Speaking Truth To, From, Or About Power

Questions are raised.

And while on a Power Breakfast, let me take a moment to deplore Jim Geraghty's quip about the recent problems within the Obama circle:

Random observation from Jim: You realize the two advisers who have gotten Obama in trouble are named "Austan" and "Power". If there's another adviser named "Danger" on the campaign, they might as well let him go, too.

C'mon, I pick up immediately on that verboten middle-name reference!  This subtle but unmistakably racist, Islaomophobic reference to Barak "He Who Must Not Be Middle-Named Obama's unmentionable bit is, although droll, beyond the acceptable boundaries of something or other.  Civilized campaign quippery, I suppose, if not responsible journalism.

Anyway, someone ought to demand an apology, a retraction, and some general self-abasement and re-education for Mr. Geraghty.  Shocking.  And John Sidney McCain's supporters should never do this.

Comments

[capitano]

Ed Morrisey has the goods on another high level adviser breaking with Obama:

In a new interview with National Journal magazine, an intelligence adviser to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign broke with his candidate’s position opposing retroactive legal protection for telecommunications companies being sued for cooperating with a dubious U.S. government domestic surveillance program. ***** “I do believe strongly that [telecoms] should be granted that immunity,” former CIA official John Brennan told National Journal reporter Shane Harris in the interview. “They were told to [cooperate] by the appropriate authorities that were operating in a legal context.”

******

Brennan isn’t just some guy who did a couple of years at Langley and then wrote a book. He headed the National Counterterrorism Center, which coordinated efforts between the CIA, FBI, and other law-enforcement and intel agencies.

*******

Obama’s own policy adviser describes Obama’s position as one that lacks understanding and/or ignorant, as well as “knee-jerk”. It also points up another aspect of Obama on telecom immunity: for a man who claims he will forge bipartisan solutions, Obama seems determined to sabotage this bipartisan effort led by the man who endorses him as “brilliant”, Jay Rockefeller.

[kim]

This is a brave new world. There are demonstrable benefits from waterboarding and telecom datamining. What to do? What to do?

The answer is easy for some people. Demagogue it.
======================================

[clarice]

It's only a matter of time until all this fame goes to Hit's head and he abandons us for the neon lights..*sigh*

[kim]

He needs more commenters, but that format stinks.
===============================

[Jane]

Capitano,

The icing on Capt ed's remarks were posted yesterday by Don Surber quoting Mike Slanker, the NRSC Political Director:

The Democrats in charge of Congress have taken paybacks to a whole new level. First, it was the elimination of the secret ballot for union organizing; now it’s allowing the trial lawyers to rewrite our national security laws.

As hard as it is to believe, lawyers and law firms who have donated $63.5 million to the Democrats this election cycle, are now holding up critical national security legislation. Trial lawyers have decided that the men and women who help protect our country from attack have to stand down until trial lawyers get paid off.

The most corrupt Congress in history, bar none.

[clarice]

I think what surprised me most about the War in Iraq is the mendacity and corruption of the Dems. Outright lying about why we went to war and how and why they backed that; unending efforts to interfere with national security; dealing with out enemies in ways that undermine the nation--I cannot ever forget this behavior and though for many years I crossed party lines and voted for whomever I considered the best candidate under all the circumstances, I cannot picture myself ever voting D in a national election again.

I could say the same thing about the mainstream media.

[hit and run]

Clarice:
It's only a matter of time until all this fame goes to Hit's head and he abandons us for the neon lights..*sigh*

Nonsense!

It'll be the crazy blog money.

[clarice]

HEH--Why not do a tale of oppression--Hit--a decent family man with two darling children and a sweet, long suffering wife who can't stop blogging (a modern "Red Shoes" type thing.) We'll get you on Oprah; Dr Phil can try an intervention (if he's not jailed for the Britney shtick) and you'll be on your way.

[Porchlight]

The phrase "speaking truth to power" grates on my nerves almost as much as "social justice."

Although I suppose they are useful for identifying idiots (which is anyone who uses them seriously).

