In an interview with conservative John Ziegler, Sarah Palin lashed out at Katie Couric and Tina Fey for exploiting her during the campaign: I did see that Tina Fey was named entertainer of the year and Katie Couric's ratings have risen. I know that a lot of people are capitalizing on, oh I don't know, perhaps some exploiting that was done via me, my family, my administration … [Read more...] about Feeling Exploited, Palin Blasts Couric and Fey
Illinois Supreme Court On Burris (And Maybe On Impeachment)
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled today that the signature of Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is not required for the appointment of Roland Burris. In theory this opens the way for him to be seated, though it will probably take a little more political drama. On a side note, I do wonder if the impeachment saga of Governor Blago may run through the courts too. The … [Read more...] about Illinois Supreme Court On Burris (And Maybe On Impeachment)
Vanity Thy Name Is Blagojevich
As was previously reported, earlier today the Illinois House Of Representatives voted 114-1-1 to impeach incredibly corrupt Governor Rod 'Tony Soprano' Blagojevich. Even the one member who voted no on the resolution said he did so not because he thought the Governor was innocent but because he wasn't sure of all the evidence. The member who voted present seemed to have done so … [Read more...] about Vanity Thy Name Is Blagojevich
Conyers Contra Gupta
Needless to say, I'm not alone in my opposition to Sanjay Gupta for surgeon general (though it is evident that it is hardly Obama's most controversial move thus far, generating comparatively little criticism). As HuffPo reports, Rep. John Conyers has sent a letter to his Democratic colleagues arguing against Gupta: I join in opposition with respected Noble Peace Prize … [Read more...] about Conyers Contra Gupta
Quote Of The Day: Obama as Leaping Batman Or Political Bellyflopper?
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Dick Polman, who seems Obama acting like a political Batman and wonders if the President-Elect will make the leap or end up falling flat on his face: While watching Barack Obama deliver his audaciously ambitious speech on the economy yesterday, I was reminded of the scene in The Dark Knight when Batman decides to catapult himself … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Obama as Leaping Batman Or Political Bellyflopper?
Bring the Web to the Living Room, the TV is Just Another Screen
The Wall Street Journal Online is at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. What they're finding is that after more than a decade of trying, the goal of marrying television and the Internet seems finally to be picking up steam: A key factor in the push are new TV sets that have networking connections built directly into them, requiring no additional set-top boxes for … [Read more...] about Bring the Web to the Living Room, the TV is Just Another Screen
This is Your Life…on Coal: Before & After Video, Harriman, TN Coal Ash Disaster
If you still haven't been able to wrap yourself around what it means to have more than 1 BILLION GALLONS of coal ash full of heavy metal and chemicals flood, flow, crash and destroy everything around you, as it did for the residents of Harriman, Tennessee three days before Christmas, first check out these photos by NASA, from before and after: Before: After - the … [Read more...] about This is Your Life…on Coal: Before & After Video, Harriman, TN Coal Ash Disaster
Illinois House Impeaches Gov. Blagojevich: Now Comes The Trial
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has now been impeached: so now comes the trial....thus guaranteeing a continuation of a story that has "legs" and that's a boon to newspaper cartoons everywhere: The Illinois House of Representatives impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich for abuses of power after federal prosecutors accused him of trying to auction President- elect Barack … [Read more...] about Illinois House Impeaches Gov. Blagojevich: Now Comes The Trial
Kennedy vs. King Polling in New York
Rasmussen has released the results of a poll in New York pitting Democrat Caroline Kennedy against Republican Peter King in the 2010 special election to serve out the remainder of Hillary Clinton's term in the Senate. For the moment, let us ignore the fact that the test question pits a person who has not yet been appointed to the seat against a Congressman who has not … [Read more...] about Kennedy vs. King Polling in New York
No Revolution for the Health Czar
