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Kagan’s Confirmation Makes ABC and NBC as Giddy as Liberal Democrats

Posted on August 6, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

“The number that really excited Democrats is three: Think Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan,” NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell excitedly announced Thursday night while leading into a clip of Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, who exclaimed as he bounced on his heels on the Senate floor: “Three women will serve together on the United States Supreme Court for the first time in our nation’s history!” The news equally excited the TV network journalists. “History was made in this country today when the Senate confirmed Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court,” declared fill-in NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt as viewers were treated to a “Making History” on-screen graphic. “Tonight on World News, a day of high court history. Elena Kagan confirmed. For the first time ever, three women will be part of deciding the law of the land,” spouted a giddy Diane Sawyer in matching NBC by making Kagan her lead story. Sawyer could hardly contain her excitement: We are here in Washington on the day a new voice joins the Supreme Court. Elena Kagan, the third woman currently on the court, a woman with a reputation for holding her own in any room. And our Jonathan Karl is right here to tell us about the big vote right over there on Capitol Hill. And I want to know what happens when a new justice dons the robe for the first time, Jon? Karl confirmed: “Well, it’s a big day here. I mean, in all of American history, the Senate has confirmed only 112 justices, and, even if you include retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, only four of them have been women.” One sour note for Karl, a certain Republican who voted no: “There was one surprise. Scott Brown, I mean, this is the liberal, or moderate Republican from Massachusetts, introduced her at the confirmation hearings, defended her leadership of Harvard Law School. But in the end, he voted no.” (Back on January 31, 2006, when the Senate confirmed President George W. Bush’s second Supreme Court nominee, Samuel Alito, ABC’s World News held itself to a short item read by anchor Elizabeth Vargas.) On NBC Thursday night, Holt fretted that “today’s confirmation vote fell largely along party lines, seen by many as another symbol of Washington’s ever-deepening partisan divide.” But that “ever-deepening” is actually slightly less so than with Alito. Five Republicans voted to confirm Kagan, one more than the four Democrats who backed Alito. On the January 31, 2006 NBC Nightly News, Pete Williams noted: “The vote, 58-to-42, was one of the most deeply partisan ever for a Supreme Court nominee, with just four Democrats voting to confirm.” The MRC’s Brad Wilmouth corrected the closed-captioning against the video to provide these transcripts of the Thursday, August 6 stories: ABC’s World News: DIANE SAWYER, IN OPENING TEASER: Tonight on World News, a day of high court history. Elena Kagan confirmed. For the first time ever, three women will be part of deciding the law of the land. … SAWYER: We are here in Washington on the day a new voice joins the Supreme Court. Elena Kagan, the third woman currently on the court, a woman with a reputation for holding her own in any room. And our Jonathan Karl is right here to tell us about the big vote right over there on Capitol Hill. And I want to know what happens when a new justice dons the robe for the first time, Jon? JONATHAN KARL: Well, it’s a big day here. I mean, in all of American history, the Senate has confirmed only 112 justices, and, even if you include retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, only four of them have been women. SENATOR AL FRANKEN (D-MN): The tally is 63-37. KARL: Elena Kagan was easily confirmed in a vote the President hailed as historic. