Month: March 2009

Alaska GOP Senate Leader Says Palin Lied about Missed Economic Meeting

Jon Ponder

Late last week, Alaska politics were roiled by another controversy involving Gov. Sarah Palin when Gary Stevens, the Republican president of the Alaska Senate, described a press release issued by Palin’s office explaining her reasons for skipping a vitally important economic meeting as “absolutely false.”

Instead of participating in the session with legislative leaders to discuss her decision to reject a portion of federal stimulus money, Palin attended a news conference to announce a new state attorney general. When legislators complained after she sent a staffer to meet with them instead of showing up herself as planned, she issued a press release claiming it was the legislators, not her own office, who had canceled the meeting — an assertion Stevens flatly denied:

“That is absolutely false, absolutely false,” Stevens said emphatically. “I am sorry that the governor has put this out … To say that we canceled the meeting to have a press conference is absolutely not true. Someone should be brought to task on that.”

He said House and Senate leaders have requested a new meeting for Wednesday or Thursday next week to talk with Palin about what federal stimulus money she will or will not accept, and about the capital and operating budgets.

But, the deadline for Palin to certify the state’s acceptance of stimulus money is April 3, next Friday. The clock is ticking…

Right-leaning Politico.com reports that Stevens added that Palin “often has trouble answering questions.”

The public accusations from her own party leaders that she lied comes just days after Palin made national news when she claimed in remarks at a state GOP meeting that McCain-Palin operatives were not worthy of praying with her before vice presidential debates last year. Former campaign staffers responded by saying they are growing tired of Palin “slapping them around” and “throwing them under the bus.”

Now, with state GOP leadership challenging her credibility, she risks leaving the impression with voters that her compulsion to appear before cameras at a news conference trumps her concern for unemployed Alaskans and their ability to buy groceries and pay their rent in the coming months.

UPS Cancels O’Reilly Ads In Response to Campaign Against Fox News Stalker Journalism

Jon Ponder

A few weeks ago, the Alexa Foundation, a group that offers support to rape victims, made the bizarre decision to invite right-wing propagandist Bill O’Reilly to speak at a fundraiser. O’Reilly, who is married, was famously sued by a Fox producer for making unwelcome sexual advances, has also made a statement on the air in which he suggested that a young woman who was raped and murdered had dressed in a way that invited attack:

O’REILLY: Now Moore, Jennifer Moore, 18, on her way to college. She was 5-foot-2, 105 pounds, wearing a miniskirt and a halter top with a bare midriff. Now, again, there you go. So every predator in the world is gonna pick that up at two in the morning.

On March 1, Think Progress reported the story that O’Reilly would be speaking at the Alexa Foundation fundraiser and published O’Reilly’s comment in which he said Jennifer Moore was complicit in her own rape and murder. A little over two weeks later, O’Reilly sent his goon squad out to ambush a Think Progress editor:

On Saturday, March 21, Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly sent one of his producers to stalk, harass, and ambush ThinkProgress.org’s managing editor Amanda Terkel. Upset over a ThinkProgress report that noted O’Reilly’s insensitivity to rape, O’Reilly sent two men to track Amanda in a car for two hours, and then confronted her with hostile questions while she was on vacation.

Since then, Think Progress has launched a campaign to notify O’Reilly’s advertisers about his thuggish tactics:

Sadly, Amanda is just one of at least 40 different victims of O’Reilly’s Harassment Machine. O’Reilly has hired producers whose job is to track, harass, and intimidate anyone whom O’Reilly perceives as an opponent. That’s not “journalism” — that’s a mafia-style operation. And we need to put an end to it.

On Friday, the first of these advertishers — UPS — agreed to cancel future ad campaigns on O’Reilly’s show:

In response to our Stop Supporting The O’Reilly Harassment Machine campaign, UPS told us yesterday that it was investigating whether to continue supporting O’Reilly’s show. “We are sensitive to the type of television programming where our messages and presence are associated and continually review choices to affect future decisions,” spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg told us.

Today UPS announced it will stop advertising on O’Reilly’s show. Here is the statement UPS emailed out just moments ago:

“Thank you for sending an e-mail expressing concern about UPS advertising during the Bill O’Reilly show on FOX News. We do consider such comments as we review ad placement decisions which involve a variety of news, entertainment and sports programming. At this time, we have no plans to continue advertising during this show.”

