A Frightening Question

from Talking Points Memo:

"The torture debate in Congress--I never expected to write such words--is as surreal to me as watching the collapse of the Twin Towers. If the Democrats are able to take control of at least one chamber in November, then surely the President's pro-torture bill will be viewed in hindsight as the nadir of the Bush presidency. If not, how much lower can things go?"

Muslims Continue To Prove Pope's Point

AMERICAblog:

"Outrage against Pope continues
by Chris in Paris - 9/16/2006 10:37:00 AM

Who could have predicted such outrage when the pope decided to read quotes from the medieval text? Well, just about anyone who is following world events. Is the Vatican ever going to move on from being hate-mongers or is that going to continue being the focus of the Vatican? It's 2006, almost 2007 so let's think about how we are going to bridge cultural divides instead of making them larger. Haven't we had enough?

Salih Kapusuz, deputy leader of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-rooted party, said Benedict's remarks were either "the result of pitiful ignorance" about Islam and its prophet or, worse, a deliberate distortion.

"He has a dark mentality that comes from the darkness of the Middle Ages," Kapusuz told Turkish state media. "It looks like an effort to revive the mentality of the Crusades."

The outrage has forced an apology of sorts from the Vatican:

``The Holy Father is very sorry that some passages of his speech may have sounded offensive to the sensibilities of Muslim believers,'' said Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone in a statement."

Best Yet On No-Torture Policy

Andrew Sullivan | The Daily Dish:

I'm swiping the front and back of Andrew's post. You need to read the whole thing. I'd put a link right here but I can't at the most. Click on the title above to get back to the post. (That will work for a day or two)

"What We've Lost

15 Sep 2006 04:38 pm

A reserve soldier who fought in Iraq writes:

'I was deployed in my reserve unit (USMCR) as part of operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Marine infantry, and we were on the front lines, supposedly to guard a gunship base, but really, though, the gunships guarded us...

...If those men [the soldier was guarding POW's] had even put up token resistance, some of us would not have come back. But they didn't even bother, and surrendered at least in part because of our reputation. Our two hundred year old reputation for being fair and humane and decent. All the way back to George Washington, and from President George H.W. Bush all the way down to a lance-corporal jarhead at the front.

Its gone now, even from me. I can't get past that image of the Iraqi, in the hood with the wires and I'm not what you'd call a sensitive type. You know the picture. And now we have a total bust-out in the White House, and a bunch of rubber-stamps in the House, trying to make it so that half-drowning people isn't torture. That hypothermia isn't torture. That degradation isn't torture. We don't have that reputation for fairness anymore. Just the opposite, I think. And the next real enemy we face will fight like only the cornered and desperate fight. How many Marines' lives will be lost in the war ahead just because of this asshole who never once risked anything for this country?'

This president must never be forgiven for what he has done to the reputation of this country."

Astronomers Find Distant, Fluffy Planet - AOL News

Astronomers Find Distant, Fluffy Planet - AOL News: "WASHINGTON (Sept. 14) - The largest planet ever found orbiting another star is so puffy it would float on water, astronomers said Thursday. The newly discovered planet, dubbed HAT-P-1, is both the largest and least dense of the nearly 200 worlds astronomers have found outside our own solar system.
"

Next Crook, Please

TIME.com: Who's the Next Target in the Abramoff Probe? -- Page 1: "...The source confirmed previous public reports that particular scrutiny is being paid to Sen. Conrad Burns, a Montana Republican who faces a tough campaign for reelection.

'A lot of the conduct to which Ney has pleaded guilty is similar to the alleged conduct of Senator Conrad Burns and his staff,' points out Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a non-profit watchdog group. 'Abramoff has said that Burns and his staff used Signatures [Abramoff's restaurant] like their cafeteria. And Burns took a number of legislative actions on Abramoff's behalf, even as members of his staff went on trip to the 2001 Super Bowl on private jet and visited Sun Cruise gambling ships, which were partly owned by Abramoff. 'Abramoff himself said in an interview earlier this year, 'Every appropriation we wanted [from Burns's committee] we got. Our staffs were as close as they could be. They practically used Signatures as their cafeteria. I mean, it's a little difficult for him to run from that record...'"