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: For nearly two centuries, there wasn’t a single woman on our nation’s highest court. KARL: Kagan faced last-minute attacks from Republicans who branded her a liberal activist with absolutely no judicial experience. SENATOR PAT ROBERTS (R-KS): Her lack of judicial experience, striking. MITCH MCCONNELL, SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: -is not suited- SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS (R-AL): -does not have the gifts- SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ): She is unlikely to exercise judicial restraint. KARL: It was highly partisan. All but five Republicans voted no. All but one Democrat voted yes. With Kagan, the court will now have, for the first time, three women serving at once, one third of the justices. It’s a huge sea change for an institution that has been dominated by men. As recently as last year, there was just one woman on the court. JUSTICE RUTH BADER GINSBURG, U.S. SUPREME COURT: Now there I am all alone, and it doesn’t look right. It’s lonely for me. There’s life experience that a woman has simply because she’s grown up inside a woman’s body. KARL: Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor as the first woman in 1981, but it wasn’t until 12 years later that the court installed a woman’s restroom near the room where they deliberate. JOAN BISKUPIC, SUPREME COURT HISTORIAN: For years, they would just have a men’s bathroom back there. It just goes to show what a male-dominated place the Supreme Court had been for many years. KARL: Kagan will, of course, be the most junior justice, and the others will make sure she knows it. By tradition, the junior justice must take notes when the nine of them deliberate. And, Diane, if somebody knocks on the door, it is her, the most junior justice, that has to go up to answer the door to bring in papers, a message, or even coffee. SAWYER: Pretty mild form of hazing, though. Tell me about the vote itself. Any surprises who voted for and against? KARL: There was one surprise. Scott Brown, I mean, this is the liberal, or moderate Republican from Massachusetts, introduced her at the confirmation hearings, defended her leadership of Harvard Law School. But in the end, he voted no. SAWYER: So he voted with the Republicans? KARL: He voted with the rest of the Republicans, all but five of them, against her nomination. SAWYER: Okay, thanks, Jon. Good to be here with you tonight. NBC Nightly News: LESTER HOLT: Good evening. Brian is on assignment tonight. I’m Lester Holt. History was made in this country today when the Senate confirmed Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. Once she’s sworn in this weekend, she’ll become the current court’s third woman member and the fourth ever named. Tonight President Obama calls Kagan’s confirmation “an affirmation of her character and her temperament.” Still, today’s confirmation vote fell largely along party lines, seen by many as another symbol of Washington’s ever-deepening partisan divide. NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell is on Capitol Hill with more. Kelly, good evening. KELLY O’DONNELL: Good evening, Lester. When you look at today’s vote, you can see history. Justice Kagan will give women a greater voice – making up one-third of the court – and you can see politics. Five Republicans crossed over to support Kagan while one Democrat was among the no votes. SENATOR AL FRANKEN (D-MN): The tally is 63-37. The nomination is confirmed. O’DONNELL: Elena Kagan did get five fewer votes than Sonia Sotomayor last summer, but the number that really excited Democrats is three: Think Ginsburg, Sotomayor and Kagan. SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY (D-VT): Three women will serve together on the United States Supreme Court for the first time in our nation’s history! O’DONNELL: At 50, Kagan becomes the youngest justice, succeeding the oldest, 90-year-old John Paul Stevens. Congratulations from President Obama late today. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: She knows that the Supreme Court’s decisions shape not just the character of our democracy, but the circumstances of our daily lives. O’DONNELL: Kagan’s unexpected sense of humor charmed Senators of both parties at her confirmation hearings. JUSTICE ELENA KAGAN, U.S. SUPREME COURT: It means I’d have to get my hair done more often, Senator Specter. O’DONNELL: New York born, first woman dean of Harvard Law. Her policy to limit military recruiters access there gave Republicans their strongest criticism. SENATOR JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Dean Kagan, I believe, showed a willingness to bend the law and facts to advance her own political goals of protesting the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. O’DONNELL: Kagan worked for Presidents Obama and Clinton. She will be the only justice on the current court who has never been a judge. LEAHY: She earned her place at the top of the legal profession. No one gave it to her. She earned it. O’DONNELL: And it’s been 40 years since the newest member of the Supreme Court has had no previous experience as a judge. And the plan for Elena Kagan is that she will be sworn in this Saturday afternoon by her new colleague, Chief Justice John Roberts.

