Fox News has been making a serious charge about mainstream political reporters: They hate Sarah Palin. This is not just wrong, it’s absurd. The reality is exactly the opposite: We love Palin. And if Palin does not exactly love us, she’s smart enough to recognize how quickly reporters devour every provocative remark she utters. She knows how to exploit our weakness to guarantee herself exposure far out of proportion to her actual influence in Republican politics. – Why the mainstream media loves Sarah Palin
The level of dissatisfaction with both political parties — and the fact that 56 percent of Americans in the poll want a smaller government — suggests that the Tea Party movement has an opportunity to draw more support. The poll found that 51 percent of Americans now view the Democratic Party unfavorably, nearly matching the highest in the history of the Times/CBS News poll. At the same time, 57 percent have an unfavorable view of the Republican Party. – Poll Finds Edge for Obama Over G.O.P. Among the Public
The lesser of two incompetent equals, that’s where Democrats are today, but at least they’re not Republicans.
Pres. Obama also confronted Sen. Mitch McConnell with a simple promise. Stuck between reality and looking like an ass for losing anyway, the Senate minority leader proved why it’s still good to be president.
At a White House meeting with bipartisan congressional leaders on Tuesday, Obama warned that he would make recess appointments if the logjam over nominees wasn’t broken before the Senate left for the Presidents’ Day break.
“Mitch, this is unprecedented,” the president said, gesturing forcefully on the Cabinet Room table, according to aides. “If you don’t move any, I’m going to do some [recess] appointments.”
Why the mainstream media loves Sarah Palin is a fun read by the top honchos over at Politico. Though I wouldn’t say that “love” has translated to positive press, it’s just that Palin is good for business. But their post goes nicely with my post at the top of HuffPo’s Sarah Palin page, “Underestimating Sarah.” Comments appreciated if you feel so inclined.
Politico runs a bizarre headline about Pelosi and Obama that reads: Family feud: Nancy Pelosi at odds with President Obama. This seems overwrought by two, because Speaker Pelosi has always been Obama’s cudgel, going so far as to cave on women’s civil rights on health care on a bill that was too cumbersome to ever get passed a very cautious upper chamber. Anyway, here’s a snippet of the Mike Allen piece:
Earlier this month, Pelosi criticized the president’s State of the Union call to exempt defense spending from a budget freeze. And in a White House meeting with leaders of both parties this week, she questioned the effectiveness of his plan to give small businesses tax breaks to hire workers.
“What you’re seeing now in public has been building in private,” said a top House Democratic official. “House members did their work — they did everything the president asked of them. And it gets stuck in the Senate. Or the Senate screws it up.”
Though Pelosi and other House Democrats have made it clear that they’re angry with the Senate, they’re also frustrated with the president, upset that he hasn’t come to terms with the problems of getting legislation through the upper chamber — or done enough to overcome them.
Pelosi will walk with Obama on all things, as she’s got no popularity or leverage from which to pull without him. The American people simply hate Congress, with Pelosi and Reid and the top of their list.
Good news about Pres. Bill Clinton, who’s out of the hospital and home today. His doctor said that he’s been true to his exercise and diet regimen, with the original bypass “pristine,” all very good news, with the stents nothing out of the ordinary. However, Michelle Malkin used the opportunity to exhibit stupid, relating it to “Demcare” and threats to innovation.
Pres. Obama will help select the location of the KSM trial.
Meanwhile, about that little country called Iraq, Marc Lynch reminds us all that it’s still a mess.
…and Greg Sargent put the video of the day up from “Morning Joe,” where a Bushie, Marc Thiessen actual tries to float that the Bush White House “didn’t even know who hit us” on 9/11. WHAAATTTT??? That’s an unmitigated lie. CIA Directory George Tenet said upon finding out about the hit that it was Al Qaeda. Pres. Bill Clinton’s team warned the Bush administration upon the changing of the commander in chiefs, but Anything But Clinton was in place, so they ignored it; not to mention they demoted Richard Clarke, the smartest guy on terrorism in government, taking away his Cabinet level access. Thiessen’s drivel was quite a moment. Wherein Lawrence O’Donnell’s head exploded. Priceless TV.
The floor’s yours, wide open debate on whatever is in the news.
This post has been updated.
Lawrence O’Donnell was not pulling any punches this morning. Quite a sight to see.Earlier he went after the Republican running for Dodd’s seat in CT. Joe who does not agree with O’Donnell on much always makes sure to call him crazy before he comes on to set the frame. I get annoyed with him sometimes but it is nice to see a Dem with backbone.
Heya LakeLady. On national security, but terrorism especially, Dems shouldn’t take any crap from the Bushies. That’s a line in the sand for me, where it’s *very* easy to get me riled up.
“The level of dissatisfaction with both political parties — and the fact that 56 percent of Americans in the poll want a smaller government — suggests that the Tea Party movement has an opportunity to draw more support.”
Oh BALLS. Anyone who spends more then TEN SECONDS around a bunch of teabaggers sees a bunch of folks who refuse to recognize the legitimacy of President Obama’s birth certificate, citizenship and election as President. Then there are the outright racists and the Uberpatriots running around with their guns and confeterate flags along with all those cute signs. Though they have lately been censoring some of their signs whenever they think TV will be around. The teabaggers are a minority of a minority and won’t grow much more because even the repugnantklan is horrified at the bunch of yahoos gathered under their teabag decorated hats and signs.
