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Stewart blasts Cohen for Nazi comparison

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 21-01-2011

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“You said there’d be a pool!”


Jon Stewart gave Steve Cohen a lesson in rhetoric and in hyperbole last night in condemning the Tennessee Democrat’s use of a Nazi analogy to attack Republicans on the floor of the House this week. Stewart demolishes Cohen’s argument that lying somehow equates to Nazi propaganda, pointing out that lying isn’t what made the Nazis […]

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In talk with Chinese bloggers, official blasts Washington Post item

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 21-01-2011

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A dialogue between two National Security Council officials and Chinese bloggers began — in a glimpse at the universal, flat world of news and blogs — with a question from a blogger about a Washington Post item on White House staffing.

The question, from Michael Anti, a Chinese political blogger, was to NSC China specialist Jeff Bader, and asked him to confirm a Washington Post report that he plans going to leave his post after Hu’s state visit "because of the understandable fatigue caused by working a job that has basically required a 24/7 commitment for almost two years."

Bader answered Anti (around 16:00):

"One of the reasons that we so value freedom of the press in the United States is that when someone writes something foolish, wrong, and stupid, that someone else can correct it, and the Washington Post reference that you mentioned was wrong," he said. "I love my job and I’ll stay here as long as I can."

The whole, long video is worth a watch.





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NYT columnist blasts Left for “witch hunt” after Tucson shooting

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 15-01-2011

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“Any means necessary” fail.


It’s not Ross Douthat or David Brooks, either, but Charles Blow — the same writer who once called black Tea Party activists a “political minstrel show.”  Blow admits that the temptation to lay the blame for the shootings in Tucson on the Right was strong, but that in doing so, and in insisting on sticking […]

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Jeb Bush blasts heated political tone in U.S.

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 14-01-2011

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Coral Gables, Florida (CNN) – Jeb Bush believes that the tone of political debate in America has gotten too hot so he’s urging a “restoration of civility across the board.”

And Bush is critical of those who, he thinks, are unnecessarily firing up heated rhetoric. He’s urging that “leaders have to lead,” though Bush did not name any names.

The younger brother of former President George W. Bush, who’s also mentioned as a possible presidential candidate, made the comments on Friday at the Hispanic Leadership Network Conference. The two-day event is being held in Coral Gables, Florida. Its purpose is to help Republicans court the nation’s Latinos.

Bush is a co-chair of the event. Speaking to reporters, the former Florida governor echoed his recent, public comments about the growing influence of Hispanics in elections. But Bush also veered into the state of political discourse, explaining his long held belief that the atmosphere has grown more and more charged.

“Let me be clear: I don’t think officialdom, in the Republican Party, has a tone problem. It’s voices, not many of them, but loud voices that are picked up – and magnified by our friends in the media – that send that signal,” Bush said.

“The more controversial you are in America – the greater likelihood your voice will be heard.”

Bush later added: “After the incredible tragedy in Tucson, immediately – within 24 hours – there were people on the left and right back to the same fight. Kind of trying to assess blame rather than to mourn for the loss of people.”

“You don’t have to personalize your disagreements with people. You don’t have to tear down the other person. Your ideas should have enough merit to be able to win the day. So I hope that the Tucson experience – the reaction to the reaction – helps us get to a better place politically,” Bush added.

Bush was clear to say that the Tucson shootings were an unfortunate tragedy and no political voices can be blamed for it. This comes as Sarah Palin has been criticized for her political rhetoric and map that used crosshairs to zero-in on political opponents in the recent midterm election which included Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona. Bush told reporters that Palin bears no responsibility for the tragic events in Tucson.

But, while addressing the group attending the Hispanic Leadership Network conference, Bush talked about the responsibility of political figures – and those on TV – who have large followings.

“I have watched television…And sometimes I’m turned off by the tone, even though I agree with the particular view. Leaders have to lead. And that means they have a responsibility of civility, in my opinion, as well as having a tone that draws people towards our cause,” Bush said.


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Sarah Palin Blasts Media For “Blood Libel” Against Her Over Arizona Shootings

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 12-01-2011

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After several days of relative silence in the face of criticism of her and others over “heated rhetoric” and the shootings in Arizona, Sarah Palin took to her Facebook page this morning to mostly blast the media

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (R) released a statement Wednesday morning denouncing efforts to blame her for Saturday’s Tucson shooting rampage.

