"...this small dim man..."

Typically low-key, enjoyable Garrison Keillor:

The French have a new president, the British will soon have a new P.M., and we envy them as we endure the endless wait for this small dim man to go back to Texas and resume his life. His party is coming to see that it must figure out how to tell the truth about him if it is to compete in 2008, but so far nobody has stepped forward and wound up to throw the pie. Their clock is stuck in the fall of 2001. They are sleepwalking toward the precipice.

I stepped off a precipice once in pitch dark. Actually it was a street level retaining wall and I fell about eight feet into Donner Creek. Luckily, it was running low and there wasn't anything sharp sticking up. I didn't get hurt, just wet. I hope the Repugs aren't as lucky.

Note: the article is at Salon. I got to watch an ad for Pan's Labyrinth, which I really want to see.

Support Erodes for Doolittle

Goings-on in CA-04, from Roll Call via Truthout:

Political support for Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) is beginning to erode, with Republicans in his district predicting he will face a credible primary challenger next year if his legal woes continue and he does not abandon his vow to run for re-election.

Originally silent or supportive following an FBI raid of Doolittle's Virginia home last month, a growing number of Republican activists in the Sacramento-area 4th district have decided they can no longer support the Congressman and are beginning to explore backing other candidates.

Many Republicans in Doolittle's district believe the Congressman ultimately might be exonerated. But they are beginning to conclude that he has suffered irreparable political harm from the ongoing FBI investigation into his and his wife Julie's connection to incarcerated former GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Fueling this analysis are some troubling first-quarter fundraising numbers and the close victory Doolittle eked out last year over police administrator Charlie Brown (D). Running again in 2008, Brown ended March with an effective cash-on-hand lead over Doolittle of $140,000.

A telling sign of Doolittle's increasingly precarious electoral predicament is that the National Republican Congressional Committee has declined to defend him, even though one of its prime missions is incumbent protection. When asked to comment Monday on Doolittle, NRCC spokeswoman Julie Shutley said only that Republicans would retain the 4th district in 2008.

More heat packs! More glucosamine with chondritin! Must loosen up for Dance of Joy!

Charlie Brown for Congress

Dump Doolittle, "Chronicling a lame duck's stumble into oblivion".

A debating we will go ...

The Rethugs debated last night and Digby sums it up in two short paragraphs.

1:

John McCain is the only adult on that stage and that scares the living hell out of me considering that he's half nuts too. Wow.

2:

I think Rudy won it. These people don't care if he's wearing a teddy under his suit and sleeping with the family schnauzer as long as he promises to spill as much blood as possible.

And that's all it was about. Fortunately, or not, I caught the lowlights on the news this morning. At least I didn't sit through the whole thing. These morons can do nothing but try to sound 'tougher' than the Chimp. It's the only thing they have with which to connect with the 'base'.

Kill the ragheads but save the zygotes, your 'moral values' Republican Party. Jesus weeps ...

War Czar

Jane looks at Friedmans past. I say, he's just another asshole with a sign on his back saying 'SCAPEGOAT' (see: Deputy AG McNulty)

On Jerry

Gord told us about Jerry Falwell's demise earlier. You know, it's fucking assholes like him who've helped create the mess we have in this country today. Falwell and others (like Pat Robertson, whom I'd also like to see follow Jerry sooner rather than later) have created a cottage industry out of stifling progress and undermining the Constitution. They convince the sheeple that innovation and scientific exploration and discovery is the work of Evil, and they label progressive thought as being 'unfaithful'. And, heaven forbid, they actually catch you having some fun.

There have been clowns like this throughout history, sanctimonious, hypocritical bastards who can shovel a steaming load and get people to eat it, stuffing their pockets while keeping the sheep in line. Every so often, Fate and Circumstance conspire to give these people more power than they deserve. The Republican domination of Congress over the past decade, and the Presidency for the past 6 years, have allowed these motherfuckers to bring this nation to the brink of disaster.

They've inserted themselves into the political system and used it to their advantage, both financially and with greater influence in government policy. The fact we have any 'faith-based' government agencies is unconscionable and the fact these assholes don't pay taxes is unbelievable.

