How much did Specter know?

Fierce Planet Posted on by

Over on the Well, we’ve been talking a lot among ourselves about the attorney purge. And here’s what Rik thinks it all comes down to (quoted with permission):

“It’s beginning to look to me that this justice purge is part of a longterm Rove plan to affect the 2008 election. The emphasis on “voter fraud” is classic Rove. He’s going after the Democrats on what should be a strong point of theirs, that the Republicans are actually the ones who are guilty of systematic voter fraud. And by purging the Justice Department of prosecutors who won’t play ball, he’s stacking the deck in advance. The nerve of him putting in a known flunky with no experience to replace the guy in Arkansas, is astounding.

But it all hung on someone slipping that clause in when they renewed the patriot act. They’ve been planning this for years. And the fact that it was someone in Specter’s office just nails down my suspicion that Specter’s in on it. With that little item to give perspective, his numerous instances of threatening oversight, while ultimately caving in every single time, comes off as pure political theater. Even now, when he’s subordinate to Pat Leahy, he’s the voice urging compromise and reason when he should be absolutely livid at being used and made a fool of for years. Specter is in on this all the way. He’s part of the plot.

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More Elizabeth Edwards

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In case you missed John and Elizabeth Edwards appearing on 60 Minutes last night, CBS has a transcript of the interview, and a video clip at that link as well.

I thought they sounded great, but then I’m not one of the few who are disturbed by their decision to continue campaigning.

This clip was uploaded by the fine folks at TheBlueState, under the heading Katy Couric second-guesses the Edwards Family, and I have to say I share their take on the interview. Couric certainly went out of her way to press all the arguments against their decision, and didn’t show much understanding of why they decided as they did. But they responded to her well.




UPDATE: There are several great responses to the Couric interview at the Huffington Post this morning. Susan Madrak, in The Cancer Scolds Explain It All For You, asks why we can’t accept people wanting to live their lives as long as they are alive. David Sirota, in Et tu, Katie Couric?, discusses Couric’s role as chief prosecutor with the Edwards being cross-examined. And Taylor Marsh, asking Is Katie Kidding?, wonders why Couric kept asking the same question (“you know you’re dying so what’s the point?”) over and over in various ways.

I hadn’t realized before reading the HuffPost that Couric’s husband had battled cancer, and that she worked full-time during that struggle. You’d think she might be a bit more understanding.

UPDATE: And polling shows that Americans back the Edwards strongly for their decision to stay in the race, though a notable number (38%) believe he may eventually have to drop out.

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House Sets War Deadline

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Well, it’s not everything, and it will never get past the Senate, but by a largely party-line vote the House has passed the Iraq Accountability Act, a funding bill which contains a firm deadline for leaving Iraq. I’m glad they did this, even though there’s much more work to be done. For starters, they should take up Murtha’s bill requiring all troops be properly equipped, trained, and rested before they are sent back to overseas duty.

And, via Greg Sargent at the Horse’s Mouth, comes this footage of of Rep. Dave Obey lashing into the Washington Post for their shameful cheerleading that not only helped get us into this terrible mistaken invasion, but which continues to work to keep us there indefinitely.



UPDATE: Nancy Pelosi has posted some video of various speeches. Here’s Murtha:



Murtha says:

The American people in the last election sent a message. They said, “We want the Iraqis to solve their own problems in Iraq. The Americans have bore the brunt, we’re spending eight billlion dollars, 8.4 billion dollars a month, two billion dollars to get people and equipment and supplies over to Iraq, two billion dollars a month, eight thousand miles away.

I’ll tell you what hurts the troops. I’ll tell you what hurts them. What hurts them is being extended beyond 13 months, or the Marines beyond seven months. What hurts the troops, if you send the troops, or keep the troops, send them back before they have a year at home.That’s what hurts the morale of the troops.

I’m the person that found the 44,000 shortage of body armor in the intitial invasion of Iraq. We had troops in danger because they didn’t have the equipment they needed. We cannot send troops back into combat without equipment and fully being trained.

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Heads up

Fierce Planet Posted on by

If you see a post on this blog by author Fabrice, that’s my husband, and he wanted to start posting. With any luck, he won’t get too profane.

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Elizabeth Edwards

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Terrible news for the Edwards family, and all our best wishes go with them. But they are truly inspirational as a couple, aren’t they? John Edwards is the candidate I’ve most strongly supported in this election so far*, and this only makes me love him more. But Elizabeth is every bit as impressive, and in a just world she could have been the candidate herself.

I’ve lost too many friends to cancer, but I also have many friends who have survived the disease and continue to live good, happy lives. May you do the same, Elizabeth. And thanks to both of you for your shining example of real progressive values.

*since Gore isn’t running

UPDATE: I’m reading a number of comments here and there disparaging John and Elizabeth’s decision to stay in the race. I think Jane Hamsher says it best, while referencing her own struggle with breast cancer.

I needed to know, for myself, that even though accomodations had to be made, I was still living my life on my terms. I fully understand why Elizabeth made the decision she did….

The willingness to fight, to not back down in the face of the disease, even when the stress level must be extraordinarily toxic, is worthy of tremendous admiration and certainly bodes well for her continued well being. For me personally, and for all women who face what she is facing, she is an extraordinary role model.

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Global Warming – Hearing Highlights

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Having listened to most of the hearing now, I think Al’s actual testimony wasn’t his best speech ever. Something about being around politicians seems to tie him up, and he gets stiff again. Plus, all the metaphorical references to “300” left me cold. But he got some zingers in during the hearing, where the skeptics were obviously out for blood, and where Inhofe, as usual, acted like a jackass.
UPDATE: Oh good. MyLeftNutmegger at YouTube has the Inhofe footage.




Boxer cracks me up every time I watch this, and Al looks like he’s having fun, too.

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Al Gore’s Testimony on Global Warming

Fierce Planet Posted on by

With thanks to PoliticsTV for putting up the clip.



And what was up with this NYTimes article on Gore’s return to the Congressional scene? Sure reads like a hatchet job.
UPDATE: Gristmill live-blogged the whole thing.
UPDATE: From the AP report:

“The planet has a fever,” Gore said. “If your baby has a fever, you go to the doctor. If the doctor says you need to intervene here, you don’t say, `Well, I read a science fiction novel that told me it’s not a problem.’ If the crib’s on fire, you don’t speculate that the baby is flame retardant. You take action.”

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