Quote of the Day

Senator Barack Obama spokesman Bill Burton response to John ’08 McCain latest tirade:

"As a senator who takes his duties seriously, and has also showed up to vote more than once this month, Barack Obama considers few responsibilities more important than his votes on the war in Iraq. Obama opposed the war from the beginning and, unlike Senator McCain, is committed to ending it as quickly and responsibly as possible."

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: In response to a soldier question ‘when are we going to get out of here?’ Senator Holy Joe Lieberman repeated a GOP talking point.

In response to their questions about leaving Iraq, Lieberman said it would be a “victory for al-Qaida and a victory for Iran.”

- Oliver Wills: If Michael Brown, the former FEMA chief, is the most qualified person you can get on your show to discuss a serious topic, then your show has no creditably left.

- Oliver Willis: For some unknown reason Chris Matthews has a deep hatred for Clintons and Al Gore, which lead him to make false claims against them on this television show.

- The Carpet Bagger Report: If you are a minority the Republican Party does not want you to vote. This is the latest example of Republicans using power of the government to disenfranchise minority voters just because they dare to vote for the Democratic Party.

- The Fan House: Is what Alex Rodriguez did last night cheating?

Iraq

Harold Meyerson’s op-ed in the Washington Post just made me rethink my criticism of Democratic Party failure to pass an Iraq bill funding bill with withdrawal timelines.

Many of my antiwar friends were furious at Democratic congressional leaders last week for their failure to attach withdrawal deadlines to or cut funding from our occupation of Iraq -- a failure chiefly attributable to the simple fact that the votes weren't there for either option. What they should recall, however, is that the much more heavily Democratic Congress that hastened the end of the Vietnam War during Richard Nixon's presidency did so by passing a series of incremental measures, each of which constrained Nixon's warmaking powers a bit more than the last. In succession, Congress banned the use of funds for military actions in Laos and Thailand, then (after Nixon ordered the invasion of Cambodia) banned the use of ground forces in Cambodia. Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield, one of the Democrats' foremost doves, three times introduced an amendment that would have ended U.S. involvement in Vietnam within nine months of enactment, but it never passed.

It took the Democrats, and their dovish Republican allies, four full years to pass a cutoff of funds for U.S. ground forces in Vietnam, by which point Nixon had already pulled all ground forces out (though the legislation kept him from putting those forces back in, which was not a mere academic possibility). That hardly means that Mansfield betrayed the cause of peace, any more than Nancy Pelosi's failure to shut down the war last week means that she sold out to the Bush administration. Mansfield put one antiwar bill after another to a vote, winning more and more support each time around, leaving Nixon with fewer and fewer options. Pelosi is steering the same course, for a war even more reckless and absurd than Vietnam.

Go read the rest of Harold Meyerson’s op-ed.

CNN & Lou Dobbs

CNN claims to be the ‘Most Trusted Name in News’, but having Lou Dobbs as one of your main anchors put them in the league of Fox News and Bill O’Reilly. The suppose spokesmen of the Middle Class Americans, Lou Dobbs only really represent nativist while using misleading reporting to attack Mexican immigrants.

The most common complaint about him, at least from other journalists, is that his program combines factual reporting with editorializing. But I think this misses the point. Americans, as a rule, are smart enough to handle a program that mixes opinion and facts. The problem with Mr. Dobbs is that he mixes opinion and untruths. He is the heir to the nativist tradition that has long used fiction and conspiracy theories as a weapon against the Irish, the Italians, the Chinese, the Jews and, now, the Mexicans. [..]

More to the point, if Mr. Dobbs’s arguments were really so good, don’t you think he would be able to stick to the facts?

Go read the rest of David Leonhardt's article reporting on Lou Dobbs anti-immigrant hysteria.

Photo of the Day

(Photo via AmericaBlog)

CNN reports that Lieberman is on an unannounced "surprise" visit to Baghdad. Paula Hancocks followed Lieberman around. She talked to Lieberman and reported, "He said he was happy with the progress. He was devastated by the fact that May was turning in to the deadliest month since November 2004. But he said he did believe that this surge eventually would pay off and it would start to break the insurgency."

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: As always, Democratic Senator Joseph Biden is full of it. It is never a good move using GOP taking points to attack fellow Democrats.

- The Carpetbagger Report: Newt Gingrich attacks Karl Rove and President Bush and then Tom Delay points out Gingrich hypocrisy while over looking this own hypocrisy. I guess Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment, "Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican”, is not relevant anymore.

- The Carpetbagger Report: As always, the Politico is full of it.

Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II. Giuliani was mayor of New York on 9/11. Eisenhower’s national security stature was earned by defeating the Nazis and helping save the world. Giuliani’s national security stature is a media creation, bolstered by clever public relations. To put the two in the same sentence is comical.

- AmericaBlog: There is no difference between Senator Holy Joe Lieberman and Vice President Cheney or Senator McCain.

- The Fan House: What does $700 buy you in Cook County Jail?

Does every Senator want to be President?

I guess so.

Sen. Tom Coburn is mulling an entry into the Republican presidential primary, according to sources inside and outside the Senate. Coburn, a senator from Oklahoma, is believed to be receiving encouragement from a small group of wealthy businessmen and philanthropists in the Oklahoma-Kansas-Texas region of the country.

"He's all about faith, lower taxes, and staying the course in Iraq," says an adviser outside of the Senate who has been speaking to Coburn.

Yes, I’m all for Tom Coburn Presidential run. Because, someone really needs to put a stop to rampant lesbianism in school bathrooms across our great Nation.

