We Shall See The Reign Of Witches Pass Over... And We Shall Investigate!

Barack Obama's team delivers a cleverly coded response to question burning up the Nutroots - will President Obama push for war crimes charges against Evil BushCo.  Here was Team Obama's answer:

What I would want to do is to have my Justice Department and my Attorney General immediately review the information that's already there and to find out are there inquiries that need to be pursued. I can't prejudge that because we don't have access to all the material right now. I think that you are right, if crimes have been committed, they should be investigated. You're also right that I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt because I think we've got too many problems we've got to solve.

So this is an area where I would want to exercise judgment -- I would want to find out directly from my Attorney General -- having pursued, having looked at what's out there right now -- are there possibilities of genuine crimes as opposed to really bad policies. And I think it's important-- one of the things we've got to figure out in our political culture generally is distinguishing betyween really dumb policies and policies that rise to the level of criminal activity. You know, I often get questions about impeachment at town hall meetings and I've said that is not something I think would be fruitful to pursue because I think that impeachment is something that should be reserved for exceptional circumstances. Now, if I found out that there were high officials who knowingly, consciously broke existing laws, engaged in coverups of those crimes with knowledge forefront, then I think a basic principle of our Constitution is nobody above the law -- and I think that's roughly how I would look at it.

Very cleverly phrased!  No one can really object to the hopelessly vague "No man is above the law", but what does it mean?  In a lib fantasy, Patrick Fitzgerald will take charge, collect testimony from everyone, discovers discrepancies in that testimony, and hand down indictments for perjury and cover-up.  Justice!  Of course, "no man is above the law" does not mean every man should be subject to endless investigation, but it soundbites well as a rationale for silly conduct.

Back in reality, as we noted a few days ago, this idea of an investigation is a legal and political non-starter.  But I exhort the Nutroots to Keep Hope Alive!

Meanwhile, over on the right we are able to pick up a subtle code telling us that investigations are a non-starter:

I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt...

A witch hunt?  As Eugene Volokh has noted, the problem with a witch hunt is, there are no witches! Hunting for witches is hunting for something that simply cannot be found!

Clearly, Obama is using coded language to reassure the right that he does not believe there are any war criminals out there to be investigated, although he leaves himself wiggle room with "perceived on the part of Republicans".  Whether he can sneak this coded qualifier past the ever-vigilant left is another question; I look forward to their energetic follow-up.

TROUBLING:  Steve Benen, appearing at Salon, is less hopeful than I would like:

It's not quite the reaction I expected from Obama. One of his rhetorical staples is his desire to "turn the page." I suspect Obama, if elected, would be anxious to get started on advancing an ambitious policy agenda, especially in his first two years, when he's likely to have strong Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress.

The notion that he'd say, "Before we turn the page, I'd like my Justice Department to start investigating my predecessor's criminal activities," seems a little far-fetched.

Nevertheless, Obama's comments to Bunch were encouraging. I'm not sure how willing he'd be to follow up on this, but as a basic legal principle -- "nobody is above the law" -- Obama's sentiment seems like the right one.

Maybe this is a subject the candidates can explore in a little more detail. It may not be as sexy to reporters as "bitter" voters in small towns, but it has the benefit of significance.

"Significance" in this context means "fits my Nutroot fantasy".  These investigations are still a zero on a scale of one to ten.

BREWING TROUBLE:  Hah!  Did you know that, at last look, I had the number three Google hit for Jefferson's "See the reign of witches pass over"?  Cackle.

But some caveats - if you put the phrase in quotes, I drop out off the first page and end up who knows where.  Or, if you complete the phrase - "we shall see the reign of witches pass over" - I also disappear into the Googleverse, with or without quotes.  Life's mysteries.

But I nearly own that phrase!  Nearly.

