LiveBlog for Friday, April 17, 2009
Follow Producer Chris Lavoie on Twitter!! Get updates on Steph’s appearances on TV, upcoming guests on the show, and much more.
• CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta calls in at 7:06am Pacific to talk about his new special, “CNN Presents: Addiction: Life On The Edge.”
• Rep. Michael Honda (D-CA) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to discuss President Obama’s trip to Mexico and the need for immigration reform.
• Fran Drescher calls in at 8:30am Pacific to discuss her charity work, especially with “Cancer Schmancer,” her cancer organization.
• Interrogation tactics such as waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and slapping did not violate laws against torture when there was no intent to cause severe pain, according to a Bush-era memo on the tactics released yesterday. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) called the list of specific approved tactics “chilling.”
• Reviving a ban on assault weapons and more strictly enforcing existing gun laws could help tamp down on drug violence that has run rampant on the U.S.-Mexican border, President Obama said alongside Mexican president Felipe Calderon in Mexico City yesterday.
• President Obama unveiled his administration’s blueprint for a new national network of high-speed passenger rail lines yesterday, saying such an investment is necessary to reduce traffic congestion, cut dependence on foreign oil, and improve the environment.
Tags: Felipe Calderon, Fran Drescher, George W. Bush, Michael Honda, Patrick Leahy, Sanjay Gupta
This entry was posted on Friday, April 17th, 2009 at 2:43 am and is filed under liveblog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Good morning!
It’s Friday – TGIF
Good morning, capt, and the rest of our early risers! Good morning, Team Steph!
I’m back from concluding my civic duty on a jury. It was a criminal trial with four defendants (one charge each). It was interesting process, as ProducerChris can surely attest. Ironically, during the defense counsel’s summation, she used the phase “It just doesn’t make sense.” I immediately thought, “ah, the Chewbacca defense!”
I’m getting caught up with yesterday’s show via the Stephcast. Sounds like a great show, as always.
BTW, here’s the local coverage of Tubby McTreason’s visit to my village last evening:
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904170306
Excerpt:
cap’n !
I’m in early, gotta thing in about half an hour.
Bin readin’ “Xenphon’s Retreat” about the 10,000
Greeks who fought near Babylon in the Persian civil
war, only to see their side’s leader killed. Then
they had to march out. “Anabasis” is Xenophon’s account
of the battle and the long march home.
here’s a great pic of a Greek boast about the outcome,
captioned roughly as “We Buggered The Persians”
http://www.livius.org/es-ez/eurymedon/eurymedon.html
hey shaf
too bad you weren’t on the Karla Rover jury
sending that fat traitor bastard to be rightly
hung for his whorrendous crimes against the
Consitution and humanity. That scum.
“My name is Eurymedon. I am getting screwed.”
With the very first use of the happy face icon?
Well if Rove had tortured anybody – THAT is “off the table!”
Wadda country, eh?
As the 10,000 Greek mercenaries reached the
coast of the Black Sea after a savage march
and fighting through some of the most hostile
terrain and peoples on earth [just ask our
troops today] they all started shouting
Thallata! Thallata! [The Sea! The Sea!] and
they built a cairn of stones at the spot, which
is still there today. I dunno, it’s kinda obscure
but somewhere there is a cry similar to Sparta!
Not that I can figure out what The Sea! would
be to us here…
#5 lololololol! Thallata!
#6 Rove torturted all of us.
“My name is America. I am getting screwed. By Karl Rove”
Leonard Pitts column today talks about
looking at Chimpy McAsshole’s legacy.
Which is of course that he F@#KKed us
all royally…
Denison University WTF are you paying Rove for you bastards?!
“Thallata! Thallata! [The Sea! The Sea!] ”
Later replaced with: “Boss the plane, the plane”
Or was that just on the island?
#10 It was the College Republicans who sponsored it. They paid for his appearance out of its annual allocation from the university.
#11 freaking brilliant cap
#12 Rethug little smarmy scumbags prolly all happy
they could bring the Rover in…
uh oh back in a minute…
“College republicans” seems a bit oxymoronic?
Maybe it’s just me but education should be able to fix that.
Re: Torture
The rank and file shouldn’t be prosecuted for following orders.
Those giving the order should be held to account for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
IMO
#14 “College republicans” seems a bit oxymoronic?
‘Cause ‘browshirts’ was already taken!
Mistyped ‘brownshirts’!
happy fridee, capt, shaf and Mark.
I walked to the computer thinking about the spit of the ’60′s and then read a little news. I am now finished crying over something good:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30252601
It’s about the funeral for the 8 year old who was raped and murdered by a (woman) neighbor. The POLICE chaplain said these amazing words:
“For this time, lay down your judgment, your bitterness, your rage, so that our remembrance is done in love and dignity,” Tracy police chaplain Don Higgins told the crowd. “And in so doing, we can begin to take the first steps of healing and renewing our strength together.”
and this is what the Mayor said:
“The community will forever be changed, different,” he said. “Hopefully, very keenly aware of the evil in this world and cautious and wiser, trusting yet verifying, but definitely stronger as a community as we watch over one another and one another’s children.”
We have our transcendant moments.
#14 Maybe it’s just me but education should be able to fix that.
Ironically, some of the tea-baggers on 4/15 were calling to pull kids from college and burn the books full of “socialist education”.
#15 the Nazi camp guards ditint get away with
“I was only following orders” but I agree those
who gave the orders should be held to account.
Since it won’t be here I can only hope it will
be in the depths of Hell.
#16 see my entry yesterday “George W. Bush and his Brownshorts”
good morning …
shaf- early risers? phht it’s already 8:30am here on the East Coast . I’ve been up since 6:15amEDT
capt, I want to apologize for disparaging your recollections at any point yesterday. I will not opine further on the topic until I’ve done more research myself.
I will say this, though: as a scientist, nothing pisses me off more than another scientist (physical or social) putting out shoddy work; so if that’s what it was, you’ll hear nothing but howls of anger from me.
#15, the rank and file have an obligation to refuse illegal orders. Everyone in the interrogation business knows torture is illegal.
If they want to plea out and turn state’s evidence on their superiors, even if it means they serve no time, that’s fine. But it’s confession or prosecution. Either way, criminal guilt needs to be in the record.
#21 Got ‘ya beat, Cindy. I awoke at 3:30 AM EDT and couldn’t get back to sleep. Geez, I really need to meditate (or perhaps medicate).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ftKIMLCl0&feature=related
don’t eat at Domino’s Pizza Conover NC
lololololol
Mornin’ all! Happy Friday!
shaf- I have nights like that. I discovered, when I was young and couldn’t sleep, that it doesn’t help you go back to sleep by reading Poe.
Just a little tip to help you
Hi Carol, Cindy, Peter!
OK, I am off to do this thing
back when I can prolly Monday
Have a great weekend everyone
Good morning, Peter.
Hi Cindy.
Happy Fridee!
Nobody is blameless in the torture – and yes – all illegal orders should be refused. But would that also mean all the soldiers should have refused to go to Iraq to begin with?
GAWD – Busheney made so many HUGE messes!
#27 Thanks, Cindy. Although I might want to steer clear of The Telltale Heart.
1.Glenn Beck Blames Daily Kos For “Mocking” Teabaggers, Planning Infiltration
(hey you guys picked the name)
Morning, PeterW, Cindy, Carol, Danielle, Mark and Shaf! (I hope I didn’t miss anyone)
The end of the week but the start of another great day in the morning!
shaf- I think you missed the point … you want to steer clear of ALL POE in that situtation
1.b. Why yesterday’s protests were stupid
1.c. Yeah, I’m the guy who spoke at the Pensacola Tea Party
#34
Got it!
Check out Sciam for a story about sleep cycles, very interesting.