[Jane]

Clarice,

I still think it is all backlash from the Clinton impeachment. The Dems think they earned the WH in 2000 and it would have been a no-brainer if Clinton hadn't been impeached. Then you add the 2000 election. Since then it has been "win at any cost" (and a convenient by-product"let's get rich in the process"). Remember the Schumer/Durbin/Emmanual coalition in 2004?

Current events have never entered the equation. Nor has the good of the country, except they honestly believe a dem in the WH is the good of the country.

[clarice]

You may well be right, Jane, but if so they have allowed their fantasies to get the better of common sense.

[Other Tom]

Just remember, Hit: There's a broken heart for every light on Broadway. (God, I love that one!)

[maryrose]

oBAMA CLEANING hIL'S CLOCK IN wYOMING WITH 35% IN HE'S UP BY 15 POINTS.

[Ranger]

So, once again, Obama wins big in a small red state he has no chance of carrying in the general. I think Hil spins this to her advantage with the superdelegates.

[Porchlight]

I agree, Ranger.

[capitano]

Ranger - that and the subtext of the caucus wins: Obama wins when participants have to announce their vote in public, not so much when there is a secret ballot.

Jane - I think you are on to something with the "paybacks" analysis causing leadership to abandon any pretense of principle for the sake of winning. Similarly, Beldar has an interesting post on the reflexive anti-Americanism of the Democrat leadership.

It's part of the same dynamic -- if putting the contingent fees of the plaintiffs' bar ahead of national security or if dumping on the U.S. works to energize the crazies then so be it.

I can't believe either of these strategies will play in the heartland come November.

[ben]

"I think Hil spins this to her advantage with the superdelegates."

I think she spins it but Obama spins it as more delegates and more states and more popular votes....so probably a wash...

[MikeS]

My first recollection of a Dem speaking truth to power, is Roger Altman's RTC testimony.
In the Whitewater hearing he pretended that he didn't understand the meaning of certain words in the English language.

In spite of that and all the lies told since, I am still surprised that they (Dems) blatantly participate in the propaganda war against the U.S.

[Jane]

I can't believe either of these strategies will play in the heartland come November.

I think it depends on how articulate McCain is, and if the subject matter is national security or handing out things.

And I don't think all democrats hate America. I think most democrats would be shocked if they drilled down into what is going on. But I don't have any hope that they will.

[sbw]

Jane: if the subject matter is national security or handing out things.

Not handing out things was the stunning implication of George McGovern's WSJ column on March 7th. In an instant he changed from the historic darling of the left wing of the Democratic Party to stake out territory on the uninhabited right wing of the Democratic Party.

McGovern concludes, "The nature of freedom of choice is that some people will misuse their responsibility and hurt themselves in the process. We should do our best to educate them, but without diminishing choice for everyone else."

I could vote for that.

[MikeS]

I can't believe either of these strategies will play

I think McCain should run on the theme of patriotism, but without using the word. He can claim that though he has been working for change in the U.S. for 2 decades, he doesn't want to throw out the baby with the bath water.

On each issue he should launch into a riff about the great things the U.S. has done. Then bring up a historic incident when the country faced a challenge.

On Iraq for example, McCain should bring up that the Revolutionary War and the Civil War were both thought to be lost. Yet neither Washington or Lincoln gave up. Instead they doubled their efforts.

[capitano]

MikeS --

Have you seen the McCain ad Tom linked to in the previous post?

[sbw]

The key to Washington was perseverence. His will to persevere came from understanding what was important and why.

Americans can be proud that the ideas to which America subscribes are not simply American, but stand up to scrutiny independent of us.

We fought for civilization in World War II, earned freedom for millions, and did not establish an empire when we won.

Again, courage comes from mastering what is important and why.

[Jane]

Sbw,

Frankly I wondered if McGovern had a stroke or something - because that seemed so out of character with what he's been pushing over the years. I think all of his recent stuff has been about our foreign policy - he's been against the war since '72. So maybe he just hasn't gone anywhere else til now.

