We need this

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U.S. warns of threat against specific financial sites in Northeast -
The federal government warned Sunday of possible terrorist attacks against financial institutions in New York City, Washington and Newark, N.J.

I love how they're saying that Wall Street will be able to operate, even if the Stock Exchange is hit. That's all well and good, but what about the PEOPLE who work there? In other words, we can protect the infrastructure, but the people, well . . .

Mr. Ridge, Mr. Bush, remember my warning. If something happens to my wife, somebody's gonna answer to me. I'm gonna take it out of somebody's ass.

A good couple

Mrs. F and I watched the tape of the last two nights of the Convention this morning and we noticed something. You know, Kerry and Edwards would make a good looking gay couple. They just seemed so natural holding hands.

Flag officers

It's a quarter to six on Sunday morning and the Mrs. and I are watching tapage of the Convention. Finally heard Shalikashvili's speech and I'm impressed. Let me tell you something. To see so many flag officers come out and actively support a candidate says something that I've said all along. See here, here, here, and here.

When military officers, flag officers at that, come out against an incumbent President, something's wrong at the Pentagon and the White House. I'd like to hear what the active duty officers say about Bush and Rummy in private.

Marching Orders

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

9/11 Commission Report

Via The Memory Hole:

The final report of the 9/11 Omission has been published and is available online here

An optimized, easily searchable, bookmarked version has been posted here [via BoingBoing]

Dems and Iraq

From that smarty Matt Yglesias:

Look, look, it is fun to get all upset about Democrats who'll accept a "stable" Iraq rather than a "democratic" one, but you've got to ask yourself a thing or two. Would I rather have a stable Iraq or would I rather have a failed state Iraq that the president of the United States calls a democracy? This is your choice. If you like what's behind door number two (i.e., Afghanistan) then you really ought to vote for George W. Bush. He's really good at talking about democracy-promotion. Way better than John Kerry. The only Democrat who even gets the text in the right neighborhood is Joe Biden and his delivery is nothing compared to Bush's. And not only is Bush good at talking about democracy promotion, he's really good at calling Afghanistan a democracy, and really, really good at pretending that Baathist hitman Iyad Allawi is an emerging liberal democrat.

George W. Bush for President: Because He'll Keep You Detatched From Reality.

[. . .]

Entire post.

Your next President

Stolen from Kicking Ass:

I want a repeat of this scene on November 2nd. Vote early and often.

Loser

Via High Desert Skeptic:




Get your free 'Bush Is A Loser' bumpersticker here.

More 'results'

Yeah, President Nitwit talks about results. Via Corrente, the results of Bush's meddling with the economy:

Oh wow! Bush really did suppress the deficit numbers 'til after the Convention

And of course, the figures are as awful as we expected

This year's federal deficit will soar to a record $445 billion, the White House projected Friday in a report provoking immediate election-season tussling over how well President Bush has handled the economy.

Administration officials hailed the budget figures as a solid improvement over the deficits analysts forecast early this year, and said they were on their way to their goal of halving this year's shortfall in five years.
(via AP)

If you believe, clap your hands!

Hey, at least its nice to know that the Republicans have finally abandoned Keynesianism. I mean, it used to be that with a record deficit you could at least buy some stimulus for the economy, but the economy's tanking too!

Steady leadership right down the tubes....

Poverty

Stole this in full from Digby:

Family In Need

Ridge tells colleagues he may retire:

[Secretary of Homeland Security Tom]Ridge, 58, has explained to colleagues that he needs to earn money to comfortably put his two children, Tommy Jr. and Lesley, through college, officials said. Both are now teenagers. Ridge earns $175,700 a year as a Cabinet secretary.

Maybe Mrs Ridge could get a job and clip some coupons or perhaps they could go on a budget.

I know it's tough to get by in these terrible times and I do feel for the Ridge family. But, is it really difficult to send your kids through school on just 175K a year these days? Hey, maybe he should require them to, you know, take out a loan or something. Or they could do what the Governator says all those kids who can't afford the state university in California anymore should do --- do two years at community college to save money.