In the article they talk about how sleep cycles were very different before electricty and the light bulb. That our sleep cycles are ingrained for sleep as night falls for about 3-4 hours then a period of wakefullness for a hour or two then sleep until daylight (or shortly before.
The idea of 8 hours in a row is kind of new.
They recommend once you wake to sit up / get up and do something for a little while – sleepiness will return in an hour or two.
1.d. Fox News Finds Teabagging Coverage Hard To Swallow
(again, you guys chose the name)
In case you missed Countdown last night, Keith had a powerful special commentary on the Obama Administation’s release of the torture memos, praising President Obama for daring to release “the dirty laundry” but criticizing him for not laying blame:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#30254996
“but criticizing him for not laying blame”
I think most people know who to blame.
Barack is following good advise by NOT laying the blame on Busheney – everybody already knows.
Now – time for justice, truth and the American way! (or am I being silly?)
Mornin capt… anyone catch Rachel Maddow yesterday?
2. Rachel takes down my crap GOP senator Richard Burr
also from the comments on that post
I introduced my dad to the Rachel Maddow Show a few weeks ago
Dad has been a Fox News viewer for years and when I visited him a few weeks ago, I tuned into Rachel’s show.
Dad kept saying, “Wow! I love the way she explains things. She is so smart.”
He asked me to write down the time and channel so he could watch her again.
Dad also said that he liked the way she looks — clean and wholesome, not too much make up. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
I never told Dad that Rachel is a lesbian. I’ll let him figure that out for himself. But, he was very impressed with her show. I think she gives people confidence in what she reports on because she takes the time to explain the issues.
Later, Dad and I were watching Fox News and they kept going on and on about TARP. Dad turned to me and asked, “What exactly does TARP stand for anyway? I bet Rachel would have told us.”
Also, a paid very close attention to the way Rachel reported while watched with my dad. I wanted to see if she’d say something that would make him think she was too liberal. You know what? She didn’t. The next time you watch her show, pretend that you’re watching with a conservative. You’ll see that she’s really very balanced and doesn’t say much that would offend a conservative viewer.
by: Fritz @ Fri Apr 17, 2009 at 01:37:35 AM EDT
Re: Teabagging
No small wonder the message was garbled?
The toothless attack they tried to lick the problem with was just nuts! The idea sucked from the start.
heh heh heh
I got an email from a friend who works at NPR yesterday (my fiddle student, not my ex-girlfriend). She wrote:
“A friend who works in Audience & Member Services here says she got three calls today from someone from Fox News (according to Caller ID), posing as a member of the general public, complaining about our lack of coverage of the tea parties.
The third time she asked what division of Fox she should say the call was coming from, and they hung up and didn’t call back.”
Bob Dylan interview:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/15/bob-dylan-exclusive-inter_n_187216.html
sample:
BF: Who are some of your favorite songwriters?
BD: Buffett I guess. Lightfoot. Warren Zevon. Randy. John Prine. Guy Clark. Those kinds of writers.
capt – the reasons the Obama administration and Obama have given EVERY defense attorney would like to use for their client
Love it Cindy!
#41, we don’t need blame, we don’t need political retribution. We need justice. The guilty – and their sycophants – will claim that justice is blame, that justice is retribution.
But we got Reagan’s great crimes because we didn’t prosecute the criminals in the Nixon administration. We got Bush’s greater crimes because we didn’t prosecute the (same) criminals in the Reagan administration. What crimes will we get with the next Republican president because we’re too “forward-looking” to prosecute Bush’s crimes?
3. Jay Bybee: “Don’t Hit” but feel free to torture
(about dr. maddow)
Peter – well ANY president who thinks he’s bigger than the constitution
#51 DrunkNIrishDanielle
thank you, I was about to ask “which one”
#52, the President didn’t commit these crimes alone. He had a small army of co-conspirators. And there is continuity in these conspirators from criminal administration to criminal administration, getting bolder and more criminal each time.
We’ve tried “moving forward” twice, and things got worse.
4. The Bombshell Dropped In Prosecutor’s Opening Statement At The Angie Zapata Hate Crime Murder Trial
Justice and accountability is ALWAYS looking back at what happened.
It is a necessary thing.
If justice could look forward it would prevent crimes not prosecute them.
Just sayin
Almost SHOWTIME you bastids!
*walking on sunshine soon*
Morning Steph Fans! TGIF… and not a moment too soon!
5.Thank you for helping stop tiered pricing on the internet
Morning everyone!!! <3
#54 A great point made by Keith is that even if Obama chooses not to use torture and wiretapping, the legal president has already been set (by the Bush Admin.) for another President to abuse people and Constitution.
6. The battle at Walmart begins.
Hello, all. Hope you’re all doing well. I’m about to hop into the shower but I wanted to say hello and I’ll catch ya for about half an hour before I have to go to work.
**spirit fingers*** almost Show time!!
Good morning, people!!! It’s been a few months but I’m back (day off). Woo-hoo!
Great Article #35
Wild Thang!
Morning fellow teabaggers. Oh wait! My bad. For a second there I thought I was on the Sean Hannity message board.
Showtime!
Good morning, bloggistas!
#1 shaf, I too have returned from jury duty (one day, case settled)– lotta that going around–just catching up on the podcast.
#43 Cindy, Great segment on Rachel’s show, and great post. It occurred to me while watching last night, she’s the first openly SMART television news anchor – researches stories, uses big words, asks probing questions….
Morning Tim!
Thank you Carol for that Daily KOS article.
Ooooooooo Sanjaya on addiction and the drug war in Celebrity follies today!
Good morning.
If the President isn’t going to prosecute anyone for torture or ordering torture, it’s time for a new independent prosecutor. We need a new law to create one since the last one expired. We need Congress to deal with this.
…wasn’t he totally whacked on Canadian healthcare with Michael Moore?
It’s Miller Time on this Happy Fridee!
Showtime!!!
Juliet- likein’ the openly “smart” line… I may have to borrow that one!
Rumors are afoot; innuendos are an armpit.
not to detract from the openly smart rachel maddow, but NOT the first openly smart anchor. macneil and lehrer were both openly smart, but unfortunately, nobody knows which is which.
Fran Drescher, who was once described as, having “a body that came out of Vogue and a voice that came out of her nose”.
I hope Drescher runs office just for the debates.
Teabagger crowd…
Waa waab.
#77
I knew someone who was built upside-down.
Their nose ran and their feet smelled!
*rimshot*
*groan*
#s 3 and 7
I love me some ancient Greeks.
such an interesting story –thanks for sharing.
Is Steph implying that Fox News put a sock in it’s crowd count?
#78 Nor, do I have a serious man-crush on MacNeil (or Lehrer).
Ay, Capt…how’s it been?
landslide. coleman gets frankenburied.
… even before they count chocula’s vote.
This is awesome!!!
Excellent, Shane-O!
My hat’s off to you shane-o as usual!!
Yay ShanWow, good one!
Shane-Wow**
Mr. Ed missing…FBI looking in Norm Coleman’s barn.
Tim Louise Hussein…Castro!
I’ve been fine and getting finer!
Howzit wit you? I almost didn’t recognize you (have you lost weight?)
Lookin’ good either way!
Shane-O is our local PRO!
Lovin it!
but see the difference between us and those on the right is that we WILL criticize our president while they never will — or wait until they are out of office (after two wars and spending like . . . )
Fox News put Bush’s codpiece on the teabagging crowds.
In Mr. Eds voice:
“Oh Norman!”
Capt…it’s been fine. As a matter of fact I have lost weight (how you can tell by looking the other way from my computer screen I’ll never know…you’re good, you)
#61, the precedent has been set twice already. It needs to be exposed to sunlight, running water, staked in the heart, shot in the head, chopped to pieces, buried upside down, sprinkled with holy water, and then urinated on to defile the body completely.
