"Orchestrated" When Bush Did It

The NY Times seems not to have noticed that Obama's town hall on health care was really a stage-managed "town hall".  Here is "reporter" Jeff Zeleney, writing for their Caucus blog:

At the Northern Virginia Community College, about 200 people in the studio audience have taken their seats. The president will take questions from them, as well as from people who submitted their queries through the White House’s official Facebook, You Tube and Twitter pages.

It is the second online forum the White House has staged this year. In March, the president took questions from people via the Web as he was sitting in the East Wing. This time, he’s taken the show on the road. A video monitor here says, “The White House is Open for Questions.”

I guess "staged" was meant to represent hear-hitting reporting that gives us a look behind the curtain.

Let's cut to the WaPo:

In the highly stage-managed event, questions for Obama came from a live audience selected by the White House and the college, and from Internet questions chosen by the administration's own new-media team.

Of the seven questions the president answered, four were selected by his own staff from people who submitted videos on the White House Web site or who responded to a request for "tweets" from the administration.

The president called randomly on three audience members. Each turned out to be members of groups with close ties to his administration: the SEIU union, Health Care for America Now, and Organizing for America, which is a part of the Democratic National Committee. White House officials said that was a coincidence.

Apparently a Republican Congressman snuck in a Tweet, or at least, a question fro the Internet:

A physician from Texas -- later proudly identified by the White House as Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R) -- challenged Obama to support caps on medical malpractice awards, something the president has refused to do.

In response, Obama described the case for such caps, saying that advocates believe it would reduce the amount of "defensive medicine" that doctors and hospitals practice. But he said he remained convinced that people with legitimate grievances should still be able to collect.

"I do want to work with doctors to find ways where they can reduce their liabilities," he said. "Are there ways we can reduce the constant threat of lawsuits that doctors and hospitals face?"

The AP walked a middle line on the stage-management; their lead:

ANNANDALE, Va.—President Barack Obama wanted to put a human face on his plans to overhaul health care, and a Virginia woman did just that Wednesday. Fighting back tears, Debby Smith, 53, told Obama of her kidney cancer and her inability to obtain health insurance or hold a job.

The president hugged her—she's a volunteer for his political operation—and called her "exhibit A" in an unsustainable system that is too expensive and complex for millions of Americans.

...Smith, of Appalachia, Va., is a volunteer for Organizing for America, Obama's political operation within the Democratic National Committee. She obtained her ticket through the White House.

And a bit later:

Some of Obama's questioners Wednesday were from friendly sources, including a member of the Service Employees International Union and a member of Health Care for America Now, which organized a Capitol Hill rally last week calling for an overhaul.

Comments

[Mike Myers]

There's a Real Clear Politics video snip of Chip Reid of CBS and Helen Thomas (gasp!) calling out Robert Gibbs on the White House's practice of staging and scripting these "town halls". When Obama's lost Helen Thomas, well, . . .

I've never been so happy to see the old bird screech. And of course Gibbsy is stumbling and fumbling--some things never change.

[bad]

The video Mike Meyers refers to is LUN. Well worth the time to watch it.

[Frau Roggenbrot]

I say it's spinach, and I say to hell with it!

Yes, it's a strange, sad day when a person sides with Helen Thomas. Why does Ibama think he is fooling us with this carp? Cut to the chase and let George Soros answer directly; he's funded most of the organizations backing the radical left. Pfui!

[Soylent Red]

Ho. Lee. Smokes.

Aside from my revulsion at looking at Helen Thomas brooding like some gnarled bird, and my shock that members of the press might actually be catching on to Telepromper Jesus and his dancing monkey Gibbs, I am flabbergasted by the complete smirking arrogance Gibbs puts out when he is faced with anything but a softball question.

Did you ever see or meet someone and just want to punch them right in the nose? This is the way I feel about Gibbs. He represents the smug and condescending attitude of Administration and the quirky ironic grad school idiots who form its base.

Who I would also like to collectively punch in the nose, I might add.

[bad]

TM has "Orchestrated" and "Outraged" when Bush did it.

Will he go for three?

