With apologies to Dostoevsky, there's a new idiot in town. Not that we haven't known this for a long time, but, should you need more proof, or should you just need to have the point driven home, consider what George W. Bush said about Iraq and the Iraqis during his Rose Garden press conference yesterday:I do know that a lot of innocent people have died and it troubles me and … [Read more...] about The Idiot

A new DSCC poll -- yes, that's the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee -- puts Democrat Harold Ford ahead of Republican Bob Corker by seven points in the Tennessee Senate race, 51% to 44%. In addition, "just 35% of voters [in Tennessee] believe George Bush has done an excellent or good job as president". Tennessee is one of the eight key Senate races of which the … [Read more...] about Have you supported a Ford lately?

A new poll — and a new book — spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e for the GOP. The new poll is from Gallup:An analysis of USA Today/Gallup poll trend data indicates that while Democrats have made gains across the board on the generic Congressional ballot in the latest Oct. 6-8 survey, the change has been greater among religious whites than among less religious whites and among … [Read more...] about Poll Finds Religious Whites Shifting From GOP

"To link me to George Bush is like linking me to an Oscar." --California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: From Ahhnold

It's big news when Washington Post columnist David Broder, considered the voice of the political center in Washington, basically urges voters to vote a party and an administration out. And, using a very thin figleaf, he does just that in his latest column. Here's part of it:The disillusionment is not the product of the Foley scandal, which is shifting few votes, as far as I … [Read more...] about David Broder Says Republicans Need To Lose

Yesterday, in both San Diego and Los Angeles, I met two independent voters who are now highly critical of Arizona Senator John McCain and said they wouldn't support him. They were turned off by his comments on North Korea and, in general, said he is becoming just another Republican presidential candidate. Maybe that explains his softening of his earlier comments on North … [Read more...] about McCain Softens Stance On North Korea

Tensions between France and Turkey are rising with news that France's lower house of Parliament went ahead with a bill making it a crime to deny that the killings of Armenians in Turkey in the early 20th century was genocide. French lawmakers on Thursday approved a bill making it a crime to deny that mass killings of Armenians in Turkey during and after World War I amounted to … [Read more...] about French Lower House Armenia Genocide Law Increases Tensions With Turkey

Yesterday TMV drove 4 1/2 hours up to L.A., did two shows and drove 3 1/2 hours back. He left at 1 p.m. and got back at 12 a.m. today. His posts will begin later this morning...but check back sooner since our cobloggers may have some things to say. … [Read more...] about TMV’s Own Posts Begin Later Today

A cafe in Washington, D.C. is refusing cash and will only take plastic. Is this the future? And how many of you still use cash on a regular basis? Sean Aqui has more. … [Read more...] about A Cashless Society?

Specifically, that the link is complete and utter fabrication. … [Read more...] about Link Between Homosexuality/Liberalism and Pedophilia, Exposed!

North Korea has brought the international community to the brink of war. Either it must be punished or Washington, its allies and friends have to eat humble pie. That may happen because American military power is useless in this context. The US could destroy North Korea utterly but South Korea would suffer extensive destruction from the North’s conventional missiles. Worse, … [Read more...] about North Korea brings war a step closer

NEW YORK (CNN) — Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor were killed Wednesday when the 34-year-old ballplayer's plane crashed into a high-rise apartment building in New York, city and baseball team officials said......================================================= Small Aircraft Hits Building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, Police Say NEW YORK (AP) … [Read more...] about UPDATED: NYC High-Rise Hit by Plane or Helicopter

Indian writer Kiran Desai,35, won Britain's prestigious Man Booker Prize yesterday for "The Inheritance of Loss," a cross-continental saga that moves from the Himalayas to New York City, says The Washington Post. "Desai, daughter of novelist and three-time Booker Prize nominee Anita Desai, had been one of the favorites for the prestigious $93,000 prize. Judges deliberated for … [Read more...] about Kiran Desai: ‘From Himalayas To New York City’

I no longer live in Connecticut. I've been in both parties. I've voted for Republicans and Democrats over the years. But if I was still living in and registered to vote in Connecticut, I would vote against this guy because of a comment like this. (Yes, right: THAT's a thoughtful defense of Dennis Hastert, isn't it?) … [Read more...] about How To Lose Your Credibility With Independent Voters

President Bush had to personally contradict this figure of 655,000 deaths in Iraq (in a press conference today) ever since the US forces entered that country more than three years ago. This may give rise to the controversy that whether an average Iraqi was safer under Saddam Hussein regime than under the control of the US troops. Says a news report: "The death toll among … [Read more...] about Controversy Over “655,000 Deaths” In Iraq

Dennis Sanders speaks out about the scandal, the stigma and how it feels to be in a group that seems contradictory by its very nature. … [Read more...] about Mark Foley Doesn’t Represent Gay Republicans

I am at this very moment watching CNN. I heard what US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, as also what UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, had to say on the crisis created by North Korea's nuclear test. The world is facing a real crisis. Answering a question from a reporter, Kofi Annan made it clear that although the UN Security Council is working hard to plan a united … [Read more...] about North Korea: CNN, Bush, Annan and Rice

...from Jon Stewart. … [Read more...] about A Comprehensive Take On The Foley Scandal

The Western nations seem confused and do not know how best to react to North Korea's nuclear challenge. This is best summed up by The Independent when it says: " The leading world powers huddled in an emergency session at the United Nations yesterday to forge agreement on measures to punish North Korea... "But with the regime in Pyongyang still showing unrepentant defiance, it … [Read more...] about Nuclear-Armed North Korea: West On The Defensive

Given all that's going on, let's take a quick look at what some of the late night and TV standup comedians are saying. Late Night political jokes have traditionally been a barometer of what's being talked on the street and the conventional wisdom. Generally comedy functions best if a joke is couched within a set of shared assumptions. There have been periods where the … [Read more...] about Late Night Political Jokes