The Cheney Observer - Part I
May 24, 2007 at 02:01:02
DC Madam scandal widens: Cheney, Giuliani, Abramoff
by Gustav Wynn
The media black-out on the scandal involving DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey is surprising in light of the lack of lawsuits being leveled at the Wayne Madsen Report website. Instead of Dick Cheney and the recently resigned Randall Tobias filing libel and slander lawsuits against the site, we see only their silence. Moreover, the Wayne Madsen site has been continually expanding on this story - making this either the scoop of the century, or the biggest fairy tale in DC history.Consider this: WMR is now reporting specifically who at ABC News' 20/20 became fully aware of not only Cheney's use of the escort service, but dozens more "high profile" names - culled from the phone records only since 2002 (the escort services full records go back to 1994). ABC's crack team was reportedly gagged by their bosses after concerned calls from the White House. This would be amazing if true, yet no White House denial has been forthcoming as of this writing...WMR also reports that the DC Madam first came under DOJ scrutiny after US Attorney Thomas DiBiagio got a crooked cop Ed Norris (a pal of NYC Police Commish Bernard Kerik) to squeal on the escort service in May 2004, admitting the service had received illicit payouts from official police funds. Less then a year after Norris was hired as State Superintendent by Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, another US Attorney, Johnathan Luna, who had also investigated Norris and Kerik back in NY turned up murdered in December of 2003. Luna at the time was working under DiBagio on the DC Madam case, finding Ehrlich and lobbyist Jack Abramoff were DC Madam clients. Then, DiBiagio became the first U.S. Attorney fired by the Justice Department after Bush's re-election in 2004. Vastly underreported, DiBagio's probe had linked Republican governor Ehrlich to Bob Ney, Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham and others but the investigation died when he was fired.It wasn't until Palfrey attempted to leave the country and sell her house that interest in the DC Madam was revived. A warrant eventually seized her assets. WMR reports that one DC law firm representing Saudi clients turned up on the phone list and that another patron on the list was a client of the law firm of Bracewell & Giuliani. Though Madsen can be a little quick to speculate, he stands by his claim, purportedly confirmed by three different sources, that Cheney's beltway phone number appeared in the records numerous time when he was CEO of Halliburton….
http://www.opednews.com/author/author3098.html
…GW is a proud American from NY State, concerned about ethics issues, media manipulation and the influence of corporations on healthy lifestyles. He has recently changed careers to become an inner city schoolteacher. A firm proponent of curbing overpopulation and international adoption, he hopes to adopt a third child and enjoys history, outsider art, garage punk music and rare records.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_gustav_w_070524_dc_madam_scandal_wid.htm
Internet Gambling: How involved are the Indian tribes?
Last November a law went into effect which made financial transactions to online gambling websites illegal, the so-called UIGEA.
Many are willing to blame the Republicans for this law, although it was passed by both Republicans and Democrats. And the only attempt to "repeal" the law came from Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), which, of course, had nothing to do with repealing the law, but with further limiting the presence of the offshore Internet gambling companies in the United States.
Funny thing about Mr. Frank's proposed bill is that it does not make offshore online gambling legal, and the individual states can continue banning online gambling at their sole discursion. The Indian tribes, however, could opt-in to run Internet gambling websites within their states. This should make you think to what extend are the Indian tribes involved in the current online gambling legislation and other pieces of it in the past.
Documents released in the press clearly show the involvement of some of the Indian tribes with the famous lobbyist Jack Abramoff and even the White House. We will not go into details about these transactions, but in a nutshell, the Agua Caliente Indian Tribe has been "working" pretty close with the above mentioned. Literally millions of dollars exchanged hands, according to the documents, to help the tribe in their gambling business. There is no word on Internet gambling in the papers, but that's not the point.
http://www.ogpaper.com/news/news-0434.html
Abramoff disclosures
http://www.standupca.org/Abramoff.asp
House Votes to Lift Veil Over Lobbyists’ Donations
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: May 25, 2007
WASHINGTON, May 24 — The House voted Thursday to drag into public view the role that registered lobbyists play in soliciting and collecting contributions for political campaigns, exposing for the first time one of the most effective ways that influence-seekers ingratiate themselves with lawmakers and presidents.Skip to next paragraph
The measure goes to the heart of how Washington does business by uncovering a hidden practice that sprang up as an unintended consequence of restrictions imposed by campaign finance laws. Because those laws cap individual contributions — now $2,300 per campaign — candidates have been turning to well-connected lobbyists to bundle stacks of checks to make up the millions they need to run their campaigns.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/25/washington/25lobby.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin
Dan Grant, Candidate for TX 10: 'Why I'm A Democrat'
I’m running for U.S. Congress in the Texas 10th. Why?
