"Six months at a time..."

Sorry I have not been posting much. I will return to more consistent news coverage soon.

Check out this new video by MoveOn.org...

LINK: Endless war on the installment plan

RELATED READING...

LINK: Straight Talk McCain

LINK: The Real McCain

-Mr. Joseph

Gore meets Bush, declares it 'cordial... substantive'

From The Swamp...

Al Gore slipped out the side door of the West Wing.

In his private Oval Office meeting with President Bush, the former vice president insisted that they had spoken about global warming "the whole time.'' It wasn't clear if the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, who shared the honor for his work on climtate change, was serious.

"Of course,'' they had spoken about global warming, Gore said, strolling down a rain-slick Pennsylvania Avenue with wife Tipper Gore after a private session with the president. For Gore, who had gone into the White House for a reception for the American winners of the 2007 Nobel Prizes, this was his first return to the Oval Office since leaving office.

But Gore, calling the meeting with Bush "very cordial'' and "substantive,'' declined to elaborate on their meeting. "I'm not going to do an interview here,'' Gore said in his walk down the streets outside the White House. "I don't want to comment more.''

This was the first private meeting of Gore and Bush since the Tennessee Democrat won more of the popular vote than Bush in the presidential election of 2000 but lost in the Electoral College – following a 36-day court fight over Bush’s disputed 537-vote margin in Florida.

This may have been a cordial reunion of erstwhile adversaries from a contested election, but it was kept discreetly private, within the confines of the Oval Office – where only photographers arrived near the end for “a photo-opportunity.’’

Gore had come, along with the other American winners of the 2007 Nobel Prize, for an official reception by the president.

The president, who had personally telephoned Gore to invite him and arranged the date of the Nobel recognitions to fit Gore’s own travel schedule, also received the Democrat and wife Tipper Gore for a private session before the “photo-op’’ with Gore’s fellow Nobel laureates.

Gore shared the Nobel Peace Prize this year for his work fighting global warming, a cause that Bush has only reluctantly embraced – with the Bush administration lately acknowledging the role that humans play in global warming, but still opposing mandatory caps on polluting emissions.

Gore also has been outspoken in his criticism for other administration policies, most notably the war in Iraq.

The White House insists the president holds no ill will toward Gore, who carried his challenge of the outcome of the 2000 election to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t believe so,’’ Bush Press Secretary Dana Perino said of any “bad blood’’ between the two. “I know this president does not harbor any resentments. He never has.’’

The two had met one another publicly at the dedication of the Clinton presidential library in Arkansas, and both had attended the funeral of President Gerald Ford, but the White House said Monday’s meeting was the first opportunity they had to meet privately.

“The president didn’t make a calculated decision to invite Al Gore to the White House... He invited him because he’s one of the Nobel winners,’’ said Perino, pressed about the purpose of the additional private meeting. “I didn’t psychoanalyze the president to find out why… It was a presidential, gentlemanly thing to do.’’

LINK: Gore meets Bush, declares it 'cordial... substantive'

I imagine the meeting, perhaps, was a bit tense.

-Mr. Joseph

Again?! Right-Wing Radio Hosts Meet with President Bush

Media Matters picked up this odd story...

In a August 1 blog entry on Townhall.com, syndicated radio host Hugh Hewitt wrote that "President Bush invited ten talk show hosts into the Oval Office for an hour of conversation today -- Glenn Beck, Bill Bennett, Neal Boortz, Scott Hennon, Laura Ingraham, Lars Larson, Mark Levin, Michael Medved, Janet Parshall and me. This was an off-the-record conversation, and so I won't be quoting the president." Blogger (and Media Matters for America Web producer) Oliver Willis noted Hewitt's post, and Talkers Magazine's website published a photo of the group.

Several conservative talk radio show hosts reportedly met with President Bush in September 2006, as Media Matters for America documented.

LINK: White House soirée, part deux: Beck, Bennett, Ingraham, Medved, and others met with Bush

I reported on the September 2006 charade here...

-Mr. Joseph

Cheney on credibility issues: “We’ve got issues we need to work through…”

Crooks and Liars...

Schieffer: Does this administration have a credibility problem?

Cheney: I don't think so Bob, ummm…I think obviously we've got issues we need to work through. You do the best you can with what you've got obviously and I think on reflection that indeed the record of the President and his administration will stand up well to scrutiny…

Sorry…I-can't-stop-laughing….Remember Rumsfeld saying:

As you know, ah, you go to war with the army you have—not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time…

He says he has no idea what's going on with the DOJ…OK, sure thing Dick….Gonzo has been preparing like mad so he'll have his talking points together…Well, maybe not… He sure is cramming for the big test though..

Cheney says he hasn't spoken to his BFF Scooter Libby since the trial and when Bob asked him if he feels responsible for Libby's problems, Cheney refused to comment.

LINK: Cheney on credibility issues: “We’ve got issues we need to work through…”

Wow, Cheney usually doesn't slip and admit things like that.
-Mr. Joseph

Ford CEO saves President Bush’s life

This is such a typical story for President Bush...

Think Progress...

Ford CEO Alan Mulally tells reporters that he had to run over and stop President Bush from plugging an electrical cord into the hydrogen tank of a hybrid car at the White House last week.

“I just thought, ‘Oh my goodness!’ So, I started walking faster, and the President walked faster and he got to the cord before I did. I violated all the protocols. I touched the President. I grabbed his arm and I moved him up to the front,” Mulally said. “I wanted the president to make sure he plugged into the electricity, not into the hydrogen This is all off the record, right?”

