Buck Naked Politics

Another Whistle Blower Says Telecom has Domestic-Spying System

Democracy Now reports:

"Babak Pasdar is a computer security expert who was hired in 2003 to help restructure the tech infrastructure at a major wireless telecommunications company. What he found shocked him.

"The company had set up a system that gave a third party, presumably a governmental entity, access to every communication coming through that company’s infrastructure. This means every email, internet use, document transmission, video, text message, as well as the ability to listen to and record any phone call."

Obama Critic Quits Radio Show Over Hatred?

by D. Cupples |   Apparently, African American radio commentator Tavis Smiley (a critic of Barack Obama) has gotten such negative responses from Obama-supporting listeners, that he is cutting his ties with the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show.  Today's Washington Post reports:

"Smiley has taken on Obama in a series of commentaries that began as the Democrat from Illinois emerged as the party's front-runner for the presidential nomination in early January. Days after Obama's win in the Iowa caucus, Smiley warned on Joyner's show:

'Don't fall so madly in love [with Obama] that you surrender your power to hold people accountable. . . . I'm not saying overlook Senator Obama, but you now better be ready to look him over.'

Those types of comments seemed to set listeners off and resulted in hate mail. 

Bush's Newest Domestic Spying Program

by D. Cupples |   If President Nixon's staffers had access to our technology, they wouldn't have sent five guys to break into and tap the phones in the Democratic Party's offices at the Watergate complex.  And we likely wouldn't have learned of the Nixon Administration's violations of law and abuses of power.

That said, the Bush Administration seeks to greatly expand its domestic spying powers -- without having satisfied Congress as to procedures and safeguards.  The Washington Post reports:

Obama on Pennsylvanians: Just Words -- but the Wrong Ones

by D. Cupples |   I doubt he meant to insult anyone, but he likely did.  At a fund raiser last week, while talking to wealthy potential donors in San Francisco, Sen. Barack Obama said this (in part):

"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them....

And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." (Huffington Post via Memeorandum)

Perhaps Sen. Obama should have been a tad more flattering toward the people whose state primary is less than two weeks away.  Given the Reverend Wright flare up last month, perhaps it would be prudent for Obama to refrain from saying things like "religion" and "antipathy to people who aren't like them" in the same sentence.

Protest Against Media Bias a Success

by D. Cupples |  It was scheduled for 8 am on Friday, when most people had to work. The people at an online forum of Hillary Clinton supporters had very little time to organize it, and they didn't have a promotional budget -- no radio, TV, or newspaper ads.  They largely relied on blogs, emails, and word of mouth.

The result: a diverse crowd of about 150 people gathered near Rockefeller Plaza, armed with signs and petitions, to peacefully protest voter suppression and the pro-Obama (or anti-Hillary) media bias that seems to have become commonplace during this presidential primary season.  The protesters managed to get nearly 200 passersby to sign petitions.

HIllary Gets 270+ Endorsements from Officials in PA

Pennsylvania seems to really, really likes Hillary Clinton:

"Pennsylvania for Hillary today announced over 270 local elected officials from across the Keystone State endorsed Hillary for President.

"These local level endorsements include leaders such as members of congress, city council members, county commissioners, state representatives, and state committee members, and demonstrate Hillary’s momentum and support in the Keystone State."

You can see the list here.

10 More Dead in Iraq; What Does This Say About Us? (John Cole Discusses)

by D. Cupples |   The Washington Post reports:

"The U.S. Military said it fired two Hellfire missiles just before 10 a.m. [yesterday] after spotting fighters in Sadr City with at least five rockets. Officials said another missile was fired a few minutes later at a black sedan near a rocket launch site.

"Ten people were killed and 22 wounded in Sadr City on Thursday and late Wednesday night, according to the Sadr office in the area, which did not specify how many people were killed in the airstrikes."

So far this month, 18 U.S. troops have died in Iraq.  John Cole offers interesting commentary on the political implications of the war:

Sources Tell ABC News: Bush Administration Officials Participated in War Crimes

Posted by Damozel | Did anyone ever doubt that certain top administration officials were involved every step of the way in authorizing the interrogation techniques used on al-Qaeda?  Most of the people I know certainly thought so. 

Everyone, in fact, except my mom.  So I am not surprised, though somehow I am quite shocked.  There is quite a bit of difference between 'knowing' and knowing.  And now the 'highly placed sources' have come out of the woodwork.  What took you so long, highly placed sources?

Indiana School Allowed Obama but Not Hillary to Speak?

by D. Cupples |   Wednesday night, Sen. Barack Obama spoke at Washington High School in South Bend, Indiana.  Hillary Clinton had sought to hold a town hall meeting at that same high school some weeks ago.  Her request was denied.  On March 27, the Associated Press reported:

"School officials say Clinton’s visit would have interfered with the school day. They also worried that the visit would give the impression the district was endorsing Clinton."

When Sen. Barack Obama spoke at that same school on Wednesday night, he was introduced and endorsed by Congressman Tim Roemer and South Bend Mayor Steve Luecke.  This likely confused 3,500 South Bend residents about the school district's neutrality.

If all else fails, the Democratic Party could simply fold its arms and blink its eyes and wish for party unity.

H.U.D. Anniversary and Film Screening

D. Cupples | In celebration of the 40^th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, documentary film -- Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story -- will close the US Housing and Urban Development Policy Conference in Atlanta on April 11, 2008.