Update:

But Coburn spokesman John Hart shot down the balloon before it could even gain an altitude.

"He has no intention of running for president," Hart said.

He chalked up the buzz to "effective rumor planting by powerful donors who want to see a wholesale shake-up in the GOP."

Senator Coburn might not be running for President, but he would be a prefect choice for Vice President.

Barack Obama

David Bernstein gives a behind-the-scenes look into Barack Obama’s 2004 keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.

The keynote speech that barack Obama delivered on Tuesday, July 27, 2004, galvanized the delegates who packed Boston’s FleetCenter and electrified a nationwide television audience. The 2,297 words uttered over 17 minutes changed Obama’s profile overnight and made him a household name. Before the speech, the idea of Obama running for president in 2008 would have been laughable; he was a lowly state senator from Chicago’s Hyde Park, and while he stood a good chance at winning his U.S. Senate race, he would enter that powerful body ranked 99th out of 100 in seniority. After the speech, observers from across the political world hailed the address as an instant classic, and Obama was drawing comparisons (deservedly or not) to Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy.

None of this happened by chance. Obama’s selection as keynote speaker was carefully plotted by all sides for maximum effect, and the speech itself was no outpouring of inspiration scribbled on the back of an envelope. Obama labored over it for weeks, harvesting lines that he had already tested on Illinois crowds. He is said to have been furious when one of his best remarks was cut by Kerry’s speechwriters. And even after all the preparation, the editing and vetting by aides to Obama and Kerry, and the three run-throughs at the convention, the speech almost didn’t take flight—on the dais, Obama was slow to hit his stride. But once he got going, the speech—and his career—took off: “Without that Boston speech, there’s a question whether Barack would be running [for president] today,” says his fellow senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin. “His public image changed because of that speech.” Valerie Jarrett, a veteran Chicago politico and one of Obama’s longtime friends, puts it more succinctly: “It changed his life.”

If you have the time, go read the whole article.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- The Plank: As always, Tom Delay is delusional. This is very disturbing. For Tom Delay think that God spoke to him directly and ask him to rebuild a political movement is the ranting of a mentally deranged person. I always believed in President Abraham Lincoln quote, ‘Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right’.

- Digby: Michael Powell of the NY Times loves manly men who dress in drag.

- DailyKos: Cindy Sheehan leaves the anti-War movement, I wish her well.

- AmericaBlog: I agree, Every time the GOP candidates invoke Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, they are also highlighting Bush's failure to defeat the actual enemy who attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001.

- The Fan House: Miss Japan wins Miss Universe and life is good if you are Tony Romo.

Thompson Smears Reagan & Immigrants

Only if President Ronald Reagan did not sign into law the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 our great Nation would not have been attacked by suicidal maniacs, according to the next Ronald Reagan and savoir of the Republican Party Fred Thompson.

Fred Thompson, a potential Republican presidential candidate, suggested that the 1986 immigration law signed by President Reagan is to blame for the country's illegal immigrants, and he bemoaned a nation beset by "suicidal maniacs."

"Twelve million illegal immigrants later, we are now living in a nation that is beset by people who are suicidal maniacs and want to kill countless innocent men, women and children around the world," the former Tennessee senator said. "We're sitting here now with essentially open borders."

The AP reporter is too kind to the ex-Senator and current actor Fred Thomson. I read the quote over and over, it seem to me that Thomson is blaming the illegal immigrants living in the United States of America for acts of suicidal maniacs. I don’t see the correlation of my parents and 2.7 million illegal immigrants become American citizens under the Reagan amnesty passed in 1986 to the current actions of Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Bashing illegal immigrants and linking them to terrorism will make Conservative base feel all warm and fuzzy inside but, it’s a racially tinged argument and it does not address the serious issue of terrorism or immigration.

Can I preach it like I feel it?

Yes, indeed.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: CNN is reaching into the gutter to find topics to debate. This is another reason why I stop watching cable news television.

- Think Progress: The Bush years have been filled with countless number of outrages, but not giving the troops the vital equipment needed is at the top of the list.

- ABC News: As always, Rudy Giuliani is full of it.

- Swing State Project: In the SurveyUSA poll, Democratic Steve Beshear leads incumbent Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher by 62% to 34%. Wow.

- Sportbale: No, you are not only one who does not like UFC.

Senator Obama rips McCain, Romney

Senator Barack Obama of Illinois:

“This country is united in our support for our troops, but we also owe them a plan to relieve them of the burden of policing someone else’s civil war. Governor Romney and Senator McCain clearly believe the course we are on in Iraq is working, but I do not.

“And if there ever was a reflection of that it's the fact that Senator McCain required a flack jacket, ten armored Humvees, two Apache attack helicopters, and 100 soldiers with rifles by his side to stroll through a market in Baghdad just a few weeks ago.

“Governor Romney and Senator McCain are still supporting a war that has cost us thousands of lives, made us less safe in the world, and resulted in a resurgence of al-Qaeda. It is time to end this war so that we can redeploy our forces to focus on the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and all those who plan to do us harm.”

John ‘08 McCain is Full of It

The Straight Talk Express bypass honesty to hackville.

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) last month, recounting a conversation with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ):

The day before we begin the debate on the Iraq bills, he pulled me aside on the Senate floor and said, Jim, we do not want the situation we had in the Vietnam War. We do not want one side impugning the patriotism of the other side.

McCain today:

I was very disappointed to see Senator Obama and Senator Clinton embrace the policy of surrender by voting against funds to support our brave men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This vote may win favor with MoveOn and liberal primary voters, but it’s the equivalent of waving a white flag to al Qaeda.

