Of Course, If They Had Leaked It To The Times...

Republicans leak vague generalities about a classified briefing on the efficacy of the enhanced interrogation program and Dems burst into tears.

Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), a member of the subcommittee who attended the hearing, concurred with Hoekstra.
 
“The hearing did address the enhanced interrogation techniques that have been much in the news lately,” Kline said, noting that he was intentionally choosing his words carefully in observance of the committee rules and the nature of the information presented.
 
“Based on what I heard and the documents I have seen, I came away with a very clear impression that we did gather information that did disrupt terrorist plots,” Kline said.
 
Neither Hoekstra nor Kline revealed details about the specifics of what they were told Thursday or the identity of the briefers.
 
Democrats lambasted their Republican counterparts for discussing the information that was provided behind locked doors.
 
“I am absolutely shocked that members of the Intelligence committee who attended a closed-door hearing … then walked out that hearing — early, by the way — and characterized anything that happened in that hearing,” said Intelligence Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). “My understanding is that’s a violation of the rules. It may be more than that.”

I understand the political importance to the Dems of keeping the results of the 2002/2003 era enhanced interrogations secret; the actual national security significance eludes me, since the techniques have been well publicized by Obama.

Continuing:

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) said, “Members on both sides need to watch what they say.”
 
Both Schakowsky and Reyes accused GOP members of playing politics with national security.
 
“I think they are playing a very dangerous game when it comes to the discussion of matters that were sensitive enough to be part of a closed hearing,” Schakowsky said.
 
Asked about the validity of Republican contentions that information shared in Thursday’s hearing showed the effectiveness of enhanced interrogation techniques, Schakowsky said she could not comment on what was discussed at a closed hearing.

"Playing politics with national security"?  What have the Dems been doing?

Comments

[clarice]

Has Reyes been able to pinpoint Iraq on a map yet?

[clarice]

OT Kim Strassel writes in today's WSJ that the Murtha PMA scandal could wipe out the Pelosi Dems..it looks to make Abramoff kid's stuff.

[Danube of Thought]

This is exquisite. These bastards are very much on the defensive on this one, and it's a delight to behold. Imagine how it must gall them (and the press) to be reduced to complaining about the release of classified info, of all things.

[clarice]

It doesn't gall them or the media at all--DoT --they just automatically downshift.

[Danube of Thought]

I can only hope that the indispensable Strassel is onto something. With the Dems controlling the house and DoJ, it's going to be a tough row to hoe. Here's hoping the Justice professionals keep on plodding.

[clarice]

Perhaps the sight of the OPI officials hanging from gibbets on the DOJ grounds can focus their minds,DoT.

[Jane]

I don't have any idea how any democrat keeps a straight face.

[Topsecretk9]

WSJ that the Murtha PMA scandal could wipe out the Pelosi Dems..it looks to make Abramoff kid's stuff.

I told you so Clarice, ::wink::

KARMA.

[glasater]

If only the R's could say:

".....and have you guys--D's--beat us about the head with your misrepresentations of briefings down the road......"?

[Topsecretk9]

Notice the Dems didn't dispute the claims. Being reduced to crying about rules pretty much backs up the claims.

Oh not in Empty's world. She says it's just the opposite. Seriously.

[glasater]

Quick OT:

The Chrysler case was upheld and the SCOTUS has until June 8th to decide whether to hear.

[peter]

Is it me, or does it seem as if the blogosphere has slowed down? Is it possible there is nothing left to say about Zero, other than counting the three years and eight months until we are finally done with him? Everywhere I look on the internet, I see less and less. Some conservative blogs, like Stratasphere and LGF, have completely gone off the reservation. Others, like Jules Crittenden, are slow blogging. Michelle Malkin seems to be in a rut, too. The Corner is moribund on weekends, and during the week there are many, many slow days as well. Maybe I should just get a life.

[hit and run]

Tops:
Notice the Dems didn't dispute the claims. Being reduced to crying about rules pretty much backs up the claims.

