Year: 2006

White House Publicly Pissed Off at Senator’s Defiance

Trish

It wasn’t just that U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) went to Syria this week that’s pissing off the White House. It was the fact that he went even after they made it known they really, truly, “wait until your father gets home ’cause you’ll be in big trouble buster” didn’t want him to.

This idea seems lost on Snow and Bush — he doesn’t need the White House’s permission… ”Congress is a separate and co-equal branch of government”

The White House on Thursday escalated its criticism of Sen. Bill Nelson’s defiant diplomacy to Syria as other senators prepared to meet with the president of the country the United States accuses of aiding terrorists.

At a news briefing, White House spokesman Tony Snow repeated his contention that the Florida Democrat’s trip was ”not helpful” and ”not appropriate…”

”The United States has a clear position, and you want to make sure that you’re sending a clear message, and not mixed messages, to the Syrians about the fact that they have obligations,” Snow said…

Snow also suggested that the senators could end up with egg on their faces…

”It may cost some people their credibility,” Snow said.

Nelson’s response?

“Whatever.”

The two-week to Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and yes, Syria, was — as you might imagine for a trip with these logistics — planned long ago, even before the Iraq Study Group released its recommendation that the United States enlist Syria’s aid to help us get out of Iraq. One might also venture that Nelson’s recent appointment to the Senate Intelligence Committee, along with his current seats the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, could have been factors.

Plus — and this idea seems lost on Snow and Bush — he doesn’t need the White House’s permission. As Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), who is also slated to visit with Syrian Pres. Bashar Assad, put it:

”Congress is a separate and co-equal branch of government, and as a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, where oversight is a critical component, members need to go to hot spots not just garden spots,” Dodd said. “I can’t think of a more critical part of the world than the Middle East, and I can’t think of a more critical player in effecting events in the region for good or for bad than Syria.”

The White House hopes it will have better luck intimidating Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and perpetual presidential candidate John Kerry from their planned excursions.

Asked whether the administration would wave off the other senators, Snow noted, “Well, I think they know now. It’s out there, guys.”

Or not.

Dodd…said Thursday that Syria is still on his itinerary.

Poll: Bush Is Worst President Ever (Or At Least Among the Last Five)

Jon Ponder

Most Americans agree that George Bush is the Worst President Ever, in the past 30 years, according to a new Gallup poll:

Americans think President George W. Bush will go down in history as the country’s worst leader of his era, according to a Gallup Poll released Wednesday.

But Bush rates the worst, with 54 percent saying history will paint him as a poor or below-average president, according to the survey.

The poll rated Pres. Reagan as the best president among presidents Carter, himself, Bush I, Clinton and Bush II.

St. McCain: Salvage Bush’s Legacy, Send More Troops

Jon Ponder

Speaking from Baghdad, in the safety of the Green Zone, Sen. John McCain supported Pres. Bush’s secret plan to try to repair the tatters of his presidential legacy by sending thousands more American troops to die in the Iraq Civil War:

Sen. John McCain said Thursday that America should deploy 15,000 to 30,000 more troops to Iraq to control its sectarian violence, and give moderate Iraqi politicians the stability they need to take the country in the right direction.

McCain made the remarks to reporters in Baghdad, where he and five other members of Congress were meeting with U.S. and Iraqi officials.

“The American people are disappointed and frustrated with the Iraq war, but they want us to succeed if there’s any way to do that,” McCain, a possible 2008 presidential candidate, said at a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq’s heavily fortified Green Zone.

The Arizona Republican said five to 10 more brigades of U.S. combat soldiers must be sent to Iraq. Brigades vary in size but generally include about 3,000 troops, meaning he was recommending 15,000 to 30,000 additional forces.

Hell Freezes Over: Tony Snow Apologizes to David Gregory

Jon Ponder

Bush spokesman Tony Snow to NBC’s David Gregory:

“I want to address something else, because you and I had a conversation last week that got a whole lot of play in a lot of places where I used the term “partisan” in describing one of your questions. And I’ve thought a lot about that, and I was wrong. So I want to apologize and tell you I’m sorry for it.“

Rep. Rangel: Why Does the Media Demand a Dem Plan to Clean up Bush’s Mess?

Jon Ponder

Upon being asked for the umpteenth time why the Democrats don’t have a plan for Iraq, a Democratic leader — Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York — finally gave the right answer:

“I never understand that question, you have a President that’s in deep shit. He got us into the war, and all the reasons he gave have been proven invalid, and the whole electorate was so pissed off that they got rid of anyone they could have, and then they ask, ‘What is the Democrats’ solution?’”

Blogging Will Peak in 2007

Jon Ponder

Post-modern: A post about blogging:

“Everyone thinks they have something to say, until they’re put on stage and asked to say it.”

[The Gartner analysts firm predicts] that during the middle of next year the number of blogs will level out at about 100 million.

The firm has said that 200 million people have already stopped writing their blogs…

Gartner analyst Daryl Plummer said the reason for the levelling off in blogging was due to the fact that most people who would ever start a web blog had already done so.

