The Flatland Almanack

Buck Naked Politics: News Rounds Up (Feb.23-Mar.4)

Lots of ground to make up, but here's our last two weeks' worth of news postings.

Feb. 23
Ex-GOP official  James Tobin was acquitted in a case in the 2002 phone-jamming case.   Republican Congressman  Rick Renzi, on the other hand, was indicted or extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other charges.  US attorney Paul Charlton, who attempted to investigate him, was one of the US attorneys who was told to resign.

Gordon Brown, and the Brits in general, were 'disappointed' to learn that US torture flights landed in British territory, even after the Bush Administration assured the Brits that they wouldn't and didn't. 

Mukasey and McConnell said that spying outside FISA's limits would be wrong.  That is, illegal.   So vetoing it would be sort of dangerous then, wouldn't it, according to the Bush Administration's own reasoning?   

CBS announced that it would air a story on the prosecution of Don Siegelman.   They un-announced it subsequently, but in the end, went with it.  More follows.

Feb. 24
Speaking of FISA, check out the scary, scary ad which House Republicans put up on their website.  Meanwhile, Mukasey and McConnell were backing away from their previous statements.

Feb. 25
That Siegelman story on CBS?  Apparently censored in part of the nation, specifically the part that it related to  .(CBS's opening question: "Is Don Siegelman in prison because he’s a criminal or because he belonged to the wrong political party in Alabama?")  Hmmmm.

Feb. 26
While we were obsessing over the primaries,  a Pakistani general was killed by a suicide bomber.    

MSNBC's Dan Abrams interviewed Dana Jill Simpson, the whistle blower who testified before  the House Judiciary Committee about the apparently highly selective prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.

Feb. 27
Bill Kavanagh's film, Brick by Brick:  A Civil Rights Story (highly recommended), was shown at the  Center for American Progress and elsewhere.  Click for a link to Amazon. 

Feb. 28
William F. Buckley, the exemplar of all that conservatism ceased to be with the advent of the neocons, dies at the age of 82.

Meanwhile, the Air Force decided to block the troops' access to certain blogs.  After all, they're fighting for our freedom.

Speaking of the troops, did a young soldier have a friend shoot him so that he could avoid returning to Iraq?

Speaking of Iraq, Wired has some new photos from Abu Ghraib.  Take my advice:  don't look.

Finally, our financial expert, Chris, has some advice for those who haven't already spent that tax rebate.

Leap Day
Is the "people's attorney" Michael Mukasey actually blocking a contempt action against Miers and Bolten?  Sure looks that way.

"MSNBC is actually doing its job re: Siegelman," D Cupples observes, in apparent surprise.  Yes, and you can watch a video here.

Mar. 1

After its offensive against the  PKK, Turkey swiftly withdraws its troops from Iraq.  Sound idea.

Meanwhile, Matt Drudge's decision to blow Prince Harry's cover has had some consequences.

Yesterday we asked whether Michael Mukasey was blocking the contempt action against Miers and Bolten?  Yes, he's blocking it.  Or as D Cupples puts it, "Apparently Mukasey has decided to ignore the law."   

Mar. 2
Iranian president Ahmadinejad visited Iraq, with much pomp and ceremony.  "Ahmadinejad held hands with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani as they walked down a red carpet to the tune of their countries' national anthems."

Mar. 3
Bush is still determined to protect those telecoms.  D Cupples:  "It's a very practical, albeit self-serving, move on President Bush's part."  Yep.

Mar. 5
A follow-up to an audit by the inspector general reveals that the FBI improperly sought personal data through the use of  "national security letters."  I apologize for my blunted capacity for outrage.

Mar. 6
A small explosion that damages an Armed Forces recruiting station proves that liberuls hate America ---or that right-wing bloggers, desperate at their slide into irrelevance, are growing crazier by the day.   One or the other, anyway.

Buck Naked Politics Primaries 2008 Round-Up (Feb.23-Mar.4)

It's been crazy here, crazy. And next week will be even worse.  So I will take this opportunity to publish my day-to-day almanack of the last fortnight's presidential primary postings.  It's the season of craziness.

About the Candidates

Feb. 23

Clinton supporter Taylor Marsh, bless her, takes on "the progressive rot" at the core of this primary season, with all its thinly disguised misogyny and unabashed Hillary bashing....from the boys on the left.  Well done, Taylor Marsh.

Feb. 24 

A coup de Fey for Hillary:  the controversial SNL endorsement; meanwhile, Obama implies he'd already have won if he'd been an insider like Hillary. 

Feb. 25

Obama on NAFTA:  did he misrepresent Hillary's position again, some more?

D Cupples has a suggestion for Jonathan Alter, who strongly feels that Hillary should give up and go away now, before Texas and Ohio.

Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell commented on the media bias against Clinton and for Obama.  Obama's supporters indignantly rejected the suggestion.  It's not that the media are biased, it's that Hillary Clinton is eeeevil and Obama is the second coming of JFK.

And---as we all sort of expected---Ralph Nader announced that he would run again.

