Gonzales Quits (Finally)

Alberto Gonzales steps down in what would normally be a slow news week.  And Sen. Larry Craig (R, Idaho) steps out.  Or has a wide stance. 

Yup, Bush is really developing momentum heading into back-to-school, back-to-Congress, back-to-the-wall season.

Comments

[narciso]

My only complaint with Alberto was he was to soft with the critics; in Congress in
the ABA, et al. The President needed someone familar with the varioussurveilance,
& interrogation programs we were using to keep up safe. Goldsmith & Comey; yeah going after Martha Stewart really showed the Department's priorities,) they really think terrorists deserve there day in Court. The
German saboteurs wish they had got such a sweet gig.
As to the particulars of the March 10,2004
meeting (why is that date, important; maybe because of what happened at the Atocha station in Madrid, justs hours later) The program needed to be reauthorized, and their
wasn't time to lose.
I would've told them
"you're not entitled to any explanation"
with the TSP/Data mining programs. Not from you, Arlen, 'Scottish Law' doesn't apply here, nor do superduper presidents. Joe, go back to copying Law books. We don't think the FBI and CIA are the real enemy, like you did in 1978. and that was 1978; FleetWood Mac was on the charts back them. leisure suits were cool, the USSR was still around, and Osama was looking to join the Family Business, Let's get real people.b Pat we don't need any more terrorist knowing our secrets, as you provided after the Achille Lauro. Don't ask me about that, I won't ask how you came up the DHS projects funding formula. About the US Attorneys we can fire them at any time. Yglesias, he didn't do immigration cases, none, he had no corruptions prosecutions unit. An election or two back, the State's electoral votes, hung by a tie; and you're telling me that he shouldn't investigate elections fraud. McKay, they stole that Governor's election last time, and you didn't even blink. On the Southern California attorneys, how bad does it have to be when even Diane Feinstein gets on your case, or were you wrong Diane"

[kim]

Kmiec had a nice article about the Ashcroft hospital visit.
================

[Nick Kasoff - The Thug Report]

They've beat the tar out of Gonzales. In some ways, perhaps deserved. The problem is, whether it is deserved or not, it continues to drive down the quality of discourse in Washington.

Nick Kasoff
The Thug Report

[Sue]

They got Gonzales, but it doesn't really matter.

An article about a cartoon that the WaPo refused to run because it might offend Muslims is more upsetting to me than Gonzales writing a memo on torture, or supporting wiretapping without a warrant or being a so-so AG.

While no one is paying attention, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294779,00.html>Muslims are winning.

[SunnyDay]

I guess he did't want to play with the vipers any more.

[RichatUF]

Seems the DNC and their SA must be getting worried. They did a pretty good job with Foley-they said they had a list (something like 30 names) and Craig was on it. Its sort of early for them to be starting on the list now because they won't have much leverage left in a couple months.

I'm agnostic on Gonzales. Bush ought to nominate Ken Starr (or at least throw the name out there just for the reaction)

[BarbaraS]

Richatuf

I doubt that Ken Starr would be interested. He probably had his fill of bash and smash dem tactics during his time as SC. But it would be nice to see them gnash their teeth at the idea. Really, I wonder why anyone would want the job. All it is is an invitation to have your reputation destroyed. Besides the dems won't approve of anyone the least bit conservative. They think they have W on the ropes and that they can have their way at last. He just needs to make an interim appointment and be done with it.

[RichatUF]

BarbaraS-

Really, I wonder why anyone would want the job. All it is is an invitation to have your reputation destroyed.

Isn't this point-destroy reputations and careers so that well qualified people don't seek high office or refuse when offered.

[centralcal]

BarbaraS: Regarding your comment, "He just needs to make an interim appointment and be done with it." I thought you might be interested in this from The Politico's Mike Allen:

"Senate Majority Leader Reid was prepared to keep the Senate in technical session this month to prevent recess appointments. But he made a deal with the White House (in exchange for agreeing to hold votes on certain nominees) that Bush will not use that power. Bush has an insurance policy if the Senate gives him confirmation trouble: The acting A.G., beginning Sept. 17, Solicitor General Paul Clement (pronounced cluh-MENT -- clerked for Justice Scalia), can serve 210 days. If there is a pending nominee, the 210-day clock is reset when the nominee is announced. The clock is reset again if the nomination is withdrawn or fails."

Sounds like Bush agreed to no recess appointments, but could still basically keep Clement in the post until a new Administration is in place.

[Jack is Back!]

I'd do like JFK and give the job to Jeb. He's a lawyer but never really practiced. I even doubt he is a member of the bar. But he is Catholic and he is a friend of the Hispanic community and he knows how to run a bureau like Justice. And I would do it know, while Congress is in recess. This will take all the pressure off NSA, FISA, US Attys, Iraq and Immigration. Everyone including Bush will be talking about this obvious cronyism/nepotism, etc. Why it will drive Pinch and crowd out of the Hamptons and back to the city.