LINK: Ford CEO saves President Bush’s life.

I am actually very happy Mulally did that, I wouldn't wish an embarrassing death like that on anyone.
-Mr. Joseph

Feingold and Reid Up the Ante

Crooks and Liars...

Have I said recently how much I loves me some Feingold? This morning, Sen. Russ Feingold, along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have issued a statement that lets George Bush know in unmistakable terms that the days of the blank check are OVER:

U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced today that they are introducing legislation that will effectively end the current military mission in Iraq and begin the redeployment of U.S. forces. The bill requires the President to begin safely redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq 120 days from enactment, as required by the emergency supplemental spending bill the Senate passed last week. The bill ends funding for the war, with three narrow exceptions, effective March 31, 2008.

"I am pleased to cosponsor Senator Feingold's important legislation," Reid said. "I believe it is consistent with the language included in the supplemental appropriations bill passed by a bipartisan majority of the Senate. If the President vetoes the supplemental appropriations bill and continues to resist changing course in Iraq, I will work to ensure this legislation receives a vote in the Senate in the next work period."

That's right, George. You veto the funding bill, you get an even tougher bill. Bob Geiger has more…

At Salon (watch short ad for day pass), Russ Feingold tells the minority party to stop obfuscating behind the talking point of "supporting the troops," especially when their rhetoric was the exact opposite for the mission in Somalia in the '90s:

The debate about the Iraq war is the most important, and the most difficult, issue we face as a country. Any American, including any member of Congress, is entitled to support or oppose Congress' using its constitutional power to end our involvement in this disastrous war. But, in contrast to the 1993 debate about Somalia, today some wrongly suggest that ending funding for the Iraq war is tantamount to ending funding for the troops. That misleading argument makes it harder to have the thoughtful, responsible debate about the war that Congress and the American people so badly need.

Now is no time for phony arguments against ending funding for the Iraq war. There may be big differences between the military missions in Somalia and Iraq, but Congress' constitutional power to end a military mission hasn't changed, and neither has the fact that this power can be used without jeopardizing the safety of U.S. troops. As Congress debates Iraq — and considers the new Feingold-Reid legislation — we should remember Somalia, put false arguments aside, and have an open, honest debate about a war that drags on with no end in sight.

LINK: Feingold, Reid Ups The Ante

It's good to see this Congress finally standing up to the Bush Administration...
-Mr. Joseph

Humor at the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner

Although it was not as funny as Stephen Colbert's performance last year...

It was still quite good. President Bush's self-depreciating humor was actually pretty funny. About Political Humor documents everything quite well...

"A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my Vice President had shot someone. (Laughter and applause.) Ahhh, those were the good old days."
...
I have to admit we really blew the way we let those attorneys go. You know you botched it when people sympathize with lawyers. (Laughter and applause.)
...
Considering what's next -- President Clinton, of course, wrote a very successful presidential memoir, with 10,000 pages or something. (Laughter.) I'm thinking of something really fun and creative for mine -- you know, maybe a pop-up book. (Laughter and applause.)

LINK: Bush's Comedy Routine at Radio-TV Correspondent's Dinner

About Political Humor also documents Karl Rove's "MC Rove" Rap.

Improv comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood of the ABC show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" tapped Karl Rove to come on stage and participate in an impromptu rap song. Rove brought down the house as he frolicked on stage. (Watch the video)

From The Politico:

His arms flailed, he mugged, he shimmied, he crossed his hands, he backed it up, his BlackBerry became a prop, his voice went guttural, he took it up an octave. He waved, leaned back and exited the stage with both arms raised in victory.

As Newsweek's Richard Wolffe noted, Rove could soon be giving Tucker Carlson a run for his money on Dancing With the Stars.

Jimmy Kimmel: "We're still at war, right? Just checking. Bush is joking, Rove is rapping, Condoleeza Rice is in a thong singing the 'Milkshake' song."

Rove's performance inspired Jon Stewart to come up with his own rap:

From the West Wing to the Crawford Ranch
Karl Rove has destroyed the executive branch
He has no scruples and I don't mean maybe
He said John McCain had a secret black baby
F**k that guy (Watch the video)

LINK: Karl Rove as 'MC Rove'

LINK: Karl Rove Raps, Bush Plays Comedian at Press Gala

YouTube Video...

LINK: Karl Rove as MC Rove

RELATED READING:

MyWay News: Bush Serves Jokes at Broadcasters Dinner

Crooks and Liars: Bush Monologues: Open Thread

Think Progress: Video: Rove raps at correspondents dinner.

Crooks and Liars: Give It Up for MC Rove!

Crooks and Liars: JibJab.com's new JibJab’s “What We Call The News”

Good stuff! But the Karl Rove thing was nothing short of creepy.

-Mr. Joseph

Four Years in Iraq Today...

In light of the anniversary today, I have three items to post...

TP:

Robert Greenwald’s Brave New Foundation has launched an online war memorial that honors members of the U.S. armed forces who lost their lives serving in Iraq. The Memorial is a collection of video memories from family, friends, and military colleagues of those who have fallen.

Monday marks the four year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. See our timeline HERE.

VIDEO / LINK: A video memorial to the fallen.

Think Progress's Mailing List, the Progress Report put this together...

