Prying the Election From Coleman's Grasp, Viva Cuba Libre

Ben Bernanke
Jonathon Alter
Eugene Robinson


From Politico: "A trial court unanimously ruled Monday that Democrat Al Franken is the winner in the state's long-running Senate race, rejecting Republican Norm Coleman's lawsuit challenging the results of a recount." This is the three judge elections contest court, and the judges ruled unanimously for Al Franken, throwing out Coleman's arguments. Unfortunately, Norm Coleman will now appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

The Republican National Congressional Committee, different than the other national Republican committees, released this statement today: "The strength of our democracy is built on a fair and accurate system of elections. Our Constitution provides for Due Process and for Equal Protection in order to better guarantee the enfranchisement of every voter.

Unfortunately, those fundamental principles are under attack in Minnesota. Since Senator Norm Coleman was first ahead by hundreds of votes at the end of election night, the Democrats have aggressively worked to change the rules of the game after it's been played.

Last night, they succeeded in convincing a three-judge panel to issue a fundamentally misguided ruling that disenfranchises over 4,000 Minnesota voters. They did so by imposing a different, and stricter, standard for votes to be counted rather than following the rules that were in place in Minnesota on Election Day.

In doing so, Constitutionally-valid Due Process and Equal Protection concerns have been raised...and as of yet, have not been resolved. Which is exactly why Senator Coleman is appealing this decision to the Minnesota Supreme Court: the votes of over 4,000 Minnesotans disenfranchised by this court's opinion deserve to be counted.

It's frankly shocking that many of the same Democrats who so loudly decried voter disenfranchisement during the Florida recount in 2000 have so quickly run away from that principle when it no longer fits their political agenda.

Nonetheless, Republicans, and the NRSC in particular, remain committed to a full and fair resolution of this election contest and stand firmly behind Senator Norm Coleman." The Minnesota Supreme Court consists of seven judges, and it looks like 3 or 4 of them will have to recuse themselves because of financial links to Coleman...


When I was in college, I worked as a reader for blind high school students, and one of my families were Cuban exiles. They had been rich landowners in Cuba and were now living in a small, cramped, three bedroom apartment. I learned a lot about their family history, and developed a love for fried platanos. I wonder how they will react to the news that the Obama administration is lifting some restrictions for Cuban Americans to visit Cuba, as well as for sending money to family back home. The rest of us Americans are out of luck, same restrictions apply, as well as the same embargo that has been in place for 47 years.

Mixed signals are coming from Florida's Cuban community, which has traditionally been very conservative and for the embargo, and for invading Cuba and getting rid of Castro. It's been a very black-white scenario, Capitalist-Communist, and they have been quick to brand any politician being friendly towards Cuba as being soft on Communism, one that no politician wanted to challenge.

From Politico: "For most of the recent history, U.S.-Cuba policy has been driven by the sentiment felt among South Florida’s Cuban-American exile community, which remained fervently anti-Fidel Castro.

They voted lockstep Republican since the failed Bay of Pigs invasion under President John F. Kennedy and made it clear that politicians who didn’t share their hard-line views on Castro risked being tagged as “soft on communism” — a label no Democrat could afford to wear.

But in recent years, younger Cuban-Americans and more recent Cuban exiles have more moderate views than those who fled during Castro’s early years. And some of the original Cuban exiles who strongly supported the U.S. embargo against Cuba are having second thoughts, because the policy has yet to topple Castro's regime."

More from UPI: "However, Castro, while still alive, is now a frail and fading figure. More than 1.5 million Cuban-Americans currently have relatives back on their native island. And for Cuba, as for North Korea, being cut off from most of the world has only succeeded in keeping its old-fashioned repressive communist regime in power.

Castro failed miserably in his efforts to export romantic, communist revolution and chaos throughout the Western Hemisphere. By contrast, today President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela packs far more economic, diplomatic and sheer political power than Castro ever did.

The outreach to Cuba could yet backfire on Obama. Raul Castro remains, like his brother, an unreconstructed communist revolutionary who regards the United States as the source of all evil in the world. However, if the outreach program succeeds, it may serve to dramatically reduce the Republican Party's already eroding historic lock on Cuban-American support, especially in the crucial state of Florida, the fourth most populous state in the United States, which is therefore of huge importance in the Electoral College."

From the Florida blog Blast Off: "The idea that the embargo hurts Fidel (and Raul) Castro never really was correct, and it's certainly an antiquated notion now, as Fidel wastes away and Raul is little more than a figurehead. All the embargo has done is keep the Cuban populace from having the ability to help themselves economically. America's shunning of Cuba is anachronistic and essentially useless, at least insofar as the stated goals are concerned.

And you know who gets this, of all people? Florida's GOP U.S. senator, Mel Martinez, himself a Cuban-American: The announcement today is good news for Cuban families separated by the lack of freedom in Cuba. Likewise the change in remittances should provide help to families in need. Given these changes will benefit the regime in Havana, it would be wise in the implementation to place some reasonable limits on this type of travel and the amounts that can be sent to Cuba.

The President has expressed his commitment to freedom - libertad - for the Cuban people, and policy implementation should advance that objective. To this end, the Administration is right to call on the Cuban government to end the onerous charge of 20 percent on remittances. Lowering remittance charges and allowing travel for Cuban families wishing to see relatives abroad are two steps the Cuban regime could immediately take that would show change in Havana.
Opposition to the president's action here can only be political, because it's certainly not rooted in anything factual or in any realistic foreign policy objectives. I know many Cuban-Americans have long memories. But it's well past time to realize that it's not 1959 anymore.

Lastly, from Generation Miami blog, commenting on the new generation of Cuban American leaders: "The folks who get things done in politics are not reactionary tone-deaf fringes, but rather reasonable leaders who understand the times they live in, and have the courage to compromise and change positions as new evidence surfaces, while never compromising their fundamental values and principles. That’s why the Cuban American National Foundation has had a say in the Cuba policy of every administration since Ronald Reagan, while the extreme right-wing groups who chose to put partisan politics over la patria only get a “viva Cuba libre!” shouted at Versailles, or a visit to Radio Mambi."