Comments

[Paul Zrimsek]

Like the abortion waffle at the Compassion Forum, this is a fine example of what cranky Aussie philosopher David Stove used to call "sabotaging logical expressions through epistemic embedding", and can be cured by the same method TM showed us last time:

You're also right that I would not want my first term consumed by what was perceived on the part of Republicans as a partisan witch hunt because I think we've got too many problems we've got to solve.

[Barney Frank]

As Eugene Volokh has noted, the problem with a witch hunt is, there are no witches!

Try telling that to whatever sap marries Chelsea.

[Danube of Thought]

TM, what the hell you doing quoting a pedophile?

[danking70]

McCain should promise that upon taking office he won't engage in partisan witch hunts by investigating Democrats for war crimes.

[Martin]

Won't happen, says TM.

Then again TM's dumb enough to have contributed to the Libby Defense Fund, so I'll just wait and see.

[Danube of Thought]

With this kind of obfuscation hitting us on an ongoing basis, let's reflect back on where matters stood twenty years ago. Michael Dukakis, an unknown quantity in his first national campaign, led the well-known G.H.W. Bush by eighteen points in the polls in May. He lost, 53-47. That means that in those six months, one voter in eight switched from Dukakis to Bush, as they began to know more about Dukakis (Gingrich erroneously said one in four the other night).

Assume the unknown Obama and the long-known McCain are even at the moment (actually, McCain appears to be slightly ahead). If between now and November one voter in twenty switches from Obama to McCain, McCain wins 55-45. Sound unlikely? I don't think so.

Of course, there's the chance that some will switch in the other direction. You know what? I don't think so.

Toast.

[Neo]

The ultimate reality is that whatever goes around comes around ..
meaning if any President spends excessive time investigating the previous administration, he should expect the same for the next administration.

[Martin]

Not so fast, Devoid of Thought, you're radically underestimating McCain's moron/anger/conservatives used to hate him issues. The guy is going to be parodied ruthlessly.

Hell, the Dems just have to go Limbaugh's archives.

Nobody's going to elect a grumpy old con man.

[Annoying Old Guy]

Martin;

No, because McCain got mocked for not holding policy issues Obama wouldn't be caught even joking about. Any highlighting of McCain's liberalness will only make Obama's nigh socialism more apparent.

[Ranger]

You forget TM, that to many on the left, this would "payback" for Whitewater (and a second bite at the Plame apple that was supposed to lead to investigation all of this).

And of course, they don't have to find any actual crime, they just have to create some process crimes during the investigation to prosecute, and then claim afterwards that the process crime proves the underlying crime.

It is also a totally one sided threat, because no Republican administration could ever get a Democrat convicted in a DC court for any slightly policy related crime, so any future Dem administration is safe.

[Martin]

Yeah-like Limbaugh mocked him for pushing campaign finance reform and now McSame won't even comply with his own laws.

He's just Bob Dole without the wit.

Jesus H. Allah-even George Bush Jr. Dumbass beat him in 2000. Exit stage (pretend to be) right.

Je

[clarice]

True that, Ranger.I read a day or so ago that Gonzales has not been able to find a full time position after leaving the AG slot.
It is almost impossible to find people willing to serve in Republican administrations because of carp like that.

[PeterUK]

One warlock you should attend to Jimmy Carter lays wreath on Arafat's tomb.

[Martin]

Clarice-Gonzales can't get a job because he's a disgrace. His testimony to Congress was so embarassingingly stupid even the execrable Bush had to let him go.

[clarice]

We did take care of him,PUK--we refused to reelect him and he's been trying to pay us back for that ever since he lost. Bitter, stupid nasty man.

[clarice]

He did nothing wrong. Nothing. His testimony might have been weird but there was no wrongdoing..he left because it was clearn Schumer et al would make it impossible for DoJ to function at all if he did not go.
It's a bad precedent.

[michaelt]

Anyone got a spare Bible and rifle to send to Martin? He sounds bitter.

[PeterUK]

"Anyone got a spare Bible and rifle to send to Martin? He sounds bitter."

Just the rifle will do.

[Rick Ballard]

"Bitter, stupid, nasty man."

