I Don't Like You Either.

Irony Alert: McCain: "In the 21st Century, Nations Don't Invade Other Nations"

Damozel & Teh Nutroots | Would that he were right. You can see the video (via Think Progress) below.

Not only does John McCain not know any Russian history, he also apparently doesn't remember as far back as 2003 or know what's going on now.

This quote is so free from any sense it's actually a little bit awesome.

Put Out More (Big Red) Flags

by Cockney Robin | Damozel already covered the Berlin speech, but a quick review shows that right-wing bloggers are under-represented.  With the help of the indispensable Memeorandum, I thought I'd spend a little time gauging the reaction on the right --- always a fascinating excursion for a simple Brit. [The views expressed here are mine only etc.]

Fox News via the Newshoggers:  dark-skinned Europeans (Muslims??) support Obama, which is a big red flag

Ann Althouse:  Thousands of Germans cheering for an American candidate might be construed by some less sophisticated person to be a big red flag.

Are They Right Yet? Notes on Some Right-Wing Blogs I Have Read

By Teh Nutroots | Re: New Change of  Management. Damozel's decided to give up running this blog, since BN-Politics keeps her too busy.  Just to make it clear, I am not a nice man.  Hence the name of this blog.

Speaking of people who aren't nice, let's jump over the fence and see what's doin' on the other side.

The following are my notes on the posts, paraphrased to catch what I believe is the essence of each posting.  I have provided links so that you can read the originals for yourself.

Did you kinow that Obama and no doubt soon-to-be-British PM David Cameron were caught talking when they thought the mikes were off?  It's true.  Damn, was it boring.

"

The Spitzer Sting: More Politicization of the Justice Department

At BN-Politics (link is at the top of the page), I published a much more extended discussion of the Spitzer matter, complete with Jane Hamsher's absolutely legitimate concerns that his prosecution arose out of the Bush Administration's ongoing efforts to bring down powerful Democrats.  Scott Horton at Harper's has more.

At Mercury Rising, Phoenix Woman asks:  Have Either Senators Craig or Vitter Resigned Yet?

No?  Didn’t think so.

Then neither should Governor Spitzer.  That’s my take.

Oh, and guess how Spitzer was brought down? The bankers he’d pissed off were watching his money really closely. Normally they wouldn’t be flagging $5,000 transactions from a man of his wealth (his father is a real estate mogul), but in his case they sure did.

I think this is probably right. 

Not that this excuses the hypocrisy.  I can be saddened and a little disgusted by his hubris and equally disgusted with the relentless, ongoing abuse of the system by Republicans out to destroy the careers of successful political opponents. 

Memeorandum on the Harper's Piece

WORTHWHILE COMMENTARY:

Talking Points Memo, Firedoglake, Taylor Marsh, TalkLeft, TPMMuckraker, Salon,  Majikthise, TalkLeft, Slate, Open Left,  DownWithTyranny!, Talking Points Memo, Corrente, Democratic Strategist,  The Carpetbagger Report,  News Hounds,  Hullabaloo, Shakesville,  Attytood

Obama: Least Progressive Dem?; Will Congress Block the Sale of Arms to Saudi Arabia?; Amending the Constitution to God's and Mike Huckabee's Standards

Some days I say to myself that I just can't bear to go on writing political blogs.  Some days it's like pulling teeth.  Thank God for D Cupples', who can write three posts of laser-like focus and lethality to my one wambly, watered down one. 

So what about Obama?  Paul Krugman thinks he is the least progressive Dem, which is only a bad thing if you want a progressive president.  If he's the most conservative or "conservative" of the front runners, this may up his bipartisan appeal and his appeal to independents, yeah? 

In other news, Congress has only a limited time to block the proposed sale of arms to the Saudis.  But why, you may ask, should they want to block it?  Are they just being obstructionist again?  D Cupples explains their concerns.