He said those who loved blogging were committed to keeping it up, while others had become bored and moved on.

“A lot of people have been in and out of this thing,” Mr Plummer said.

“Everyone thinks they have something to say, until they’re put on stage and asked to say it.”

Last month blog tracking firm Technorati reported that 100,000 new blogs were being created every day, and 1.3 million blog posts were written.

Technorati is tracking more than 57 million blogs, of which it believes around 55 percent are “active” and updated at least every three months.

If Guns are Banned in Schools, Only Teachers Will Have Guns

Buck Banks

Really bad idea: Nevada state Sen. Bob Beers believes that the best deterrent to gun violence in schools is an armed force of teachers. Beers is proposaing legislation that would make it legal for teachers to bear arms in the classroom after passing a firearm safety course.

In the wrong hands, a gun is a dangerous tool.

— Nevada Sen. Bob Beers

“I would expect enough teachers would be interested (in taking guns to school) so it would serve as a deterrent,” said Beers, a failed gubernatorial candidate.

“We have banned guns in schools in Nevada and most of the rest of the nation for the last 20 years,” Beers said. “Part of the problem is a small percentage of the population is brought up without a knowledge of and respect for guns.

“We need to have discussions on school violence,” Beers added. “It appears to me there is an escalating frequency of these tragedies. In the wrong hands, a gun is a dangerous tool.”

Of course, most people in Nevada think it’s a bad idea to arm teachers. But apparently not in neighboring Utah:

Whether teachers and other school officials should be allowed to carry weapons on campus has been hotly debated in neighboring Utah.

Unlike Nevada, Utah concealed-weapons permit holders can legally bring guns onto campuses. But Utah school districts have differing policies on where the weapons can be legally stashed, with some school systems barring their storage in desks or coat closets on campus.

Some Utahans have called for more teachers to receive weapons training. A Salt Lake City-area firearms instructor began offering free classes in October to teachers seeking concealed-weapons permits, according to media reports.

Quote du Jour

Buck Banks

As we find in the history of all usurping governments, time changes anomaly into system, and injury into right; examples become custom, and custom ripens into law; and the doubtful precedent of one generation becomes the fundamental maxim of another.

— Henry Hallam (1777-1859), English historian

Sen. Johnson Apparently Has Not Been Poisoned

Jon Ponder

Hotline has an update on Sen. Tim Johnson’s condition. Turns out it was not a stroke — and apparently he has not been poisoned:

CNN reports that Sen. Tim Johnson has been dignosed with a congenital arteriovenous malformation. (AVM).

CNN’s Sanjay Gupta: “We’re talking about a long road, here.” Recovery time may take weeks or months or longer.

The Johnson family is said to be “encouraged and optimistic.”

The location of the malformation — near Broca’s area, which helps to control speech, suggests that he will need significant therapy to recover his full speech functions.

If the capillary bed is thought of as a sponge, then an AVM is the rough equivalent of jamming a tangle of flexible soda straws from artery to vein through that sponge. On arteriorgram films AVM formation often resemble a tangle of spaghetti noodles. This tangle of blood vessels forms a relatively direct connection between high pressure arteries and low pressure veins.

Third World to Tancredo: Stay in Colorado, Dumbass

Buck Banks

Loose cannon: Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo was ungraciously uninvited to speak before the Miami Rotary Club today after the organization received complaints from the restaurant that hosts the club’s meetings and club members. Tancredo, if you remember, called Miami a “Third World country” a few weeks ago while making an insightful argument about illegal immigration.

I hope to someday return to Miami when it has been able to extricate itself from the clutches of the radical multiculturalists.
— U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo

With the typical class we in the Third World have come to expect from the representative from Colorado, Tancredo responded to the cancellation with this pithy reposte:

”I knew speaking your mind could be dangerous in Havana — I guess it’s equally dangerous to do so in Miami,” Tancredo said in a statement. “Apparently, there isn’t much of a difference between the two anymore.

“I hope to someday return to Miami when it has been able to extricate itself from the clutches of the radical multiculturalists.”

The multiculturally challenged congressman was slated to speak on the topic of immigration in an address titled Renewing America: The Need for Assimilation. Kind of like asking Mel Gibson to speak on the future of Israel. Or asking Michael Richards to address the NAACP. Or asking Britney Speares to model underwear.

Still, it was a lame-O reason the Rusty Pelican Restaurant gave for the cancellation:

”We have a small parking space and limited entrance area, and we were very concerned about the safety of our guests and employees,” said Randy Palmer, the Rusty Pelican’s regional manager. “We’re not trying to make a political statement, but there was an implication of boycotts — and shock, being that we’re part of the community, that we would consider hosting this event.”

In November, Tancredo pointed to Miami as an example of what will happen to the United States if immigration policies are not tightened:

”You would never know you’re in the United States of America,” he said in an interview with a conservative online news site. “You would certainly say you’re in a Third World country.”

A Third World country where you can get a good cup of java, Tancredo failed to add. Plus, some of those Third World chicks on Miami Beach are hot.
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