Because my district was gerrymandered by Tom DeLay and Karl Rove, and our current representative does not reflect the mainstream values of Houston, Austin, and all the places in between.
Iraq. Katrina. Abu Ghraib. Walter Reed and Guantánamo, Osama Bin Laden at large. Big Pharma writing Medicare plans while Texas seniors lose prescription drug coverage. Big Insurance writing campaign checks while Texans pay twice the national average to insure their homes. Soaring deficits, a demoralized foreign policy — and a capital city so tied up in partisan knots that they have no idea how to get us back on the right track.
We need a change in Washington. Now.
If the litany of failure during the past six years has taught us anything at all, two of its most important lessons are:
• Modern Republicans can’t govern because they don’t believe in government.
• When government breaks, voters turn to Democrats to fix it.
The Republican administration is discredited, and even some of its most loyal apologists are now trying to scramble back to the middle ground. But voters aren’t fooled. It’s the extremist ideology and partisan zealotry symbolized by fallen leaders like Tom DeLay that put them out of sync with mainstream voters in the first place. So those who enabled DeLay’s enterprise to get themselves elected have no credibility portraying themselves as moderates now.
http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3500
Ignorant Wingnut Sen. Coburn prevents honor to Rachal Carson
According to David Roberts Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) intended to introduce a bill to honor Rachel Carson on the anniversary of what would have been her 100th birthday. Her great book, Silent Spring, literally introduced the world to the idea that the environment had to be viewed as a complex interacting system in which the destruction of one species of plant or animal could upset the entire ecosystem. It seems to me to be a very appropriate honor considering the impact her book had on environmental thinking. This is what Wikipedia says about what she was teaching:
as a renowned author, she was able to ask for (and receive) the aid of prominent biologists, chemists, pathologists, and entomologists. She used Silent Spring to create a mental association in the public's mind between wildlife mortality and over-use of pesticides like dieldrin, toxaphene, and heptachlor. Her cautions regarding the previously little-remarked practices of introducing an enormous variety of industrial products and wastes into wilderness, waterways, and human habitats with little concern for possible toxicity struck the general public as common sense, as much as good science; "We are subjecting whole populations to exposure to chemicals which animal experiments have proved to be extremely poisonous and in many cases cumulative in their effects. These exposures now begin at or before birth and - unless we change our methods - will continue through the lifetime of those now living."
Unfortunately, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has informed Sen. Cardin that he will kill the bill when submitted. Why? Wingnut irrational anti-science reasons. Here is more from Wikipedia:
Even before Silent Spring was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1962, there was strong opposition to it. As Time Magazine recounted in 1999:Carson was violently assailed by threats of lawsuits and derision, including suggestions that this meticulous scientist was a "hysterical woman" unqualified to write such a book. A huge counterattack was organized and led by Monsanto, Velsicol, American Cyanamid - indeed, the whole chemical industry - duly supported by the Agriculture Department as well as the more cautious in the media.Scientists such as American Cyanamid's Robert White-Stevens (who wrote "If man were to follow the teachings of Miss Carson, we would return to the Dark Ages, and the insects and diseases and vermin would once again inherit the earth."[1]), chemical companies, and other critics attacked the data and interpretation in the book. Some went further to attack Carson's scientific credentials because her speciality was marine biology and zoology, not the field of biochemistry. Some went as far as characterizing her as a mere birdwatcher with more spare time than scientific background, calling her unprofessional.[citation needed] Former Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson reportedly concluded she was “probably a Communist.”[2]In addition, many critics repeatedly asserted that she was calling for the elimination of all pesticides despite the fact that Carson had made it clear she was not advocating the banning or complete withdrawal of helpful pesticides, but was instead encouraging responsible and carefully managed use with an awareness of the chemicals' impact on the entire ecosystem. In fact, she concludes her section on DDT in Silent Spring not by urging a total ban, but with Practical advice should be "Spray as little as you possibly can" rather than "Spray to the limit of your capacity." [Bolding is mine - Richard, Editor PPS.]