Bush Says Powell Supports Al Qaeda

AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth: "Bush says Powell is 'unacceptable' for comparing the United States to Al Qaeda
by John in DC - 9/15/2006 11:29:00 AM

Well, so much for that. Bush just told the nation that Colin Powell thinks America acts just like Al Qaeda.

Does Colin Powell really think that?

It's great to see Bush starting to Swift Boat his fellow Republicans by calling them un-American traitors who don't understand the battle we face.

Powell doesn't listen to the words of the enemy, Bush says.

Oh God, now Bush is criticizing the Geneva Conventions, 'it's very vague, what does that mean?' Bush wants to 'clarify' the Geneva Conventions. Excuse me? We want this idiot to be clarifying the Geneva Conventions, something that has existed for 60 years or so without Bush's help, thank you very much.

How dare he tell the world that he is going to reinterpret the Geneva Conventions, and not expect other countries to do the same thing when they get a hold of our soldiers and have them in custody? As Colin Powell and John McCain have said, George Bush is putting our soldiers' lives at risk, and he doesn't care or even understand the reason for these protections. . ."

VetuCon Bush Defining

No Latin dictionary handy? (OldCon, old conservative, as in older conservative ideas)

Andrew Sullivan | The Daily Dish: "'The United States has seen political swings and produced its share of extremists, but its political character, whether liberals or conservatives have been in charge, has always remained fundamentally Burkean. The Constitution itself is a Burkean document, one that slows down decisions to allow for “deliberate sense” and checks and balances. President Bush has nearly upended that tradition, abandoning traditional realism in favor of a warped and incoherent brand of idealism. (No wonder Bush supporter Fred Barnes has praised him as a radical.) At this dangerous point in history, we must depend on the decisions of an astonishingly feckless chief executive: an empty vessel filled with equal parts Rove and Rousseau,' - Jeffrey Hart, one of the true intellectual architects of American conservatism in the modern era, calling this president what he is: a dangerous, reckless, ideological incompetent."

Democratic Security Bill Torpedoed by GOP

Democratic Ideas Struggle to Be Heard by a Very Lazy Media - The Smirking Chimp: "Just the day before, S.Amdt. 4936, a comprehensive security bill by Senate Democrats, based on their 'Real Security' plan for America, was killed by the GOP leadership by a 41-57 vote that went almost straight down party lines.

'Today is another example of Republicans talking tough about national security, but then failing to do what it takes to keep America safe,' said Reid after Wednesday's vote on his Real Security Act of 2006. 'Our country is not as safe as it can and should be five years after 9/11, and votes like this in the Republican Congress are a reason why.'

Reid continued: 'The Bush White House and its Do-Nothing Congress have left our ports, borders, chemical plants and mass transit systems vulnerable. It is time this Congress finally learn the lessons of 9/11. Politics won't protect the American people. Only a serious commitment and tough and smart strategies, like the Democrats Real Security Act, will.'"

What we are

Rove Wouldn't Do That??

Lawyer Says Rove Targeted Client - Forbes.com: "Attorneys for a man accused of fraud say he was charged at the behest of presidential adviser Karl Rove in retaliation for a flood of spam e-mails sent to a campaign Web site. A federal prosecutor says the claim is 'absurd.'

Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Siegal urged U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain on Monday to reject arguments that Rove caused the criminal investigation that led to charges against Robert McAllister.

Siegal said lawyers for McAllister made the 'patently absurd argument that the U.S. attorney's office in the Southern District is a shill for Karl Rove and has arrested and indicted their client in some sort of vindictive retaliation.'

