The World's Stupidest Pundit, Again

He's baaaack!

But the message in this case truly is the medium. The e-mails pulse in my queue, emanating raw hatred. This spells trouble -- not for Bush or, in 2008, the next GOP presidential candidate, but for Democrats. The anger festering on the Democratic left will be taken out on the Democratic middle. (Watch out, Hillary!) I have seen this anger before -- back in the Vietnam War era. That's when the antiwar wing of the Democratic Party helped elect Richard Nixon. In this way, they managed to prolong the very war they so hated.

The hatred is back. I know it's only words now appearing on my computer screen, but the words are so angry, so roiled with rage, that they are the functional equivalent of rocks once so furiously hurled during antiwar demonstrations. I can appreciate some of it. Institution after institution failed America -- the presidency, Congress and the press. They all endorsed a war to rid Iraq of what it did not have. Now, though, that gullibility is being matched by war critics who are so hyped on their own sanctimony that they will obliterate distinctions, punishing their friends for apostasy and, by so doing, aiding their enemies. If that's going to be the case, then Iraq is a war its critics will lose twice -- once because they couldn't stop it and once more at the polls.

They all endorsed a war??? Maybe against you, Richard Cohen, but not Iraq. Richard Cohen is being a whiny ass titty baby because some people had the nerve to get angry about the way this country is being run and we let him know about it, but by doing so we obviously made the taste of that cocktail weenie he was eating at his "bipartisan ball of love and friendship" go ever so slightly sour. Richard Cohen does not like it when his cocktail weenies go bad, and he is going to throw a mean ass temper tantrum in return.

By the by, if you're wondering what would happen if we took Cohen's sage, inside the beltway, conventional wisdom advice and made nice to Republicans - "ethics problems? Who doesn't have them?!" "Everyone starts a war and kills hundreds of thousands of people on false premises one or two times in his life" and who can't forget "They'll give you a reacharound and rub your belly if you bend over far enough" - see the years 2000-2004. The fact that anyone can keep swallowing this tripe is enough to make your blood curdle.

No reason to be angry? Only real whackjobs don't like the president? Well, Little Richie, they don't call him Mr. 31 for nothing. It's nice that you like to believe that the emperor is wearing clothes and they are the finest you've ever seen - but that doesn't make those of us who can prove that he's naked a part of a feverswamp. It just lets us know that we are correct, and we will continue to shout it as long as we have air to breathe - even if it makes your cocktail weenie shrivel up.

Atrios and Digby both weigh in.

Dropping Like...

CIA Agents?

[A] source has told NEWSWEEK that [CIA #3 Kyle "Dusty"] Foggo had acknowledged to associates that he may have tipped off [childhood friend, briber, poker-party-thrower and former defense contractor Brent] Wilkes that CIA contracts were coming up for bid -- an activity which, according to the source, Foggo said was neither improper nor illegal.

Hosenball also reports the CIA has made an internal announcement that Dusty will retire.

I sure hope Hayden does not take over.

Kos Writes

It's never too early to start fighting for the leadership and the soul of the party. Two things that Hillary will wreck if given the chance. Kos correctly states:

While Republicans spent the past four decades building a vast network of small-dollar donors to fund their operations, Democrats tossed aside their base and fed off million-dollar-plus donations. The disconnect was stark, and ultimately destructive. Clinton's third way failed miserably. It killed off the Jesse Jackson wing of the Democratic Party and, despite its undivided control of the party apparatus, delivered nothing. Nothing, that is, except the loss of Congress, the perpetuation of the muddled Democratic "message," a demoralized and moribund party base, and electoral defeats in 2000, 2002 and 2004.

Hillary still represents these interests and politics, which have been fatally damaging to the Democratic party. This is why, like Kos, I do not support Hillary, instead I would rather back someone who has demonstrated some backbone and leadership, like Senator Feingold. Such a candidate is electable because standing by your values counts for something, even if people disagree with them. On the other hand, being bland and trying to sell out to everyone does not go very far with anyone, except if you subscribe to the "must appeal to 100% of electorate to win." And even then, as Kos points out, Clinton never won more than 50% of the vote.

Here's an interesting point that just came to my mind. Although we love to, and I am guilty of this as well, praise Bill for his charisma, he never won more than 50% of the vote, AND look at his opponents: George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole. Wow. If that was all we could scrounge up with Clinton against those guys we should have realized in 1992 that there was something seriously wrong with the way the Democratic party was working. Better late than never I guess.

Doubletake

Almost missed this:

Seated next to President Bush in the Oval Office, Goss, a Republican congressman from Florida before he took over the CIA, said he was "stepping aside" but gave no reason for the departure. Bush, who did not name a successor, said he had accepted the resignation and thanked Goss for his service.

Do you suppose it could have something to do with this?

I've learned from a well-connected source that those under intense scrutiny by the FBI are current and former lawmakers on Defense and Intelligence comittees -- including one person who now holds a powerful intelligence post.

Plus there's been some speculation the hookers in the above are gay. Oh man, just when I think the Republicans can't surprise me any more.

On another note, sorry posting has been light. Will try to get back to normal soon.

Truthiness

For all of you who missed Colbert at the WH Correspondents' dinner, C&L has the video up.

All I can say is a tip of the hat to Ted Hitler - I mean Stephen Colbert.

Global Warming

Bush: "The science isn't there."

A scientific study commissioned by the Bush administration concluded yesterday that the lower atmosphere was indeed growing warmer and that there was "clear evidence of human influences on the climate system."

I guess that's the same thing as saying "I want to know who this leaker is, and when I find out he will be brought to justice." Way to sleep and drink on the job, sheriff George.

I predict the Republican strategy on global warming will be to abandon the denial line - but keep enough deniers around to make them look comparatively sane - and to switch to the "it's happening slowly enough that we can keep polluting at will" line.

At least the real president gets it.

Link.

The Deficit

WOOHOO!!!!

Sex Scandals

The Republican Party.

Classic Republicans in Action

Former IL gov. George Ryan.

After more than five months of sometimes complicated testimony in his federal case, and after five weeks of still more tangled deliberations, a jury convicted Mr. Ryan, a Republican, of granting state business to associates in exchange for cash and presents for himself, his family and for his friends.

He faces a sentence of up to 20 years for racketeering, the most serious of the charges brought against him.

That's just the tip of the iceberg for Republican corruption in this country. Read the article, it keeps getting better. Oh, and who was the prosecutor? FITZ!!!!!

On a side note, I will be out of the country on work for the next two weeks, and I'll probably have a cheney-load of it, so posting will be sporadic at best.

The Angry Left

Mwahahah.