While in hackville, Senator McCain decides to misinform the American people about this Democratic opponents.

Which of these comes closest to your opinion? 1. Congress should block all funding for the war in Iraq no matter what; 2. Congress should allow funding, but only on the condition that the U.S. sets benchmarks for progress and the Iraqi government are meeting those goals; OR 3. Congress should allow all funding for the war without any benchmark conditions.

Block all 13%
Fund with benchmarks 69%
Allow all 15%

Does the Senator believe nearly 70% of the American public supports waving white flag?

Quote of the Day

Senator Jim Webb of Virginia:

"I worked very hard to try to persuade the Democratic leadership to include clear, restrictive language in this Supplemental. I did not succeed, and was disappointed in many of the provisions that remained. However, we are working under the reality that, on the issue of Iraq, this Senate does not have a Democratic majority. From the outset, we are a minority of 49, given Senator Lieberman’s position on the war. This reality dictates our conduct. On the one hand, I find myself unable to vote against a measure that is necessary to fund our troops who are now in harm’s way. On the other, I will not relent from my continuing efforts to bring this occupation to an end."

The Senator does make a good point. The Democratic Party is actually in the minority in the Senate because Senator Joe Lieberman is just a Democrat in name only. But, the Senator still should have voted ‘No’.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: House Minority Leader John Boehner has a breakdown on the House floor. If you don’t want to see a grown man cry, don’t click on the link.

- Election Central: Senator McCain takes a break from the campaign trail to show up at this day job.

- Political Wire: In the CBS News/New York Times poll, 72% of the Americans people believe the country is on the wrong track.

- MyDD: Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton vote "No" on the Iraq supplemental bill.

- Sportbale: This man was truly a fanatic of the Oakland Raiders. Its one thing to be a diehard fan of a team, but this deranged person took it to a whole new level.

The Horror, The Horror.

It is becoming a sad reply. President Bush plays the fear card and Democrats running scared. During this morning press conference, President Bush basically told reporters if you don’t support me and my policies your kids will die.

Asked by MSNBC's David Gregory why anyone should view him as credible on the war, Bush gave an answer that included this about the terrorists:

"They are a threat to your children, David."

And in response to The New York Times's Jim Rutenberg, who asked why Bin Laden is still at large, Bush gave an answer that included this about terrorism:

"It's a danger to your children, Jim."

President Bush has no creditability left. The Iraq war lead by President Bush and supported by Republican in Congress, along with weak-kneed Democrats, has been disastrous. It is time to start bringing our troops home.

But, what do the Democrats do?

Democrats said they did not relish the prospect of leaving Washington for a Memorial Day break — the second recess since the financing fight began — and leaving themselves vulnerable to White House attacks that they were again on vacation while the troops were wanting. That criticism seemed more politically threatening to them than the anger Democrats knew they would draw from the left by bowing to Mr. Bush.

Oh wait, it gets worst.

“The problem is that we have to provide money for the troops, and if we don’t, the Democrats will be blamed,” added Rep. James P. Moran, D-Va., a war opponent. “Bush has the bully pulpit, so he will define who is responsible.”

Oh my goodness, lets not stand up for the American people and the troops because the formidable Republicans and President Bush will attacks us. Pathetic. What the Democrats in Congress fail to understand is that people hate Bush and hate the Iraq war. Every single time the President Bush open is mouth his poll ratings decrease. They are going to attack the Democratic Party no matter what Iraq funding bill becomes law. Any Democrat who thinks that voting for this bill will save themselves criticism and being called “weak on defense" or "soft on terrorism" or accuse of "not supporting the troops" is delusional. The GOP only has fear left.

In 2006, the American people voted for change and Congressional Democrats just fail to give it to them.

Quote of the Day

Former Sen. John Edwards:

"Congress should send the president the same bill he vetoed again and again until he realizes he has no choice but to start bringing our troops home,"

I just made the same exact point the other day.

Illinois House Approves Teen Driving Bill

Chicago Tribue:

Without a single dissenting vote, the Illinois House on Wednesday sent to the governor one of the nation's toughest sets of teen driving restrictions -- including a tripling of the duration of the learner's permit phase -- in a package experts say should reduce the heartbreaking No. 1 killer of teens.

"This bill is about the safety of 16-year-old drivers everywhere in the state of Illinois," said Rep. John D'Amico (D-Chicago), the House sponsor. He added that the bill "has been long overdue. I think ... we're going to see a lot of states throughout our country duplicate what we've done." [..]

It also would double the length of time for passenger limits on 16- and 17-year-old drivers and extend night driving restrictions on them. Parents would be required to attend certain traffic court hearings with their teen driver. Currently, there are about 300,000 Illinois teens whom the law could affect.

What do you think is this legislation to relax, strict or not needed?

IL-14: Rep. Hastert may call it Quits

Rep. Dennis Hastert will decide soon if he going to retire.

Hastert, 65, is considering retiring, said chief of staff Mike Stokke. "I think that is a possibility," Stokke said.

Stokke said Hastert "believes he needs to let people know by the next recess," referring to a congressional break in August.

According to Wurfwhile, his former Democratic opponent in 2006 John Laesch will make another run. Are we going to have a rematch?

My guess would be no. Illinois 14th Congressional District mostly like would be an open seat in 2008, the Republican incumbent Hastert will not run and Democrats are already lining up to make a run at the seat. It’s going to be a contested Democratic primary, John Laesch would not go in as the early favored or with a big campaign war chest. It’s still early, but as of right now I would vote for State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia in the Democratic primary.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: The Minutemen group and its leadership are having internal problems over financial accountability and their ‘Minuteman Border Fence’.