“Like many, I’ve spent the past few days reflecting on what happened and praying for guidance,” Palin said in a lengthy statement posted on her Facebook page. “After this shocking tragedy, I listened at first puzzled, then with concern, and now with sadness, to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event.”

Palin called efforts to attribute blame for the shooting “reprehensible,” saying that “especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn.”

Without naming him, Palin alluded to Rep. Robert Brady’s (D-Pa.) plan to propose legislation that would make it a federal crime to use language or images that could be interpreted as inciting violence toward members of Congress or federal officials, saying the legislation “would criminalize speech [Brady] found offensive.”

“It is in the hour when our values are challenged that we must remain resolved to protect those values,” Palin said. “Recall how the events of 9-11 challenged our values and we had to fight the tendency to trade our freedoms for perceived security. And so it is today.”

On the whole, I thought that Palin’s statement was fairly good given the circumstances, but her use of the term “blood libel” is likely to become a huge controversy:

Palin’s use of the charged phrase “blood libel” – which refers to the anti-Semitic accusation from the Middle Ages that Jews killed Christian children to use their blood to make matzoh for Passover – touched off an immediate backlash.

“The blood libel is something anti-Semites have historically used in Europe as an excuse to murder Jews – the comparison is stupid. Jews and rational people will find it objectionable,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a New York-based Democratic political consultant and devout Jew. “This will forever link her to the events in Tucson. It deepens the hole she’s already dug for herself… It’s absolutely inappropriate.”

To be fair to Palin, the “blood libel” characterization did not originate with her. Glenn Reynolds wrote a piece in The Wall Street Journal on Monday titled The Arizona Tragedy And The Politics Of Blood Libel, and John Hawyard had a column at Townhall yesterday titled The Giffords Blood Libel Will Fail. However, people aren’t going to focus on what Glenn Reynolds and some guy at TownHall said, they’re going to focus on Sarah Palin, and I’ve got to wonder if Palin really helped herself by picking up such an emotionally charged phrase and using it to portray herself as a victim when the real tragedy is the six dead and 14 wounded people in Arizona. To me, it seems like she is once again playing the victim, something that her supporters will sympathize with but which is unlikely to have much of an impact outside the bubble of Palin Fandom.

Palin’s statement is unlikely to move the needle on public opinion about her in any significant way. Her supporters will love it and will cheer her for standing up to “media bullies. Her critics will use it to criticize her, whether about the “blood libel” comment or something else. And an perusal of the early reaction confirms this.

Mistermix at Balloon Juice doesn’t see anything new:

She claims that debate now is more civil than back when there were duels, and says we can’t be stopped by those who seek to “muzzle dissent by shrill cries of imagined insults”. And, haters, take note: we’re better than “mindless fingerpointing”. When Sarah points her finger, as she does many times in this video, she wants you to know that her mind is fully engaged.

Palin’s toned-down appearance and scripted delivery show that she wants to adopt the appearance of reasonableness, but the message is more-or-less unchanged. The setting is presidential, but the message is classic Palin, lashing back at her critics. She was clearly hoping to show “gravitas”, but that’s more than set dressing.

Ed Morrissey is more complimentary, and thinks Palin said exactly what she needed to in this circumstance:

Palin does an excellent job in making her point without lashing out in anger over the attacks, and underscores the importance of personal responsibility rather than group guilt in a free society, the priority of free speech as an underpinning of democracy, and the determination of Palin and the rest of the conservatives to defend those principles. It’s precisely what Palin needed to say, and precisely the manner and forum in which she needed to say it.

Jonathan Capehart says that the statement shows that Palin doesn’t get it:

Sarah Palin has emerged from the protective cloak of Twitter and e-mails to Glenn Beck to speak directly to the American people about the tragedy in Tucson. In a video, she expresses condolences for the victims’ families and concern for those recovering from Saturday’s horrific events. But for nearly eight defensive minutes, the woman who has been at the center of a stormy national debate over our super-heated political discourse does her best to absolve herself of any role in that discourse.