McAllister's lawyer Gerald L. Shargel said Monday he plans to try to call Rove as a witness, if the court allows it. "

Ney Guilty

Rep. Bob Ney Agrees to Plead Guilty - washingtonpost.com: "Rep. Bob Ney Agrees to Plead Guilty

By DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press
Friday, September 15, 2006; 10:16 AM

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Bob Ney agreed Friday to plead guilty to federal criminal charges he made false statements and conspired to commit fraud and violate federal lobbying laws in the congressional corruption probe spawned by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Ney, R-Ohio, had defiantly denied the charges for months. Now he faces up to 10 years in prison. The Justice Department said prosecutors will recommend that he serve 27 months based on federal sentencing guidelines. Ney became the first lawmaker to admit wrongdoing in the election-year investigation.

Ney agreed to plead guilty to making false statements and conspiracy to commit 'wire and mail fraud,' make false statements and violate post-employment restrictions for former congressional staff members.

Ney signed the plea agreement Wednesday, but it was not approved by the Justice Department or filed with the U.S. court until Friday."

Bad Media

From the "Go Figure" Department:

The Blog | Jonathan Rintels: FCC Report Says Media Consolidation Harms News Coverage - FCC Then Orders Report Destroyed | The Huffington Post:

"The Federal Communications Commission ordered its staff to destroy all copies of a draft study that suggested greater concentration of media ownership would hurt local TV news coverage, according to a story by the AP's John Dunbar.

Former FCC attorney Adam Candeub, now a law professor at Michigan State University, said senior managers at the agency ordered that 'every last piece' of the report be destroyed.
'The whole project was just stopped -- end of discussion,' he said.

The FCC staff analysis showed local ownership of television stations adds almost five and one-half minutes of total news to broadcasts and more than three minutes of 'on-location' news. The conclusion is at odds with FCC arguments made when it voted in 2003 to increase the number of television stations a company could own in a single market. It was part of a broader decision liberalizing ownership rules. . ."

Texas Two-Step Gets New Meaning

Friedman says he'd legalize pot in Texas - Yahoo! News: "AUSTIN, Texas - Kinky Friedman says he favors legalizing marijuana to keep nonviolent users out of prison. If Texas elects him governor, he says, he'll try to get locked-up pot users released to make room for more violent criminals.

'I think that's long overdue,' Friedman told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. 'I think everybody knows what (U.S. Sen.) John McCain said is right: We've pretty well lost the war on drugs doing it the way we're doing it. Drugs are more available and cheaper than ever before. What we're doing is not working. . .'"

Amen, bro! Go, Kinky!

The Heroes

Andrew Sullivan | The Daily Dish: The Heroes: "The Heroes

Count them: Republicans John McCain, John Warner, Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins joined with the Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee to vote the Senate bill, retaining Geneva protections, to the full Senate floor. The committee vote was 15 - 9. That's what I'm hearing. Here's the latest news story. More later - because I haven't had a chance to read the small print. But the bottom line is: Rove's gambit may be backfiring - and for the Senate to rebuff the president even as he lobbies them personally is a stunning rebuff, and a victory for American decency and honor. Now Karl Rove will have to win a Republican re-election by campaigning against at least four Republican senators. Stay tuned."

The Remaining Republicans

The Remaining Republicans - The Smirking Chimp: "The Remaining Republicans
by Cenk Uygur | Sep 14 2006 - 9:28am | permalink
article tools: email | print | read more Cenk Uygur

I often wonder how anyone can still remain a Republican. They have not done one thing right since George W. Bush stepped into office. The world is falling apart around us and it's obvious to anyone who has a bit of sense that Bush has no idea what he's doing. How can anyone continue to support this clueless and out of control party?

Remember, it's not just Bush. If it was, I might still be a Republican. Every party has a couple of bad apples. Granted this apple happens to be their head. But if Al Sharpton miraculously became president, that doesn't mean you have to stop being a Democrat. The problem isn't that Bush and Cheney have led everyone off a cliff -- the problem is they followed.