- Think Progess: The Bush White House is not even trying to find competent people to fill important positions anymore.

- The Carpetbagger Report: House Conservatives continue to make fool out of themselves. During hour-long memorial for the late Rev. Jerry Falwell on the floor of the House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Eric Cantor called Falwell a ‘true patriot’. If Jerry Falwell is called a patriot then the word lose all meaning.

- The Carpetbagger Report: As always, the Bush White House is full of it.

- Crooks and Liars: Keith Olbermann scathing rips into the Democratic Party over compromise on the war supplemental. Trust me, they deserve it.

And yet when faced with the prospect of someone calling you on your stubbornness–your stubbornness which has cost 3,431 Americans their lives and thousands more their limbs–you, Mr. Bush, imply that if the Democrats don't give you the money and give it to you entirely on your terms, the troops in Iraq will be stranded, or forced to serve longer, or have to throw bullets at the enemy with their bare hands. How transcendentally, how historically, pathetic.

The Democratic leadership has, in sum, claimed a compromise with the Administration, in which the only things truly compromised are the trust of the voters, the ethics of the Democrats, and the lives of our brave, and doomed, friends, and family, in Iraq.

You, the men and women elected with the simplest of directions - Stop The War - have traded your strength, your bargaining position, and the uniform support of those who elected you… for a handful of magic beans.

Mitt Romney vs. Massachusetts

Mitt Romney is shameless.

So shameless that he is my second favorite Republican running for President, my first favorite is still Newt Gingrich. The ex-Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is turning on this state to appease the Conservative base which hates all things Massachusetts and liberal.

The attack ad is typical GOP rhetoric. It hits on all the issue which gets Conservatives all warm and fuzzy inside. But, what makes it so brazen is that Mitt Romney during this failed 1994 Senate campaign versus Senator Ted Kennedy ran as a Massachusetts liberal. Now running for Republican nomination for President, Mitt Romney decides that he is a true-blue Conservative and all of this past liberal position can be explained away for this political gain.

It might just work. Republicans love shameless politicians.

Pay-to-Play

It is time for Illinois Senate President Emil Jones to let the will of the Congress proceed. The House pass has pay-to-play bill with a 116-0 vote.

The proposed legislation would prohibit any individual or business with more than $25,000 in state contracts from contributing to the officeholder who awarded those contracts. Bidders also would have to disclose how much they had given to the officeholder awarding the contract in the previous two years. The contribution ban would be in effect for two years past the completion of the contract, or for the length of the officeholder's term.

More than 35 state Senators have singed on as co-sponsors to the pay-to-play bill, which is enough votes to send the bill to Governor Rod Blagojevich for this signature. Lets us not be naive, this bill will not end the practice of pay-to-play politics between elected officials and state contractors. But, it is a good and necessary first step. Democratic Senate President Emil Jones should not use the Rules Committee to kill off this bill.

The bill is assigned to the Rules Committee in the Senate, which is the committee where many good bills go to die. The decision on whether the bill gets considered rests with Jones. Often when Jones assigns a bill to the Rules Committee, that means it will never receive a hearing in the Senate.

There are only a few reasons Jones wouldn't allow the bill to be called. One may be that he's sure the bill would pass, and he doesn't want to put his ally, Blagojevich, in the uncomfortable position of having to decide whether to sign it. Blagojevich has indicated little zeal for ending the practice of pay to play.

Obviously, the Governor Blagojevich does not want to see his prolific funding raising capabilities come to an end.

"The one person who has an interest in bottling this 'pay-to-play' legislation up is the governor, because this would be unilateral disarmament for the governor's fundraising operation," said the chief House sponsor, Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago).

I never was shy to criticize Governor Blagojevich over the years. Blagojevich has been very progressive governor, but not on the issue of corruption. Governor Blagojevich is under investigation and Federal prosecutors just subpoenaed his campaign records. I’m willing to give the Governor the benefit of doubt, but now it is not the time for Blagojevich and Jones to playing games over the pay-to-play bill. Let the bill come up for a vote in the Senate and send it to the Governor’s desk.

Quote of the Day

Al Gore responds to White House press secretary Tony Snow criticism of this new book, The Assault on Reason.

Unlike the President’s State of the Union address, this book was actually fact checked.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Sirotablog: Will someone please step up and run against Democratic Rep. James Moran in the 2008 primary. I’m all for unity, but this fool has to go.

- Daily Kos: The good people of Kentucky had a primary for Governor yesterday. The Democrats choose the progressive candidate Steve Beshear over DLC shill Brian Lundsford. On the Republican side, they had a choice between a corrupted Gov. Fletcher versus Conservative Anne Northup. In a choice between two conservatives, the Kentucky GOP picked the corrupted Governor.

- Political Wire: All signs are pointing towards Fred Thompson candidacy. I’m still on the Newt Gingrich bandwagon, but a Gingrich/Thompson ticket does sound good.

- Political Insider: Arizona Republican State Rep. Russell Pearce calls for Senator John McCain’s resignation, “We need a senator...I think if McCain wants to be a full-time candidate and not be at the Senate, he ought to consider resigning”.

- Sportable: If you ever wanted to know who are the top ten video athletes of all time, here is your chance.