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Dissatisfaction With Dems a Boon For Hollywood Conservatives

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

In the giant morass of Hollywood leftism, there is a small – but growing – group of conservatives doing its best to sway the utter one-sidedness of celebrity politics. The group, known as the Friends of Abe, includes a number of well-known A-list personalities, some of them renowned for their outside-the-mainstream (in their line of work) politics. Kelsey Grammar, Gary Sinese, Dennis Miller, and Jon Voight among them. But though the group is small, secretive, and far less influential than its political-professional counterpart (the rest of Hollywood), “conservative frustration with the Democratic control of Washington might be helping them flourish,” according to the Hollywood Reporter . Indeed, as politicians on both sides of the aisle court such nontraditional groups as the Tea Party and Netroots, the conservative Hollywood clique is hoping for real relevance as Election Day nears. At the group’s large mid-June gathering at a Ventura County horse ranch, Friends of Abe too advantage of the national mood – and the group’s increasing membership and influence – to do its part for California GOP contenders Carly Fiornia, running to unseat Sen. Barbara Boxer, and Meg Whitman, who is taking on sitting governor Jerry Brown. About a thousand people shelled out $200 each to attend, but sources said much of the night’s estimated $200,000 take went to cover expenses and catering. Fiorina received a rousing ovation when she was introduced, but applause doesn’t cost money. Cash for television buys is especially important in the large state of California — during one week in May, candidates spent $10 million. “Obviously, the FOA folks will vote for GOP candidates like Carly and Meg Whitman,” an attendee who requested anonymity said. “But I haven’t heard the sound of many wallets opening.” The stakes are as high as ever: Fiorina is battling for Democrat Barbara Boxer’s Senate seat, and former eBay CEO Whitman is up against Jerry Brown in the governor race. Both Democratic opponents are among the right’s favorite punching bags. What’s more, field polls released a month ago saw both races locked in statistical dead heats, with the Dems holding only tiny leads within the margin of error. (A Public Policy Institute of California poll last week also noted the tight races.) According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks national candidates, Boxer received $677,000 from the movie, TV and music industries, while Fiorina’s take from showbiz donors is so small, it doesn’t even register in her Top 20 ranking of business contributors (not surprisingly, her top donors come from the securities and investment industry). The National Institute on Money in State Politics, the only independent organization that tracks donations to gubernatorial races, calculated that — at least through March 17, the most recent available numbers — Brown received $330,000 from entertainment industry sources and Whitman’s take from the sector was $45,000.

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3-D Printers Capable Of Producing Usable Objects Are Here –

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

New printers can take a cat-scan x-ray from a doctor and re-create an exact replica of your back column or heart, or create any of your drawings into real 3-D objects. added by: onemalefla

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Cindy Sheehan Says Stop Voting for Either Wing of the War Party, Calls for Impeaching Obama

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

During the campaign, many colleagues and friends of mine, assured me that Obama was just saying this hostile crap to “get elected” and once he was elected that he would “do the right thing.” Well, first of all, why support such a pandering Jackwagon, and secondly, how has that ever worked? Three days after Obama swore to uphold and defend the Constitution, he drone-bombed a “target” in Pakistan killing 3 dozen civilians—and since that day he has elevated the art of drone bombings to new heights, while the so-called antiwar movement looks on in silent complacency and while Democratic operatives disguised as antiwar groups are hoping against hope that Obama comes out strong with a new antiwar marketing campaign to assure his “re-election.” Even though not one progressive issue has been propagated during his term, these war supporters are looking forward to another four years of the dance of death. Right foot kill—left foot torture—spin around for environmental devastation—allemande left for health care fascism—and shimmy right for bankster bailouts. Wasn’t eight years of this crap during the Bush stain enough for y’all? Many antiwar groups and people who claim they are for peace lose their minds during election season thinking that the razor-thin difference between the Democrat and Republican is enough to go ape-shit crazy in working for the Democrat. Just take the last two Democratic candidates, for example. Kerry and Obama both supported more war. An “antiwar” movement de-legitimizes itself when it works hard for a candidate who does not promise total and rapid withdrawal of troops from wherever they happen to be at the time AND does not promise to end war as an imperial tool of corporate conquest. The majority of the so-called antiwar movement, in fact, voted for a candidate that PROMISED to contract one war only to be able to profoundly EXPAND another. Obama all along said that he is not against all war, just “dumb wars.” If there existed an antiwar movement that had integrity—it would have said that “all wars are dumb,” and we withhold our support for just another dyed-in-the-wool warmonger. Read More at the Link: http://beforeitsnews.com/story/109/389/Cindy_Sheehan_Says_Stop_Voting_for_Either… added by: TomTucker

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ABC’s Claire Shipman Laments Lack of Political Will to Extend Unemployment Benefits Beyond 99 Weeks