Clarice,

Are you referring to Carter, Clinton, Gore, Kerry or Obama?

[clarice]

Carter, though I can see your confusion.

[SaveFarris]

What I would want to do is to have my Justice Department and my Attorney General immediately review the information that's already there and to find out are there inquiries that need to be pursued. I can't prejudge that because we don't have access to all the material right now.

So Obama's gonna judge whether to proceed based upon information already out there, but he can't do that right now, because the information that's already out there isn't actually out there right now.

?!?

[clarice]

Good point, SaveFarris

[fdcol63]

I'd still like to know what damning secrets Sandy "Pants" Burglar stole from the National Archives.

Whatever they were, they were serious enough to risk criminal prosecution, forfeiture of security clearance, and loss of all professional respect.

Did Sandy do it just to protect himself, or to protect the Clintons?

[Danube of Thought]

If I correctly understand this latest dunce, he thinks McCain will lose because he gets mocked by Rush Limbaugh. As we recall, that's what doomed both of Bill Clinton's presidential runs as well.

And of course the dumbass Bush defeated both Gore and Kerry, neither of whom was remotely as haughty and out-of-touch as the latest Messiah. This is going to be an electoral rout of immense proportions, and the brightest three or four percent of the Democrats know that already. The flop sweat is evident on their brows, and they haven't a clue about what to do when the remaining dim bulbs wake up to what is going to his them. This will be a genuine laff riot, folks.

[fdcol63]

The other advantage that McCain has is that the American electorate is typically reluctant to give the same party control of the presidency, the House, AND the Senate.

With the Dems poised to enjoy considerable gains in the House and Senate, things look good that McCain will do well against either Hillary or Obama.

[boris]

the brightest three or four percent of the Democrats know that already. The flop sweat is evident on their brows

Would think the "bright" ones realize one term of McCain relieves their party from making the hard choice between war debacle and nutroot betrayal. Their best strategery is to continue to ignore and/or disparage the war on terror until 2012 when they can safely "withdraw" without admitting Bush and McCain basically won it.

[Pofarmer]

With the Dems poised to enjoy considerable gains in the House and Senate,

Why?

[GMax]

53.4 to 45.6 Bush I over Dukakis

You were about right on Bush and too generous on Dukakis who captured 10 states I think. A true blowout which is what Obama will be if not even a McGovern style, held below 40%, butt kickin.

[bgates]

Nobody's going to elect a grumpy old con man.
He couldn't serve a third term anyway. That's why his wife is running.

[Topsecretk9]

Maybee

Spitzer update - Spitzer was using the police and his own little private goon squad - told you he didn't resign because he got caught with a hooker

The veteran lawmaker, who also retold a story of being wiretapped decades ago by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, later told reporters that people who were connected to Eliot Spitzer during his days as attorney general may have been involved in following him last summer in Albany.

"Maybe I don't want to believe it was somebody from the State Police, but somebody was watching me," Volker told reporters after the Corbitt hearing.

As chairman of the Senate Codes Committee, which has jurisdiction over new criminal enforcement laws, Volker said he has many connections in law enforcement.

"I have some contacts that maybe some other people don't have, let's put it that way, and I was warned," he said.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has launched an investigation into the operations of the State Police to determine if last year's Troopergate scandal was an isolated event. Spitzer aides used the State Police to report on and monitor the state travels of Bruno, and then released the information to an Albany newspaper.

[Danube of Thought]

Pofarmer, I'm not sure about the House, but in the Senate the GOP is going to need some miracles to end up with anything better than a net loss of three seats, and it could be worse. It's a question of the number of seats they're defending as opposed to the Dems, the number and locations of open seats, and the particular candidates in the various races. I haven't seen any projection that wasn't very gloomy. They'll have to consider it a victory if they end up with enough to sustain filibusters, which does appear likely.