Here are some late night Cuban jokes:

"Well, here's some sad news coming from Havana, ladies and gentlemen: Fidel Castro has resigned. A lot of people thought it was because of his health, but, no, he's resigning because he wants to spend more time with his beard." --David Letterman

"But his retirement will not change the relationship Cuba has with the United States. Cubans will still not legally be allowed to enter the United States unless they have an overpowering fastball." --David Letterman

"Experts believe that now that Fidel has resigned, he will either be succeeded by his brother, Raul, or by his idiot son, Fidel W. Castro." --David Letterman

"Fidel is being replaced by a younger, sexier Castro: his younger brother Raul. Is this even possible? Can you imagine a country run by one family for years and years and years? That could never happen here." --Craig Ferguson

"This morning, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro announced that he is stepping down, ending five decades of rule. But the biggest surprise was when Castro announced that he’s going to retire in Miami." --Conan O'Brien

"Fidel Castro has resigned today as the president of Cuba. But don’t worry, you’ll still be able to see him on ABC’s 'Dancing With the Stars.'" --Jay Leno

"He ran Cuba for almost 50 years. And political analysts are now debating what kind of changes the Cuban people will hope for. I'm gonna guess: term limits." --Jay Leno

"Actually, Fidel Castro was the most powerful socialist in the world not living in Malibu. Did you know that?" --Jay Leno

"Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is still in the hospital with a serious medical condition. Castro said that a half century of Communist rule seemed like a good idea right up until the point he was rushed to the hospital in a '55 Oldsmobile." --Conan O'Brien

"Miami's Hispanic population took to the streets last night to celebrate Fidel Castro temporarily stepping down from power. Way to go America! Our plan to slowly deteriorate his health over the course of 50 years is working." --Stephen Colbert

"As you know the elderly Fidel Castro recovering from surgery in Cuba. It was pretty serious. I understand he was rushed to the hospital on Donkey One. A message delivered on Cuban Television today said that Fidel Castro's condition is listed as stable, which in Communist countries means he'll be dead by Friday." --Jay Leno

"President Bush said that in the event that Castro does die he has a plan in place to show the Cuban people there's a better way than the plan they're currently living under. Hey forget Cuba, how 'bout showing us that plan. I would love to see this plan." --Jay Leno

"The people of Miami are celebrating tonight because Fidel Castro has temporarily stepped down. He had to undergo surgery so he's transferred his presidential power to his brother Jeb Castro. Actually Castro's brother's name is Raul. As soon as his brother Raul found out he was taking over, he turned his raft around and went back to Havana." --Jay Leno

"Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has checked into the hospital and control of the country has been turned over to his brother. He's turned over control of the country to his brother. In a related story control of his beard has been turned over to ZZ Top." --Conan O'Brien

"In a speech in Florida President Bush praised all the contributions Cubans have made to America: catching, hitting, outfielding, shortstop. These were all major, major contributions." --Jay Leno

"Now is the time to invade, America. My proposal is controversial but we've invaded for less. Now I know our troops are tied up in Iraq so here's my plan. We harness the regime-destroying power of tourism. First, we send a fleet of Carnival cruise ships stuffed with battle-fattened early-retired middle-management types, their girth easily overpowering the frail bean-fed Cubans. Of course, there's nothing Americans tourists like more than things they can get at home. So in phase two Marine choppers air-drop an outlet mall. Old Navy, Sunglass Hut. Name brands here, maybe a Jamba Juice, Cinnabon. The Cubans will quickly become addicted to the easy American dollar. Communism will fail. And then we can finally allow Cuba to become a valuable trading partner like Communist China. So, here's to freedom and the Havana Applebee's Cubanos. And what better way to celebrate than with a genuine 'Dominican' cigar. I can't wait until this 'Dominican' cigar is legal." --Stephen Colbert

Getting Hamas's Goat, Old School Evangelicals Retire

Visiting Hamas
Kill the Pirates
Tea Parties Forever

"The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse: You cannot post 'Thou shalt not steal,' 'Thou shalt not commit adultery,' and 'Thou shalt not lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment." - George Carlin

"If churches want to play the game of politics, let them pay admission like everyone else." - George Carlin

"Well, if crime fighters fight crime and fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight? They never mention that part to us, do they?" - George Carlin

Paul McGeough, writing in the NY Times global edition noted the difference lately in the headquarters of Hamas: "Today the mood has become much lighter in the Hamas hideout. Mr. Mishal’s calendar is so full that he might soon need a parking lot for the vehicles bringing foreign delegations to visit. My most recent appointment with him, on March 18, was pushed far into the night because Mr. Mishal was busy greeting a group of Greek lawmakers, who were then followed by an Italian delegation. In the preceding days, visitors had come from the British and European Parliaments.

But for all this sudden openness to the world, Mr. Mishal now confronts a problem, one that hangs on the remarkable persistence of two men in a region where leaders are easily marked down — often by a bullet, sometimes at the ballot box.

When I talked with Mr. Mishal in 2007, I was interviewing him for my book on an attempted assassination in the streets of Amman, Jordan, in September 1997. Then a midlevel operative in Hamas, Mr. Mishal was the intended victim. The killers were Mossad agents, dispatched by Benjamin Netanyahu, then Israel’s prime minister."

I did not know this, and it's interesting that so much now depends on two men who have a lot of enmity towards each other. If Israel really wanted to take the teeth out of Hamas, they would befriend them and give them equal recognition and power over Gaza. Then people will not trust Hamas because they sold out and their influence will begin to wan. Of course, a by-product of this may be a Palestinian state and peace in the region, but it's a small cost when you are trying to castrate a goat...

Tracie Powell writes in CQ Politics about the death of the Christian right: "No, Christianity isn’t dead nor dying, neither is the Christian Right for that matter. It’s just slowing, perhaps temporarily, being replaced by a softer brand of religious expression, says David Roozin, Director of the Hartford Seminary’s Institute for Religion Research.

More progressive Christian leaders are making service, not condemnation, more in vogue.

One example of that soft side in action: a group of Christian leaders plan to converge on Washington later this month to discuss ways to end poverty around the world in 10 years. Sounds pretty lofty, but it shows a shift in values and a shift in understanding about what makes a person moral and righteous.

Some are reconsidering separation between church and state, after seeing the movement get contaminated by secular elements such as lust of affluence and power, Roozin says: “They’ve been turned off and returned to a greater sense about the word of the Gospel and the church.”