[clarice]

Jane, I just figured he was hacked.

[Other Tom]

If Obama gets ousted from the nomination, I think a huge portion of his supporters will see in McCain a very fine and honorable man with whom they have some honest disagreement on some issues. I think they will prefer him to Hillary.

Hard to see how the Dems win in November...

[Ranger]

The Clinton campaign has unleashed the big guns. I just got back from the store and while standing in the checkout line I saw this weeks cover of the National Enquirer. The main pannel: Obama's Secrets!

Sub-Headlines:

Friendship with Terrorists

His dealings with a shady Chicago businessman

Shouting matches with his wife over Other Women!

Now those aren't word for word, but they are pretty close. And if you think this doesn't matter, I strongly disagree. From my own experiences growing up, the National Enquirer is standard reading in a lot of working class households.

[hit and run]

Ranger:
Now those aren't word for word, but they are pretty close.

An enterprising blogger would run out, get a copy and scan it in for a post.

I am a sloth (per MichelleO), however. And I bought all the beer I needed for the weekend on my way home from work yesterday, so I ain't about to burn harmful fossil fuels to go get the magazine.

Too bad.

(nationalenquirer.com doesn't show any obama stories! dammit, what is a pajama-clad sloth supposed to do!??!!!? -- Lisa Marie is pregant, we find out, though, so all is not lost; oh and in Taranto, bottom stories of the day fashion, we find out that Jerry Seinfeld is not returning to tv)

[clarice]

That leaves an opening for us, Hit-yadayadayada,,,,,

[Ranger]

Sorry hit,

I didn't pick it up because I figured I already knew all the key points.

Friendship with Terrorits - Just figured that was the old Hyde Park Weather Undergrounders.

The second one is obviously Rezko.

The third one I figured was about the female campaign staffers who have been shooting holes in the hull of his campaign this week.

If I make it to the store tomorrow I will pick up a copy.

[MikeS]

capitano,
Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen it but I love it! I think McCain is most believable when in patriot mode.

[centralcal]

This morning, drinking my wake-up brew of java, Clarice penned her lyrics for Camp Town Races on one of TM's threads. Dang you, Clarice, I have been humming it all day! And, grinning like hell too!

Porchlight, I so agree with you about "speaking truth to power." Gag. Whose truth? Whose power?

Okay, I have been gardening all day (sorry for all you guys in cold climes, we don't have much of a Spring here. Goes from Winter to Summer in the blink of an eye.) and now have to catch up with all of the brilliant comments here on soooo many threads!

[hit and run]

centralcal:
Okay, I have been gardening all day (sorry for all you guys in cold climes, we don't have much of a Spring here. Goes from Winter to Summer in the blink of an eye.)

Why apologize? The visual is more than enough.

[centralcal]

Oh, it wasn't so much an apology as an expression of sympathy. I AM sorry for all of the folks who are still being deluged with wintry snow and ice!

Damned global warming! Just think, if there were no Algore, y'all might be seeing an early Spring!

[centralcal]

"He needs more commenters, but that format stinks."

Hey, hey! I am a commenter! Well, I was one time, but it keeps rejecting my password every time I've tried since! Instead, I just comment here at JOM cuz I know VIMH will see it eventually. grin.

[Other Tom]

"Speaking truth to power" has made me retch each and every time I've heard it, right from the first time. It (a) reeks of self-congratulation, (b) presumes that "power" speaks only falsehood, and (c) invests the speaker with some sort of "courage"--courage of the very easiest kind, I might add.

Whoever equated it with "social justice" was right on the money. I also recoil a bit from "intellectually dishonest" (which seems indistinguishable from plain old "dishonest," except that it is uttered by people who want us to think they are intellectual).

[Other Tom]

God damn it, all three phrases make me so mad I'm going right down and shake up a Martini! I'll show 'em!

[Ann]

"Why apologize? The visual is more than enough."