It is clear that what Rachel Carson suggested would sharply reduce the market for DDT and at the same time increase the on-going research costs into safe and appropriate ways to use
DDt. The Chemical Industry strikes back at anyone who threatens to reduce their markets and increase their costs. They read the book and went on the attack. Such corporate attacks are easier because wingnuts don't read the books they ban, burn and otherwise try to hide from the public. It's enough for them that Monsanto, Velsicol, American Cyanamid claim that she said that DDT should be banned.
http://politicsplusstuff.blogspot.com/2007/05/ignorant-wingnut-sen-coburn-prevents.html
Top films delay deals at Cannes'Sicko,' 'Control' among available titles
By DADE HAYES, ANNE THOMPSON
After the high-profile pickups of "We Own the Night" and "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," the 60th edition of Cannes left a few appetizing morsels on the table.
Several more pacts are likely to be sealed for distribution in the U.S. and other key global territories after the fest wraps Sunday.
Among the notables:
· "Control," the Anton Corbijn-helmed portrait of doomed Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, impressed most critics and buyers in the market and as the opening act of Directors' Fortnight. Several buyers, including IFC and Tartan Releasing, made offers in the low six figures, but the black and white lensing is a deterrent because some ancillary avenues flat-out cannot handle non-color fare. Warner Music controls the soundtrack, but a tie-in boost is not automatic.
· "Sicko." While domestic rights have long resided with The Weinstein Co., sales around the world have been cloaked in some mystery. After pronouncements upon the pic's successful opening night screening (out of competition) about buyers likely flocking to TWC, there has been an odd silence, amid a sense that the asking prices in many zones may simply be too high for a doc about American health care. U.K. rights, for example, are still available for whoever ponies up $2 million, which sets the B.O. bar fairly high. People familiar with the talks point to Momentum as possibly having the inside track. Officially, TWC international chief Glen Basner would only call Cannes "a terrific market" for the company, and noted that a few presales had been logged in advance of the fest.
· "Untitled Larry Charles Project." With almost the entire world already sold, the docu hosted and narrated by Bill Maher and helmed by Charles whipped up a bit of a frenzy in Cannes with the screening of a 10-minute promo reel. Shot but not yet cut, the comic skewering of organized religion is a tossup, and CAA said Maher and Charles planned to meet with buyers in L.A. and a deal would not likely come before June. Skeptics said Maher's abrasive style could cap the film's potential, but boosters said the subject matter, Charles's "Borat" and "Seinfeld" bona fides and broader acceptance of docs of late left plenty of upside.
· "Cassandra's Dream." Woody Allen's film is described as an even more sober affair than "Match Point." Starring Ewan MacGregor, Colin Farrell and Tom Wilkinson, it has wrapped production and Wild Bunch was selling in Cannes. Rumors persisted about a U.S deal throughout the week, with strong indications that The Weinstein Co. would emerge with the pic, though the company has not officially confirmed any deal.
(Adam Dawtrey and Alison James contributed to this report.)
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=Cannes2007&jump=story&id=1061&articleid=VR1117965768&cs=1
A recipe for new mischief
The best "get out of jail free" card for some members of Congress may be contained in the campaign war chests they amass.
According to USA Today, some two dozen current and former members of Congress caught up in criminal probes or ethics investigations are using more than $5 million donated to them in campaign funds to pay for their legal defense.
This diversion of campaign funds underscores the moral depravity of some in Congress who apparently cannot be shamed into more ethical behavior.
http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070525/NEWS0301/705250335/1003/NEWS03
H.I.V. Testing Bill Starts ‘War’ Among Assembly Democrats
ALBANY, May 24 — Gov. Eliot Spitzer and a majority of state lawmakers are backing a bill requiring H.I.V. testing of suspects indicted on rape charges. Nevertheless, its chances of passage are unclear, as the legislation is the subject of contentious debate in the Assembly.
The bill has more than enough votes to pass the Assembly, judging from its voluminous list of co-sponsors. But it remains to be seen whether the Assembly leadership allows it to come up for a vote, though prospects appear to be more favorable than in previous years.
“This year, it seems to be on course to at least get to the floor and it could very well succeed there, based on the number of sponsors on the bill,” said Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, a Brooklyn Democrat who opposes the bill and is chairman of the Codes Committee, which must clear it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/25/nyregion/25aids.html
The surprising relevance of Ron Paul.