Whether Jerry Falwell goes to Heaven or Hell means nothing to me (I know where I'm going if Jerry and his gang are correct and I've made my peace with that; I'm prepared to pay for my sins), as long as he's gone, never to return. I'm tired of these southern preachers, radical Islamists, crazy Jews, and William Donohue Catholics setting the discourse in this nation and trying to bend it to their will.

Fuck you, Jerry, fuck the lot of you. Hope you all end up on Jerry's ferry in a hurry. The world, and especially America, will be better off without you. See you in Hell.

Update:

Put succinctly, as only our pal 42 can do it:

Burn in hell, you feculent douchebag.

Update dos:

Roger Ailes the Good:

In related news, John McCain is already interviewing new religious zealots he can pander to.

Throwed under the bus ...

And then they backed over his white ais. I caught that moron AG "Speedy" Gonzales this afternoon when I came home from work. A miserable end to a miserable commute:

During an event this morning at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Attorney General Alberto Gonzales launched an unabashed and shameless finger-pointing campaign at outgoing Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, blaming him for the U.S. attorney scandal.

...

He did it! He did it! Wa'n't me! What a cowardly twat.

Great thanks to UL @ Maru's for the link.

Mi Vida Loca

It's probably gonna be pretty light, or at least lightweight, blogging for a few days. Mrs. G is on vacation. She's a banker, and when you get to a certain not real high level, it's the law that you gotta take two weeks off all at once. I think this is so they can spot any spikes in the flow chart if something funny's going on.

We're gonna go out of town for a few days, too, so we're gearing up for that. I'm going to a first ever Class of '62 high school reunion in L.A. this weekend. At that rate, I figgered I best not try and wait for the next one!

Mrs. G keeps coming up with other places to go while we're gone as well. I'll do my best to keep you up to date, and it looks like it's going to be as big a surprise to me as it is to you! It's fun, all good.

We'll be leaving on Thursday and should be home next Wednesday, but ¿quien sabe?

It's a good time to take a little break anyway. It's fun, nay, gratifying, to watch, but it's pretty hard to keep up with which wheels are comin' off the Repug crime wagon on their way to their colossal and well deserved train wreck. They're comin' thick and fast. We just about have to dodge flyin' lug nuts! It's time. Whee!

I'll try to find fun things to post. The serious shit can do without me for a few days.

Be sure to tip the boatman, Jerry

No cites yet, but I just heard on TV that Jerry Falwell, one of the main instigators of social conservative retards posing as christians and meddling in government and our lives, has passed to his reward.

I bet it's a lot warmer there than he figured.

Shoulda asked the question ...

4 years ago. Seems the civilians working in Baghdad's Green Zone are getting scared:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. Embassy employees in Iraq are growing increasingly angry over what they say are inadequate security precautions in the heavily fortified Green Zone, where recent mortar and rocket attacks have claimed the lives of six people, including two U.S. citizens.

...

A second official called it "criminally negligent" not to reduce the size of the embassy staff, which a year ago was estimated at 1,000, in the face of the increasing attacks and blamed the administration's failure to respond on concerns that doing so might undermine support for President Bush's Iraq policy.

"What responsible person and responsible government would ask you to put yourself at risk like that? We don't belong here," the employee said, adding, "They're not going to send us home because it's going to be another admission of failure."

...

The same 'responsible government' who sent our troops there in numbers too few, with body armor too thin, with vehicles too underarmed, that's who. Dumb fuckers, at least the troops can shoot back. You motherfuckers got nothing but your Kevlar helmet and a below-grade flak vest.

Seems embassy duty in Baghdad was once a peach assignment, back when Bremer was running the show and the insurgents didn't have their infrastructure set up. Every Young Republican worth his salt wanted to work for the CPA. Now, it seems, not so much.

As for the admission of failure, well that's been obvious to everyone but Republicans for years now. Maybe this might wake up a buncha those young ideologues, realizing the Bush administration cares as much about them as they do the troops. They might realize that they are expendable in Cheney's mission to turn Iraq into a 'resource area' for American oil companies. Remember, you're only worth something to Bush if you put money in his pocket or you can give him a good photo op. What's been obvious to us as well is now hitting home for these ambitious young folks.