[bgates]

Martin, maybe you could help me out on something. I totally get the excitement on the Dem side for their candidates - the prospect of the historic first-ever son of a Communist bigamist or first-ever centimillionaire in the White House makes me a little tingly too - but why the venom for McCain? He served in Vietnam, got elected to the Senate, married into money, co-sponsored legislation with Ted Kennedy...sounds like your kind of guy, right?

[ParseThis]

but why the venom for McCain? He served in Vietnam, got elected to the Senate, married into money, co-sponsored legislation with Ted Kennedy...sounds like your kind of guy, right?

As all of you here astutely point out regularly, Democrats don't keep repeating past mistakes. That's why they won't vote for someone with McCain's profile.

[GMax]

They'll have to consider it a victory if they end up with enough to sustain filibusters

To check President McCain! I agree wholeheartedly. Ignor the prog troll they add so little, but you know, bitterness.

[Barney Frank]

As all of you here astutely point out regularly, Democrats don't keep repeating past mistakes.

Citation?

[PeterUK]

Of course the prog troll is bitter,they put up candidates with the most magnificent coiffure,now they are left with the tonsorially mundane.One has a granny cut and the other,dare I say it,has short hair like George Bush.There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the Bay area.

[Rihet]

He also mentioned his unions that backed Hillary on the human rights for Colombia. Obama and his community organized unions and foreign policy land issues. The environmental was added to the bill the next day. Pelosi has been working with Tibet in super spy overthrow of China. So, if your infrm'n, your okay; except she got in trouble in Congress for being vague about why social security should be tied to a trade deal and why the Global AIDs Bill passed at 2 x what Bush asked, 50 billion over a five year budget that is also the budgets of agencies it hires.

There is this http://www.stoptheaclu.com/archives/2008/04/15/obama-big-money-bundler-a-hugo-chavez-supporter-will-media-report/

Code Pink. Chavez, spies. It wasn't KOS who went off on a General. So, if your inform'n to for Obama, it's okay. It wasn't the 'soft power' or 'civil society' either was it; those people sure are starving and those prices sure doubled. Their foreign aid farm bill didn't pass and they are mad. The new farm bill doesn't do much for foreign aid, so it's Colombia and free trade who should pay when we just spent 50 billion on foreign aid for five years. The UN now says we owe them 500 million and are two years behind based on our new five year foreign aid and agency budgets.

Soft power and civil societies are mad they didn't get what they want. The trades have been going since the farm bill and the foreign trade part. The House screwed up the game. no 50 Billion. No five year budgets for foreign aid bills. No five year budgets for us government agencies. Witches are luciferians, so what is the problem with the symmetry, unless, of course, your one yourself.

Both those guys names began with Z. One works for the UN, one don't. One is rich, one isn't. One has 50 billion and a 'new deal.' One is dead, one isn't. Go figure which witches got mad. Murdock sure is mean.

[PeterUK]

"As all of you here astutely point out regularly, Democrats don't keep repeating past mistakes.

Citation?"

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin,Once upon a time......"

[PeterUK]

Sorry,April 15, 2008 at 06:55 PM should have gone before Posted by: Rihet | April 15, 2008 at 06:53 PM

[ParseThis]

Citation?

That was tongue-in-cheek, you clinger to guns and God.

I noticed that G.H.W. Bush has been left out of the discussion of condescending losers. Is safe to say that for presidential candidates, he who condescends the least wins?

[Danube of Thought]

It's safe to say that against an effete, hitherto-unknown liberal, G.H.W. Bush won in a humiliating rout of the kind we'll see again in November, with this pompous, unknown, out-of-touch phony formerly known as Barry. And yes, Barry condescends--big-time.

[PeterUK]

"That was tongue-in-cheek, you clinger to guns and God."

Who's cheek unarmed atheist?

[Jane]

Sometimes I hate it when Glenn links TM. We need a maroon alert.

[PeterUK]

Jane,
Just "praise the Lord a pass the ammunition".

[hit and run]

TM:
Did you know that, at last look, I had the number three Google hit for Jefferson's "See the reign of witches pass over"?