The Crank
by Michael Crowley Post date 05.25.07 Issue date 06.04.07
Astar had just been born when, a day after the May 15 Republican presidential debate in South Carolina, I met Texas Representative Ron Paul for lunch on Capitol Hill. The meeting had been scheduled for several days; but, as luck would have it, the previous night Paul had gone from an oddball obscurity to a major sensation in the political world when, answering a question about September 11, he seemed to suggest that the attacks were justified by an aggressive U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. "They attack us because we've been over there. We've been bombing Iraq for ten years," Paul explained. The ever-macho Rudy Giuliani was quick to pounce. "That's an extraordinary statement," he marveled. "And I would ask the congressman to withdraw that comment and tell us that he didn't really mean that." The crowd roared its approval. A previously flagging Giuliani suddenly enjoyed his best moment of the race....
http://www.tnr.com/user/nregi.mhtml?i=20070604&s=crowley060407
Democrat to Run in TX-11
by: Matt Glazer
Fri May 25, 2007 at 08:44:46 AM CDT
The Texas 11th has a Democrat in the Race. Dr. Brad Vincent of Snyder Texas has unofficially entered the race against Republican Mike Conaway.
Vincent is a dedicated educator who has spent his life working for Texas students and their families, and his issues seem right in line with the Midland based district.
Conaway was elected entirely because of DeLay and Craddick's redistricting scheme. The same redistricting plan that was overturned by the US Supreme Court during the last election cycle.
http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3506
Congress Celebrates The '67 Arab-Israeli War!
By M.J. Rosenberg bio
It is not news to my readers here that I believe that in recent years the United States Congress has done very little to advance peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
On the contrary, Congress has specialized in legislation making it more difficult to provide aid to any and all Palestinians in the name of keeping aid away from terrorists. No matter that our policies have weakened the moderates willing to live in peace with Israel and mightily strengthened Hamas and company.
Even now when international relief agencies report that Congressional restrictions make it near-impossible to deliver aid to non-Hamas Palestinians because the existing law is so harsh, Congress is looking at ways to tighten it. The name of the game is Arab-bashing which Congress views as a sure crowd – i.e. donor – pleaser.
The good news is that the Congress that was elected in 2006 seems considerably less interested in playing that game. Speaker Nancy Pelosi demonstrated that when she resisted pressure and went ahead with her decision to include Damascus on her Middle East itinerary this spring.
http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2007/may/25/congress_celebrates_the_67_arab_israeli_war
Friday, May 25, 2007
The Dull Compulsion of the Economic (#1)
by Dollars & Sense
A series of blog entries by D&S collective member Larry Peterson.Please note: this is a continuation of a series that began in March under the title "This Just In: Dollars & Sense Reads the News"; besides the terrific new name, taken from Chapter 28 of Volume One of Marx's Capital), I'm hoping to make the entries more regular (once a week, usually appearing on Monday, or early in the week), consistent in length (800-1000 words, though this entry will go beyond that), and, I hope, better thought out and less impressionistic in tone.When I first heard about Paul Wolfowitz's difficulties at the World Bank involving his companion some weeks back, I thought it warranted nothing more than indulgence in some good, stupid fun. That one of the major architects of a duplicitous, illegal, and immoral war and breathtakingly negligent occupation was finally being forced to answer for his actions to an even miniscule degree, and over such a silly-sex issue, was certainly good for a smirk or two. The fact that the "anticorruption" campaigner at the bank found himself entangled in a conflict of interest was less satisfying; after all, this is the man who cut his teeth as U.S. ambassador to the supercorrupt Suharto in Indonesia in the 'seventies. (In what is surely one of the most disingenuous lines of the year, The Economist suggests that Wolfowitz's anticorruption stance was actually nurtured in the years he "observed" the crony capitalism rampant there, as if he stood back wringing his hands while the place went to pot all around him, and over his strenuous objections). And his peccadillos certainly don't begin to approach the kind of conspicuous corruption practiced by other associates of the Bush administration, like Tom DeLay, Jack Abramoff and Randy "Duke" Cunningham. But now that he's finally gone, perhaps it's a good time to take a good, hard look at the bank. Is it still the éminence grise of the global economy, skulking behind the scenes, baiting benighted countries (or their elites, anyway) with Faustian bargains designed to ensure their economic dependency and, hence, political passivity? Or is it time we on the left starting turning our attentions to other things? And if so, what might those other things be?...
http://www.dollarsandsense.org/blog/2007/05/dull-compulsion-of-economic-1.html
Halliburton Chairman Defends Move to Dubai
24/05/2007
DUBAI (AFP) - The head of US oil services giant Halliburton, whose decision to relocate from Texas to Dubai set off a political firestorm in the Unites States, defended the move as a reaction to a shift in the company's business focus to the Middle East.
"If you look at a map of oil and gas reserves, the focus of our business, the focus of the industry clearly is moving to that part of the world ... to the eastern hemisphere in particular and the Middle East specifically," chairman and CEO Dave Lesar told journalists in Dubai.