[bio mom]

?Bush's back to the wall? I fail to understand the media (and you apparently) constantly talking about Bush, Bush, Bush. Just what is he supposedly destroyed over? Has he lost the power of the presidency to veto and to make commander-in-chief decisions? Is he now running for reelection? Will this tank his poll numbers and cause him to lose the NY Times popularity contest? What big new legislation efforts would he be making this late in his presidency anyway? I doubt he will lose on the Iraq issue and counter-terrorism efforts. These type of Bush-related comments, constantly thrown in to every article or news report about just about anything lately seem childish to me.

People leave administrations regularly, especially as they near their end.

[bio mom]

?Bush's back to the wall? I fail to understand the media (and you apparently) constantly talking about Bush, Bush, Bush. Just what is he supposedly destroyed over? Has he lost the power of the presidency to veto and to make commander-in-chief decisions? Is he now running for reelection? Will this tank his poll numbers and cause him to lose the NY Times popularity contest? What big new legislation efforts would he be making this late in his presidency anyway? I doubt he will lose on the Iraq issue and counter-terrorism efforts. These type of Bush-related comments, constantly thrown in to every article or news report about just about anything lately seem childish to me.

People leave administrations regularly, especially as they near their end.

[kim]

Good pick-up centralcal, and Clement instead of Morford is a big clue. Comey was on Schumer's short list just a few months ago. I don't think Bush's back is to the wall on this at all. If there was wrongdoing at the Justice Department, it'll get taken care of like you would like.
===============================

[RichatUF]

going OT for a minute-

Bad news for the Edwards campaign

Maybe they could spin it as the Destruction of the Other America

[Topsecretk9]

Seems the DNC and their SA must be getting worried. They did a pretty good job with Foley-they said they had a list (something like 30 names) and Craig was on it. Its sort of early for them to be starting on the list now because they won't have much leverage left in a couple months.

that's if you assume they leaked this - which is what it's designed to look like - but the timing is clearly off. Something is afoot.

[BarbaraS]

Richatuf

Yes, that's the point. The dems are banking on competent people not wanting to serve a republican president. That is an excellent way to weaken an administration by having incompetent people on board. The dems, you understand, are bursting at the seams with incompetent people. They have nothing to offer but a quest for power and they can't actually come out and run on that. I have always said the dems accuse the republicans of the crimes they would themselves commit if in the same situation and indeed have already committed. And you understand the only enemies of the dems are the republicans because the republicans are the only ones who can prevent the dems from attaining power. Any other faction is an ally to them.

[RichatUF]

tsk9-

Something is afoot.

A pun? Kidding-it was predictible that if a list exists whomever has it would eventually lose control of it. The Craig story was circulating about a week after the Foley story hit the wires, Oct 06. So the democrats want to go after gay liberal republicans because they want to puff up a filibuster proof majority with ideological purity for the new-and-improved Clinton II regime. Something is indeed afoot if they are going into the gay bag-of-tricks

[Topsecretk9]

Rich

I don't for one second think this came from the Dems - or I should say it was in the Dems' bag-o-tricks for sure, timing is all off --- but when you have the press corp scratching their heads because they know Rove and Gonzales news came straight from the Administration designed for maximum fanfare - Fishy...Monday?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0807/5533.html

and the Press scratching their heads on the Craig late-week"tip"

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003632075

I believe this is called disarming your enemies for when their shoes drop.

[Enlightened]

Hmmmm. Maybe just a distraction to cover-up the Kennedy/Wyatt Oil scam. Or maybe a distration from Hillary!'s camp to cover-up her campaign corruption and connections (still) to China.

And PS: Why has Madame Speaker been so quiet of late?

[hoosierhoops]

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Police were called to Owen Wilson's home because of an attempted suicide report, according to a police log of weekend calls.

This story really saddens me...
Owen has money, fame and everything you could possibly want out of life. He has a great personality and is truely funnier than heck. He's the kindof guy everybody would love to go out with and have a beer and enjoy his company. It would seem that breaking up with Kate over memorial day weekend really hurt him deeply.
A guy on top of the world hurting deep inside. We can't relate to his situation but we can wish him well in his recovery..
I hope he finds someone that fills that hole in his life..He has everything but a good woman in his life.
Good luck Owen!

[Uncle Bigbad]

Top9 & Rich

Don't forget that Larry Flynt says he has a list of 20 Republicans on Madame Palfrey's phone list, which he says he intends to release at a time of maximum impact (think October Surprise 2008).

I think someone on our side should try and find out who those Republicans are and preempt Flynt NOW, so those who need to be replaced in the primaries can be.

Maybe we could all write our congressmen and ask them to WAKE UP to the coming danger.