I'm betting on "Orgasmic"...

[Surely he can't want what we're gonna get.]

I used to wish George Soros dead; now I want him to live to see the mess he's facilitated.

[DrJ]

I'm betting on "Orgasmic"...

Judging by some of the comments in the "The Girl Who Lived" thread, I'd say he's already done so.

[PaulL]

As long as Obama's polls stay (pretty much) high and he has both Houses, he plain doesn't care whether the media is on to him or not. Are "reporters" really going to criticize him when the share his agenda? Gibbs can laugh at the press members and what are they going to do about it.

[bad]

Once in a while, however, when Obama gets separated from his teleprompter, the mask slips a tad. On the hustings, Joe the Plumber caught the candidate off guard and got him to admit the truth about his plans to effect a redistribution of wealth. Something of the sort happened again last week--when, at a carefully staged rally for the administration's health care proposal, to which the flacks who run ABC News tellingly invited no one who regards the current healthcare arrangement as even remotely satisfactory--President Obama responded to a question by acknowledging that his plan aimed to reduce medical costs by aligning "incentives" in such a fashion as to discourage the sick and the dying from undergoing "additional tests" or taking "additional drugs that the evidence shows is not necessarily going to improve care."

I was out of touch and missed Obama's call for rationing. I know that's what he's going for but didn't expect the honesty, even inadvertantly.

LUN

[bad]

Soylent, can you imagine how insufferable that core WH group must be when no one else is around?

[PaulL]

Yes, bad, Obama said that there really wasn't any point in giving his grandmother a new hip because the old racist bag was going to die soon anyway. (Loose paraphrase.)

[Fresh Air]

Paul--

Zero's numbers are dropping like a stone. Wait until six months from now when unemployment is pushing through 11 percent and no one can get a mortgage. The Great Muddle is alive, still groggy, but they're starting to understand what an idiot they elected.

Also, appropos of whatever: Screw the media. I have some pretty awful thoughts about what I might do if I found myself in the middle of the New York Slimes with a carbine and four or five clips of ammo.

[Judge Sonia Sotomayor]

Bad:

This is the kind of thing that tells me he's a marginal intellect and playing completely from a preconceived ideological gameplan.

He's clueless that some people might not automatically agree with him because he's speaking in a soothing voice, and because, well, he's smarter than we are.

Thus, he can't accurately judge what he needs to be saying extemporaneously to keep people believing the bullshit.

[Judge Sonia Sotomayor]

I might do if I found myself in the middle of the New York Slimes with a carbine and four or five clips of ammo.

Call someone to bring you more ammo?

[Soylent Red]

D'oh!

Sockpuppet has been outed!

[bad]

How noble of him, PaulL.

Sacrificing granny....

[Mark O]

Another inconvenient section of the Bill of Rights overcome. This is freedom of the Press in the New Age. Why doesn't Obama simply ask himself the "important questions?" Anything else might be a distraction and not help his kids.

[bad]

Dammit!! For just a moment, Sotomayor sounded like less than a total loss....

[The video]

I made a video yesterday with a "question" for the meeting: I asked whether it was a sham. I posted it to the list of video replies (see my name's link).

Unfortunately, it only got around 100 views before the event, despite me posting it a few places. It only has the one, initial Digg and zero votes at reddit.com.

If it had gotten a lot more views, that could have at least made Youtube look bad.

Even better, if an expert on these issues had posted a toughie and that had gotten a lot of views and then not been selected, that could have made both BHO and Youtube look bad.

Tip for next time: consider actually doing something rather than just grousing in an echo chamber afterwards.

[Pagar]

Why does Ibama think he is fooling us with this carp?

Because it's worked for Castro for fifty years and Obama sees no reason it won't work as well for him.

[Parking Lot]

((I'm betting on "Orgasmic"...))

yes, Sandford should resign

[bad]

Gold nanoshells are among the most promising new nanoscale therapeutics being developed to kill tumors, acting as antennas that turn light energy into heat that cooks cancer to death. Now, a multi-institutional research team has shown that polymer-coated gold nanorods one-up their spherical counterparts, with a single dose completely destroying all tumors in a nonhuman animal model of human cancer.