To find out what you can do to support Think Progress’ campaign to Stop Supporting The O’Reilly Harassment Machine, go here.

Rep. Bachman Calls for ‘Revolution,’ Cites Jefferson’s ‘Blood of Tyrants’ Quote

Jon Ponder

Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN) has ramped up her calls for a revolution against the government of the United States. Here’s what she said Friday in an interview with Sean Hannity:

REP. MICHELLE BACHMAN (R-MN): At this point the American people – it’s like Thomas Jefferson said, a revolution every now and then is a good thing. We are at the point, Sean, of revolution. And by that, what I mean, an orderly revolution — where the people of this country wake up get up and make a decision that this is not going to happen on their watch. It won’t be our children and grandchildren that are in debt. It is we who are in debt, we who will be bankrupting this country, inside of ten years, if we don’t get a grip. And we can’t let the Democrats achieve their ends any longer.

And here’s what she said earlier this week:

BACHMAN: I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us having a revolution every now and then is a good thing, and the people — we the people — are going to have to fight back hard if we’re not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States.

But when you read what Jefferson actually said, her call to arms violent and, by extension, treasonous:

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

Treason or not, what’s critical here is that Bachman is playing to the GOP hardcore base, which includes a violence-oriented lunatic fringe. By referring even obliquely to “blood” and “tyrants,” she is playing with fire.

It’s Like Katrina Except with White People

Trish

All I’m saying is it’s hard not to notice parallels with Katrina when you hear about flooding, evacuations, and levee breaks. But there are several key differences with the Fargo flood.

For one, the area is about 93 percent white, which could affect how some respond to the victims. For another, a competent president is in the White House this time and is on top of the situation. From FEMA:

Republican North Dakota Gov. Hoeven has been under fire by his own party for refusing to join grandstanders like Bobby Jindall who made a show of declining Pres. Obama’s stimulus assistance.

On Tuesday, President Obama declared a major disaster declaration for North Dakota. The President’s action made federal funding available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations to help in flood fighting efforts.

Prior to the disaster declaration, North Dakota’s State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) was operating around the clock with support from FEMA’s Region VIII (Denver) Emergency Response Team (ERT), the national Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT-West), the National Guard, the American Red Cross, and other federal partners including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“This is a true state, local, and federal effort, with volunteers and private citizens all doing their part,” said Governor John Hoeven. “We truly appreciate everyone’s hard work as well as their cooperation and commitment which is necessary to save lives and property.”

Hoeven, a Republican, has been under fire by his own party since he released his 2009 – 2011 budget. It was larger than its predecessors and including funding for such items as infrastructure improvements. He also refused to join grandstanders like Bobby Jindal who made a show of declining Pres. Obama’s stimulus assistance.

We will keep the residents of North Dakota and neighboring Minnesota in our thoughts this weekend. The waters are currently above predicted levels, which at 41 feet were higher than ever recorded, and expected to rise, possibly to 43 feet, and stay well above normal all week. This is truly a devastating event for the people in that area. The Red Cross is accepting donations and has an online database (and 1-800-REDCROSS hotline for those without computer access) to record their whereabouts and status so loved ones can locate them. Hang tough, North Dakota!

Turn Out the Lights on Saturday

Trish

It’s that time again: Earth Hour! Don’t forget to turn out the lights wherever you are at 8:30 p.m. (your time zone) and keep them off for the next 60 minutes.

This year’s theme and artwork seem inspired by America’s last presidential election. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…

Here’s a more inspiring and explanatory video that effectively answers the question, “Why bother?”

[…]

RNC Chair Michael Steele Channels Michael Scott of ‘The Office’

Jon Ponder

As Michael Scott, the boss at a paper company’s branch office in Scranton on NBC’s “The Office,” Steve Carrell, a “Daily Show” alum, plays an incompetent egomaniac with perfect pitch. In scripted dialogue, Michael Scott says things like this:

Michael Scott: The most sacred thing I do is care… Today I am in charge of picking a great new healthcare plan. Right? That’s what this is all about. Does that make me their doctor? Um, yes. Like a specialist.

And:

Michael Scott: It’s simply beyond words. It’s incalculable.

And:

Michael Scott: Would I rather be feared or loved? Um… Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.