[Topsecretk9]

Posted by: Enlightened | August 28, 2007 at 04:31 PM

I don't even think that - I think this is all GOP strateegery. They took out all Dem's ammo and targets - Dems had Craig ready to dump on Sept. 10th and not while they are vacation.

And by setting up Rove and then Gonzo's departures to hit on Monday new cycles - BIG HOOPLA?? Yeah, the Administration wanted both to be high profile - ingrained in peoples head they are gone - let's face it, Rove and Gonzo are the Dems only scapegoats when the S*&^ hits the fan.

[Enlightened]

TS9 - What about ArchNemesisEvilofAllThatIsEvilCheney.

He is behind the curtain as we speak.

[Rick Ballard]

Tops,

Renzi announced his retirement last week. Doolittle (another target) will be gone before long. I believe the "30 targets" list was also whittled down substantially in '06.

You're on to something re "clearing the decks".

My other pet theory is that the attacks on Gonzales were linked to innoculation against indictments against Dems arising from investigations that have been going on for quite some time. If I'm right, October may be a very pleasant month.

[Topsecretk9]

My other pet theory is that the attacks on Gonzales were linked to innoculation against indictments against Dems arising from investigations that have been going on for quite some time. If I'm right, October may be a very pleasant month.

Excatly - and clearly Gonzo realized this as he had done nothing wrong - my bet is they had decided early on he would leave, but stay a while, take a beating and let the Dems set him to be the new face of evil and leave on his own just before the Sh*&ola hit the fan - I mean come on, the Dems are now holding up John Ashcroft as a saint!

Ditto Rove - and if there are indictments coming down the pike a LOT harder to cry political with Rove and Gonzo out of the picture.

I also think the press has largely ignored the Wyatt trial and I think that looks to ripe with lots of interesting revelations. - Ted Kennedy, anyone? etc.

[Enlightened]

Hmmm, well looking at the GOP as possibly steering the hit on Craig - could be. Could be all open borders GOP'ers better not have anything in their closets.

I swear Michelle Malkin and her ilk are foaming at the mouth over this bullshit "bathroom" lewdness. And it is plain to see the "open border" stance of Craig is very bothersome to the rightrooters. Curious.

PS: Whoever thought "Rightroots" as a offset to "Netroots"? What kind of maroon opened that door?

[RichatUF]

The Craig story could have been shopped by the MaCain, Gullinai, or Brownback campaigns. Sen. Craig was on the Rommey Campaign (chair or co-chair of the Idaho campaign)

I'm pretty sure the DC madam list will be culled over fully by Christmas so I'm not too worried about Flynt has his "list".

So the indictment s**t storm that gets some Dems and Rove and Gonzales will be back in Texas having a beer (with Hit & Run-IQTT). I'd like to hope so, but come on, Ted Kennedy could collaborate with the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War and still get re-elected over and over again.

[Sue]

Top,

I don't think anyone made a conscious decision to stick around and be the whipping boy. Gonzales was fighting for his job, IMO, and lost the fight. I also don't think the Bush DoJ is going to go after anyone for leaking or anything else. There will be no sh*t hitting the fan in October, unless there are more Republicans coming out of the closet or being indicted for criminal behavior. Maybe that is Bush's legacy to us...cleaning out the republicans that bring shame to the party...

[RichatUF]

TSK9-

...also think the press has largely ignored the Wyatt trial and I think that looks to ripe with lots of interesting revelations...

Sacra bleu-the media would ignore relevations of UN corruption and in Wyatt's case outright treason regarding Iraq. The deciders have the narrative-if too many details of the OFF Program leak out to the plebes, they might find people will conclude that ending the OFF Program by itself was worth the Iraq War.

[Sue]

And it is plain to see the "open border" stance of Craig is very bothersome to the rightrooters.

I am bothered by anyone whose stance is "open border". Does that make me a rightrooter?

[Ralph L]

We should all thank Mary Jo for giving her life for her country, but why couldn't she have grabbed whatever part of him was handy and held on?

[Enlightened]

The rightrooters trying to eviscerate Larry Craig based on entrapment via footsie is pathetic. The bigger story is they want him out because he is for open borders. My suggestion is put another candidate against him that is not for open borders and does not have restless foot syndrome.

And now we have the lovely gay rights activist Chris Matthews calling Craig a sexual deviant for tapping his foot in a suggestive manner. I then counter that Chris Matthews is a sexual deviant because he foams at the mouth in a lewd manner.

Unfrikkin believable that this crap even got into the news cycle.

[Barney Frank]

--I am bothered by anyone whose stance is "open border".--

Somehow this phrase in conjunction with the Larry Craig episode paints a pretty darn revolting picture in my mind.
Thanks a lot guys.

