The link about Lieberman's legislative director does not support the assertion that he quit in protest of his boss's betrayal. We don't know for sure why he quit. Could be because Lieberman is a total douchebag, but it could also be because he is about to be indicted or he had an affair with a co-worker that was discovered or any number of reasons.

Assuming the betrayal reason is no more reasonable than assuming the other two reasons. That is wishful thinking only.

jim bunning must have snorted a lot of rosin bags back when he was pitching.

Jim Bunning: mens sana in corpore sano.

Biden saying stem cell research has consequences for real life people may imply that embryos used for such research aren't.

Where's the mystery?

Of course, it invites us to ask how they tolerate in vitro fertilization that inevitably produces "children" that shall never be given life and may well be "murdered" if ever the freezer loses power by fate or deliberate action.

Just explainin'...

Joe Biden explained today that opposition to stem-cell research has real-life consequences for real-life people. Republicans found this outrageous. I don't know why.

Because any time you get caught jacking off the superstitions of the trailer park, just so you can go on fucking your own country, you have to shoot the messenger.
.

Someone mentioned a guy named Steve Benen does an amazing blog and that his on air presence as witnessed last night on Maddow equally rocks.

There's hope yet.

And now the Young Republican's have their own racist leader. Ooops, make that ex-leader. He resigned over his repeated racist remarks. I am sure McCain will have a place in his administration for this young KKK sympathizer.

While it is nice to know that Andrew Sullivan is fine, I didn't realize that there was reason to think he wasn't.

What did I miss?

I'm sure Dean Baker will be all over this, but the deficit is only a record in nominal dollars, not when adjusted for inflation and compared to GDP. Nominal dollars are meaningless.

Nonetheless, screw Bush and the Republicans for making it happen

John McCain, running on the War Platform for the War Party. If you missed this video, it is a wake-up call to what will come if we ever get a President McWar.

Someone mentioned a guy named Steve Benen does an amazing blog and that his on air presence as witnessed last night on Maddow equally rocks

Oh yeah I forgot about that. Anyone got a video link?

If you missed this video, it is awesome! This guy takes on the media crawling into bed with the Washington elite.

Honestly. Have you heard Ms. McCain speaking on The Today Show? Right, only the McCain clan suffer from war. Someone, please shove that Black Centurion American Express card deeply down this woman's throat. Thankfully, it's a short enough video that I didn't throw something at my computer.

And damn, I previously missed the College Republicans bullet point.

Sorry, Steve!!

BTW, just another KUDOS on your time with Maddow last night.

But if I had to pick the looniest, it would have to be Kentucky's Jim Bunning.

However, I'm sure he serves his constituency well.

In Bunning's defense, it was pretty clear when he was running for re-election that he is suffering from early stage Alzheimer's and dementia. He wasn't always this loony, and it isn't his fault. The citizens of Kentucky who reelected him despite the obvious inability to do his job, however.....

Sebilius thinks Palin is a fad.

Did anyone read the little bit at Time that Steve links to in this bullet? Especially the bit from the RNC?

My gods - they have nothing. Their entire response boils down to "I know you are but what am I?" or possibly "I'm rubber and you're glue..." At this point they're just mouthing the Obama/Biden campaign slogans back at them with the names replaced.

They're liars AND they're unoriginal hacks. I don't think I've ever seen a campaign like it.

Are you kidding about Paulson? They all want out so bad they are chomping at the bit. Paulson knows what a giant clusterfuck we have and that it is going to be pretty painful to fix it. I will be amazed if we can fix what Bush, et al, left IN MY LIFETIME.

This is really serious stuff.

Did you catch what CNBC said? Jim Rogers said exactly the same thing...Socialism/Communism for the Rich.

This is ginormously huge. It affects every single American and possibly your children too. This is TRILLIONS and TRILLIONS of dollars which WE have to pay.

I am not econ major and even *I* get just how serious this is.

And every one of these Bush assholes is going to walk away scot free. Not to mention that several of the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac CEO's are walking away with MILLIONS as they go.