Now, in an interview with CNN, Michael Steele, the real-life chairman of the Republican Party, has delivered a set of quotes that make the self-deluded rants of fictional Michael Scott pale in comparison:

[…]

Palin Running Out of People to Insult and Offend

Trish
Duck!

Does this woman just stay up at night, cooking up new and better ways to burn bridges and insult people? La Llorona (the crying woman) herself is at it again. Sarah Palin shared this delightful little swipe in a speech at the recent Anchorage Lincoln Day Dinner, as she once again revisited her losing campaign to be vice president.

“So I’m looking around for somebody to pray with, I just need maybe a little help, maybe a little extra,” she said of the moments before the debate. “And the McCain campaign, love ’em, you know, they’re a lot of people around me, but nobody I could find that I wanted to hold hands with and pray.”

As the audience laughed, Palin noted that she meant no disrespect to the McCain campaign and that [she] ended up saying a prayer with her daughter Piper.

She meant no disrespect, she just meant they weren’t worthy to pray with her. You know, in a completely respectful way. Oddly, the former Palin aides, who had to be nice to this dolt for weeks, are offended.

La Llorona (the crying woman) herself is at it again

…another former staffer said…Palin is failing to distinguish between the strategists at McCain headquarters and the people who were at her side every day from late August through election day.

“It’s about us people who were on the plane, who showed extreme loyalty to Palin, continually getting thrown under the bus or slapped in the face by her comments, whether she means it or not,” the staffer said, adding that Palin’s remarks “cause you to question not only your loyalty but her judgment as a leader.”

The former aides said they place part of the blame for Palin’s post-campaign candor on the governor’s staff in Alaska. Several have reached out individually to offer advice or assistance to the governor, but “have gotten only pleasantries in response,” said one aide.

“Who is the one making the decision that she needs to be out there saying these things?,” the second staffer asked. “Someone needs to be telling her, ‘Listen, let’s not talk the campaign any more.’ We need to talk about what’s relevant and thinking about her influence as a voice in the Republican Party.”

If Palin had anything constructive to say, I’m sure she would. Instead she continues to rehash the failed campaign, coming up with more people to blame for her own shortcomings in each new round of attacks. What can we do to help this nasty halfwit go away and stay there?

No Apologies from Barney Frank for Calling Justice Scalia a Homophobe

Jon Ponder

In an interview with 365gay.com earlier this week, Rep. Barney Frank, a member of the House leadership, was asked about the status of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a 1996 law that contradicts the Constitution’s “full faith and credit” clause by permitting states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriage conducted in other states.

“I wouldn’t want it to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has too many votes on this current court.”
– Rep. Frank

Frank responded, “I wouldn’t want it to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has too many votes on this current court.”

Justice Scalia’s office has declined to comment, but Frank has responded to calls from media figures that he apologize by clarifying his remarks — a clarification that contains not a whiff of regret:

“What a ‘homophobe’ means is someone who has prejudice about gay people,” Frank told WBZ radio, arguing that Scalia’s judicial writing “makes it very clear that he’s angry, frankly, about the existence of gay people.”

In particular, Frank cited Scalia’s opinion in the 2003 case Lawrence v. Texas, in which the Supreme Court struck down state laws barring consensual acts of sodomy. In his dissent, Scalia wrote that the 6-3 vote served to ratify an “agenda promoted by some homosexual activists directed at eliminating the moral opprobrium that has traditionally attached to homosexual conduct.”

“If you read his opinion, he thinks it’s a good idea for two consenting adults who happen to be gay to be locked up because he is so disapproving of gay people,” Frank said yesterday.

Frank expanded his response on CNN:

In an earlier case in Colorado, in which he again vigorously denounced the majority in the court for finding that it was unconstitutional to discriminate against people, again, not in marriage but a basis of their political rights, he said, “Well, of course, we disapprove this. We often disapprove of things like murder.” I mean, literally, when he was looking for comparisons to the public disapproval of homosexuality, the first thing he said was murder.

So unlike many people who have different legitimate views on this, I urge people to read those two opinions in the Colorado case, the Romer case and the Lawrence case. And, again, there is just no question about his absolute view that … homosexuals are bad people that shouldn’t be treated equally.

It’s puzzling that people like Scalia who feel that antipathy toward gay people is justified by the Bible (or whatever), don’t like to be labeled as “homophobes.” If they believe their bigotry is justified — especially so if it’s blessed by God — what difference does it make what others call them?