Let's start off on a lighter note for once. Let us, indeed, sing the praises of Rahm Emanuel, who I'm really beginning to like (h/t):
RAHM EMANUEL REFERS TO WASHINGTON AS "FUCKNUTSVILLE"
RAHM EMANUEL TELLS PEOPLE TO FUCK OFF BY SHOWING THEM THE SPACE WHERE HIS RIGHT MIDDLE FINGER USED TO BE
RAHM EMANUEL CAN DANCE BALLET BETTER THAN YOU
AFTER THE 2006 MIDTERM ELECTIONS, RAHM EMANUEL JUMPED ON A TABLE AND SAID THE REPUBLICAN PARTY "CAN GO FUCK THEMSELVES"
He also had the class to apologize for his fucktard of a father. It's going to be fascinating to see how he does as Obama's Chief of Staff, but one thing's for sure: he'll never be boring. Now if only this cantina wasn't virtual - I'd dearly love to see him declaiming from atop my bar.
So, what's the buzz from Fucknutsville? Oh, nothing too exciting, aside from the fact that Lieberman might actually get his teeth handed to him in a hat:
It's easy to think of Democratic senators who've expressed support, to one degree or another, for Joe Lieberman keeping his coveted committee chairmanship, despite his recent betrayals. We have not, however, seen Democratic senators step up on the other side -- no one in the caucus has publicly announced that he/she supports taking Lieberman's gavel away.
Today, that changed.
Terjeanderson, a Daily Kos diarist, caught Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) addressing the controversy during an interview on Vermont Public Radio. ThinkProgress has the audio and provided this transcript.
"I'm one who does not feel that somebody should be rewarded with a major chairmanship after doing what he did.... I felt that some of the attacks that he was involved in against Sen. Obama, whom I did support -- I was one of the first in the Congress to support him -- I thought they went way beyond the pale. I thought that they were not fair. I thought they were not legitimate. I thought that they perpetuated some of these horrible myths that were being run about Sen. Obama.
"I would feel that, had I done something similar, I would not be chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the next Congress."
Kudos to Leahy. We'll learn on Tuesday how many other members of the caucus agree.
Bernie Sanders is already aboard the train:
And for a trifecta of pain, here's Lieberman's constituents weighing in:Bernie Sanders follows Pat Leahy in condemning Lieberman keeping his Homeland Security gavel:
"To reward Senator Lieberman with a major committee chairmanship would be a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country," Sanders in the statement sent our way by his office.
"Appointing someone to a major post who led the opposition to everything we are fighting for is not 'change we can believe in,'" Sanders continued. "I very much hope that Senator Lieberman stays in the Democratic caucus and is successful in regaining the confidence of those whom he has disappointed. This is not a time, however, in which he should be rewarded with a major committee chairmanship."
Obama won't take Lieberman's calls. It's going to be increasingly tough for Lieberman allies like Salazar, Dodd, Nelson and Bayh to recruit others to his side.
Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 11/11-13. Likely voters. MoE 4% (6/30-7/2 results)
Do you approve or disapprove of the job Joe Lieberman is doing as U.S. senator?
Approve 36 (45)
Disapprove 61 (43)If the 2012 election for U.S. Senate were held today would you to reelect Joe Lieberman would you consider voting for another candidate or would you vote to replace Lieberman?
Reelect 35
Consider Someone Else 18
Replace 48Brutal.
[snip]
Oh, and the people of Connecticut are still suffering buyer's remorse:
If you could vote again for U.S. Senate would you vote for Ned Lamont theDemocrat Alan Schlesinger the Republican or Joe Lieberman an Independent?
Lieberman (I) 34 (36)
Lamont (D) 59 (51)
Schlesinger (R) 3 (7)
No matter what happens on Tuesday, Lieberman's going to have an extremely uncomfortable bed to lie in.