At what point do we say ENOUGH!?!?

Steve, I saw Rachel's show last night and you two rocked the house! And not a single word about it here? Dude!!

And in other news, I agree that Palin is a fad. She's new, she's hot, yada yada yada. But once she opens her mouth in a setting her handlers don't control she'll be exposed as the intellectual lightweight she really is and then the bloom will be off the rose.

Hmmm....Rachel and Sarah, one on one....like a flamethrower against a water balloon. I would pay money to watch that one.

Anyone else get an e-mail from sarah palin today?

Hi Felicia, Sara Palin wanted you to see this site: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html.

I sent her a message that she wasn't the change I was looking for but it came back undeliverable. Pretty bad that they have to send out mass mailings like this. Of course it didn't cover "troopergate", her flip-flops on the bridge to nowhere, her taking of earmarks or the budget mess she left the city of Wasilla.

Here's the link to the CEO's of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac and their Golden Parachute. I had to look for it.

Andrew Sullivan is fine? Wonder why he's now posting 'where I cannot speak' in German? Most odd.

In Bunning's defense, he was pretty clearly suffering from early-stage Alzheimer's and dementia when he last ran for re-election, so the craziness isn't really something within his control. Nor was it quite so extreme earlier in his career. Why the good citizens of Kentucky voted for him despite seeing those signs is mystifying though. They should have known better.

if it is true that Palin was made part of the ticket by the Council for National Polcy-WOW! that should be pushed out there like crazy, folks. They ARE the vast right-wing conspiracy courtesy of Coors and deVos.

if it is true that Palin was made part of the ticket by the Council for National Polcy-WOW! that should be pushed out there like crazy, folks. They ARE the vast right-wing conspiracy courtesy of Coors and deVos.

...* Sebilius thinks Palin is a fad.

Respectfully, I must disagree, as Palin has now insulted every single "legitimate" fad in the entire Universe---past, present, and future. In truth, Palin is the AntiChrist in drag AND on crack....

A couple of talking points just for fun:

Sarah Palin - she's already cost us* more at the gas pumps. How? She pushed through a windfall profits tax on Alaskan oil, so A) the oil companies drilled less, and B) they passed the tax on to everybody else.

Sarah Palin has also raised our* taxes. How? By hiring lobbyists first as mayor and then as governor to send pork barrel money from Washington D.C. up her way - even though her state is raking in money from oil.

No wonder McCain is crazy about her - she's George W. Bush in a dress. Just imagine what she'd do in D.C.

* meaning everyone who isn't an Alaskan.

HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!! I 'm watching "Race for the WHite House."

Has anyone else seen the brand new McCain ad where he says that Obama supported "comprehensive sex education" for KINDERGARTENERS????

The very fast Obama push-back was that McCain is taking legislation that had to do with educating children about protecting themselves from SEXUAL PREDATORS and turning it into "comprehensive sex education." Seriously. McCain might have just jumped the shark. Susan Molanari was on the panel and said she couldn't comment on it.

How the fuck can you take education about "good touches and bad touches" and use it to try to scare people that Obama wants to teach 5-year olds about sex???? This is by far the most offensive thing McCain has done yet. I don't know how his supporters can defend this shit.

zoe, I saw that exact argument months ago...I cannot recall whom it was aimed at. It was pretty amazing that they would take something like teaching children how to know good touches from bad and make it into something disgustingly dirty. If I recall, they were saying that some Dem wanted to teach about condoms in kindergarten.

Only in a Republicans mind.

"You can put lipstick on a pig," he said as the crowd cheered. "It's still a pig." "You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It's still gonna stink." "We've had enough of the same old thing."
Obama today

Agreed about the Rachel Maddow appearance. Why no word about it? And why no video? Got any youtube clips or something we might see? Link up!

As for Jim Bunning, it appears, oddly enough, that we agree about how stupid it was to bail out the mortgage giants, albeit for very different reasons. I guess even a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut.

