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Sat Jan 3, 11:14 AM Pacific
AP "analysis": Bush's personality shapes his legacy
AP's Ben Feller offers more Halperin-bait:
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush will be judged on what he did. He will also be remembered for what he's like: a fast-moving, phrase-mangling Texan who stays upbeat even though his country is not.
For eight years, the nation has been led by a guy who relaxes by clearing brush in scorching heat and taking breakneck bike rides through the woods. He dishes out nicknames to world leaders, and even gave the German chancellor an impromptu, perhaps unwelcome, neck rub. He's annoyed when kept waiting and sticks relentlessly to routine. He stays optimistic in even the most dire circumstances, but readily tears up in public. He has little use for looking within himself, and only lately has done much looking back.
Bush's style and temperament are as much his legacy as his decisions. Policy shapes lives, but personality creates indelible memories -- positive and negative.
Call it distinctly Bush.
They still haven't realized that this isn't about Bush's personality. It's about the damage his presidency has caused.
A lot of people like Bush. They just don't like what he's done.
Sat Jan 3, 8:31 AM Pacific
If we knew Blago's pick wasn't corrupt, should he still be blocked?
Perhaps the most important part of the Amar and Chafetz argument is that even if we knew for certain that there had been no quid pro quo between Burris and Blago, there would still be very good reason to keep Burris out of the Senate.
To be sure, there is no evidence Burris bribed the governor to get this seat. But imagine if Burris had won election only because other candidates were wrongly and corruptly kept off the ballot. Surely the Senate could properly deem this an invalid election. Similarly, it now seems apparent that there were candidates that Blagojevich refused to consider for improper reasons--because one refused to "pay to play" early on, or because another is at the center of the impending criminal case against the governor.
The key point here is that there are at least two ways in which Blago's appointment could be improper. (1) There could be a deal with Burris. (2) Candidates who refused to bribe Blago could be excluded from consideration.
We can be almost certain that (2) has taken place. We don't know about (1), though most suspect that it hasn't. But that doesn't matter. The appointment process has still been corrupted.
The bottom-line is that when you have a Governor who was trying to sell a Senate seat, there is virtually no way for him (or her) to make an appointment that isn't tainted by his (or her) corruption.
Sat Jan 3, 5:24 AM Pacific
Pres.-elect Obama Continues Push For Economic Recovery Plan In Weekly Address
Full text:
As the holiday season comes to end, we are thankful for family and friends and all the blessings that make life worth living. But as we mark the beginning of a new year, we also know that America faces great and growing challenges--challenges that threaten our nation's economy and our dreams for the future. Nearly two million Americans have lost their jobs this past year--and millions more are working harder in jobs that pay less and come with fewer benefits. For too many families, this new year brings new unease and uncertainty as bills pile up, debts continue to mount and parents worry that their children won't have the same opportunities they had.
However we got here, the problems we face today are not Democratic problems or Republican problems. The dreams of putting a child through college, or staying in your home, or retiring with dignity and security know no boundaries of party or ideology.
These are America's problems, and we must come together as Americans to meet them with the urgency this moment demands. Economists from across the political spectrum agree that if we don't act swiftly and boldly, we could see a much deeper economic downturn that could lead to double digit unemployment and the American Dream slipping further and further out of reach.
That's why we need an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that not only creates jobs in the short-term but spurs economic growth and competitiveness in the long-term. And this plan must be designed in a new way--we can't just fall into the old Washington habit of throwing money at the problem. We must make strategic investments that will serve as a down payment on our long-term economic future. We must demand vigorous oversight and strict accountability for achieving results. And we must restore fiscal responsibility and make the tough choices so that as the economy recovers, the deficit starts to come down. That is how we will achieve the number one goal of my plan--which is to create three million new jobs, more than eighty percent of them in the private sector.