The public has also grown weary of a harsh brand of Christianity, and view it as out of the mainstream and closer fit with conservative Republican politics, which is also out of favor at the moment.

“People are just tired of it. I think we saw that with the election of Barack Obama ,” Roozin says. “And I think very definitely the harsh side of conservatism is on the wane. For better or for worse, that harsher side is connected with religion, whether it’s extreme Islam or extreme Christianity.”

The darker side continues here in Colorado Springs: "A Focus on the Family employee was jailed in Jefferson County after being arrested in Lakewood on suspicion of arranging to have sex with an underage girl.

Juan Alberto Ovalle, 42, started chatting online Thursday with someone he thought was a girl under the age of 15 but was actually an undercover police officer, according to the arrest affidavit filed with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office." This man was quite wealthy from CD's translating the Bible into Spanish and having a couple books of his own in the Focus catalogue, which were quickly removed...

Steve Benen, in the Political Animal, comments on a recent speech that James Dobson delivered to the Focus on the Family staff: "... and conceded that the culture war he helped start hasn't turned out well for the agents of intolerance. Indeed, Dobson almost sounded resigned to defeat.

James Dobson, 72, who resigned recently as head of Focus on the Family -- one of the largest Christian groups in the country -- and once denounced the Harry Potter books as witchcraft, acknowledged the dramatic reverse for the religious Right in a farewell speech to staff.

"We tried to defend the unborn child, the dignity of the family, but it was a holding action," he said.

"We are awash in evil and the battle is still to be waged. We are right now in the most discouraging period of that long conflict. Humanly speaking, we can say we have lost all those battles."

Now, in fairness, this report omitted some context. As my friend Kyle reported, Dobson actually emphasized his desire to keep the fight going, despite the religious right movement's setbacks: "Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost all those battles, but God is in control and we are not going to give up now, right? ... I have been assured by the board and by many of you that we're not going to cow, we're not going to be discouraged."

That said, whether Dobson and his cohorts give up now or not, his assessment about their lack of success is nevertheless accurate. The culture war is all but over, and far-right evangelicals have precious little to show for their efforts. After about three decades of fighting, the culture warriors are hard pressed to point to any progress at all."

The Colorado Springs Gazette has an interesting article on the history of the evangelical movement here, how, in the late 1980's the Chamber of Commerce was able to attract Focus on the Family and 11 other large evangelical ministries to relocate here: "But the relocation of Focus from Pomona, Calif., in 1991 changed the dynamic as the Christian group grew into a high-profile global organization. "Focus has drawn a lot of attention to itself and Colorado Springs," EDC market researcher Kathleen Johnson said." In this economic downturn, with many people being laid off from these non-profits, our community is debating the merits of our public image as an intolerant one, while trying to attract more businesses to again relocate here. We need the jobs, and how do we change for a better future?

"The EDC lured Focus by touting the area's relatively low cost of living and high quality of life. The El Pomar Foundation, which makes about 500 grants a year to a variety of companies, gave Focus a $4 million property grant in 1991. After meeting in other Colorado Springs building, Focus in 1993 moved into three buildings on 48 acres in north Colorado Springs." In addition, the mother of the man who founded Blackwater, or Xe as it calls itself now, was a major contributor to the building of the Focus headquarters. Basically, we bribed them to come here and they gladly took the bait. So we will have to see what happens now that the children of the leaders are taking over, and having been raised in that rigid atmosphere, what changes they will make to believe in...

Yo Ho Ho, Time for That Bottle of Rum...

"The United States government policy is to not negotiate," - Vice Admiral William Gortney


Al Jazeera reports: "Richard Phillips, the captain of the Maersk Alabama, was freed after an operation against the pirates on Sunday, Laura Tischler, a spokeswoman for the US state department, said.

"I can confirm that Captain Phillips has been safely recovered," she said.

Three of the four pirates holding Phillips were killed in the operation while the fourth was taken into custody, US officials said.

Al Jazeera's correspondent Mohammed Adow said: "US forces are reported to have attacked the lifeboat when the pirates were expecting a diplomatic exchange ... [and] have taken the remaining pirate to one of their ships in these waters."

"The ransom money pirates have been getting is so huge, that many more people have been drawn into the activity.

On some sites, like Michelle Malkin's, President Obama was criticized for not making bold speeches about the situation, letting his military commanders do their jobs. Jennifer Lovin and Philip Elliot from the AP reports: "President Barack Obama twice authorized the military to rescue a U.S. captain held by Somali pirates and whose life appeared to be at risk.
Officials say Obama gave the OK on Friday and Saturday to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast. Officials say both times the Pentagon believed Phillips' life was at risk. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Administration officials say Obama was told Sunday of the rescue while he was in the White House residence. Officials also say Obama has phoned Phillips and Phillips' family."

So now our Somalian children will have to be supervised, and the rest of the hostages being held will have to be delt with.From al Jazeera: "Ali Abdullahi, a security consultant and risk management analyst specialising on Somalia, said the only way to tackle piracy was to address the political and economic problems there.

"A lot of the time, we're not talking about the core issues which have made piracy a major event in Somalia," he told Al Jazeera.

"There has been a lot of illegal fishing by international agents, toxic waste dumping on parts of Somalia, a lack of bad governance as well, all of which are the real causes of piracy."

Hijackings are an ongoing problem in the busy shipping lanes off largely lawless Somalia.

At least a dozen ships have been seized in the Indian Ocean and more than 200 crew members are being held hostage."


A Reuters reporter gives some background to reporting in the region: "One of the best sources on piracy in the region is Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme. Based in Kenya's Mombasa port, the body is a champion for sailors' welfare, essentially a human rights group.

Mwangura believes some authorities in the region, and wealthy kingpins in places like Nairobi, Dubai and London, are complicit in masterminding and sheltering piracy.

Last year, Mwangura accused Kenya of trying to cover up the real destination of tanks on board a hijacked Ukrainian ship. Mwangura was labeled a "mouthpiece" for pirates by the Kenyan government, and went to jail on charges of giving "alarming" information and possessing $3 worth of marijuana. He was later released, but the case hangs over him in what he says is a crude attempt to gag him from telling the truth.

