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Taylor Marsh has been writing on line since 1996, with the archives provided here a representation of that work.

Tag Archives | sports

Did Clint Eastwood Know He Was Making a Case for Pres. Obama?

By on 06 February 2012

**UPDATED**

[update]“I just want to say that the spin stops with you guys, and there is no spin in that ad. On this I am certain. I am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about just about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. I thought the spirit was OK. I am not supporting any politician at this time. Chrysler to their credit didn’t even have cars in the ad. Anything they gave me for it went for charity. If any Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it.” – Clint Eastwood to Bill O’Reilly’s producer

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

The Super Bowl ad above has caused quite a ruckus. As you’ll see in the update at the top [update]. Rove responded earlier.

“I was, frankly, offended by it,” said Karl Rove on Fox News Monday. “I’m a huge fan of Clint Eastwood, I thought it was an extremely well-done ad, but it is a sign of what happens when you have Chicago-style politics, and the president of the United States and his political minions are, in essence, using our tax dollars to buy corporate advertising.” – Karl Rove quoted in the Washington Post

Mr. Eastwood is in direct conflict with what he said last year.

“We shouldn’t be bailing out the banks and car companies. If a CEO can’t figure out how to make his company profitable, then he shouldn’t be the CEO.” – Clint Eastwood

Bailing out the U.S. car industry is one of the most exceptionally American things Pres. Obama has done.

I’ve read Lawrence Summers 57-page economic memo and any person or politician positing that the Obama administration isn’t partially responsible for the trajectory of our economy, which is headed in positive direction, simply cannot be trusted.

What I find inexcusable is what might have happened if Pres. Obama had opened up Medicare as his first stop in solving health care, especially at a moment in time where he had the people ready to back him. A stimulus of the size Robert Reich suggested is another failing. However, at least Pres. Obama didn’t check the austerity box with Bowles-Simpson.

In the Super Bowl ad above, Clint Eastwood, when faced with a script that hails the saving of a quintessentially American industry and manufacturing base, does what any American with common sense would feel compelled to do. Praise the efforts and say we need more of it.

It used to be something on which we could all agree. Objective facts of success leading to someone to seeing a template for paving the way ahead.

Writers like Charles Kupchin are starting to weigh in that China’s GDP will pass the U.S. in around ten years. The World Bank has predicted that the dollar, the renminbi, China’s currency, and the euro will become part of a new “multi-currency” in less than 3 decades.

So far, Mitt Romney nor Newt Gingrich or any other Republican have come close to explaining their plans for stopping what many see as inevitable, given our current trajectory We’re left with platitudes and fearmongering from Republicans who are asking Americans to vote for them to lead us.

It will be frightening if people actually start believing the current crop of Republicans has one clue what to do, besides inflict austerity on a fragile recovering that is going in the right direction. When you look at Mitt Romney’s answers to our economic woes there is absolutely no sense he understands how austerity will impact the poor, many of whom are women and children.

If Republicans are going to take the government out of the building future of the United States, I would suggest that what Kupchin and others are saying will happen in ten or twenty years will be on our doorstep a lot earlier.

I say this as someone who no longer trusts Pres. Obama or believes he has the ideological compass or passion to do what’s required. However, that doesn’t mean Republicans do. That our politics is dumbed down to this either or choice is partially why writers are giving the U.S. such dire future prospects, because Republicans and Democrats clearly aren’t up to the challenges.

That Clint Eastwood didn’t even get what he was saying or representing in the Super Bowl ad above should give people pause.

Karl Rove clearly got the message and it freaked him out.

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Rep. Paul Ryan, Sugar, and the Super Bowl

By on 05 February 2012

Sugar and other sweeteners are, in fact, so toxic to the human body that they should be regulated as strictly as alcohol by governments worldwide, according to a commentary in the current issue of the journal Nature by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). – Sugar Should Be Regulated As Toxin, Researchers Say, Yahoo! News


Super Bowl Sunday is big fun at our house.

This past week, CBS did a program on the best Super Bowl commercials that was hilarious. They really are fun to watch during the game. Adriana Lima is an eye-popping beauty, and every time I see that E-Trade baby I laugh out loud.

I haven’t had a favorite football team in years. Since I moved to D.C. I’ve tried to root for the Redskins, but I grew up in St. Louis, where the rivalry of the Cardinals – Redskins made them my mortal sports enemy, as were the Dallas Cowboys. But having once lived in New York for several years and loved it, I can’t help hope the New York Giants pull off a win today.

One month into the New Year, this big food eating extravaganza Sunday is tough for people who are trying to start a new diet regimen. Of course, the words “diet regimen” reveal the problem. If you want to get trim and fit, it’s not about diet as much as it is changing your entire lifestyle. That’s what so many people get wrong; it’s also why it’s so hard.

So, to all you attempting to start a new food habit and find yourself staring at Super Bowl temptations, don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t resist. Just remember that come Monday morning, it’s back to the business of getting leaner. (You could always go to the gym, take a walk or something physical to keep from over-indulging.)

It got me to thinking about an extraordinary moment last weekend.

Rep. Paul Ryan was a guest on “Fox News Sunday” last Sunday and Chris Wallace. Knowing it was his birthday, Wallace surprised him with a rectangular cake drenched in thick white frosting, with a large green dollar sign in the middle. Surprisingly, Mr. Ryan recoiled from the cake, chuckling, refusing to eat any. I don’t eat sugar, gave it up a long time ago. Wallace, clearly feeling awkward, asked Ryan to at least cut the cake. He did so, but only reluctantly, because after he cut it he didn’t know what to do with the piece he cut. Chris Wallace laughed nervously.

Good for him. I’m with Paul Ryan where sugar is concerned.

Now, if a liberal had been brought a cake by a host of FNC, can you just imagine the wingnut blog hysteria if he or she had refused to down the sugared goo?

Fill in the blank Democrat too good to share birthday cake with Wallace!

Sugar snob on this Sunday!

Elitist spruns sugar treat!

If more people paid closer attention to their own diet and exercise regimen, our health care costs wouldn’t be so astronomical. The majority of people can control their health and weight through diet, exercise and stress management, which begins with how you choose to live your life, with whom and taking responsibility for all these choices, which is a lot more difficult and involved than writing these sentences.

But whenever a study comes out on a major product, like the one I quote from at the top, that has a huge lobbying arm, I start the countdown for a requisite article to appear trying to disprove the facts or finding fault with the research, even dropping a bomb on the institution that released it. None of these things, however, can disprove what I’ve come to know is true through my own life, usage and experience, as well as those I’ve coached on diet and shaping up their lives.

