uniform.

From the 29th District comes another such tale of woe. It starts, predictably enough, with potshots taken by draft-dodger, Certified Wingnut™ and incumbent republican Congressman Randy Kuhl against Democratic challenger Eric Massa, a retired Navy Vet. In this specific case, Kuhl broke ground with an interesting description of military retirees.

To Kuhl, these aren't retired military personnel - they just don't have a job. This from a professional politician who has served in elected office for almost three decades.

Kuhl is certainly one to talk. While Massa was literally fighting for his country, Kuhl was voting for his own interests while using the troops as props. Now that one of those in uniform is running against him to take away the opportunity to abuse his power, he'll do and say anything to disparage Eric Massa. Time for this scumbag to get a real job and not in Congress.

Killer Toys!

When it comes to profits and safety, we know that corporations are going to choose saf....um, I mean profits. Thankfully Mattel is recalling the leaden toys now, but why are we in this position in the first place.

Feds Show NYC The Congestion-Pricing $$$

Congestion-pricing took a giant leap towards being reality in the city today when Mary Peters of the Department of Transportation announced that NYC will receive $354 million to help implement the system of cameras and tolls that will charge drivers $8 for cars and $21 for trucks to enter Manhattan below 86th St.

From WCBS-TV:

(CBS) NEW YORK Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan got a big boost Tuesday with the announcement of federal funding. The federal government has agreed to pay $354 million to New York City to help install tolls for drivers entering the busiest parts of Manhattan.

At 10 a.m., U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced that New York City will receive federal money to put the mayor's congestion plan into place.

The article goes on to paint New Yorkers view of the plan to be terrible, mostly from people driving into the city (who woulda thunk?). Perhaps they'll start to use mass transit and help reduce congestion and increase the air quality around the city (there is a reason its called congestion-pricing). My favorite interview though, was from Manhattan resident Judy Feldman.

Manhattan residents aren't celebrating either. Judy Feldman lives along East 60th St. and sees a majority of the congestion from the 59th Street Bridge. She says she is not sure how much the plan is going to help.

“I don't know how if it's going to help the air quality, it probably will help the congestion,” said Feldman. “Although people that can afford to park in the city and drive in everyday probably won't think of anything else will pay the extra, it's a business expense.”

Dear, reducing the amount of traffic in your area is going to be one of the benefits. Oh and if you think reducing congestion and pollution aren't related, you might want to look at some of the cars in Manhattan and see what comes out of their tailpipes. There is a reason you aren't supposed to breathe that stuff up close, it can kill you. And over time, breathing polluted air reduces the quality of life for all of us. Just a little common sense, ya know?

People are going to bitch and moan about this, but really, we all need to do our part to clean up the air locally so we can help the planet globally. If not for you, for your kids, grandkids, etc. Get my point?

The Nannies Of New York

The hard-working nannies in the city that watch thousands of children every day do a great service. The ones that sit in city council and other spots around New York are not. Instead of real legislation that makes a difference in the lives of New Yorkers, they come up with ridiculous laws and stunts that are aimed at potty mouths. Oh my, those dangerous potty mouths.

From The Huffington Post:

First the city voted to ban the Noun that Begins with N -- the derogatory term for blacks that has been pushed out of public public speech but shoved its way into entertainment, chiefly rap music. A local NAACP branch even gave the word a funeral, coffin and all, as a show of hope that ugliness can be buried along with a word that is freighted with ugliness.

The city ban has not been accompanied by any enforcement measures -- police, for example, cannot slap a strip of duct tape across the offending mouth and effect an arrest. But so successful has this legislation presumably been that New York City Councilwoman Darlene Mealy, of Brooklyn, now wants to add the word ''bitch'' to the no-no list.

(snip)

If the players in this would add a little Harry Potter to their summer reading, they'd learn at least as well as George Orwell could demonstrate that fearing a word gives it power, and banning it makes it more powerful still.

Look at how the word "queer" has evolved from an insult -- which it still is in some people's minds -- to a word that some gays embrace defiantly. They use as both a shield and a weapon, to make its original ugliness boomerang back on the person who hurled it so viciously in the first place.

This post is right on. Giving words power with fear of the law makes them so much worse. Laughing at the words is what we need most. It isn't about the word, its the power behind it. This is why I love "Borat" so much. Both of us are Jews, and his use of the character to laugh at anti-semitism is pure brilliance.

Words change in meaning all the time, that is how language works. Just think about how one interprets "colored" and "negro" now, thirty years ago, sixty years ago, etc. So to Councilwoman Mealy and other morons like her, stop with this crap and draft laws that make a difference for your constituents that improves their lives and not their mouths.