Notice the Dems didn't make any noise about "torture", but rather were outraged about "anything that happened in that hearing" (Schakowsky) and "the discussion of matters that were sensitive enough to be part of a closed hearing".

Being reduced to crying about rules pretty much backs up the recent polling that says that torture polls better than Pelosi or "generic Democrat".

Oh, and Cheney's more popular than both as well.

::evil grin::

[peter]

Glasater, thanks for that lovely Spengler link at your LUN. Great article. Why couldn't they find a peace quotation from the Wholly Koran?

[Porchlight]

I'm seeing the same thing you're seeing, peter. I think some of it is inevitable - now that the election, inauguration and first 100 days are over, it's just not possible to keep the same frantic pace.

Also, I think it's hard to keep one's morale up. There's so much to worry about/point out/analyze that it's got to be exhausting.

Lastly, it's the beginning of summer, and even bloggers and Corner contributors will be lightening the load a bit and going on vacation with their families.

[matt]

The Dem's operative philosophy is OK for me but not for thee.

I had a nice post on my blog on Obama's Egyptian adventure if anyone's interested...

[Jane]

The second circuit punted the Chrysler case.

[Jane]

Glasater,

I think the case was upheld by default - no ruling was made either way. The Court said: It's going to the Supremes anyway so why bother?

My question is can they implement any of the initial ruling pending appeal or does the whole thing have to grind to a halt?

[Ann]

Porchlight,

Also, I think it's hard to keep one's morale up.

Yep. Economic Apocalypse, a new czar every day, our president apologizing to the world for evil America, government owned private industries, government owned media.....

and going on vacation with their families.

Yep. The Obama's are going to Paris.

[daddy]

P'UK,

This">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8081729.stm">This BBC story shows that Labour is getting clobbered in the UK Elections like you predicted. If you have any thoughts or links or optimistic thoughts on your Elections please post them. I am always happy to be educated about what is going on over there, and not ashamed to admit my ignorance about it. Thanks.

[daddy]

P'UK,

This">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8081729.stm">This BBC story shows that Labour is getting clobbered in the UK Elections like you predicted. If you have any thoughts or links or optimistic thoughts on your Elections please post them. I am always happy to be educated about what is going on over there, and not ashamed to admit my ignorance about it. Thanks.

[glasater]

Thank you Peter!! Spengler works my brain and it needs the exercise.

Jane--I enjoyed your term "punted". CNBC came out with that breathless report and I knew I would say it wrong--hoping someone would get it right. Thanks to you:-)

[meep]

I don't have any idea how any democrat keeps a straight face.

Posted by: Jane | June 05, 2009 at 03:53 PM

Easy: Botox

[narciso]

They're complaining there was a hearing where such techniques were discussed, but they weren't spelled out. BTW, speaking of surreal, Bruce Campbell will be at the Super Comic Con in Miami, on Sunday.

[verner]

LUN, just one link to KENDALL MYERS, career state department TRAITOR who spied for Fidel.

More to come...

[ben]

Conservatives kick ass in the UK, Obama at net zero strong approve strong disapprove at Rasmussen, Christie up by 13 against Corzine, Crist up by 30 against assorted Dems, McDonnell ahead of all Dems in VA, all in all not a bad news cycle.

[PeterUK]

daddy.
There are more Cabinet Ministers resigning than I can keep count of.The socialist Labour
misgovernment is in meltdown.
Lord Mantlepiece has pledged to support Gordon Brown - That's it,Brown is doomed!

"Oh the Sun has got his hat on..."

[verner]

And this from our resident genius Mme. Feldman LUN at American Thinker on the Traitor Walter Kendall Myer.

He was at Johns Hopkins, the same place that the spy the rooted out at DOD attended if memory serves me.

I ALWAYS SAID THAT THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT WAS RUN BY A BUNCH OF COMMIE TRAITORS!!!!

10 to 1 he's buddies with all the traitors at CIP, and was a frequent leaker to the Wa Po and NYT.

