ASSOCIATED PRESS: ROCHESTER, Minn. — Al Franken won a resounding endorsement for the U.S. Senate on Saturday from Minnesota Democrats, quickly dispatching with concerns about jokes that offended some and promising a tough challenge to Republican Sen. Norm Coleman.”To the people of Minnesota, let me say this: I’m not a perfect person,” said Franken, a former “Saturday Night Live” writer and performer. “I’m not going to pretend to have all the answers. But I’ll tell the truth, I will keep my spine, and I will work for you.” Franken’s only competitor, college professor and peace activist Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, withdrew after […]
NPR FOR THE DEAF: We Hear It Even When You Can’t
RADIO TIMES Hour 1 Today marks 40 years since the death of Robert F. Kennedy. He was assassinated shortly after midnight on June 5th and died on June 6. His campaign for the presidency in 1968 was considered by many as inspiring and contemporary observers have noted parallels to the candidacy of Barak Obama. Guest host Dave Davies talks about the Robert F. Kennedy’s campaign for the presidency with author THURSTON CLARKE and Penn professor TOM SUGRUE. Listen to this show via Real Audio | mp3 Hour 2 Tune in for a rebroadcast of Dave’s interview about Leni Riefenstahl, the Controversial […]
THE HILLARYCRATS: Still Bitter, But Not Stupid
[Illustration by ALEX FINE w/ apologies to Shep Fairey] BY AMY Z. QUINN I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say Alice Paul, OG suffragist and Jersey Girl nonpareil, would not vote for John McCain as some protest of how the Democratic primary played out. Women’s rights and the struggle against racism were — are — too inextricably linked to think she’d hold a grudge against Barack Obama. Neither should we. Hillary Clinton always said, and I believe her, that she would enthusiastically support the Democratic nominee — even if it wasn’t her. I told someone Wednesday that […]
How Hillary Becomes Chief Justice Of SCOTUS
VIA NEW YORK TIMES: WHEN a majority of Supreme Court justices adopt a manifestly ideological agenda, it plunges the court into the vortex of American politics. If the Roberts court has entered voluntarily what Justice Felix Frankfurter once called the “political thicket,” it may require a political solution to set it straight. When the court overreaches, the Constitution provides checks and balances. In 1805, after persistent political activity by Justice Samuel Chase, Congress responded with its power of impeachment. Chase was acquitted, but never again did he step across the line to mingle law and politics. After the Civil War, […]
WELCOME TO THE OCCUPATION: Leakers Spill The Beans On The Secret Plan To Stay In Iraq Forever
THE INDEPENDENT: A secret deal being negotiated in Baghdad would perpetuate the American military occupation of Iraq indefinitely, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November. The terms of the impending deal, details of which have been leaked to The Independent, are likely to have an explosive political effect in Iraq. Iraqi officials fear that the accord, under which US troops would occupy permanent bases, conduct military operations, arrest Iraqis and enjoy immunity from Iraqi law, will destabilise Iraq’s position in the Middle East and lay the basis for unending conflict in their country. But the accord […]
SURRENDER: Things 2 Do In Denver When You’re Dead
HUFFINGTON POST: The Clinton campaign issued a statement at around 9pm saying they will be hosting an event to announce her support for Sen. Obama on Saturday, as opposed to Friday: Senator Clinton will be hosting an event in Washington, DC to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity. This event will be held on Saturday to accommodate more of Senator Clinton’s supporters who want to attend. Multiple news organizations reported early Wednesday evening that Hillary Clinton is expected to officially suspend her campaign and drop out of the Democratic race on Friday. THE […]
NPR 4 THE DEF: Giving Public Radio Edge Since 2006
My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it. — Ted Kennedy, June 8th, 1968 A BRIEF HISTORY OF AMAZING LETDOWNS: U.S. Counsel (1953-1960) Robert Kennedy joins the Senate Subcommittee on Investigations in 1953 under the tutelage of Sen. Joseph McCarthy. He eventually resigns from the committee over disagreements with Senator McCarthy’s anti-communist campaign against federal officials. Once McCarthy is deposed […]
HELL HATH NO FURY: You’re Damn Right I’m Bitter
[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following views do not represent the views of the Editor.] BY AMY Z. QUINN Yes, it smarts. Yes, I’m angry and disappointed today. And yes, I’ll still vote for Barack Obama in November. But you should understand why I’m not feeling great about it this morning. Now that it’s over, now that everybody’s been able to run their ecstatic headlines, can we all just admit that the MSM and the Yes! We! Can!-crazed online world had a deep desire to see Obama win, if only so everyone can soak in the aura of the New Kennedy or […]
THE NOMINEE: He Is The One
NEW YORK TIMES: Senator Barack Obama secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday evening, prevailing through an epic battle with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in a primary campaign that inspired millions of voters from every corner of America to demand change in Washington. YES. WE. CAN. Congratulations, Mr. President. -Lyrics- It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation. Yes we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom. Yes we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers […]
LIVE & DIRECT: IMing Hillary’s Non-Concession Speech
9:32 PM Amy: HEY I’m twittering hillary’s speech if you want to take it 9:33 PM me: SURE link me Amy: ok she’s starting to speak now twitter.com/amyzquinn 9:34 PM me: mention this http://www.phawker.com/2008/06/03/how-hillary-becomes-chief-justice-of-scotus/ I figured out how to do it 9:35 PM Amy: shh listening me: dick Amy: <3 9:36 PM me: sho shtupid don’t brag about WVA and Kentucky Lord Amy: no you! right because even when she wins it doesn’t count me: blame Harold Ickes 9:37 PM he’s on the rules committee Amy: oh i know me: he’s a dick shtupid primary schedule but Obama’s peeps outhunk […]
PARTY’S OVER: Super Delegates Stampede To Obama
ASSOCIATED PRESS: ATLANTA — Former President Carter said Tuesday he will endorse Democrat Barack Obama after the last two states vote. “The fact is the Obama people already know they have my vote when the polls close tonight,” Carter told The Associated Press after speaking at the Georgia World Congress Center Tuesday afternoon. His comments came as Obama clinched the nomination, according to a tally of convention delegates by The Associated Press. Carter, a superdelegate, has remained officially neutral in the race but has offered strong hints that he would end up in Obama’s corner. He has noted that his […]
BUBBA AGONISTES: Vanity (Un)Fair?
VANITY FAIR: Bill Clinton’s relevance—and his presence in public life—is as close to permanent as any politician’s can be. Before touching off a string of controversies in his wife’s campaign this year, he was among the most popular figures on the planet, one of only three Democratic presidents in the 20th century to serve two full terms. His looming presence will make him a factor in the Democratic vice-presidential sweepstakes, the fall campaign, and every future presidential election of his lifetime, whatever his wife’s fate. I have covered Clinton on and off for 16 years, since his 1992 presidential campaign. […]
MEOW MIX: Mendte, Mendte, Mendte!
My sainted mother, who is an enthusiastic conspiracy theorist, is actually pissed off at Alycia Lane for “having the FBI investigate her email,” thus persecuting poor Larry Mendte for (allegedly) checking her email “hundreds of times” then blabbing her business to the tabs? Hell, if anything, this might be the one thing that will make me actually like Lane, at long last! Because if Mendte was sitting next to Lane on the anchor desk at the same time he was hacking into her email, then he’s a dirtball who deserves what he gets and she goes from bimbo to woman […]