Feb. 26

Photo-Gate.  Who circulated that photo of  'dressed' Obama?  More to the purpose, who cares?

Ellen DeGeneres comes out for Hillary.

Feb. 27

My co-blogger at The Moderate Voice thinks John McCain is a class act, apparently on the strength of his rebuke to a Hillary and Obama-dissing radio host.  Yes, that was chivalrous. Of course, there was the slur about Chelsea way back when and a recent McCain Hillary-dis in Spartanburg, SC, but let us all salute the intermittent grace and chivalry of John McCain, Intermittent Class Act.

Watching MSNBC's post-debate Olbermann/Matthews chatter made D Cupples wonder if she'd been watching the same debate they had.  Others noticed certain..discrepancies as well.

Feb. 28
But at least McCain seems determined to take the high road now.  RNC Tells Tennessee GOP to Cease & Desist from the 'Barack HUSSEIN Obama' Riff. But the Tennessee GOP thinks its 'base' has a right to 'know' his middle name.

Whilst Obama is campaigning in Ohio--where middle aged people who had to move back in with their mothers don't much care for NAFTA---a Canadian Ministry claims that his campaign (a/k/a Austin Goolsbee) called up to assure them that it was all just campaign rhetoric when Obama said, taking a line from Hillary, said: "Renegotiate NAFTA or opt out!"  Subsequently Obama denied it.  Then the Ministry denied it.  But CTV is sticking by its story.

Mar.  1

Hillary sponsors an important bill to limit the government's use of mercenaries.  It came with a scathing indictment of the Bush Administration's use of them.

A little note on British journalist Jeremy Paxman's  interview with Ralph Nader.  Paxman's a pit bull, so I was all geared up for some unseemly glee.  But Nader came out of it looking rather well.

Mar. 3

Our co-blogger, Woman of Mass Discussion, explains why she supports Obama.  D Cupples presents the case for Hillary.

Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson (Valerie Plame's husband) takes up for Hillary at Huff Post and questions Barack Obama's candor and judgment.

Mar. 4

You know that conversation with the Canadian embassy the Obama campaign denied they'd ever had?  The AP has the memo. 

A poll showed that 67% Want Hillary to Keep Fighting Even if She Loses a Big State Today, 36% want her as VP .  Bonus:  The Jon Stewart interview!

McCain secured the GOP nomination.  As if anyone still thought Huckabee had a shot.

Mar.  5

Fresh from proving that she can still swing the big states, Hillary mentioned the possibility that she and Obama could get together to form a 'dream ticket' for the Dems, with the only question being who got the top slot.  Yay, dream ticket!

Sadly, Obama's not there yet. In fact, his campaign sent an email to his supporters suggesting that Hillary should just drop out of the race so he could be crowned King of All Dems.  DON'T DO IT, HILLARY!  D Cupples has the full text here.  I sent her campaign a contribution to encourage it.

Tweety still hates Hillary.  Chris Scarborough is sort of nice to her though.  Whatever; I've given up on MSNBC ("All Obama, all the time").

Mar. 6

The Canadian publishes a piece that starts up speculation that NAFTA-gate was really all about Hillary all the time, and never mind the Goolsbee memo.  It reports that Obama has been 'pilloried' for denying the conversation before being caught out and made to answer inconvenient questions.  It's almost as if he were running for president!

D Cupples, Poll-Watcher and Poll-Critic, Tracks the Polls

Feb. 26.  Hillary was tied in Texas and ahead in Ohio.  Hmmm.

Feb. 29.  More pre-Texas/Ohio/Vermont-primary polling data.   

Mar. 4.  Pre-primary polls for Texas and Ohio conflict again.   Zogby's results are different today.  Now they show Hillary ahead.   Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Other Campaign News

Mar. 2

Here in Florida, optimistic Floridians selected delegates to attend---at their own expense--- the August convention.   Not a single fist-fight took place, and our own co-blogger was selected as an Obama delegate.  Yes, Obama.   We are still hoping that our delegates will be seated, you see.   

Mar. 3

Republican governor Charlie Crist, bless his little cotton socks, supports another primary for Florida Dems. 

A Glorious Miscellany of Floridiana Pt. 2

Two silvery-blue, rather eerie photographs of  Florida beaches (St. Joseph and St. Pete); an iconic scene from St. Pete Beach (hotels and tourists; bright colors on a slate and platinum tinted background); the afternoon light falling on a police station (you'll see why I chose it if you look at it); and the Carillon Tower at Bok Sanctuary:  all right here.

A Glorious Miscellany of Floridiana

Light on the St. Johns River ---- one of my late husband's best photographs.

In addition, some beautiful shots of Miami (including one from the Chihuly Exhibition at the Fairchild by Miz Shoes; a shot of the Orange Blossom Motel and RV Park by Kevin Trotman; a lifeguard chair at sunrise by Craig O'Neal; and a magnificent picture of Cape San Blas by Judy Baxter---all featured photographers at Floridiana Gloriana.  See them here.