To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we will double renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. To build a 21st century economy, we must engage contractors across the nation to create jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, and schools. To save not only jobs, but money and lives, we will update and computerize our health care system to cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help reduce health care costs by billions of dollars each year. To make America, and our children, a success in this new global economy, we will build 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries. And to put more money into the pockets of hardworking families, we will provide direct tax relief to 95 percent of American workers.
I look forward to meeting next week in Washington with leaders from both parties to discuss this plan. I am optimistic that if we come together to seek solutions that advance not the interests of any party, or the agenda of any one group, but the aspirations of all Americans, then we will meet the challenges of our time just as previous generations have met the challenges of theirs.
There is no reason we can't do this. We are a people of boundless industry and ingenuity. We are innovators and entrepreneurs and have the most dedicated and productive workers in the world. And we have always triumphed in moments of trial by drawing on that great American spirit--that perseverance, determination and unyielding commitment to opportunity on which our nation was founded. And in this new year, let us resolve to do so once again. Thank you.
Fri Jan 2, 11:04 PM Pacific
Hmm, weird
Update (5:16AM Pacific): Sounds like the video pretty much isn't working for anybody. Thanks for checking!
Original post: So I'm doing some research for a video I plan to post on Sunday about some of Bush's statements in the run-up to his final admission that we are in the middle of the Bush Recession, and I'm running into a problem playing videos at CNN.com.
I get this message saying that
"The video system was not able to establish connectivity due to a Proxy/Firewall or network connectivity."
At the moment, I'm logging on via a Comcast cable modem.
I know it's not anything with my PC, because I've played CNN video before on this PC (a laptop), and I've also had no problems with any other video service at all today.
So I'm wondering if there is some sort of an issue between Comcast and CNN. I sort of doubt that there is, but I know Comcast has worked hard to undermine net neutrality, so it wouldn't be a great shock.
Anyway, I wonder if some of you might be willing to check out this video and tell me if it plays for you:
I'm sure there's probably some strange little quirk going on that will explain the issue, but it'd be nice to rule out the possibility that Comcast is playing games.
Thanks!
Fri Jan 2, 12:02 PM Pacific
Onward rightwing soldier!
Maroons. Or Morans. Or whatever.
My point is that RedState.com thinks what it needs is the "RedState Army" to defeat progressives.
Here's their logo battle shield:
Seriously, could these guys be bigger tools, poseurs, and dunces?
Fri Jan 2, 2:15 AM Pacific
They still don't get it
Bush CoS Josh Bolten and national security adviser Stephen Hadley still think the reason why Bush is unpopular is because the country didn't get to see what a rosy personality he had:
Bolten said another of his goals when he took over was to try to get the country to see the likable boss he and other aides saw in private, convinced that would boost Bush's popularity. "I failed miserably," he conceded. "Maybe in the beginning of the sixth year of a presidency, that's a quixotic task. . . . But everybody who has actual personal exposure to the president, almost everybody, appreciates what a good leader he is, how smart he is and, especially, how humane he is."
Hadley invoked Bush's 2000 campaign theme in summing up the president's personal qualities. "He has got this great compassion which was not just a slogan, 'compassionate conservative.' It is who he is. It is one of the great things he brought to this office," Hadley concluded. "This is the one thing that just drives me crazy, that somehow this is an arrogant administration, an arrogant president running an arrogant policy. This guy -- one thing he is not is arrogant."
Here's the thing these guys need to get through their thick skulls: the American public has rendered a sour verdict on the Bush Presidency because of what he has done.
This isn't about personality. It's about the fact that Bush is one of the few presidents in history who has left this country in worse condition than when he arrived.
These two clowns still don't understand that the problem isn't the "do I want to have a beer with him?" test, it's the "did he do a good job?" test.
And in case they haven't figured it out yet, the answer is 'no.'
Fri Jan 2, 12:09 AM Pacific
A Most Satisfying Column
Paul Krugman absolutely, totally nailed it in his New Year's Day column ripping the modern GOP to shreds.