I know it's class warfare to imply that the Republicans are out of touch with ordinary people's problems, but when cabinet officials complain that $175,000 a year is chicken feed and campaign operatives are telling people that if they don't like their jobs they should go on Prozac, you can see why people might get the wrong impression.

Takes a set of nuts don't it. Either that or you are that out of touch with reg'ler folks. Told ya there was something wrong with Ridge.

Bullshit

President Dipshit:

"When it comes to (pick something), results matter."

He's kidding, right? K. Results.

The greatest number of jobs lost since Herbert Hoover.

The biggest deficit like . . . ever.

Uh, like what's going on Iraq? Oh, those 900 soldiers (so far) were Americans?

And what's that guy's name? Oh yeah, Osama bin Forgotten.

Yes, Mr. Bush, leave us to look at results. Motherfucker.

Sandy Berger, again, again

Via Eschaton:

President Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger -- who'd been accused of stealing classified material from the National Archives -- has been cleared of all wrongdoing.

[. . .]

Full story.

Republicans, Tucker Carlson, and President He Did It. Just shut the fuck up about this, okay? Clinton ain't running for President.

The Undecideds

I've been thinking about this for a while. And generally calling people motherfucking idiots doesn't bother me. But Kos has this that says it much more eloquently:

[. . .]

I think of that story every time I ponder the presidential campaign's most coveted commodity these days: the undecided voter. It boggles my mind that in the midst of the most polarized campaign in memory, with starkly defined issues and candidates who are opposites, some people can't make up their minds.

How can that be? Do these people get stumped at the newsstand about whether to buy the National Enquirer or the Wall Street Journal? Vacillate in the shoe store between Birkenstock sandals or Blahnik spikes? Linger at the liquor store over the competing virtues of grain alcohol or Cristal champagne?

[. . .]

Come on, do you like someone peeing on your head an telling you it's raining? If NOTHING else, we'll hear the truth from Kerry. Godammit, make up your fucking minds, it ain't that hard.

Children

Well, Bush is going back on the campaign trail, now that the Dems Convention is over, promising to answer Kerry's charges made during the convention. Do you think they'll try to attack him with substance? Nah, they're gonna be like little kids and make fun of the way Kerry looks, the way Cheney did the other day. It's gonna get infantile now. Watch.

Max

Max Cleland was fantastic! I hope there's a spot in the Kerry Administration for him. A short speech, but powerful. Always loved the man, his determination, and his dedication to the veterans of his war, and all the others who've served since. We need more men (and women) in government like him. I'll have my thoughts on Kerry's speech later.

John Rassman's speech was good too.

Convention Blogging

Nancy Pelosi's on. Gotta stop everything to watch. Just a quote from the next speaker of the House:

"Democrats have it right."

Everybody for Kerry-2

First babies, now Iraqi policemen. Kerry/Edwards can't lose. Via Corrente:

Tonight

Kerry tonight. Too bad I have to tape it, but 04:00 comes awful early. If you have yet to watch any Convention coverage, watch tonight.

Puffy

Gotta hand it to him. Can't stand his music, but if he can motivate black youth to take an active part in the process, I'm all for it:

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs officially launched his Citizen Change campaign with a voter registration event that drew supporters ranging from Mary J Blige and Queen Latifah to comedian Ellen DeGeneres and actor Leonardo Di Caprio earlier this week.

Combs also took the opportunity to premiere a variety of t-shirts baring his new slogan, "Vote Or Die." Various celebrities including model Tyson Beckford posed in the shirts during the function. The shirts were designed by Ecko, Diddy's Sean John, Jay-Z and Dame Dash's Rocawear and Russell Simmons' Phat Farm.

[. . .]

Full story.

Ann Richards

Good to see Ann Richards on with Brokaw this afternoon. She was my governor when I was stationed in Ft. Worth, Carswell AFB to be exact. The old broad still looks pretty good.