[Terry Gain]

"Playing politics with national security"? What have the Dems been doing?

Dems play politics with war and war with politics.

[clarice]

Jane has a point, by moving it quickly along the Court has done the plaintiffs a favor I think.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Homeland Security pick drops out over CIA tactic ties

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Obama's pick for intelligence chief at the Homeland Security Department withdrew from consideration Friday amid questions about his role in the CIA's interrogations of suspected terrorists.

Philip Mudd was scheduled to appear next week before senators considering his nomination as undersecretary of intelligence and analysis. He notified the White House on Friday that he was withdrawing his name because he did not want to be a distraction.

[clarice]

Wow Verner--that is big news--and I forgot entirely that in 2006 I said Myers should be fired for his evident disloyalty.

[verner]

Clarice, I found his mother's obit at the Wa Po. We're talking long time DC residents--Sidwell Friends etc.

Personally, I think this is the tip if the iceberg.

Meyer had been spying for Fidel since 1978.

[clarice]

Running out--I hope you;re right and I hope this scotches the planned lifting of the embargo.

[Barry Dauphin]

Is it me, or does it seem as if the blogosphere has slowed down?

I think the WoT and the election really stirred emotions with ongoing events to discuss and with contentiousness. Obama shows closer correspondence (than he advertised during the campaign) to key elements of the WoT, even if packaged differently, that the lefties cannot become apoplectic. The lefties are more or less having their post orgasm lull, not being able to smoke a cigarette publicly for fear of being seen as contributing to global warming. The big issue (IMHO) is the economy and that is a very slow moving issue with no crises at the moment. It's sort of like being on the Titanic with the iceberg a ways off. Folks are hanging out at present.

[Semanticleo]

You rethuglicans are endangering my imaginary child in Iraq with all these security leaks!!!

[PeterUK]

"You rethuglicans are endangering my imaginary child in Iraq with all these security leaks!!!"

Bloody liberals. He is an imaginary adult.

[Danube of Thought]

Isn't it sweet to recall how, short months ago, the Democrats were fairly salivating over the whole "torture" issue? Now they can't burrow deep enough to avoid it, and the GOP has them reeling. Cheney kicks Obama's butt in the public argument--Obama has lost it decisively--and Cheney polls ahead of Pelosi.

And I finally saw (in a crawl on Fox) a reference to the fact that in January the crack Obama economic team forecasted that without the stimulus package the unemployment rate would reach a whopping 9%.

Next we'll be hearing that Obama inherited the economic advisors...

[Danube of Thought]

OT, but this is rich: the good news is that Schwarzenneger suggests a flat tax for California. The bad news is that he figures it should be around 15%. So not only would he increase by 50% the nation's highest state income tax rate, he would apply it to low-income people as well as the "wealthy."

He concludes by saying he hopes the folks studying the problem won't come up with a "political" solution. There's a hot one for you: politics has no place in deciding things like income taxes.

Pity this poor fool.

[verner]

PUK, funny how the communist traitor Walter Kendall Meyers pooped on the "special relationship"

Sheesh, and they call anybody who says the anti-war movement was perpetrated by commies trying to get one of their own into the White House a conspiracy theorist...

They just can't handle the truth.

I just hope there are enough people with integrity left in the DOJ and FBI to follow this thing wherever it leads, before Holder tries to pull the plug.

[matt]

hopefully they don't bury the case. This was at the height of the cold war. What would possess a child of such privilege to turn traitor for Cuba?

If Mudd is dropping out because of his support of waterboarding, I think we should make him a write in candidate.

[matt]

Verner;

The anti war movement was not just run by traitors, it was to an extent run by the KGB. Especially in Europe, we used to track them when we could. Meetings in East Berlin, Paris, etc. There is a significant body of evidence confirming the KGB also had it's fingers in the pie here in the States as well through illegals at the UN, etc.

[Jim Miller]

"Is it me, or does it seem as if the blogosphere has slowed down?"