Yes, as people grappled to make sense of what happened in Tucson, many leapt to early conclusions and pointed fingers before having any facts. Palin is right to bemoan such knee-jerk reactions. But, as I wrote on Monday, that there is no connection between alleged murderer Jared Loughner and the extremes of the Tea Party movement is beside the point. We, as a nation, are finally talking about the troubling tone and tenor of our political discourse over the last two years.

Palin is having none of it.

Like I said, Palin’s words will convince nobody who isn’t already convinced, and I’m not sure that they’re really going to help her all that much if we continue down the road toward a debate about whether the political climate in this country has become too confrontational and vitriolic.

For those of you without Facebook access, here is the full text of Palin’s statement:

Like millions of Americans I learned of the tragic events in Arizona on Saturday, and my heart broke for the innocent victims. No words can fill the hole left by the death of an innocent, but we do mourn for the victims’ families as we express our sympathy.

I agree with the sentiments shared yesterday at the beautiful Catholic mass held in honor of the victims. The mass will hopefully help begin a healing process for the families touched by this tragedy and for our country.

Our exceptional nation, so vibrant with ideas and the passionate exchange and debate of ideas, is a light to the rest of the world. Congresswoman Giffords and her constituents were exercising their right to exchange ideas that day, to celebrate our Republic’s core values and peacefully assemble to petition our government. It’s inexcusable and incomprehensible why a single evil man took the lives of peaceful citizens that day.

There is a bittersweet irony that the strength of the American spirit shines brightest in times of tragedy. We saw that in Arizona. We saw the tenacity of those clinging to life, the compassion of those who kept the victims alive, and the heroism of those who overpowered a deranged gunman.

Like many, I’ve spent the past few days reflecting on what happened and praying for guidance. After this shocking tragedy, I listened at first puzzled, then with concern, and now with sadness, to the irresponsible statements from people attempting to apportion blame for this terrible event.

President Reagan said, “We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.” Acts of monstrous criminality stand on their own. They begin and end with the criminals who commit them, not collectively with all the citizens of a state, not with those who listen to talk radio, not with maps of swing districts used by both sides of the aisle, not with law-abiding citizens who respectfully exercise their First Amendment rights at campaign rallies, not with those who proudly voted in the last election.

The last election was all about taking responsibility for our country’s future. President Obama and I may not agree on everything, but I know he would join me in affirming the health of our democratic process. Two years ago his party was victorious. Last November, the other party won. In both elections the will of the American people was heard, and the peaceful transition of power proved yet again the enduring strength of our Republic.

Vigorous and spirited public debates during elections are among our most cherished traditions. And after the election, we shake hands and get back to work, and often both sides find common ground back in D.C. and elsewhere. If you don’t like a person’s vision for the country, you’re free to debate that vision. If you don’t like their ideas, you’re free to propose better ideas. But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible.

There are those who claim political rhetoric is to blame for the despicable act of this deranged, apparently apolitical criminal. And they claim political debate has somehow gotten more heated just recently. But when was it less heated? Back in those “calm days” when political figures literally settled their differences with dueling pistols? In an ideal world all discourse would be civil and all disagreements cordial. But our Founding Fathers knew they weren’t designing a system for perfect men and women. If men and women were angels, there would be no need for government. Our Founders’ genius was to design a system that helped settle the inevitable conflicts caused by our imperfect passions in civil ways. So, we must condemn violence if our Republic is to endure.

As I said while campaigning for others last March in Arizona during a very heated primary race, “We know violence isn’t the answer. When we ‘take up our arms’, we’re talking about our vote.” Yes, our debates are full of passion, but we settle our political differences respectfully at the ballot box – as we did just two months ago, and as our Republic enables us to do again in the next election, and the next. That’s who we are as Americans and how we were meant to be. Public discourse and debate isn’t a sign of crisis, but of our enduring strength. It is part of why America is exceptional.

No one should be deterred from speaking up and speaking out in peaceful dissent, and we certainly must not be deterred by those who embrace evil and call it good. And we will not be stopped from celebrating the greatness of our country and our foundational freedoms by those who mock its greatness by being intolerant of differing opinion and seeking to muzzle dissent with shrill cries of imagined insults.