Kenya's sensitivity over Mwangura mirrors some of the moral ambiguities over covering piracy. Are journalists fanning criminality when they speak to the gangs, or adding to a necessary understanding of the phenomenon?

Answers, please, in a bottle on the Indian Ocean."

Speak softly but carry a big stick. In the case of Iran, celebrating "Nuclear Day," and who is now boasting that they control all cycles of nuclear technology, our big stick is Israel. The Jerusalem Post reports: "President Shimon Peres had some unusually aggressive words for Iran Sunday, seemingly threatening military action if US President Barack Obama's overtures to the Islamic republic fail to bear fruit.

In an interview with Kol Hai Radio, Peres also said that the arrest before the weekend of a Hizbullah terror cell in Egypt was a blow to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's power.

"Ahmadinejad recruits forces against us, but there are also forces against him," Peres said. "What happened in Egypt created a fierce opposition and we must unify all his opponents - the Sunnis and the Europeans, as well as those afraid of nuclear weapons and terror."

Peres went on to say that he hoped Obama's call for dialogue with Ahmadinejad would be heeded, but warned that if such talks don't soften the Iranian president's approach "we'll strike him." Let's hope they go after the carrot that Obama offers, instead of getting whacked by the stick.

Which reminds me of a teaching story. One day Nasruddin came upon a man trying to get his donkey to move. He was pushing it, pulling at it, cursing it, beating about it with his hat, but it just wouldn't budge out of the middle of the road.

Nasruddin said "That is no way to treat that animal. No wonder it won't move with all that violence."

"I suppose you can do better" said the man.

Nasruddin went to the side of the road where he found a big stick. He then went up to the donkey and hit it right between the eyes. He then picked up the lead rope and the donkey followed.

The man said " Oh thank you. But I thought you said that violence was not the answer."

'Yes" said Nasruddin, "But you must get its attention first."

Happy Easter Somalian Pirates

"Let me start off by saying that in 2000 I said, 'Vote for me. I'm an agent of change.' In 2004, I said, 'I'm not interested in change --I want to continue as president.' Every candidate has got to say 'change.' That's what the American people expect." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 5, 2008



All day Saturday the situation with the Somalian pirates has been reported as a waiting game. The lifeboat is now about 20 miles off the coast of Somalia, and the US says that it won't let it get much closer. There are 3 Navy vessels surrounding the 28 foot long fiberglass lifeboat, and General Petraeus is making the calls.

Opinion is pretty mixed on what exactly we should do, from the WSJ saying be patient, to others saying we should pull a Rambo and storm the ship as if we were French commandos. The most frustrating part is that we don't have television cameras everywhere as if it was a reality show, except if someone got voted off it probably meant they were shot...

The pirates have been pretty brazen, attacking just about every ship they can coming out of the Gulf of Aden. Historically, merchant ships have not carried weapons on board, but that rule may change in the near future. Somalia hasn't had a government in over 18 years, so there is rampant tribalism and extreme poverty, which is why pulling in millions of dollars in ransom has made the pirates more active and a lot bolder. Hopefully, we will be taking a stance to stop the piracy, such as blockading their ports and even home invasion. Want to have the next annexed territory be Somalia? Or will it be our next Iraq and Afghanistan?

UPDATE: As of Easter Sunday, Navy Seals stormed the lifeboat while one pirate was trying to negotiate. Our captain managed to escape again and jumped into the water to be saved by the Seals. The three remaining pirates on the lifeboat were shot and killed, incident over! It's truly amazing how people can step up and perform acts of bravery like the captain did to save himself and his crew. I know that there are countless other stories in both Iraq and Afghanistan that have gone unreported, and we need more of them to feel more pride in ourselves and our fellow Americans. I get such a sense of pride, more than I do reading about the exploits of Congress.

Next up, to truly work together on an international front, all navies of the world to patrol these waters. I'm sorry guys, but you will just have to find another way to make a living than by taking hostages... And maybe an international consortium will help Somalia form a government, and maybe Europe will stop dumping nuclear waste in these waters so that the fishing industry can make a comeback...

Politico reports: "While John McCain has gone back to being the senior senator from Arizona, Meghan — Columbia grad, former "Saturday Night Live" and Newsweek intern — has crashed the Republican Party like a slightly tipsy debutante.

Cable news shows want her. More than18,000 people follow her on Twitter. And now, as The New York Observer reported Thursday, McCain has lined up a six-figure book deal with Hyperion.

While swearing she has no interest in public office, McCain says she hopes to usher in a new era of modernity and moderation for the GOP.

“All I am trying to be is a young, cool Republican woman for other Republican women.”


There has been a lot of flack passed back and forth between the Bush loyalists and the Obama administration. Every time the administration points out a problem that began during the Bush administration, they have been attacked, sometimes fairly, but more often stupidly by Dick Cheney and Karl Rove. Two peas in the pod who were responsible for much of the mess to begin with. George W Bush has wisely been keeping a low profile, and purposely not saying anything about the current President, which may be the wisest thing he's done. Put it all in the memoirs...

The Washington Post has a good article on what George W Bush is doing these days: "Bush works with a dozen aides from his administration, socializes with friends he has known for decades and lives in a conservative neighborhood that voted for him -- both times -- by a ratio greater than 2 to 1. And while the rest of the world mulls and debates his legacy, Bush has told friends that he prefers not to use the "L word." He dismisses analysis of his presidency as premature, regrets little and refrains from engaging in the snippety back-and-forth between the Obama administration and Bush loyalists such as Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. Bush feels content with his presidency, friends said. Now he will try to explain his two terms by writing a book and building a presidential center at Dallas's Southern Methodist University so that history will have the means to judge him fairly.

"Over the course of being president for eight years, you become, in some respects, immune to all the noise out there," said Dan Bartlett, who was a senior aide to Bush for more than a decade. "He's secure in the place he's in. He's confident in the decisions he made. There's none of that 'Shoulda, woulda, coulda.' "

Elsewhere the NY Times reports that he is having a small get together for some aides next week, but people like Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld will not be among them. Bush and Cheney haven't been getting along since the last few months in office, when Bush became very disillusioned with Cheney's style of governing. Cheny also tried to browbeat Bush to pardon Scooter Libby, but he wouldn't do it, then Cheney criticized him in public for not doing so.