Toothless Benchmarks

Senator Russ Feingold:

“Under the President’s Iraq policies, our military has been over-burdened, our national security has been jeopardized, and thousands of Americans have been killed or injured. Despite these realities, and the support of a majority of Americans for ending the President’s open-ended mission in Iraq, congressional leaders now propose a supplemental appropriations bill that does nothing to end this disastrous war. I cannot support a bill that contains nothing more than toothless benchmarks and that allows the President to continue what may be the greatest foreign policy blunder in our nation’s history. There has been a lot of tough talk from members of Congress about wanting to end this war, but it looks like the desire for political comfort won out over real action. Congress should have stood strong, acknowledged the will of the American people, and insisted on a bill requiring a real change of course in Iraq.”

Indeed Senator.

The Democratic Party should not give President Bush failed Iraq policies another blank check. The House and Senate should have kept on sending President Bush the same Iraq bill funding bill with withdrawal timelines and daring him to veto yet again funding for our military. President Bush would be denying our troops vital funding. The American people want a chance in policy and if this bill passes, the Democratic Party would have failed to give it to them.

Sigh.

Newt Gingrich for President

I’m dead serious.

I fully support disgrace former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich campaign for the Republican nomination. He is the prefect Republican to carry the GOP banner in 2008. Newt Gingrich is in the mainstream of this party on the Iraq war, economic and social policies. He also has two fundamental qualities of Republicanism, no shame and no limit of hypocrisy.

I expect Newt Gingrich and his massive ego are going to bless the Republican Party with his entry in the Presidential primary and if God is willing he is going to win the nomination.

McCain vs. Romney

Republican Mitt ‘Pretty’ Romney responds to Senator John McCain unhinged attack against him.

I have respect for Sen. McCain, and I guess it just shows that even when he's wrong, he's amusing.

It’s early, but the Republican primary is going to get ugly. McCain has already shown that he is thin-skinned, foolish and unbalanced on the campaign trail. The Republican Senator has stop showing up to work in the Senate and is lagged behind in the money chase. It is gotten so bad for McCain that flip flopping Mitt Romney just called him amusing.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Election Central: Holy Joe Lieberman continues to play of role of the boy who cried wolf.

- Digby: Is George Bush the first lady of the American theatre?

- MyDD: The Simpson rips the Fox News Network. Check out the clips from the 400th episode.

- Think Progress: ABC’s Diane Sawyer makes a fool of herself. Proving once again that Al Gore is right, this time about the media lack substance.

- The Fan House: Is Kenny Mayne of ESPN campaigning for Senator Obama?

Quote of the Day

Senator John ‘08 McCain:

"Maybe Mitt should get out his small varmint gun and chase those Guatemalans off his yard."

Spending the better part of the last six years running for President is really getting to the old man. How long can Senator McCain keep this up?

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Oliver Willis: Why is the Washington Post publishing love letters?

- Talking Points Memo: 3 more reasons to vote for the Democratic Presidential candidate in 2008: Stevens, Souter and Ginsburg.

- Crooks and Lairs: Real Time with Bill Maher wraps up the GOP debate in 45 seconds.

- The Carpet Bagger Report: Another consequences of President Bush failed Iraq policy, al Qaeda is getting stronger with cash coming out of Iraq.

- The Fan House: Seriously, what’s wrong with people?

Photo of the Day

(Photo via Chicago Tribune)

I miss it. I was sitting down with family outside at my little cousin First Communion party when Derrek Lee hit a grand slam versus the White Sox . Oh well, maybe Lee can hit another one today to lead the Cubs in a sweep against the Sox.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: Quick-tempered Republican John ’08 McCain cusses like a sailor.

- Think Progress: Corrupted Republican Rep. John Doolittle blames Democrats in the Republican lead Justice Department for a raid by the FBI on his home. These people are shameless.

- Sirotablog: If making 162,100 a year is modest, then sign me up.

- Talking Points Memo: As always, Republican Newt Gingrich is full of it.

- The Fan House: Life is good if you’re Tony Romo.

Photo of the Day

(Photo via Chicago Sun-Times)

Go Cubs!

Quote of the Day

Liz Oxhorn, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

“Sen. McCain has spent considerable time defending the president on Iraq and catering to the Republican base on immigration, but has only managed to show up for four of the last 14 Iraq votes and parachute into [yesterday’s] immigration press conference at the last minute. Who is the real John McCain?”

For one thing, it is clear John ’08 McCain does not want to be a Senator anymore. The good people of Arizona deserver someone who is actually going to show up and do this job.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- The Carpetbagger Report: You can add another Republican to the list of people who James Dobson of Focus on the Family is not voting for, this time it’s Rudy Giuliani.

- Political Wire: Life is good when you are Rudy Giuliani third wife. I wonder if she gets full dental.

- Digby: Republican Tom Feeney is a made man in the Bush Crime Family.

- MyDD: Republican Mitt ‘Pretty’ Romney might just win the Republican nomination for President by default.

- Deadspin: What’s wrong with people?

There's Always Next Year

It’s always disappointing after a loss, but this somehow feels different. There are a lot of what ifs to be asked. The main one is what if the Chicago Bulls did not lose that 19 point lead in the third game. It would have been a totally different series. I’m not disappointed about the season, just about how this series ended with the Detroit Pistons. The Bulls dug themselves in an insurmountable hole and had to play perfect basketball versus a veteran team. But, like we say in Chicago there's is always next year. A new season with hope and this team has the parts to make multiple runs for a title in the following years. There are just a one post player or superstar away from being a compete team. If the bouncing balls of the lottery fall the right way and the Bulls land one of the top two picks in the draft they could add that post player or superstar without giving up any parts of the core.