I saw the new McCain ad. He is easily the most disgusting, repulsive, dishonorable man I can think of. I refuse to live in a country that would elect McCain as it's President, I will move to Canada or Ireland if he wins.

Happened upon this site and thought I'd pass it along. Great to send to all those who beleive Obama is going to raise their taxes!

http://alchemytoday.com/obamataxcut/

* Sarah Palin finds very strange reasons to fire people. -- Steve Benen

You mean National Enquirer got things wrong? Palin herself was not diddling (Mr) Richter but her high school friend was diddling the missus? The woman's capacity for creating soap opera episodes never ceases to amaze me....

* Veterans will, once again, be able to register to vote at federally run nursing homes, shelters for the homeless, and rehabilitation centers across the country. -- Steve Benen

I suppose, now that they've managed to keep the monkey wrench in the gears for 3 months and with only a month left, it's safe enough; thousands who could have been registered since May won't be. Hosanna!

* Sebilius thinks Palin is a fad. -- Steve Benen

Sebelius may be right. Unfortunately, fads tend to have a 3-4 months of shelf life and we don't have the time for the fad to run its course by itself. Like Carthage, Palin delenda est, and soon. And she can take her soulmate (McCain) with her; I'm sure he'll love hunting in Alaska, being as it's done from a plane.

libra (you're still here, you aren't "ex"!) said of Sequestered Sarah:

The woman's capacity for creating soap opera episodes never ceases to amaze me....

Funny, wasn't that one of the reasons the right always gave for opposing Hillary? All that drama that always accompanies the Clintons? How we just couldn't have any more of that in the White House?

Maybe I just dreamt it.

Apparently John McCain's entire career has been a fraud, a farce and a waste of taxpayer's dollars.

He's picked a complete liar and in that shown just what he thinks of politics, government and the electorate.

These two make Bush & Cheney look intelligent and accomplished.

407 billion dollar deficit

100 billion dollar (possibly) bailout of FM2

2 trillion dollar war (Iraq war estimated cost to US taxpayers over time)

All this and more during the past 7 years, none of which is due to "acts of nature."

I didn't include the 47 billion dollars for the DHS.

Add in chump change, like the Bear Sterns bailout (was that 25 billion?) and you begin to detect a very odorous trend.

Oh yeah, the inspired energy policies of the past seven years has resulted in huge losses for the masses as well. (wasn't it estimated that 2008 energy spikes might cost the world economy 2 trillion?)

I ain't cynical, just relating facts y'all.

To think 50 billion dollars of earmarks is getting Jumping John hot under the collar!!

Or is that blush a result of getting hugged by his pal gal Sarah?

It seems pretty clear that the Atlantic has taken Sullivan out to the woodshed over Palin. His hiatus along with some cryptic posts (esp. the video from Desperate Housewives of a little kid being forced to apologize) at least point in that direction. The recent departure of Yglesias might have been the tip of the iceberg. I guess we'll see.

Steve: "And Lieberman's legislative director resigned this week, in protest of the senator's betrayal."

Oh, puh-leeze, Steve!

Look, I'm certainly no fan of Sen. "Joe-mentum" Lieberman, because the guy has proven himself to be at once judgmental, disingenuous and untrustworthy.

But really, guy -- what you said above is not exactly how the article in question reads, is it?

For one thing, Leg. Director Joe Goffman's resignation is not immediate, but rather takes effect exactly three weeks from today.

Secondly, for all you know, he might have his own reasons for leaving, and therefore the timing could very well be purely coincidental. Goffman said absolutely nothing in either that e-mail to his colleagues or to the Politico's reporter about having "resigned ... in protest of the senator's betrayal."

If you truly value your credibility as a pundit and / or blogger, I'd suggest that you henceforth resist the temptation to attribute your own personal opinions or thoughts to others.

Zeit, IOKIYAR unless it's not OKIYAR.

Got it?

The McCain campaign is pretending to be outraged again, because Obama said the McCain campaign is trying to "put lipstick on a pig." McCain & Co. are claiming that means Obama called Palin a pig. What a bunch of disingenuous, petty babies. They know damn well what he really meant and it had nothing to do with Sarah Palin being a pig.