As Tom Daschle was explaining his goals as the new "health czar" at a Senate confirmation hearing, one metaphor for the failed system was looking down at him from the dais. If Ted Kennedy had been an average citizen with a brain tumor last July, he would most likely not be alive now to take part in what seems a serious attempt to confront the health-care mess that has been … [Read more...] about No Revolution for the Health Czar
Sanjay Gupta, Big Pharma Flack
I'm still not sold on Sanjay Gupta for surgeon general. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I dislike the very idea of putting Gupta in charge of public health. As I wrote on Tuesday, when the story broke, Dr. Gupta "seems to be very much a part of, as well as a defender of, the status quo, namely, the corporatized health care system controlled by Big Pharma and the … [Read more...] about Sanjay Gupta, Big Pharma Flack
Your Conservatism Is Too Small
Alex Massie has a wonderful post on how dogmatic the Republican Party has become and ties it to the history of the Conservative Party in the UK after the age of Thatcher. Reaganism helped revitalize the GOP and ushered in a conservative era in the United States. But as Massie notes, the party has become stuck in its past, unwilling to change as the nation changes, and that … [Read more...] about Your Conservatism Is Too Small
Stimulate the Future
I confess I have not read the stimulus package that almost President Obama has crafted, but I have read the many reports as to what it contains and I thought I would throw in my two cents worth as well. My hope is that Obama makes huge changes to the way our government works. I have proposed many, and there are others. For this package, however, I would suggest a growth … [Read more...] about Stimulate the Future
On “Miserable Failures”
I had heard that "googling" the words "miserable failure" would take one to President Bush's official biography site. After hearing this morning that another 524,000 Americans lost their livelihood in December alone, raising the nation's unemployment rate to 7.2 percent, and that 2.6 million Americans have lost their livelihood in 2008, making 2008 the worst year for layoffs … [Read more...] about On “Miserable Failures”
What If The New York Times Goes Out of Business in May?
Michael Hirschorn speculates in The Atlantic: At some point soon—sooner than most of us think—the print edition, and with it The Times as we know it, will no longer exist. And it will likely have plenty of company. In December, the Fitch Ratings service, which monitors the health of media companies, predicted a widespread newspaper die-off: “Fitch believes more newspapers and … [Read more...] about What If The New York Times Goes Out of Business in May?
If Jimmy Carter Lived in Sderot …
If Jimmy Carter lived in Sderot or anywhere else in range of missiles from Gaza, he would not have written the ignorant and naive op-ed linked below. Please, Jimmy, stop being manipulated by terrorists and go plant a garden or something. Jimmy Carter / Washington Post: An Unnecessary War Shmuel Rosner of the Jerusalem Post commented: "One thing I can say for sure: … [Read more...] about If Jimmy Carter Lived in Sderot …
Jobs Down in December
AP via MSNBC: Job losses rise in Dec., unemployment 7.2 pct.; December figures cap a year featuring job losses every month Trying to survive a deepening recession, employers are cutting their work forces to the bone, leaving more Americans unemployed and with dim prospects of finding a new job any time soon. The Labor Department reported Friday that the jobless rate rose … [Read more...] about Jobs Down in December
Excerpts on Clarence Thomas
BUMPED, with the link fixed. My two well-received posts this summer on Black Conservatism have been been reposted on Racialicious (here and here). In honor of the occasion, I have put up some excerpts from a larger piece I've been working on explaining how Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas fits in with my theory. It's long, but I think it's worthwhile if you find Justice … [Read more...] about Excerpts on Clarence Thomas
A Fitting Song For Congress
President Elect Barack Obama yesterday urged members of both parties in Congress to move swiftly to act on an economic stimulus package. Here's a song that tells us what we are likely to get: … [Read more...] about A Fitting Song For Congress
Obama Certified As President
Although it seemed to get fairly minimal coverage in the media, earlier today (January 8th) there was a joint session of Congress in which they formally elected Barack Obama as President and Joe Biden as Vice President. This is a standard routine every four years though of course there was a certain level of history to the election of the first African American … [Read more...] about Obama Certified As President