Who You Calling A Puss......eeee

Forget the asterisk, just sound that one out. Kristol has a lot of nerve to go on the Daily Show and talk shit to Jon Stewart. Of course, Jon can talk right back:

Elizabeth Goes On The Attack, Watch Out Hillary And Obama

The two top front-runners got a verbal beating from John Edwards' wife in the current issue of Progressive Magazine. She hit on a theme that really resonates with me. It is a question of leadership, and what candidate can be a true leader after the terrible disgrace that is George Bush. Now the top three are all good people, and they'll all be miles ahead of the current President, but we need someone that has passion and convictions. I do not see that in Hillary and I'm not so sure about Barack. Elizabeth Edwards certainly has a bias, but there's a lot of truth in her words.

From the ABC News Blog:

Mrs. Edwards praised her husband for apologizing for his vote in favor of the Iraq War, and questioned Senator Hillary Clinton's, D-N.Y., for not doing the same.

"She even, in the New Hampshire debate said, 'I made a mistake.' People are looking for a mea culpa from her. And when she buried a line like that –- I give her credit for saying that –- but when she buries that line... we're electing a leader of the free world, and just like the votes on this last funding bill, we're looking for a leader," Edwards contended.

And while Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., was in the Illinois state legislature and not the Senate in 2003, Mrs. Edwards equally questioned his motives.

"Obama gives a speech that's likely to be extraordinarily popular in his home district," Edwards said, "and then comes to the Senate and votes for funding... so you are going to get people behaving in a holier-than-thou way."

"Holier-than-thou," ouch! In a way though, there is some truth in it. Watching Obama and Hillary slip into the Senate to vote against funding the war a couple months ago at the last minute was sad to see. I know they made the right choice, but how they went about it was so cowardly. Of course Edwards has nothing to lose when he speaks out because he is no longer in the Senate, but its more than a political calculation to him.

The two of them, John and Elizabeth, make such a great team together. The leadership that both of them take on the issues that matter to them (like poverty and health care) is inspiring to say the least. It would almost be nice to see the Edwards' on the top of the ticket instead of just John, but as long as they are together, thats what counts.

Until I see any other candidate (thats in the race) stand up the way Edwards does.....I do not know who'd I vote for when the primaries come to New York in February.

Giuliani Is The New Flip-Flopper King

His royal highness (egotistically speaking) Mitt Romney has been officially disposed of his flip-flopping title by Rudolph Giuliani, formerly the wanna-be dictator of New York City. As Rudy's numbers keep going south, his views are magically changing to fit the electorate he is chasing. Thankfully we have articles like this one out of Boston to keep track of Rudy's ever-changing mind.

From The Boston Globe:

More than any candidate in the Republican presidential field, rival Mitt Romney has been tagged with the flip-flopper label. But Giuliani, with late shifts on civil unions and federal campaign finance laws, is a political makeover in progress.

On Aug. 6, he called his past support of the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance law a mistake, deciding after two election cycles that it does not work.

Giuliani's transformation is, in many aspects, subtler than that of Romney, who has reversed his support for abortion rights.

Giuliani often cites a states' rights rationale as the basis of his new views, though his objection to states adopting civil unions is a notable exception. What was right for his city when he was mayor might not be for other states, he says frequently to explain changing stances.

Yeah, right, sure Rudy. His flip-flopping has nothing to do with principles (since he has none), what he is following is the McCain model. Lean hard right for the base and expect them to believe you. Um, Rudy, you should see where dear old John is at now. That might not be the best track to take.

The problem is, none of the Republicans have much in the way of principles. The only one that is a true conservative or anything close to it is Mike Huckabee, and that might just be why he finished 2nd in the Iowa straw poll with little money or much of a ground game.

Its Not The Surge Stupid

One of CNN's few shining examples of journalists is Michael Ware. For some time now, he has been in Baghdad, covering the war like no other. He speaks truth and doesn't care for sound bites or repeating U.S. government propaganda. He tell it like it is, and here he explains the implications of the surge and more importantly, the chaos of Iraq and all the things Bush and all the war supporters do not want you to hear.

Leahy To Rove: Its Not Over Yet Big Boy

I know this is third post today on Karl Rove, but it is a big news day on Bush's Brain. If Karl thinks he is going to get out of his legal/constitutional/congressional trouble with his resignation this month, he has another thing coming. Patrick Leahy made a statement today that shows he has no interest in stopping Congress' investigation of the most hated (admired by some too) political advisers Washington has ever seen.