Just days before she was shot, Congresswoman Giffords read the First Amendment on the floor of the House. It was a beautiful moment and more than simply “symbolic,” as some claim, to have the Constitution read by our Congress. I am confident she knew that reading our sacred charter of liberty was more than just “symbolic.” But less than a week after Congresswoman Giffords reaffirmed our protected freedoms, another member of Congress announced that he would propose a law that would criminalize speech he found offensive.

It is in the hour when our values are challenged that we must remain resolved to protect those values. Recall how the events of 9-11 challenged our values and we had to fight the tendency to trade our freedoms for perceived security. And so it is today.

Let us honor those precious lives cut short in Tucson by praying for them and their families and by cherishing their memories. Let us pray for the full recovery of the wounded. And let us pray for our country. In times like this we need God’s guidance and the peace He provides. We need strength to not let the random acts of a criminal turn us against ourselves, or weaken our solid foundation, or provide a pretext to stifle debate.

America must be stronger than the evil we saw displayed last week. We are better than the mindless finger-pointing we endured in the wake of the tragedy. We will come out of this stronger and more united in our desire to peacefully engage in the great debates of our time, to respectfully embrace our differences in a positive manner, and to unite in the knowledge that, though our ideas may be different, we must all strive for a better future for our country. May God bless America.

– Sarah Palin




Outside the Beltway

Limbaugh Blasts Media Response to Giffords Shooting, Warns of Regulations on Political Speech

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 11-01-2011

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Rush Limbaugh took to the airwaves Monday to blast the media's response to Saturday's shooting in Tucson, Arizona. In a lengthy segment on the topic, he called the media's reaction "utterly, childishly silly, embarrassing."

Limbaugh went on to speculate that the liberal media will try to use the shooting – and the conservative movement's supposed complicity in it – to silence opposing political views. He echoed a number of points made Monday by NB publisher Brent Bozell, who decried the media's effort to "criminalize" conservative thought.

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NewsBusters.org – Exposing Liberal Media Bias

Allen West blasts congressional colleague Wasserman Schultz

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 10-01-2011

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U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, in a just-finished segment on the Joyce Kaufman radio show, was sharply critical of his fellow Broward colleague, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston.

Wasserman Schultz’ comments, on Sunday’s Meet the Press in the aftermat of the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Az., “just show how low people will go for political opportunism.”

On Meet the Press, Wasserman Schultz referred to Kaufman, who made a much publicized comment that “we’ll use bullets, if ballots don’t work.” Wasserman Schultz also mentioned, without ever saying Kaufman’s or West’s name, that Kaufman nearly became West’s chief of staff.

On her WFTL-AM 850 program on Monday, Kaufman asked West about Wasserman Schultz’ call for toning down such political rhetoric.

He said she’s a poor candidate to make it an issue because, in his view, Wasserman Schultz “incited a political riot and protest outside of my campaign headquarters.”

“If you want to talk about toning down the political rhetoric, you need to look at yourself first and foremost, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz,” West said.

West said President Barack Obama has sometimes used rhetoric that some consider incendiary.

“It’s a sad day in America when we have this type of thing happen and people such as Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz would use it for an opportunity to take a political cheap shot, and I’m just glad that I have more class, more character than she has exhibited,” West said.

West said security needs to be examined, but the shooting wouldn’t deter him from “getting out and being with the people.”

For the record, he added, “I need to let everybody know” that he has a concealed carry permit and owns two handguns.




Broward Politics

Rep. King Blasts Boehner

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 10-01-2011

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Rep. Steve King (R-IA), an immigration hardliner, is wounded after being denied the chairmanship of a subcommittee that handles immigration issues. And in an interview with National Journal, King made it clear who he blames: Speaker John Boehner.

NJ’s Fawn Johnson reports:

“I’m going to be OK with it. I’m going to be OK,” King told National Journal in a 40-minute interview. Even in the wake of the “unbelievably tragic” news of the Arizona massacre, King was obviously still smarting from the subcommittee rebuff. He didn’t mince words in placing the blame directly at House Speaker John Boehner. “The speaker holds the big gavel, and he decides who gets the other gavels,” King said. “It makes it very clear that it’s not a meritocracy.”

The public reason for King’s demotion was a reorganization of the committee. The post was given to Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., a senior member to King who is considered conservative enough on immigration to satisfy tea party Republicans but not as outspoken as King. But it was also clear from GOP aides that House leaders worried about King and his tendency to press on immigration issues that angered more moderate members of his own party.