It is not in doubt that a section of the Tea Party crew are as you suggest, secularh. But believe it or not there is a lot of evidence that there are others who are basically intent to cut government down to a nub, reduce spending by whatever means, with social issues not part of the equation.
Why, then, has the South Carolina Republican Party officially formed an alliance with the Tea Party of South Carolina? The South Carolina Republican Party doesn’t appear to be afraid of them? Or are they just coopting them? Like in birds of a feather stick together. Peace
Excellent point, Imhotep. Answer: the GOP would be DOA without Tea Party enthusiasm, which is the only place there is any.
Well also…we are talking about South Carolina with their own unique brand of politics.
Apparently, according to his soon to be ex wife governor Sanford is a frugal in his life as he is in government,making her return a diamond necklace he gave her for Valentines because he did not think it worth what he paid for it.What a guy!
Insomuch as Republican Dick Army was the original driving force behind the Tea Party movement says a good deal. It’s also more evidence that the T-baggers are a Republican creation. That many people have been fooled into thinking that this movement is something other than a tool of the Republican Party, like FOX news, is not surprising. Given the fact that the Republicans are, for the most part, great propagandists and superb liars. Peace
There’s plenty tying the Tea Party to Republicans – like running their cross country bus tour out of a Republican political consulting firm.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/14/tax-day-tea-parties-offic_n_186788.html
http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2010/01/20/tea-party-leader-dick-armey-to-address-conservative-republicans.aspx
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/03/tea.party/index.html
In the We Can Only Hope category…
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/business/economy/12usecon.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Here’s to hope:
A new survey of Minnesotans shows that a majority of residents — 56 percent — are embarrassed by Rep. Michele Bachmann.
snip
The Bachmann survey results, released exclusively to the Minnesota Independent, measure responses to the question, “Do you think Congresswoman Michele Bachmann does Minnesota proud in Congress or embarrasses Minnesota?” While 56 percent of respondents statewide said they were embarrassed by Bachmann, 29 percent answered that they were “proud” of the Sixth Congressional District Republican, and 15 percent were “not sure.”
snip
Some surprises: While the Minneapolis-area district represented by Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison led the state in finding Bachmann an embarrassment, the relatively conservative District 8, the northern Minnesota area represented by Rep. James Oberstar, came in second, with 69 percent of respondents responding negatively to Bachmann. In Bachmann’s own district, only 39 percent found her embarrassing. However, a majority of surveyed independents — a population likely to tilt the scales in Bachmann’s November election against either DFL Sen. Tarryl Clark or Dr. Maureen Reed — responded negatively to Bachmann, with 62 percent answering that she was embarrassing.
http://minnesotaindependent.com/55222/majority-of-minnesotans-embarrassed-by-bachmann
If elected POTUS, could Palin stand the pay-cut or would she feel compelled to resign in favor of more lucrative pastures. I’m have a fun day. Just thinking weird thoughts out loud.
New website to put on your radar:
http://www.theinvestigativefund.org/
It’s Friday, JA. Weird thoughts welcome!
Thanks Taylor, because with the state of politics in this country today, I’m beginning to have weirder and weirder thoughts. I’m almost over the edge on some of the stuff that comes out and usually my mouth hits the floor at some of the most outlandish. I guess in all my years I have never been exposed to the kind of politics that exist today. I don’t know if it was the lack of the internet or whether politics were actually tamer in my younger day. Not to say that politicians didn’t trash each other, or the president. It just seemed tamer back then. I could actually keep up with what was going on. Today I can’t and I guess I have the internet to thank for that. It becomes a big blur after a while because I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.
Told you I was having weird thoughts.
I hope you saw Jon Stewart last night – so funny about the “trap” the Republicans are fearful Obama may be setting for them in the health care meeting:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/12/its-a-trap-stewart-mocks_n_459766.html
joyce murtha- john’s wife- who is well loved in w pa and is very active on many fronts may run for her hubby’s seat. ive ehard she is a very dynamic and bright woman who would win the seat in a walk. pa dems are begging her to run.
Oh, so true…..The Deal that Scarred Obama’s Credibility:
The Legacy of Billy Tauzin: The White House-PhRMA Deal
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-blumenthal/the-legacy-of-billy-tauzi_b_460358.html
Hope she does t4h. My husband and his extended family are from Murtha’s district – he is much respected and beloved.
“Taylor Marsh says:
12 February 2010 at 12:15 pm
Excellent point, Imhotep. Answer: the GOP would be DOA without Tea Party enthusiasm, which is the only place there is any.”
That’s because the UBERcrazies that basicly made up what was left of the repugs after the election(you know, that 26% of the electorite that thinks Bush was doing FINE right up to the end?) followed Armies lead and swarmed to the teabaggers because some of those repugs were just TP moderate for them. I say fine and dandy, Teabaggers draw almost NOTHING from the Dems or the left. Let the make their own party of horrors and split the repug vote…PLEASE!
Well the Dems are sure trying to raise money on Sarah….my email is flooded! Somebody is taking her seriously.