Think of sugar as a drug or pharmaceutical and you’ve got it about right.

That’s how destructive it can be to your body, your mental functions, but especially your moods, though it’s your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol that’s right up there too. It’s the fuel behind our country’s obesity.

Ever heard of the book Sugar Blues? It’s the most important book you haven’t read.

From the study linked at the top:

Today, added sugar, as opposed to natural sugars found in fruits, is often added in foods ranging from soup to soda. Americans consume on average more than 600 calories per day from added sugar, equivalent to a whopping 40 teaspoons. “Nature made sugar hard to get; man made it easy,” the researchers write.

Many researchers are seeing sugar as not just “empty calories,” but rather a chemical that becomes toxic in excess. At issue is the fact that glucose from complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, is safely metabolized by cells throughout the body, but the fructose element of sugar is metabolized primarily by the liver. This is where the trouble can begin — taxing the liver, causing fatty liver disease, and ultimately leading to insulin resistance, the underlying causes of obesity and diabetes.

If you want to do one thing for yourself that you’ll never regret and can be a foundation for building a healthier life, the first thing to do is ban all sugar. There will be exceptions, like on Valentine’s Day or maybe on this Super Bowl Sunday, because it’s a big party day and because you’ll never stick with it if you feel deprived.

But if you absolutely have to have a sugar treat, making it a treat, not something you indulge in every day.

If you’re craving something eat protein instead.

Go Giants!

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It’s Back to Motorcross for Jon Huntsman

By on 16 January 2012

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Jon Huntsman will drop out of the GOP presidential race Monday morning and endorse Mitt Romney, POLITICO has confirmed. Huntsman will endorse Romney in a speech at 11 a.m. Monday at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

Tomorrow from Jon Huntsman Jr. on Vimeo.

National politics isn’t Utah and the man proved to have no national political talent or touch.

Jon Huntsman just never got it and his intellect, policy prowess and experience was never communicated in a manner that could resonate. He may have been handsome, but he had no charm.

The other fact that he never defined himself as the Republican conservative, but decided to make the colossal miscalculation of trying to win independents before he got the nomination, is nothing new. Politicians make this mistake all the time.

But it came down to the diplomat not having the chops or the instinct for the game of presidential politics. He was also positively tone deaf.

When Stephen Colbert is polling higher than you are there really is no other choice.

Americans Elect is still hunting for a candidate, but Huntsman’s endorsement of Mitt Romney kills that deal, though it’s not clear he could maximize that opportunity anyway, because this first run at the title has been a disaster.

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Political Junky Thread, with Jimmy Fallon

By on 14 January 2012



It’s Saturday night and the floor is yours.

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Paterno Joins Catholic Church and Congress in American Hall of Shame

By on 10 November 2011

“At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status,” Mr. Paterno said in his statement. “They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.” – Paterno Is Finished at Penn State, and President Is Out

Our establishments are rotting at their cores with the lack of character.

We saw one of the largest religious patriarchal establishments in the world disgraced when they chose to put children last and their own first.

We’ve seen Congress fall into ineptitude, with their one woman only “supercommittee” required because our elected representatives are too politically and morally beholden to corporations they can’t make decisions desperately needed to right our country’s economic tilt.

And now, the favored and privileged patriarchal world of college football has been leveled by the lack of character of the most vaunted coach in history, Joe Paterno, because no one involved had the strength of character to save little boys from an establishment who put sport first.

What is happening to our country is a matter of character, not money.

It goes all the way to the White House, where Pres. Obama rails at Wall Street, while taking more money than any other candidate from the people he hypocritically castigates. A man who seeks consensus, instead of molding it through leadership, because he doesn’t know how to stand up for the middle class, while allowing banks too big to fail to continue making record profits. Profits that now well exceed what they made during George W. Bush’s 8 years in office. This doesn’t bother the party of F.D.R. and Harry Truman anymore, because Democrats no longer represent the people, which we’ve seen through tax holidays for the wealthy and an inability to do what’s right unless a politician’s own survival is at stake.

The bookend to the Democratic bankruptcy of the American character seen best through Tea Party man Herman Cain, who not only has no clue about right of return, or the leaders around the world, as well as China’s nuclear status, but who can’t even answer in-depth questions without breaking into talking points. Whose supporters and lawyers and media fans are coming to his side against close to a half a dozen women whose stories may be late, but fit a pattern. Yet the Republican Party sees nothing wrong with propping up Mr. Cain, who leads in the polls for the nomination, an honor he cannot live up to, as he calls the first female Speaker of the House in U.S. history, “Princess Nancy.”

Where’s the outrage?

Meanwhile, Occupy Wall Street protesters rail at the 1% inequity, which both the Democratic and Republican parties represent, as does the Catholic Church, with Penn State’s elite athletic department joining our country’s collective character collapse, which has unfolded over years.

Why anyone is shocked that Joe Paterno covered up for a crony of his in order to keep winning football games is beyond me. It’s representative of the rot in this country that is seen in the most elite arenas, perfectly presented in Newt Gingrich, a man whose ’90s disgrace, including asking one of his many wives to give him a divorce while she was recovering from cancer. This is the man who is seen to perhaps “benefit” from Cain’s inevitable collapse.

The people who made up the middle class that has crumbled once were called the “greatest generation.” Is it any wonder that now with the middle class is hollowed out our country is rotting from within?

It’s why Ohioans rose up to take back their lives and their state. Our great country cannot be saved by the Joe Paternos of the world or the elite men who run our religious institutions or the men who run Wall Street and the banks, and it certainly won’t be saved by our politicians who are bought and paid for by the 1%, while hypocritically playing the part of men of the people, which few can do with a straight face.

If Joe Paterno was named Joey and was a woman would the Penn State disgrace occurred? Not a chance. But women remain a minority in establishment circles from business to religion to politics.

As we’re seeing through the Herman Cain spectacle, women who come forward to tell the truth after time has elapsed don’t get taken seriously. Women not having the strength of character to do what’s right in the moment, either. Though considering our country is still a big frat club from top to bottom, why would anyone expect a woman to charge a man with improprieties and sexual harassment when the audience she will face is predisposed to take sides with the male majority establishment?

The American ego and the persona of our great country is inherently male, with the characteristics that will save us predominantly female. The willingness to listen and compromise, deal, admit failure and wrong, listen and learn, be vulnerable to foibles but unafraid to admit mistakes, or confront villains, regardless of personal difficulty to do so. To care for the least and always remember equality is moral, the weakest among us, starting with children, the poor, the sick, the elderly, our responsibility. Our wars an example of women failing, too, afraid to stand up and stop the carnage that inevitably comes from militarism, which isn’t worth the price without the clear and present danger element, because they’re trying to fit in with men.

