Day: May 19, 2011
Blacker Than Thou
We thought with the demise of the “Birthers”
That we’d see fewer Obama attackers.
But along comes Cornel West,
With a new racial litmus test,
At the head of a movement called “Blackers.”
On Daniels’ Charisma Deficit
Well, maybe I ought to back him, because it would be an opportunity to show that people that don’t have charisma can be elected president.
— Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), quoted by the Sioux City Journal, on Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R).
Why Not Stop Paying Congress?
But here’s what I don’t understand: we’ve already reached the debt ceiling. At this point, Geithner can point at just about anything and say that it’s an expenditure we can’t afford right now, and we’ll have to put it off until the debt ceiling is raised. Why doesn’t he just do that with all Congressional salaries? If the House Republicans had to live without pay between now and when the debt ceiling is raised, that would surely concentrate their minds a bit. And it’s got to be a better idea than the current strategy, which seems to involve Geithner all but begging the Republicans to call his bluff and wait until after August 2 to do anything.
— Felix Salmon, writing on his Reuters blog.
In 2009 Daniels Said No to Prez Run
I wouldn’t subject myself or my family to what I see as the savagery of presidential politics.
— Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, in a 2009 C-SPAN interview, dismissing a possible presidential bid.
Plow Chops: More Shoes Could Drop in Schwarzenegger Scandals
Every town has its secrets. The difference in Los Angeles is that some of the secrets here relate to world-famous celebrities. It’s fair to say that hardly anyone in town knew that Arnold Schwarzenegger had fathered a child with a member of his household staff. But it’s equally true that there are other rumors — what Donald Rumsfeld might call “known unknowns” — that have been floating around years, decades even, that could come to light, if the scandal escalates, which, based on the volume of news reports in both legit and gossip outlets, appears to be what is happening.
Just in the past few days, the baby mama has been identified as Patty Baena, the Schwarzeneggers’ housekeeper for 20 years. Local news in Los Angeles found the McMansion Schwarzenegger bought her in Bakersfield, and neighbor interviewed by local reporters praised the son as being extremely well-mannered.
Maria Shriver has hired a divorce attorney, although sources say Shriver, who is Catholic, has not yet decided whether to proceed with divorce, which is astounding, if true. Meanwhile, her son, Patrick Schwarzenegger, 17, changed his last name to Shriver on his Twitter account.
And this one had to hurt: TMZ reports that Maria Shriver and Patty Baena were pregnant at the same time. Maria’s son Christopher was born on Sept. 27, 1997 and Baena’s son was born five days later, on Oct. 2, 1997.
