Where better to sell a smear campaign then on ebay! I was looking at the message boards on ebay tonight for an answer to a question I had. (I sell on ebay) I came across this. Seems the whackos are out in full force even on the ebay message boards. There are 1,888 responses to this thread. Pure ignorance………

Hank Williams Jr.
“Family Tradition”

Hey, if it worked for Liebermann. I guess this shows they know they are screwed as a party.
From Politico:

A new playbook for House Republicans urges them to run essentially as independents, showing empathy for voters, emphasizing local issues and ignoring many traditional party campaign practices.

The advice for House candidates is part of an effort to minimize Republican losses in a year when voters are exasperated by the economy, the Iraq war and President Bush:

“Encourage Republican candidates to establish themselves in a personal manner, emphasizing local issues whenever possible.”

“Candidates have to have a positive alternative vis-à-vis their Democratic opponents.”

“Work to develop an issues matrix that is different than in years past and also shows a deep empathy towards the voters.”

The advice, from consultants to the National Republican Congressional Committee, was presented this week to House leaders, including NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.).

The assessment is contained in a 15-point PowerPoint presentation provided to Politico and first reported by David Espo of The Associated Press.

Could Findlay, Ohio be home to the dumbest people on earth?

Racism is bad enough. Being stupid enough to listen to racists and take them at their word is just as bad.

In Flag City USA, False Obama Rumors Are Flying

He believes a smart vote is an American’s greatest responsibility. Which is why his confusion about Barack Obama continues to eat at him.

On the television in his living room, Peterman has watched enough news and campaign advertisements to hear the truth: Sen. Barack Obama, born in Hawaii, is a Christian family man with a track record of public service. But on the Internet, in his grocery store, at his neighbor’s house, at his son’s auto shop, Peterman has also absorbed another version of the Democratic candidate’s background, one that is entirely false: Barack Obama, born in Africa, is a possibly gay Muslim racist who refuses to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

“It’s like you’re hearing about two different men with nothing in common,” Peterman said. “It makes it impossible to figure out what’s true, or what you can believe.”

Mitt Romney, as McCain’s VP? The country’s two biggest flip-flopping liars on the same ticket? It appears they really are hell-bent on following Bush’s lead.

Romney tops McCain veep list

Surprising many Republican insiders, Mitt Romney is at the top of the vice-presidential prospect list for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). But lack of personal chemistry could derail the pick.

“Romney as favorite” is the hot buzz in Republican circles, and top party advisers said the case is compelling.

Campaign insiders say McCain plans to name his running mate very shortly after Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) does, as part of what one campaign planner called a “bounce-mitigation strategy.”

The Democratic convention is in late August, a week ahead of the Republicans convention. That means McCain can size up the opposing ticket before locking in his own.

…for the wealthy. No more waiting in lines at the pump. No more busy highways. Vacation destinations without the riff-raff.

AP-Yahoo News poll: 9 in 10 hit hard by gas prices

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline has stolen a beach vacation in South Carolina from Julie Jacobs’ family and exotic bath washes from Angela Crawford. Phil English had to sell his beloved but fuel-guzzling red pickup.

Like a plague that does not discriminate by economic class, race or age, soaring fuel prices are inflicting pain throughout the U.S. Nine in 10 are expecting the ballooning costs to squeeze them financially over the next half-year, an Associated Press-Yahoo News poll released Monday says.

Nearly half think that hardship will be serious. To cope, most are driving less, easing off the air conditioning and heating at home and cutting corners elsewhere. Half are curtailing vacation plans; nearly as many are considering buying cars that burn less gas.

Amazing story. It’s also amazing we have DADT.

Blind Special Forces soldier: determined to serve

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — When Capt. Ivan Castro joined the Army, he set goals: to jump out of planes, kick in doors and lead soldiers into combat. He achieved them all. Then the mortar round landed five feet away, blasting away his sight. [...]

Not content with just staying in the Army, he is the only blind officer serving in the Special Forces - the small, elite units famed for dropping behind enemy lines on combat missions.

“I am going to push the limits,” said the 40-year-old executive officer at the 7th Special Forces Group’s headquarters company in Fort Bragg. “I don’t want to go to Fort Bragg and show up and sit in an office. I want to work every day and have a mission.”

The Old…….
Louis Jordan
“Ain’t That Just Like a Woman”

and the not quite as old
BB King
“Ain’t That Just Like a Woman”

I love Louis Jordan……. let the good times roll baby!!

Seymour Hersh in the New Yorker:

Late last year, Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, were described in a Presidential Finding signed by Bush, and are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program.

Clandestine operations against Iran are not new. United States Special Operations Forces have been conducting cross-border operations from southern Iraq, with Presidential authorization, since last year. These have included seizing members of Al Quds, the commando arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and taking them to Iraq for interrogation, and the pursuit of “high-value targets” in the President’s war on terror, who may be captured or killed. But the scale and the scope of the operations in Iran, which involve the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), have now been significantly expanded, according to the current and former officials. Many of these activities are not specified in the new Finding, and some congressional leaders have had serious questions about their nature.

Under federal law, a Presidential Finding, which is highly classified, must be issued when a covert intelligence operation gets under way and, at a minimum, must be made known to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and the Senate and to the ranking members of their respective intelligence committees—the so-called Gang of Eight. Money for the operation can then be reprogrammed from previous appropriations, as needed, by the relevant congressional committees, which also can be briefed.

