This is all true (even Newt has it right once in a while) but that is not the point. This phony "scandal" is being driven as usual (like the birth certificate BS) by Rush and his AM myrmidons. They are they herders of the last bastion of the GOP, the red-meat rabid sheep of the deranged right. If the RNC should decide to behave rationally, they will be attacked by the true believers who have parted with rationality a long time ago and are not likely to meet up with it ever again.

The MSM are amplifying it out of the usual combination of laziness, cynicism, and desperation for something to fill up the 24-hour news cycle...although the shoe-hurler has given them something else to flog for a while (and a lot more fun to watch for me anyway).

Anyone care that the Celtics are 23-2?

And the valuable lesson that the RNC has taken from the last two elections is that negative ads work.

Reality aside, of course.

Besides, the smear is already out there.

Let's hope the Repubs keep this up.

I'd love to see tsunami #3 in 2010.

This is SOP. It's what they did with Clinton, attack attack attack and hope something sticks

This is the only tactic the GOP has, they will continue to use it.

The irony is that eventually there will be a real scandal that arises, there's always some in any administration, and a by-then-jaded public will not care. Then the GOP will start complaining about left-wing media bias.

It's all so predictable.

I'd love to see tsunami #3 in 2010.

I don't think that's possible. The GOP should gain a few seats back in 2010 just because you can't please everyone. If times are still bad, Dems will get the blame and get voted out. Even if times are good, the fire that drove a lot of people in more conservative districts to vote out the Republican this time around won't be there and a fresh-faced Republican candidate should be able to take the seat back.

If the GOP has another net loss year in 2010 the party would pretty much go the way of the Whigs. I really don't see that happening.

I think I remember reading that Newt was interested in becoming RNC chairman. Attacking the tactics of the incumbent who is seeking re-election might be a way to politic for the job.

Newt built his House career on the very same tactics. It worked well for him - for a while.

Anyone who has followed Newt through the years knows that it's a waste of time to listen to him - whether you're a Republican or a Democrat.

Who knows what Newt's motive is here, but as the poster above says, this could be a ploy for RNC chairmanship support (even though he says he has no interest in it) or at least to get someone he supports in. I think this attempt to link Obama to Blago is largely driven by Mike Duncan, who's trying to grandstand in an attempt to keep his job. So discrediting the attack plan is a way to discredit him if you want him out.

I was watching Morning Joe and I had to turn it off when he went off on ..why did they investigate Sarah Palin , they should have been investigating Barack's Chicago political machine connections. Give me a break Joe Scarborough and the rest of the MSM are trying to manufacture a scandal out of thin air. Election over ? Damn we need somthing to fill this airtime ..Lets see Barack and made up scandal, discuss - there goes two hours. Caroline Kennedy - ready for the senate? Discuss - there goes another two hours while we repeat the same shit over and over.

Newt & Turdblossum are like the Highlanders of GOP a-holes.

In the end...there can be only one.

So Newt needs to at least pretend to repudiate gutter politics, so they remain synonymous with Rove AND ONLY Rove. This way, when he does engage in gutter politics, well, it can't possibly be gutter politics because that's what Rove does.

I predict the fight for the GOP's future will be twixt Rove (on behalf of someone like Mitt) & Newt. Palin will be but a cheerleader/distraction.

there's just no reason for Republicans to pursue an Obama "connection" with Blagojevich

There have been a few manufactured controversies lately. Fairness Doctrine and net neutrality compromise come to mind. The latest is the question CNN and now MSNBC is absorbed with. "Should the first lady be paid?" With about 20% answering their polls "yes", you can be sure Michelle Obama will be dragged into it.

Never thought I'd see the day when Newt was the voice of moderation in his party.

Too bad for him (and everyone else) that the Republican Party has been taken over by complete crazies. By 2010, when it's clear that Palin is going to be the nominee and the party "platform" comes down to blocking any progress anywhere on anything--and cutting taxes for the top 1%--my guess is that the GOP will be G-O-N-E as an actual force in American politics after that election.

"...the Republican National Committee is engaged in the sort of negative, attack politics that the voters rejected in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles. "

I think what Newtie means is the RNC needs to find a sort of negative, attack politics that the voters will go for. In other words, show me the blowjob.

Throw a shoe at Newt.

David Shuster and other pundits lashed into Obama for only answering three questions and for cutting off one journalist who asked again about Blago. Shuster insisted journalists are going to have to get tougher with Obama and need to confront him more (ie., does he think there should be a special election or not?).

Howard Fineman added that journalists sure are getting tough with Emanuel--staking out his house and so forth.

Obama has made it clear he's been requested to not discuss the case for another week. Yet I keep hearing all these pundits whining. I think they just don't want to wait. I think they're bored frankly--they have WAY too much time on air. I think they want some red meat to toss around.