How quickly can O's plan kill this sort of innovation?

LUN

[DrJ]

How quickly can O's plan kill this sort of innovation?

This sort of science? It probably won't be killed, or even slowed much. This is small-scale work at academia; NIH and the rest will continue to fund these activities.

What will be lost is the ability to commercialize such results, at least in the private sector. The financial returns will be way down, and the necessary clinical trials are very expensive. So investment in the companies that would have taken the results to market will be way down.

Sure, NIH funds clinical trials too, but that traditionally has been the role of the private sector. So the pace of innovation will slow down. Way down.

[BumperStickerist]

I knew the "online forum" wasn't really online the moment the first question was asked -

the guy didn't say "FIRST! ... ummm, Mister President,..."

[MayBee]

Sounds like the DNC should start offering inexpensive health care plans to its employees.

I remember when WalMart was the devil because they didn't pay people enough and didn't offer healthcare to its part time employees. It looks to me like the DNC is worse, in that it expects people to work completely for free.

[PeterUK]

Gangster Government. Looks like Obama is paying off his dues.
Do watch the video.

[matt]

The Telegraph is reporting that Obama plans to discuss cutting our nuclear arsenal by 50% with the Russians doing the same when he visits there next week. The headline reads
"U.S. and Russia to cut Nuclear Arsenals by Half".

This is not on any American web site that I have found, not has it been anything but a lower level policy discussion until our Dear Leader had the bomb dropped by the Telegraph. This is not the way our country's nuclear policy has been run for the past 60 years. There would have been think tank reports and policy papers and discussions in Foreign Relations and the defense analysis business. Instead, it seems O wants to show he's a nice guy.

[PeterUK]

The White House today announced that the "Star Spangled Banner" is to be replaced by the theme from the Soprano's.

[centralcal]

PUK - great video of Michelle Bachman. Gangster Government is only half of it.

[Jane]

Sounds like the DNC should start offering inexpensive health care plans to its employees.

Actually I think we should ban together with one response - no public health care plan unless every elected official agrees to subscribe to it, as a matter of law.

That's all we demand. And we should demand it every day, every where.

(and video, I liked your remarks)

[rick]

Jane,

And the elected officials should be required to subscribe at the lowest level offered, not at some special level that only they can qualify for.

[Jane]

Exactly rick - and we need that in 140 characters suitable for Twitter.

[DrJ]

Sure, the elected officials will subscribe at the lowest level of the public health-care. No problem. The rest of their care would be handled by "supplemental" policies.

So no additional policies funded by their positions, supporters, PACS, contributors and the like.

They would of course be free to purchase one on their own nickel.

[Semanticleo]

Since we'r reminiscing I thought this little piece was less than exculpatory for the Bush Admin and it's slavish capitulation to the War Contractors, a favorite of the Conservative Collective........

"Rumsfeld: Pentagon Waste Caused by Excess Photocopiers
— By Rachel Morris | Wed July 1, 2009 9:36 AM PST

When Donald Rumsfeld became Secretary of Defense in 2001, he vowed to bring change to the Pentagon. If anything, he was harsher in his criticism of the DOD's dysfunction than Gates and Obama are now. In a speech on September 10, 2001, Rumsfeld called the department's bureaucracy "an adversary that poses a threat, a serious threat, to the security of the United States of America. In this building, despite this era of scarce resources taxed by mounting threats, money disappears into duplicative duties and bloated bureaucracy..."

Rumsfeld pledged to fix the DOD's archaic accounting system—which had lost track of $2.3 trillion in transactions—to root out waste, and to fix a procurement system that routinely delivered expensive, outdated weapons programs. Unfortunately, things didn't exactly work out that way. So what happened? Well, Bradley Graham's new 600-plus-page opus on the life and works of Donald Rumsfeld provides a couple of intriguing clues."

[Bush's Brain]

"This is the kind of thing that tells me he's a marginal intellect..."

Indeed. Everyone was caught by surprise at the native genius of GWB who like to match wits with Bessie in each of his cow-tipping contests. He often won.