[Clarice]

CREW's in it, too.See Newsbusters which reveals that in an AP story reporting CREW filed an ethics complaint against Craig, it didn't identify who they are. And then, it's clear he was arrested based on "profiling" which we know we can't do with jihadis:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZTMwNjE0MmRiZmY1MDAzMWEzMWM1NmRkNDk4N2VlMzM=>Tough toots that Craig wasn't merely wandering around crying Allahu Akbar with a scimitar in his teeth

[maryerose]

Barney Frank:
LOL,so far the best comment of the day.

[DubiousD]

How about Rick Santorum for Attorney General?

[Terry Gain]

?Bush's back to the wall? I fail to understand the media (and you apparently) constantly talking about Bush, Bush, Bush. Just what is he supposedly destroyed over?

I'm with you biomom. Bush is winning in Iraq and by November 2008 that issue will dominate all others.

[maryerose]

Craig Morford would be agood choice. he's from my neighborhood in Ohio. I also like Ted Olsen.

[RichatUF]

Wow-I just flipped over to the Chris Matthews show:

"Exposed naked as a 'sexual deviant'...this cultural warrior exposed as a hypocrite"

blah, blah, blah...changed the channel about 3 minutes into it. Chris Matthews-doing the work that Karl Rove couldn't do.

[Sara]

RE: Craig. Republican sanctimony again. Sheesh! This is 2007, not 1687 and the reign of the puritanical fathers.

Interesting comment at CQ:

Posted by retire05 | August 28, 2007 5:45 PM

Why has no one caught the error in the arresting officer's report? Am I the only one?

The officer wrote that Craig entered the stall to the left of the officer. After the foot dance, he states that Craig put his hand under the wall between the two stalls and that he noticed Craig had a gold ring on his ring finger. Do the exercise. What hand would you use to signal to someone on your right (as Craig was in the stall to the left of the officer)? It would be your right hand. Even the report states that Craig had a ring on the ring finger of his left hand. If Craig has used his left hand, as in the report, he would have had to cross his body with his arm and stretched to put his left hand under the stall wall. There is no mention of Craig doing that.

Now either Craig was in a twisted position or he had turned to face the back of the stall.

This was a bad bust. There was no reason to arrest Craig as he did not solicit the officer. It is a he said/he said situation and one that would have been quickly dismissed in court. It could also be considered entrapment if the judge was liberal enough.

[RichatUF]

damn it

[Sara]

off

[RichatUF]

Mac's mind was pointing out the "fishy" nature of the bust over on his blog. Its over though-Craig should resign and if he can withdrawl the guilty plea fight it out. Maybe this is message sending for some wobbly US Congresspersons regarding the CREW agenda?

[Jane]

Here is the police report -

http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/craig_report.pdf

[Terrye]

Yeah well some people seem to think that anyone who does not support placing land mines at the border and turning it into a free fire zone is an open border fanatic. A tad subjective there. I know that when I told someone I actually supported some facets of the immigration reform bill he told me I was an open border anarchist.

These guys like for us mushy middle people to show up at the polls every other year and vote for their candidates, but they don't want us to forget our place and actually have opinions. Seen but not heard.

It does not sound to me like anyone set Craig up, he just did something stupid. If, however, the rightrooters would actually set up an event like that just to ruin someone they did not agree with politically, well that does not say anything good about them.

I feel sorry Gonzales, he apparently made the mistake of wasting his time on some silly bothersome Justice Department business instead of spending his time pandering, sucking up to people, learning how to cover his ass and in general play the game.

It always amazes how people say they hate the Washington types, wish they could get some real people in there and yet when they do get a semi regular human being in one of these jobs and the politicos turn him into road kill....his own party often as not helps bury him.

[Terrye]

And what has Bush got to do with Craig anyway? As far as being ruined by Gonzales, if the Clinton administration could survive Waco then nothing Gonzales did should even register as a serious problem for Bush. A drag maybe because right wing bloggers and pundits and Democrats just could not stop yammering about the man.

The hardest thing will be replacing Gonzales because the Democrats control the Congress.

[RichatUF]

[VIMH: Don't do it, this is a family blog]

It would be sort of funny though.

[VIMH: Its a bad idea...don't...]

Lets give Carville some help with the bumbersticker contest:

"Republicans: The REAL co...."

"Hillary!™ 2008: Cleaning out the RNC's closet"

"Larry Craig: Against Clinton sex before his was for it"

[RichatUF]

Terrye-

It does not sound to me like anyone set Craig up, he just did something stupid. If, however, the rightrooters would actually set up an event like that just to ruin someone they did not agree with politically, well that does not say anything good about them.

Craig's name was circulating when the CREW-Foley Op gathered steam (the list). If I am reading all the reports right the incident in question happened a few months ago and the big splash story did a full body cavity search going back to his college days. However, the CREW op already had a lot of research on him. The "rightroots" are just adding more oxygen and gasoline to the incindary attack.

[Extraneus]

Are we on the Larry Craig thing here? I didn't read through all the Gonzales comments (because I think the attorney-firing "scandal" was only slightly less dumb than his inability to put the Democrats on the defensive over it in about two or three sentences), but is anyone suspicious of the timing of this Craig article?