“John Boehner isn’t very aggressive on immigration,” King said, noting that the GOP “Pledge to America” barely mentions immigration or border security. “It’s the tiniest section,” he said.

Immigration advocates had been steeling themselves for a subcommittee led by a member adamantly opposed to any path to citizenship for illegal immigrations, a representative who has built a model border fence on the House floor and proposed ending automatic citizenship for babies born on U.S. soil. The immigration advocacy group America’s Voice called King an “outlandish and outspoken anti-immigrant zealot.”

King said the public hatred of him by immigrant advocates wasn’t worth his respect or his attention. “It’s the militant left, and I don’t lose one second of sleep,” he said.

See the full story here.

Hotline On Call

On Fox & Friends, MRC’s Bozell Blasts NPR As Part of ‘Intolerant Left’

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 07-01-2011

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Appearing on FNC's Fox & Friends on Friday, NewsBusters publisher and Media Research Center president Brent Bozell reacted to the resignation of National Public Radio executive Ellen Weiss and credited the incoming Republican Congress: "NPR is hearing footsteps, their hearing the footsteps of Republicans, who are saying…what in the world are we doing spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year on this network that is completely unnecessary."

As NewsBusters' Tim Graham earlier reported, an internal review of NPR's firing of news analyst and Fox News contributor Juan Williams led to Weiss being forced out.
        
In addition, Bozell predicted that despite the resignation of Weiss, NPR would soon returned to its biased coverage. He explained: "This is the face of the intolerant left today…these people are utterly intolerant of any position other than their radical agenda and they will kneecap you, including their own, Juan Williams, if you do anything such as appear on Fox News." [Audio available here]

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On Fox & Friends, MRC’s Bozell Blasts NPR As Part of ‘Intolerant Left’

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 07-01-2011

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Appearing on FNC's Fox & Friends on Friday, NewsBusters publisher and Media Research Center president Brent Bozell reacted to the resignation of National Public Radio executive Ellen Weiss and credited the incoming Republican Congress: "NPR is hearing footsteps, their hearing the footsteps of Republicans, who are saying…what in the world are we doing spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year on this network that is completely unnecessary."

As NewsBusters' Tim Graham earlier reported, an internal review of NPR's firing of news analyst and Fox News contributor Juan Williams led to Weiss being forced out.
        
In addition, Bozell predicted that despite the resignation of Weiss, NPR would soon returned to its biased coverage. He explained: "This is the face of the intolerant left today…these people are utterly intolerant of any position other than their radical agenda and they will kneecap you, including their own, Juan Williams, if you do anything such as appear on Fox News." [Audio available here]

View video below

 

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NewsBusters.org – Exposing Liberal Media Bias

On Fox & Friends, MRC’s Bozell Blasts NPR As Part of ‘Intolerant Left’

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 07-01-2011

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Appearing on FNC's Fox & Friends on Friday, NewsBusters publisher and Media Research Center president Brent Bozell reacted to the resignation of National Public Radio executive Ellen Weiss and credited the incoming Republican Congress: "NPR is hearing footsteps, their hearing the footsteps of Republicans, who are saying…what in the world are we doing spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year on this network that is completely unnecessary."

As NewsBusters' Tim Graham earlier reported, an internal review of NPR's firing of news analyst and Fox News contributor Juan Williams led to Weiss being forced out.
        
In addition, Bozell predicted that despite the resignation of Weiss, NPR would soon returned to its biased coverage. He explained: "This is the face of the intolerant left today…these people are utterly intolerant of any position other than their radical agenda and they will kneecap you, including their own, Juan Williams, if you do anything such as appear on Fox News." [Audio available here]

View video below

 

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NewsBusters.org – Exposing Liberal Media Bias

Pelosi blasts ‘hypocrisy’ of new members

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 06-01-2011

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(CNN) – Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is now part of the minority party in Congress, but don’t expect her to be introspective after the November losses.

“I do introspection, I don’t do public introspection,” Pelosi said Thursday on CNN’s “John King, USA.”

But the California Democrat conceded that her party was destined to lose the November elections because of the economy, in spite of their passage of health care and Wall Street reform.