These assholes deserve to be laughed out of the race.

Obama win preferred in world poll

"All 22 countries in a BBC World Service poll would prefer Democratic nominee Barack Obama to be US president, ahead of his Republican rival John McCain."

exlibra: And she can take her soulmate (McCain) with her; I'm sure he'll love hunting in Alaska, being as it's done from a plane.

Rut roh. Hunting rifle + aircraft + McCain = what, the fourth, fifth plane he's downed? I've lost count.

Obama win preferred in world poll

That'll just make the slack-jawed McCainiacs dig in their heels. Not only are they proud of their ignorance; they're convinced America's not doing its job unless the entire world disrespects us.

Sarah Palin finds very strange reasons to fire people.

As the lede says, In Palin's Past, the Personal Got Political... and so in the present; just ask newly promoted Lt. Gen. Campbell:

The promotion is a statement that the Alaska National Guard is the state military force responsible for responding to state issues, at the direction of the Governor,� Governor Palin said. “The decision to promote the Adjutant General to Lieutenant General is based on a fundamental states’-rights stance, for which Alaska has a strong historical position.

mhr = stupid dipshit

mhr is no longer an official McCainiac Blogger.

He was warned but could not follow orders. Reason: Too Stupid. Truth Hurts.

Thank You

McBOC

Regarding the GOP's Obama-called-Palin-a-pig faux outrage.

You HAVE to be kidding me. Is this what happens when the GOP suddenly pretends to understand sexism? This coming in defense of a woman who compared herself to a dog wearing lipstick last week???

"Putting lipstick on a pig" is an old, somewhat tired Washington cliche. I'm sure that Jon Stewart will pull together how every single commentator has used it at one point-- like "thrown under a bus."

Next they're going to claim that the second part of Obama's speech-- that wrapping a fish in newspaper is still just as stinky-- was a reference to McCain being an old...fish??

Halperin just took out Gergen and Anderson about McCain's Bullshit. Called it for what it was. Hell just froze over.

mhr is no longer an official McCainiac Blogger.

He was warned but could not follow orders. Reason: Too Stupid. Truth Hurts.

Thank You

McBOC

It seems the Obama campaign has taken to calling the McCain campaign "dishonorable."

Twice today already.

Not only is it an accurate description, it seems designed to provoke an ugly outburst, thereby exposing McCain's anger management issues.

McCain wears $550 shoes and Palin wears custom $375 Japanese glasses-- a mere $375 for just the frames without the lenses, scratch coating, etc. I'd gather that they're at least $500 all things considered.

I know it's pointless to feed the trolls. Most of the time the cowards toss their grenade and run away. But since the other option is for me to do something boring but productive . . .

mhr said:
The last guy who was guilty of a betrayal, according to liberals, was General Petraeus. His betrayal consisted of winning a war that Democrats would have preferred the US lost. Having the US lose a war to Al-Quada is a small price to pay if the payoff is an election win for the Left.

First, no one I've ever heard speak, write or send semaphore signals wants the U.S. to lose the war in Iraq. If you see a guy jump from a 20 story building, you don't hope he'll die but that's what you expect and plan for.

If anything, the arrogant, ignorant, incompetent and corrupt way that Bush and Co. have run the invasion and occupation suggest that they're the ones who are trying to lose the war.

Secondly, if we've won the fucking war, why can't our soldiers come home? Why do we still have more troops there than when the surge began?

"You can put lipstick on a pig.

We will never hear the end of it.

If any of you have missed this, during Sarah Palin's tenure as mayor of Wasilla, the city charged rape victims $300 - $1200 for the cost of conducting a rape kit.

So Wasilla could afford a $20 million public ice hockey rink, but not the $5000 - $14000 per year to cover the costs of collecting evidence needed for prosecuting crimes?