I am, after first reading Big Source of [Hillary] Clinton's Cash
Is an Unlikely Address, and then, in the same day, How Did News Outlets Miss Senator's Arrest for Nearly Three Months?

During the Clinton years, there always seemed to be a spectacular news-hogging story when something inconvenient about Bill came out. (The JetBlue grounding was a good example.) Is this Clinton War-Room v2.0?

[Extraneus]

Ah, I see Enlightened was on the point about the Hillary Chinese-deja-vu-connection already. Well I'm on board. :-)

[RichatUF]

Extraneus-

The Clinton's taking illegal campaign contributions-we already know they are crooks and liars-Hillary!™ seems to be a bit more sloppy than Bill.

Also I don't recall this story: ...when something inconvenient about Bill came out. The JetBlue grounding was a good example...

[Terrye]

I am aware that the incident took place a couple of months ago, I do not know why it was not a bigger deal back then...but the whole thing is just pathetic.

BTW, Gonzales did not deserve the treatment he got from the right. Malkin was every bit as nasty as Shumer ever thought about being on this and a lot of other things.

I have to admit, she is so full of malice I can not even watch her or listen to her.

It is no wonder more and more people identify as neither Republican or Democrat. I have no link available, but I read a few months ago that the largest group in the country was supposed to be moderates at about 47% with Conservatives and then Liberals behind them.

I think the reason for that is the partisans in both parties have become so obnoxious no one wants to be like them.

[Extraneus]

Maybe it wasn't JetBlue, and I can't find it at the moment, so it probably wasn't, but I distinctly remember how convenient it was that the FAA grounded one of that tier of airlines one day when other news would have been much less convenient for Bubba.

I'll keep trying to find it.

[Extraneus]

I think it was ValueJet, not JetBlue.

[RichatUF]

Yes;

ValuJet was grounded on June 16 1996 after the crash of Flight 592 on May 11 1996.

News of the Chinese influence peddling operation of Clinton/Gore 96 Campaign began to hit the press in June and July 96 [I'm thinking the coffee's and the Lincoln Bedroom

[Extraneus]

Yes, that was it. I remember being impressed with their ability to hold it until just the right time. Kinda like this Craig thing, if you believe the reporter's story that he got a tip last week.

[Topsecretk9]

Sue, I challenge you to a duel! Seriously, though I don't not think Gonzo was fighting to save his job - I'm sure that the writing was on the wall early on that the Dems wanted his head, I think the starteeegery was to stay long enough to illustrate how full of crap they are with all their nonsensical hearings and bow out on his watch - that is not to say you aren't right - we just see things differently ::wink:: Also, I do think the NSA leak is on - I see no reason why the FBI would raid a former DOJ lawyers home this late in the game if it were not.

----

Ok - this is pretty funny - out doing some errands, listening to AP radio news -- they present the Craig story and then say there are a few disappointed Idahoans (is it that or Idahoians?) -- let's listen to what one had to say --long pregnant pause --"I guess it's disappointing - not real clear on hi record but I thinks he's been good for Idaho" -- announcer comes on "but still there a few who sympathize with the Senator" - "I can't speak for all in Idaho, but I certainly feel bad for him and think most in Idaho are sympathetic and it will ultimately be forgotten because of all the really good things he's done for Idaho"

Paraphrasing of course, but the "disappointed" Idaho person didn't really quite capture what AP was angling for - is that the best they could find?

[Topsecretk9]

CREW's in it, too.

Why haven't they been investigated by the IRS for abusing their non-profit status, yet?

[Sara]

Tucker Smacks CREW’s Sloan Around (VIDEO)

[Topsecretk9]

Sara- thank you, thank you, thank you...Melanie Sloane a Miss Teen USA candidate? Such as..an such as in south uh, uh, umm..such as, south africans should be against gays, I mean I am, I mean I'm not but, we should be against gays, I mean against the law, no I mean against gays....HEHEHEEEEE. Brilliant. When Tucker laughs in her face at the end? priceless...

[Terrye]

Maybe they feel sorry for Craig because there is something about being nabbed in a sting style operation that makes people feel sorry for a guy. After all if the cop had not been there......

[HoosierHoops]

Maybe they feel sorry for Craig because there is something about being nabbed in a sting style operation that makes people feel sorry for a guy. After all if the cop had not been there......

I'm not so sure people feel sorry for people caught in a sting op. Drug deals, prostitution, whatever..It's a time tested method of catching bad guys...
This is such a strange story..Waving hands under the stalls, toe tapping..blocking the stall door..
I have never heard of such a thing..
But it's so bad in the minn. airport they need bathroom police?
A simple " If your foot crosses that line again..I'll break it" should do in a public bathroom.

[kim]

Tracinski on Dems and the Nam.
=============================

[Sue]

Sue, I challenge you to a duel!