IRAQ
Four Years of Chaos On March 19, 2003, President Bush spoke to the nation from the Oval Office and announced that the United States was invading Iraq. "Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly -- yet, our purpose is sure. ... [O]ur forces will be coming home as soon as their work is done." Four years later, the American public is no longer sure what the President's "purpose" was for invading Iraq, nor do we know when our troops will be coming home. Instead of "reluctantly" going to war, "the president and his administration exaggerated, cherry-picked and simplified" intelligence that it then used to tell the American public, wrongly, that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. As a result, approximately 3,200 American troops have died, the military is overextended, and the world is less safe. Violence in Iraq continues to skyrocket, and Bush's escalation seems to be driving the United States into "a much deeper and longer-term role in policing Iraq than since the earliest days of the U.S. occupation." The White House has indicated that Bush's plans for today include "going about business as usual," including "playing host to the 2006 NCAA football champions, the University of Florida 'Gators.'" The Progress Report has put together a timeline looking back over the past 48 months HERE.

IRAQIS ARE LESS SECURE: On March 17, 2003, Bush declared to Iraqis, "The day of your liberation is near." Yet at least 150,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed in violence since the beginning of the war. Car bombings reached an all-time high in January and February, and for the first time, the Pentagon last week acknowledged that "some of the violence in Iraq can be described as a civil war." It was the Pentagon's "bleakest assessment of the war to date." The report also found that two-thirds of the Iraqi people "believe that conditions are worsening, and as many as 9,000 are fleeing the country each month." A new BBC/ABC News poll finds that fewer than 40 percent of Iraqis "said things were good in their lives," compared to 71 percent two years ago. One Jan. 10, Bush announced his plan to send 21,500 more combat troops to Baghdad, promising it would "help the Iraqis carry out their campaign to put down sectarian violence and bring security to the people of Baghdad." On March 6, Bush declared his plan to be working. "Yet even at this early hour, there are some encouraging signs," he stated. But as the Washington Post reported, "Sectarian attacks in Baghdad are down at the moment, but the deaths of Iraqi civilians and U.S. troops have increased outside the capital." Bush also claimed that "Iraqi and U.S. forces have rounded up more than 700 people affiliated with Shia extremists." But according to a military official, Bush's numbers appear "to have little to do with the new strategy. The number is ' based on captures...since July 2006.' ... Bush first reported the same roundup -- citing 600 captures -- last fall." Iraqi officials are also falling behind on the benchmarks of progress it promised to meet. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced that will miss his "self-imposed deadline for reshuffling the Cabinet," and just two Iraqi brigades and one battalion of a third have arrived in Baghdad, despite the Iraqi government's promise to employ three brigades.

TROOPS ARE LESS PREPARED: In 2000, Bush stated, "To point out that our military has been overextended, taken for granted and neglected, that's no criticism of the military. That is criticism of a president and vice president and their record of neglect." Yet now, as all signs point to a military that is overextended, the Bush administration is trying to deflect criticism and claim that the military's readiness is "unprecedented." In reality, the U.S. Army's preparedness for war "has eroded to levels not witnessed by our country in decades." Virtually all of the U.S.-based Army combat brigades are "rated as unready to deploy," Army officials say, and a recent Pentagon survey found that troops in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from chronic shortages of armored vehicles, heavy weapons, and communications equipment. Army and Marine Corps officials say it will take years for their forces to recover from a "death spiral," in which rapid war rotations have "consumed 40 percent of their total gear, wearied troops, and left no time to train to fight anything other than the insurgencies now at hand." "We have a strategy right now that is outstripping the means to execute it," Army chief of staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker recently told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Similarly, troops coming back from war -- with unprecedented levels of mental health disorders -- are facing a bureaucracy unprepared to deal with them, as the Walter Reed scandal highlighted. Seventy-six percent of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, believe the Bush administration hasn't "done enough to care for [Iraq war] veterans." Bush plans to "cut funding for veterans' health care two years from now," even though "the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing rapidly -- by more than 10 percent in many years."

WORLD IS LESS SAFE: The Center for American Progress and Foreign Policy magazine recently released their second "Terrorism Index," a bipartisan survey of America's top national security experts. The consensus: the world is growing more dangerous, and America is losing the war on terror. Eighty-one percent of Terrorism Index respondents "see a world that is growing more dangerous for the American people, while 75 percent say the United States is losing the war on terror." Among the 81 percent of experts who believe the world is becoming "more dangerous" to the United States, a large plurality identified the Iraq war as the primary cause. These results are supported by the findings of the National Intelligence Estimate released last fall, which stated that "the Iraq jihad is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives," and that Iraq "has become the "cause celebre" for jihadists." Nearly six in 10 experts of all political stripes say the Bush administration is doing the "worst possible job" in Iraq and fully 88 percent of the experts believe the war in Iraq is undermining U.S. national security.

TIME TO REDEPLOY: "For the first time since the Iraq war began, less than half of Americans believe the United States can win in Iraq, a CNN poll said Tuesday. Just 46 percent think the United States will win." Fifty-eight percent of Americans "want to see U.S. troops leave Iraq either immediately or within a year." Forty-nine countries joined Bush's Coalition of the Willing at the start of the Iraq war. By mid-2007, just 20 countries will remain after Britain, Denmark, and South Korea reduce their forces. Even National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley recently acknowledged that some Iraqis want the U.S. military presence to be, "over." The Center for American Progress has a plan called "Strategic Redeployment" that calls for a gradual drawdown of American troops coupled with increased engagement with Iraq's political leaders. The plan goes beyond the debate between "cutting and running" and "staying the course" to show how we can more effectively achieve success in Iraq. The House Appropriations Committee also recently approved legislation to calling for troops to "leave Iraq before Sept. 2008, and possibly sooner if the Iraqi government does not meet certain benchmarks."

Get the Progress Report HERE...(Enter your email address on the right)

And finally, my local Senator, Russ Feingold sent this letter out in his mailing list...