Jim, it should have been
neener, neener, aaaaaaaannnnnnnddddd, neener
I’VE COUGHED UP SCARIER STUFF THAN THAT!
-Abe Simpson
Bobby Jindahl has been busy with mount redoubt. . .
Excellent, Shane-O!
———————————————————————
Even if I had the hardware, software, and time to put together audio/music clips, I still wouldn’t do it because I’m lazy. Thank the gods for Shane-O.
WHAT’S UP, Y’ALL?????? Long time, no see…. and all that jazz. Hope the STOOPID job let’s me hang out for a bit today. Keeping fingers crossed as I type (pretty tricky).
what happened to my avatar??
Communing with Satan…O’Reilly oughta know.
there it is…. weird.
hey I hope Ghost Hunters International goes there
that would be soooooo great
#100,
We are the best looking bloggers on the PLANET!
We are all thinner and better loooking than we imagine!
So, I just went with the odds
*high fives*
Bobby Jindahl has been busy with mount redoubt. . .
———————————————————————
Jindal’s on his way to Los Angeles to get Steph, because he thinks the way to stop Mt. Redoubt is a virgin sacrifice.
“Communing with Satan?”
Been there – done that!
lololo
Happy Friday Folks!
That was the longest story ever.
I broke a mirror the other day…I’m supposed to get seven years of bad luck but my lawyer says he can get it down to three. Steven Wright.
Take for granite!
Me likey Fridee!!!
Commuting with Satan?
Every Monday morning on 9:10 bus.
#111 555555555555555555555
look up!
look up! where? up there!!! (high fives…snort, chuckle)
Or exorcise Michelle Bachman?
Dispell the evil in her and the remianing skin suit would just land in a pile on the floor.
Nevermind.
Bravo Shano!
Also, that was the best Stand Up News ever! LOL LMAO LOL
Got to go to work!
Have a great Friday!
Norm Coleman’s going to dress up like a ghost pirate, and try to scare Franken away. Scooby-Doo Where Are You?
#123, or Brock Sampson, perhaps?
I call for exercising Rush Linbaugh. That will take a lot of exercise.
#121 Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley have their Total Gym…Bobby Jindal is now coming out with the Exorciser 2000…hmmmm
#119
Satan likes to have his Black Masses at unconventional locations. One more way to “one-up” the Catholics.
#123 We have Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, and Bill Murray. The ghost of Coleman doesn’t stand a chance.
That was the longest story ever.
———————————————————————
The Longest Story Ever Told starring Mel Gibson as Jesus, and Jim Ward as the Centurion.
#123 and Coleman would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for those meddling voters and their dog…
Who you gonna call, ew278?
Sanchez in Montebello!!!! Party time!
#128 Cats and dogs living together…mass Republican hysteria!
Patron shots for everyone!
Effin GREAT Friday!
Blog & show!
You’all are making me giggle!
Obama’s duty as President is to see that all laws are enforced. That includes torture laws.
I forgot about Spain dropping its investigation. Grrrrr!
136: and you’re a bagpiper? – so, which is it?
Committee Against Torture
42nd Session (27 April – 15 May 2009)
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/cats42.htm
America hasn’t made the list – yet.
Come on Obama – prosecution time! You can’t let these creeps get away with torture.
I, too, was hoping Spain would persecute the Bushies.
Jim – it’s not just right now — HIS arguments close the door FOREVER
er, prosecute ^
This is what happens when you stoop so low as to use the same tactics as those who want to hurt us…it’s hell trying to get your name cleared again.
I sure hope Jim is right.
#138, bagpiping is only torture if you’re out of tune.
I’m of the “tune it or die” school. Actually, I’m of the “tune it to an actual key, like A, not half-way between Bb and B” school.
That’s not the president!!!!!!!!!!
144: those weebles were relentless. i had to do SOMETHING.
#76 DrunkNIrishDanielle, By all means! No disrespect to Steph’s imaginary better half, Keith Olberman, who’s no slouch either.
I also am somewhat uncomfortable about Keith’s position on torture–I don’t totally disagree, but there’s the matter of priorities. The most important thing is to get the memos released and publicly shame these people–in some ways, that can be just as powerful (think OJ Simpson).
It doesn’t matter of Obama is trying to sweep this under the rug for political convenience, or is just biding his time. We have to act as if he’s sweeping it under the rug and scream bloody murder.
Because if he is sweeping it under the rug, our pressure may force him to do the right thing. And if he’s biding his time, our pressure gives him political cover.
Either way, we’re doing him a favor by our uproar.
maybe we’ll have some action taken on torture once someone catches their neighborhood kids reenacting Abu Ghraib… and someone’s kid gets hurt.
Here’s why Obama is pulling his punches…
From a 1/18/2009 story: http://tinyurl.com/dzxoyl
Excerpt:
STATUS AS AT : 17-04-2009 08:01:58 EDT
CHAPTER IV
HUMAN RIGHTS
9 . Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
New York, 10 December 1984
Entry into force : 26 June 1987, in accordance with article 27(1) 1
Registration : 26 June 1987, No. 24841
Status : Signatories : 76. Parties : 146
Text : United Nations, Treaty Series , vol. 1465, p. 85.
Note : The Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, was adopted by resolution 39/462of 10 December 1984 at the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Convention is open for signature by all States, in accordance with its article 25.
United States of America
Signature 18 Apr 1988
Ratification 21 Oct 1994
HERE
Maybe the rest of the planet will have a different “take” on these memos?
I’m not sure what’s up, even Holder wasn’t going to review Don Siegleman’s case until Thom Hartmann brought it up and encouraged listeners to call the AG’s office. Here’s the number by the way:
CALL ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER AND ENCOURAGE HIM TO REVIEW GOVERNOR DON SIEGELMAN’S CASE: (202) 514-2001.
Maybe Obama is playing chess now. Perhaps the global community may have to add pressure. I believe Germany and Italy have warrants out for Rumsfeld.
#148 **snicker**
conspiracy corner gets me all excited…. grrrrr….
Sanjaya Gupta??? Is that the doctor with the weird hair that sings while performing surgery? nyuk, nyuk
I call for exercising Rush Linbaugh. That will take a lot of exercise.
———————————————————————
Don’t you understand what would happened if we exercised Limbaugh? He’d be able to chase down the little Dominican boys when they tried to run away.
#152, good. Do what JFK threatened to do: scatter the criminal CIA to the four winds.
157: you’re confused. it’s the 14 year old afghan orphan who put NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC on the map.
Steph’s the smartest girl in class? She failed study hall.
Unfortunately, the caller is wrong. The American people don’t give a rat’s ass about torture being done. They think it’s like 24 and it works and gets useful information.
It doesn’t. You get “information” that people being tortured tell you in order to get you to stop hurting them.
Congratulations, Mr. President. You’ve just enabled the next Bush. That’s what we have to look forward to.
“no one in Langley will ever take a risk again.”
Of NOT torturing? That would be a good thing.
The circular logic is enough to make me crazy! (well more crazy anyway)
Shame has no effect on the shameless.
I’ve also wondered if Obama just doesn’t want these criminals fleeing the country before he can prosecute…. maybe…. maybe… I hope….
Come on Obama – prosecution time! You can’t let these creeps get away with torture.
———————————————————————
There won’t be any prosecution. The Dems rubber stamped the torture.
All of the Guptas’ look the same to me . . .
(very bad racist non-funny poor taste joke)
I place myself in the box!
Maybe Obama is thinking about the trials and appeals of those in the chain-of-command. It might be necessary to replace some judges, perhaps even a RW Supreme to make these convictions stick.
165: stand back. unleash… the shamewow.
Caller is wrong. Announcing no prosecutions takes away your leverage.
170- that almsot got coffee all over my computer screen… even felt it in the nose a little…
“you can observe a lot just by watching” – shogi berra
Maybe the torturers should get immunity from prosecution in exchange for their testimony.