OK, it is a nice visual, but I am still snowed in with three kids, no husband, and no one to shovel the drive except for me. The kids helped for awhile, but it turned into a snowball fight and they turned the snow blower on ME. How's that for a visual!! ;)

[Porchlight]

Other Tom, that was me with the "social justice." I'll drink to the wretchedness of those three phrases, too. (My parents just sent me a case of Burgundy for my birthday next week so I am happy to drink to anything!)

Sorry about the snow, Ann. I know from ten years living in Minnesota that it looks more fun than it is, much of the time.

[Ann]

Over at Malkin, commenters are praising Judge Reggie B. Walton for putting the arrogant media finally in their place. How soon they forget! Someone should ask Mr. Libby how he feels.

Judge Reggie B. Walton

[Ann]

Porchlight,

May I be the first to say "Happy Birthday" and how brave I think you are for disclosing it.

I don't think I will ever tell JOM my B-Day. Someone might dredge up all the stupid comments I have made or remind me of my errors in spelling and punctuation. Sheesh, that would be one long thread. Tee Hee

[Ann]

Oh, good Gawd. I hope everyone took my last post the right way. I was only referring to my stupidity, not anybody else.

{VIMH}: I think they get in now, Ann.

[hit and run]

Other Tom:
all three phrases make me so mad I'm going right down and shake up a Martini! I'll show 'em!

Whilst I share your disdain for those phrases, I absolutely and unapologetically refuse to shake my beers over them.

::shakes fist::

I hope that sufficiently signifies my solidarity with your reaction.

[hit and run]

Ann:
no husband, and no one to shovel the drive except for me. The kids helped for awhile, but it turned into a snowball fight and they turned the snow blower on ME. How's that for a visual!! ;)

I hope you know that if you were within three hours of here, I would be in my car even now.

And sorry, I side with the kids turning the snowblower on you.

Maybe you wouldn't want me helping you afterall...fair enough!

[hit and run]

Ann:
May I be the first to say "Happy Birthday" and how brave I think you are for disclosing it.

I call second! Happy Birthday Porchlight!!!

[Porchlight]

Thanks, Ann and Hit! I usually don't celebrate my birthday too much, but the wine was an extra-special treat. It'll be nice to peruse future JOM threads of an evening with a decent glass instead of the cheap stuff I normally can afford...

[narciso]

Brennan is symptomatic of a wider problem in American intelligence. He was the unnamed
former briefer to Tenet, in Bob Baer's who ended up the Station Chief in Saudi Arabia, with no critical covert or language
experience. Logically, he was subsequently promoted to the first counter terror coordination center. Of course, he would end up in Obama's camp, as what steps to correct in the national security bureaucracy. Of course, Ron Paul's acolyte,
Michael Scheur, with the critical background
in obscure Canadian diplomats, not only
understands Bin Laden, he agrees with his goals and even rationalizes some of his methods. Other unnamed Company men ,seen in
Susskind's tale, actually think that Bush is the greatest ally of Bin Laden

[Jane]

Porchlight,

Happy B-day. Nothing is like a JOM b-day. I never celebrate mine much, so this one might have been a favorite. And case of burgandy sounds just about perfect.

[clarice]

Happy birthday,porchlight.

[Ann]

Hit,
"I hope you know that if you were within three hours of here, I would be in my car even now."

You are the best!! {VIMH}: Sweet dreams, Tonight!

"And sorry, I side with the kids turning the snowblower on you."

It was pretty funny. I think the dog even laughed!

[Ann]

Considering the Obama news coverage, I find it remarkable that Obama beat Hillary by 23% in Wyoming.

This is really delightful. (Can Republicans crossover and vote there?)

[Porchlight]

Thanks, y'all!

Damned if I didn't work all evening on a special dish for dinner and then end up oversalting it. That always happens when I reduce broth or stock for a long period of time. They always say to wait until the end to salt, in case your broth is salty, but did I listen? No! I may be getting older but I don't think I'm getting smarter.

[clarice]

Try sque4ezing a little lemon or lime juice into the dish and see if that helps.

[Jane]

Ann, I think most people are not paying attention, and will never pay attention. I had dinner tonite with friends, all of whom watch the news, are smart, pay attention and are clueless about everything we talk about here on a daily basis.