Now, I’m only left with my beloved Chicago Cubs. So far it has been a disappointing year. The freaking bullpen is killing us. It seems they find a new way how to lose a game just to piss me off. It’s going to be a long year in Cubdom.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: Republican White House officials declares pay raise for troops unnecessary. They also declare having an exit plan, political leadership, and proper equipment for the troops also unnecessary.

- The Carpetbagger Report: As always, Republican Rudy Giuliani is full of it.

- Election Central: Candidate John McCain is all for President Bush Iraq policies, but Senator McCain does not even bother to show up to vote anymore in support of those policies.

- Crooks and Liars: Chris Matthews makes Republican Rep. Kingston look even more foolish on the issue of Iraq.

- The Fan House: Does the Illinois House of Representatives have anything else better to do? I do understand the popularity of Ultimate Fighting Championship events. People love to see two grown men beating each other close to death, but I’m just not a fan of it. I rather see the skills of a boxing match than a backstreet brawl.

Is there a Doctor in the House?

Democratic Senator Richard Durbin is up for reelection in 2008. Illinois Republicans and NRSC really hoped to make a run at Senator Durbin, but all early indications are pointing towards Democrats holding on to the seat. NRSC will put up a challenger against Durbin but, most of their efforts would be playing defense with a multiple Senate Republican facing tough reelection campaigns. The Illinois Republican coming off of 3 terrible election cycles in state wide races hoped to land a rich white guy self funded candidate, but wealthy businessman Steve Greenberg has opted out of the race.

The Republican are left with Anthony Robert Martin-Trigona who is described as a crackpot and Jim Rowe who looks too young to be running for dog catcher to challenge Durbin. But, hope is not lost. The Illinois Republicans are turning to a Doctor to bring them out of their coma.

A Republican suburban physician said Monday he’ll challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, calling him “too liberal” and a “divisive force.”

Dr. Steven Sauerberg filed his federal paperwork last week to start what looks to be an uphill climb against Durbin, who is seeking a third term next year in a state where Republicans have won only one statewide election this decade.

“My feeling is that Durbin just isn’t a good representa-tive in the state of Illinois,” said Sauerberg, 54, of Wil-lowbrook. “I think he’s a divisive force.”

Sauerberg also said he took issue with Durbin’s staunch support of abortion rights, but declined to offer specifics on his own position, calling it “complicated.”

It’s early, but the good doctor really needs to come up with a better answer to the women rights question than it’s complicated. Dr. Steve Sauerberg is just going to be another cookie-cutter candidate repeating played old taking points about how scary and liberal Democrats are. At this moment I don’t see any creditable challengers for Durbin. A sitting Congressman would be their best shot at Durbin, but Illinois GOP will have their handful holding on to their Congressional seats. So, no Congressmen are going to step up to challenge Durbin. But, at least the Illinois GOP is not dragging out Alan Keyes for another run.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Food Stamp Challenge: Can a member of Congress live off 21 dollars a week, 3 dollars a day and 1 dollar per meal? Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) is going to try.

- Think Progress: The Republican Party is pro-torture. This is the same Party that lectures liberals on how morally superior they are, these people are shameless.

- Think Progress: Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) continues to be the most ridiculous member of Congress.

- Digby: Last night debate make it clear, the Republican Party is really only about the codpiece.

- Windy City Gridiron: The most exciting player in football is moving to offense. If you don’t believe me, just check out Devin Hester highlight reel.

History in the Making?

(Photo via Chicago Sun-Times)

A certain team from a certain city just won game five to bring the series back to the United Center. Dare I dream the impossible dream?

Illinois 14th Congressional District

I might not have the opportunity to vote against disgraces former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert in 2008. Relatively low campaign war chest is fueling speculation of possible retirement. With the possibility of an open seat, State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia is forming exploratory committee. It’s early, but I think Democrat Chapa LaVia would make a strong candidate for several reasons. She already has a political base within the 14th Congressional District. Without the power of incumbency, the Republican candidates can not deliver on the promise pork projects to the area as Republican Dennis Hastert did. If elected Chapa LaVia would be in the majority in House and would be more capable to deliver to the district rather than a Republican in the minority.

The Illinois Republican party is weak and heading into 2008 Elections Republican name brand might be even weaker. The 14th Congressional Republican primary will get nasty as several candidates such as multiple times failed candidate Jim Oberweis and wing nut Chris Lauzen eyeing a run. Illinois Democratic ticket might have top draw if Seantor Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination for President. Along with Senator Durbin at the top of the ticket there is a strong possibility Illinois Democrats winning seats off the coattails of Senator Obama.

This is all idle speculation. Dennis Hastert has not decided to retire yet and Democrat Chapa LaVia will not run against Hastert. But, if I was Dennis Hastert retirement to K Street look much better than facing a rough re-election campaign to only to be back in the minority as a discredited Congressman.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- The Nation: Hagelberg '08! Seriously, do we really need a third party ticket with a social liberal turned Republican and a Conservative Republican turned anti-war critic? Would in it be much simpler to vote for the Democratic Presidential candidates in ’08?

- Tapped: On second thought, 41 cents to send a letter to California from New York within a few days is not bad deal.

- Think Progress: Compassionate conservatism at it best.

- Daily Kos: Fox News Channel highlights the horrors of Black American exercising constitutional right to vote.

- Crooks and Liars: Lois Griffin for Mayor!

If Bush Won't Listen, Congress Must

Major General (ret.) Paul D. Eaton

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- The Carpetbagger Report: Republican John ’08 McCain continues to make a fool of himself.

- Liberal Oasis: Senator Straight Talk does not believe in democracy in Iraq. John McCain should have really skipped his Meet the Press appearance on Sunday.