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Good Morning America’s Claire Shipman on Tuesday delivered a one-sided report on unemployment benefits and the fact that they end after 99 weeks. Reporting on those who have reached the limit, the so-called “99ers,” she asserted, “… There’s no hope in sight right now .” Shipman featured three clips of those who are at the cap and one of Democrat Debbie Stabenow, who is advocating for an extension. However, the ABC morning show found no time for anyone with the opinion that nearly two years of unemployment benefits is enough. Instead, Shipman offered only stories of struggling people who have reached the 99 week limit: “We found a demoralized construction worker at loose ends at home for four years, while his wife works. A school a administrator who was rejected for a job at McDonald’s. And an accounts specialist, unemployed for two years, now living in a shelter with her four children.” The only mention of opposition came in a brief mention at the end of the segment. Shipman fretted, “But with Republicans arguing so strongly that even this bill is fiscally irresponsible, there’s no political consensus right now on helping the 99ers.” A transcript of the July 20 segment, which aired at 7:12am EDT, follows: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to turn to the jobs crisis . As we said, the Senate is expected to vote to extend unemployment benefits later today. And after three failed attempts, it looks like Senate Democrats should get the legislation passed this time. But that is little comfort to the long-term unemployed who have passed the maximum time to receive benefits . Claire Shipman has their story. And, Claire, they’re called the 99ers because all benefits run out after 99 weeks. And their ranks are growing. CLAIRE SHIPMAN: George, their ranks are growing. And their anger and frustration is growing, because while this bill will help unemployed- extend the 26 weeks of benefits [sic], if you’ve been out of work for two years or more, if you’re a 99er, there’s no hope in sight right now. President Obama, in a Rose Garden offensive, surrounded by unemployed Americans. BARACK OBAMA: They’re not looking for a handout. They desperately want to work. Just right now, they can’t find a job. SHIPMAN: Almost 15 million Americans are out of work. But most striking, almost half of that number are the long-term unemployed. A level that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. The hardest-luck cases, the so-called 99ers, who exhausted the maximum 99 weeks of unemployment benefits. Today’s legislation does not extend that limit. [Walking with Senator Debbie Stabenow] Is there a solution for the 99ers? Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow has become a tireless advocate for the unemployed. SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW (D-MI): These are people who paid their taxes and followed the rules. They are in a situation not of their making. To say, well, we’re tired of this. We think we’ll, you know, not do it anymore. It is outrageous to me. SHIPMAN: And the 99ers offer a distinctly new demographic portrait of the unemployed. Many are professional, middle-aged, and totally unprepared for this turn . We found a demoralized construction worker at loose ends at home for four years, while his wife works. A school a administrator who was rejected for a job at McDonald’s. And an accounts specialist, unemployed for two years, now living in a shelter with her four children. MIGNON VEASLEY-FIELDS: We are sinking. We are dying now. We’re losing everything we have. And now I may lose my home because I have no money. MICHAEL OVERHOLT: The wife comes home and I’m sitting here. You feel like you’re not worth anything. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I’m about as low as I can get. SHIPMAN: Now, their numbers are growing so quickly, some economists argue, George, that without helping them, that will hurt economic recovery. But with Republicans arguing so strongly that even this bill is fiscally irresponsible, there’s no political consensus right now on helping the 99ers.

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Matt Lauer Turns Into Deficit Hawk, Asks Gingrich About ‘Funny Math’