That would be like the rest of our justice system.
We already tried the “handful of rogue night shift knuckleheads” and it seems these memos put the lie to THAT, eh?
I’m optimistic. Obama IS looking three or four moves down the road of this chess game. There are too many pots on the fire right now and the Grand Opposition Poopers will take attacks on their poster boy very personal and drown the airwaves with their rhetoric. Obama has to take care of business first; the criminals will be brought to justice eventually. The problem is that most Americans want this done now; we’re not willing to wait.
FYI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogi
“that almsot got coffee all over my computer screen… ”
It is the very nature of Sham-wow~!
lololol
Obama is smart; and a Harvard Constitutional lawyer. He knows right from wrong. He is lathering up the masses first so when he makes his move he knows we will have his back.
The president does know something we don’t know. He knows that Pelosi and Reid knew about the torture.
We’ve heard “be patient” before. It’s usually been the prelude to sweeping something under the rug.
179 – I agree, there’s a lot of political CYA to consider.
177- do you think the shamwow is powerful enough to clean up stephanie miller’s SHAME-WOW messess….
Bush:
“we don’t torture”
“if we wiretap there is a warrant”
“sometimes you have to catapult the propaganda”
180: “…so we sit here on the edge of hell and wonder what to do in the face of what we remember, and with every bid for freedom, someone whispers to us, WAIT…” – langston hughes. are you in dion warwick’s psycho friends network?
#180 Agreed. I don’t like this or the lack of prosecution of illegal wiretaps.
#182,
I sure hope so!
(keeps a swiffer mop handy)
#162, Tony, Good point. We should really have some congressional hearings to lift the rock on the whole grotty business, and we could call as our star witness Sen. John McCain, who under torture by the North Vietnamese gave up the names of the defensive line of the Green Bay Packers or whatever.
Gotta fly, have a great weekend, everybuddy!
Tim, I think you are wrong. I think you’ll find torture and prosecuting those who did it way down the list of priorities for most Americans. I’m a life long democrat and I’ll tell you what’s on my list
1. The economy
2. The economy
3. The economy
4. The economy
5. The economy
Get my point? If you’re worried about keeping your job and paying your bills and saving for retirement, then you’re not really into caring about prosecuting people for torturing detainees.
If I were to give Obama a to do list, it would be fix the banks, fix health care, get the economy going, take care of global warming, win the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, bring the troops back from Iraq,k balance the budget…get my point? Torture prosecutions are way down on the list.
Maybe we could get the GOP to start impeachment hearings for Obama because he refuses to prosecute the criminals?
They are the “Law and Order” party – just ask Fred?
Watch for those calls to be coming soon!
Juliet!
Hurry back – have a great weekend!
We’ll miss ya until we see youi again
*hugs*
Capt- so glad we can be immature together!
xoxo
**Hugs**
“Torture prosecutions are way down on the list.”
I think it is a problem if torture prosecutions are missing from the list completely.
That is the fear of many (myself included)
capt — is Fred Dalto Thompson still in the Senate?
If Cheney felt threatened he’d just move to the UAE.
Does anyone else wonder if Obama’s just trying to do this in a way that doesn’t appear to be politically motivated… if he lets info slip out little by little, then he would simply be obstructionist (spelling??) by blocking the attorney general from prosecuting… then he has total deniability come next election… thoughts????
#191,
Naw ah! I am totally mature. Am too!
*lays on floor kicks feet in the air*
I am NOT immauture – am not am not am not!
#178 Caller is right. Obama has stated his “reluctance” to pursue the torture issue, but then released very embarrassing memos. As the drip-drip-drip of the info continues, look for national and international pressure to prosecute to build.
Caller is a tool.
194 — Michael Jackson tried that.
177- do you think the shamwow is powerful enough to clean up stephanie miller’s SHAME-WOW messess….
———————————————————————
We need a bulldozer to clean up Steph’s Shame-wow messes.
“is Fred Dalto Thompson still in the Senate?”
No, but he stayed at a Holiday Inn last night – does that count?
lololo
Capt — torture is wrong, and it shouldn’t be done. But you know what? If it goes way down on the to do list and always gets replaced by stuff that’s more pressing, so be it. I have a feeling it likely will never get done but we’ve got bigger fish to fry.
If Obama does the things I mentioned but doesn’t get around to prosecuting those who allowed or ordered torture, wouldn’t he still be a good President in your book?
Torture isn’t about intel. It’s about humiliating the other, showing them you’re dominant. There’s no accident there’s a sexual component to it frequently.
Oh, btw — Hiya Bloggoes!
You’ll turn, mama? When? That’s the problem with being patient.
“then he has total deniability come next election… thoughts”
I have thought about the second term thing driving some of his policy decisions (the poor ones IMO)
He can’t totally alienate the center or drive some of the RW voters away – yet.
(not making excuses for poor policy but . . )
Some of those techniques were based on Chinese methods, and they were designed to break a person not gather information.
#202, and if President Palin/Jindal/Gignrich takes the Bush precedent to the next level in 2016 because we “looked forward”, it’ll be too late to be high on your list of priorities.
The most I’m going to hope for is the prosecution of more low level personnel.
#188 Point taken. This is why we have opinions. All the priorities you mention are the pots Obama’s has put on the fire for now. I think he has a slow-boiling pot somewhere in a second kitchen where this will be taken care of. Obama can’t resolve everything, obviously, but since torture is a human rights violation, hopefully other nations will chip in and keep the pressure up.
Another tool caller.
This guy is making the best argument for prosecutions I’ve heard yet.
“If Obama does the things I mentioned but doesn’t get around to prosecuting those who allowed or ordered torture, wouldn’t he still be a good President in your book?”
Obama could pull his pants down on live TV and crap on the oval office floor and I’d STILL think he was the best thing we have going – best in a very long time.
f@ck you caller he hasn’t been office for 100 days yet!
206- exactly… it still pisses me off.. I want them prosecuted… but I think he will get to it in a way that doesn’t destroy his political capital and prevent him from accomplishing anything else… like Clinton and Don’t ask, don’t tell…
Whiner.
That caller gave me a headache.
They haven’t outlawed waterboarding unless they are willing to prosecute. Laws are meaningless without punishment.
Maybe the UN Human rights will do the dirty work for Obama.
Good morning, Star Shines! Hawaii?
I think he almost said, “But its fun.” That’s what this really is.
Tool. Line 1.
Where do these Nazis keep coming from?
did he actually just say that Iraqis don’t care about life… are they not fighting for it…?!?!?!?!?!?! WTF!!!
By the way, who started this “100 day” BS? CNN? Fox? Messes that take years to make do not get solved in 3 months!
#218, word.
so torturing people is NOT providing a recruitment tool for Al-Qeada … right
Amazing all these callers with their torture justifications.
From teabags to torture. What a party!
#223 The woodwerks.
RE: Abu Ghraib, torture:
what kind of example are we setting for future generations?
http://www.charm.net/~profpan/uploaded_images/abughraib-774583.jpg
218- I AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
223 — Born & bred in white, racist Amerikka. 29% of this country supported Bush to the last crispy dregs of his presidency. 29% of our voting-age public is a lot of folks.
225 – That’s right. I usually give a new president a year to get a feel of how he’ll run his administration. After Bush though, maybe that’s where the “100 Days” fever came from.
The pervasive influence of the three right wing college drop outs who dominate talk radio is almost as astounding as the ignorance of those who follow them.
Wasn’t it John McCain who stood on the floor of the Senate and said about the US sanctioning torture: “This isn’t about who they are, it’s about who we are.”
If you watched some of these right wing morons at their tea bagging parties, exhibiting their stupidities and hatred, you can understand what the new Republican “base” is all about.
It’s enough to make your heart ache.