- CW Arkansas: One of my guilty pleasures is watching Law & Order re-runs. If Republican Fred Thompson enters the Presidential race, NBC might have to pull Law & Order re-runs off the air. But, this might be a good thing. The only shows they would have to pull are the newer ones with the terrible D.A. Arthur Branch played by Republican Senator Thompson. I’m all for Thompson Presidential run if this would lead NBC to show more old-school re-runs of Law & Order.

- Think Progress: Despite consent smears by the media, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi approval rating remained unchanged. I fully expect the Right to continue their smear tactics. Its what they do best.

- Foulballs: The Tank rolls out fresh out of the County Jail.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- The Plank: Apparently, Republican Mitt Romney is very pretty.

- Think Progress: What is it with Republicans and prostitutes? If Republican Rep. Ken Calvert was pretty like Mitt Romney he would not have this problem.

- Orcinus: Lou Dobbs of CNN is a racist prick.

- New York Times: Only God-fearing Republicans need apply.

- The Fan House: Life is good when you're Reggie Bush.

Quote of the Day

Vice President Dick Cheney passes the blame of the high casualty rate in Iraq to the Decider-in-Chief.

Obviously, the President bears the major part of the burden. He's the man with the authority to commit the force.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Talking Points Memo: Republican Rudy Giuliani only hangs out with Ballers.

- Washington Monthly: Basically, Alberto Gonzales told the House Democrats to go Cheney themselves.

- Oliver Wills: Six reason why Bill O'Reilly is probably crazy. Oliver stopped at six reasons, he could have gone to 100 or so if he had the time.

- Think Progress: Republican Minority Leader John Boehner can’t count.

- The Fan House: Wow, this guy really, really into strip clubs.

Tale of Two Halves

(Photo via Chicago Tribune)

If the game ending at half time the Chicago Bulls would have won the game by 16 points. But, the game continued and the Bulls lost by seven points. Now, they are down 3 games to nothing to Detroit. Luckily, for me game 4 is played on Sunday afternoon and I have Mother Day plans with my family. So, I’m going to miss watching the Bulls getting swept. As we say in Chicago ...

There’s Always Next Year.

Trouble Sleeping

Does Chicago Bulls general manger John Paxson have trouble sleeping?

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: Did 11 Republican members of Congress give President Bush a Nixon moment? I doubt it.

- The Carpet Bagger Report: Rudy Giuliani: I’m finally going to admit it that yes indeed I’m a pro-choice Republican.

- Political Insider: Republican John ‘08 McCain basically stop showing up for this day job as a Senator.

- Atrios: A Rush Limbaugh wannabe calls for all Muslim immigrants to be equipped with GPS monitors in order to be under surveillance at all times. What ever happen to Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

- The Fan House: Michael Vick does not tip and Fighting Illin very own Dee Brown is out of the hospital after this collision with this Utah Jazz teammate.

Latin America & The Catholic Church

I ran across this interesting article in the Washington Post yesterday, detailing Pope Benedict XVI first trip as the Pope to Latin America. Nearly half world Roman Catholics live in Latin America countries. The heart and soul of the Catholic Church rest in Latin American, but this region is also seeing people leaving the Church in waves.

Latin America is still predominantly Catholic, but not like it used to be. In Brazil, for example, as evangelical Pentecostalism has spread, the country's population has gone from being 89 percent Catholic in 1980 to about 64 percent today, according to a survey released this week by the Brazilian polling firm DataFolha.

Similar shifts are happening throughout the region, from Mexico to Chile.

As a Latin-American Catholic, I have also seen the people leave the Church for several reasons such as priest sandal, the lack of outreach or simply lost of faith. I have an evangelical friend who invites me to her Church all the time. It’s a big mega Church with a lot of driven people preaching the word of God. I attend Sunday Mass and a few events such as play during Easter about Jesus Christ and a New Year Eve celebration. It was a drastic change from what I was used too as a Catholic; a big choir singing upbeat music, a preacher who jumps up and down with excitement while he gives this sermon. My friend always seems to point out the Hispanic people or former Catholics who have join her Church, but I keep on telling her I’m going to stay a Catholic. I can understand why people are drawn to evangelical churches. They are using modern methods to preach God’s word while the Catholic Church seems stuck in the past.

Catholics have since taken some cues from the evangelicals, giving rise to the charismatic movement that is particularly popular in Brazil. Bishops who once denounced the idea of up-tempo Masses now support them, and traditionally conservative Catholic churches have altered their Masses to give them a more contemporary flavor. Some Catholic Masses are delivered in large, warehouse-style buildings filled to capacity with dancing crowds singing boisterous gospel music.

"For me, the more charismatic, the better," said Walter Duarte, 36, a carpenter who attended Mass last Sunday at one of the more traditional Catholic churches in Sao Paulo. "I myself am an example of someone who was drawn to the church by the charismatic movement. I was attracted by the music."

The Catholic Church must adapt to the change times. As a child, my parents baptize me, made me attend Sunday mass and enrolled me in religious classes. My Catholicism was ingrained in me. It has now become part of me, but for some people this is not the case. There is nothing holding them to the Church. I do have problems with some American evangelicals Churches who preach politics rather than God word, but they do a good job in outreach and keeping their members active within the Church. The Catholic Church must follow evangelicals lead and become more modern in its outreach in order to survive.

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Think Progress: France long national nightmare is finally over.

- Talking Points Memo: Republican Tom DeLay fully supports the ‘No Snitching’ campaign.

- The Carpet Bagger Report: Cheney: this time the game is really, really on!