Happy Easter. I've been having computer problems and will try to get them fixed by Monday.

Late night Bush jokes:

"Nice to have you all here. As you all know, George Bush is no longer president, so they'll be no monologue." --Jay Leno

"Barack Obama promised his kids he would get them a dog when they moved to the White House. But President Bush is nervous. When he heard dog in the White House, he thought, 'Uh oh! What if he digs up all those Al Gore ballots in the back?'" --David Letterman

"You know, President Bush keeps giving interviews about his eight years as president. Earlier this week, he said his greatest accomplishment ... was his effort to privatize Social Security, even though he never actually did it. That's President Bush. Isn't it? Your greatest accomplishment? Well, there aren't any. But if there were, by golly, here's what it would be." --Jay Leno

"And you know, I think he's trying to struggle to come up with some accomplishments. They're trying to make him look good, you know. Like today, he took credit for ending the drought in New Orleans." --Jay Leno

"It was an historic day in Washington, as all four living presidents and our president-elect had lunch together at the White House. Presidents Clinton, Carter, both Bushes, and Barack Obama sat down to share a meal. President Bush was especially excited. It's his place, and when the guys all walked in, he said, 'Hey, you're the guys from the paintings in my office!" --Jimmy Kimmel

"On this date in 2001 ... George W. Bush was certified as the winner of the 2000 presidential election. How about that? That turned out pretty well, didn't it?" --David Letterman

"By the way, First Lady Laura Bush, Laura Bush is writing a memoir. The name of the memoir, I believe, is 'I'm with Stupid.'" --David Letterman

Karl Rove and the Oral Arguments for Teabagging

Paul Krugman
Joe Klein

"There is some who say that perhaps freedom is not universal. Maybe it's only Western people that can self-govern. Maybe it's only, you know, white-guy Methodists who are capable of self-government. I reject that notion." -- George W. Bush

Rebecca Sinderbrand from CNN reports on the latest attack from Karl Rove, who has been in the media quite a bit lately. He's not content writing a column for the WSJ, and is rushing to defend Dick Cheney: "Karl Rove fired the latest volley in the increasingly brutal war of words between Joe Biden and former Bush administration officials, calling the vice president a “serial exaggerator” and a “liar” over recent comments to CNN about former President Bush.

“He’s a serial exaggerator. If I was being unkind I’d say he’s a liar, but it is a habit he ought to drop,” Rove, who also called Biden a “blowhard,” told FOX News Thursday night.

On Tuesday, the vice president criticized his predecessor Dick Cheney's recent comments about some of the Obama administration's foreign policy decisions. He also told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Gloria Borger that former President Bush had described himself as a leader during a private Oval Office meeting, and Biden had replied: “Mr. President, turn and around look behind you. No one is following.”

Rove said Thursday the incident was fiction, and that Biden and Bush had never been alone together. “You’ll notice every one of these incidents has the same structure,” he said. “Joe Biden courageously raises the impudent question, the president befuddledly answers, and Joe Biden drives home the dramatic response. I mean, it’s his imagination. It’s a made-up, fictional world. He oughta get back to it and get back to reality.”

“…You should not exaggerate and lie like this when you are the Vice President of the United States.” But it's OK if you occupy any other position, like Karl did. He is such a hypocrite, being the father of all political campaign lies... at least his mentor apologized before dying of cancer of all of the dirty tricks and lies he had manufactured...

This coming Wednesday, Colorado Springs will host their version of the tea party. Why they can't drive the 30 minutes up to Denver is a mystery to me, but at noon in Acacia Park the locals will gather. I couldn't find out if anybody was signed up to speak or not. The best thing is that they are asking for a non-perishable food donation for a local food bank.

I still wonder if the organizers know that the term "tea-bagging" is used in reference to a special act of oral sex. As a guy, I take delight in the use and application, so I will be on the lookout for those special activists teabagging in the crowd... Oh, I am so jealous, and, in the immortal words of Joe the Plumber "It makes me kinda horny."

Anyway, I spent all morning looking at teabag sites and have culled some of the more interesting comments from the other participants, which I provide here for your interest. The important thing is the catharsis events like this get out, conservatives get a chance to blow off steam that otherwise might lead to violence or some lone gunman shooting policemen or perfect strangers in a wilding incident...

"In Colorado, we have the right to bear arms if we can legally purchase it. The only rule is that it must be visible from three sides. I move that we exercise our rights on this day, perhaps a rifle over the shoulder is a better message than a quip on a piece of poster board.
This is a peaceful, demonstration, I will remind everyone who reads it."

"I think this is the peaceful way to do this. If it were back at the older Tea Party they would be grouping with Pitch Forks. Under the Liberty Tree !! Too bad things have gone this far. I’m a Handicaper but may be able to help out just need to talk with someone. E mail for Mtg. Times. I’m in Colorado Springs. I heard about Fox News doing this, are you connected to that movement?? Thank you"

"Seeing as how I come from a family of revolutionaries (directly descended from Robert Emerson Newman, who hung the lanterns for Paul Revere), some of whom were Minutemen, I should show up."

"I have emailed this website to my entire address book consisting of individuals across the country. If everyone would do the same we can cover most of the responsible people in this country! Who needs the MSM??? DO IT NOW!!!"

"My family and I will be in Colorado Springs with my “don’t tread on me” flag which I hear qualifies me as a domestic terrorist. Oh well."

"Remember guys, these events are meant to be apolitical in the sense that we aren’t advocating for or against one party. One party might hypothetically stand for the same principles you or I do, but government expanded under George Bush and a Republican-led congress before Obama, Reid, and Pelosi got their crack at it. I would suggest your signs be tied to issues rather than people or parties."

"I will go to the 4/15 tea party but folks, the new administration is getting more frightening everyday and the media is not going to make a big deal about our tea parties. We have to call, email and bombard our representatives day in and day out. It isn’t just the spending and taxing either. They are trying to create a mandatory, domestic “army” that every person between 18 and 25 would be forced to take part in. They would have to go to a boot camp and be put to work doing community service against their will. Can you imagine the brain washing that would be happening to entire generations? This must be stopped!"