[bad]

Before the event even began, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs took heat during his daily briefing for the White House prescreening questions and hand-selecting the invitees. Northern Virginia Community College, which hosted the event, and the White House Office of Public Engagement chose the 200 people in attendance, and other aides selected the questions — although the president did not know what he would be asked.

POLITICO neglects to mention how they know Obama didn't know what he will be asked.

LUN

[Captain Hate]

I have some pretty awful thoughts about what I might do if I found myself in the middle of the New York Slimes with a carbine and four or five clips of ammo.

Pretty awful? Sounds like you found your happy place.

Speaking of the gold nanoshells, I have a neighbor that's doing research on that at Case Western Reserve U. and he hasn't told me about any drying up of research funds although he's always had to hustle for them. I agree that bringing it to market is what will suffer.

[xerocky]

"He's clueless that some people might not automatically agree with him because he's speaking in a soothing voice, and because, well, he's smarter than we are."

I can't stand how condescending he truly is. He seems to think the world of himself and he's just not that big a deal.

The media controls peoples minds so badly.

[matt]

one reason Rumsfeld was so disliked by many in the military was his efforts to cut defense spending. There was stonewalling and guerilla warfare that continues to this day. Pentagon politics is a political blood sport with real blood sometimes. Those Colonels play rough.

[DrJ]

he hasn't told me about any drying up of research funds

Right now the funding agencies are awash with ARRA monies. So right now funding is pretty good, relatively speaking. That will fade once ARRA goes away, but I'd bet that Obama would continue to fund fundamental science. Academia is one of his main constituencies, after all.

FWIW, this sort of photodynamic therapy has been around for about 20 years. The material that is heated changes (nano is now in) as does how they seek the proper tumor tissue as opposed to others (traditionally with antibodies).

This work seems pretty minor to me, at least based on the high-level summary that was linked.

[Jane]

So no additional policies funded by their positions, supporters, PACS, contributors and the like.

Not to mention the taxpayers.

Or maybe no supplemental policies at all. Let's make them equal to the people they are intent on making equal.

And it has to include their kids, extended family, and spouses.

[PeterUK]

Septic Dear,
Rumsfeld is no longer in office.George Bush is no longer in office.You have a new chap Barrack "Kid Mumbles" Obama and his Chief of Staff Rahm "Spats" Emanuel.Do try and keep up to date.,

[Sue]

In a speech on September 10, 2001, Rumsfeld called the department's bureaucracy "an adversary that poses a threat, a serious threat, to the security of the United States of America.

And on September 11, 2001, he was proven correct. What a smart man.

[BB Key]

OT (kinda)
Powerline has found this professor from Hillsdale who is into Obama's dismissive facial expressions and body language.
Dr. Rhae seems to have "the actor" pegged.

[Porchlight]

I ♥ Rummy

[Extraneus]

That was a great video of Michelle Bachman, PUK. Thank you for that. I hadn't seen her in action, only the bimbo references from the MSM. Wow, what a woman. I can see why she scares them now.

Btw, I looked it up and I think it's a max $100 fine for not filling out your census or refusing to answer certain questions. $500 for lying. Thank you for that, too, Michelle Bachman.

[Extraneus]

Mr. UK's link, if anyone's too lazy, biding their time until national health-cares saves them or otherwise unable to scroll.

[BB Key]

The community college in VA where BO staged today's event is the ivory tower of:

"DR." Jill "trophy wife" Biden ?

Why are these people into titles?

[clarice]

Powerline:
"So: who, exactly, was Exhibit A? The Associated Press has a little more information:

President Barack Obama wanted to put a human face on his plans to overhaul health care, and a Virginia supporter did just that Wednesday. Fighting back tears, Debby Smith, 53, told Obama of her kidney cancer and her inability to obtain health insurance or hold a job.
The president hugged her--she's a volunteer for his political operation--and called her "exhibit A" in an unsustainable system that is too expensive and complex for millions of Americans. ...