By eastern hemisphere, he said he meant the North Sea, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
"Right now, the western hemisphere is still the largest oil and gas drilling market in the world, but we are seeing that shift over time, and it was my view that we really needed to be out ahead of that shift," said Lesar, who moved to Dubai on Saturday.
"I think there is a really good business reason to be here in this part of the world. Dubai in my mind is the perfect place to run a business from."
Long term, he said the company envisaged 50 percent of its revenues coming from the eastern hemisphere, compared with 35 percent now.
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=9059
Taste of Home Runs Low in Iraq
Complications Hold Up Embassy Food Convoys
By Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff WriterThursday, May 24, 2007; Page A26
Congress and the White House may be sparring over funds for the U.S. effort in Iraq, but the mint chocolate chip is still flowing at the embassy in Baghdad. At least for now.
Life in the Green Zone -- a Foreign Service hardship post -- has long been mitigated by the culinary comforts of home. Virtually every bite and sip consumed there is imported from the United States, entering Iraq via Kuwait in huge truck convoys that bring fresh and processed food, including a full range of Baskin-Robbins ice cream flavors, every seven to 10 days.
But mouths turned dry Monday when an internal embassy e-mail announced a "Theater-Wide Delay in Food Deliveries." Due to an unspecified convoy problem, it said, "it may not be possible to offer the dishes you are used to seeing at each meal. Fresh fruits or salad bar items will also be severely limited or unavailable."
If the delays continue, the message said, "DFACs [dining facilities] will be required to serve MREs for at least one meal out of the day."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/23/AR2007052301344.html
A quiet hostage crisis
Fanny Esfandiari, a 93-year-old great-grandmother with heart disease and bad eyesight, made a desperate trip to Iran's notorious Evin Prison earlier this month.
"I have to find my daughter," she told relatives reluctant to drive her. None thought it would be productive - or worth the risks. A nephew finally agreed. He stayed in the car as Esfandiari slowly shuffled on her cane up to the hulking white stone compound in Tehran where Iran's kings and theocrats have incarcerated their most famous political prisoners as well as their toughest criminals.
Esfandiari asked to see her daughter, Haleh Esfandiari of Potomac, Md., a scholar with the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center once described as the "gold standard" of Middle East analysts. Esfandiari was detained by Iranian intelligence on May 8.
The elder Esfandiari was told to try the prison's high-security wing - the infamous Ward 209. There, however, she was turned away, and slowly made her way back to her nephew's car.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070524/REPOSITORY/705240382/1013/NEWS03
Administration feels wrath of Joe Wilson
By Nancy Needham
nancy@theacorn.com
"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."
After the fallout from those 16 words spoken by President George W. Bush at his State of the Union Address on Jan. 28, 2003, Joe Wilson became famous. The former U.S. ambassador to Iraq was asked to speak last Saturday at California Lutheran University.
As it turned out, Wilson said, the British government had wrongly proclaimed that Niger sold yellow cake- the material used to make nuclear weapons- to Iraq. The claim was baseless and shouldn't have been made, he said.
Wilson was later praised for making courageous remarks.
"It was not an act of political or moral courage- it was just good citizenship," Wilson said.
After Wilson exposed what he called a presidential lie, someone brokered the disclosure of his wife, Valerie Plame, as a covert CIA agent to the media to take the spotlight off the false 16word statement, he said.
"They felt committing treason less harmful than the exposure of lies," Wilson said.
Regarding the war in Iraq, Wilson said the solutions are much more complicated than "cut and run" or "stay the course." He noted the war on terror is seen around the world as illegal. The fact that the U.S. economy is based on petroleum is also a concern, he said.
http://www.theacorn.com/news/2007/0524/Community/018.html
Romney launches attack ad on state
Staff and Wire Reports
Thursday, May 24
WASHINGTON — Former Gov. Mitt Romney launched a national television ad today claiming credit for conservative victories in the "most liberal state in the country."
The ad, airing in Iowa, New Hampshire and on national cable channels, depicts Romney as a conservative champion on taxes, immigration and abortion in a state where few Republicans are successful.
For Romney, it means acknowledging he once governed Massachusetts, a state conservatives consider a center of left-wing thought.
Romney's commercial paints him as a leader in a hostile environment….
…Despite his jabs at the Bay State, Romney's fundraising in Massachusetts dominated all other presidential candidates — of both parties — during the first quarter of this year, totaling $2.3 million. His campaign headquarters are located in Boston.
Romney trails household-name hopefuls like U.S. Sen. John McCain and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in national polls. But he's gained ground recently in early voting states where his ads are on the airwaves.