No wonder we haven’t elected a female president, with women not representing a clear choice, but instead simply an echo.

We cannot save our country through our current institutions, seems to be the prevailing theme, because they’ve rotted at the core. That’s why people are rising up to take them down, which includes the two political parties that have become the rancid foundation of a nation trying to excavate its soul.

America is Penn State.

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CARDINALS, WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

By on 28 October 2011

**UPDATED**

“A little baseball history for you. The Cards have won seven of ten 7th games. The best record in World Series history. In addition, they are four out of five when down 3-2 and needing two wins to close it out. They have also won more World Series than any National League team.” – Larry Marshall (my big brother)

I’ll likely be tweeting during the game; between texts with my big brother.

There’s no way it can be like last night. I still can’t believe it.

Back in the ’90s I soured on baseball, the strike, the salaries, I just walked away. But not even the over-inflated egos and salaries can diminish what the St. Louis Cardinals meant to me as a kid. Watching Lou Brock from the bleachers. Seeing Stan The Man Musial play. Oh, and for those interested, Bob Gibson is every bit the jerk he’s been rumored to be. We stood next to each other at an opening ceremony, back when I was Miss Missouri. Gibson is the opposite of Stan Musial, who proved that nice guys don’t always finish last.

It’s been a historic World Series.

Baseball buzzing about game for the ages

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The greatest World Series game ever, or one of the greatest?

[...] Where it ranks is a question of personal preference. But certainly it’s part of a group that includes extra-inning finales in 1912 and 1924, Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956, Bill Mazeroski’s Series-ending home run in Game 7 in 1960, Carlton Fisk’s 12th-inning home run that won Game 6 in 1975, the Don Denkinger game in 1985, the Bill Buckner error that ended Game 6 in 1986, hobbling Kirk Gibson’s home run in the 1988 opener, the Jack Morris 10-inning shutout in Game 7 in 1991 and Luis Gonzalez’s winning single off Mariano Rivera in Game 7 in 2001.

The World Series that many thought wouldn’t be worth watching turned into a classic.

Go Cardinals!

UPDATED: What a gas I had texting with Larry, my big brother. Thank you Cardinals. Sorry for Washington, but his pitchers crapped out. After last night it had to be rough and after the Cards came back in the first, the Rangers just never got their footing again. But it’s the story of how the Cardinals toughed it out, never quit and went on to win the World Series that will be remembered. It’s about grit, but also their heart. A lesson for life.

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St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series

By on 16 October 2011

I spent a lot of time in my youth in the bleachers watching the St. Louis Cardinals.

It’s their 18th National League win.

My big brother is one happy man tonight.

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ESPN Dumps Hank Williams, Jr.

By on 06 October 2011

“We have decided to part ways with Hank Williams, Jr. We appreciate his contributions over the past years,” the company said in a statement. “The success of Monday Night Football has always been about the games and that will continue.” – Hank Williams Jr. Ditched By ESPN Over Obama Hitler Comments

As you probably guessed, Mr. Williams tells a different tale:

AFTER ESPN SUSPENDS HANK JR. FOR ONE-WEEK, HANK JR. DECIDES TO PULL HIS SONG FROM BEING USED ON ESPN FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON!

“After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision. By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It’s been a great run.”

The response from Williams reveals a lot and I don’t think any of it is good.

That the demise of the relationship between ESPN and Hank Williams, Jr. played out on Fox News channel over Barack Obama, race, and Hitler talking points underscores the reasons why Roger Ailes has begun a “course correction,” changing the trajectory of Fox, first by sacking Glenn Beck. I’m wondering if Fox & Friend’s “circuitous” broadside at Sarah Palin, which was preceding by Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter telling Mrs. Palin to fish or cut bait, is another sign of the changing skies of Fox.

Perhaps cable TV has gone as far as it can go and sanity will creep back in? Considering even Rachel Maddow’s ratings are down, I’m not too sure. Ms. Maddow gets a terrific write up in Hollywood Reporter, with these types of article, no matter how well earned, often appearing when sagging ratings require a marketing boost.

I’m glad ESPN canned Williams. There is nothing worse than sports mixed with politics.

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Vacationing in Tuscany While London Burns

By on 09 August 2011

Well, that’s come to an end.

For good reason, as the New York Times outlines the spectacle.

“Descent into hell,” said a front page headline in The Sun tabloid which, like other newspapers, published a dramatic photograph of a woman leaping to safety in the arms of police from a blazing building.

“Mob Rule,” said the page one headline in The Independent, showing a masked rioter in a hooded track-suit against a wall of flame.

On Tuesday, the violence seemed to be having a ripple effect beyond its immediate focal points: news reports spoke of a dramatic upsurge in household burglaries; sports authorities said at least two major soccer matches in London — including an international fixture between England and the Netherlands — had been postponed because the police could not spare officers to guarantee crowd safety. The postponements offered dramatic testimony to the pressures on Mr. Cameron and his colleagues to confront the dark shadow that the rioting has cast on plans for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

[...] For a society already under severe economic strain, the rioting raised new questions about the political sustainability of the Cameron government’s spending cuts, particularly the deep cutbacks in social programs. These have hit the country’s poor especially hard, including large numbers of the minority youths who have been at the forefront of the unrest.

The New Yorker has the genesis of what caused it.

Austerity in Tottenham isn’t going down well at all.

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Parliament Testimony Begins by Murdoch’s Being Denied Request to Make Statement

By on 19 July 2011

**UPDATED**

11:55 A.M. EST – HEARINGS SUSPENDED FOR 10 MINUTES… as someone seems to have lunged at Rupert Murdoch, though it’s not clear what happened. The Guardian reports Murdoch’s wife Wendy seemed to slap him away before man in checked shirt could reach her husband. Johnny Marbles tweeted his “attack.” Pictures of failed pie attack.

5.01pm: Jane Martinson reports from the hearing: “He was sitting four rows back, calmly walked up with a plate of shaving foam – smacked it in Rupert’s face – Wendi intervened.”

4.57pm: The suspect looks like he has a substance like white paint on his face.

My colleague Jackie Ashley tells Twitter: “Wendi [Murdoch's wife] can throw quite a punch.”

4.56pm: The BBC says the young man has been handcuffed. Sky showed the footage again – it seemed to be an attack from Rupert Murdoch’s left.

4.55pm: A young man in a checked shirt has been detained by police.