Heh, and I have the sole result for "omnibenevolence of the state" prophesying of what we can shall experience when Obama becomes president, and we are rid of the distractions of religion, guns, antipathy for people not like us, anti-immigrant sympathy etc.

I tell you, it's going to be glorious to have a government that will love us in ways our parents never could.

[M. Simon]

As all of you here astutely point out regularly, Democrats don't keep repeating past mistakes. That's why they won't vote for someone with McCain's profile.

No, no, no. We say they shouldn't keep repeating past mistakes.

===

If the election is a blow out (i.e. the guy/gal leading the ticket ruins the brand) it will be possible for the Ds to lose Senate seats. Depending on how bad the blow out is.

[narciso]

McCain lost 6 years of his life; to some degree, his marriage because of the internment at the Hanoi Hilton. Kerrey, was
opposed to the War since Yale, and was using
his tour as a credential to challenge the war. The Winter Soldiers investigation; (complete with Scott Camil's 'modest
proposal' re; Thurmond, Stennis at the VVAW
Kansas City shindig) were of a piece with it. Marrying a Thorne,(cue the Omen theme) than a Heinz heiress,recycling Church's staff (Blum) for another hit against
American interests in Central America, sowing paranoia in the African American community as a byproduct. In fact, he owed his '96 win in part to that sentiment against Weld, a former Reagan Justice official. Hiring David Paul as his Senate campaign treasurer,front man for the Saudi-connected banking network he was ostensibly investigating; is all of a piece. Moving
on to his 'voted for it, before voting against it," (not surprising, McGovern, Fulbright,Symington, and Robert Kennedy among others abandoned the soldiers, they sent into the field, in Vietnam)his Amer. soldiers 'terrorizing civilians in the dark of night' and the 'if you don't stay in school, you get stuck in Iraq' So I give
McCain more credit, than I would ever give
Kerry.

[hit and run]

Wait. I'm behind. I think I've read through and caught up on all the threads. Maybe I missed it -- did anyone mention that Barack broke out the flag pin today?

[Ranger]

Wait. I'm behind. I think I've read through and caught up on all the threads. Maybe I missed it -- did anyone mention that Barack broke out the flag pin today?

Posted by: hit and run | April 15, 2008 at 09:15 PM

This is Obama's effort to improve on previous mistakes. It was wrong to be "for something" before you were "against it", so Obama was against wearing the flag pin before he was for it. That will make all the difference in the world.

[Puc]

Peter, since your from England, not the UK, you may want to avoid Pro Teen. They had huge IP problems and all the IPS were lost and went somewhere and this Mick guy is all upset, explaining he didn't understand the internet and is all upset and isn't in charge of the comments or system or anything.

Danube, since your expressing an interest, maybe you could over there too.

[hit and run]

You're right Ranger, all the difference, heh. And besides, when it comes to conning the rubes in rural PA, all you have to do is flash the flag. A Bible and a gun would have been too obvious. And how many of those yokels pay enough attention to have heard his anti-flag-pin-wearing shtick.

But really, I think we can sum up his flag pin reaction to having the words he thought were not only true but "settled science" completely thrown back in his face thusly...

"It's not surprising then that Obama gets bitter, he clings to a "substitute for true patriotism" .

[hit and run]

Wait...why was I not informed!!! In a blog mostly about how Michelle was trying to make hubby out to be a regular Joe, ABC's Political Radar ends with this:

Perhaps Mrs. Obama was test-driving some of her newsy and sarcastic wit in advance of her taping an appearance on The Colbert Report set to air this evening on Comedy Central.

Tell me someone's gonna watch. Or is watching. Or watched. Whenever the heck that show is on.

I'm not expecting much.

But I'm not not praying for unscripted Michelle to be given a chance to shine.

[Ann]

"A Bible and a gun would have been too obvious."

Hit,

Hillary is drinking shots, toting guns and talking about Bible stories she reads to her daughter. What's a small flag pin to the poor bitter souls? :)

[M. Simon]

How about this:

Lefts Waterboard One of Their Own.