If you haven't seen this yet, go read. There needs to be a very, very big deal made of this, because it reveals a fundamental lack of understanding as to the basic function of government on the part of Palin. For years we've been told by Republicans that education, social welfare, etc etc etc are not the province of government. Now we've got Palin, who apparently believes that law enforcement isn't a legitimate function of government, either - at least not for those who can't afford to pay for collecting the evidence that any sane person would recognize as an integral part of enforcing and upholding the law.

Especially be sure to pass this along to any PUMAs you may know, if those mythical creatures in fact exist. But any sane or even semi-sane women you know need to hear about this, as well as any men with wives or daughters.

Definitely something up with Andrew. The quote in German (someone please translate). Desperate Housewives. It's crazy. He might be alive but he's definitely not fine. Two things: (1) He is getting bitch slapped by the Atlantic, or (2) he and Hubby just had their first fight. Any takers.

I beg Obama not to go negative because of this pedophile ad. Thug Republicans ran for cover under the lipstick thing and threw this grenade into a crowd. Total cowards of course but the only way it works is if Obama lets it fade or attacks in kind. Keep talk of the ad alive it shows how vile and disgusting America truly is if they elect McCain Palin.

I disagree somewhat. He has to hit back hard--not necessarily go negative, but definitely hit hard. Say something like "as the father of two school age girls, do you think I'm stupid to approve that? But they and every child out there to know when someone's hurting them and tell their parents. Do you? Also, ENOUGH. Stop lying."

zeitgeist, @20:16,

I am "ex", too; I'm a libra in EXile (from the Cartpetbagger)

Vis "putting lipstick on a pig". In Poland, we say: "hit the table and the scissors will answer" and "a thief thinks his hat is burning (and everyone can see it)". I think, to express the same idea in the the English language, you say: "if the shoe fits..."

Obama never said Palin was a pig (his knowledge of English is good enough to have said "sow", had he *really* wanted to be personally offensive). Palin dragged the lipstick issue into the public view (by comparing a pit bull and a hockey mom); she must have it on her bird brain.

Anyhoo... What I'm writing about is "open vein" thread and this article from today's (9.IX) New York Times. Money speaks but, apparently, not very loudly in Obama camp. Hillary's big-time supporters still cannot dredge much enthusiasm for Obama and the small donors like you and me... We may be a long way from being "maxed out" ($2300 for general), but, some of us may be close to being "tapped out", I think. Long and short... Both Obama and NC need cash, if you can spare it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/us/politics/09donate.html?ref=todayspaper

That's quite a budget mess Bush is leaving behind.

Mission Accomplished! Wasn't one of the first CEO president's goals to cut government down to the size where it can be drowned in a bathtub?

Ok, as the mother of a child with Down Syndrome I joined a MI Yahoo Down Syndrome Forum years ago. In the last few hours I have received three e-mails from sarapalin@alaska.gov. The first one was a link to factcheck.org covering the smears about her and the next two were for the same "compelling video" with McCain/Palin, Cindy McCain, and an adorable family with a 5 year old daughter with Down Syndrome. They thought Sara Palin was the next best thing to ice cream. Make them stop!!!!I know that quite a few bloggers with DS children think that she is the best thing that ever happened for our children but I just don't get it. I live in MI so things have been rougher here the last eight years and I look at what Bush has done for our country, how he has not put country first, how he has squandered the budget surplus left from the last administration, faught a war based on lies,and run up a massive deficit that our children and grandchildren will be paying for years. I cannot see trusting the republicans with four more years after they have been such poor stewards of our country the last eight years. Sara Palin was doing great work being an advocate for our children while as the Govenor of Alaska, I cannot see her doing great things for our country.

Love your Quick Hits, Steve! Lots of good links and ammunition to shoot down the wingnuts! Hard to comment on all of them, though....

Palin is Bush in a skirt!

gov. palen if you want to do something for this country help us get somthing started to get the electoral colege shut down we are tierd of our votes not counted i saw were someone run agraft and if it wasnot for the electtoral colegewewouldnot have this mess in washington that we have now.iam sick of these idiots in washington.dc we have got to vote these money spinding Idiots out of office