4.54pm: Someone has just tried to attack Rupert Murdoch. His wife Wendi seemed to slap the person.

More updates (original column) below…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“This is the most humble day of my life.” – Rupert Murdoch

The hearings begin with Rupert Murdoch & his son James Murdoch asking to make opening statement, but were denied. Guardian has statement of Rupert Murdoch:

Mr. Chairman. Select Committee Members:

With your permission, I would like to read a short statement.

My son and I have come here with great respect for all of you, for Parliament and for the people of Britain whom you represent.

This is the most humble day of my career.

After all that has happened, I know we need to be here today.

Before going further, James and I would like to say how sorry we are for what has happened – especially with regard to listening to the voicemail of victims of crime.

My company has 52,000 employees. I have led it for 57 years and I have made my share of mistakes. I have lived in many countries, employed thousands of honest and hardworking journalists, owned nearly 200 newspapers and followed countless stories about people and families around the world.

At no time do I remember being as sickened as when I heard what the Dowler family had to endure – nor do I recall being as angry as when I was told that the News of the World could have compounded their distress. I want to thank the Dowlers for graciously giving me the opportunity to apologise in person.

I would like all the victims of phone hacking to know how completely and deeply sorry I am. Apologising cannot take back what has happened. Still, I want them to know the depth of my regret for the horrible invasions into their lives.

I fully understand their ire. And I intend to work tirelessly to merit their forgiveness.

I understand our responsibility to cooperate with today’s session as well as with future inquiries. We will respond to your questions to the best of our ability and follow up if we are not capable of answering anything today. Please remember that some facts and information are still being uncovered.

We now know that things went badly wrong at the News of the World. For a newspaper that held others to account, it failed when it came to itself. The behaviour that occurred went against everything that I stand for. It not only betrayed our readers and me, but also the many thousands of magnificent professionals in our other divisions around the world.

So, let me be clear in saying: invading people’s privacy by listening to their voicemail is wrong. Paying police officers for information is wrong. They are inconsistent with our codes of conduct and neither has any place, in any part of the company I run.

But saying sorry is not enough. Things must be put right. No excuses. This is why News International is cooperating fully with the police whose job it is to see that justice is done. It is our duty not to prejudice the outcome of the legal process. I am sure the committee will understand this.

I wish we had managed to see and fully solve these problems earlier. When two men were sent to prison in 2007, I thought this matter had been settled. The police ended their investigations and I was told that News International conducted an internal review. I am confident that when James later rejoined News Corporation he thought the case was closed too. These are subjects you will no doubt wish to explore today.

This country has given me, our companies and our employees many opportunities. I am grateful for them. I hope our contribution to Britain will one day also be recognised.

Above all, I hope that, through the process that is beginning with your questions today, we will come to understand the wrongs of the past, prevent them from happening again and, in the years ahead, restore the nation’s trust in our company and in all British journalism.

I am committed to doing everything in my power to make this happen.

Thank you. We are happy to answer your questions.

Submitted statement instead. Clearing room of noisy reporters or people, hard to tell which, came next. Testimony is being heard by the Committee for Culture, Media and Sport.

James Murdoch, chairman and chief executive, apologizes again.

Then he was interrupted by his father, Rupert Murdoch, who touched his arm and offered the quote shown at the top of this post.

The questions and testimony continues… The Lede is liveblogging the testimony…

HIGHLIGHTS…

Rupert Murdoch states he didn’t know he was being lied to. Murdoch obviously shaken, says “NOTW is less than 1% of our company.. I employ 56,000 people around the world… and I’m spread watching and appointing people that I trust…”

James Murdoch tries twice to interrupt Tom Watson’s questioning of his father, saying he can offer details, but Mr. Watson says he’ll come to him after he finishes, because it’s Rupert Murdoch who’s in charge of corporate governance.

“Nope.” That’s Mr. Murdoch’s one-word response about payments to Taylor. James says his father became aware after the “settlement” of “civil claim.”

At what point did you find out that “criminality was endemic” at NOTW? Mr. Murdoch objects to word “endemic,” saying it is prejudicial. Then says he was “shocked, appalled and ashamed…”

“You’re not really saying ‘amnesia,’ you’re saying lie,” Rupert Murdoch offers.

James Murdoch interrupts again to rescue his father from the line of questioning. Watson refuses again. Continues… James interrupts, trying again to answer what his father obviously cannot or will not.

Why did you risk the jobs of 200 people… ? RupertM states these people are being employed by other segments of his empire.

Watson: Did you close the paper down because of criminality? “We were ashamed… We had broken our trust with our readers…”

Keith Olbermann points out what is very obvious, which is that Rupert Murdoch has a script of patterned apologies he is using.

“What happened at News of the World was wrong,” James Murdoch continues. “We have admitted liability…”

Do you accept you are responsible for this whole fiasco? “No,” is Rupert Murdoch’s one word answer. Mr. Murdoch continued, saying he relied on people he employed and trusted.

I found this observation from BBC’s Nick Robinson poignant, while revealing how small Rupert Murdoch appears today.

It is hard to equate the man sitting a few feet away from me with the global media mogul feared by political leaders throughout my adult lifetime.

James Murdoch: No “no immediate plans” to start new Sunday paper.

Are you familiar with the term “willful blindness”? James Murdoch asks for an explanation. Then Mr. Sanders invokes Enron. “I’m not aware of that particular phrase,” says James. RMurdoch adds that he’s familiar with the phrase and denies it applies.

“To say that we are hands off is wrong,” RMurdoch states. “News of the World, perhaps, I lost site of…” Murdoch continues, saying he works 10-12 hours a day and once again saying NOTW was “so small.”

James Murdoch also admits settlement was for illegal phone hacking by News of the World employees.

Later in the testimony James Murdoch delivered Rumsfeldesque known knowns & unknown unknowables on alleged criminality. Classic Murdoch moment of obfuscation and incomprehensible elite media idiocy.

AFTER FAILED PIE ATTACK… allegedly made by Jonnie Marbles, a comedian…

Tide turns for a time… MP now apologizing to Murdochs, including wife Wendy, one using word “guts” to describe her willingness to be present during questioning.  Rupert Murdoch now jacketless.

Have you considered resigning? Murdoch, “No.” Why not? People I hired let me down, they should pay. I’m the best person to clean this up.

“Mr. Murdoch, your wife has a very good left hook.”

Rupert Murdoch allowed to read closing statement. “… In all that’s happened, we needed to be here today. … “ “Sickened” by what the Dowler Fowler had to endure and grateful he was able to apologize in person. Will “work tirelessly to earn their forgiveness.” Murdoch says while trying to hold others to account, they failed on themselves. Paying off police and listening to people’s voicemail is “wrong,” “no excuses,” saying your sorry “isn’t enough.” When people went to prison in 2007, Murdoch thought it was over, as did his son. “I hope our contributions to Britain will one day be recognized.”