Those of us hoping for the supreme entertainment of watching Sarah Palin make a run for the White House in 2012 may, alas, get our hopes dashed. Her leadership potential ain't looking too sporty:
The Republican Governors Association announced the members of its new leadership team today. One name was noticeably absent.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was voted RGA chairman, taking over the top job from Texas Gov. Rick Perry who will now serve as finance chairman. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is vice-chairman, while Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will serve as chair for the annual RGA gala, and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue will head up the recruitment effort.
Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will also sit on the RGA's executive committee.
"Republican Governors are natural leaders who will find solutions to our nation's challenges and bring back the Party," Sanford said in a statement.
Not on the list? Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who also attended the Miami meeting.
There are only 21 Republican governors in the country, and 19 attended the meeting. There are eight leadership posts, so if you're a Republican governor and you showed up for the gathering, you had about a 42% shot at getting some kind of position in the RGA's leadership.
That's just pathetic. Of course, it would be best for the country and for my wince factor if this supreme moron doesn't get the nod in '12 - the thought of Obama actually having to try to debate this woman is rather painful. It's like pitting Einstein against Behe in a science debate.
Speaking of supreme morons, soon-to-be-ex President Bush has become a positive motivating force:
And here I thought George W. Bush couldn't possibly be a positive, productive role model on the international stage. I stand corrected.
Nicolas Sarkozy saved the President of Georgia from being hanged "by the balls" -- a threat made last summer by Vladimir Putin, according to an account that emerged yesterday from the Elysee Palace.
The Russian Prime Minister had revealed his plans for disposing of Mr Saakashvili when Mr Sarkozy was in Moscow in August to broker a ceasefire in Georgia.
Jean-David Levitte, Mr Sarkozy's chief diplomatic adviser, reported the exchange in a news magazine before an EU-Russia summit today. The meeting will be chaired by the French leader and President Medvedev.
With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia's Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. "I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls," Mr Putin declared.
Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. "Hang him?" -- he asked. "Why not?" Mr Putin replied. "The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein."
Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: "Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?" Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: "Ah -- you have scored a point there."
I truly do hope this becomes the kind of meme that lasts centuries. In my twilight years, I want to hear world leaders still saying to each other, "Yes, you could be a total asswad, but do you want to end up like Bush?"
And, starting now, I want to hear the question, "Yes, but do you really want to end up like Blackwater?" resound whenever CEOs of mercenary companies meet:
Federal prosecutors have drafted an indictment against 6 guards working for Blackwater USA, who were involved in deadly shootings last year of 17 Baghdad civilians, according to the Associated Press.
But it's not yet certain that charges will be filed. AP reports:
The draft is being reviewed by senior Justice Department officials but no charging decisions have been made. A decision is not expected until at least later this month, people close to the case said.The shootings by Blackwater guards, which witnesses described as an unprovoked attack, took place at a busy Baghdad intersection in September of last year.
Yesterday, fined for smuggling banned weapons in bags of dog food; today, facing possible criminal charges. What will tomorrow bring for Blackwater? Oblivion, I hope.
At least I am now living in a world where George Bush is used as a cautionary tale for overreaching wanna-be dictators and Blackwater could actually face consequences for their murdering ways, where Sarah Palin is snubbed by her fellow governors and Lieberman is despised by his voting public, and where Rahm Emanuel may give the ghost of his middle finger to those in Fucknutsville to those who would stand in Obama's way.
I am loving this new world.
3 comments:
It's been 220 years, why not treat your countrymen to another burst of "the World Turn'd upside-down"
Good post. That Salon link about Rahm Emmanuel made him seem like quite the opportunist in a way. But good post in any csse. Don't have anything to much add myself, but wanted you to know I appreciate what you do here (and I don't know how you do it -- where do you find the time?) Will keep reading.
Emmanuel is certainly an opportunist, SteveC. He managed to look, to the Beltway crowd at least, like he was the brains behind the Democrats' 2006 Congressional gains, even though all his hand-picked candidates lost. He even spent a lot of DCCC money in the primaries to try to beat progressive alternative candidates in the primaries.
Thankfully, the netroots and some upstarts won in some areas. The only thing you can say for Rahm's performance there is that he at least funded many of the candidates he hadn't favored when they made it to the general election.
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