A poll released last week by Des Moines Register in Iowa showed Romney capturing 30 percent of likely Republican voters, eclipsing McCain's 18 percent and Giuliani's 17 percent. Another Iowa poll last week placed the three candidates in a statistical tie.
In New Hampshire, a Zogby poll showed Romney leaping ahead last week with 35 percent of likely Republican voters, up 10 points from a month ago. McCain and Giuliani each grabbed 19 percent.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_5973353?source=most_viewed
Romney: I'm Not Intolerant of Gays
By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer7:59 PM PDT, May 24, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Thursday that his opposition to same-sex marriage should not be interpreted as intolerance of gays, who served in his administration when he was Massachusetts governor.In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Romney elaborated on comments made during a campaign event dubbed "Ask Mitt Anything" in which an audience member was concerned that the government could prevent pastors from preaching that homosexuality is a sin. Romney said the government shouldn't tell pastors what they can say.Afterward, Romney would not say whether he thought homosexuality was immoral."I don't think that a person who's running for a secular position as I am should talk about or engage in discussions of what they in their personal faith or their personal beliefs is immoral or not immoral," the former governor said in the AP interview.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-romney-gays,1,3039348.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true
Romney criticizes ABC News for CIA story
Last Update: May 24, 2007 1:41 PM
NEW YORK (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticized ABC News on Wednesday for its report about CIA plans in Iran, saying it could potentially jeopardize national security and endanger lives. ABC News rejected Romney's analysis, and said it had given the CIA a chance to make the case that its report put people at risk, but the agency didn't respond.The network led its top-rated "World News" on Tuesday with Brian Ross' report saying that President Bush had directed the CIA to carry out secret operations against Iran both inside and outside that country. The network said the campaign was "non-lethal," and involved propaganda broadcasts, the planting of newspaper articles and the manipulation of Iran's currency and banking transactions.Romney, during a campaign appearance in Tulsa, Okla., said he was shocked that ABC News would broadcast the report.
http://www.abc4.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=c71f9f26-2a6c-4b8d-9d11-8d9224ba3a47
GOP Hopeful Romney Courts Jacksonville Voters
POSTED: 4:37 pm EDT May 24, 2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- At the first stop of a campaign swing through Florida on Thursday, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney touted his conservative credentials that he hopes will bring him support from the base of the party.
The former governor of Massachusetts, Romney told a crowd of about 400 gathered at the downtown public library that he is anti-abortion, pro-gun, talks a lot about the traditional family and does not support amnesty for illegal aliens.
He's hoping to emerge as the top conservative in the crowded field of candidates.
http://www.news4jax.com/politics/13385413/detail.html
Rutherford For Romney
Posted May 24th, 2007 at 11:42 AM
by IlliniPundit
Sen. Dan Rutherford has announced that he is the Illinois Chairman for Mitt Romney's campaign.
Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) will serve as the Illinois Romney for President State Chairman. Senator Rutherford will play an integral role on the Romney campaign, helping to reach out to voters and to spread Governor Romney's message of bringing conservative change to Washington...
In joining Romney for President, Senator Rutherford said, "Governor Romney understands that to keep America strong we need a strong military, a strong economy and strong families. To do that, we must have a strong leader who will change Washington. The people of Illinois can be proud to join me in supporting the candidate who will make his vision for an optimistic future a reality."
As I wrote earlier, I'm not a Romney fan, but I think this is a good move for both Rutherford and Romney. Romney clearly needs a boost in Illinois, where our Primary is now February 5, and where the only poll had him in the single digits. Rutherford gets to work on a statewide campaign, building an organization and networking outside of his base, while not spending any of his own money.
http://www.illinipundit.com/2007/05/24/rutherford-romney
Democrats are being Demonized. Again. Click on “Power of the Vote.” It opens up with the Democratic Victory of Bill Clinton. There is no respect for anyone other than extremism in the Republican Party. They can’t run honest campaigns, only ones that seek to terrorize voters moved by fear of their own realities. It’s a shame that fear is the motivating issue with Conservative voters. The Democrats need to find a way to address their ‘disturbed’ priorities as part of the electorate victimized by ‘white collar political crime.’
Romney vs. Edwards
Posted by Dean Barnett 5:27 PM
A couple of days ago, John Edwards said there’s no war on terror. Today, Mitt Romney jumped ugly on Edwards and that notion. Take a look. I continue to say these are going to be the two nominees. Here’s the dynamic of the race.
