First, a Texas state representative, Leo Berman, R-Tyler, joined the “birthers’ movement” by introducing a bill with a real Texas twang. A bill that would require presidential candidates to present their birth certificates to the Texas secretary of state “because we have a president whom the American people don’t know whether he was born in Kenya or some other place.” Now, … [Read more...] about State Rep. Debbie Riddle: Same Texas Twang, but with a Twinge and a Texas Tweak
Oh, No Problem, Dave; Apology Accepted
Actually, I can't be certain of that last part, but I do think the parents will accept Gen. Petraeus's sincere apology -- everyone makes mistakes now and then, and it's not as if you took away the only thing that mattered to them, right? … [Read more...] about Oh, No Problem, Dave; Apology Accepted
Two Fetuses to Testify at Ohio Legislative Hearings
You read that title correctly. You are not hallucinating: … [Read more...] about Two Fetuses to Testify at Ohio Legislative Hearings
Huckabee Jumps Into the Tea Party Rhetorical Pot
So much for Mike Huckabee appealing to independent voters and moderates who are not enamored with the Democrats but are turned off by candidates mouthing Tea Party demonizing rheotoric. It sounds like he's going the John McCain route and doing a political makeover. UPDATE: Chris Matthews is also dismayed. … [Read more...] about Huckabee Jumps Into the Tea Party Rhetorical Pot
Gingrich and Santorum Suspended as Fox News Paid Contributors (UPDATED)
Fox News is sending a signal that it wants to be taken seriously as a news organization: it has started to deal with the ticklish issue of what to do with paid commentators who are on their payroll who decide to run for President. It has suspended the its contributor arrangements effective today with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and with former Senator Rick Santorum -- … [Read more...] about Gingrich and Santorum Suspended as Fox News Paid Contributors (UPDATED)
Supreme Court Decides Snyder v. Phelps (Westboro) UPDATE
Readers will remember the unconscionable appearances by members of a so-called religious group from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, at military funerals claiming that the deaths of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are God's punishment for America's acceptance of homosexuality. They show up at military funerals regardless of whether the fallen hero was gay or … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Decides Snyder v. Phelps (Westboro) UPDATE
Kathryn Lopez Thinks You’re A Stupid Slut
We've come to expect less for and from ourselves, and for and from one another. In part, it's the fruit of the contraceptive pill. New York magazine recently observed in a cover feature: "The pill is so ingrained in our culture today that girls go on it in college, even high school, and stay on it for five, 10, 15, even 20 years." That, of course, has had all kinds of fallout: … [Read more...] about Kathryn Lopez Thinks You’re A Stupid Slut
Strike Up the Bland (Guest Voice)
Strike Up the Bland by Peter Funt It says here that Mitt Romney will be the Republican Presidential nominee next year. It also says here that if it's not the former Massachusetts governor, then it will be a fairly dark horse – someone currently trotting way below the radar. Although a Romney candidacy comes with plenty of overweight political baggage, the rest of the … [Read more...] about Strike Up the Bland (Guest Voice)
New Hampshire Bill Would Make TWA Pat Downs a Sexual Crime
While many Americans have been groping for a way to cope with TSA pat downs at airports, some angry legislators in New Hampshire think they have a solution: make those who do the pat downs sexual offender felons and put them on the Sexual Offender Registration list. Any government security worker viewing or touching someone’s private parts at airports would be a felon and … [Read more...] about New Hampshire Bill Would Make TWA Pat Downs a Sexual Crime
GOP’s Fat Chances for 2012
Since William Howard Taft a century ago, no American president has come close to matching his portly presence at 300 pounds, but next year's Republican field could change that. The subject comes up after a GOP split over Michelle Obama's campaign against obesity, with conservatives mocking the First Lady as Mike Huckabee and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie applaud her efforts … [Read more...] about GOP’s Fat Chances for 2012
Charlie Sheen and Charles Manson
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Charlie Sheen and Charles Manson
Huckabee Off The Rails; A Chronology Of Obama’s Childhood
If this was a senior moment, it was a doozy. In an interview with FOX radio personality Steve Malzberg, former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee had this to say about President Obama: And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, very different than the average American... his perspective as growing up in … [Read more...] about Huckabee Off The Rails; A Chronology Of Obama’s Childhood
Sheen and Galliano: Roads To Career Self-Destruction
If Charlie Sheen doesn’t get his axed CBS show “Two and Half Men” back then perhaps he can team up with British fashion designer John Galliano to star in a new show: “Two Half Wits.” It’ll be a reality show. The news cycle has been dominated by news of Sheen and Galliano — yet further examples of super-rich, super-pampered and super-arrogant celebrities who have it all … [Read more...] about Sheen and Galliano: Roads To Career Self-Destruction
California AG to Federal Court: Lift Stay On Marriage Equality
Kamala Harris, the new Attorney General of California, has asked the 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals to lift the stay on the order which would have allowed same sex couples to marry while the issue is being reviewed by the courts. If the court agrees then couples could start marrying now rather than later. Although I thought the stay was wrong in the first place I doubt the … [Read more...] about California AG to Federal Court: Lift Stay On Marriage Equality
Mexicans Must Face the Truth: We are at War (El Universal, Mexico)
There is a lot of hand wringing on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border about what to call the drug-related conflagration in Mexico - and much talk about whether the U.S. should intervene directly. While stopping short of calling for U.S. troops, for Mexico's Excelsior newspaper, military analyst Jorge Luis Sierra makes no bones about what he would call it: a full-scale war. … [Read more...] about Mexicans Must Face the Truth: We are at War (El Universal, Mexico)
Politics, Twitter and Living A Public Life
What would happen if your Governor -- not the press secretary but the Governor -- suddenly blocked specific journalists from attending press conferences? In a perfect world, newspaper editors and TV station news managers would tell the Governor that he didn't get to decide who reports on the business of the state. Down in Texas, we have a one-step-removed situation that … [Read more...] about Politics, Twitter and Living A Public Life
Health Care on Life Support
In eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation, the President blinks by telling governors he will let states opt out of the individual mandate for medical insurance in 2014, three years earlier than the reform law allows. After a waste of two months with a House dog-and-pony show of repeal and Senate failure to go along, the bipartisan mess that politicians have made of American health … [Read more...] about Health Care on Life Support
Tina and Andrew
WASHINGTON -- The Ann Coulter of blogging has a new job. Given how Ms. Brown detests Sarah Palin this hire makes perfect sense. There's no way Brown and the Daily Beast would care about Sullivan's pathological hatred of Sarah Palin or his fictional tales of fake pregnancy. His countless hit pieces on Palin fit Brown's editorial policy perfectly. Not that Sarah … [Read more...] about Tina and Andrew
Russian Source Calls Gaddafi a “Political Corpse” (UPDATED)
Despite his insistence (in English) in an interview with ABC that his people really "love me," a Russian political source has told a reporter that Gaddafi is a "political corpse" and should step down: A Kremlin source on Tuesday called Muammar Gaddafi a "living political corpse", and said the Libyan leader should step down, Russia's Interfax news agency reported. Russia … [Read more...] about Russian Source Calls Gaddafi a “Political Corpse” (UPDATED)
Quote of the Day: How Prolonged Budget Impasse in Wisconsin Hurts Scott Walker
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Marc Ambinder, who notes that although Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has the power in his state (in fact I predict this will end with public unions' collective bargaining right stripped) every day the budget impasse goes on weakens Walker and his and his GOP supporters' position: The Democrats, without leverage to move Walker an … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: How Prolonged Budget Impasse in Wisconsin Hurts Scott Walker