From Senator Leahy:

Earlier this month, Karl Rove failed to comply with the Judiciary Committee’s subpoena to testify about the mass firings of United States Attorneys. Despite evidence that he played a central role in these firings, just as he did in the Libby case involving the outing of an undercover CIA agent and improper political briefings at over 20 government agencies, Mr. Rove acted as if he was above the law. That is wrong. Now that he is leaving the White House while under subpoena, I continue to ask what Mr. Rove and others at the White House are so desperate to hide. Mr. Rove’s apparent attempts to manipulate elections and push out prosecutors citing bogus claims of voter fraud shows corruption of federal law enforcement for partisan political purposes, and the Senate Judiciary Committee will continue its investigation into this serious issue.

The list of senior White House and Justice Department officials who have resigned during the course of these congressional investigations continues to grow, and today, Mr. Rove added his name to that list. There is a cloud over this White House, and a gathering storm. A similar cloud envelopes Mr. Rove, even as he leaves the White House.

I do not doubt Leahy's pursuit of Rove, but how far will it actually go? Like many other White House officials that have information about the evil deeds of the Bush Administration, Bush will most likely cite "Executive Privilege" to protect Rove's ass and his own. For this investigation and others to bear fruit, there will have to be serious willpower exhibited by Leahy and others in the Congress to ensure that we have accountability for our government.

Steve Harrison For Congress!

Ok so I'm a few days late to the game...even though I did hear about this while I was in Chicago over a week ago. Steve Harrison made his announcement to run for Congress a few days ago. He'll be challenging Staten Island's incumbent Vito Fossella (R-NY), who has been in Congress as NYC's only Republican remaining in the five burroughs. For this city, one (R) is too many and Harrison is our best hope to get Vito out.

From The Daily Gotham:

An email informs that Steve Harrison, the Democratic candidate in last year's Congressional election in the Thirteenth District, is holding a press conference tomorrow at 12:30.

Who: Brooklyn Attorney and 2006 Democratic Congressional Candidate Steve Harrison
What: Press Conference concerning 2008 NY 13 CD (Staten Island/Brooklyn) race
When: Aug 9, 2007 12:30 PM
Where: Arthur Von Briesen Park (foot of Bay Street at Fort Wadsworth), Staten Island.

You have to wonder what that's all about. Just as a refresher, Harrison lost last November to Vito Fossella, 42,739 to 55,981.

It would be really sweet to be able to be able to declare New York City, at last, liberated from its last republican Member of Congress. Since that requires a strong challenger, keep your fingers crossed that this is what I think it is. Experience suggests that entrenched incumbents are rarely dislodged on the first go; 2008 would be the third attempt by Democrats to oust Fossella, and you know what they say about third times and charms.

I couldn't make the press conference, had to work in Manhattan that day. Nevertheless, I will be more than happy to head downtown, catch the ferry to Staten Island and campaign for Steve. Ridding NYC of Vito is more than worth it. I suggest the same for all the passionate Democrats out there. Stay tuned for more info.

Reminiscing Rove

Now that Bush's brain only has eighteen days left to go working at the White House, I would like to remember my favorite outtakes of the political goon. No, it isn't the dancing at this year's White House Correspondents Dinner, I'm not even linking to that nightmare. This is much closer to how I feel about the guy, got to love the students at American University for giving him such a nice greeting.

Meet President Sarkozy's Better Half

France recently elected the conservative (drunk) Nicolas Sarkozy to follow the controversial Jacques Chirac. If our own President sees promise in him, you know its bad news. Though there is a bright side to the new French leader, its his wife. Cecilia has been tantalizing the press across the pond with her very non-traditional ways, including a snub at George Bush.

From Yahoo News:

President Nicolas Sarkozy travelled alone to meet George W. Bush and his family at their Atlantic holiday home after Cecilia -- staying just an hour away at a US lakeside resort -- bowed out due to a throat ailment.

The US leader said he was "disappointed" but understanding after Cecilia called Laura Bush at the last minute to excuse herself, but the change of plan sounded a false note in what was billed as a rare personal get-together.

She was photographed later Sunday taking a stroll in town with two friends. Nicolas Sarkozy, meanwhile, was seen wearing earphones and jogging on a lakeside path with a seven-strong entourage.

I would personally rather be with friends than step anywhere near the Bush family compound in Kennebunkport. So there's no blame towards her from this corner. If you have to use the "sore throat" line to get out of something you hate doing (i.e. work, school, seeing the Bushies) then its just got to be done.