My Florida: the Beautiful North

FLORIDIANA GLORIANA.   Here are the memories of North Florida I've recorded and kept and finally posted at my site.  Already so much of it has changed or gone, but---though I didn't know it at the time--- it was my initiation into Floridiana Gloriana....

The Old House & The Great Blue Heron & the art of Twoblueday

FLORIDIANA GLORIANA.    A melancholy-beautiful Florida vignette in weathered pink and green----check out this old house.

A great blue heron stands beside Lake Windermere.  A snapshot of one of those Florida moments with one of our beautiful and unknowable people.

Two gorgeous architectural shots from the little town of Sanford by one of my favorite Florida photographers....: a boarded house and a round window.  Just look at them:  this is art.

Buck Naked Politics News Round-Up

BUCK NAKED POLITICS news round-up.

Feb. 16
D Cupples, ever a fan of the GAO, takes note of the resignation of David Walker.

Feb. 17
In Pakistan, a car bomb killed 17. 

Feb. 18
An FBI whistleblower has stories of corruption; the DOJ shuts it down.  Russia denounced Kosovo's declaration of independence. 

Want to see what a real journalist looks like?  Take a look at Jeremy Paxman, coming to BBC America on Feb.29..

Feb. 19
In Afghanistan, a suicide bomber killed 28.  Kosovo got U.S. and Western European Recognition. Iraqi guards protested the killing of civilians. 

And something I thought I'd never see happen:  CASTRO RESIGNS. 

In media news, TPM's Josh Marshall got a Polk Award.

Feb. 20
The Supreme Court protects the insurance companies against those predatory  Katrina victims; they also show their touching trust in the Bush Administration.   Another court tries---not very effectively---to disable Wikileaks to make the world safer for money laundering.

A survey of military officers confirms what I think we already would have suspected:  they think the government doesn't know jack about the military. 

Feb. 21
Bush breaks his own record for low approval ratings!  Way to go, Mr. President!

At the Tampa Airport, a man was arrested for trying to board a plane with a box-cutter.   

In other news you probably weren't listening to, a defense contractor---and prominent GOP contributor--- was arrested for bribery.

Feb. 22
A certain Democratic Senator is all about protecting the telecoms from 'the heavy hand of government'; the Republicans aren't feeling FISA.  In other news, an ex-GOP official is off the hook in a phone-jamming case.  Off the hook!

Buck Naked Politics Primaries 2008 Round-Up!

BUCK NAKED POLITICS. Here's where it lays as of today, Feb.22 2008:

Feb. 16

D. Cupples wanted it on the record:  NY Times Erred: Delegate Not Leaving Clinton for Obama? (updated).  Hmmm.

Ah, the magic of Barack Obama.  And he loves you.  Yes, you.  And you too.

Teh Nutroots, as a Floridian, has HAD IT with the DNC.   Don't come whining to him (or to me) about superdelegates and Hillary's alleged 'finessing' of the 'rules.' Screw the DNC, its rules, and all who sail in them. 

In the meantime, the media seems determined to reframe anything Bill Clinton says into the alternative universe version

Feb. 17
Did I just make this story up?  Hardly anyone seems to be talking about it.  Is Al Gore the solution to division among the Dems?  Or does he even want to be?  Save us, Al Gore.

At the HuffPost, Larry C. Johnson discusses how the Right plans to undermine Obama.  I am not sure how I dared to discuss it.  Unless you're flinging rose petals into the American Idol's path, his fans will come after you with pitchforks.

Feb. 18

The media creates some intrigue:  Obama's 'secret' meeting with Edwards!  And Clinton!

Feb. 19

D Cupples defends Obama against plagiarism.  But not against the lesser included offense: Obama a Plagiarist? No, He Just Lacks Originality (Updated)

I raise the question that Obama's fanbase doesn't want to think about:  Has Obama Been Sufficiently Vetted to Survive the GOP Machine?  LALALALALALALALA THEY CAN'T HEEEEAR ME.....

Feb. 20

McCain and Obama win Wisconsin and Hawaii.  Yep.

'Plagiarism' is a harsh word for it.  D Cupples isn't going to go there.  But does his 'borrowing' without attribution, when rhetoric is such a keystone of his famed charisma, raise any questions about his character?  D Cupples considers.

Feb. 21

McCain:  A sex scandal?   A sex 'n  ethics scandal?  Teh Nutroots doesn't give a damn.  He just can't stop rolling his eyes over the faked up 'outrage' from the Right and Left.

Feb. 22

THE MEDIA WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW....Clinton got booed when she mentioned 'plagiarism.'  They're less interested in telling you that she got a standing O.   D Cupples discusses it here.

Wild Color: Miami and the Keys

FLORIDIANA GLORIANA.   A Dutch woman's amazing eye for the color and dynamism of South Florida (Miami and the Keys):  See her photos here.

The Boemerang Comedy Sketch: A Classic Nightmare on Film

THE FLATLAND CHRONICLES.   When I saw this sketch, the person who showed it to me told it was real.  I was appalled!  Then I learned that it was from a Belgian comedy show!  I laughed till I fell off the couch.  Context changes everything.

You won't want to miss this one.