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

NBC’s Matt Lauer, suddenly turned into a deficit hawk, when he invited on Newt Gingrich on Tuesday’s Today show, to discuss the GOP’s refusal to extend unemployment benefits without paying for them, as he complained to the House Speaker that those same Republicans didn’t offer spending cuts to offset the Bush tax cut and pressed: “Is it funny math?” and “traditionally speaking when you cut taxes, don’t deficits go up as well?” Gingrich initially agreed that the deficit in the “short run” goes up but explained to the Today show anchor that “we proved with Reagan, with the three-year tax cuts in the 1980s” and “again with the Contract With America” that “job creating principles of cutting taxes are far better than the job killing principles of big government and regulation.” The following is the full interview as it was aired on the July 20 Today show: MATT LAUER: Alright, Savannah. Thank you very much. Former Republican Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, is a Fox News contributor and the author of the new book To Save America: Stopping Obama’s Secular Socialist Machine. Newt, good to see you. Good morning again. NEWT GINGRICH: Matt, good to see you. LAUER: Let, let me ask you to help me on the math here, alright? What Savannah just talked about, what the President talked about yesterday. You’ve got some Republicans coming out saying, “We’re not in favor extending, of extending these unemployment benefits that carry a price tag of about $33 billion unless there are offsetting cuts in spending.” They are the same Republicans, Newt, who didn’t ask for those offsetting spending cuts when they wanted to make permanent the Bush tax cuts with a price tag of over half a trillion dollars. Is it funny math? GINGRICH: No, I don’t think so. The second biggest concern of the American people after jobs is deficit spending and the fact that this president has been like a teenager with a credit card who has run up – he will have, if he serves eight years, under current plans, he will double the national debt. That is, that is he’ll borrow more than every previous president combined. The average American is beginning to respond with great concern about that amount of debt. LAUER: But traditionally speaking when you cut taxes, don’t deficits go up as well? GINGRICH: Only in the short run. That’s the other difference. I mean we proved with Reagan, with the three-year tax cuts in the 1980s, we proved again with the Contract with America, with the first tax cut in 16 years that, in fact, job creating principles of cutting taxes are far better than job killing principles of big government and regulation. If you look at Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, I think it was in 2007, Texas created more jobs than the other 49 states combined. And the reason was simple. It’s a much lower tax, much lower regulation state in which people found it more convenient and easier to start a business, invest in a company or create a job. [On screen headline: “‘To Save America’ Gingrich’s Formula For Fixing Country”] LAUER: Let’s talk about cutting, cutting the deficit here. You’ve said, you’re thinking more seriously now than ever about running for president. Let’s say I make you president right now. Congratulations. And I give you what a lot of people are predicting – a Republican-controlled House and Senate. That means you’ve got to make some really tough choices in terms of cutting this deficit. What are you willing to say? And name it by name, that you would be willing to cut right now to cut deficits. GINGRICH: First of all, you just may, create a nightmare for virtually every Democrat watching the show, so I apologize to them. But to, but to work out your scenario, in the four years I was Speaker of the House, the average rate of increase was 2.9 percent a year including all the entitlements. That is the lowest rate of increase since Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s. We did it by carefully setting priorities. LAUER: But- GINGRICH: Now, now just let me finish. LAUER: Okay, go ahead. GINGRICH: So, so we doubled, for example, investment in national health research at the National Institutes of Health while we were being very tough on other spending. I would start and I’d go through this budget pretty dramatically and I would eliminate a great deal of federal bureaucracy. I would reform unemployment compensation. I would reform workman’s comp at the state level. I would have a very pro-jobs, very pro-savings, very pro-take-home pay policy. When we reformed welfare, 65 percent of people on welfare either went to work or went to school and we saved billions and billions of dollars. That’s part of how we managed to balance the budget. Remember Matt… LAUER: Would, would you make cuts in Social Security and Medicare? GINGRICH: No, no. LAUER: Would you take those things on? GINGRICH: Well first, well first of all, and we’ve proven at the Center for Health Transformation with a book called Stop Paying the Crooks that there’s between $70 billion and $120 billion a year, that is paid to crooks in Medicare and Medicaid. So sure that, that, by the way, comes out to $700 billion to a trillion, two-hundred billion in savings over the next decade, just by not paying crooks in the federal health system. LAUER: This worst case scenario we just talked about for Democrats, the loss of both the House and the Senate. How likely is it, in your opinion? GINGRICH: About 50/50. It gets worse every month partly because what you just showed was the President with very shallow politics, assuming the American people are dumb enough to follow the latest headline and don’t realize the real problem with unemployment is this is a job killing administration and a job killing Democratic Congress and that’s why those people are unemployed. LAUER: Newt Gingrich. Newt it’s good to see you. Thanks for your time this morning. GINGRICH: Appreciate it. Thanks Matt.

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Luke Russert Touts Financial Bill as ‘Huge Victory’ for Dems, Fulfills Obama’s Promise of ‘Change’