#232 2 out of 7 Americans don’t know their @55 from a hole in the ground.
236 — what makes it so hard for me to take is that these people think they are the mainstream of American thinking, and they’re not so far from wrong…
#234 Well said!
236 – Here’s a tea party we can all appreciate.
http://www.threecupsoftea.com/
237 — exactly. Ignorance, anger and greed are strong driving forces. They hold a lot of sway in this country.
#227, Military Intelligence interrogated people caught in Iraq. A majority of foreign fighters specifically cited torture and Abu Gharib as reasons they took up arms against us in the first place.
If not for Steph there wouldn’t be a demand of boxed wine.
#238 Madduane…what’s the haps????????? These people think they are the mainstream of American thinking because they keep hearing it on the radio…which is 90% right-wing dreck. When people keep listening only to what they want to hear, they tend to think everyone thinks like that.
It’s obvious that these people who want torture haven’t studied what makes America different, it goes back to George Washington who, during the American Revolution did not condone torture: Battle of Princeton, Washington wrote: “Treat them with humanity, and let them have no reason to Complain of our Copying the brutal example of the British Army in their treatment of our unfortunate brethren…. Provide everything necessary for them on the road.”
Will the real Americans please stand up!
Some peoples brains are wired for addiction. Dr. Gupta knows much more about it. And we’re learning about it, right now.
Interesting that Dr. Gupta keeps using alcohol as an example. I think this is an intervention. ProducerChris and Jim are really sneaky.
#245 Great observation, Esther. Even during Gulf War I, Iraqis turned themselves in to American forces (in one case to a pilotless drone) in part because they knew we’d treat them better than Saddam’s loyalists. I don’t think we could expect that behavior after what Bush did.
I dunno, the Right Wing Pride In Ignorance has been developing now for a good 20 years. And it isn’t just ignorance about politics and history. It’s in general, taking pride in NOT having the simplistic grasp on modern science and engineering. Look at the creationists, wanting religion taught as science. And God help us with any emphasis on math, scorned by ignoramuses too unable to balance their own checkbooks..
Don’t get me started (to myself..). Or I may pull a Belushi and fly over backwards in my chair.
Addiction is definitely a disease of the brain – it can be set off by experiences and exacerbated by character defects.
There are specific gene variants that are strongly associated with alcoholism; these same genes are respectively associated with either depression, or aggressive risk-taking anti-social behavior.
Drugs that treat depression are also sometimes very effective in treating alcoholism.
I’m addicted to love.. ;-]
I knew it.
#245, a lot of Washington’s POWs became citizens!
Remember there’s Max addiction too!
Dr. Gupta with the preemptive, I want to spend more time with my family.
Gupta, bless his heart, is totally wrong on health care policy. He might be good for NIH, but a Surgeon General lukewarm on health care reform (and lying about Michael Moore’s advocacy for the same) is a problem.
no frack tard al-Qeada IS a right wing extremist organization
I didn’t hear outrage from Oliver “Iran Contra” North when the Bush Crime Family was targeting the Quakers.
Hamas and Hezbullah have never attacked the US.
(The Lebanon embassy bombing was likely the Iraqi Da’wa party – currently our allies – not Hezbullah, though the latter was scapegoated)
Always impressed that a walking criminal like Oliver North has the gall to criticize anyone on national security.
Yeah Conspiracy Corner!
Thanks PeterW, my thoughts exactly.
#259, barracks, not embassy. My bad.
Gupta, bless his heart, is totally wrong on health care policy. He might be good for NIH, but a Surgeon General lukewarm on health care reform (and lying about Michael Moore’s advocacy for the same) is a problem.
———————————————————————
This is why I’m glad he didn’t take the job.
ProducerChris is in the bathroom puking, right now.
It blisters Fox News butts when someone points out that this feeding of extremo right wing stooges will eventually yields some practical terrorists. It already has, a la Beck and O’Reilly..
Reality stings like heck.
Stop with the insanity and fallacy lust about JFK. Read Posner then just stop. Stop. Stop.
I hear someone screaming in agony. It sounds like ProducerChris.
266 — I wonder if families of victims don’t have some potential claim against those toxic bastids at FNN. Some enterprising Kunstler wannabe ought to look into it.
Had to miss the Sanjaya segment. Did he sing?
Yeah Conspiracy Corner!
———————————————————————
The Conspiracy Corner stool is going to have to be steam cleaned.
Obama in Mexico…yes, we Cancun!
Is that sparta off in the distance?
Had to miss the Sanjaya segment. Did he sing?
———————————————————————
He sang, “I Got You Babe” with Susan Boyle.
267 — Why believe Posner over every other source?
Congress is complicit only morally; legally it has no power other than to legislate and hold hearings for purpose of legislation.
#274 ROFLMAOSCAOMK! (spewing coffee all over my keyboard)
Is that sparta off in the distance?
———————————————————————
We’re approaching sparta faster than it took Steph and Jim to have sex during the commercial break.
I’m not a fan of Nancy Pelosi
Okay stop airing “24″ too many torture secrets are being revealed.
And you know why they waterboard our own troops? To let them know they WILL break, and they don’t need to be ashamed of it. Everyone breaks under waterboarding.
And then they spout fantasies wilder than Tolkien’s to get you to stop.
Is Sparta rearing it’s head over Alaska?
Hawk… it’s floating up there with Putin!
It’s La Nina, La Pinta and the Sparta Maria in the distance!
280 — I speculate that Fox’s rhetoric is a little more explicit — just a little — than the writers for 24.
#282 You bet’cha and also, too!
And I dream SPARTA will come to me,
That we will live the years together,
But there are SPARTAS that cannot be,
And there are storms we cannot weather . . .
In what respect Shaf??
aSPARTAme…the Greeks’ favorite sweetener.
I had to run to the office – on the way back I think I heard Mama say:
Imma-gay-tion?
Thoughts of only allowing gay people into the US . . .
SPARTA soon very soon
Posner is just the simplest … think of his book as an encyclopedia of rational analysis
S -tudly
P -ecks
A -nd
R -eal
T -ight
A -rses
Yeh, get ready for some REAL screaming and gnashing of teeth when the immigration reforms come up.
Sparty in my pant Friday!
Doesn’t Congressman Honda sound like Vito Corleone?
Care for a round of SPARTA?
Raise the roof!
SPARTA and SPARTA and a little more SPARTA!
I will share the spoils of war.
This is SPARTA!
Athens, GA!
Spart-y over here, Spart-y over there! Woop Woop!
DID i GET A SPARTA??
SPARTA!
S
P
A
R
T
A
Sparta?
Spartans do not torture!
*just sayin’*
Iambic spartameter!
So close… yet so far… go Shaf!!
There’s a spart-y in my pants!
Bush, Cheney and the other top cats are the ones who should be in jail for torture.
*snap fingers* Missed it. Shaf you be da Sparta-Man!
Shaf!
Time to build ANOTHER trophy case!
You’re the SPARTA KING!
*bows*
Bangles and beads!
Congrats!
Shaf – I bow again to you — do you have any room left in your Sparta trophy case?
Yay, shāf!
master shāf, #1 in the hood, G!!!
No such thing as too much boxed wine.
Just sayin
My sneak attack didn’t work.
shaf shows us up again. A true warrior.
Any of you see last night’s CSI episode that was all about Star Trek (Astro Quest on the show) fans in the department? I wondered if any of the props and actors came from the Hilton’s now or soon to be defunct Star Trek attraction.
I drink wine coolers, not boxed wine.
Wine box – Juice box for lushes.
#311 I may have to start melting them down. But, I’ll sell the precious metal (or plastic) and give the proceeds to Doctors Without Borders.
#315 Missed it. Maybe it’s on the interwebs?
Regarding the training our troops receive, classmates of Alberto Gonzalez at the Air Force Academy remembered him as enjoying the torture simulations a little TOO much.