"Maybe if people came with pitch forks and such … the news media might see we’re serious … Hang in effigy a few politicians - Obama, Pelosi, etc. Otherwise … you may have noticed previous tea parties (a few weeks back) were completely ignored by all but FOX News … Be outrageous or be ignored …"

"I will attend in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, or Canon City. Our country is SUCH A MESS! The liberals, gays, lesbiens, are trying to take away OUR RIGHTS! Go figure!"

"PLEASE JOIN the Tea Party of choice and have a good time. Be friendly and on your best behavior. It’s a party! We want to reflect all genuine, traditional American citizens–hard working, generous, decent, thoughtful, collegial and law-abiding. Humor is welcome. There’s strength in numbers.
DON’t imitate the 60’s radicals and lefties who were obnoxious. Their demonstrations were divisive, loud and spit in the face of authority, taunted police and the National Guard to the breaking point, and disrespected veterans in despicable ways."

"The leader of the colorado springs tea party is so closed minded. not only that but is so blind that She didn’t even realize that she violated my 1st amendment rights. After a talk we had she removed me from the social network because we have different views. She accused me of being the enemy. this is after I got local law enforcement and the A.C.L.U. to be behind us during the party. But I’m the enemy, This person is miss guided and not very well informed about the cause that she is getting behind."

"highly suggest leaving the guns out for two reasons. First, most of these tea parties will be at or march to a government facility of some sort and having a weapon in those places is illegal. Second, the media will focus solely on the guns if they see it or hear about it and the meaning of the tea party will be lost.
However, a 2nd Amendment march could be in order if the gun grabbers begin crying for gun control after the recent rash of shootings. But that should be an entirely different discussion thread."

"Everyone who attends should be aware of our esteemed opponents placing ringers in the audience to set us up for a scam that they hope will go viral on the Web.
Liberals may try to blend into the honest audience and push, trip or otherwise assault you, or intimidate you using any number of means. Bring video cameras and have them running and scanning all the time so the video can be used in court. Watch for them to hide nasty signs and posters under their outer clothing. Watch for them to suddenly produce KKK signs, baby killer signs, and other forms of noxious buffoonery. And watch for them carrying weapons, feces, urine, and other problematic items."

"Hey Obama,
Change this!!
Oh by the way, I ain’t apologizing or bowing to anyone for anything. I’m Christian, Capitalist and a citizen of the greatest country the world has ever seen…..and proud of it. I’ll be there on my Harley with thousands of my closest friends. And for all you bed wetting, commie, pinko liberals please come on down…I’d be delighted to chat."

Mr Obama's War, American Talibanization

E J Dionne
Joel Achenbach
Karl Rove

"It's a new generation of terrorists – better equipped with better planning and better coordination," - Pakistani Security Expert

“This is the reason no one accepts the rule of law, because the government is not going by the rule of law.” - Afghani Police Chief

"I give Republicans credit for this: They vote the way they believe. . . . I think that they vote with more integrity than they get credit for." - Nancy Pelosi

The Obama plans for Afghanistan and Pakistan should have been implemented years ago; now it could be too little, too late. Approval from the European Union and NATO countries is nice, but they've been twiddling their thumbs while the right wing Islamists have been slowly exerting their influence. Click on the picture above and take a good look at it. It shows the provinces in Pakistan and what kind of influence is predominant. If this is a true indication, then the government of Pakistan will fail soon, within the next few years, and all of our paranoid fantasies of a country with nuclear weapons under extreme Islamist control will come true. There may be nothing that the US or Western Europe can do, except figure out a way to negotiate with these folks, or arrange for another military coup, or, ha ha ha, convince India to invade...

The Christian Science Monitor reports that: "The Pakistani Taliban is moving closer to Islamabad, the capital, according to news reports. This week the militants advanced to within 60 miles of the capital, sparking concerns that their reach is growing.

A Pakistani Taliban-aligned group came to power in the Swat district of the North West Frontier Province in February, striking a controversial peace deal with Pakistani authorities. The deal allows, among other things, rule by a conservative interpretation of sharia law.

The terms of the sharia deal encompass Swat's neighboring districts, including Buner, which borders Punjab Province. However, the militants' power is more firmly established in Swat than in Buner. In a development that will deepen the West's concerns, scores of Taliban have moved into Buner district, 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Islamabad, from the Swat valley...." Look again at the map of Pakistan and see how close Buner province is, and how small the government influence is. These Taliban have learned from fighting against the US, to be better organized and have learned how to plan their raids and infiltration.

The NY Times reports on the biggest problem we face in Afghanistan: "A shortage of American trainers is only one factor hampering the Afghan police. If the experience of the American troops already training police officers in Ghazni Province is any indication, better policing may be impossible for Afghanistan unless government officials at all levels stop cannibalizing their civil administration and police force for a quick profit.

In two weeks of interviews in this mountainous region of poor farmers and shepherds, exasperated American soldiers said it was hard to determine which was their more daunting opponent — the few thousand Taliban who ruled villages through a shadow government of mullahs, or corruption so rife that it had deeply undercut efforts to improve the police and had destroyed many Afghans’ faith in government.

That lack of trust, coupled with the absence of security forces in almost all villages, further strengthens the hand of the Taliban as the only real power here. Ghazni’s experience shows the challenge that corruption presents to efforts to establish better policing throughout the country.

The list of schemes that undermine law enforcement is long and bewildering, according to American and Afghan officers who cite some examples: police officials who steal truckloads of gasoline; judges and prosecutors who make decisions based on bribes; high-ranking government officials who reap payoffs from hashish and chromite smuggling; and midlevel security and political jobs that are sold, sometimes for more than $50,000, money the buyers then recoup through still more bribes and theft." 

The analogy here is if the right wing evangelicals or the Mormons in the US got desperate. Someone like James Dobson suddenly had charisma and became a firebrand, leading his people and deciding they had enough, and started taking over communities by force, and administering their own narrow morality on the judicial system, and how you must behave in public. What would we, as a nation, do? Would we let them have their territories or would we try to stop their influence by force?

We could move against them Waco style, fight them and round them up, but until the local citizens decided that they didn't want to live under that kind of influence, you could never eradicate them. It's more of a culture war than a military one, and why I find it interesting that extreme conservatives in America are saying that the government now is becoming fascistic. They are calling themselves insurgents, using Taliban methods, planning tea parties as acts of rebellion, urging citizens to hoard guns and get ready for a revolution...Don't you want to live in Hannityville or Limbaughland? Or be forced to read the collected works of Michele Bachmann? Next, it'll be those pesky Libertarians, who always make me think of an image of vegan librarians...