Peter - I'm writing about as fast as I can. Take a look if you haven't done so before.

[verner]

Matt, Meyers was not alone. I would imagine dozens have been recruited over the years--and Johns Hopkins seems like a hotbed.

I wonder if he was the spymaster? I seriously doubt he's alone.

I hope some reporter smells a Pulitzer and goes after this--who his associates were, what think tanks he was involved with, their social circle etc.

[Jim Miller]

Kudos to Clarice for recognizing that there had to be something wrong with Meyers. Too bad his supervisors didn't do the same.

[verner]

Matt, the non-proliferation movement was totally commie. And those networks, largely established in the seventies and eighties, are what they re-activated to oppose the Iraq war.

If it has Pacifist, Peace or Progressive in the title, assume KGB(or whatever the commie intelligence services now call themselves) backing at the rootball. That was most certainly the well documented truth in the 70s and 80s.

Useful idiots indeed, just like today.

Who do you think was ultimately benefiting from all that garbage? And do we think that they just faded away when the wall came down in 1989?

[PeterUK]

Verner,Communist traitors,we have a government full of them.fortunately on its way out.

[PeterUK]

"I hope some reporter smells a Pulitzer and goes after this--who his associates were, what think tanks he was involved with, their social circle etc."

No reason why Clarice shouldn't do it.

[verner]

PUK, they dumped the disgusting Livingstone for Boris. And now it looks like young Cameron is getting ready for a blowout.

If Cameron wins, can I return to the mother country? Granted, my last English ancestor left in the 1630s, and I have 16 direct forefathers--and one foremother who fought in the American Revolution (that I've found so far...no loyalists in the lot I'm afraid.) And then there were three who fought with Jackson at New Orleans...

But no hard feelings. Will you take me back? LOL

[narciso]

Didn't Alger Hiss start at Hopkins, it would seem an odd time, to start spying, Vietnam was over, the liberal candidate had won, the Republican were starting to show signs of life, the crisis in Iran, Nicaragua
and El Salvador were in the future.

[Topsecretk9]

This is too good:

"Despite the weeks-long furor over how the CIA came to use enhanced interrogation techniques, and what members of Congress were told about their development and implementation, the committee's first hearing on the issue during the 111th Congress almost came and went without notice. The hearing was announced publicly but was not open to the public. According to Republicans, that was by design. "Democrats weren't sure what they were going to get," said Rep. Pete Hoekstra (Mich.), ranking Republican on the Intelligence panel, referring to information on the merits of enhanced interrogation techniques. "Now that they know what they've got, they don't want to talk about it"

[Gmax]

Well its only early June just 4 months and a hair into the Obama administration and he has now slipped for the first time in Rasmussen's daily poll into a tie on strong support and strong disapproval. He still is over 50% support with soft support, but only 4% have to slide just a little and that is history too.

This guy is going to make Jimminy Carter look popular before he is through.

[PeterUK]

1630,what was the name? I might know him.

Don't worry,Obama is an aberration. The left got a kicking on the County Councils,but just wait for the EU election results on Sunday,the tide is turning.It won't be long before the bow wave hits your shores.

[verner]

Narciso, the Soviet Union was at it's zenith in 1978-79.

We had the wimp Carter, and we were just past the Church Commission.

Maybe Meyers thought he was picking a winner.

[PeterUK]

Gmax,

Rather tactful of Obama to traduce Israel then visit Buchenwald.

[verner]

"Now that they know what they've got, they don't want to talk about it"

Didn't we all say that this was all going to go away...

PUK, they all ended up in Virginia, so they were either dandies or convicts. Various common English surnames Lee West Bryan Blount etc.--you got the picture. Maybe we're related.

[Ignatz]

--OT, but this is rich: the good news is that Schwarzenneger suggests a flat tax for California. The bad news is that he figures it should be around 15%.........Pity this poor fool.--

Hey, how about saving a little pity for we poor taxpaying fools who are natives and are trying to prevent being run out of our own state by a bunch of carpetbagging, sticky fingered muttonheads.