I don't think so, Top. You would win, hands down.

I just don't see Gonzales dragging his name through the mud for a plot. He doesn't seem the type. And I don't think the DoJ is going to go after democrats. Call me cynical. ::grin::

[Sue]

I have to admit, she is so full of malice I can not even watch her or listen to her.

For someone who can't watch or listen to her you sure know alot about her malice.

[Jane]

So I hopped over to Protein Wisdom and followed the link to a story about the Minneapolis police doing bad stuff to some guy on a bicycle. Then I went back and looked at the police report in the Craig story, and the complicit police supervisor in the bike case is the arresting officer in the Craig case.

It was one of those things that make you go hmmmmmmmmm...

[kim]

The New York Times dissembles again about the poor and this economy. Apparently they didn't read Back Talk.
================

[Pofarmer]

Michelle Malkin comes across as a Puritan Pricess, and a lot of her commenters are from the same vein. Most people are realists. We know people aren't perfect. Hell, my last state Senator cheated on his wife and got divorced, but I'd have voted for him agian, if he hadn't been term limited out. This ain't Puritan America, folks. And Michelle and company turn more people off than what the "perps" may or may not have actually done.

[Jane]

I too find Malkin a little too strident for my taste.

[Sue]

I agree with Malkin on some things and disagree on others. Just as I agree with Bush on some things and disagree on others.

And Michelle and company turn more people off than what the "perps" may or may not have actually done.

A sad statement, if true. I didn't realize she had that much influence.

[Sue]

http://www.letfreedomringblog.com/2007/08/28/thomas-more-law-center-agrees-to-represent-haditha-marine/>Thomas Law Center to represent Haditha Marines against Murtha. Woohoo!

[hoosierhoops]

Jane:
concerning that bike case in Minne:
I read his story also..I have to agree with one bloggers comments:
"The second worst thing a person can do when told by the police to get on their knees is to argue with them, the worst then they can do is get on their bike and try to get away. Buddy, you passed the moron test and got what you deserved, you do this in any city to a cop and your going to find yourself in the same spot."

[Jane]

Did you find it interesting that the same cop was involved as in the Craig case?

[hoosierhoops]

Jane: not only that..But he is a police supervisor..and he's working the stalls in the Minn.airport bathrooms?
A supervisor on potty patrol? Wierd..

[Enlightened]

I have to say, I am totally with Macranger on this one. I am appalled at the vitriol Malkin and Hewitt and some others have used to denigrate Craig.

I'm getting closer amd closer to falling off the GOP bandwagon when you get alleged "puritans" and "christians" flaming their fellow man and then calling the lefties the party of hate. The hypocrisy is astounding.

I don't condone what Craig did, but it is obvious he was entrapped. And it is becoming even more obvious that the arresting officer embellished. It would be quite interesting to see how many other "bathroom cruisers" were arrested for foot tapping.

[Jane]

AS I said before, I wish the right could work up the same amount of Zeal for porkbusters as they do for pervs.

[kim]

Pennywit, on the 'I was just kidding' thread at Wizbang has the best putdown yet of Martin Lewis of the Pace Putsch.
======================================

[RichatUF]

kim-

The New York Times dissembles again about the poor and this economy. Apparently they didn't read Back Talk.

shorter NYT op-ed: A Great Society Program for the Other America

grafs:

...the economic expansion that started in 2001...

I'm pretty sure the expansion didn't begin until Q2 2002 because of that unpleasant business in NYC in September.

...the new data on incomes and poverty mesh consistently with the pattern of the last five years, in which the spoils of the nation’s economic growth have flowed almost exclusively to the wealthy and the extremely wealthy...

If the median is smaller today than it was 5 years ago, wouldn't that mean that the delta was to the right of where it is today, such that, there were more upper income people 5 years ago.

A new Clinton slogan: Clinton 2008: For your 401K and the Other Other America

I'm surprised they didn't include the homelessness crisis, affordibility crisis, et al...wealth doesn't trickle down

the solution-

What are needed are policies to help spread benefits broadly — be it more progressive taxation, or policies to strengthen public education and increase access to affordable health care.

[cathyf]

Insty linked to a Slate discussion of Larry Craig's arrest. I have to agree that title of Best Line So Far goes to John Dickerson: "There's more inappropriate airport behavior in the security pat down line."

[Sue]

I don't care if Craig is gay or not gay. And I don't care if he is gay that he voted against issues that benefited gay/lesbians. His constituents are who he is representing. But, he plead guilty. How great would it have been had he called bs on the charges and exposed whatever "setup" it might have been? The he didn't is what I find weird.

[Enlightened]

"I contacted Mike Rogers via email after having read on his web site he was at that point outing staff members, which I am less comfortable as a gay person outing staff members than people like Sen. Craig who are actually voting on legislation negatively affecting gay people as they are themselves having gay sex"

Mike Rogers - again. And CREW. Same ole same ole. I am beginning to suspect that this was indeed a set-up.