...

The officials also complained that important security precautions appeared to have been set aside during highly publicized official visits. During a March 31 visit from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a high-profile presidential candidate, the embassy lifted a requirement that bulletproof vests and helmets be worn at all times. When a rocket landed outside the U.S. Embassy while Vice President Dick Cheney and several reporters visited last week, no warning sirens were sounded.

"Where were the sirens then?" one official asked. "We don't belong here, and people are afraid to say it." [my ems]

...

Far be it anything makes it to cable news to show good things aren't 'just around the corner' nor is the insurgency in 'its last throes'. You can all die as long as John McCain can walk through that market in Indiana in Baghdad with relative ease, as long as Cheney can be seen to walk unfettered as he begs the Iraqis to pass the oil law lays down the law to those vacation-loving malingerers.

Poor babies. Oh well, that's the price you pay for being a loyal Republican. Kicking the shit out a buncha Ay-rabs ain't all it's cracked up to be now, is it? Being a REMF in a war zone is fun when they're not shooting at you but when you're facing incoming, that sphincter tightens a bit, don't it? Makes you wonder what you signed up for, huh? Look at the bright side. At least you ain't an infantry troop.

Travels with the Chimp

Blondie has her own take on the Chimp's recent public appearances. Heh ...

What they're driving ...

Brother Lurch has a good post up about the efficacy of the armored vehicles our troops bring the the fight in Iraq and how the insurgents are taking them out at alarming rates:

Losses among the Army’s Stryker armored vehicles have been rising steadily as the Sunni insurgents/Ba’athists/dead enders/occupation resisters have learned how to defeat them.

...

The longer we're there, the greater our losses will become as they watch us and figure out our weaknesses.

Quote of the Day

From Undeniable Liberal blogging at Maru's about making love to Ann Coulter:

Bet THAT was like throwing a hot dog down a hallway that reeks like the dumpster behind Red Lobster on a hot, August afternoon.

Oh, the irony...

Ironic Times

Jet-Propelled Outhouse Goes Fast, Even if You Don't

Sometimes diapers aren't enough. The two-cylinder single-passenger Latrina is perfect if you really can't afford to stop for anything except rocket fuel. Opt for the sports package, with 6-CD changer, stiffer suspension and half-moon roof. Base model $18,590 at Cesspools, Segways and Beyond.

Rocket fuel? Who needs rocket fuel? Frijole power! Self-generated methane is in abundance!

Cheney Issues Warning to Iran
If Bush's approval rating continues falling, they can expect military action.

Bush Presses Iraqi Parliament to Cancel Summer Vacations
Calls them from Crawford ranch.

Flavored Meth Aimed at First-Timers
Wins Advertising Age's Most Innovative Marketing award.

Shaddap

You know, I'm tired of the Rethugs equating an antiwar stance with somehow dissing the troops. Lindsey Graham was on this weekend pushing this same line. Fortunately, Barbara Boxer was on to counter him (there's something, an actual Dem on a Sunday talk show).

...

BOXER: Excuse me. He never said our troops are losers. Now, Lindsey, just be careful what you say. The bottom line here is, the losers are the ones who have, you know, engineered this war, made a huge mistake, Dick Cheney, we're in the last throes, the war will last six months, and all of you who have supported this escalation and have turned us away from fighting al Qaida into putting us in the middle of a civil war.

Boxer: "The loser is the Commander in Chief who has not lead our country well."

...

That's correct. We're it not for the Chimp, we wouldn't be in Iraq, wouldn't be having this discussion. And he wouldn't have been elected to a second term.

Speaking of Iraq, the enemy is becoming bolder, ambushing our patrols. Not just making the road blow up underneath 'em, but actually engaging and taking prisoners.

Seven U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi army interpreter came under attack Saturday morning during a patrol in a Sunni insurgent stronghold south of Baghdad, leaving five dead and three missing, the military said.

...