Chris Matthews And Glenn Beck Have Something In Common

I'm not talking about the obvious fact that both of their pompous asses are on television. It is also apparent they have no idea what they are talking about, though Beck is a certifiable right-winger doing a terrible job of pretending he's not. One thing is for sure, they are both chauvinistic pigs. Beck's comments a few months ago to Dina Sansing of US Weekly were talked about for days and even weeks. So should Chris Matthews' words to Erin Burnett on Hardball this past Friday.

From Media Matters:

On the August 10 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, during a discussion of recent financial news, host Chris Matthews told CNBC's Erin Burnett: "[Y]ou're beautiful" and "[y]ou're a knockout," before closing the interview by saying, "It's all right getting bad news from you."

Matthews began the segment by asking, "So what's going on with the stock market? Yesterday, the stocks on Wall Street suffered their biggest one-day decline since February. Should we be worried?"

But at the conclusion of the interview, Matthews asked Burnett, who anchors CNBC's Squawk on the Street and Street Signs, "Could you get a little closer to the camera?" Burnett replied, "My -- what is it?" Matthews then said, "Come on in closer. No, come in -- come in further -- come in closer. Really close."

After Burnett began to comply, Matthews stated, "Just kidding! You look great! Anyway, thanks. Erin, it's great to -- look at that look. You're great." He went on: "No, you're beautiful. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. You're a knockout. Anyway, thank you, Erin Burnett."

Forget the stock market, Matthews' behavior is the bad news here. Tweety wasn't kidding, he was being a pig. While trying to reinforce stereotypes about women in professional roles only being there for their looks, what Chris did was show how he fits in with the rest of the chauvinistic pigs that reside in the Old Boys Club of Washington, D.C.

I wouldn't be surprised if him and Glenn were best buds.

Dick Cheney Speaks For Me

I actually despise the man, but these wise words in 1994 were well said. Too bad he didn't follow his own advice when he became VP.

On NYC's Subways, You Can See Something, But Who Can You Say Something To?

Our subway system is one of the most extensive in the world and definitely in the United States. Millions of passengers travel every day on local and the world's only express tracks. And on a sunny day that doesn't include the weekends, they tend to work rather well. Its only when we get some rain, like Wednesday that there can be total shutdowns and a non-existent communication system gets brutally exposed.

Being in Chicago last week, it was great to be able to use my cellphone on the L, and locals that have U.S. Cellular can use their phones anywhere. That means the Chicago Transit Authority can tell commuters if there are problems on the lines and what you can do about it so one isn't stranded in hot and humid stations (like I was last Wednesday waiting for a C train that never came at Penn Station). Local politicians are speaking out for cell service, so that we can hear updated information and even report on things that are suspect, like all those ads and loudspeakers keep saying on the trains.

From AM New York:

Straphangers were left with white dry-erase boards and bullhorns to tell them about subway service during the floods last week.

With spotty platform pay phone service, the MTA could have used wireless service to get the word out about outages, in text messages or emails to devices like BlackBerries, the officials said.

The MTA doesn't have a text or email alert system for New York City Transit outages, except for a weekly weekend service advisory e-mail, but could consider such a program with cell phone access, said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn/Queens).

"There's a mantra they repeat over at the MTA: If you see something, say something," Weiner said. "The problem is that without cell phone service, there's really no way to tell anyone."

Weiner said a cell phone service surcharge is already in place that could fund underground service. The MTA is considering subway cell phone access and companies bid for the work in January 2006, but none has been chosen.

Thats the MTA for you, slow in doing....anything really. Meanwhile customers suffer and despite a billion dollar surplus, their concern is to raise fares and drop untold gobs of cash into a Second Avenue subway line that was started nearly eighty years ago. They could have left the old elevated line in place until an underground tunnel was completed...but that might be considered common sense, and why would we want something like that to be a trait of the MTA?

Good Riddance To Karl Rove

The sweetest music hit my ears this morning, and it wasn't listening to "The Best Of Van Morrison." According to the Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, Karl Rove is leaving the White House at the end of the month. Of course the reason is so that he can spend more time with his family, why else would anyone want to leave the Bush Administration (threats of criminal prosecution aside)? August 31st will end over six years working in the West Wing and many more years of being Bush's brain. The man that led George to so many successes has turned into one of his biggest detriments, and now it is his time to go.