Dear Joseph,

Four years ago today, President Bush embarked on what has become the greatest foreign policy mistake in the history of our nation. The reckless and coercive drive to war, the botched handling of the reconstruction and occupation, and the recent escalation of our presence in Iraq has cost our country billions of dollars, eroded our military's readiness to respond to significant national security challenges, wounded tens of thousands of our brave service members and ended the lives of over 3,200 of our courageous men and women in uniform.

Co-Sponsor My Amendment

I've been working tirelessly to convince my colleagues that it's long past time for Congress to act responsibly and end this war. I was the first Senator, over 18 months ago, to propose a timetable for withdrawal. I also offered a second version of my flexible timetable, calling for complete withdrawal from Iraq by July of this year. Following the Democratic gains in last November's elections, I called on Congress to use its main power, the 'power of the purse', to stop George Bush's war.

Co-Sponsor My Amendment

It has become increasingly clear that the only way we are going to be able to end the President's failed policies in Iraq is by setting a date after which funding for the war will end. Those who argue that we should somehow defer to the President are wrong. The President has sent our country down a failed path and because he has abdicated his responsibility to correct the course for far too long, it's now up to Congress to provide much needed leadership.

Congress has the power and the responsibility to bring the situation in Iraq to an end. I plan to continue to press the issue by offering an amendment to the upcoming supplemental funding bill that would use the 'power of the purse' to safely redeploy our troops out of Iraq.

Co-Sponsor My Amendment

I'm looking to you, on this sad anniversary, to stand with me in our efforts to put this chapter of American foreign policy to bed and to continue moving forward with our focus on fighting the real war on terror and repairing our nation's stature in the world. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Russ Feingold
United States Senator
Honorary Chair, Progressive Patriots Fund

LINK: Progressive Patriots

Had to believe it has been four years...

-Mr. Joseph

Hagel Suggests Possibility Of Bush Impeachment

"He’s Not Accountable Anymore"
-Chuck Hagel

Think Progress...

According to a new report in Esquire magazine, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) has suggested that Congress may consider the impeachment of President Bush before his term ends:

“The president says, ‘I don’t care.’ He’s not accountable anymore,” Hagel says, measuring his words by the syllable and his syllables almost by the letter. “He’s not accountable anymore, which isn’t totally true. You can impeach him, and before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment. I don’t know. It depends how this goes.”

The conversation beaches itself for a moment on that word — impeachment — spoken by a conservative Republican from a safe Senate seat in a reddish state. It’s barely even whispered among the serious set in Washington, and it rings like a gong in the middle of the sentence, even though it flowed quite naturally out of the conversation he was having about how everybody had abandoned their responsibility to the country, and now there was a war going bad because of it.

Hagel isn’t the only one frustrated. The desire for more accountability over Bush has led to increasing calls for impeachment from the Washington State legislature, the mayor of Salt Lake City, and town hall meetings in Vermont.

Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) said pushing for impeachment would be counterproductive because it would break off efforts to recruit conservative support for changing the course of the war in Iraq. “We’re trying to get [conservatives] to vote against the war. They’re coming around. You don’t hear them singing the virtues of George Bush like they used to. But nothing will turn this into a partisan lockdown faster than impeachment.” Inslee added, “Ending the war is what’s important now.”

LINK: Hagel Suggests Possibility Of Bush Impeachment: ‘He’s Not Accountable Anymore’The Washington Post had a few words on accountability...

Media Matters:

Echoing GOP talking points, Wash. Post warned Dems of "danger[]" and "risk" of holding Bush administration accountable

In his March 7 "analysis" of the Bush administration's "accountability moment" regarding the conviction of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on charges of perjury, lying to FBI agents, and obstructing justice, Washington Post staff writer Peter Baker wrote that "[n]o one has been quicker to declare the return of accountability than Democrats." As evidence, he pointed to the recent congressional investigations into both conditions for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys by the Bush administration. But Baker then warned that "accountability politics can also be dangerous to the touch," citing the Clinton-era investigations that "consumed" Washington and that he described as having "backfired politically." However, Baker's warning about the possibility of Democrats' overreaching echoes the often-repeated warnings during the 2006 election season by Republicans about the dangers of a Democratically controlled Congress actually exercising oversight. And his linking of current oversight efforts to congressional Republicans' investigations of the Clinton administration ignored at least one key difference: The hearings surrounding both the Walter Reed living conditions and U.S. attorney firings have considerable bipartisan support.

Early in the March 7 article, Baker noted that the ongoing congressional investigations, as well as the March 6 conviction of Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, "ha[ve] revived a pattern largely missing through the six years of Bush's presidency, in which high-level officials accused of wrongdoing are grilled, fired and sometimes even jailed." He later claimed that such "accountability politics" could prove "dangerous" for Democrats:

No one has been quicker to declare the return of accountability than Democrats, who are using their newfound subpoena power to sharp effect in hauling up Pentagon officials to answer for poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and in giving fired U.S. attorneys a venue to blame their dismissals on administration politics. In two months, Democrats have held 81 hearings on Iraq. "This is just the beginning," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. "What a difference a year makes."

But accountability politics can also be dangerous to the touch. Washington became consumed during the presidency of Emanuel's onetime boss, Bill Clinton, whose administration came under scrutiny of at least seven independent counsels and even more Republican congressional committees. The atmosphere was so toxic that Clinton adviser Paul Begala put an attorney on retainer before even joining the White House staff.