Smith, of Appalachia, Va., is a volunteer for Organizing for America, Obama's political operation within the Democratic National Committee. She obtained her ticket through the White House."

[Extraneus]

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that it's Republican women who'll save this country. Sarah Palin? Liz Cheney? Michelle Bachman? And there are plenty of others, present company included. Who on *either* side could compete with any of these women, one on one?

[PeterUK]

Extraneus,
At one time,to do what the Obama administration is doing,it was customary to wear a mask. I was flabbergasted by the shameless outright third world banditry of it. Frankly, this is the collapse of your civilisation,people are going to get killed.

[Pofarmer]

I've had to suffer through several bouts of listening to Obama on health care today. All I can say, is that the dude has some serious dictatorial tendencies. He's trying to bully, not lead.

[clarice]

Maybe instead of colunteering to work for Obama she(Smith) should get a job at WalMart.

[peter]

What President spoke the most about liberty in his first 100 days? visual at LUN

[Extraneus]

Has anyone seen a good pic of 0bama's hug with the kidney cancer Dem activist? The one on Drudge appears something less than genuine.

[hrtshpdbox]

"The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that it's Republican women who'll save this country. Sarah Palin?"

Yes, Sarah Palin - only she represents a stake in the heart to the vampires on the left (as they make so clear with their non-stop and desparate hit pieces).

Meanwhile, what a strange day in Bizarro World when a conservative can watch a press briefing and be thinking "Go, Helen, go"!

[PeterUK]

"The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that it's Republican women who'll save this country."

You beat me to it."The monstrous regiment of women".

[Extraneus]

I was listening to Mark Levin for a little while tongiht, and he asked that same question, Clarice. She still has the time to be a Dem activist, but can't work at a job with health insurance? Why not? Can we know more about this woman, or is it too gauche to ask?

[MayBee]

Maybe instead of colunteering to work for Obama she(Smith) should get a job at WalMart.

Exactly.
Although I have a suspicion that getting Obama campaign volunteers cheap government-funded health care so they don't have to work other jobs is a primary goal of this administration.

[MayBee]

Wait.
I don't want to say government-funded anymore. What term can we replace it with?

American worker-paid healthcare?
Healthcare paid for by your neighbors.

[Jane]

-she's a volunteer for his political operation-

Why doesn't she get a job? Wouldn't that make getting health insurance easier?

Or maybe the President will adopt her.

[Rick Ballard]

Inmate care.

[Extraneus]

Healthcare paid for by your neighbors.

Better.

[Porchlight]

IIRC Thatcher used "taxpayer" frequently in these instances. Taxpayer-funded healthcare. Helps the dummies understand that the government doesn't have its own money.

[clarice]

Good idea, porchlight.

Another harbinger on the downward facing slope of the administration:

"

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Went on the field @ PNC Park with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack @ Pittsburgh Pirates v Chicago Cubs game as he threw out 1st pitch. 39 minutes ago
Biden, "God willing and the creek don't rise, we are going to make this work." about 8 hours ago
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follow me on Twitter
Biden fails to draw crowd in Erie
Posted July 1, 2009 11 :29 AM

Wattsburg, Pa. — Vice President Joe Biden visited a small town on the outskirts of Erie today to talk to rural folks about federal stimulus money that can be used to expand broadband access to the Internet for rural areas that typically have poor connections.

Apparently stimulus money and broadband are not all that interesting to the local folk here: Only around 100 or so people have showed up so far to hear Biden talk at noon at Seneca High School off Route 8 in Wattsburg.

The room looked so sparse that about 30 or so chairs were removed by volunteers to give the illusion of a full house.

The effect didn't exactly work.

Pittsburgh native and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper are also on hand to talk about access to high speed internet as an essential tool for success in business and in school in our struggling economy.
"

___________

O don't believe Hill is skipping Russia because of her elbow--Greece and Italy maybe but not Russia. I really think she is distancing herself from Ibama.

[clarice]

Good idea, porchlight.