And why are so many bloggers stating that Craig pled guilty to "Soliciting Sex" or "Lewd Conduct" - I thought he plead guilty to "Public Nuisance"????

[Rick Ballard]

Rich,

Do you think Mucky's declaration of a truce will save Maliki?

I've been thinking that the final phase of the surge would involve Maliki getting the boot with operations in Sadr City commencing shortly thereafter.

[Bill in AZ]

Bombs were landing too close to Mucky so he tossed out the white flag like he has done so many times in the past - not too keen on the 72 raisins, that one...

Re: Michelle and some other bloggers whose opinions and writings I generally respect...

Most conservatives take anything the media reports with a giant grain of salt, and in fact, most conservative bloggers frequently report the intentional bias of the media. Yet, occasionally, some of these same bloggers must actually believe the nonsense of the MSM in order to take the position they are taking. Michelle was particularly sucked in on the Katrina reporting and was totally wrong on that entire episode. I wrote her once from the perspective of someone who performs volunteer search and rescue operations and knew some folks on scene, and was told I didn't know what I was talking about.

Fortunately, that is NOT a trait I have noticed from our own host here...

[Clarice]

Hudna, Rick-- Sadr's just playing for time to regroup.
I agree on the Craig non-crime. I think Verifrank's last graphs are way too harsh in part because he forgets the false charges against Craig months before, but as to the "crime", he's right on.
http://varifrank.com/archives/2007/08/in_defense_of_l.php

Malkin often turns me off, too. Once again--including our mutual love of HIT Jane and I are in synch.

[Rick Ballard]

Clarice,

Yeah, it's a hudna - but I think that Sadr knows that his Maliki umbrella is no good anymore.

I've never noticed that Malkin was a favorite around here so I'm curious as to the reaction against her. It's not as if she has changed stripes.

From a straight political power perspective, it's better that Craig get out now (as Renzi just did) than see this garbage in October of '08 when it might have cost the seat. If Burns had gotten out at this point in '06, the Reps would still have the MT seat - and the Senate.

I doubt that there is a single person on the "List of Thirty" whose absence would be noticed for more than a moment. It ain't like pols aren't fungible.

[HoosierHoops]

Note to self:
Never use iPod in bathroom stalls whilst flying through Minn.
May tap foot to that good old rock & Roll.

[RichatUF]

Mucky's declaration of a truce

It sounds more like a hunda. Three issues: A. Is the Madhi Army's position defensible in central Iraq without the violence of different factions? B. Could this be a move to solidify control of the British sector? C. Is this an opporunity for Maliki to prove his worth as PM and prevent elements from sacking him?

A. I would need to look more closely at the order of battle and recent patterns of attack; however, if the Sadrist loyalists are the best armed and organized anti-coalition group remaining in the Baghdad belts it would be difficult to maintain the fear and acquiescence necessary for them to maintain command of the ground. The population can see that their neighbors are getting water, electricty, a decent nights sleep, and Americans. Siding with the Sadrists has brought poverty, car bombs, death, and Persians. Faith only goes so far and economics takes care of the rest.

B. In keeping with the hunda tradition this could be an opportunity for the Sadrist to preserve what they have remaining [trained cadre, money, goodwill, weapons] and move to southern Iraq where the British are having much greater problems than is being reported. This would give a much better base to build a Hez'bollah type force in southern Iraq with Sadr playing the role of Nasrallah and much more command and control to launch fewer but more spectacular operations into Baghdad.

C. I am agnostic on Maliki-talk about having one of the worst jobs in the world. I am of the view that he hasn't done anything bad enough that would warrant the US weakening him enough so that he would have to be 'replaced'. I remember a few weeks back on this board and others some commentors were looking at articles that pointed to a wedge between Gen. Petraeus and PM Maliki, which were sourced to Sadrist factions in the Dawa Party. I believed that this was most likely an Iranian disinformation operation and not a real wedge (that democrats jumped on it so quickly is a good indicator). Maliki for all his faults understands that his and his family's well-being is tied to Gen. Petraeus and the success of ongoing operations. Undercutting Gen. Petraeus and the Americans would only bring in more Persian masters: Maliki's choice is to serve with Americans or be ruled under Persians-a tough choice for an Arab to make.

[Pofarmer]

I wrote her once from the perspective of someone who performs volunteer search and rescue operations and knew some folks on scene, and was told I didn't know what I was talking about.

One of Malkins weaknesses seems to be that once she gets on a meme she sticks to it and won't give it up, even in the face of pretty straightforward facts. Her Katrina coverage is what turned me off. Haven't been back much since. Still catch quotes from her around, though. To be fair, I suppose, there were an awful lot of people who were wrong on Katrina. The Nat Gaurd called it "The most successful search and rescue operation in our history." I tend to agree with their assessment. Of course, all that searching and rescueing wouldn't have been neccessary had Blanco and Nagin had their frickin heads screwed on straight.