Thu Jan 1, 5:28 PM Pacific
Ben Harper Does The Beatles
This might be old hat for a lot of folks, but I just saw the end of "I am Sam" with my family here in Mt. Dora, Florida, and the movie had a cover of a Ben Harper performing "Strawberry Fields Forever" that I'd never heard before. It was a pretty good cover (though admittedly I'm a big fan of Ben Harper, so I'm biased).
Anyway, here's a YouTube of him doing it live on The Tonight Show:
Thu Jan 1, 11:11 AM Pacific
Funny
This 1/1/09 thing is taking a little getting used to. Josh captures it well:
Wed Dec 31, 2:22 AM Pacific
Hello, 2009
I'm about to head out to the airport in ninety minutes or so, so this will probably be my last post of 2008.
I want to thank everybody who has read and supported Jed Report -- without you, this blog wouldn't have been possible, and it wouldn't have been worth it. So thanks for everything.
I'm looking forward to a big year ahead of us in 2009, and in the coming days and weeks I'll be rolling out a couple of major new initiatives that I think you will like very much.
I am also looking forward to stepping up my video production output, back to the levels I was at during the campaign. Since the election, most of my energy has been focused on the aformentioned initiatives on the theory that things wouldn't kick into gear again until mid-January as the inauguration approaches.
Like you, I want to be ready to help the Obama Administration get its agenda through Congress, and I'm looking forward to all of us working together starting on January 20th to bring about the change that we fought for during the campaign.
So with that all said, happy new year! See you in 2009!
Wed Dec 31, 1:13 AM Pacific
Roland Burris changes his tune on Blago, pt. 2
Following up on my earlier post about Burris on Blago, here's a before and after video:
(h/t: Progress Illinois for finding the "before" video.)
What a difference two weeks and a senatorial appointment makes, eh?
Anyone appointed by Blago would be tainted, but the fact that Burris has reversed course on his condemnations of Blago only makes the appearance of taint all the more severe.
Roland Burris is never going to be a U.S. Senator. At this point, the right thing for him to do is step aside, unless he wants to be forever linked to to Rod Blagojevich.
Tue Dec 30, 9:41 PM Pacific
"Presumed innocent until proven guilty"
This is the most absurd defense in the world for allowing Blago to make a senatorial appointment.
First, there's no question but that Blago aimed to sell the U.S. Senate seat. Just listen to him, in his own words.
That being said, I of course agree that within the context of the criminal justice system, Blago should not be sentenced to prison until convicted.
But let's not forget that when someone is indicted, they very often go to jail, and they either post bond or sit in prison while they await trial.
It's true that they are presumed innocent, but it's also true that they are not free and clear to roam the streets as they please.
Even when released on bond, the court has the power to impose on them restrictions regarding their activity.
So here's the point I'm making: even in the criminal justice system, when somebody is presumed innocent, they still have restrictions placed up on them.
We can debate the merits of that, I suppose, but I cannot for the life of me see an argument for why Blagojevich should be able to make an appointment to the Senate when there are perfectly legal means of stopping his appointment.
And let's not forget that the standards for evidence here are different than in a criminal trial.
Bottom-line: I don't care who it is that Blago appoints. As long as he's doing the appointing, that appointment is tainted, and it should not stand.
Tue Dec 30, 7:24 PM Pacific
Roland Burris changes his tune on Blago
A couple weeks ago, Roland Burris was calling Blago's actions "reprehensible" and "appalling."
Now, he's defending Blago, saying he is "innocent until proven guilty" and refusing to take a position on resignation.
It goes without saying that innocent until proven guilty is an important criminal justice concept, but this isn't about putting Blago behind bars, it's about whether he should be able to appoint a U.S. Senator to a senate seat he tried to sell.
There's just no way around the fact that anyone he appoints is tainted by the fact that he tried to sell the seat, and the fact that Burris changing his tune on Blago makes it seem even worse.
Tue Dec 30, 3:58 PM Pacific
The Senate Can Block Blago's Appointment
Update (7:17PM): I've written a more thorough version of this post for Daily Kos, copied below.