I lost all respect for Republicans in Congress when none of them would step up and challenge this administration. The worst president we've ever had and not one of them stepped up to say, 'You're wrong, Mr. President. We need to go in a new direction.' They bowed their heads and did exactly what they were ordered. . ."

The Forgotten

The Carpetbagger Report: "Perhaps the single most common refrain from the White House and the president's allies is that there have been no terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since Sept. 11, 2001. That's incorrect — about a month after 9/11, someone sent weaponized anthrax to two Democratic senators and several news outlets. Five Americans were killed and 17 more suffered serious illnesses.

For reasons that I've never been able to explain, the incident — I suppose one should call it an 'attack' — is hardly ever mentioned. No one knows where the anthrax came from, who sent it, or why. It was a horrifying incident, immediately on the heels of another horrifying incident, but five years later, it's almost as if the episode never happened.

One woman in Florida who was widowed by the attack is still waiting for some answers, and she's willing to go to court to get them.

Maureen Stevens says the federal government probably knows who killed her husband.

She believes they're not telling because that might reveal things the government doesn't want revealed.

Nearly five years after Bob Stevens' death, the first in the anthrax attacks that terrified a nation, 'I want to know what happened,' his widow, who's sued the government, said Wednesday from her lawyer's office. 'I want to go into court and find out what happened. . ."

Good-bye, Ann

Democrat Taylor Marsh Blogs Politics:

"The Texas grand dame is gone. She was a great broad.

She would have liked that description, I bet, because not every woman can be one. You have to have a certain amount of experience, pain and grit; have known ups and downs, well, you catch my drift. There's also a measure of class that comes with the title. Richards oozed class.

One of the things that always got me was that Karl Rove beat her by spreading rumors that she was a lesbian. I never met Ms. Richards, but I bet Ann would want us all to remember that about the skunk we're fighting this next election and beyond.

Blessings to this powerful politician. She was something to watch. She will be missed. . ."

No More Walru at UN?

AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth: "Bolton's nomination is 'dead as far as the Senate is concerned'
by Joe in DC - 9/14/2006 08:49:00 AM

Last year, Bush did a recess appointment to get Bolton to the U.N. This year, Bolton actually needs Senate confirmation -- and it looks like he's not going to to get it. Republicans on the Hill are conceding defeat:

President Bush's nomination of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations appears increasingly endangered in the Senate, prompting the administration to explore other ways to keep him in the job after his temporary appointment expires in January, officials said yesterday.

The situation represents a sharp turnaround from two weeks ago, when the White House was confident it could finally push through Bolton's long-stalled nomination. But last week's surprise move by Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee (R-R.I.) to delay a vote convinced Republicans on Capitol Hill that the nomination may be doomed, prompting a search for alternatives. . ."

No Torture Club Gets Larger

AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth: "Powell joins McCain, Warner and Lindsey opposing Bush's torture plan
by Joe in DC - 9/14/2006 11:24:00 AM

Bush is on the Hill today to push his pro-torture agenda. Colin Powell just undermined Bush's plan:

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday endorsed efforts by three Republican senators to block President Bush's plan to authorize harsh interrogations of terror suspects.

The latest sign of GOP division over White House security policy came in a statement that Powell sent to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., one of the rebellious lawmakers. Powell said that Congress must not pass Bush's proposal to redefine U.S. compliance with the Geneva Conventions, a treaty that sets international standards for the treatment of prisoners of war. . ."

Cooking Civies

CNN.com - Air Force chief: Test weapons on testy U.S. mobs - Sep 12, 2006: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before being used on the battlefield, the Air Force secretary said Tuesday.

The object is basically public relations. Domestic use would make it easier to avoid questions from others about possible safety considerations, said Secretary Michael Wynne.

'If we're not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation,' said Wynne. '(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press.'

The Air Force has paid for research into nonlethal weapons, but he said the service is unlikely to spend more money on development until injury problems are reviewed by medical experts and resolved . . ."

Hmmm. Election day. That might be a good time to test those weapons...