With HT to JOM

[Cecil Turner]

Very cleverly phrased! No one can really object to the hopelessly vague "No man is above the law", but what does it mean?

Well, considering the leftists have consolidated their hold on academia (including law schools), and the hiring at DOJ is apparently back to the process which hires only lefties again (after a short stint of trying to balance 'em), it's likely to become another bastion of liberal ideology in relatively short order. I suspect any unimpeded "investigation" will result in something I don't approve of. Add that to the ridiculously slanted media coverage, and I'm less than sanguine about the prospect of any conservative avoiding prosecution under an Obillary regime (or that the public will get enough information to be outraged whilst the Koss-kiddies cheer).

You'd expect the types who tell us Yoo is a moral leper for trying to define "torture" (any true-blue American would intentionally leave it fuzzy so as to dissuade anyone from skirting the edges)--and hold a faith-based belief that waterboarding is torture--to be in charge of the asylum. And hopefully any like-minded military types can run away fast enough to avoid getting trampled by the enemy under the new ROE.

[Donna V.]

OK, I had a horrible thought today - what if Obama asks Hill to be his running mate - or vice versa? How else are they going to unite the party?

Sheesh, McCain will be battling against the many-headed Hydra then. Yeah, Barry and Hill are fighting like 2 cats in a bag now, but what if they kiss and make up?

In fact, while I was dozing at my desk this afternoon, a terrible, foul image entered my brain - Barry and Hillary onstage making like Al and Tipper in 2000.

I had to bang my head against the wall about 5 times to rid myself of that picture.

[Ann]

I will record the "The Colbert Report" just for you Hit and report back. Because you see............

My husband is always grumbling that I have a T.V. or radio news channel on in every room. He doesn't really mind but today I was watching the McCain interview on Hardball and I recognized the student asking the question, as the son of Steve Doocy (that guy on Fox in the morning).
Hot Air as the link:
Steve Doocy’s son asks McCain: Why does Hillary drink?

I really gotta quit being a news hound. I find it disturbing that I recognized him. But I am sure I will get over it and turn them all on again tomorrow. :) Did anyone else catch the interview?

I am surprized that I am not a bitter clinger with all the news I absorb. There is HOPE afterall.

[M. Simon]

Pro Teen is back. He says the Dems are Bogarting the joint.

Me? I think they are sucking it.

Going down? They already are down.

[hit and run]

Heh, Ann...you are right.

Now, Hillary was driven to drink by Bill.

And Barack driven to smoke by Michelle.

Of course, Hillary's drank a Canadian whisky -- as oppoesed to say, a Kentucky bourbon (Kentucky does have their primary coming up)

[Danube of Thought]

"Danube, since your [sic] expressing an interest, maybe you could [sic] over there too."

Interest in what? Do what over where? Been into the Glenmorangie, have we?

[Porchlight]

The Obamatons are freaking out about the flag pin, saying it's not pandering because a vet in the audience gave it to him and asked him to put it on. This is apparently the "clarifying" context needed to explain pretty much anything Obama says and does these days. Sounds pretty convenient to me.

Anyway, to my mind, that doesn't help him much: he only wore it when he was essentially forced to. How could he have refused without looking like a jerk? Of course he put it on.

[1001]

No, I guess you didn't visit or see the links again. Wisdom should be used. They had an it problem. So, did Ace and some others, just saying there are some nuts out there and use TOR.

Did you know most federal employees are in unions, like Obama's? FBI, CIA, etc:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/15/iraq/main4018719.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_4018719

They volunteer and don't have to take directed, forced, assignments. Everyone wants the job, so how about a five year term limit?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

...did anyone mention that Barack broke out the flag pin today?

Next he'll be carrying guns to church.

[Porchlight]

Ann,

I missed the actual Hardball interview but caught the clip of Doocy's son and McCain on Hot Air. Pretty funny. And maybe it's just me, or flattering makeup/lighting, but I thought McCain looked quite young, nowhere near his actual age.