Having watched it on DVD, I'm not surprised that the film has been generating so much interest. Bill Kavanagh, Brick by Brick's director, commented:

"I hoped a film could explore how and why communities evade federal laws designed to end housing discrimination. For years, the city of Yonkers, New York had done this— and by studying its history, I thought a film could illustrate the political mechanics of housing discrimination and the often-related educational segregation that follows it."

If you can't make the Atlanta screening, you can order the DVD here and see the screenings schedule here. 

Jon Stewart: Obama Wins 'Dick Move of the Week'

Market Musings

posted by Chris |  The first quarter of 2008 has mercifully come to a close with the S&P 500 posting a 10% loss. Much to our chagrin we have experienced back-to-back negative quarters with the 4^th quarter of 2007 losing approximately 5%. 

Indeed the bull market that we enjoyed didn’t end with the classic large cap stock run up and along with profound investor glee, but rather with multiple shocks coming from the catastrophe that is the credit markets.

Elton John on the Hillary-Baiters: "I Say to Hell with Them"

Posted by Damozel | I wish I could have been there.

Inside, Bill Clinton introduced his wife, thanked the packed house for contributions to keep the race going, and asked for more, to shouts of "We miss you, Bill."

"If you know anybody who didn’t come here tonight who could send some money over the Internet …," he said.

Camille Paglia -- "Pumping and Pumping Her Narcissistic Bellows Like a Steam Engine" -- Holds Forth Some More About Hillary

Posted by Damozel | Back in the Eighties, I was an overwrought, culture-bitten little geek who not only read Camille Paglia's Sexual Personae cover to cover in one day, but carried it with me everywhere I went for months afterward.  I can't remember what eventually replaced it, but something else must have.  Something always does when you're that age.

Nowadays, Salon publishes Paglia's thoughts from time to time, including her thoughts on the Clintons, whom she despises.  At the end of one of her current diatribes, she says (with a blithe absence of self-awareness):

The Administration's Secret Plans for A Lasting US Presence in Iraq

Posted by Damozel | Color me surprised. The Guardian somehow got hold of the memo:

The draft strategic framework agreement between the US and Iraqi governments, dated March 7 and marked "secret" and "sensitive", is intended to replace the existing UN mandate and authorises the US to "conduct military operations in Iraq and to detain individuals when necessary for imperative reasons of security" without time limit. 

Petraeus Speaks about War (but not the 190,000 Weapons Lost in Iraq)

by D. Cupples |   I know.  It wasn't the point of yesterday's Senate hearings, but I still want to know how those 190,000 U.S. weapons (nearly 30% of the weapons we provided to Iraq). Let's hope they didn't end up in enemy hands. 

We first learned about the lost weapons in August.  General David Petraeus, who was in charge of arming and training Iraqis in 2005-05 (when the weapons disappeared) chalked it up to clerical errors.

Anyway, Gen. Petraeus reported yesterday to the Senate on progress in Iraq.  Similar to his September report, he said that progress is "fragile and reversible."  In other words, the Bush Administration hasn't wasted lives or tax dollars on this war, but we still need more of both.

Hillary Nails it on Iraqi Oil Allocation

by D. Cupples |   As well as troop-withdrawal, Sen. Hillary Clinton discusses in the video clip below a crucial issue relating to stability in Iraq: allocation of the Iraqis' oil (about 4 minutes into it).  In a bipartisan effort with Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Hillary has tried since 2003 to persuade the Bush Administration support an oil trust.

The banter between Hillary and host Joe Scarborough is reason enough to watch the video clip.
 

ABC Slants Soldiers' Support for Presidential Candidates

by D. Cupples |   Apparently, it's media-bias day at BN-Politics.  Some media outlets don't even try to hide the fact that they've unofficially joined the Obama campaign. Some are more subtle: instead of worshiping Obama or trashing Hillary, they merely present or omit "facts" in a way that gives a vague impression.

Case in point: last night, a segment on ABC News discussed which presidential candidate some soldiers in Iraq are supporting.  The segment started with a soldier who supports Barack Obama then showed a few brief comments from other soldiers: as I recall, more than one support Obama, and more than one support Hillary.

This morning, ABC's Internet version of the story gives a different impression.

Who Will Fact Check the Fact Checkers?: Media's Clinton 'Storyline' Revealed

Posted by Damozel | So you think Hillary supporters are just whining when we complain about the way the media twist and distort the facts reality-show style to cast her at every turn as the villain?

Let's consider the latest media allegations against her:  that Hillary misrepresented the facts concerning the death of a young pregnant woman from Ohio whom Hillary alleged had died as a result of being unable to pay for necessary medical care. .In fact, Clinton was relaying the facts correctly; she just hadn't been told all the details. And in fact, the details didn't really matter to the point she was trying to make.  

There is some satisfaction, though not nearly eniugh, in seeing that the journalist who helped set the story in motion forced to set the record straight.

Hillary Picks up Another Super-Delegate

by D. Cupples |   MyDD reports:

"Land Commissioner Mark Wilcox, who was selected last month as the Arkansas Democratic Party's last remaining superdelegate to the national convention, said Monday he's supporting the New York senator."

It seems that every time a super-delegate comes out for Obama, the media celebrates with great fanfare.  It'll be interesting to see what sort of media coverage Mr. Wilcox's decision gets.