I spoke with a diehard Hillary voter. I asked her if she knew that Hillary really can't win unless she manipulates the Super delegates. Her response was; "Oh I know and I just hope she will be gracious about it."

First, she didn't know, I'm sure of that. But secondly, imagining that Hillary could be gracious about anything just really blew my mind.

Maybe it's us.

[Porchlight]

Good idea, Clarice - I have a lemon and can try that. I already rescued it somewhat by throwing in some pasta to soak up the salt (it was a dish of braised French lentils). It was edible tonight, but I hope will taste better tomorrow with the addition of the lemon.

Political insight AND culinary tips - yet another reason to love this place.

[Porchlight]

Jane, I think that's what gets me down the most - some of the smartest, most analytical people I know are absolutely clueless about politics. The thing is, they know they're smart in their chosen work - business, academia, whatever - so they *think* they're smart about politics, too. But in fact they're amazingly uninformed.

It would be different if I thought we were all equally well-informed, but we just happened to disagree. But that is not the case. Literally, the people I'm thinking of read only the New York Times and have no idea that there is a whole other universe of information out there.

[vnjagvet]

Porch:

A little wine with the lemon juice may help as well.

[Elliott]

Happy approaching birthday, Porchlight!

[Porchlight]

Thanks, vnjagvet. I'll add some dry vermouth (I added it earlier per the recipe but it could stand a bit more).

It's a great recipe, by the way, if you like lentils. I'm not usually vegetarian but I thought I would try more meatless dishes for Lent. Had I not oversalted, it would have been wonderful. I didn't bother with the polenta, since I'd already added pasta to help correct the salt.

[Porchlight]

Thank you, Elliott!

[Ann]

Peggy Nonan actually said something that rang so true for me in her last column: Over the Top

"She will wear a great nation down."

Heck, "She" has already worn us down and out. I don't think it is us.

No, I think it is them. Reality, sucks, so they just believe and see, what they want. Watch "The View" on any given day. Watch the new OBAMA Video madness. Watch the outrage at the Marine recruiting offices. Change and Hope! It really is audacious.

[Neo]

They knew (nothing), but did nothing

It's written to make you breathless, but in the end you find out you are in a vacuum.

[Neo]

Each brief was only several pages long, so Kean could read through months of them in a stretch of a few hours.

And he found himself terrified by what he was reading, really terrified. Here were the digests of the most important secrets that were gathered by the CIA and the nation's other spy agencies at a cost of tens of billions of dollars a year.

And there was almost nothing in them.

"They were garbage," Kean said. "There really was nothing there - nothing, nothing."

If students back at Drew turned in term papers this badly researched, "I would have given them an F," he said.

Kean pointed that out to one of his White House minders who accompanied him to the reading room. "I've read all this," he told the minder in astonishment. A lot of the information in the briefings and other supposedly top secret intelligence reports had already been revealed by the nation's big news organisations. "I already knew this."

"Oh, but you're missing the point," the minder replied. "Now you know it's true." It occurred to Kean that this might be the commission's most frightening discovery of all: The emperors of espionage had no clothes. Perhaps the reason the White House had fought so hard to block the commission's access to the briefings was that they revealed how ignorant the Government was of the threats it faced before September 11. Kean could understand their fear. Imagine the consequences if al-Qaeda and its terrorist allies knew how little the US really knew about them.

[ben]

Banner headline at Drudge...Obama comeback...most news outlets same story...Obama regains momentum...Obama recovers....

Then you look at the numbers
Obama had 59 percent, or 4,459 votes, to Clinton's 40 percent, or 3,081 votes, with 22 of 23 Wyoming counties reporting.

So with about as many votes as a couple precincts in Ohio, in a state where Gore and Kerry didn't get to 30%, Obama returns to his slightly dented Messiah status.

[Other Tom]

One key item in the Noonan piece: the Dems have a silent pact not to talk about the Clinton scandals. The problem Noonan doesn't mention is that McCain won't talk about them either. Could cost him big-time.