Steve Benen at the Political Animal reports on the dissension among the American Taliban: "While the organizers of the Washington, D.C. anti-spending “Tea Party” have given a speaking slot to Alan Keyes, that other failed African-American Republican Senate candidate from Maryland, Michael Steele, has been dissed by the crew behind the Chicago Tea Party. Eric Odom, the event’s organizer, has posted the email he wrote to the Republican National Chairman’s staff after Steele asked to be a speaker:

- I very much appreciate the fact that Chairman Steele is now finally starting to reach out to the true grassroots side of the free-market movement in America. Unfortunately, it appears that he has only just decided to reach out after realizing how big the movement has gotten and how much media is now involved.

That said, we’re still excited to know that Chairman Steele will be in Chicago and we hope, after knowing that he’ll be in the city, that he’ll stop by and mingle with the Americans who will be rallying on April 15th. This will also present a fantastic time for Chairman Steele to LISTEN to what we have to say and perhaps gather some thoughts on what the RNC needs to be doing moving forward.

With regards to stage time, we respectfully must inform Chairman Steele that RNC officials are welcome to participate in the rally itself, but we prefer to limit stage time to those who are not elected officials, both in Government as well as political parties. This is an opportunity for Americans to speak, and elected officials to listen, not the other way around." - I certainly hope we can get someone cool enough like Alan Keyes or some other washed up political figure to join with Nazi sympathizer Michelle Malkin for the one planned here in Colorado Springs. Truly a fun-for-the-whole-family event... don't forget to bring your teabags and your handguns...

Late night jokes:

"Hey, before we get started tonight, I want to remind any potential cabinet members you have until April 15th to not pay your taxes, okay?" --Jay Leno

"President Obama took on the teachers union by saying he wants merit pay for teachers and to fire the ones who do not perform well. That is pretty bold. A Democrat taking on the unions is like Rush Limbaugh going after the doughnut manufacturers." --Jay Leno

"Here's some good news. Bernard Madoff, the sleaze-ball guy in that $50 billion Ponzi scheme thing, is going to plead guilty. But Madoff's lawyer is trying to get all the charges dropped by arguing that Madoff is no longer a threat to society because there aren’t any rich people anymore." --Jay Leno

"And there was a big rally on Wall Street yesterday after Citigroup reported a profit for the first two months of the year. That just goes to show you what determination, hard work, and 45 billion of our bailout dollars can do." --Jay Leno

"Here's a sign of the times are a-changin. The governor of Virginia has signed a new law banning smoking in bars and restaurants. In Virginia. See, that’s significant because Virginia is, like, the tobacco state. That would be like the governor of California banning breast implants." --Jay Leno

"Three different customers at a grocery store in Queens, New York, all bought peppers that turned out to have bags of cocaine stuffed inside them. Well, you thought spicy food kept you up all night." --Jay Leno

Is Obama a Great Diplomat or a Big Wuss?

Kathleen Parker
Michael Gerson

"Why didn't the waters part, the sun shine and all the ills of the world disappear because President Obama came to Europe? That'll take at least a few weeks." -David Axelrod

"The Iranian nation welcomes a hand extended to it should it really and truly be based on honesty, justice and respect," - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

"Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." --George W. Bush,  at his final G-8 Summit

Creating the setting for the next Death Match Challenge, TPM reports: "Vice President Biden told CNN that Dick Cheney is "dead wrong" in his denouncements of the Obama White House's national security policies: "This administration -- the last administration left us in a weaker posture than we've been any time since World War II: less regarded in the world, stretched more thinly than we ever have been in the past, two wars under way, virtually no respect in entire parts of the world." 

To help regain that respect, Barack Obama went on a tour of Europe and the Middle East for eight days, attending conferences and making speeches to large crowds. The hawks among us think that he did damage; we need to be portrayed as the biggest, most whup-ass country in the world, and you must grovel at our feet. Those of us who are more diplomatic, see him as a success, seeds for the future have been planted and more people are impressed and have a friendlier attitude towards the US. The Republicans among us could only whine in envy like whipped puppies huddling together for warmth and comfort.

Jonathon Weisman tries to sum it up in the Wall Street Journal: "The White House tried to portray the trip as a sharp break from the previous administration. Obama aides describe the last eight years under President George W. Bush as a period of strained international relations and low public opinion toward the U.S. Putting those relations back on a positive trajectory was reason enough for the voyage, said Denis McDonough, a deputy national security adviser.

The London summit of the Group of 20 nations and the NATO summit that followed didn't produce significant breakthroughs because the U.S. had no levers to pull, wrote Stratfor, an international-relations advisory group. After campaigning on his ability to re-engage the world, Mr. Obama was in no position to risk leaving those gatherings in acrimony.

Mr. Obama focused on Russia and Turkey at the meetings, Stratfor said, to try to bring stability to the energy-rich Caucasus, and play for larger stakes in the future. "Obama is playing a deeper game," it concluded." 

But what about North Korea? Shouldn't we have slapped them around a little? We've already caused them embarrassment by not taking their swaggering seriously, pointing out that yes, they did better than their last missile launch, which also fell into the ocean, but they have a long ways to go before they can actually put something into orbit. We need a psychologist instead of an ambassador to try and figure out how to reduce their major paranoia so that they won't be so unpredictable and therefore, extremely dangerous... see my solution in yesterday's post.

We are already getting dividends from the trip, with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad extending a symbolic hand. This means that the ruling ayatollahs are cautiously changing their minds towards the US. This also might help Ahmadinejad win re-election, go figure, Obama helping in an Iranian election...

Sami Moubayed, who is editor-in-chief of Forward Magazine in Syria, reports in the Asia times on Obama's visit to Iraq: "Coinciding with the US president's visit were two significant developments on the Iraqi street. One was a reduction in the sentence from three years to one of Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who become a folk hero for throwing his shoes at ex-president George W Bush during his last official visit to Baghdad. Zaidi's arrest had infuriated ordinary Iraqis - especially Sunnis - and caused massive street demonstrations, but he is now expected to be released as soon as December.