Committee thanks the Murdochs, apologizes for the comedic pie event.

Rebekah Brooks testifies next.

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Pres. Obama’s Idea of Negotiating

By on 28 June 2011

The White House, seeking an agreement to raise the nation’s $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by Aug. 2, on Monday said it would not insist that any deal include an end to former President George W. Bush’s controversial tax rates on the wealthy. [...] The White House said the president is pushing the GOP to agree to eliminate some tax breaks for businesses and loopholes for wealthier taxpayers, but is not seeking to eliminate the across-the-board rates introduced by President Bush. That means taxpayers who earn more than $250,000 annually have gotten a reprieve. – Bush rates are kept safe in debt-limit talks

Pres. Obama plays golf with Speaker Boehner and Gov. John Kasich, so you can’t expect him to understand what his moral economic cowardice means to middle class Americans looking on at this spectacle.

I’m beyond appalled that Pres. Obama and the Democrats continue handing Republicans the economic argument, because they’re too scared to make the case Sen. Bernie Sanders has made innumerable times, the latest Monday on the Senate floor.

Shared sacrifice doesn’t exist in any meaningful way if you’re afraid to rescind the Bush tax cuts, while allowing Medicare tinkering and cuts, as Sen. McConnell is insisting in order to keep Sen. DeMint from jumping his leadership job.

The current rumblings leaking out of negotiations are indefensible from a Democratic, progressive or liberal perspective.

The immediate goal is to find upward of $2.4 trillion in 10-year savings and revenues to help offset what would be an almost equal increase in the federal debt ceiling to be voted prior to Aug. 2 — the deadline set by the Treasury Department. Thus far, the Biden talks have identified an estimated $1.5 trillion to $1.7 trillion in spending reductions — two-thirds of the final goal. The challenge is to either close the gap with some mix of savings and revenues or retreat to settling for a shorter-term debt increase equal to the lesser savings figure. – Revenue vs. cuts in debt debate

I certainly hope this turns out differently than it’s currently playing in my mind, because right now the willingness of Pres. Obama and the Democrats to offer so much on spending reductions without Republicans having any skin in this game is making me nauseous.

Remember, however, that what’s happening is because Pres. Obama wants it to be this way. What’s happening in the debt talks is coming down to decisions he approves of and is negotiating himself. You can’t blame this disaster on Republicans; well, you can, but then you’d be lying like the partisan hacks who are covering for Obama amidst this travesty he set up in the first place.

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Kennebunkport Republicans Choose Huntsman

By on 20 June 2011

Tomorrow from Jon Huntsman Jr. on Vimeo.

Mark Halperin is the Republican establishment’s most accurate weathervane:

This is the first, but by no means the last, of eye-catching endorsements Huntsman will get from the GOP Establishment, including many with ties to Ronald Reagan and Bushes 41 and 43. Gray’s endorsement will be a semiotic dog whistle for a lot of big-time bundlers. …

C. Boyden Gray is reportedly readying to become Huntman’s policy team leader.

The discontent in the blue blood branch, also keepers of Ronald Reagan’s torch, just don’t buy that flip-flopping, vulture capitalist Mitt Romney is a genuine GOP conservative.

There’s no doubt he’s the frontrunner, but I’ve been sensing for a while just watching Mr. Romney, whether through his announcement or last week’s debate, that he’s forcing the point in a way that seems rooted in more insecurity than surety. Yes, he’s more relaxed than last time, but that’s not a high bar. His dodging questions on culture is a slick trick for the purposes of the general election, but he’s got to get through the primaries first, something Hillary Clinton could warn him about.

Republican establishment ego demands a man who is as smart as they think they are, even if there’s no evidence that the Tea Party and right-wingers have any interest in their upper crust branding or things that might make Republicans appealing to a larger electorate.

I won’t say something as trite as establishment Republicans are fighting for the soul of the GOP, even as Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum prove they don’t have one. But there clearly is a wing of the Republican Party who thinks smart is cool and is willing to bet on losing to get behind Jon Huntsman, who announces tomorrow, if only to pave the way for 2016 and the big Republican battle, at a time the GOP establishment hopes the Tea Party has lost its strength.

Yesterday on Fox News Sunday, Jon Stewart admitted he’d voted for George H.W. Bush over Dukakis.

There hasn’t been a Republican that Democrats could vote for in twenty years.

As for Huntsman being that guy, the motocross pitch will certainly get my husband’s attention.

After the announcement, Huntsman and his charter plane – including family members and a few dozen journalists – will fly to New Hampshire, where he’ll have a rally with about 300 folks. He’ll return to New York City for a finance reception and dinner. On Wednesday morning, Huntsman’s charter will take off for Columbia, S.C., where he’ll tour a factory and hold a media availability, then attend a meet-and-greet with activists and file candidacy papers. After that, it’s off to Miami. On Thursday, he’ll open his campaign headquarters in Orlando, with some senior staffers seeing them for the first time. Then it’s on to Nevada, Utah, California, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts – and the amazing, draining adventure of running for president. – Mike Allen

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Defining Obscene

By on 13 June 2011

I’m going out on a very strong limb to judge a toss up on this one.

First, the New York Times, Jared Bernstein and everyone but Pres. Obama is pushing for the fed to get involved and create some kind of jobs program, while Larry Summers asks for more stimulus. But there’s still no real movement from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. yet.

A New York Times editorial today suggests that the federal government do some direct job creation to offset the weak economy. Why don’t we? Why won’t we? Why didn’t we do more of that in the Recovery Act? Is it because, as a Republican mantra would have it, “the government doesn’t create jobs — only the private market can do that?” Um… that can’t be it. There are over 20 million government jobs, about 17% of the total right now. And remember a few months ago, when temporary Census-taker jobs were boosting the employment rolls? It’s true we can’t have a robust job market if the other 83% aren’t generating jobs. But do me a favor–the next time someone touts that mantra, change the channel, stand up and shout something, or just do whatever it is you do when you hear an untruth. – Jared Bernstein

Then from the latest in the Anthony Weiner stupid files we have TMZ’s eye-popping gym photo spread. The rolling disclosure not shocking in the least, because this guy was in deep denial about his predilections, but the never ending crotch shots make Narcissus look humble, and adding exhibitionism to the list of gratuitous ugliness adds a new layer of creepiness to Weiner’s idiocy (though I still don’t think the Dem establishment has any authority to overturn an election by demanding he resign).

