Buck Naked Politics

Siegelman on the Scrushy Donation

Six weeks after CBS's 60 Minutes did a story on the questionable prosecution of Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, an appellate court released Siegelman from prison pending appeal.  He was in prison since 2006.  Below is a clip of Siegelman's discussion about the $500,000 donation from Richard Scrushy to a state lottery campaign.  Scushy, the former head of HealthSouth, is still in prison, I believe.

FIGHT BACK FOR HILLARY

Posted by Damozel | I just had to add a word of my own here:  this video rocks. If you weren't quite sure of the sexism and gender bias of the American media, this should tilt the scales.  But it ends on a truly uplifting note.

As Hillary says, "This one is for you!"  And as Maya Angelou says, "Rise, Hillary.  Rise."

Protest re: Media Bias in NYC this Friday

by D. Cupples |  Talk about coincidence.  Just after posting a piece on media bias and the smack down that will (I hope) come, I stumbled upon a post at No Quarter about a protest at Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, scheduled for April 11 at 8 am.  (NBC's headquarters are in Rockefeller Center). Details are here.  If you wonder what people mean by "media bias," see the video clip below (from TalkLeft  via Memeorandum).

The group organizing the protest is not affiliated with Hillary Clinton but does support her.  The group doesn't mind pro-Clinton signs but does not welcome anti-Obama or anti-McCain signs.  It'll be interesting to see which mainstream media outlets cover this event.

Surge Still "Working": Five More U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq

While certain U.S. officials lauded the success of President Bush's surge strategy, The Los Angeles Times reported the following yesterday:

"Rocket attacks killed three American soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday, while fighting between Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr's Mahdi Army militia and U.S.-led forces paralyzed the capital's Sadr City neighborhood and left up to 22 Iraqis dead.

Media Bias Bigger than Presidential Race: Smack Down is Overdue

by D. Cupples |  Reportedly, 150 bloggers recently met in Philadelphia to brainstorm over how to combat anticipated media bias toward John McCain (i.e., against the Democratic nominee in the fall). 

Their fears are reasonable.  Since January, many media have campaigned for Barack Obama or against Hillary Clinton (though, relatively few people cried foul).  This media bias is not a figment of Hillary supporters' imaginations.

In Illinois, Religious Legislator Blasts Atheist Activist

Posted by Damozel | Eric Zorn of  The Chicago Tribune reports:

Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) interrupted atheist activist Rob Sherman during his testimony Wednesday afternoon before the House State Government Administration Committee in Springfield and told him, "What you have to spew and spread is extremely dangerous . . . it's dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!

"This is the Land of Lincoln where people believe in God," Davis said. "Get out of that seat . . . You have no right to be here! We believe in something. You believe in destroying! You believe in destroying what this state was built upon."

Apparently it's still open season on some views of God.

TPM: Will Hillary Put Mark Penn Out to Pasture or Just Geld Him?

Posted by Damozel | Meanwhile, the tragic decline of progressive values continues apace. 

Of Mark Penn's release from his campaign strategy obligations, Josh Marshall asks:  "FULL FIRING?  OR JUST GELDED?"   Yes, because that's how ruthless bitches do it when they go to town on male minions who get above themselves:  firing or gelding.  There's no arrogance a good either one of those won't cure.  Care for a round of 'which would you rather,' guys?

Melissa McEwan at Shakesville has included this reference #76   in her ongoing feature "Hillary Sexism Watch: Castrating Bitch Edition."  

Clinton Strategist Mark Penn's Stumbles Finally Lead to a Fall

Posted by Damozel | As I haven't been at all impressed with her campaign strategy---while exceedingly impressed with Hillary---I'm afraid I can't muster anything over this except a sigh of "About damn time."  And that's assuming that it isn't in fact too late:

Mark Penn, the strategist with near-total control over Hillary Clinton's campaign message and strategy since its inception, left the campaign under pressure, her campaign announced on Sunday night....Penn has been a controversial figure throughout the campaign, alienating colleagues with his brusque manner and pursuing a strategy emphasizing Clinton's toughness, experience, and electability, at a time when most analysts in both parties see an electorate demanding change....The campaign statement simply said, ""After the events of the last few days, Mark Penn has asked to give up his role as Chief Strategist of the Clinton Campaign." (Time)

Everyone seems to agree with Halperin that  it's not possible to overstate "how fundamental a change this represents in Clinton's campaign," given the level of Penn's autonomy and control. (Time) 

Condi Rice Wants to be Vice President?

by D. Cupples |  According to ABC News, a Republican strategist thinks Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is actively courting John McCain in hopes of being chosen as his running mate.  Two words keep looping like computer code in my mind: "mushroom" and "cloud."