Another harbinger on the downward facing slope of the administration:

"

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Went on the field @ PNC Park with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack @ Pittsburgh Pirates v Chicago Cubs game as he threw out 1st pitch. 39 minutes ago
Biden, "God willing and the creek don't rise, we are going to make this work." about 8 hours ago
Biden Erie event reminds me of Hillary primary event in NH, low turnout, unscripted she opened it up to questions & had her best event ever about 9 hours ago
follow me on Twitter
Biden fails to draw crowd in Erie
Posted July 1, 2009 11 :29 AM

Wattsburg, Pa. — Vice President Joe Biden visited a small town on the outskirts of Erie today to talk to rural folks about federal stimulus money that can be used to expand broadband access to the Internet for rural areas that typically have poor connections.

Apparently stimulus money and broadband are not all that interesting to the local folk here: Only around 100 or so people have showed up so far to hear Biden talk at noon at Seneca High School off Route 8 in Wattsburg.

The room looked so sparse that about 30 or so chairs were removed by volunteers to give the illusion of a full house.

The effect didn't exactly work.

Pittsburgh native and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper are also on hand to talk about access to high speed internet as an essential tool for success in business and in school in our struggling economy.
"

___________

I don't believe Hill is skipping Russia because of her elbow--Greece and Italy maybe but not Russia. I really think she is distancing herself from Ibama.

[Extraneus]

She can skewer him with a resignation at some point. Of course, he knows that, too.

[Soylent Red]

Wow. We really are in Bearded Spock Universe when, on the same day, JOMers are rooting for Helen Thomas and Hillary to stick it to our boy O.

[clarice]

Well there is the dragonfly nymph news, Soylent.

[RichatUF]

I'm going off topic for a moment because I found this via HA.

Here's a sample: "There is a battle within the Republican Party right now, the operative said, over whether Palin is their future or not.

"I think there are a lot of people who want the party to be able to look past Sarah Palin because if we don't, we're going to be in trouble for a long time," he said."

Lets see this week right before the Obamacare is winding up, the cap-and-tax bill passing the house, and Obama stumbling badly on Honduras and Iran, political journalists are getting all the dirt they can regarding the Gov. I don't normally agree with AP, but he's got a point, this is really about revenge and hatred-the circle is too small for the person driving it to be unknown. I'm also wondering if it actually Sen. McCain that's keeping this pot boiling.

[Sue]

Say, wasn't it last month that Sarah Palin drew 20,000 for an event? Poor Joe!

[centralcal]

Hello - DrJ where ever you are, I got my computer back today and my problem was dust.
Lots and lots of dust. I guess all the open windows I so love are not really good for old computers. Anyway - I so appreciate all of you who helped me try to diagnose my freezing problems.

Will keep this antique until the fall and then I guess I am buy a new HP Pavilion.

[RichatUF]

Pretty much Sue. Yep, she is the one that is the problem. I read the quotes in that Washington Times piece more as a threat to her and her family:

Palin is able to draw some sort of lesson out of all of this that helps her find a way to exist peacefully in the public space. It can’t be easy to spend every day under this kind of withering fire and I know that it is brutal on her family, who are generally good people that never asked for this

Always interesting that when ever she has an event (like the upstate New York events) or signs a big initiative (the AGIA pipeline) these stories come out. Going after the family seems like a pretty big step to make sure she gets out of politics.

[cassandra]

Any bets on Romney as the shoveler of dirt?

[centralcal]

Now that I am online at home again, I want to say this . . .

Go Sarah. They don't hate and fear you for no reason ("they" being on our side and the other side).

Whenever Liberals and pseudo Republicans (Liberals in sheeps clothing) want to destroy someone, it makes me think that person must really have something going for them.

I am not ready to commit to anyone for a future run for President, but I am sure not going to count Sarah out because of these "pundit" folks who I am leery of.

[centralcal]

cassandra: Romney? Possibility. But, for now, all the really ugly stuff has been attributed to or at least pointed at the McCain camp.

If Romney is serious about another run, he better play better cards than he did the last time he made a go at it.