However, topping it off from the New York Times we get Pres. Obama’s reelection team working on their best pucker for Wall Street as they prep for 2012:

Mr. Obama, who enraged many financial industry executives a year and a half ago by labeling them “fat cats” and criticizing their bonuses, followed up the meeting with phone calls to those who could not attend.

The event, organized by the Democratic National Committee, kicked off an aggressive push by Mr. Obama to win back the allegiance of one of his most vital sources of campaign cash — in part by trying to convince Wall Street that his policies, far from undercutting the investor class, have helped bring banks and financial markets back to health.

Last month, Mr. Obama’s campaign manager, Jim Messina, traveled to New York for back-to-back meetings with Wall Street donors, ending at the home of Marc Lasry, a prominent hedge fund manager, to court donors close to Mr. Obama’s onetime rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton. And Mr. Obama will return to New York this month to dine with bankers, hedge fund executives and private equity investors at the Upper East Side restaurant Daniel.

“The first goal was to get recognition that the administration has led the economy from an unimaginably difficult place to where we are today,” said Blair W. Effron, an investment banker closely involved in Mr. Obama’s fund-raising efforts. “Now the second goal is to turn that into support.”

At least Anthony Weiner can be rehabilitated, even if he’s forced to do it outside of Congress.

Neither Obama nor Romney can be cured of campaign money junkie mania, while the middle class tries to stay afloat.

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BLOWBACK: Chris Christie’s Rockefeller Entrance to Son’s Baseball Game

By on 01 June 2011

Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger

Gov. Christie is pictured departing from his spanking brand-new AugustaWestland helicopter, which was reportedly purchased at a cost to taxpayers of $12.5 million. How he used it yesterday is the stuff of an amateur politician forgetting about perceptions in an era of austerity, which Gov. Christie helped to usher in as the champion of waste-busting.

The dust swirling around Gov. Chris Christie’s big shot entrance yesterday proves just how dangerous Democrats think he could be to Pres. Obama. I wrote back in March that I believe he’s the only Republican who comes close to the personal and political qualities of taking on Obama. Christie’s bluntness and seeming transparency makes him the ultimate un-Obama. Christie hasn’t disappointed either, because like all newcomers he’s let it all go to his head, his poll numbers in New Jersey cratering from where he started.

Yesterday’s stunt won’t help. Everyone is piling on because Christie’s behavior was so appalling it’s hard not to.

Gov. Chris Christie arrived at his son’s baseball game this afternoon aboard a State Police helicopter.

Right before the lineup cards were being exchanged on the field, a noise from above distracted the spectators as the 55-foot long helicopter buzzed over trees in left field, circled the outfield and landed in an adjacent football field. Christie disembarked from the helicopter and got into a black car with tinted windows that drove him about a 100 yards to the baseball field.

During the 5th inning, Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie got into the car, rode back to the helicopter and left the game. During a pitching change, play was stopped for a couple of minutes while the helicopter took off.

It’s bad enough it could sweep “Weinergate” out of the headlines.

Wall Street Journal: Chris Christie’s Helicopter Ride to Home Plate.

Ben Smith: Christie Can’t Go Home Again.

ABC’s The Note: Governor Christie Takes State Helicopter To Son’s Baseball Game.

New York Times: Christie Takes State Copter to Son’s Ballgame.

MSNBC’s First Read: Chris Christie’s helicopter ride.

It all segues into the other news coming in about his meeting with Iowa Republicans: Chris Christie won’t run for president, but he’ll visit Iowa this summer.

Damage control to follow.

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Trivial Pursuits in Times of Peril

By on 15 March 2011

“For my Dad, America was the land of opportunity, where the circumstances of birth are no barrier to achieving one’s dreams,” Romney said in a high-profile New Hampshire speech earlier this month. He added: “The spirit of enterprise, innovation, pioneering and derring-do propelled our standard of living and economy past every other nation on earth. I refuse to believe that America is just another place on the map with a flag.” – GOP 2012 theme: American ‘decline’

What’s playing out in Japan right now is overwhelming to comprehend. Looking at Libya, same thing, as Germany blocks an Anglo-French no-fly zone plan, while the Saudis sent troops into Bahrain, and today a report that Sect. Clinton was snubbed in Egypt. We’ve got our own domestic challenges too, so there are few places to turn for comfort.

During Rush Limbaugh’s first hour today he went on a bender about Pres. Obama’s NCAA bracket picks, which was a top item on Mike Allen’s Playbook this morning (where I get my early a.m. news), which NRO quickly picked up with a “Wow.” When I wrote about it today on Twitter, as I often do when I listen to the first hour of Rush, Politico’s Jonathan Martin responded that it was also on the top of Drudge, which stands to reason since Limbaugh often channels what’s on his front page. In the center column was PRESIDENT CHECKS OUT: FOCUS ON B-BALL BRACKETS… with a link to a weird little piece on Obama not being present enough as the world roils.

I’ll let you be the judge of whether Pres. Obama is doing his job, which is the crux of the Right’s argument today, joined by other anti-Obama sites, evidently believing that a moment spent on NCAA March Madness picks will mean the end of American greatness.

But I also won’t make light of the image issue being presented, because one of the reasons Ronald Reagan was elected is because at the end of Pres. Carter’s first term he seemed not on top of what was happening in the world, while considered responsible for America slipping. That’s the main theme of the GOP for 2012. Now all the Right needs is a Reagan.

However, the notion that Pres. Obama needs to be either looking grim and concerned or be hidden away for fear of seeming frivolous amidst Japan’s catastrophic nuclear challenge is not only ridiculous, but inconsistent with life itself.

Taking 30 minutes to enjoy the simple pleasures of life while Japan roils is not craven. It’s called living. Like him or not, approve of his politics or not, Pres. Obama is on the job 24/7, non-stop. To suggest that by taking a few moments out to honor the pleasures of sports is presidential sacrilege is misunderstanding the importance of trivial pursuits at times of great stress. So what if Pres. Obama plays golf on Saturday? George W. Bush did it all the time, which Rush and the Right never cared about.

Life is a pressure cooker. High stress jobs and situations make it even worse. Being president is beyond what any of us can imagine, especially today, and let’s hope one of Barack Obama’s plans is to live well beyond his presidency, not kill himself in the job.

Taking some time to enjoy life doesn’t mean a president or a person isn’t taking care of business. No one can immerse him- or herself in work constantly without eventually blowing a physical fuse.