Finally, should Mike Huckabee be promoting a plan to amend the Constitution to conform with "the word of the living God"?  Not if I have anything to say about it; my interpretation of those words is very, very different from his.  Does Romney's win prove that God believes in separation of church and state or does it show that God has switched allegiance from the Baptist to the Mormon?  We'll just have to see.  He moves in a mysterious way, they tell me.  This article, published here at BN Politics, was also cross-posted to The Moderate Voice.

Sobering Statistics Relating to Iraqi Deaths; the Fall Out from the Housing Market Fiasco; Unreliable Polls

D Cupples discusses the World Health Organization's New Study of Iraqi deaths by violence. 

In addition, you might want to consider how the fall-out from the housing crisis affects consumers (that's you and me).

Finally:  What about those New Hampshire polls, huh?  But many polls have been consistently off, and not only in New Hampshire.

Benazir Bhutto: "one of the most slandered politicians of modern time"

Today's not my day to post at BN-Politics, but I wanted to comment both there and here on an exchange I've been having with Charles at Mercury Rising, so will cross-post there tomorrow.   This is just an unsystematic first reaction to what I've learned from Charles, who has called her

I've really been surprised and  distressed by the negativity flowing around Benazir Bhutto.  Normally it takes a few months for the media to "discover" a generally (or so I'd have thought) admired political figure's feet of clay.  What's going on here?

In commenting on the blogger round-up I published at BN-Politics on the Bhutto assassination, Charles pointed to this article, and remarked:

Divers Matters: A Push to Impeach Cheney, "A War We Just Might "Win"", and Another Right-Wing Treatise Resembling the Peace of God

Posted by Damozel | "Credible Evidence." In The Philadelphia Inquirer, there is an opinion piece by Robert Wexler (D-Fla), Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis), all members of the Judiciary Committee, in which they argue that there is now credible evidence on which Dick Cheney may be impeached. 

A couple of weeks ago, three members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee started trying to publish a column urging that their committee begin impeachment hearings against Vice President Dick Cheney. Several major newspapers turned them down. So, the congress members posted their op-ed online at http://www.wexlerwantshearings.comthe Philadelphia Inquirer. where it quickly gathered over 100,000 signatures (and counting) in support. Newspapers were forced to cover the growing push for impeachment, and an appropriate newspaper finally agreed to put the op-ed into print: a paper from the city where the Constitution was written,  (Democrats.com)

 

A Couple of Christmas Eve Observations

With this family anxiety at the moment, I am not in a holiday mood.  I'm not in a political argument mood either, though.  So I'll content myself with a couple of remarks at least for now. 

At our sister blog----and what I think of as my main political blog---- BN-Politics, The Nutroots (a new friend!), who isn't bothered about preserving a conciliatory tone the way I am, wrote a pretty searing response---according to me----to Sister Toldjah's Christmas post.   

He received the following comment (his first!  Congratulations, Teh Nutroots!)

[Commenter] Was there an argument, concept, or any content in any of that word puke?

[The Nutroots] Yes.  Sadly, it seems to have gone right over your head.

As he's often remarks, he's not a nice person.  And there ain't a damn thing D Cupples or Rob or I can do about it.  What is it everyone is always saying these days?  "It is what it is."  And Teh Nutroots is what he is.   Shame really, as Robin has observed.

Speaking of the question of goodness or niceness, at Slacktivist, Fred Clark wrote a searing response to Mona Charen's distressing recent column on whether waterboarding is torture.  Thanks, Slacktivist, for doing this so other blogs don't have to.  I also found via Slacktivist this site:  The National Religious Campaign Against Torture.   For some reason, the group limits membership to organizations (i.e., to churches), but you can sign a statement, as follows:

Dr Helen on Special Ed, Just in Time for Christmas!

Sadly, No! kicks around this Tennessee forensic  psychologist "who enjoys commenting on popular culture, politics and psychological issues", known to herself as "Dr. Helen,' known to fans of Sadly, No! as Dr. Mrs. Ole Perfessor:

Check this out:

I happened across a snippy little column over at Pajamas Media by Robert Rummel-Hudson today on why his special-ed kid needs special treatment....