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Reporting Thursday from Capitol Hill, MSNBC congressional correspondent Luke Russert touted a likely win for Senate Democrats on the Financial Reform Bill, saying it would be a “huge victory.” “Obviously, [President Obama] ran on the slogan ‘Change you can believe in,’ with health care reform and financial regulatory reform,” Russert commented, thus tying the passage of the financial reform bill with success of Obama’s message of “change.” Using the 60-38 result of the Senate vote in favor of cloture, Luke Russert said the final vote would come late Thursday afternoon, probably resulting in a Democrat victory for financial reform, thus accomplishing a task President Obama began last year. Russert, however, had a bit of trouble identifying two of the major players in the financial crisis. Republicans, he reported, said the bill wasn’t “going far enough in terms of reforming Freddie Mae and Fannie Mac , two facets of the government they say were very much responsible for that meltdown in 2008.” The transcript of Russert’s segment, which aired on July 15 at 12:04 p.m. EDT, is as follows: CONTESSA BREWER, MSNBC anchor: Luke, here we’ve seen more than a year of political wrangling, and it looks like this bill will cross the finish line. LUKE RUSSERT, MSNBC congressional correspondent: It absolutely will indeed, according to sources from the Democratic side, Contessa. The first procedural vote just happened in the past hour, 60-38 Republicans, three of which – Scott Brown, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins from Maine – joined with 57 Democrats to bring forth cloture. That’s the first procedural matter here. Then we will have a final vote this Thursday afternoon and most likely deliver President Obama a huge victory that he set out to do last year. Obviously he ran on the slogan “Change you can believe in,” with healthcare reform and this financial regulatory reform. The administration and the Democratic Party feels they’ve accomplished two amazing things. It’s going to be interesting to see how much the Democrats will pump this out in terms of their messaging for the next month heading into the August recess. They obviously are going to try to frame it as they’re standing with Main Street, while Republicans stand with Wall Street. Republicans have been very harsh on this bill, saying that it’s way too much government regulation, and will restrict lending at a time when people desperately need lending from small community banks. They also say it’s not going far enough in terms of reforming Freddie Mae and Fannie Mac , two facets of the government they say were very much responsible for that meltdown in 2008, September of that year, Contessa.

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Bozell Column: Obama the Gipper?

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

The Political Left is in a meltdown. There’s no way to sugarcoat the calamity. It is falling apart. It sees the tide has turned and a possible tsunami is building, ready to crest and explode in November, washing all their dreams away. How could this be happening to them? Could it be that trillion dollar disaster otherwise know as the “stimulus,” that emergency measure needed to save the economy by creating millions of jobs except it’s accomplished absolutely nothing except putting our grandchildren yet another trillion dollars in debt? Or the auto company takeovers, something no one wanted and Congress never authorized as part of the TARP bailout fund? Or the appointment of one radical after another to nanny-state us all, including now the just recess-appointed Dr. Donald Berwick to oversee ObamaCare, a Marxist who proudly calls for the redistribution of wealth and who absolutely adores Britain’s onerous National Health Service, rationing and all? Or any one of a thousand other radical ventures proposed/discussed/enacted by this radical leftist regime? Nah. Thom Hartmann, one of the top munchkins along the Yellow Brick Road of Radioland, told his handful of listeners last week that it’s ludicrous that any conservative would conclude Obama’s a socialist. “As a guy…me, who calls himself a democratic socialist, Obama’s no socialist! He’s a middle-of-the-road Democrat, what in the 1950s was called an Eisenhower progressive, or a Republican, for that matter.” This recalls the early Clinton years, when Bob Woodward quoted Bill Clinton yelling at his staff that they were all just like “Eisenhower Republicans”….as they attempted to pass 1,300 pages of socialist Hillarycare. Government spending and regulations are thoroughly out of control but Hartmann the socialist still sees Republicans destroying democracy in the near term, never mind that the GOP is completely out of power. “I think that the Republican endgame for a small group of ideologues who have an outsized influence, the neocons within the Republican party, is to basically do away with small-d democracy in this republic, and in fact do away with it being even a republic, and turn it into basically an aristocracy.” Lord William Kristol. You have to admit it does have a ring. The dismay was even more grandiose on MSNBC last week, when the executives handed over “The Dylan Ratigan Show” to a man named Cenk Uygur, host of “The Young Turks” radio program. Put your food and drink down. He contends that Obama was more conservative than … ready?  Ronald Reagan. Here’s his formulation: 1. Obama said during the presidential primaries that he would meet with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, or North Korea without conditions. But “Republican hawk Ronald Reagan actually did it in March, 1985. At the height of the Cold War, Reagan invited newly-appointed Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the ‘Evil Empire,’ for a summit in Geneva without preconditions.” 2. Reagan “cut and run” from Lebanon in 1983. Now compare that to Obama and his troop surge in Afghanistan. 3. Obama “refused to raise taxes for anyone making less than a quarter of a million dollars,” but Reagan had “four significant tax increases” after his original tax rate cuts. 4. Reagan was “the first to host an openly-gay couple at the White House for an overnight stay?…So which President is the real conservative here?” Luckily for the small flock of strange people viewing MSNBC at home, both of Mr. Uygur’s guests told him he was all wrong. Frank Donatelli, one of President Reagan’s political director, was deliciously blunt. “That’s the silliest thing that I’ve ever heard….It’s an incomplete and distorted picture of everything.” Donatelli calmly related that Reagan cut taxes overall, negotiated with Gorbachev after the little precondition of a complete defense buildup, and he won the Cold War, while “Obama hasn’t won anything.” Even David Weigel, the Palin/Limbaugh/Drudge-insulting commentator beloved by the likes of Keith Olbermann, dismissed the Uygur stupidity. “He’s not a conservative. Come on!” Leftists may be delusional in thinking Barack Obama is some kind of Reaganite. But if that’s delusional, how does one describe Janeane Garofalo? As always, her nuttiness is in a league (institution?) of its own. On The Huffington Post, she groused of conservatives that “They own the media and they dominate the media and they dominate the conversation. But of course liberals are proud. They have everything to be proud of. But they just don’t have much say. You know, they don’t have networks and huge radio networks and megachurches and seats in Congress.” Liberals don’t have the seats in Congress? Garofalo isn’t just wrong, she’s in meltdown.