And he has no counterpart to George Soros or MoveOn to do the heavy lifting for him.

[Soylent Red]

"She will wear a great nation down."

Not Verdun Peggy. Paschendale (Third Ypres, "Flanders Fields"). Massive and visionless bloodletting, weakening each side until both were unable to exploit the outcome.

It is the perfect illustration of adherence to tactical folly at the expense of strategic victory. And I have nary a twinge of sympathy for either of them.

Bring on Denver.

[Topsecretk9]

Posted by: Neo | March 08, 2008 at 11:57 PM

Big bummer we lost super one woman dynamo spy Val, from that time period I see. She's was so intrinsic to suppling aLL that garbage.

[Elliott]

Let's see if typepad resets automatically. And TM is running for Congress! Okay, a TM.

[Jane]

Good Morning everyone. Time to spring forward. We have lots to do today!

[Patton]

"""So, once again, Obama wins big in a small red state he has no chance of carrying in the general. I think Hil spins this to her advantage with the superdelegates."""

Not so fast, alot of those super delegates are Congressmen and Senators that have to win in those Red, and Purple States.

The California, New York Senators/Congressmen don't have to worry about Hillary coattails, but I bet those Democrats in Virgina, Missiouri, all through the South and mid west are rooting for Hussein...errr, Obama I mean.

[Patton]

I would suspect you are going to see a McCain SWIFTBOAT 527 in reverse; where dozens of those that served with McCain will come forward and sing his praises.

Can't wait for Obamas' first ride in a tank....al Dukakis....

[steveaz]

Porch and Jane,
It's as though a lot of folks are wearing gauze over their heads.

Maybe, it's because they're caught between contradictory principles, and have been schooled to believe that they don't ever have to choose one.

This is a hallmark of the "single-issue" voter: as the beneficiary of this or that patronage-group (or tribe), most will lie, cheat or steal to avoid upsetting their status in that group - anything to get that Doctorate degree.

Their larger place in The Nation be damned.

[kim]

Patton, or not. Just as Kerry's service had its doubters, so, too does McCain's. The tactic is not as sure; Kerry was egregious, but any doubt at all will seized upon by the press, and the true believers will flock. They won't sell 800,000 copies of a book to be passed among friends, though.
============================

[Sue]

Neo,

Is it ghost written by Clarke? Sure makes him sound like he was the only one capable and knowledgeable. It makes me wonder why he was hell bent on cyber wars if he knew there was a larger danger out there.

[kim]

McCain's going to wonder about the politicians who jump with the charges, though, impulsively, and absent command of the facts.
=================================

[kim]

It blind-sided everybody. It was audacious, too outlandish to be true. But the back-pedaling on it is even easier than that about the run-up to the war.

What happened to 'good information drives out bad'? I worry.
=================================

[Neo]

TS9 & Sue:
What I loved was the way it makes it sound like there is a secret that will now be revealed for the first time, then the secret is that we don't know any.

Over at the Lefty sites that have links to this story, you'd think that almost all of the posters never actually read the thing to the end. I mean, "They knew, but did nothing".

It's more like .. "They knew Nothing, and acted on it accordingly."

Exactly what we Bush & Rice to do when they got reports of "something spectacular" but had nothing more than that to work with. With stories like that of "Crazy Larry" saying that there was nothing to fear out there, just how we're they to convince anybody that this "spectacular" thing would be "19 crazed airplane hating loons" running them into buildings up and down the east coast. I find it hard to believe that that they could have gotten either side of the aisle to take this vague a threat seriously then. With 20/20 hindsight, it still looks too vague, except to the BDS crowd.

[sbw]

if you like lentils

Lentils! It had to be lentils!

At one time I regularly ate lunch at a place that had cornered the market on lentils. Soup of the day, every day, for a year. Now I hate to be in the same room with one. Sigh.