[Gmax]

PUK

Another Jiminy Carter impersonation? Carter was so weak our Allies did not like us and our enemies sneered at us. It will be the same again I fear.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Tyler had a VERY busy day. I'll provide the story I think is important, but stroll through his other things, they're chock full of information.

The rubber band, I think, has reached just about its limit, and is slipping off the far finger. I hope they're wearing safety glasses.

As far as interest rates are concerned, I personally think that there is going to be one last opportunity, in the next three months, for a refinance opportunity. Then the doors will shut.

But I digress, LUN. And, beware, this is not for the faint of heart.

(the other half of the mock is Loeb, BTW, link the names)

[verner]

Hey FBI/DOJ, want to find another bunch of Castro operatives? Try looking at this bunch.

Center for International Policy
Staff and Board of Directors

Staff

Robert E. White, president
William Goodfellow, executive director
Ryan Anderson, coordinator, Win Without War
Tom Andrews, national director, Win Without War
Raymond Baker, senior fellow, Global Financial Integrity program
Nicole Ball, senior fellow, National Security program
Tom Barry, senior policy analyst, Americas Policy program
Harry Blaney, senior fellow, National Security program
Landrum Bolling, senior fellow, National Security program
Tom Cardamone, managing director, Global Financial Integrity program
Laura Carlsen, director, Americas Policy program
Devon Cartwright-Smith, economist, Global Financial Integrity program
Christine Clough, executive assistant, Global Financial Integrity program
Frick Curry, senior associate, Development
Lorena Curry, finance director
Monique Danziger, communications coordinator, Global Financial Integrity program
Donald Herr, senior fellow, National Security program
Ann Hollingshead, research associate, Global Financial Integrity program
Glenn Hurowitz, Washington director, Avoided Deforestation program
Clark Gascoigne, new media coordinator, Global Financial Integrity program
Melvin A. Goodman, senior fellow, National Security program
Selig Harrison, director, Asia program
Jeff Horowitz, founder, Avoided Deforestation Partners
Adam Isacson, director, Latin America Security program
Dev Kar, lead economist, Global Financial Integrity program
Paul Lubeck, senior fellow, National Security program
Jim Mullins, senior associate, National Security program
Abigail Poe, associate, Latin America Security program
Alex Sánchez, office manager/intern coordinator
Jessica Shao, fundraising associate, Americas program
Wayne S. Smith, senior fellow, Cuba program
Ann Tartre, executive director, Avoided Deforestation Partners
Francesc Vendrell, senior fellow
Monica Wooters, associate, Americas Policy program

Board of Directors

Chair
• Cynthia McClintock, professor, George Washington University
• Matt Balitsaris, record producer
• Lowell Blankfort, newspaper publisher
• Gilbert Brownstone, founder, the Brownstone Foundation, Paris
• William J. Butler, chairman, executive committee, International Commission of Jurists
• Thomas Cooper, president, Gulfstream International Airlines
• Alfredo Duran, attorney
• Robert W. Edgar, president & CEO, Common Cause
• Joseph T. Eldridge, chaplain, America University
• Samuel Ellsworth, partner, Ellsworth-Howell
• Mike Farrell, actor
• Gerald F. Gilmore, Episcopal minister (retired)
• Susan W. Horowitz, social worker
• Lucy Lehman, social activist
• Conrad Martin, Fund for Constitutional Government
• Luis Gilberto Murillo, former governor of Chocó, Colombia
• Paul Sack, businessman
• Donald Soldini, International Preferred Enterprises, Inc.
• Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former lt. governor of Maryland
• Edith Wilkie, president, Peace Through Law Education Fund
• Dessima Williams, ambassador of Grenada to the United Nations

[PeterUK]

Gmax,
"Another Jiminy Carter impersonation?"

Afraid so.Obama is going to be the Father of the Second Iranian Revolution and God forbid the second Holocaust.