From The Washington Post:

Rove, 56, who escaped indictment in the CIA leak case, has been under scrutiny by the new Democratic Congress for his role in the firings of U.S. attorneys and in a series of political briefings provided to various agencies across government. Citing executive privilege, he defied a subpoena and refused to show up for a congressional hearing just two weeks ago on the allegedly improper use by White House aides of Republican National Committee email accounts. Fellow Bush advisers have said they believe the congressional probes have been aimed in part at driving Rove out.

The White House said his departure was unrelated to the investigations. In an interview published this morning, Rove told Wall Street Journal editorial page editor Paul A. Gigot that he had been interested in leaving last year but did not want to go immediately after the Democrats took over Congress, nor did he want to abandon Bush as he fought for his troop buildup in Iraq and an immigration overhaul.

"I just think it's time," Rove told Gigot in comments confirmed by the White House. The Journal said White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten told Rove and other senior aides that if they stay past Labor Day, they would be expected to remain through the end of the second term, Jan. 20, 2009.

The time was before he even got there, he helped mastermind two stolen election and the manipulation of the American people who mistakenly voted for the worst President of all time. Clearly, he was good at his job. Even more so, he was terrible for this nation. He was a servant of the Bush Administration and an enemy of democracy. Rove was complicit and smack in the middle of many illegalities that have and are taking place in the White House.

The Democratic Congress has been hot on his trail this year after Patrick Fitzgerald could not pursue him anymore in the Valerie Plame trial. Email-gate has stunk up Washington even more than its usual swampy smell and that may ultimately have been his downfall. Now he says he is done with politics for good after more than thirty years of dirty tricks that stretch back to the Nixon years when he was the leader of the College Republicans. He will definitely be missed by the many proteges in that organization, but for this progressive on a sunny New York morning....I'm ecstatic.

Rachel Maddow Discusses The "Gay" Debate

Hillary Clinton....Not Good For The Party

Everyone keeps telling me..."Hillary isn't my favorite choice, but she is going to be the nominee." Whenever I hear that I grimace with hesitation, sure she is the favorite now, but so was Joe Lieberman four years ago leading up to the 2004 Presidential race. Now he isn't even a Democrat. So, not only is Hillary not the best choice to be our 44th President (though better than any Republican of course), she might have a negative effect on the rest of the races around the country next year.

From The Huffington Post:

The chairman of a Midwest state party called Clinton a nightmare for congressional and state legislative candidates.

A Democratic congressman from the West, locked in a close re-election fight, said Clinton is the Democratic candidate most likely to cost him his seat.

A strategist with close ties to leaders in Congress said Democratic Senate candidates in competitive races would be strongly urged to distance themselves from Clinton.

"The argument with Hillary right now in some of these red states is she's so damn unpopular," said Andy Arnold, chairman of the Greenville, S.C., Democratic Party. "I think Hillary is someone who could drive folks on the other side out to vote who otherwise wouldn't."

It isn't just me, its the entire Democratic establishment. Our goal isn't just to have a Democrat in the White House, its to shape a progressive vision into a reality in America. Our nation has been suffering for far too long under the neo-con thought machine. It is time for us to return to our democratic roots that have been abandoned and replaced by this neo-authoritarianism that relies on fear and discards hope.

Hope will only come with a strong Democrat in the White House that makes voters want to cast their blue ballot down the line, whether it is here in New York City, rural Virginia, Dallas or anywhere that Americans are feeling sick and tired of the status quo.

Boycott Johnson and Johnson For Being Evil

The evil side of Big Pharma and Johnson & Johnson in particular is being shown in the form of a lawsuit against the most prolific aid agency of all time. The claim is that the emblem (i.e. The Red Cross) is being used to make a profit off of their safety items. The pharmaceutical giant is not content that they make billions from their own products and have some sort of ridiculous fear that a non-profit such as the Red Cross would try to take away their business. WTF?

From RawStory:

After more than a century of sharing the same emblem, a red cross on a white field, Johnson & Johnson has sued the American Red Cross for using its trademark for other than non-profit purposes.

J&J claims the ARC is marketing first-aid kits to make a profit, while the Red Cross says the money from the sale of the kits goes exclusively to its relief services and called the pharmaceutical giant's lawsuit "obscene."

People around the world "look to the Red Cross emblem and see a worldwide symbol of humanitarianism. The Red Cross will vigorously defend and protect our emblem and mission," ARC President Mark Everson said Friday in a statement.

The money goes for good causes you idiots. The callousness of Johnson and Johnson is definitely on display here. To think that the Red Cross will settle or that a jury would ever bestow a dime in restitution to a pharmaceutical company as big as this one is insane. I'll definitely be boycotting them for this one, and I hope everyone will do the same.