[hit and run]

Porchlight:
it's not pandering because a vet in the audience gave it to him and asked him to put it on.

Well, let's see if we can pretend that this was the first veteran to offer Obama a flag pin to wear since 2002.

Nope. I can't do it. Surely, he was offered a pin multiple times -- especially between whenever he stopped wearing one ("shortly after 9/11" in his words) and last October when he told the world why he stopped wearing one.

Why didn't he put one on then?

Why DID he put one on now?

I Question The Timing.

Remember, his reason for not wearing one was because it had become "a substitute for true patriotism".

Putting it on today was an act of anti-patriotism on Obama's part in Obama's reasoning.

He was clinging.

[Ann]

Porchlight,

Can't wait till Hillary is forced to drink Maker's Mark when see visits the distillery in KY, USA. She can say it's not pandering because a redneck voter in the audience gave it to her and begged her not to tax the only religion he has left.

Tee Hee ::wink::

[Barney Frank]

You'd expect the types who tell us Yoo is a moral leper for trying to define "torture" (any true-blue American would intentionally leave it fuzzy so as to dissuade anyone from skirting the edges)--and hold a faith-based belief that waterboarding is torture--to be in charge of the asylum. And hopefully any like-minded military types can run away fast enough to avoid getting trampled by the enemy under the new ROE.

Glad someone stuck up for Yoo, Cecil. I'm not sure I agree with everything he wrote but I found most of it pretty darned reasonable. That he should be hanged for not mentioning Youngstown in one of the memos is fortunately dismissed by the Volakh gang and Bainbridge but they still seem overly dismissive of his viewpoint.
If waterboarding is torture as Bainbridge claims then as the son and nephew of several men who fought across the Pacific, North Africa and Europe it would seem most of their generation would have spent time in the cooler for war crimes.

[Donna V.]

Next he'll be carrying guns to church.

I won't be happy until I see him at a tractor pull.

[Porchlight]

Hit and Run,

Good thinking. It hadn't occurred to me that of course he's probably been given one and asked to wear it before. I imagine we'll find out soon enough.

Ann,

I think watching Hillary do shots is madly entertaining and welcome much more of it. And as a former Kentuckian (spent my childhood in Louisville) I applaud any drinking of Makers Mark. So step on up, KY voters!

[narciso]

Youngstown, if I recall the particulars had to do with drafting striking iron workers in time of war; well, not actually war but U.N. declaration. Imagine if Bush had done anything so rash. ex parte . Merryman,
Milligan,Quirin, Eisentrager, throw in Urquido-Valdez & Alvarez Mechain are the applicable precedents. Not as certain amicus brief's insisted; enlisted Navy personnel courtmartial cases like Councilman. However, when you have a Supreme Court Justice, who has been upset o over his role we shot down Yamamoto; the functional equivalent of KSM as operational planner what other idiocy can be
mainstreamed. The fact that there is actual consideration of a blacklist against all legal strategists on the war on terror is distressing; to say the least. Sadly, the
diminished effectiveness of these interdiction techniques due to public disclosure of cooperating country rendition programs, aggressive interrogation protocols which allow insurgents to create their own SERE countermeasures, details of software and hardware systems used in terrorist surveilance, et al. One day the
terrorists will slip through,in a mass casualty attack. Bloomberg may not be able to complain of 'exaggerated focus on terrorism in a literally Ground Zero Big Apple. Ditto, for Dick Durbin, in a vaporized or irradiated D.C. Then everything that comes after will make current programs like juvenile hall by comparison.

[Ann]

Porchlight,

I spent my childhood in Cincinnati. My father-in-law was ATF and I know more about distilleries than most people because of him.

So step on up, Hillary, show us what you will do for a vote!!! LOL

[Danube of Thought]

From tomorrow's New York Times:

"The battle between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama over whether Mr. Obama belittled voters in small towns appears to have hardened the views of both candidates’ supporters and stirred anxiety among many Democrats about the party’s prospects in the fall."