[Melinda Romanoff]

More on topic, Jan Schakowsky is a proponent of the ACORN/Geithner school of finance. Her husband likes to milk personal charities for cash.

Don't get me started on the local "crew".

[verner]

And I especially have thought this guy must be directly in the hire of the Castro brothers. Be sure and note the Johns Hopkins link, and notice where he worked when Meyers visited Cuba:

Wayne S. Smith was born in Texas in 1932. He obtained degrees from the La Universidad de las Americas (BA), Columbia University (MA) and the George Washington University (PhD).

Smith served in the United States Marine Corps from 1949 to 1953 and saw combat during the the Korean War. He joined the Department of State in 1957, and saw service in the Soviet Union, Argentina and Cuba. In 1961 he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to serve as the Executive Secretary of his Latin American Task Force.

Smith served as Chief of the U.S. Interest Section in Cuba from 1979 to 1982 but left the Foreign Service in 1982 because of fundamental disagreements with the foreign policy of President Ronald Reagan.

In 1982 Smith was appointed as Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. In 1985 he became Adjunct Professor of Latin American studies at the Johns Hopkins University and since 1992 a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy in Washington.

Wayne S. Smith is the author of several books including Castro's Cuba: Soviet Partner or Nonaligned? (1985), The Closest of Enemies: Personal and Diplomatic Account of United States-Cuban Relations Since 1957 (1988), Subject to Solution: Problems in Cuban-U.S.Relations (1988), Portrait of Cuba (1991) and The Russians Aren't Coming: New Soviet Policy in Latin America (1992).

In March, 2001, Smith was a member of a United States delegation that visited the scene of the Bay of Pigs battle. The party included Arthur Schlesinger (historian), Robert Reynolds (the CIA station chief in Miami during the invasion), Jean Kennedy Smith (sister of John F. Kennedy), Alfredo Duran (Bay of Pigs veteran) and Richard Goodwin (Kennedy political adviser and speech writer).

Wayne S. Smith is currently a Center for International Policy Senior Fellow and director of the Cuba Program.

[Melinda Romanoff]

nice list verner, haven't seen some of those names for a while...

[Melinda Romanoff]

dinner.

[verner]

Melinda, they're just like cockroaches behind the walls, you may not see them, but they're still there, breeding...

[narciso]

More precisely Wayne was vice consul in Santiago in '58-59, he was taken in by
Fidel, almost as completely as Herbert Matthews. From his C.V, he does qualify for credentialed moron emeritus status. White
the Ambassador to El Salvador, at the time of the '79 coup, was one of those who furthered the Kerry committee and the Christics, through the likes of Jack Blum, former Church committee investigator. Emerson was one too, but he learned a few things over the years. Enough to get him blacklisted for a time. BTW, it's the Second
Egyptian Revolution, not Iranian, we should be so lucky.

[Extraneus]

For folks who haven't been here a long time, verner knows a lot about the networks. Who works with whom, who's worked with whom in the past, their other affiliations, etc. She was an encyclopedia on that stuff back when she was interested in posting about it, and used to link to this site sometimes, which may have have gone downhill since then.

Sorry verner, I just thought people should know that.

[Danube of Thought]

"I hope some reporter smells a Pulitzer and goes after this..."

Don't you know the rules? There are no Pulitzers available for those exposing Democratic corruption.

Ignatz, I'm in CA too. And I've become as good at avoiding their income taxes as I am with the feds'. That's what high rates will do for you.

[Menlo Bob]

Has Jan Schakowsky expressed outrage over her husband's felony conviction yet?

[Porchlight]

• Mike Farrell, actor

OMG, freaping B.J. from MASH. What a tool.

[daveinboca]

Just today a long-time State Dept Intell Officer is found to have spied for Castro for over thirty years, along with a traitorous spouse. Schakowsky & Reyes between them have an IQ about 50 points below that of Jane Harman, who should be the Intell Cte Chair, but San Fran Nan hates smart women who make her appear dumber than she already is...