[maryrose]

Happy borthday Porchlight! I enjoy your comments and I am still laughing about the mental picture of your kids and the snowblower. We in cleveland are also snowed in but I kind of like it because it forces you to slow down and enjoy a beautiful sunrise before you go and dig out your car. We've already maxed out our snow days!
Patton: I agree, red states that could be won by dems including Missouri and Virginia and Colorado have strong leanings toward Obama. Having Hil on the ticket with him only gets him New York which Obama already has.He needs Bayh to get Indiana or Sebelius to get Kansas. Hil needs him more than he needs her. The only way Hil wins the nomination is to stealit. They are talking about Mail-in votes or firehouse primaries-this after Howard Dean promised on national tv..that the delegations from Michigan and Florida would not determine the nomination. Liars and thieves why am I not surprised? Best line from 2000 election uttered by Delay when they took the counting in Miami Dade behind closed doors-THEFT IN PROGRESS.

[Porchlight]

Thank you, maryrose! Though I can't take credit for the great story about the snowblower - that was Ann, I believe.

Re: Obama looking for a VP that can get him a couple of purple states - can Sebelius can really get him Kansas against McCain? Would Webb help Virginia go blue with McCain as an opponent? The Dems had to run Blue Dogs in these states in order to win in 2006 - so how does ultra-left Obama take them in 2008? I don't see the West-Southwest as being in play against McCain, either. So I'm skeptical - but maybe I'm missing something.

It's funny, as much as I disagree with McCain on key issues, I have to admit he is well-positioned to take advantage of the soft spots in historically blue states, and he also throws wrenches in Rahm Emmanuel's Blue Dog strategy in the Midwest-West, too.

[centralcal]

Happy Birthday, Porchlight and savor the wine!

[clarice]

I LOVE lentils though for some reason rarely make them--I love them European AND Indian style.
Last week we went to Palena, a great restaurant in our neighborhood ,and one of my courses was the most incredible lentil soup I have ever eaten--with confit of duck gizzards, fennel and lobster meat.. It took all my restraint to keep from licking the soup bowl.

[kim]

That was our favorite trick for teasing our mother, C. It would appall and gratify her at the same time. We also discussed politics and religion at the dinner table.

Errors, for sure.

Did you know the rule for foodfights is that they are not to start until everyone is full?
=========================

[Porchlight]

Thanks, centralcal! I am planning on making some Perfect Manhattans soon, too, after reading your description a few weeks back.

Clarice, if you haven't already, do try the imported lentils de Puy. They are twice as expensive as the French green lentils sold in bulk, but worth it. They're grown in volcanic soil and have a cleaner, more vegetal taste (I actually did a taste test with the bulk lentils to see and even my lousy palate could tell the difference).
I wouldn't be surprised if the lentil soup you had last week was made with Puy lentils. It sounds incredible.

[Porchlight]

with Puy lentils

...or their Italian equivalent, if Palena is an Italian restaurant. Sounds like it might be.

Can you tell I am really geeking out on the legumes lately.

[clarice]

Thanks for the tip. It could well have been--the lentils were brown and round and small--and retained their shape thru the soup brewing.

[clarice]

Actually, a quick check online indicates lentils de puy are French and green--so they were not the ones in that soup.

[clarice]

I think it was these--an online article about another lentil soup at Palena (with wild boar) indicated the chef used these--and I expect he used them in the dish I had, too.
http://www.iht.com/articles/1999/12/17/lentil.2.t.php

I've eaten all sorts of lentils all around the world and these--reputedly the most expensive--were the most delicious of all.

[Paul van Dame]

ABSOLUTELY INTERESTING! http://www.spymac.com/details/?2350301

[Porchlight]

That settles it, then - the Castelluccios are next on my list to try.

[Topsecretk9]

Time to play...Name that Party

Stole from little league - reminds me of Air America ripping off the Boys and Girls club.

[kim]

Oh, but William Jefferson Clinton would have wanted him to have that money. Well, at least he would have expected him to take it.
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[Nora]

VERY GOOD FILE! CRAZY WITH YOUR GUITAR!!!!!! FOCUS ...
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2350626

[Neo]

Right on schedule, it's Rev. Al.