The "many" Democrats are those three or four percent who are capable of finding their ass with a five-hand working party. They can see what's coming, and they're quaking.

Hoo-HOO!

[H8L]

Any native universities? The anniversary is coming up.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_re_us/alaska_radio_insult;_ylt=AlYAcuZUZBc4Ez7JjUyVpCKs0NUE

[Porchlight]

Ann,

I love Cincinnati. My parents had old college friends there that we used to visit often. And a good college buddy of mine lives there now. She finds it "too conservative." Wish I could change places with her. ;)

[HoosierHoops]

OK, I had a horrible thought today - what if Obama asks Hill to be his running mate - or vice versa? How else are they going to unite the party?

yes..you had a horrible thought.

can i say something? Neither can ask each other on the ticket. the wounds are too deep,
The pain lay ripe..

[DebinNC]

Scott Rasmussen was interviewed on our local talk station last week and said if Hillary wants to be the VP nominee, she can't be denied. I didn't hear him expand on that and I've wondered what he meant, because the idea of the delegates choosing her as VP over the objections of Obama seems farfetched. Not that she'd want the job, but has such a scenario ever happened before?

[Elliott]

It looks like ABC's Philadelphia affiliate will have a webcast of the Clinton-Obama debate.

[Duska]

Interrogation protocols? The protocols are a field work for army manuals. It is better to have the person being interrogated to be out of the field. Medical interrogations can be done by Doctors and psychiatrists. It works better and the person remmebers maybe a nice dream.

[Soylent Red]

I imagine we'll find out soon enough.

The true test is not whether he accepts a flag pin and wears it at the engagement because some old veteran asked him to.

The true test is does he take it off again after Pennsylvania is over and the rubes no longer have to be mollified.

[Danube of Thought]

The party can operate any way it wants to, I think, but I'd be very surprised if their current rules allow anyone but the nominee to pick his running mate. And I think HRC would be a very unwise choice for Obama, both for the elction and for a potential presidency.

[PaulL]

For the greater good of the Party, I call on Sen. Obama to resign from the race. He will have many opportunities to run in the future. For now, it is Sen. Clinton's turn.

[M. Simon]

Here is H8L's link:

Insulting the Natives

[M. Simon]

PaulL,

For the good of the party they should both resign.

I think a Kerry/Gore ticket would be great!

Or Gore/Kerry.

The question is: Is Kerry able to carry Gore or will Gore gore Kerry. Tough choices.

[PeterUK]

Why not have an Olympic Pentathalon that the candidates have to compete in? This would include "typical" American activities,NASCAR,burgers,beer,hunting etc.This would thin the Aristos out.

[clarice]

We do. PUK, it's called the priaries==and you left out baby kissing, butter sculpture oohing at state fairs, cheesesteak gobbling in Philly, hot dog fressing in NYC; pizza ,bratwurst, corndog, sauerkraut and BBQ munching from sea to shining sea.

[clarice]

**priMaries***

[royf]

And who could forget Wendi's chili......

[Danube of Thought]

"He's eatin' bagels,
He's eatin' pizza,
"He's eating chit'lins."

--Dylan, "I Shall Be Free"

[PeterUK]

Yes Clarice,but I want to see Obama skin a deer and Hillary sing a Dolly Parton medley.She can have the wire mess screen.

[DebinNC]

How to Woo NASCAR Fans

"NASCAR claims 75 million fans. It's big in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles—not just Darlington, S.C. Polling conducted in September by the Tarrance Group (Republican) and Lake Snell Perry & Associates (Democratic) found 19 percent of voters identifying themselves as NASCAR fans. Forty percent of those fans are women, 20 percent are minorities, and 60 percent live outside the Southeast. They are more affluent than average Americans— 42 percent earn between $40,000 and $100,000 a year. After all, tickets to NASCAR events cost between $40 and $100."

But are they bitter?