I guess leaking is okay if you're a Dem and it's to the NYT or WaPost, but all other leaks are strictly streng verboten.

[Melinda Romanoff]

MB-

Around here, that's almost a Scout's Merit badge.

[Janet]

and, I believe William Goodfellow is the husband of Dana Priest of the Washington Post.

[Semanticleo]

No Dem in Congress, or anywhere else can do to the Permanent Republican Minority, what it compulsively does to itself, everyday.

They can't possibly want extinction, but like all bi-polar substance-abusers, it is beyond their behavioral willpower to STFU and take their medicine for being the most secretive,
disingenuous and greed-headed prevaricators of their profession (eclipsing any competitor).

Yours is the Party of Enablers who supported any policy the previous WH criminals sought to procreate and execute since Nixon and Reagan. Quite a feat, I must say.

Learn the maxim 'don't shit where you eat' or you could be sitting in your last meal.

[Porchlight]

Do not pay any attention to pathetic trolls.

Instead, go to Hot Air and watch this awesome video of a returning soldier surprising his little girl.

Video: Homecoming

[PeterUK]

"Learn the maxim 'don't shit where you eat' or you could be sitting in your last meal."

"Don't shit where you eat, you could be eating your last meal."

[Semanticleo]

"Do not pay any attention to pathetic trolls.

Instead.."

>chuckle>

Yeah. Better watch out Limbaugh and Palin.

The big bad socialist wolf is comin' to get ya!!!! Most of you cowards would stick yer laptops in the trash bin if you thought there was any real danger of you receiving yer just desserts for your political stupidity.

More Republican scare-mongering. It's what yer best at...........

[Melinda Romanoff]

PUK-

Are they really "Oh-fer"? Labour got nothing?

I was on with a customer from Berkshire your PM and they knew nothing.

Haven't talked to family in the South yet...

[clarice]

Wm Goodfellow, a prominent lefty and as noted Priest's husband, also heads a speakers bureau which using the fees forciblyextracted from college students, hires campus speakers like Joe Wilson.

"Next we'll be hearing that Obama inherited the economic advisors..."
Wpnderfu line,DoT

DoT:"

[Melinda Romanoff]

Noisy in here. I'm turning up the music. Anybody mind?

[Semanticleo]

Sniffing Maggies drawers again, eh, PUKe?

[Semanticleo]

That's what you call 'ignore', Rasputin?

[Melinda Romanoff]

Jazz Messengers. Art Blakey. 1990 (LUN)

File your complaints with the management, thank you.

[Danube of Thought]

For the first time, I've begun to entertain the hope that the Dem plan for socialized medicine may not make it. Appears the Blue Dogs (51 of them) are quite set against it. As long as they keep that "public option" nonsense out of it, I pretty much don't care what they do. LUN

[verner]

Clarice, do any of your DC sources know anything about Meyers? He's been around for a long long time. Surely he's left a trail.

I would be absolutely shocked if he and Wayne Smith weren't bosom buddies.

I hope somebody at the Weekly Standard will get involved. Fox was really going with it this evening. Just too much smoke for there not to be smoldering embers.

I can't think of anybody that high up at State, or in the "think tank" community who has been outed as an out and out traitor commie spy in a long long time.

I think the last one would be Hiss, though Meyers isn't quite that high up.

[Danube of Thought]

And from the estimable Telegraph, we get this delightful assessment:

"The results of the elections dealt another huge blow to Gordon Brown as he struggles to survive as Prime Minister. Speaking in Downing Street, he called the results a "painful defeat" and said: "I accept my responsibility."

"The dismal election results last night triggered public infighting in the Labour ranks, with senior party figures including John Prescott blaming ministers including Harriet Harman, the Labour deputy leader, for the defeats.

"Labour [is] heading for meltdown as Tories win key councilsLabour went into the local elections in control of Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire."

"All four were lost yesterday, wiping Labour off the electoral map in the areas being fought, in an unprecedented rout.