In discussing the "risk for Democrats," Baker reported that "[s]ome Republicans suggested that the public could tire of repeated hearings such as those held this week and write them off to partisanship." He went on to quote former Bush White House communications director Nicolle Wallace warning Democrats that Americans purportedly do not want to see "the obstruction of people trying to do things":

The risk for Democrats would be overplaying the accountability hand. Their attempts to impose limits on Bush's ability to fight the war have collapsed repeatedly and left them unable to fashion a coherent approach to the most serious issue in the country. Some Republicans suggested that the public could tire of repeated hearings such as those held this week and write them off to partisanship.

"They bring up sort of old Washington," said former Bush aide Nicolle Wallace. "The Democrats have to walk a fine line and be careful. People don't want to turn on the TV and see every story being about the obstruction of people trying to do things. ... The people who will stand out in Washington are the ones who will look forward."

But while Baker reported these GOP warnings to Democrats -- and echoed them himself -- his article failed to mention the bipartisan support for the current investigations led by Democrats. Indeed, on February 21, the Post itself reported that Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-VA), the ranking member of the House Government Reform Committee, "urged the committee to hold a hearing at Walter Reed to give members an 'invaluable firsthand look' at how the Army is processing the wounded." Reporting on the start of the Walter Reed hearings in a March 6 article, the Post noted the "bipartisan nature of the criticism ... in the first of what is likely to be a string of hearings probing problems at Walter Reed and in military health care more broadly."

The allegations of congressional wrongdoing and political maneuvering by the Bush administration in the dismissal of eight U.S attorneys have also provoked bipartisan concern. During a March 6 Senate Judiciary hearing into the matter, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) informed the committee of his belief in the significance of the case, claiming that "if the allegations are correct, there has been serious misconduct in what has occurred."

Further, while Baker did not provide any Democratic response to Wallace's claim, his assertion that congressional Democrats could be in "danger[]" by holding the Bush administration accountable originates from GOP talking points during last year's midterm elections. Media Matters for America noted before the midterms that the view that Democrats would use congressional investigations to obstruct and destroy the Bush administration was a Republican talking point, advanced by then-Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA). Moreover, the Republican "warning" about Democrats and investigations falsely assumed that Americans did not want Congress to conduct significant investigations of the administration. In fact, polling at the time indicated that a majority would support Democrats in such investigations.

Finally, Baker quoted Republican political strategist Mary Matalin's "outrage" at the conviction of Libby. Matalin claimed that "Scooter didn't do anything" and that former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV is "a demonstrable partisan liar." Baker did not mention that Matalin is on the advisory committee to the "Libby Legal Defense Trust." Further, Media Matters has documented numerous examples of misinformation by Matalin (here and here), including several pertaining to the alleged leak of former CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity.

LINK: Echoing GOP talking points, Wash. Post warned Dems of "danger[]" and "risk" of holding Bush administration accountable

The dangers of accountability, ridiculous...
-Mr. Joseph

President Bush: ‘I’m The Decision-Maker’ ...

...As opposed to "the decider"...

Think Progress...

In remarks to reporters this morning, President Bush said he would ignore Congress’ opposition to his escalation plan, saying, “I’m the decision-maker.”

Transcript:

One of the things I found in Congress is that most people recognize that failure would be a disaster for the United States, and — I’m the decision-maker. I had to come up with a way forward that precluded disaster.

VIDEO / LINK: President Bush: ‘I’m The Decision-Maker’

Our President...

-Mr. Joseph

Bush's State of the Union 2007

"Congress has changed," President Bush said, acknowledging the new Democratic majority, "but our responsibilities have not." (NY Times)

There was a lot of chatter on the internet after Bush's State of the Union address...

Here are some stories that stuck out to me...

Think Progress conducted a real-time fact-check of this year’s State of the Union address...

VIDEO / LINK: VIDEO: The Annotated State Of The Union

Think Progress also noted Sen. Jim Webb's response...

Transcript:

The President took us into this war recklessly. He disregarded warnings from the national security adviser during the first Gulf War, the chief of staff of the army, two former commanding generals of the Central Command, whose jurisdiction includes Iraq, the director of operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and many, many others with great integrity and long experience in national security affairs. We are now, as a nation, held hostage to the predictable — and predicted — disarray that has followed.

The war’s costs to our nation have been staggering. Financially. The damage to our reputation around the world. The lost opportunities to defeat the forces of international terrorism. And especially the precious blood of our citizens who have stepped forward to serve.

The majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought; nor does the majority of our military. We need a new direction. Not one step back from the war against international terrorism. Not a precipitous withdrawal that ignores the possibility of further chaos. But an immediate shift toward strong regionally-based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq’s cities, and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq.

On both of these vital issues, our economy and our national security, it falls upon those of us in elected office to take action.

Regarding the economic imbalance in our country, I am reminded of the situation President Theodore Roosevelt faced in the early days of the 20th century. America was then, as now, drifting apart along class lines. The so-called robber barons were unapologetically raking in a huge percentage of the national wealth. The dispossessed workers at the bottom were threatening revolt.

Roosevelt spoke strongly against these divisions. He told his fellow Republicans that they must set themselves “as resolutely against improper corporate influence on the one hand as against demagogy and mob rule on the other.” And he did something about it.

As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. “When comes the end?” asked the General who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War Two. And as soon as he became President, he brought the Korean War to an end.

These Presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.

Thank you for listening. And God bless America.

VIDEO / LINK: Webb: If Bush Doesn’t Take The ‘Right Kind Of Action…We Will Be Showing Him The Way’

On a lighter note...

Think Progress and MSNBC's Tucker Carlson (on Hardblogger) note that John McCain had fell asleep...