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ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Touts Negative Poll Numbers for GOP, Spins for Obama

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday spun a new ABC News/Washington Post poll , emphasizing problems for the Republican Party over dour news for Barack Obama. The co-host ignored a finding that likely voters want the GOP to take control of Congress by a margin of 56 to 41. He did, however, repeat the lower number of registered voters who prefer the Republicans, 51 percent. Stephanopoulos quizzed former McCain strategist Nicolle Wallace and Democrat James Carville on problems for the GOP: “[Voters] don’t necessarily want Republicans…On the economy, voters, 42 to 34 still trust Democrats over Republicans on the economy.” What did Stephanopoulos leave out? The same poll found that 40 percent of likely voters trust Republicans, compared to 39 percent for the Democrats. But, the former Democratic operative persisted, ” So, there’s still, Nicolle, no- not a lot of confidence in the Republican Party. ” Later, he prompted Wallace, “Is there anything else, right now, that Republicans can do, Nicolle, now, to address that number, that lack of confidence?” It seems likely that if this poll were about President Bush, Stephanopoulos would be much more likely to emphasize the negatives, such as the fact that 90 percent of Americans think the economy is in bad shape. The poll’s data can be found here . A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:06am EDT on July 13, follows: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to turn now that ABC News/Washington Post poll. You know, the White House, for the first time over the weekend, admitted that Democrats could lose the control of Congress in November. And this poll shows why. Starting out with this frustration index, which we first showed you last month. That tries to capture how people feel about government, the economy, Congress and the President. Back in June, it was at 67 percent, a very high level. Right now in July, still stuck at 67 percent. We haven’t seen numbers that high since the past two big change elections of the last 25 years. 1992, when President Clinton took office, 2008, when President Obama took office. And it could have a direct impact on the congressional elections this fall. Another key number in the poll, we asked people who do you want to control Congress in November? Only 43 percent said they wanted to support Democrats to support [sic] President Obama’s policies.  51 percent said they wanted to give Congress to the Republicans, as a check on President Obama’s policies. And this is all rooted in concern over the economy. 90 percent of the country right now thinks the economy’s in bad shape. And President Obama’s approval ratings on the economy are dropping. Down to 43 percent. That’s down seven points in one month. 54 percent now disapprove of the job that President Obama is doing on the economy. Now, his overall approval ratings are holding up about 50 percent.  That’s a little bit down. But, they’re being held up because his numbers on commander in chief, are a little higher. But, most of this is bad news for the Democrats. Let me bring in our strategists, James Carville for the Democrats, Nicolle Wallace, for the Republicans. And, James, Robert Gibbs over the weekend, the White House press secretary, did say they’re looking at similar numbers. He said that Democrats could lose control of the Congress. All the intensity is on the Republican side. JAMES CARVILLE: You know, and Robert and I have had our problems in the past. And he went to Auburn, so, therefore, he’s is a little limited . But, saying that, this was brilliant. This is a time to say- STEPHANOPOULOS: To tell the truth? CARVILLE: Look- to say, you’re not casting- you’re not just casting a protest vote here. These guys will actually take charge. And if you want this drug companies putting the faulty drugs out, that’s fine. If you want BP, if you want Wall Street, these are the consequences of your vote. And I thought that was smart of Robert to do that. And I think Democrats- STEPHANOPOULOS: Not to sugar-coat. CARVILLE: Not to sugar-coat it. Every Democratic consultant is telling me they’re coming out of a focus group and saying, “Yeah, but they’re not going to do that if they go in there.” Yeah, focus group here in Kentucky or Nevada, you say, “Yeah, they’re crazy. But if they get to Washington, they won’t do all the other stuff. I want to vote against a Democrats to send a message.” At a point, you have to say, no. “You’re actually going to be voting for a policy here.” NICOLLE WALLACE: Well, the truth is, 51 percent of Americans, as you just pointed out, want Republicans in control because they want to put the brakes on this agenda. I think it confirms what people long suspected, which is