Obama made his first serious mistake deciding to drop prosecutions over torture. It’s clear to me that we have intelligence community people being protected but also complacency in Congress on both sides of the aisle. I’d like to see ALL revealed and prosecuted over this crap. And clear that Obama gave in, for serious political reasons.
Our country is not some banana republic (well, at least it wasn’t until George W. Bush took office), and we need to purge ourselves of this sort of behaviour.
314 — You find praying to the pocelain idol a religious experience?
just sayin’.
#318,
Melt them down and make them into cow bells – you can never have enough cow bell.
Hey, it’s my birthday today! Was really hoping to see Cheney and Bush in shackles today, but I guess I’m ok with Fran Drescher instead… Not in shackles, of course, just on Steph… I mean… Um…
Quiet Squeezy!
#322,
Um, yes – I think I do!
lololo
Scott in Burbank!!!
Happy Birthday!
“for he’s a jolly good fellow”
Ricky Martin… hot hot hot!
*fans self like a Southern Belle*
BTW, someday I hope Jim’ Conspiracy Corner addresses the biggest issue before us all . . . how Shaf manages to claim Sparta over and over again.
Altogether now – HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTT! (throwing confetti, launching balloons)
happy birthday, Scott!
party down!
324 — hey, the day’s not over yet! I bet they wouldn’t give any warning they were gonna nab ‘em!
I wish you a happy birthday — may your dearest dreams come true…
You have the audio clips ready. You’re a good boy, Chris. Here’s a beggin’ strip.
In Texas, 31% Say State Has Right to Secede From U.S., But 75% Opt To Stay
Heck maybe Texas will elect a democrat?
*fingers crossed*
#327 – And he manages to look so hot while raising twins.
Woo Hoo! Happy Birthday, Scott!!!!!!
Have a great day, dude.
I voted for Obama but I did hear a little voice in the back of my mind that said. If someone or somthing seems too good to be true it usually is.
Birthy Happday, Scott!
333 — oh, so skeptical of this possible result am I. So many rabid squareheads in that state.
Tom Ridge was a douche.
Hey, I’m a sexist! I practice sexism – I have even been known to go solo once in a while!!
*skates*
ruby ridge was a dupe
“…he shouldn’t be allowed to play with forks, let alone firearms.”
lmao, VoiceDeity Jim!
Speaking of miserable right wing bastards, Tom Delay comes to mind. I saw him on TV yesterday and he still looks like he is made out of wax. What a sorry lump of walking human dung..
I’d like to think that Ralph Peters is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Maybe he’s just a psycho.
“And he manages to look so hot while raising twins.”
Made both your nipples hard?
*skates* (very fast to the box)
#336 Russ, I can disagree with Obama on specific issues, but still say he’s the best President (in my lifetime).
I do not confuse blind loyalty with overall support for the President.
“The first time I had sex, I was terrified. I was alone.” -Rodney Dangerfield
Someone get these muther-f*ckin’ snakes off this muther-f*ckin’ plane!
(Sorry, had to be said!)
Anybody else think that three-hours a day of Rush Limbaugh’s paranoid, anti-president, hate radio puts our soldiers at-risk for being recruited by the right wing radicals?
Steph probably hasn’t even watched the “Dr. Srangelove” DVD I sent her.
#334
something about young fathers taking care of their offspring is hot.
heh heh
#338 I live in Texas (Yankee transplant) and in the last election I heard rumors that thanks to the Repugs’ tactics, Texas may be a blue state in 6 years. It helps that we’re getting tons of transplants from blue states (mostly frozen North residents).
Morning all
Looking forward is all well and good, but it helps to look over your shoulder to see what’s running up to bite you on the a$$.
Considering the mental health and stress issues a soldier faces, there should be NO hate-radio on Armed Forces Radio.
Seriously — while the soldiers were over there fighting. Rush Limbaugh was telling them that half of America (the liberals) love the enemy.
Anybody else think that three-hours a day of Rush Limbaugh’s paranoid, anti-president, hate radio puts our soldiers at-risk for being recruited by the right wing radicals?
———————————————————————
Just because Limpdick’s on armed forces radio, doesn’t mean are soldiers listen to him. A very small percentage, I suspect.
“hate radio puts our soldiers at-risk for being recruited by the right wing radicals?”
The SPLC has been reporting on the recruitment of members of hate groups – neo-Nazi and White power types.
The military has been recruiting gang members and the like.
My point being many were already RWNJ’s and radicals to start with – crazy RW radio only serves to reinforce some of their craziness.
Tim Louise,
If Texas goes blue, will it only be because of Damn Yankees?
Texas was blue, when I was a kid, and it was home-grown back then.
None of those guys left?
I’m listening to Steph’s ad for ASPCA. They’re a worthy organization. I used to be a sponser, but they screwed up my account so often that I had to let it expire. I didn’t how much I was giving them or if they were even receiving it. My suggestion to all of you is one-time donation. Maybe they’ve corrected the problem by now.
352 — Yeah! Colonize Texas!
Shaf I’m waiting to see what comes of this however I view the dem and rep parties to be like a two headed snake that has one body and would never do anything to harm the other head. Out of fear for its own demize.
Tim Louise,
If Texas goes blue, will it only be because of Damn Yankees?
Texas was blue, when I was a kid, and it was home-grown back then.
None of those guys left?
———————————————————————
The Latino immigrants will do more to turn Texas blue, than any of us damn yankees.
Tim, I lived in San Antonio for 18 months in the mid 70s and I liked it. Overall, I respectTexas, and to a huge extent, their image as a collection of right wing dufuses is not reality. However, the right wing dufuses do make their presence known by being overwhelmingly loud about it.
It’s no different wherever the RWNJs are.
Capt,
Thanks for bringing that up — the military certainly isn’t only RWNJ, even if the righties want us to believe so.
But, I’ve long wondered about the role of Right Wing radio on our troops.
As you know, for years, Armed Forces Radio has broadcast Rush Limbaugh.
So, in the fog of war, our troops have been hearing for three-hours a day that Democrats hate the troops. That liberals want the terrorists to win.
That can’t be good.
Interesting talk with Dr. Gupta. However since nuance was
mentioned it would be nice to have Michael Moore as a guest
soon to bring up the reasons he and others could not support
Dr. Gupta’s nomination to be Surgeon General (yes, I know,
Michael Moore has been a guest on the show in the past).
Dr. Gupta from his CNN pulpit make some remarks and spewed
statistics on health care that he still has not apologized for.
Michael Moore where are you?
Many thanks, love all of you far too much.
Steve Ripple
Why is Texas red shrinking?
Because nothing grows under a Bush!
*groan* (old joke)
Norm Coleman doesn’t give a damn about what the people of Minn. want. If he did he would have conceded already.
#349 Tim McVeigh’s “talents” were honed and polished at Ft. Riley Kansas and set in motion by the vet-heavy Michigan militia group that fed his crazy dream. Limbaugh isn’t necessarily the inspiration for these people, but is sorta like an entry drug for some of the RW loons.
Shane-WOW, ever my hero and mentor. Incredible work, as usual!
“That can’t be good.”
And yet – it might have helped make the military donate to Obama like 6:1 over warmonger McCain?
Maybe the best laid plans of mice and men . . . .
The law of unintended consequences?
You can fool some of the troops some of the time . . .
I heard Steph sing the vocal hook from Lene Lovich’s “Lucky Number” just now. Increase in coolness factor? Well, hard to improve on that, but I’d say it doubles.
#358 No…I just said that it helps we’re getting more blues. The poll someone mentioned above is that 3/4 of Texans prefer to stay in the Union. The other 1/4 would like to make everyone believe everyone in Texas is a red state redneck.
Don’t give up on helping Steph, ProducerChris. Dr. Phil would be glad to participate in an intervention.