VIDEO / LINK: TP: McCain falls asleep during the State of the Union?

Tucker Carlson:

"If you’re McCain, who will be over 70 by 2008, you’ll want to make doubly sure to demonstrate your alertness and vigor. You definitely won’t want to slump in your seat, out cold, when Bush starts talking about Iraq. And yet that’s exactly what McCain did tonight, napping on camera for ten agonizing seconds. Lack of self-control? An expression of contempt? Embarrassing in any case."

LINK: Carlson: Lack of self-control? An expression of contempt? Embarrassing in any case.

While McCain slept, Speaker Nancy Pelosi blinked...

"What was worth commenting on, however, was the contrast in blinks per minute between Pelosi and Cheney. While Pelosi clocked a good 25-30 blinks per minute, Cheney barely mustered 3 or 4."

LINK: Watching the SOTU Speech on ABC

And, of course About Political Humor got some great videoes regarding the speech...

"Check out a funny State of the Union spoof video by Bush impersonator James Adomian (a worthy sequel to last year's version), plus watch President Bush talk tough and threaten the world in this remixed version of one of Bush's previous State of the Union addresses.

See also: The Daily Show's preview of the State of the Union address, featuring a matchup between two bitter rivals: Bush and words.

Late-Night Jokes
"President Bush addressed the nation tonight. He talked about how we can save energy, how we can still win the war in Iraq and then gave a beautiful rendition of 'Wind Beneath My Wings.' Randy and Paula were in tears." --Jimmy Kimmel

"Down in Washington, DC, there was the annual State of the Union address. ... The speech was so dull. Behind President Bush, Nancy Pelosi and Dick Cheney were making out." --David Letterman

Read more late-night jokes..."

LINK: State of the Union Parody Videos

And then this...

"From the official State of the Union Drinking Game...
Every time Bush says:
“nukular” – 1 drink
"Bring it on" = Arm-wrestle the person next to you; loser drinks
Detainees = 1 drink, with your hands behind your back
"illegal immigration" = 1 shot of cerveza/tequila
"sectarian violence" = 1 Car Bomb
“Mark Foley” = one shot of Scotch, aged 16 years
"macaca" = Invite George Allen for a drink - he doesn't have anything better to do
Every time Bush...
praises a Democrat by name = 1 drink
....if that Democrat is not Joe Lieberman = 3 drinks
Every time the camera shows...
a close-up on Nancy Pelosi = 1 shot, taken without moving any facial muscles

Read more at Drinking Game.us, plus check out alternate State of the Union drinking games from political comedian Will Durst and Wonkette. Or if you prefer to cry in your beer in the company of like-minded lefties, you can partake in a Drinking Liberally State of the Union Party, featuring bingo cards.

State of the Union: The Bushism Version
With the help of our Bushisms collection, the San Francisco Chronicle presents an amusing State of the Union address parody, constructed entirely from classic Bush verbal gaffes and other inane presidential utterances:

Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress, distinguished citizens and fellow citizens:

This is historic times.

The past is over. There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again...

I think the American people -- I hope the American — I don't think, let me — I hope the American people trust me. Read more...

The State of the Union and Groundhog Day
This one originally circulated a couple of years ago, but is making the rounds again:

This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occur on the same day. As Air America Radio pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, while the other involves a groundhog."

Read more funny forwards..."

LINK: State of the Union Drinking Game

Just think, he only has one more after this...

-Mr. Joseph

The Best and Worst of 2006

Crooks and Liars found all this...

Best / Worst Books of 2006

Salon: Editor's Picks for 2006 (watch a short ad for a site pass)

Amazon.com: Editors' Top 50; Customers' Top 50

Publisher's Weekly: Best Books of the Year

Washington Post: Book World Holiday–Editor's Top Ten

Time Magazine: 10 Best Books

NY Sun: The Year's Best Books

Times UK: The 10 best books of 2006

LINK: The Best Books of 2006

Best / Worst Movies 0f 2006

Salon: Cinema to Savor (watch a short ad for site pass)

Rolling Stone: Best and Worst of 2006 Movies

via About.com: American Film Institute (AFI)'s Best Films of 2006

Time Magazine: 10 Best Movies of 2006

LA Times: Best of 2006 by Kenneth Turan

MSNBC: Best of 2006; Worst of 2006

LINK: The Best Movies of 2006

And finally...

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for President Bush, AP comes out with a new poll.

SCARBOROUGH: Now you don't have to have a political doctorate in Political Science to realize it's never a good sign when you're outpolled by Lucifer

Good thing he doesn't follow those pesky polls…

Colbert: But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in "reality." And reality has a well-known liberal bias.

LINK: AP Poll: Bush #1 Villain of 2006

-Mr. Joseph

On Iraq, Gore: "worst strategic mistake in the entire history of the United States"; Bush: "It's bad..."

Think Progress caught Bush's comments, while Crooks and Liars documented Gore's...

At a press conference this morning with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a reporter asked President Bush whether his use of the word “unsettling” to describe the violence in Iraq would “convince many people that you’re still in denial about how bad things are in Iraq.”

Bush responded curtly, “It’s bad in Iraq. That help?” and then chuckled.

Bush later said, “You know, in all due respect, I’ve been saying it a lot. I understand how tough it is, and I’ve been telling the American people how tough it is.”

On 10/25, Bush said the U.S. was “absolutely” winning the Iraq war. On 10/17, Vice President Cheney claimed the “general overall situation” in Iraq was going “remarkably well.”