that while some people still like Obama personally, I think that’s where the approval numbers come from, they want desperately now to put the brakes on his agenda. STEPHANOPOULOS: They don’t necessarily want Republicans . Another key number in the poll, we asked people who do you trust more, Democrats or Republicans on key issues? And let’s show that: On the economy, voters, 42 to 34 still trust Democrats over Republicans on the economy. On who is going to make the right decisions for the country’s future, same thing, 32, to 26. So, there’s still, Nicolle, no- not a lot of confidence in the Republican Party. WALLACE: Well, and that’s the needle in the haystack in this otherwise very grim assessment of voter sentiment. And, certainly, that is what, when they pull themselves away from the bars this morning , the Democrats will be waving that statistic around. But, I think, you know, they’re also going to point to the analogy of Reagan. But, what Reagan did when his numbers were down, was he crafted an agenda that appealed to independent voters who were running, not walking away, from Obama and his agenda. CARVILLE: I think that the key word that 51 percent is a protest vote. This is not a protest vote. This may be a vote for a policy and policy change. It’s much easier to say, I’m going to vote for somebody I don’t like because I want to protest someone else I don’t like. WALLACE: Well, how do you think Obama won? I mean, you know, Obama ran as a protest vote candidate for President. CARVILLE: I understand that people knew he was going to win. And they knew the policy he was running. My point is, right now, congressionally, people are saying “I just want to send the Democrats a message. And Republicans won’t be able to do anything of the things they say.” To some extent, you have to remind them there could be a policy involved in this. STEPHANOPOULOS: Is there anything else, right now, that Republicans can do, Nicolle, now, to address that number, that lack of confidence? WALLACE: Well, I think Republicans have to say laser-focused on what your poll shows is largest group of self-identified independents that most polls have seen. And I think that group is looking for common sense. They are looking for lower taxes. They’re very wary about an expanded role, size and cost of the federal government. And they’re worried about the deficit. I think that’s the jam Obama finds himself in. To grow the economy, most measures expand the deficit. STEPHANOPOULOS: You said Robert Gibbs was brilliant. What more should Democrats do to keep the House? CARVILLE: To keep the House? Well, we have a three-prong strategy to keep the House. It’s called the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. [Laughs] WALLACE: We tried that. STEPHANOPOULOS: You think that it’s impossible? CARVILLE: I think to keep the House- no. I think we can. Look, it’s possible to keep the House. But I think first, that to remind people that there’s consequences to this election. I think also, honestly, they need a few good months of decent job numbers and sort of make the case. And I felt the White House on this, they never say they have a strategy. There’s a plan in place. It may not be working as fast as you want. The Republicans are blocking a lot of it. But this is what we’re doing. And if they get a sense, they could do better than they are currently doing in this poll.

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ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Touts Negative Poll Numbers for GOP, Spins for Obama

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Synthetic Marijuana Spurs State Bans

Posted on July 11, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Seated at a hookah lounge in the Tower Grove district, Albert Kuo trained his lighter above a marbleized glass pipe stuffed with synthetic marijuana. Inhaling deeply, Mr. Kuo, an art student at an area college, singed the pipe’s leafy contents, emitting a musky cloud of smoke into the afternoon light. Mr. Kuo, 25, had gathered here with a small cohort of friends for what could be the last time they legally get high in Missouri on a substance known popularly as K2, a blend of herbs treated with synthetic marijuana. “I know it’s not going to kill me,” said Mr. Kuo, who likened the drug’s effects to clove cigarettes. “It’s a waste of time, effort and money to ban something like this.” On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, signed a bill prohibiting possession of K2. Missouri is the nation’s eighth state this year to ban the substance, which has sent users to emergency rooms across the country complaining of everything from elevated heart rates and paranoia to vomiting and hallucinations. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/us/11k2.html?_r=1&ref=politics added by: unimatrix0

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