There's some debate about whether or not the Senate has the power to block Blago's appointment. But even if they don't have the power to block the appointment, they do have the power to delay seating Burris.
If worse comes to worse, and they both cannot delay any longer and are forced to seat Blago Blago's appointment, they can simply turn right around and expel him. Article I, Section 5, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution is crystal clear:
Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.
This clause would only come into play if (1) senators run out the clock on delay tactics, and (2) are forced to take a vote on seating Blago's appointment, presumably denying him, and (3) the courts then overturn their decision to block seating Blago's appointment.
At that point, they would either give up the fight and accept the appointment, or they would exercise their powers under clause 2 and expel him.
The point here is that the senate does in fact have the power to block Blago's appointment, one way or the other.
If that should come to pass, one might be tempted to feel bad for Roland Burris. But the truth is, he accepted the appointment of a man who is effectively trying to return stolen goods. No matter how distinguished his career may have been, that's an act of very bad judgment.
Original post:
There's some debate about whether or not the Senate has the power to block Blago's appointment. But Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution is crystal clear:
Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.
Even if Blago's appointment is seated, he'll be immediately expelled on the very next motion to hit the floor, because both Democrats and Republicans agree that he should not serve in the Senate.
(Update, 4:26PM: Theoretically, Republicans could decide to support Blago's appointment, but that would be a political disaster for them.)
One might feel bad for the guy, but then again, he probably should have had the good judgment not to accept Blago's appointment in the first place.
Tue Dec 30, 3:13 PM Pacific
Blago Vs. The World
I've barely been following the news today -- I'm preparing for a trip to Florida to visit my grandparents and mom (I leave in the morning) and I've been on some other projects that I'll be talking about in more detail pretty soon.
But I did just tune in and caught a few minutes of the coverage of this whole appointment by Blago, and maybe I'm being cynical, but my first thought was: "Well this is good political news for the transition team."
Within moments after news of Blago's appointment came out, Obama already announced he opposes seating Blago's appointment, as do Senate Democrats.
The upshot is we're in a new phase of the coverage, and the question now is about how will Illinois pick its next Senator. And it is now clear for all to see that it really is Blago vs. the world.
The real drama here is about how Blago will be forced from office. It doesn't have anything to do with the incoming administration, nor does it have anything to do with Senate Democrats.
Tue Dec 30, 9:32 AM Pacific
He Knows His Base
According to Politico, Chip Saltsman's "Magic Negro" attack CD is actually helping his bid for RNC Chairman.
And his old pal, Mike Huckabee is rushing to his defense:
Chip should have been more careful in his selection of Christmas gifts, but no one who knows him would ever suggest that he in any way would purposely disparage other people.
Ummm...so calling the president-elect a "Magic Negro" doesn't qualify as disparaging other people?
Let's get real here: what's going is that Chip Saltsman is tickling the GOP funny bone. They love this kind of stuff.
It's why their party is nearly 100% white.
And it's why the GOP reeks of the stench of yesterday. They are the past.
Mon Dec 29, 12:10 PM Pacific
Just Who Is Bradley A. Smith?
Over at Politico's Arena, former FEC Chairman Bradley Smith has decided to go on the warpath against Daily Kos contributing editor Greg Dworkin. (As you may know, I'm also a Daily Kos contributing editor, although I haven't communicated with Greg about this post.)
It all started when Greg said he hoped to see people working together to solve problems after eight long years of Bush:
I agree with (fellow Nutmegger) Mickey Carroll and look forward to having some of the hyper-partisanship fade away. Since much of it was in reaction to Bush and Rove's strategy of running a country as if only their base counted, Obama's approach should not elicit an 'equal and opposite reaction'. If it does, it will be dismissed as 'politics as usual', a lesson I suspect his political foes will need to learn the hard way.