Full transcript:

QUESTION: Mr. President, the Iraq Study Group described the situation in Iraq as “grave and deteriorating.” You said that the increase in attacks is “unsettling.” That will convince many people that you’re still in denial about how bad things are in Iraq and question your sincerity about changing course.

BUSH: It’s bad in Iraq. That help? (Laughter)

QUESTION: Why did it take others to say it before you’ve been willing to acknowledge it to the world?

BUSH: You know, in all due respect, I’ve been saying it a lot. I understand how tough it is, and I’ve been telling the American people how tough it is. And they know how tough it is.

And the fundamental question is: Do we have a plan to achieve our objective? Are we willing to change as the enemy has changed?

LINK: Bush Asked Whether He’s ‘Still In Denial,’ Responds ‘It’s Bad In Iraq. That Help?’

Al Gore was on The TODAY SHOW and brought some sober thoughts to the discussion of the Iraq Study Group and the war.

Gore: Well, the report this morning is actually one of several studies. There's one in the Pentagon. There has reportedly been one in the White House itself is (garbled) up. They're all basically saying the same thing, Matt–this is an utter disaster. This was the worst strategic mistake in the entire history of the United States and now we as a nation have to find a way, in George Mitchell’s words—"to manage a disaster." but—I would urge the president not to try to separate out the personal issues of being blamed in history for this mistake and instead recognize it’s not about him. It’s about our country and we all have to find a way to get our troops home and to prevent a regional conflagration there.

LINK: Al Gore on Iraq: “This was the worst strategic mistake in the entire history of the United States.”

Bush vs Gore v2.0

-Mr. Joseph

Gore Rips into Bush; Answers Tough Questions

From Think Progress...

On NBC, former Vice President Al Gore called Iraq the “worst strategic mistake in the history of the United States.” He urged President Bush “to try to separate out the personal issues of being blamed in history for this mistake and instead recognize it’s not about him. It’s about our country and we all have to find a way to get our troops home and to prevent a regional conflagration there.”

TRANSCRIPT:

GORE: The fact is, this is a very bad situation. Our country has to find a way to get our troops out as quickly as possible without making the situation even worse in the manner of our leaving.

LAUER: It’s described by some as cut and stay as opposed to cut and run. Does it [the Baker-Hamilton report] do enough to acknowledge the results of the mid-term elections and the message voters sending this administration — if these are listened to, these recommendations?

GORE: Well, the report this morning is actually one of several studies. There is one in the Pentagon. There has been reportedly been one in the White House itself. They are all basically saying the same thing, Matt. This is an utter disaster. This worst strategic mistake in the history of the United States. We as a nation have to find a way, in George Mitchell’s words, to manage a disaster. But I would urge the president not to — to try to separate out the personal issues of being blamed in history for this mistake and instead recognize it’s not about him. It’s about our country and we all have to find a way to get our troops home and to prevent a regional conflagration there.

VIDEO / LINK: Gore To Bush On Iraq: It’s Not About You

...

Also, from Men.Style.com...

AL GORE: MOVIE STAR

A former vice president tells the Truth, ignites a global debate, and suddenly looks like a dark-horse candidate. GQ.com presents the complete Al Gore Q&A, including what he really thinks about George W. Bush.

So if you decide to run, do you think we would see the Al Gore from the movie? Or the Al Gore from 2000?
Well, I don’t plan to run. I don’t plan to run. And I don’t expect to run.

How many times a day does somebody ask you this?
Well, I’m doing a lot of interviews and it’s on the list of questions. For every one of them. And I appreciate that. I appreciate that people think enough of me still in that world to ask that question. It’s true that I haven’t, uh, gotten to the point where I am willing to completely rule it out for all time. But, that is really more a matter of the internal shifting of gears. I’m not making plans to run again.

But you’re not ruling it out?
Uh… no. [smiles]

Do you know if President Bush has seen the movie yet?
Well, he claimed that would not see it. That’s why I wrote the book. He’s a reader.

What page do you think he’s on?
I would encourage him to see the movie and read the book. I wish that he would.

Don’t you find it appalling that he won’t?
Well, you know, he’s probably no more objective about me than I am about him.

So have you been offered any other movie parts?
Yes! I actually just performed a voice-over role in a movie last week. I am reprising my role as a disembodied head in Futurama, which is being made into a movie. There are a significant number of people who appear not to know or care that I was Vice President of the United States, but who are very tuned into the fact that I uttered the immortal line, “I have ridden the mighty moonworm.”

And that’s so much more important. So do you think you’ll get an Oscar nomination?
For the disembodied head?

For An Inconvenient Truth.
Well, I think the movie deserves one. I’m not eligible; the movie is. But I don’t want to jinx it by talking about it.

Do you think you have ever been more popular?
Ahhhh. I think non-candidates are inherently more popular than candidates.

What is your relationship with the Clintons like now?
Good. Fine. Uh, I saw him today. We see them every once in a while.

Do you like her?
Sure. We worked together for 8 years, and uh, I think she’s, uh… very capable.

Could she win?
I’m not gonna get drawn into speculation about the potential candidates in 2008.

Okay, then let me ask you this. If you had to have a drink with someone tonight, and it was Bill or Hillary, you couldn’t pick both but you had to pick one, whom would you pick?
Well, Bill doesn’t drink.

Are you sure?
I’m pretty sure, yeah. So, if that were the criterion, to have a drink with them and she’s the only one that does, then it would be her. You know, it’s not the same now as it was, of course. A lot of water under the bridge. But we have been through a lot together and I wish them both well.