Shane-WOW, ever my hero and mentor. Incredible work, as usual!
———————————————————————
He really slap-chucked O’Reilly this time.
I’ve seen several medical claims that prove the beaver-carrot relationship! LOL
Oh dear.
Now that you’ve lost most of your investments – “It’s time to invest!”
Weezy’s Movin On Up Cafe is owned and operated by Isabel Sanford’s son in her memory. It’s in Johns Creek, Georgia. It features barbecue and jazz.
“I’ve seen several medical claims that prove the beaver-carrot relationship! LOL”
I thought it was a beaver-stick or the carrot and the stick?
Maybe I’m just stuck on stick!
lol
Hey, everyone (including ProducerChris). This is the first time in months I’ve been able to blog so all I’m getting from the show is what I hear in the Stephcast…what happened to Right Wing World? How come Jim’s bits on the 3rd hour are a repeat of the 1st hour? Just asking…don’t shoot the messenger (ouch! who threw that???).
‘Mornin’
Larry’s waiting for his producers to book Keith Olbermann before he asked Steph to guest host. IN STEPH’S DREAMS!!!!
Tim Louise,
>>#358 No…I just said that it helps we’re getting more blues. The poll someone mentioned above is that 3/4 of Texans prefer to stay in the Union. The other 1/4 would like to make everyone believe everyone in Texas is a red state redneck.
Wowie wow wow!
Are you serious that 1/4 of Texans are anti-Americans? That’s shocking, if true.
“It features barbecue and jazz.”
Chris’ kitty is there?
Wowser that is cool!
(jk)
380- “Maybe I’m just stuck on stick!”
That’s what she said!
Sarah!
Now my morning is complete!
Does Ricky Martin raise your twins too?
lololo
BTW – Paris Hilton’s new signature phrase is “Huge”, drawn out like Trump says it.
Be Nice, Steph…
#384 You should live here…it is shocking, dude. Since I arrived here, there’s always been someone to remind me that the Texas flag is flown at the same height as the US flag because Texas was a nation when it joined the Union so it was a “union of equals”. Every other state’s flag is always flown below the US flag, but nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, not in Texas.
#386,
lololololo
Oh, capt, you are incorrigible. *giggles prettily*
Ashton Kutcher has over one-million Twitter followers, and they’re all Bruce Willis.
Producer Chris twitters are the one’s that count.
I think I still like imma-gay-tion better! It is just more funny!
#392,
Ca penal code #602 – guilty as charged!
demdame-Paris and The Donald sharing a catch-line. hmmmmmm
At least he’s not saying, “It’s HOT.”
Madonna found Jesus? He was on top of the bookcase the whole time. http://icanhascheezburger.com/2009/01/13/funny-pictures-finding-jesus/
nyuk, nyuk
Capt,
I’m not worried about most troops.
But I am worried about a few particularly vulnerable guys. Also, the contractors over there are very poorly vetted and I’ll guess they listen to Rush Limbaugh on American Forces Radio.
I’m concerned because I visualize myself in their shoes. They are extremely stressed, fearful and probably disillusioned.
Then they turn on American Forces Radio and hear Rush Limbaugh tell them that Democrats hate the troops and love the Saddam.
That just can’t be good.
398-That’s a keeper!
388 / 397- She didn’t steal it from Donald… she’s just practicing her only line for her upcoming skin-flick!
Idiot Show? That doesn’t narrow it down much.
Tim Louise,
I was just shocked that 25% of Texans are anti-American. A few don’t shock me — I was raised among Christian fundamentalists and they constantly badmouth America, too).
But 25% want to leave the country? Wow. That’s bad. That’s really really bad.
“That just can’t be good.”
Oh, I do agree and harbor the same feeling and worries but some of those concerns were mitigated by the 6:1 donations thing.
Not that THAT makes it all better or anything.
I think armed forces radio now plays Big Eddie radio(Ed Schultz) too (I think I heard that on his show – I hope it is true)
Dr Gupta did mention a drug used for substance abuse called Naltrexone. I did take this drug for about a month and had severe nightmares and I lost my sence of taste and smell because nothing tasted right.
Darn it! I want to date Stephanie! Chris!
Steph needs more than special lighting. Just break out the veil.
It’s me…Mr. Doom and Gloom again. Stephanie is too easy on Obama. The torture stuff yesterday was really disgusting. If I ever commit a crime, can I use the “Let’s look backward, let’s look forward” defense? I’m going to beat this drum: why isn’t Obama closing Bagram Airbase as he is Gitmo?
Tim Louise,
About the flag thing — that’s interesting.
Maybe the flag burning amendment should also include a flag flying clause. It’s sound like the same sentiment to me.
As for me, I was a Boy Scout and trained to handle it with reverence, not let it touch the ground,e tc.
. So it bothers me when people, often conservatives, wrap themselves in it and use it as a cape.
I’m glad to hear the Hulkster regrets making those comments. If he went off the deep end I couldn’t watch half of the “Wrestlemanias” anymore.
“I lost my sence of taste and smell because nothing tasted right.”
That SUX!
Take away my substance abuse and food and good flavor is all I have left!
I guess I could take up comic books or something. . .
Steve,
It depends on where Obama is going with this.
Traditionally, war-crime prosecutions don’t go for the average guy. Just the ones who engineered and ordered it.
If THAT’S where this is going, I have no criticism of Obama.
I, myself, believe that my civil rights were violated during the Bush Administration but the conservatives, with Obama agreeing, denied me justice or even closure by giving the telecomms immunity.
#408 CORRECTION
Oops…
“Let’s NOT look backward, let’s look forward”
#403 It shouldn’t shock you…that’s about the same percentage that kept saying they approved of Bush no matter what kind of horrible thing happened on his watch because of him. It’s the all-or-nothing mentality, the black-and-white type of thinking that doesn’t allow for grey areas, the either-you-are-with-us-or-you-are-with-the-terrorists mindset.
Darn it! I want to date Stephanie! Chris!
———————————————————————
You do know that you have to marry Liza Minnelli after dating Steph, right?
Okay attention
here is what I’ve been working on for 3 days
So you want a family/friend game night, but “Sorry,” “Life,” & “Monopoly” will make your head esplod
Where’s Frangela?
Is it time for Fran?
Fran is never as nasal as she sounds.
Russ,
If you were using Naltrexone weren’t you abusing other drugs?
How do you know it was the Naltrexone and not the other stuff?
I’m not bickering with you — it’s an honest question.
#417 – I was wondering the same thing.
Aren’t Fran and Steph about the same age? Who is hotter?
417 & 421 – I think Fran D. is taking Frangela’s spot today.
Fran, don’t fool yourself. Gillibrand will clean your clock.
Ron,
I hear what you’re saying. I’ve read the Eichmann trial opinion and many of the arguments and opinion from Nuernberg (the German spelling of Nuremberg). “Following orders” is not a defense is a maxim in humanitarian law. However, Obama is using that exact defense in this case. Perhaps you are right that he is leaving this open to going after the higher ups. We shall see. If he does, BULLY for him. Now, we need to work to impeach Judge Bybee (SP?)
Who doesn’t like a good goose?
*skates*
422- Steph all the way. Though Fran has curves.
Tim Louise,
Well, I’m still shocked. But being pro-Bush is a far different thing than loving Texas more than America.
I’m glad to hear from Fran Drescher, but I’m missing Frangela.
#362, Latinos and young people will make Texas blue. People under 30 in Texas are way more liberal than their parents.
We have Fran…all we need is Angela Merkel and we can have Frangela again…”Fridays with the Chancellor Nanny!”
Steve,
I HOPE Obama has a larger strategy but I’m not convinced of it — that’s for sure.
There aren’t many political upsides with prosecuting the previous administration.