[Trajan]

House of cards. Dealer Obama's building a
house of cards. Big wind's coming. It will
hit big when it gets here. May not be good
to be a loud, in-your-face, nasty liberal
when it hits. It may not be good to be Obama. You self-sufficient types have
a leg up. Them that live on Acorns and
promises will be the first to look around
for a handout. Your home and your possessions will be the target. Well, come
to think of it they are NOW.

[hit and run]

Posted by: Sue | July 01, 2009 at 10:47 PM

Hey...you still around? I've got a question...

[Neo]

“India will not accept any emission-reduction target -- period,” Ramesh said. “This is a non-negotiable stand.”

...

The legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to impose trade penalties on nations that do not accept limits on global warming pollution is a concern for India, Ramesh said.

“We reject the use of climate as a non-tariff barrier,” the minister said. “We comprehensively and categorically reject any attempt to introduce climate change” as part of World Trade Organization talks.

[daddy]

Hey I was out of the country for a few days. Did the amount of slurs about Sarah Palin from the MSM and major media figures hit double figures while I was gone or is it still just in single digits?

[Sue]

I'm here.

[Pofarmer]

I'm also wondering if it actually Sen. McCain that's keeping this pot boiling.

He seems about that type to me. He used the drill baby drill mantra, then wouldn't vote for a resolution to allow horizontal drilling from shore.

Somethings up there.

How in the world does this country get back on something resembling a right track? If we get 8 years of Obama, will there even be another track left?

[hit and run]

Hey, Sue...how long you gonna be around tonight?

[DrJ]

Hello - DrJ where ever you are, I got my computer back today and my problem was dust.
Lots and lots of dust.

Well, congrats on getting it fixed. It *was* one of the possibilities I mentioned! And yeah, your area is plagued with lots of dust.

[Sue]

Well, I was hoping to go to bed soon, but I'm caught up in a 7-7 tie baseball game, bottom of 9th, 2 outs. Maybe a while or not very long. Why?

[Sue]

Oops. Rangers just hit out of the park. Woohoo. I'll hang around for a little while if you need something, Hit.

[hit and run]

Sue, I ask because if it's not going to be more than 34 minutes, then I'll just go ahead and say it now...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SUE AND MR. SUE!!!

But if you do stick around that long, I'll take it back and wait until after midnight to say it.

[Sue]

It's just 10:30 here. ::grin:: Thanks, Hit. 33 years. And still madly in love with him. So don't go tell him about Cheney, okey dokey?

[MayBee]

Happy Anniversary, Sue!

[hit and run]

I won't tell your hubby about Cheney if you don't tell mrs hit and run about us...

[Sue]

He's going outside to hunt wild hogs. They are tearing our yard to pieces. He warned me not to laugh before he came in here because he has a gun. I laughed anyway. Black shorts, black knee socks, black t-shirt, black boots. With his cell phone stuck in his pocket. I asked him if he thought maybe it would be a good idea to leave the phone in the house since he was trying to sneak up on wild hogs. ::grin:: Gotta love him! He has his pickup truck parked out back so he can jump in it in the event he pisses off the hogs instead of killing them.

[Sue]

Lips are sealed!

Thanks MayBee.

[narciso]

Most of these so called McCain advisors are really Mitt's minions. They are willing to credit him with great wisdom on health care
(face palm) and budgetary issues; I know when's the last time he had to balance a budget. They leave out of course, his endorsement of Obama's purge of GM, and that strong statement on Iran on Tuesday.
None of these people have anything substantive to say about anything; which I think it's the point. That's why Mittens
was praised by posters on both the Huff Po
and the Daily Kos. Some kind of reverse reverse psychology operating there, Meanwhile the Fox All Stars had nothing positive to say about the 'pink elephant
in the room' Well Barnes did take some
things back.

Yes, Daddy, besides Purdum's track through modified birtherism, there was Politico's typical cluelessness, there was Mike Allen
just digging a bigger hole for himself on MSNBC; how about the Grand Canyon. Some nameless wombat pouring out to Jon Ward of the Washington Times, and some trumped up
CBS story about some emails clarifying the role of the AIP; yes that old chestnut. Van DerLeun was more right than even he knew
"Republicans: they thirst for death" If they
spent 1/1000th of this effort on opposing him, we might be able to fix this mess by say 2012.