It’s not a sin to enjoy life even when others are suffering. In fact, it’s more important to appreciate the gifts of life when you’re spared tragedy and take the time to breathe in the bounty when fate passes you by.

As for the Republican 2012 message of “American ‘decline,’” if they had a candidate there is no doubt Pres. Obama is vulnerable for this type of marketing. People like the President, but his standoffish, non-engagement leadership style amidst world events exploding, with Americans used to our presidents inserting himself and our country across the globe, is not going down well with everyone.

A normal moment of trivial pursuit comes off as out of touch. Cue the Jimmy Carter theme music, which is exactly what Republicans are turning to with their 2012 “American ‘decline’” theme, which in times when people feel overwhelmed and powerless could resonate.

If only Republicans had a candidate who could sell the message, but they don’t, at least not yet.

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Hey Keith, You’ve Been TMZ’d.

By on 22 January 2011



I can’t imagine anything Keith Olbermann would hate more than being TMZ’d. The juicy tabloid outfit has earned it’s verb status.

Segue to… TMZ’s take.

Here’s how it went down. Sources familiar with the situation tell us that Olbermann’s agent recently went to NBC complaining that Keith — who has the most popular show on MSNBC — was underpaid at $7 million per year. NBC execs told Olbermann’s agent they would not cough up anymore money.

Network execs were well aware that Comcast wanted Keith gone because he was “a loose cannon that could not be controlled.” It became clear to both sides that Olbermann’s days were numbered and they began negotiating an exit.

As an aside, I remember Harvey Levin during the whole O.J. nightmare in Los Angeles. He was KCBS-TV’s legal reporter and his reports got me through it without losing my mind. That he’s the executive producer behind TMZ is an interesting choice of fate, but if anything would make you go there it would have been O.J.’s acquittal in the criminal trial.

As for Olbermann, we still need his voice in politics. He’s got great sports announcing chops, but I want him back in our game.

But at least when Bill O’Reilly goes off on this Monday we know that Keith made his own deal to get out, even if The Suits had the papers already drawn up in draft and poured a Scotch when he was gone.

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Is Rick Santorum the Dumbest White Man on the Right?

By on 20 January 2011



Former Senator Rick Santorum: “The question is — and this is what Barack Obama didn’t want to answer — is that human life a person under the Constitution? And Barack Obama says no. Well if that person, human life is not a person, then, I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say, ‘we are going to decide who are people and who are not people.’”

What the purpose of Santorum invoking “black man” is you can decipher for yourself, but being brought up in racially charged St. Louis, Missouri it’s obvious to me.

Segue to a story that sickens everyone who reads it to the core, but will surely be used by wingnuts like Rick Santorum. The story of the Philadelphia clinic of Kermit Goswell that is detailed in a 261-page grand-jury report released yesterday and getting covered today, which is too murderously reprehensible and morally criminal to even quote here. What Goswell let happen at his abortion mill is the stuff of horror movies, not what any reputable woman’s clinic would do.

The question needs to be asked just why women were resorting to going to Kermit Goswell? For the same reason women rose up to make abortion legal and safe, but also affordable and accessible. People like Rick Santorum and others who rail against women’s freedoms, but also the murder of Dr. Tiller, has caused an atmosphere of fear to develop around women’s reproductive health issues, which even had an impact on the Democratic health care bill recently passed. By letting people like Bart Stupak win, Speaker Pelosi, of all people, and Pres. Obama helped conservatives, in whatever party they exist, push women into a situation on health care even in the face of what we’ve won in the courts. Making abortion coverage a separate entity to full reproductive health care that requires separate coverage and payment simply shrinks the pool so small that pretty soon the coverage and the care will be non-existent. This is the type of situation that makes places like Goswell’s develop in the first place. The other issue is regulations and having enough people to enforce them so that untrained hacks aren’t utilized during a serious operation requiring anesthesia.

But you can be sure that Pennsylvania’s alleged multiple murder horror will launch the nuts like Santorum and the Right into a campaign that will only make matters worse for women.

Perhaps he’s on Randall Terry’s bandwagon, the guy who wants to run against Obama on the “Freedom is Only for Men Ticket,” aka “The Bible Is Literal Platform,” trying to out Tebow Tebow by running an offensive ad during the Super Bowl.

Seriously, can we all agree that politics and sports slammed together is just plain un-American?

So, the answer to the headline is no, Santorum has lots of company on crazy.

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Pujols & La Russa Think Beck-Palin Event Not Political

By on 27 August 2010

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, scheduled to introduce Pujols, insisted Thursday that he and Pujols are attending only after receiving assurances that the event is not a thinly disguised political rally. – STLToday

Three-time NL Most Valuable Player Albert Pujols, as well as Cardinal manager Tony La Russa, will be among the guests tomorrow at the Beck-Palin “Restoring America” rally on the Mall. Oh, but only because it’s not a “thinly disguised political rally.” Well, they’ve got that right. It’s not thinly disguised at all.

But seriously, are they kidding? I honestly don’t know how Tony La Russa can say that with a straight face.

These guys are either dumber than a bag of rocks or… hmmm… I got nothing else.

ps-I’m going to try to check the event out tomorrow, depending on the insanity level of it. I’ll report in via Twitter if I can.

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2010: GOP Tea Party a Gift to Dems (and oh, that ‘Aqua Buddha’ guy)

By on 11 August 2010

–updated–

President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party, who have been starved for good news through much of 2010, finally received a generous helping Tuesday night. Republicans, meanwhile, were left with several new reasons to wonder whether all the favorable national trends showing up in polls are enough to overcome local candidates who are inspiring little confidence about their readiness for the general election 12 weeks from now. – Primary night yields good news for President Obama and Democrats

Baseball, as metaphor today, with the Cards v. Cincy game a good backdrop, especially with WWE a winner last night, and gives you an idea of the atmosphere in the country politically as well. Democrats and the Republican Tea Party are in a brawl, which is a much tighter contest than anyone is spinning. Everyone hates each other and that goes well beyond any anti-incumbent spin that doesn’t tell the story at all.

General discontent revs up everyone’s motor when nobody likes the infrastructure set up that drives national politics.