Jonathan Alter said yesterday that Obama will speak up when it's time to. And he added he had no problem with that. Nor do I.

No-one is admitting they're just impatient. I think what Ayers said is true too. Everyone is still coming down the election campaign, where every day was jam-packed full of goodies and every nuance was being analyzed. The all day news pundits really seem at a loss. If I hear one more story about Blago or Caroline Kennedy, I might lose it.

BTW, Maddow did another fantastic show last night--I recommend it highly.

Her guests, interviews and issues are fantastic. I actually learn from her shows. The truth and consequences segment and special interview with the guy who exposed the abuse of surveillance was very good. And I love that she keeps showing specifically where Bush is such a fraud.
The Harry Shearer interview was a keeper too.

jr,

Pierce went down in the last minute last night. Looked like a hyperextended knee. I hope he plays in the xmas day game in LA as he always goes off in his hometown.

The tell tale line in Newt's statement was that voters rejected this in 06 and 08. It's a losing strategy or else Newt would be reciting the talking points himself. Personally I think it's a Bushco inflamed controversy using their usual apperatchiks in print and radio to make noise and distraction as they leave out the back door.

Gingrich has part of it right: When faced with "real" crises of mammoth(an extinct prehistoric mammal) proportions caused by ignorance and greed and false beliefs, we must begin to work together to address them, not attack each other for illusory reasons. When the house in on fire, you don't spend time arguing about who caused it and whose jurisdiction it is in. Especially if the rest of the neighborhood is threatened if the fire is allowed to spread. BTW, Obama's relationship to Blagojevich is not the burning house, so don't think that letting the house burn down is somehow justified. Put out the fire, save the neighborhood and let the forensics team do the analysis when the crisis has passed. There will be plenty of time to analyze whom to blame and how to bring peace and harmony to the neighborhood.

The RNC is the Mammoth stomping on the emerging New Age of Rationality and Cooperation. It will not prevail as it is no longer viable.

peace,
st john

I don't know for sure what Newt's motivations are either, but it will be a mistake for us to always assume cynical ploys if coming from Republicans/conservatives. It looks bad, and no group is so awful that they don't have sincere expressions "of their better natures" from time to time. It's snarky-fun to imply the Republicons are always awful, but not realistic. Maybe Newt just appreciates just what he said: it's not in the national interest to wrangle this Blago thing, and the Right should wait for a (relatively) legitimate beef and program to run on.

And yeah, go Celtics!

Please. If hypocrisy were deadly, McPOW and Newt would have dropped dead. I suspect there are two reasons for this apparent change of heart:
1. There are going to be a lot of investigations in the future. McCane & the Amphibian want to be able to dodge when they're shown curled up in bed with a dozen Wall Street scumbags.
2. When they finally try to stick the knife in they can say "See! I defended Obama during Blagogate, so my attempts to smear him now, MUST be sincere."

It blows my mind that 2 years ago the Celtics were locked in the middle of a 19 game losing streak. I hope their owners were Madoff clients!

I don't know for sure what Newt's motivations are either, but it will be a mistake for us to always assume cynical ploys if coming from Republicans/conservatives. It looks bad, and no group is so awful that they don't have sincere expressions "of their better natures" from time to time.

I'm not assuming this is a cynical ploy only because it came from a Republican. I'm assuming this is a cynical ploy because it came from Newt Gingrich, a politician with a long history of working cynical ploys to further his ambitions. Giving Newt the benefit of the doubt after watching his games for 15 years is asking a bit much.

Gingrich is doing this because he knows YOU, the American people will forgive them.

If Americans quit acting like a bunch of abused people, the GOP wouldn't continue to reign terror on people.

I say this because, abused people tend to make excuses for their abusers, they stay in abusive relationships.

The GOP abuse people everyday, by trying to make people feel guilty, blame others for their mistakes, trying to coverup their shortcomings by slander and libel of decent people, gossip, rumors, destroying friendships-relationships-marriages-careers, they are vengeful.

Go figure, people are scared of people with a long jail/criminal record, yet, people seem to gravitate toward the GOP in spite of their history - is it fear of the GOP!

To clarify my statement of people are more scared of people with a long jail/criminal record.

People tend to judge people by looks - example, a black guy with braids, sagging pants.

However, a clean-cut guy dressed with a suit gets more respect. Yet, this guy is the one who will rob you blind without ever using a weapon.

Okay, Republicans, do you remember all those times that I told you to listen to Newtie? Well, this time, whatever you do, don't listen to him! Keep trying to link Obama to Blagoyevitch, spend as much time and money as you think it will take to get to the bottom of this scandal. America will thank you properly for your efforts, maybe in the midterms in 2010.