[Sue]

I like Mitt. But if he is behind these attacks, he is history with me. McCain could stop it if he wanted to. He doesn't. He likes Palin taking the hit for his loss. I think she helped him more than she hurt him. Especially in fund raising. But even if she hurt him, it was his pick. He should man-up and stop the bullshit. I hate to call a decorated war hero a coward, but he really has acted like one when it comes to Palin. His ego took a hit when she drew the crowds he couldn't. Or something.

[PaulL]

McCain was too old in 2008. Could he really be stupid enough to think he has a chance in a billion of making it in 2012? 2016?

Steve Schmidt needs a big L tattooed on his chrome dome.

[Ann]

He's going outside to hunt wild hogs. They are tearing our yard to pieces. He warned me not to laugh before he came in here because he has a gun. I laughed anyway. Black shorts, black knee socks, black t-shirt, black boots. With his cell phone stuck in his pocket.

Hubba Hubba Sue! Sounds like something Cheney would wear! Happy Anniversary! You gotta love real men.

I have an old picture I took of my husband in about the same get-up only he had his underwear on and was going out to hunt wild wood for the fireplace. :)

Many Thanks, Hit and everyone for my ANNiversary wishes. JOM is the best.

[RichatUF]

Rick, I am shamelessly stealing this comment from the other thread and dropping it here. The Employment Situation report is going to be released tomorrow and it should be interesting to see if it squares with the data you've compiled from the tax deposits reports:

Tax Deposits Update

Today's report finishes off Q2 and "finishes off" is quite apt. Q1 '09 came in at YoY -8.14% for taxes withheld, -12.19% for personal taxes (proprietors) and -30.62% for corporate income taxes. Q2 '09 finished with -11.91% for taxes withheld, -21.59% for personal taxes and -36.75% for corporate income taxes.

That's not the bad news. June is the bad news > -15.53% for taxes withheld, -39.55%
for personal taxes (proprietors) and -33.44% for corporate income taxes.

The final GDP for Q1 was -5.5%. I'll give the person who can explain how Q2 comes in any better a nickel for the explanation.

There is really something out of whack with the weekly unemployment claims numbers. The month end tax deposits for June were simply horrible and the unemployment claims numbers should have reflected the layoffs. It's that or weekly hours have been cut substantially more than the .1 per week reported last month.

Sorry about the lack of green shoots.

Posted by: Rick Ballard | July 01, 2009 at 06:08 PM

Pofarmer-We'll be pulling the rails up because cap-and-tax will gut the steel industry. I it still sets my teeth on edge that he voted against AWAR drilling. But the oil isn't going anywhere, but it would be nice to use. Since we have such idiots in charge maybe another energy crisis which sends us into a deeper recession might get thinking. Doubtful.

In re: Gov. Palin. I suppose I could see it being Mitt Romney, but it would take quite a bit for me to believe it. Also, McCain had such hostility for him, I'd think Romney wouldn't trust any of McCain's staffers or advisors anyway. Or more to the point-the McCain-Palin campaign is an example of how not to run a Presidential campaign, why would Romney want to use 2008 "talent" when he has an open field? He could study the map and come up with a fresh ground game. He doesn't gain anything by having functionaries trashing Alaska's governor.

[RichatUF]

Happy Anniversary, Sue and Mr. Sue.

[Ann]

Bookmark this page:

39 Vulnerable Democrats Who Voted YES on Cap-Trade

Here are the 39 vulnerable Democrats who voted YES on cap-trade… in case you don’t have it. Freshmen are Bold. They are “vulnerable” because they are either 55% or under, or they are in districts Bush, or Bush & McCain won in 2004/2008. About half (17) are concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest.

[Ann]

Any bets on Romney as the shoveler of dirt?

Posted by: cassandra | July 01, 2009 at 11:01 PM

How convenient that a troll comes by to accuse Romney of shoveling dirt! Let me guess that the next issue of Vanity Fair will have a 10,000 word piece on dirty Romney because he is leading in the polls for 2012.