Read more »

Wuerker’s Works

Are members of the Mormon faith about to have a change of heart?

RELATED: How cool is this?

Huge crowds expected for SF gay pride parade

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Huge crowds are expected for San Francisco’s 38th annual gay pride parade as revelers celebrate their newfound freedom to marry.

Sunday’s parade along Market Street may resemble something of a wedding march. The county clerk’s office was busy Friday handing out marriage licenses and handling wedding ceremonies. Same-sex marriage has been legal in California since June 16, after a state Supreme Court decision.

On the downside, rocks and eggs were thrown at people celebrating gay pride in the Czech Republic city of Brno. But, that in itself is a positive… they used to throw hand grenades! (nah, just kidding)

I’m not saying “ALL” Hillary Clinton supporters are overly-zealous mental defects, but…

Vandals tag 60 cars with anti-Obama messages

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Vandals have spray-painted 60 city vehicles in Orlando, Fla., some with messages against Sen. Barack Obama.

The cars were parked across from city hall late Saturday night. Investigators say the culprits tagged notes such as “Obama smokes crack” and a racial epithet. They even left business cards on each vehicle. [...]

The business cards disparage both Obama and Sen. John McCain but have messages of support for Sen. Hillary Clinton.

SUNDAY TALK LINE UP

Meet the Press hosts Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), Dave Freudenthal (D-WY) and Bill Ritter (D-CO), and NBC pol. dir. Chuck Todd.

Face the Nation hosts Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Gen. Wesley Clark. The roundtable is TBD.

This Week hosts MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Ralph Nader, and a roundtable with Nation’s Katrina vanden Heuvel, conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington and National Review’s Byron York.

Fox News Sunday hosts PA Gov. Ed Rendell (D), ex-OMB dir./ex-Rep. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Bob Barr. The “Power Player” is Nathans Restaurant owner/host of the Q & A Cafe Carol Joynt.

Late Edition hosts U.S. Amb. to Iraq Ryan Crocker, Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell, NJ Gov. Jon Corzine (D), LA Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), and a roundtable with CNN’s Ed Henry and Hotline’s Amy Walter.

OTHER WEEKEND SHOWS

Washington Week features New York Times’ Linda Greenhouse and NBC’s Pete Williams examining three decisions handed down by the SCOTUS this week; New York Times’ Peter Baker on Pres. Bush’s decision to lift some trade sanctions against North Korea; and Washington Post’s Shailagh Murray returns from Unity, NH, to report on the first joint campaign rally with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (PBS, FRI, 8pm).

Political Capital features Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) (Bloomberg, FRI, 7:30pm).

This Week in Politics features Dem strategist Hilary Rosen, Dem strategist Donna Brazile, CNN’s Bill Schneider, Washington Post’s Anne Kornblut, radio talk show host Stephanie Miller, Washingtonpost.com’s Chris Cillizza, Time’s Joe Klein and CNN pol. ed. Mark Preston (CNN, SAT 6pm, SUN 2 pm).

Newsmakers hosts Congr. Black Caucus Chair/Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI). She will be questioned by AP’s Jesse Holland and The Hill’s Mike Soraghan (C-SPAN, SUN, 10am/6pm).

Road to the White House features Dem strategist/author Bob Shrum discussing the vetting process for VP candidates, how WH nominees prepare for their convo speech and the fall debates, and his experiences advising WH candidates since ‘72 (C-SPAN, SUN, 6:30pm/9:30 pm).

Chris Matthews Show features NBC’s David Gregory, New York Times’ David Brooks, CNN’s Gloria Borger and BBC’s Katty Kay (NBC, check local listings).

Reliable Sources features New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza, Washington Times’ Christina Bellantoni, Rolling Stone publisher/ed.-in-chief Jann Wenner, political analyst Keli Goff, National Review’s Jonah Goldberg, Buzzmachine.com’s Jeff Jarvis, and TVWorthWatching.com’s David Bianculli (CNN, SUN, 10 am).

GPS features British PM Gordon Brown, The Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland, New York Times’ John Burns and The Times’ Oliver Kamm (CNN, SUN, 1 pm).

Roll Call TV with Robert Traynham features DNC comm. dir. Karen Finney, RNC E-campaign dir. Cyrus Krohn, Roll Call’s David Drucker and Roll Call’s Emily Heil (CN8, The Comcast Network, SUN, 10 pm).

Da Beatles
“Paperback Writer”

From Juan Cole:

Ooops. A US military operation in Karbala province at Janaja resulted in the arrest of one Iraqi and the killing of another. The dead Iraqi is said to be a relative of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The governor of Karbala province, Uqail al-Khazali, complained that the US military had acted unilaterally and had not coordinated with him. (He was probably deeply embarrassed that one of al-Maliki’s kinsmen had been killed on his watch, and wants to make sure to fix the blame where it belongs). Al-Khazali is said to be from the Islamic Mission Party (Da’wa), to which al-Maliki also belongs.

The US had been negotiating a Status of Forces Agreement with al-Maliki, and arguing for the US military to retain the prerogative of launching operations at will and without coordinating with the Iraqi government. If that provision had not already been dead, I think it is now.