"Lancashire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire were taken by the Conservatives, hugely symbolic advances for David Cameron's party."

Lancashire...isn't that where they had the four thousand holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall, or something like that? Anyhow, right on, Blackburn! Play up, play up, and play the game, lads!

PeterUK, I insist that you have a couple of shooters of Glenmorangie on me. (I'll figure out how to pick up the tab later...)

[clarice]

One press account said this was the biggest case since Hanssen.
Hmm?
Only that he was high enough up to have taken some highly sensitive stuff. No one says he was responsible for any deaths and he isn't charged with slying only failure to register as a foreign agent..I suspect that based on what he told the FBI guy posing as a Cuban they have enough there to avoid going into that classified thicket.

I don't know anyonw who's said anything about Myers--He was with the Intelligence analysis side of State largely on European matters I think.

He also taught at GW and GT.
He didn't get even a slap on the wrist for his 2006 outrageous statements. I tell you that Powell really kept a tight leash on the snakes working for him.

[clarice]

**charged with sPying only ***

[DrJ]

That one did take me a bit to figure out, Clarice, but I did get it.

MR -- I was expecting a sound track rather than a simple discography! So where is it!

[Melinda Romanoff]

DoT-

That's what I mean by the "rubber band" comment, the far end of the stretched piece of rubber is starting to slip. I don't think it's loaded with pie, but trying to jam in place everything that only 20% of the population craves is folly. DU denizens aside, this is not playing as well as it should. It's turning into a very interesting political dynamic.

The economics still amaze me as to the magnitude of the problems coming. The EU is just imagining things if they think they're going to dodge this bullet. 20% unemployment in Spain, as it is now, is going to get far, far worse. I actually believe Italy may dodge a lot of it due to their "grey" economy. There's a lesson in that.

It's going to be a very hot summer in DC.

You see Gordon Brown's aspirations disintegrate upon the press' inquiries into expenses. Guess who's press is starting to ask questions about US Congress members expenses? (It's not domestic, just a hint) The Reid "retreat" for over 100 of his own staffers is not being received well. And we're just warming up.

This is a war (according to the word of Rahm) that they will lose by smell test alone. Who cares how they spin it.

[Porchlight]

Good times, DoT. I hope PUK will come back with a report tomorrow if he's not too hung over.

[Stephanie]

Interesting vid of the geography of job losses...

LUN

[Ignatz]

--Ignatz, I'm in CA too.--

Sorry DOT, you have my pity. :)
Was thinking you were in the North East for some reason.

[Melinda Romanoff]

DrJ-

Sorry!

If I figure out how to link my MP3's, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

This is the tape I'm playing (i've tried to burn this to disc eight times, arrgh, and the deck seizes in the last part...)

I'll post it soon. or I'll revert to some thing else.

[DrJ]

MR, I could do it for you, but it would be of *ahem* questionable legality.

[Melinda Romanoff]

DrJ-

The Messengers play Bobby Timmons tune (& theme) "Dat Dere"

LUN.

(yes, this is in the "archives" too.

(Do I need to do a "Vitruvius" here?)

[clarice]

http://www.last.fm/listen/artist/Art%2BBlakey%2B%2526%2BThe%2BJazz%2BMessengers/similarartists#pane=webRadioPlayer&station=%252Flisten%252Fartist%252FArt%252BBlakey%252B%2526%252BThe%252BJazz%252BMessengers%252Fsimilarartists>Lots of Blakely and the Messengers choices free here

[Porchlight]

So Michelle fired her chief of staff, Jackie Norris, and the story made barely a ripple, since it was probably timed to coincide with the fanfare of O's trip.

The word "fired" was of course not used in any MSM commentary; instead most stories focused on Norris' successor, Susan Sher.

Wonder what's up with that. Four months is not a long time to be on the job.

Michelle Obama's Chief-of-Staff Shake-Up

Byline here is Lynn Sweet, which is interesting.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Okay DrJ., Explain this LUN.

(PUK, please comment as well, it would be more than instructive.)