I thought the idea behind this 'surge' was to beat down the insurgency, not give the enemy more targets from which to choose. Seems the patrol was undermanned too, each vehicle a troop short. Maybe that's why 'commanders on the ground' are calling for more troops, even beyond the units involved in the 'surge'.

Note to Rethugs: Don't you think the American people know the war in Iraq is lost? You can call Harry Reid names all day. You can point fingers and whine like little kids as you recite the same tired old talking points 'the Dems don't support the troops', 'the Dems hate America', but it's 6 years past 9/11 and people realize it's all bullshit.

The evening news looks the same as it did 40 years ago, when I'd come home from school and see the casualty reports on Huntley/Brinkley, and those of my age and older remember that. Close to 30,000 troops died from the time Johnson knew Vietnam was lost in '68, and they know a lot more will die since they finally got their minds around the fact this war was lost last year. We've been down this road before.

Time to pack it up and leave.

Update:

Our pal Scout Prime looks at the spin of the weekend on the righty blogs. Why anyone listens to them anymore is beyond me too. I guess those 28 percenters are beyond hope.

Off to work ...

Threats ...

And the boy who cried wolf. Steve Benen at TPM on why nobody gives a shit about the 'Fort Dix Six' and the supposed threat:

...

Except, as we later found out, the cult in Miami -- billed by Dick Cheney as being "a very real threat" -- turned out to be more farce than force. McLeary also noted that the "Lackawanna Six" were "hardly the criminal masterminds that they were initially made out to be."

A few other examples come to mind. The plot to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge wasn't quite what it was made out to be. Jose Padilla was not actually prepared to detonate a dirty bomb in DC. The facts of the British hijacking plot didn't stand up well to scrutiny, and the plot to attack Los Angeles' Library Tower turned out to be far less serious than we'd been led to believe.

...

The average American isn't distracted by shiny shit as they used to be and, after 6 years of Chimp, their bullshit detectors are getting better too.

Not so fast ...

Via BuzzFlash, seems the Iraqis have a problem with the Dick Cheney/Halliburton Retirement Fund 'oil law' the Chimp wants them to pass:

It has not even reached parliament, but the oil law that U.S. officials call vital to ending Iraq's civil war is in serious trouble among Iraqi lawmakers, many of whom see it as a sloppy document rushed forward to satisfy Washington's clock.

...

"Oil is Iraq's sovereignty. It is the only wealth in Iraq. It unifies Iraqis. When we give it to a foreign investor, this means the sovereignty is taken away," [Imad Abdul Hussain, a leader of the Federation of Oil Unions] said.

...

Earth to G.O.P.: The Gipper Is Dead

Daddy Frank

OF course you didn't watch the first Republican presidential debate on MSNBC. Even the party's most loyal base didn't abandon Fox News, where Bill O'Reilly, interviewing the already overexposed George Tenet, drew far more viewers. Yet the few telling video scraps that entered the 24/7 mediasphere did turn the event into an instant "Saturday Night Live" parody without "SNL" having to lift a finger. The row of 10 middle-aged white candidates, David Letterman said, looked like "guys waiting to tee off at a restricted country club."

You owe it to yourself not to miss this one!

Tucker: Active-Duty Generals Will ‘Revolt’ Against Bush If He Maintains Escalation Into 2008

ThinkProgress

Appearing on NBC's Chris Matthews Show this morning, Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Cynthia Tucker revealed that sources within the military are warning of "a revolt from active-duty generals if September rolls around and the president is sticking with the surge into '08." Watch it:

By all means go watch it.

If this happens, and I hope it does, look for a whole bunch of 'retirements' followed by a buncha passed-over Colonels making General and being put in charge. The second string will be runnin' Bush's show in its last throes. Swell.

Happy Mother's Day

To all you mothers out there. Mine's gone 11 years and I still miss her terribly. I've become the man I've always wanted to be thanks, in great part, to the foundation she gave me (she did most of the child rearing, since my dad spent every waking minute chasing a buck). Be nice to your mom, and not just today either.

The big 3

Our dear friend Mimus Pauly celebrates the 3rd blogiversary of the Medley. Go wish him the best. He's one of our unique talents and one of the reasons Left Blogtopia (y!sctp!) is such an excellent place.