Out of nowhere, Smith then offered this screed:
Is it not at least a little unseemly to have a contributing editor to one of the most visciously partisan sites on the web discussing how much he looks forward to a fading away of "hyper-partisanship," now that his preferred candidate is in office? Should not pleas for lowering the tone come from those with a shred of credibility on the issue - like almost anyone else here at the Forum?
Later, Smith added:
Repairing the tone of our politics begins, for those who are contributing editors at the Daily Kos, at home. I hope Greg will take on that role.
So apparently Bradley Smith has annointed himself the "tone" police, and the aribiter of who does and who does not have credibility on political issues.
So given his self-appointed status, just who is Bradley Smith? From his Politico bio:
Bradley A. Smith is Professor of Law at Capital University Law School.
He is one of the nation's leading authorities on Election Law and Campaign Finance. In 2000 he was nominated by President Clinton to fill a Republican-designated seat on the Federal Election Commission, where he served for five years, including serving as Chairman of the Commission in 2004.
Wow. He must be one of those moderate Republicans -- even President Clinton liked him enough to appoint him to the FEC, right? Just like William Cohen.
I mean, isn't that the clear implication of touting his appointment by Clinton in his biography?
But let's take a look at the actual record. As it turns out, Bradley Smith was in fact appointed by Clinton. That much is accurate. But it's not the whole truth.
Clinton didn't appoint Bradley Smith because he thought he was a good candidate for the FEC -- he appointed Bradley Smith because Republicans wanted him on the FEC.
President Clinton nominated Mr. Smith as a concession to Republicans to advance his judicial nominees, who have not been confirmed. Mr. Gore said Mr. Smith is ''unfit for the office'' to which the president nominated him because ''he is completely and totally opposed to the campaign finance laws'' that he would be required to uphold.
This evening, a White House spokesman said: ''We don't disagree with the vice president's criticism of Mr. Smith's views. However, this is traditionally a Republican spot on the F.E.C., and this is who the Republicans have chosen to reflect their point of view on that panel."
In fact, Clinton took the unusual move of saying his own appointment should be condemned:
Q. Both Senator Bradley and Vice President Gore have condemned your nomination of Bradley Smith to the F.E.C. Would you care to take this opportunity to explain exactly why you've nominated this man, and, to say what exactly this says about your own commitment to the campaign financial reform that you have said you support?
A. Well, it doesn't say anything about my commitment although I think they were, they were right to condemn it, except that, look at what the law says, the law says: A. This is a Republican appointment and B. is a practical matter. The way the appointments process works in the Senate, if you want anybody to be confirmed for anything, you have to take, and -- and the Republicans in this case happen to be in the majority, the majority leader always makes that recommendation. Now I have, I argued with him as he will tell you for months about this. And there's a reason they wanted Bradley Smith on the F.E.C. You know he -- he hates campaign finance reform. Bradley Smith does. He's written about it. And he'll get a three-year appointment now where he'll be one person on the F.E.C. and I don't like it, but I -- but I decided that I should not shut down the whole appointments process and depart from the plain intent of the law, which requires that it be bipartisan and by all tradition that the majority leader make the nomination. . . .
So it turns out that Bradley Smith is just another right-wing extremist masquerading as a moderate, telling progressives what they should and shouldn't say.
But the truth is that if Smith himself wants any credibility on this topic, he needs to start by being more honest about his own past. To say that he was appointed by President Clinton is literally true, but to fail to note that Clinton condemned Smith is a lie by omission.
Sun Dec 28, 9:06 PM Pacific
Sometimes, Two Wrongs Make A Right
So I was taking care of a network wiring project in my house this evening -- upgrading the wiring to handle gigabit transfer speeds (important for copying large video files, which I've been known to do from time to time).
Anyway, I wired up some new jacks in my den (from which I blog) and at my network smart box (hidden in a closet). I connected my router to the line labeled "den" in the smart box, and plugged my computer into the wall jack...but nothing worked. I spent three hours making sure I'd correctly fitted the jacks to no avail.