Steph got Fran to do that giggle – funny and scary at the same time.
Did steph think she could fool us by replacing on Fran with Another???
431 – I don’t think Squeezy would get anywhere with a back rub.
Skyhawk,
Fran looks fantastic on TV but I have never seen her without all the makeup, etc.
I’ve always like her looks, even if that voice is like chewing tin foil.
#428 Like I said, you should live here to get the sentiment. Many Texans love Texas more than America and they don’t keep quiet about it either.
Whew, made it back!
#357 capt, #364 Ron McL, #368 scooter, Good points all. There’s a great article on HuffPo on thewhole flap about military background being misused by rightwing extremists; the military itself uses Tim McVeigh as a cautionary tale as part of its training:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-soltz/military-training-on-extr_b_187924.html
And maybe those vets desperate enough to fall in with extremist groups wouldn’t be so vulnerable if we treated our vets better, by processing their benefits faster, providing educational and employment opportunities and addressing mental illness, substance abuse and PTSD, so 150,000 of them wouldn’t be going to bed homeless every night.
http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm
This doctor sounds like that Right Wing treadmill salesman! What’s his name?
Well my substance of abuse is beer. and I did not take any other durgs or drink while using Naltrexone. However I did have these side affects. There is no silver bullet for substance abuse.
#435 McFeelpants would need a uge backrub….uuuuuuuuuuuge, with oils and privacy….oops maybe I said too much.
#393 Liberal Hussein Smurf: “Ashton Kutcher has over one-million Twitter followers, and they’re all Bruce Willis.”
“Did steph think she could fool us by replacing on Fran with Another?”
She knows we can tell the difference – Fran is cool and a good guest but . . .
Reminds me of Jon Stewart’s comment about the GOP electing Steele as their chairman:
“they have to know it isn’t just any black guy?”
438-Excellent point. Our veterans risked their lives so we wouldn’t have to risk our own. Can’t we manage to provide decent healthcare to them? It seems a small thing in response to their great sacrifice.
Here, I Googled a picture of Fran without all the getup–
She seems naturally beautiful.
http://tinyurl.com/c5ewlp
Holy smokes, though. Use your safesearch! There are A LOT of photoshopped XXX Fran pictures
Can’t believe Mama got Fran to say her catch phrase!
Kiss my grits!
Another Franken-Coleman election NY-Style:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/17/jim-tedisco-178-votes-beh_n_188170.html
#444,
We always screw the troops when they come home.
(read about the bonus army . . )
It really sux.
We have to do better and be better with the troops – no matter what.
Dad had any one of pancreatic/lung/bone/prostate or combination of all. Know it was work/environmental and he smoked for a good 30 years. He was 82 and any kind of chemo would have killed him. I knew he waited too long to see an oncologist, and not sure if any medical intervention would have cured him or extended his life.
The right will be back once they come up with a new wedge issue that sticks. People speak of the national debt passed “to our children”. This pales when compared to the future crimes that will be perpetrated
by these people next time around. http://www.almosthomeanimalsanctuaryinc.com
Juliet,
Thanks for the links and the affirmation.
Most people don’t go nuts because of violent or hateful media.
(as THAT media always points out, when defending their crap.)
But it will set-off a few vulnerable individuals.
And those guys can cause LARGE tragedies.
Russ,
Thanks for the clarification. Yeah, it sounds like you have it figured out. Beer surely didn’t make you lose your sense of taste.
That’s a bummer. I hope you’re doing well.
March of the gay penguins
Sorry, I had to go take care of something elsewhere on the net. SOmeone was giving Karla DeVito credit for Ellen Foley’s work, and that CANNOT be allowed.
What are Penguins religion?
Only a few minutes of show left and I have to go
You all have a great and fun weekend and we’ll see you all on Monday (I hope)
Ciao
Russ – ever try Disulfiram (trade name Antabuse)? I have a relative who’s been on it for two years now.
Mel Gibson isn’t going to lose his freedom, but he is going to lose his money in the divorce.
See you Capt.! Have a good weekend!
I just google Kim Kardashian.
Is her butt really all that big? She looks good to me.
But, I wish I had the depilatory contract for the Kardashian family! Every Armenian I knew was super hairy! It must be a full-time job keeping them so smooth!
Have a magnificent weekend capt!
What are Penguins religion?
———————————————————————
Freeze Methodists
A Skank Coulter picture: http://punditkitchen.com/2008/10/28/political-pictures-jp-mcmanus-katchit-hog-spotlight/
“Isn’t that what THEY are all about?”
C’mon Hannity, give an specific example of a lie!
#429 Sarah in Santa Cruz: “I’m glad to hear from Fran Drescher, but I’m missing Frangela.”
Same here. Fran Dreschergela? Though I’m all for CancerShmancer.
#408 Steve Pipenger: “It’s me…Mr. Doom and Gloom again. Stephanie is too easy on Obama. The torture stuff yesterday was really disgusting. If I ever commit a crime, can I use the “Let’s look backward, let’s look forward” defense?”
I’m also torn on this subject. The moral answer is clear: torture should be prosecuted. The problem is, if Obama turns around and prosecutes the Bushies for all the laws they broke, the precedent might be that each administration ties up the former administration in criminal proceedings, perhaps over trivial things or ginned-up charges (extramarital sex in the Oval office?), tying up resources instead of running the government. The chilling effect on anyone willing to hold a government position would itself be a problem.
I hope Obama is playing chess and the release of these documents leads to a groundswell of national disgust (and perhaps a popular will to prosecute THESE guys) and/or international disgust and prosecution for violation of international laws that at least punishes these bad guys by limiting their freedom to travel–could be symbolic, could be more substantial. Dunno.
Sean really needs to replace that stale tic tac he calls a brain.
Sean Hanbag needs a time out.
#453 Thanks!
Have a great weekend, capt!
Jim: “Someone said mattress to Mr. Lambert!”
Now we’ve all got to stand in a bucket and sing “And did those feet in ancient times/walk upon England’s pastures green…”
My favorite Python sketch!
There’s my Hannity moment – urge to squeeze his little pus head until it pops like the zit it is.. Every time I hear his snearing little voice..
Here in Portland, we have invested heavily in mass transit and bike paths.
When gas went up to $5 a gallon, we had options.
Most anti-mass transit towns were screwed.
#468 …with his binky!
Have an awesome weekend, everybody!
High-speed trains! Woo-hoo! I’ll get the leftover donuts and muffins.
And the same to all of you. I hope everyone has fun springtime activities planned… Even those of you who may be in the mids of the big Colorado snow. Here’s hoping it all melts right away!
See you Monday everybody!
I still would like this question answered…this is the first time in months I’ve been able to live-blog so all I’m getting from the show is what I hear in the Stephcast…what happened to Right Wing World? How come Jim’s bits on the 3rd hour are a repeat of the 1st hour?
Thanks for all the great chitchat gang. It’ll last me thru the weekend, but please return on Monday to recharge my batteries.
Bye (waving in all directions).
#432 I guess I understand the “not many political upsides” argument. That’s why we need it through the legal system.
Hasta en Lunes, amigas y amigos. ;->
#478 Tim, I’m sure ProducerChris will correct me, but it seemed that RightWingWorld kinda melted away like the last of snow, maybe because they were playing so many rightwing clips during the rest of the show anyway, or maybe they thought it was too much emphasis, or maybe people who only got that first hour were reeling from the side effects. Toward the end Jim was almost phoning in the intros doing characters that he normally loves, so maybe it was just too dispiriting in general. The repeated bits I think reflect a similar trend–fewer but funnier. Maybe it’s Jim’s schedule, which would undoubtedly kill a lesser soul.
Thanks, Juliet…yes, Jim’s a hard working guy and he only has so much time to work on writing his bits (from one day to the next). I still don’t know how he does it but we certainly appreciate it.