Secretary Rice did, after all, make a (false) case for invading Iraq.  When arguing back in 2002 that Saddam Hussein really did have strong nuclear-weapons capabilities, Rice made this now-infamous statement:

Bush to Deploy More Troops to Afghanistan: is a Draft Ultimately Coming?

by D. Cupples |  President Bush told a NATO summit that he plans to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan.  Perhaps the Commander in Chief will simply move troops from Iraq. Perhaps our armed forces will just have to materialize more troops out of the air we breathe.  Then again, a draft may be on the horizon.

Or maybe our politicians will allow our nation's economy and employment situation to remain dismal -- thus giving many young people little choice about how they can feed themselves and build a future aside from joining the military.   The Los Angeles Times reports:

Hugh Hewitt on Hillary's Bookbag---Wry Witticism or Sad Lack of Life Experience?

Posted by Damozel | HERE IS  MY ORIGINAL COMMENT:

In other news, Hugh Hewitt and the people who listen to him think that Hillary might have been LYING in a speech where she described her reaction to hearing of the death of MLK, since she mentions throwing her bookbag across the room and wearing a black armband in a protest march.(Instaputz)  And why?

Listeners are e-mailing skepticism about their being bookbags and arm bands in 1968. I have no opinion, being 12 at the time. E-mail evidence to [email protected]. (Hugh Hewitt as quoted in Instaputz)

Wow.  Here is an insight into the average age, or perhaps---though I don't wish to be unkind--- the average IQ, of Hewitt's listeners.  As for Hewitt, I don't know what to say.  As I said, I don't wish to be unkind. 

Shortage of Primary Care Providers Proves an Obstacle to Universal Coverage

Posted by Damozel

“It is a fundamental truth — which we are learning the hard way in Massachusetts — that comprehensive health care reform cannot work without appropriate access to primary care physicians and providers,” Dr. Bruce Auerbach, the president-elect of the Massachusetts Medical Society, told Congress in February. (NYT)

You think?  Well, naturally it would be.  And one reason it's a problem is because medical specialists have more 'prestige' among their kind than the average family practictioner, and make much, much more money. 

State Dept. to Renew Blackwater's Contract?

by D. Cupples |   To say that security contractor Blackwater is "troubled" is a polite understatement.  Among other things, the company became rock-star-famous in September after its guards allegedly shot 17 civilians in Iraq.

The House Oversight Committee received reports that Blackwater contractors might have essentially stolen an Iraqi military plane.  The Justice Department was investigating Blackwater for alleged illegal gun smuggling.  Then there's the issue of cost: in some cases, Blackwater paid its guards $600 a day but billed us taxpayers $1200 a day.  Wouldn't it be cheaper for the State Department to directly hire those same guards for $600 a day?

All that said, the State Department has decided to renew Blackwater's contract(s).  The Associated Press reports:

Hillary Nails it on Education after Speech about Dr. King

by D. Cupples |  I was impressed, not only by Sen. Hillary Clinton's demonstrably solid grasp of our nation's education situation (read, "crisis"), but also by CNN's having stuck with substantive issues when interviewing Hillary.  It's refreshing, given how certain other mainstream media are covering the Democratic primaries. 

Good job, CNN!   And thanks to No Quarter for pointing out the video clip below.  The interview took place after Hillary spoke in Memphis about the fortieth anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination.

Donors Demand Refunds from DNC over Florida & Michigan

  The Hotline blog at National Journal reports:

"A Democratic source tells On Call that the Democratic National Committee is returning as much as $175K to donors dismayed with the party's handling of the Florida and Michigan primaries. My source says the exact amount will be reported in the April 20 FEC filing.

"UPDATE: A DNC spokeswoman is confirming that the party is returning money, totaling $45K, to three donors. Details will indeed be reported in that April 20 filing. All three are FL donors upset with the ongoing debate about how and if the state's votes and delegates will be counted."

What a fine example of "voting with one's pocketbook"!  The drop from $175,000 to $45,000 is disappointing, but perhaps waves disgruntled Democrats who don't appreciate the willful disenfranchisement of two states will do likewise.  Memeorandum has commentary.