While all of this was happening, one of Saddam's former top chiefs, Izzat al-Douri, came out with a voice recording calling for a new relationship with Obama's America, but only after the US stopped its combatant operations in August 2010 and withdrew completely from Iraq in 2011. This message is significant, as it has come from Douri, who is the last surviving senior Ba'athist official and has a US$10 million bounty on his head. He has not been seen in public since Saddam's downfall in 2003.

The reduced sentence of Zaidi and the new tone of Douri are causing a stir in Iraqi officialdom and Sunni circles. Their current commander, Douri, is 67 years old and reportedly in bad health. That explains why Iyad Allawi, who served as interim prime minister between 2004-5, has said that he is willing to sit down and talk to Douri. "I support the integration of the Ba'athists into the political process," Allawi has said, signaling for the first time that working with the Ba'ath Party would be a benefit rather than a burden for the Iraqi government.

An integration of the Ba'athists would help bridge the gap between powerful Shi'ites and disgruntled Sunnis, and cost the central government nothing. Maliki's real problem lies in the Sunni Awakening Councils, which were created by the outgoing Bush team in 2007 to serve as an armed wing for the Sunni community in their fight against the al-Qaeda-led insurgency. 

He has since been searching for creative ways to muzzle the councils, and in March began arresting several of their senior commanders. He accused them of establishing contacts with al-Qaeda and said on April 4: "This is a message sent to the people taking the same path as organized criminals." If Maliki is serious about achieving results, he needs to take the initiative and publicly extend his own hand to the Ba'athists." 

Finally, back home, my current hero is Elizabeth Warren, one of the last honest and ethical people in the world. As TPM reports: "... it looks like Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law professor who chairs the Congressional Oversight panel for the TARP funds, is upping the ante.

After several months of raising the alarm about the Treasury Department's failure to attach strings to the bailout funds, to little apparent effect, Warren will issue a hard-hitting report this week that broadly indicts the Obama administration's approach to the financial crisis, reported the British paper The Observer over the weekend.

The report will call for top execs at several major banks, including Citigroup and AIG, to be fired, and for shareholders in those institutions to be wiped out.

"The very notion that anyone would infuse money into a financially troubled entity without demanding changes in management is preposterous," Warren told the paper in an interview. "When are they going to say, enough?"

As we said, this is hardly the first time that Warren has sharply criticized the government's approach to the bailout, and it's unclear whether this latest round will prove more effective than the previous ones. But until Warren gets put in a position with some actual executive power, it's hard to know what more she can do." Now there's a thought...

Late night jokes:

"This week, President Obama attended what was either the G-20 summit or his high school reunion. I haven't seen old white dudes this excited about meeting a black guy since Michael Jordan's fantasy camp." --Seth Meyers

"Michelle Obama was photographed in London wearing clothes from J-Crew, the store is selling out of the clothes she's been wearing. Now if someone could just get her to drive a Chrysler." --Seth Meyers

"When the president met with Queen Elizabeth, he presented her with an iPod loaded with Broadway show tunes while she gave him a silver framed picture of her and Prince Phillip. There were no winners in that gift exchange, because when I think of things an 83-year-old, super-rich British woman would want, an iPod is pretty far down the list, right between a bus pass and sneakers with the wheels on the bottom." --Seth Meyers

"And when I think of what a 47-year-old, super-cool black dude would want, a picture of an 83-year-old white lady is last. Now I'm not saying it's easy to buy the Queen a gift. She wears the same outfit every day and her only hobby is waving." --Seth Meyers

"But if you're looking for gift ideas for foreign leaders, you should check with the State Department and not Sasha and Malia. And while we're at it, Queen, a picture of yourself is not a good gift. Let's try to remember, you're world leaders, not Secret Santas." --Seth Meyers

"Then it was on to Germany, for Obama. The Germans offered to let him fire the CEO of Volkswagen." --Bill Maher

"Conservatives aren't happy with Obama because he basically fired the CEO of General Motors, and they said he's interfering with private industry's ability to run our country into the ground." --Bill Maher

"President Obama and the First Lady met with Queen Elizabeth and the royal family at Buckingham Palace. Actually, you know why they did that? This is all part of Obama's campaign to reach out to those people without any real jobs." --Jay Leno

"First Lady Michelle Obama is a huge hit in England. There was a bit of controversy when she put her hand on the Queen's back. The Queen took it as a gesture of friendship, but I think Michelle went a little too far when she tried to feed Camilla a carrot." --Jay Leno

"At the G-20 summit, the White House accidentally listed a phone sex line for journalists seeking an on-record briefing call for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. To which Bill said, 'Boy, did they get the wrong number.'" --Jay Leno

"Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was indicted on federal corruption charges. Reporters caught up with him while he was at Disney World. He still maintains he did nothing wrong. He made that statement in Fantasy Land." --Jay Leno

"Hillary Clinton set up a conference call with reporters yesterday, but when they dialed the State Dept., they were accidentally connected to a phone sex line. Which is just another way of saying Bill picked up." --Jimmy Fallon

"The Taliban has decided to modernize a little bit. They're going to stop measuring the lengths of mens' beards. I'm proud of those guys. I couldn't be happier. Oh wait, I know how I could be happier: if they stopped trying to murder us." --Jimmy Fallon

"The Taliban will no longer require women to wear those burkas while in public. Spring Break! Let's see those ankles!" --Jimmy Fallon

David Letterman's Top Ten Signs Your Kid is in Al Qaeda

10. His name, Mike Jenkins, now goes by Mike Bin Jenkins.
9. Runs inside for cover whenever a satellite flies overhead.
8. His chemistry tutor? Chemical Ali.
7. If he doesn't like what's for dinner, he throws a shoe at you.
6. On invitation to his birthday party, he wrote "No Kurds."
5. Hides in his room and communicates through randomly-released audiotaped messages.
4. Yearbook declares him "Most likely to defeat the American jackals in the name of Allah."
3. Asks to go to sleepaway camp in Peshawar, Pakistan.
2. Happiest day of his life: when Ayman Al Zawahiri showed up at his Bar Mitzvah.
1. Instead of Hannah Montana, he has a crush on Pooja Fallujah.