[Extraneus]

How can he possibly get out now? The offense he copped to is trivial, legally, and he claims he's even innocent of that. Not to mention he also claims he's not even gay. (Of course, he could be parsing, and be bi.)

"Even though... I'm resigning my Senate seat because I've become a distraction"?

I imagine that's just what'll happen, but I think Republicans ought to take a page out of the Democrat playbook on this kind of stuff and circle the wagons. Their squeamishness, and demonstrated willingness to eat their own, has given rise to a fun parlor game for Democrats, who have a never-ending supply of imperfect targets they can sight. Instead of clamoring for an ethics investigation of one of their own members -- who hasn't been accused of any political crimes (like bribery?), or even anything significant legally -- the Republicans could go on offense, for example by noting the hypocricy of the left in terms of their intolerance regarding gays, burnishing their own record in the process. Of course, I'm sure they won't. Instead, they'll imagine Michelle Malkin talks for the electorate, like they did with Foley, who had a perfect opportunity to squash the Democrats by bucking up and counter-attacking.

[Pofarmer]

Not to mention Rich, that sacking Makiki sets a terrible precedent. If the rule of law is going to apply, and that includes the constitution, it has to apply to everybody equally, including us at this point. Sacking the Prime Minister of Iraq just won't do, nor will agitating for it.

[Sara]

A must read:

The Big Picture

This is a very long post with tons of links, but every single person who votes should read it.

[Rick Ballard]

Thanks, Rich. I think of Maliki's removal as a prerequisite for the realignment that will bring Sunni expats back. I know that if I were in their shoes I wouldn't come back with him in office and I don't see how Iraq can truly function without the Sunni professional class.

I don't think the the US is necessarily pushing for his removal, I just think that the new coalition is going to generate a new leader.

September is going to be a very interesting month.

[Sara]

For those who keep track of Soros funding:

Soros-linked group slapped with huge fine...

The Federal Election Commission has fined one of the biggest liberal political action committees $775,000 for using unregulated cash to boost Democratic candidates during the 2004 elections.

America Coming Together (ACT) raised $137 million for its get-out-the-vote effort in 17 states in the 2004 elections, but the FEC found most of that cash came through contributions that violated federal limits or were otherwise barred by campaign rules.

The group’s big donors included George Soros and the Service Employees International Union.

The settlement, which the FEC approved unanimously, is the third-largest enforcement penalty in the commission’s 33-year history.

[Clarice]

Jane, sounds to me like this cop is overplaying his hand. The bike story is preposterous.

[hit and run]

Clarice:
Jane, sounds to me like this cop is overplaying his hand.

"Overplaying his hand" woulda been good advice for Craig, of course.

[Clarice]

Rick, Capt Ed is very optimistic about the effects of this Sadr move:
"The final straw appears to have been a fight in Karbala that left 52 dead during a Shi'ite pilgrimage. Authorities had prepared for attacks by Sunni terrorists, but instead the big clash came from the Shi'ites, instigated from Sadr's goon squads. The reference to safeguarding its "ideological image" undoubtedly comes from the mind-bogglingly stupid decision to attack the Badr factions during a pilgrimage in one of Shi'a Islam's most holy cities -- exactly the kind of dumb political thinking that has become emblematic of Sadr himself.

A six-month vacation from Sadr will be exactly what the Iraqi government needs to keep the momentum towards reform. Sadr would have been a major stumbling block to the new agreements announced on Sunday, but his political position has eroded badly since the start of the surge. His flight to Iran undermined his credibility, and Maliki's survival without Sadr's ministers called Sadr's bluff.

So far, the signs look good for stability and progress in Iraq. If the situation continues to improve, the six month break will likely turn into a permanent end to the Mahdis and their influence on Iraq."

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/012305.php

[RichatUF]

Pofarmer-

Good point.

Rick-

I just think that the new coalition is going to generate a new leader.

Maybe in a year or two but I would be really shocked if a new coalition came to the fore in a couple weeks that pushed Maliki aside (it possible that he could get a minister position in the new government to grease the skids). An interesting point on the Sunni "brain drain" and the neccessary middle class.

Sara-

That article was a good read.

[Clarice]

*thwack* HIT. Craig must be a contortionist if he sat to the right of the cop and yet ran his left hand under the divider.

[Sara]

Wow! Fox just announced that Richard Jewell, the falsely accused Olympic Park bomber has passed away. He was only 40.

[Lesley]

Instapundit links to an article by Gay Patriot (re Craig) entitled "For the love of God, shut up."

Amen brother, amen.

There is a certain amount of creepiness we will tolerate in our politicians but the American public will not tolerate a politician's creepiness when multiplied by the power of ick. Craig's performance yesterday created an ick surge.