- CNN: Poll: 57 percent support a war funding bill with a withdrawal timetable. Somehow this is terrible news for Democrats.

- Daily Kos: Who is more delusional Senator Lieberman or Senator Chambliss?

Protect America, Not George Bush

General Batiste

Top Five

A quick rundown of the posts I have read during my travels around the series of tubes.

- Washington Monthly: Republican Fred Thompson played the yokels for fools.

- Think Progress: Why would Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Peyton Manning, Colin Powell and Henry Kissinger hang out together?

- Think Progress: Republican Congressman quotes the Grand Wizards of the Ku Klux Klan on the House floor in support of escalation of the Iraq war.

- Political Wire: Rudy Giuliani really, really wish this political career started on 9/11, this past once again is causing him trouble.

- The Fan House: I did not know Mario Lopez of Save by the Bell was a boxer.

Beat Down

(Photo via the Chicago Sun-Times)

Well, it did get worst. The Chicago Bulls once again got a beat down by the Detroit Pistons. The game was over by the first quarter. Once the Piston took a 15 point lead, the Bulls seem incapable of making a come back. They continued to miss open shots and free throws while turning the ball over countless number of times. Are the Pistons really that good or the Bulls really that bad?

Photo of the Day

(Photo via Oliver Willis)

Who am I to argue with Jessica Biel?

Laughing

Sigh.

Ok, the Chicago Bulls got a beat down. It was so bad that these two fools were laughing. The Bull are a good enough team to beat Pistons, but they are not good enough to play sloppy and miss open jumpers and still win a game. In order for the Bulls to win this series they have to play good solid game for all four quarters.

I expect the Bulls are going to bring there A game Monday night. Heck, they can get any worst.

No Rematch

I woke up this morning and turned on the TV and started to watch SportsCenter. Right off the bat it put me in a bad mood. The ESPN boxing commentator and I watched a totally different fight. I’m not the biggest or most knowledgeable boxing fan out there, but I do know a good fight when I see one. The ESPN boxing commentator was trying to make a point of if you are a boxing fan or in the Los Vegas audience you seen a good fight, because you can argue who won the fight on both sides. Floyd Mayweather Jr won in a split decision, which only left this camp satisfied. This fight did not live up all of the hype and Floyd Mayweather Jr trash talking.

Right after the fight, Floyd Mayweather Jr trainer said we kick Oscar De La Hoya ass. Wrong, you dance around Oscar De La Hoya and played only defense to win the fight in a decision. Not once in the fight did Floyd Mayweather Jr tired to go for the knock out. It was his camp strategy to play it safe, dance around and out last Oscar De La Hoya. Floyd Mayweather Jr did not display any passion.

There is no point of a rematch. If these two men do fight again it is just going to be another reply of this fight. Floyd Mayweather Jr is going to be satisfied winning in another decision and getting a big pay check while Oscar De La Hoya is swing wildly trying to catch a faster boxer who is not willing to go toe to toe with him.

Picture of the Day

With one signature President Bush prolong the Iraq War.

Sport Analogies

I’m as a big sports fan as the next guy, but one thing I won’t do is compare a game to the war effort.

Imagine my beloved St. Louis Cardinals are playing the much despised Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals are are up by five, finishing the top of the ninth. Is this a cause for celebration? Is this a cause for victory? No. Unbelievable as it may seem, the Cubbies score five runs in the bottom of the ninth to throw the games into extra innings. There the score remains until 1:00 AM, five innings later. However, at the top of the 15th, the Cardinals fail to field a batter. The entire team has left the stadium. It seems that they are more worried about next day’s 1:00 PM game at home than finishing the game at hand. Who wins?

If we follow the logic of Illinois Republican Congressman John Shimkus then he just called my beloved Chicago Cubs terrorist.

Congressman, you and your Cardinals can go 'Cheney' yourselves !

Quote of the Day

The National Review’s Thomas Sowell:

When I see the worsening degeneracy in our politicians, our media, our educators, and our intelligentsia, I can’t help wondering if the day may yet come when the only thing that can save this country is a military coup.

This is the latest example of an unhinged conservative.

Censoring Military Blogs

The Bush White House never ending quest to silence anyone who does not repeat their Republican taking points reaches a new level.

The U.S. Army has ordered soldiers to stop posting to blogs or sending personal e-mail messages, without first clearing the content with a superior officer, Wired News has learned. The directive, issued April 19, is the sharpest restriction on troops' online activities since the start of the Iraq war. And it could mean the end of military blogs, observers say.

Military officials have been wrestling for years with how to handle troops who publish blogs. Officers have weighed the need for wartime discretion against the opportunities for the public to personally connect with some of the most effective advocates for the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq -- the troops themselves. The secret-keepers have generally won the argument, and the once-permissive atmosphere has slowly grown more tightly regulated. Soldier-bloggers have dropped offline as a result.

The new rules (.pdf) obtained by Wired News require a commander be consulted before every blog update.

Even emails to family members and friends have to be cleared by a superior officer; this is extreme level of censorship. The U.S. Army are turning military commanders on the ground to editors. The men and women of the military should have the right to express their war experience on a blog without having them cleared by superior officers. This effort by the Pentagon is going to lead to the end of military bloggers. I expect most of the bloggers will rather stop posting than having their blogs reviewed by their commanders.

The very people who are fighting for our freedoms, just lost part of theirs.

Top10 ESPN Commercials

Sportable has the top ten ESPN Commercials, check it out.

My favorite was number eight on the list.



It makes me laugh every time.

Photo of the Day

(Photo via Oliver Willis)

Who am I to argue with Halle Berry?