Do you want your daughter Karenna to go into politics?
I want her to do what she wants to do. I think her judgment is so good, and if she were to decide to go into politics, she would be soooo good. If I had half of the skills that she has, I would definitely be in my second term as president right now.

What does she have that you don’t have?
Perfect pitch.

Okay, on to 9-11. What were you really feeling? Was there a part of you that felt a sense of relief that you weren’t in charge that day?
You mean a sense of relief that I didn’t have to deal with it? Oh no. Not at all. Not for one second. Not for one second. Why would I? I mean, well first of all, it just didn’t occur to me to feel anything like that. What did occur to me was to feel what every American felt, the outrage and anger and righteous anger, and support for the President at a time of danger… And, honestly, I was focused on the reality of the situation. And I wasn’t president, so, you know, it wasn’t about me. Now, I do wish, now that we have some distance from the events, and we have all this knowledge about what this administration did do, I certainly feel that I wish that it had been handled differently, and I do wish that I had somehow been able to prevent some of the catastrophic mistakes that were made.

Do you feel that we would be safer today if you had been president on that day?
Well, no one can say that the 9-11 attack wouldn’t have occurred whoever was president.

Really? How about all the warnings?
That’s a separate question. And it’s almost too easy to say, “I would
have heeded the warnings.” In fact, I think I would have, I know I would have. We had several instances when the CIA’s alarm bells went off, and what we did when that happened was, we had emergency meetings and called everybody together and made sure that all systems were go and every agency was hitting on all cylinders, and we made them bring more information, and go into the second and third and fourth level of detail. And made suggestions on how we could respond in a more coordinated, more effective way. It is inconceivable to me that Bush would read a warning as stark and as clear [voice angry now] as the one he received on August 6th of 2001, and, according to some of the new histories, he turned to the briefer and said, “Well, you’ve covered your ass.” And never called a follow up meeting. Never made an inquiry. Never asked a single question. To this day, I don’t understand it. And, I think it’s fair to say that he personally does in fact bear a measure of blame for not doing his job at a time when we really needed him to do his job. And now the Woodward book has this episode that has been confirmed by the record that George Tenet, who was much abused by this administration, went over to the White House for the purpose of calling an emergency meeting and warning as clearly as possible about the extremely dangerous situation with Osama bin Laden, and was brushed off! And I don’t know why—honestly—I mean, I understand how horrible this Congressman Foley situation with the instant messaging is, okay? I understand that. But, why didn’t these kinds of things produce a similar outrage? And you know, I’m even reluctant to talk about it in these terms because it’s so easy for people to hear this or read this as sort of cheap political game-playing. I understand how it could sound that way. [Practically screaming now] But dammit, whatever happened to the concept of accountability for catastrophic failure? This administration has been by far the most incompetent, inept, and with more moral cowardice, and obsequiousness to their wealthy contributors, and obliviousness to the public interest of any administration in modern history, and probably in the entire history of the country!

But how do you really feel?
(cracks up)

What’s the nicest thing you can say about George Bush?
He made a terrific appointment of Ben Bernanke as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Ok, Is there a second best thing?
I can’t think of another one, actually.

When you see the state things are in now, don’t you feel an obligation to run?
Well, I don’t think I have to apologize for devoting my life to trying to solve the most serious challenge our civilization’s ever faced. But I do understand the nature of the question, and as I said, I haven’t completely ruled it out. It’s just that I don’t expect to—and I don’t really believe that that is necessarily the best use of my skills and experience. [sticks his tongue out and crosses his eyes]

Do you like yourself more now? Do you have more fun now?
Well, you know the old Kris Kristofferson song that Janis Joplin made famous, “Me and Bobby McGee”? It has a great line: Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose. There’s some aspects of that involved here.

What kind of freedom do you feel now that you didn’t feel when you were running?
You know my all time favorite Onion headline—you read The Onion?—sometime in the summer of 2001, the lead story on the front page had a picture of Tipper and me, and the headline was, “Gores Enjoying Best Sex of Their Lives.” And she said, “How did they know?”

Do you have any advice on keeping a marriage together?
I think basically Tipper is the key to it.

Really?
Yeah. Love is such a complicated force, I don’t have the words to speak intelligently about it. I don’t even want to try to universalize what feels true to me, because everybody’s different and—

Yeah, but you know what? A lot of people are real different. You’re devoted. People look at you two and you never wonder if there’s anything stupid going on. What is it about you two?
Well, I think that communicating clearly, and making intelligent decisions about the time that you set aside for one another, not time with you and your spouse and the entire family. That’s also very important, but it doesn’t count in that category of time you need for the relationship itself. Communicating clearly, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually. That’s just really important. And if you need help, get help.

Have you been to therapy?
We went in the aftermath of our son’s accident. We had family therapy. And you know, Tipper has a graduate degree in psychology, and she has had a fairly intensive psychiatric practice for 40 years—with one patient. I’m seriously not joking when I say the secret is mostly her. She’s just an amazing partner in life.

What’s the last really romantic thing you did for her?
I made her an iTunes list that communicated things that are important.

What was on it?
That’s too personal.

How often do you think about 2000?
Uhhhh… (feigned shock) The 2000 election?

Yes, that little tiny thing that happened in American history.
I’d almost forgotten! Oh, gosh.

You are so much more relaxed now. I think you’re having more fun this way.
Um, compared to what?

To being a candidate.
Gee, how could anything be more fun than that?

LINK: AL GORE: MOVIE STAR

Mr. Gore, the Sierra Club, and Moveon.org are all making pleas for people to host screenings of An Inconvenient Truth at their homes...

This man should be our President right now...

-Mr. Joseph