Finally it occured to me that the builder might have gotten "bedroom 2" and "den" mixed up. So I wired up a jack for bedroom 2...and plogged the routrer into that, the wrong jack, at least as far as the labeling goes. (Edit: I know that "plogged the routrer" is a typo, but it's a fantastic typo, and I'm letting it stand. Thanks to piktor for mocking it!)
Wouldn't you know it, everything worked perfectly. So the builder wrongly labeled the lines, and to compensate for that, I had to plug my router into the "wrong" line. So I guess that proves that in certain situations, two wrongs do make a right.
But not often.
Sun Dec 28, 3:34 PM Pacific
Obamas On 60 Minutes Tonight
Tonight, 60 Minutes devotes the entire hour to Barack Obama's two-year journey to the White House. Here's a preview -- I'll post the full video when it's available. Here's the full video:
Sun Dec 28, 3:09 PM Pacific
I hope you're not a superstitious Eagles fan...
...because if you are, you're going to hate me for saying that the Eagles are in the playoffs. We're just four minutes into the third quarter, and this game is o-v-e-r: the Eagles have a 31-point lead over the Cowboys.
Update (3:26PM): Looks like I really went out on a limb. Now the Eagles lead by 41, about nine minutes into the third quarter.
Sun Dec 28, 2:10 PM Pacific
Doth Protest Too Much?
A somewhat predictable response by the media to "Waikkiki-gate":
I understand that reporters are frustrated by the fact that Obama left for the marine amusement park without bringing them along, and there is actually a reasonable case to be made that it was a mistake on the part of the Obama team.
But if it was a mistake, it was a small one, and the media does itself no great service by getting petty and whining about it it in public.
The best way to win an audience is to tell good stories and report on debates about things that matter. Navel gazing about protective pool protocols might just be the worst.
Sun Dec 28, 1:06 PM Pacific
Wow
Sun Dec 28, 12:28 PM Pacific
"Climate change" vs. "Global warming"
Good news: MoveOn.org has selected the climate crisis as one of its top goals for 2009.
Specifically, MoveOn has decided to focus on "building a green economy and stopping climate change."
This is great news. In my view, building a green economy is the number one opportunity we have before us. It's not just about the environment, either.
Access to cheap, efficient energy is perhaps the single most important component of economic growth. Even in California, where energy usage per capita is the lowest in the nation, overall energy usage has increased -- because its population just keeps on growing.
I do, however, have one nit to pick with MoveOn.org -- the use of the phrase "climate change" instead of "global warming."
"Climate change" is a phrase preferred by right-wingers who want to portray global warming as a natural phenomenon on which humans have no impact.
Frank Luntz (who now concedes global warming is real) wrote an influential memo for conservatives in which he argued:
We have spent the last seven years examining how best to communicate complicated ideas and controversial subjects. The terminology in the upcoming environmental debate needs refinement, starting with "global warming" and ending with "environmentalism". It's time for us to start talking about "climate change" instead of global warming and "conservation" instead of preservation.
"Climate chanpe'' is less frightening than "global warming. " As one focus group participant noted, climate change "sounds like you're going from Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale." While global warming has catastrophic connotations attached to it, climate change suggests a more controllable and less emotional challenge.
I'm not one of those people who thinks you're "bad" if you say "climate change" -- in fact, I'm sure I say it a fair amount myself, and it's used by U.N. panels and other organizations.
But MoveOn.org is a political organization, and when you're phrasing a core mission statement for a political campaign, you probably should use the words that will be most helpful to achieving your cause (not to mention, the most accurate). There's no need to embrace the preferred language of your political sparring partner.
Anyway, don't get me wrong, I'm glad MoveOn is heading in this direction, and that's obviously the most important thing, but if they change their language, they'll find the challenge ahead just got a little easier.
Sun Dec 28, 9:37 AM Pacific
MC Rove, Featuring David Gregory
Since MTP is now all but unwatchable, I present to you David Gregory in a far more entertaining (and illuminating?) moment: serving as a backup dancer for MC Karl Rove last year.