“We still would have lost the election because we had 9 ½ percent unemployment,” Pelosi told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. “That came from the policies of George W. Bush and the Republican’s support for his initiatives.”

She was critical of the new members of Congress who campaigned against the health care law and want to repeal it but are eager to sign up for the coverage they receive under the plan as members of Congress.

“That is hypocrisy,” Pelosi said.

Though she now holds the title of House minority leader, Pelsoi said Democrats will be back.

“I have been the minority leader before, and I put forth a plan for us to win the House for the American people and we succeeded. I know how to do that and we intend to do that again,” Pelosi said. “We’ll be back.”

When asked if she is confident she will be speaker again in two years she said, “It’s not about me. It’s not about me. It’s about President Obama being re-elected; it’s about Democrats talking back control of the House.”

Pelosi said it’s not up to her to dole out advice to new House Speaker John Boehner, but said she wished him success, which is “more than they wished of me.” She also said the next session of Congress is an “opportunity” for Republicans.

“It’s an opportunity because I think as the Republicans now are in office with a Democrat in the White House and the American people see that they’re here for special interests, as their handmaidens, that they’re here for the tax cuts for the wealthy, that’s their job creation initiative,” Pelosi said.


CNN Political Ticker

MoveOn blasts Daley

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 06-01-2011

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The first day’s reactions are like clockwork:

Statement by Justin Ruben, Executive Director of MoveOn.org:

With Wall Street reporting record profits while middle class Americans continue to struggle in a deep recession, the announcement that William Daley, who has close ties to the Big Banks and Big Business, will now lead the White House staff is troubling and sends the wrong message to the American people.

Americans are looking to the White House for economic plans that will create jobs and reign in Wall Street’s excesses, and it’s up to Daley to prove that he’s not carrying water in the White House for the big banks that took our economy over the cliff. As the President continues to reshuffle his staff, particularly his economic team, it is now more important than ever that he focuses on rebuilding a middle class and developing policies that create more jobs on Main Street, not on Wall Street.





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Political Circus: Roseanne blasts Palin

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 05-01-2011

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Washington (CNN) – Politics is serious business, but not all of the time. From the halls of Congress to the campaign trail to the international stage, there’s always something that gets a laugh or a second glance.

From the ‘Nut Farm’

Roseanne Barr – comedian, author, political activist and former star of the hit television sitcom “Roseanne” – took shots at former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin during an interview about her new book on ABC’s “Nightline” on Tuesday.
Full Story


CNN Political Ticker

NY Post blasts Bloomberg

Posted by admin | Posted in The Capitol | Posted on 03-01-2011

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I claim no knowledge of how Rupert Murdoch’s warm relationship with Mike Bloomberg deteriorated — this probably didn’t help  – but the New York Post opinion pages, while not always dictated by the boss, are certainly within Murdoch’s sphere of influence, and today’s column by editorial page editor Bob McManus is truly scathing:

Mike Bloomberg was off trash talking Democratic/Republican rancor, he lost control of the New York City Department of Sanitation.

Snowstorms are among that department’s responsibilities — and it hasn’t been so overmatched by Mother Nature since John V. Lindsay was mayor.

There was a spectacular failure of field leadership last week. Supervisors couldn’t — some just wouldn’t — put down spot mutinies all over Brooklyn and Queens. The results were lethal.

Bloomberg should fire John Doherty, the sanitation commissioner, but he won’t — just as he refused to fire Nick Scopetta as fire commissioner after gross management failures at the FDNY conspired to kill two firefighters at the old Deutsche Bank building three years ago.

In Mike’s World, a fired commissioner would be a public confession that the mayor him self has failed. But last week’s mess owns Mike Bloomberg. The label "failure" is stamped squarely in the middle of his forehead. The fact that Manhattan bike lanes had been hand shoveled clear to the pavement before a lot of outerborough avenues had seen their first plow demonstrates yet again that Bloomberg has lost interest in core mayoral duties — as if more evidence is necessary.

Either the mayor is bored (again), or he has decided that the frictions created by vigorous leadership might generate too much heat for his on-again, off-again (but eternally quixotic) national ambitions.

These issues, curiously, didn’t come up when the paper (and the Times, also now hammering Bloomberg) endorsed his move to cancel term limits on the grounds that he was the indispensible man. 





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