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/g/98d9c099-5cd3-46a9-8ce6-aa8cc4ca519a
McClatchy Kicked Off the Plane AND Redacted Beyond Recognition
by emptywheel
McClatchy announced today that poor Donald Rummy kicked them off of his plane three years for actually doing their job. Ironically, on the same day we see this remarkable work of censorship as DOJ released a long email chain between Brian Roehrkasse and one of McClatchy's reporters (note, this was one of the email exchanges Sampson refused to turn over). It's a PDF, but it's worth clicking through. DOJ has redacted the entire exchange between Roehrkasse and the journalist.
Unless one of the journalists wants to release their side of the exchange, we can only guess what so incensed DOJ. But we can start with the article that came out of the exchange. Roehrkasse's quotes reveal some element of his anger.
"Allegations that politics inappropriately interfere with personnel decisions made about U.S. attorneys are reckless and plainly wrong," department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said. "... The bottom line is that we nominate experienced attorneys who we believe can do the job."
But I suspect the real cause for concern was that McClatchy pegged DOJ's plan: to install its own chosen successors at USA offices around the country to exercise centralized control over justice.
And McClatchy included a list of all the AG appointed USAs it could find:
-Tim Griffin, 37, the U.S. attorney for Arkansas, who was an aide to White House political adviser Karl Rove and a spokesman for the Republican National Committee.
-Rachel Paulose, 33, the U.S. attorney for Minnesota, who served briefly as a counselor to the deputy attorney general and who, according to a former boss, has been a member of the secretive, ideologically conservative Federalist Society.
-Jeff Taylor, 42, the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., who was an aide to Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and worked as a counselor to Gonzales and to former Attorney General John Ashcroft.
-John Wood, U.S. attorney in Kansas City, who's the husband of Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Julie Myers and an ex-deputy general counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
-Deborah Rhodes, 47, the U.S. attorney in Mobile, Ala., who was a Justice Department counselor.
-Alexander Acosta, 37, the U.S. attorney in Miami, who was an assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's civil rights division and a protege of conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
-John Richter, 43, the U.S. attorney in Oklahoma City, who was the chief of staff for the Justice Department's criminal division and acting assistant attorney general.
-Edward McNally, the U.S. attorney in southern Illinois, who was a senior associate counsel to President Bush.
-Matt Dummermuth, the U.S. attorney in Iowa, who was a Justice Department civil rights lawyer.
Though I'm not sure about McNally, and they've left off my personal favorite, Troy Eid.
In any case, this clearly struck close to the bone. You think DOJ didn't want any scrutiny focused on their newest USAs?
http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2007/05/mcclatchy_kicke.html
Immigrant stand could hurt McCain, GOP observers say
Dan NowickiThe Arizona RepublicMay. 24, 2007 12:00 AM
To hear the illegal-immigration foes fume, Sen. John McCain may as well give up his presidential ambitions right now. The Arizona Republican's involvement in a bipartisan Senate immigration-reform compromise has stoked the anger of many of the conservative party activists he has been wooing in his bid for the GOP nomination. Amid the mounting political pressures, McCain profanely tongue-lashed a colleague and ridiculed a rival for flip-flopping.Even in the emotional and volatile world of presidential politics, immigration reform and the "amnesty" charge pack enough punch to rock the landscape. The issue is exploding at a time when McCain is running second to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in national polls and is trying to reinvigorate his campaign fundraising efforts
http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/topstories/articles/0524mccain-immigration0524.html
Senator McCain and Baghdad Security
Robert Fantina
May 24, 2007
Immediately after his recent, highly-publicized sojourn into Shorja, Baghdad’s central market, Republican Senator and presidential hopeful John McCain was asked about his remark that some areas of that city are safe for Americans to travel. “I just came from one,” he said, referring to Shorja. “I’ve been here many times over the years. Never have I been able to drive from the airport. Never have I been able to go out into the city as I was today.”
This rosy picture of a bustling market, replete with busy families shopping for the proffered wares, was echoed by Republican Representative Mike Pence, of Indiana, who accompanied Mr. McCain on this happy adventure. He said that Shorja resembled “…a normal outdoor market in Indiana in the summertime….”
…One wonders how Mr. McCain would characterize the words of Ali Jassim Faiyad, who owns a shop within Shorja. “The security procedures were abnormal,” said he. “They paralyzed the market when they came. This was only for the media.”
Mr. McCain later complained that Americans were not getting the full story of what is happening in Iraq. He praised the improving security conditions in Baghdad, pointing to his own, heavily guarded and carefully scripted visit there as evidence.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=27256
Tucsonans disagree whether McCain should resign
May 23, 2007 11:26 PM EDT
An Arizona state lawmaker is calling for U.S. Senator John McCain to resign.
State Representative Russell Pearce, a Mesa Republican, says McCain is spending too much time on his Presidential campaign and missing too many Senate votes.
According to the Washington Post, McCain missed almost 50% of Senate votes during the current session. The only other senator with a worse record is South Dakota's Tim Johnson, who is recovering from a brain hemorrhage.
Pearce says, "I am calling on the Senator to show up and vote, or if he's going to be a fulltime candidate, then yes, he ought to resign and let somebody take that position that's going to represent Arizona and be there to vote."
http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6561545&nav=HMO6HMaW
Republican Candidate Poll
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/RCP_PDF/Florida%20Rep%20PrimaryMay23.pdf
May 24, 2007, 08:46
Katrina, New Orleans HBCUs Invest in Post Hurricane Better Communication Systems, Training
by Tracie Powell
Nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters demolished much of New Orleans, officials at the city’s hard hit historically Black universities are busy updating their disaster plans in the face of another hurricane season.
Xavier University of New Orleans ramped up its emergency preparedness plans before Hurricane Katrina ever headed its way, taking the initiative after two tropical storms drenched the city in advance of the bigger storm. The university developed a backup Web site and toll-free phone number that students, faculty and staff could connect to in times of disaster. But now it is adding an extra layer of precaution, says Warren Bell Jr., the university’s associate vice president for university media relations.
Before the tropical storms, Bell says, school officials had to rely on local media to get information to the campus community. That approach often led to the dissemination of inaccuracies, he says.
http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_7370.shtml
Guerrilla Reconstruction in New Orleans
B23467 / Thu, 24 May 2007 08:33:57 / Miscellaneous
Not Baghdad, It’s New Orleans
By Greg Palast
Yes! Magazine
Showing FEMA a thing or two about rebuilding communities… Common Ground takes charge
A full year after Hurricane Katrina, 73,000 New Orleans residents remained encamped in FEMA trailer parks, an aluminum gulag spread all the way to Texas. They were waiting for a chance to reconstruct their homes. They’re still waiting. There’s little or no insurance money, and no one is even allowed to rebuild, nearly two years after the flood, in some of the poorer areas like the Lower Ninth Ward.
But waiting on compensation from Washington, waiting for a hand-out, waiting for anyone to help save the city is simply not in the constitution of Malik Rahim. The water was still high when Rahim helped create a guerrilla reconstruction corps of local residents. They call themselves Common Ground. When you see progress in the poor sections of New Orleans, you’re often seeing the group’s work crews.
http://unite.gnn.tv/blogs/23467/Guerrilla_Reconstruction_in_New_Orleans
Common Ground's mission is to provide short term relief for victims of hurricane disasters in the gulf coast region, and long term support in rebuilding the communities affected in the New Orleans area. Common Ground is a community-initiated volunteer organization offering assistance, mutual aid and support. The work gives hope to communities by working with them, providing for their immediate needs and emphasizes people working together to rebuild their lives in sustainable ways.
http://www.commongroundrelief.org/
Author :: Rostker, Bernard
Title :: Recruitment and retention : lessons for the New Orleans Police Department
Bernard Rostker ... [et al.]
Publisher :: Santa Monica, CA : RAND, 2007
Summary "Since Hurricane Kat
rina, resignations from the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) have increased, and the department went more than a year without recruiting enough candidates to justify a police academy training course. The authors present practical recommendations for change that could help the NOPD improve recruiting and retention. Issues addressed include the lack of affordable post-Katrina housing, the fact that the families of many police officers no longer live in the New Orleans area, the destroyed departmental infrastructure, and a budget that does not provide enough resources to meet basic needs. They focus on compensation, including housing; the promotion process and the career management system; recruiting; the mix of officers and civilians; and ways to improve the morale of the NOPD. The recommendations, which are specifically tailored to the unique circumstances of the NOPD, include (1) using civilian employees, where appropriate, for jobs currently being performed by uniformed officers; (2) developing a proactive recruiting program; (3) offering some of the city's housing stock in-kind to police officers or selling the property and using the proceeds to improve compensation; (4) increasing the frequency of promotion examinations; (5) eliminating the backlog of promotions to higher levels in the department; (6) restructuring compensation to attract recruits and retain serving officers; (7) establishing a first-responders charter school; and (8) rebuilding the police infrastructure to improve morale." --[P. 4] of COVER
http://tripod.brynmawr.edu/record=b3191694
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