In Colorado, Republicans fielded not only a weak candidate against Sen. Bennet, but the entire state ticket on the right reveals signs of Tea Party craziness. Same goes for Nevada, where Republicans took a likely pickup in Harry Reid’s seat and blew it by nominating Sharon Angle, one of the wackiest candidates in the country. That is until you get to Rand Paul, with the latest story on him from GQ magazine a laugh riot, unless of course you’re the woman who Paul and his friends, in a blinding pot haze, allegedly blindfolded, tied up and stuffed in a car, then later made to worship at the altar of “Aqua Buddha”:

The strangest episode of Paul’s time at Baylor occurred one afternoon in 1983 (although memories about all of these events are understandably a bit hazy, so the date might be slightly off), when he and a NoZe brother paid a visit to a female student who was one of Paul’s teammates on the Baylor swim team. According to this woman, who requested anonymity because of her current job as a clinical psychologist, “He and Randy came to my house, they knocked on my door, and then they blindfolded me, tied me up, and put me in their car. They took me to their apartment and tried to force me to take bong hits. They’d been smoking pot.” After the woman refused to smoke with them, Paul and his friend put her back in their car and drove to the countryside outside of Waco, where they stopped near a creek. “They told me their god was ‘Aqua Buddha’ and that I needed to bow down and worship him,” the woman recalls. “They blindfolded me and made me bow down to ‘Aqua Buddha’ in the creek. I had to say, ‘I worship you Aqua Buddha, I worship you.’ At Baylor, there were people actively going around trying to save you and we had to go to chapel, so worshiping idols was a big no-no.”

Nearly 30 years later, the woman is still trying to make sense of that afternoon. “They never hurt me, they never did anything wrong, but the whole thing was kind of sadistic. They were messing with my mind. It was some kind of joke.” She hadn’t actually realized that Paul wound up leaving Baylor early. “I just know I never saw Randy after that—for understandable reasons, I think.”

The whole article is priceless in that Rand Paul Is Even Crazier Than We Thought sort of way. Can’t Democrats mine this for negative ads to help out Jack Conway? To add in further developments, the woman in question has now issued one hell of a “clarification,” which puts Esquire in quite a position.

If you throw in Dick Armey’s view on Social Security, which is basically to dismantle FDR’s safety net so seniors are put at risk, well, the Tea Party crew is going to make sure even in low enthusiasm that Democrats have a real chance to keep their majorities.

Of course, just like the Cards v. Cincy game, when antipathy and tempers are high nothing is certain, except that none of these factions are friends.

Yet the Democrats should feel good about things right now. In the game of my guy is bad, but the other guy is worse, the Republican Tea Party is serving up a lot of losers. Seriously, when Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon, who won her primary last night in Connecticut, a woman who has been seen kicking people in crotches is being touted as someone who represents the best of what the right has got to offer, if Democrats can get their act together they just might hold on to the majority.

Though let’s be serious, considering what Pres. Obama and the Democrats have done with that majority the only outcome if Dems prevail is at least the country didn’t send a bunch of Sharon Angles to Congress. Meanwhile, Chris Bowers rebuts recent polling of Democratic enthusiasm for Obama, which I’ll leave you to dissect yourself.

The downer in the picture looking to 2012 is that Pres. Obama has apparently lost the Walter Cronkite of Spanish media, Jorge Ramos. It’s a problem depending on what Republicans offer up, which right now is simply tinkering with the 14th Amendment, which once again gives Democrats and Pres. Obama a way to stay in power.

All this being true, I remain one of the doubters that progressives and liberals will be excited about 2010, which I believe is true of 2012 too, until and unless Pres. Obama and the Democrats do something they haven’t done yet, which is to act like Democrats, instead of dragging the Left to the right.

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TM.com Readers Agree with Wall Street Journal/NBC Poll

By on 24 June 2010

Americans are more pessimistic about the state of the country and less confident in President Barack Obama’s leadership than at any point since Mr. Obama entered the White House, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. – Confidence Waning in Obama, U.S. Outlook

Perhaps the sacking of Gen. McChrystal and the brilliant stroke of putting Gen. Petraeus in his place will make a dent in the new numbers revealed by the new WSJ/NBC poll. I’m not sure, because when Afghanistan is explained further I’m not sure people will buy why we’re still there. However, for right now, what I’ve written about the BP blowout and Obama’s management of the crisis, particularly on containment, has come true. The crude has dragged him down.

Independents have bolted, Hispanics and women, too, with African Americans remaining his only solid support. If you’ve been reading the site for the last year you have followed the storyline, because everything I have written is proof why Obama’s numbers have finally skidded. People were just waiting for a tipping point and his public management of the BP blowout was it.

In politics, if you’re explaining, you’re losing. Recently, when the White House was defending Obama against charges that Pres. Obama going golfing this past weekend equated to Tony Hayward on a yacht, people saw the correlation, even though I did not. Not even the fact that Obama and Biden were golfing on Father’s Day weekend made a difference. Most people sending me emails thought Obama golfing was insensitive. The issue did give Republicans a chance to change the subject. Strike back after Joe Barton’s BP apology blunder.

Now, as I expected, because oil experts warned of this happening, BP has suffered another setback in containing the oil, because the flow has increased due to troubles at the well head. To find out that BP is being allowed to drill in Alaska on a well that is considered risky, well, it’s insane. Interior Sect. Ken Salazar should have been fired long ago.

But about three miles off the coast of Alaska, BP is moving ahead with a controversial and potentially record-setting project to drill two miles under the sea and then six to eight miles horizontally to reach what is believed to be a 100-million-barrel reservoir of oil under federal waters.

I sent out my summer newsletter this week talking about the comparison between Hayward and Obama, yachting v. golfing. This is a response on Facebook about the issue, which I included in my newsletter:

“I don’t wanna be a dick about this, but I’m sorry, the optics suck and both events reek of elitist tone-deafness. I’m not giving Obama a pass on this. There’s plenty of equivalency.” – RB

After seeing RB’s response, LS emailed in this:

Golf and tone deafness. “… the optics suck and both events reek of elitist tone-deafness….” I couldn’t agree more. – LS

Below are a few other emails I received over the day. The first from a very angry Gulf coaster:

I am sorry but I have to agree with those equating the BP Ceo going yachting with Obama playing golf..in fact I would go further ..he played golf ..walked in nature , had the NY Yankees to the White House and other athletes , and kept giving WH concerts..while we on the gulf were breathing air that was unbreahtable and exposed us to god knows what..while 300 miles away on the Gulf our air burned our eyes, throats and gave us horrible headaches, while feeling like a 10 ton elephant was sitting on our chests..when we culd get no answers from our government..none!!!!!!!!!!!! While BP took over our beaches, our air, our water, our coast guard, our national guard,.and refused help from Fla Scientists..maybe you don’t want to hold Obama accountable..but I damn sure do!! It was under Obama that BP submitted their “spill plan”…bullshot only goes so far. My back Yard is the Gulf..and I will forever hold Obama accountable for ignoring his responsibilities to we the people when we needed a damn leader the most and got nothing from him! Hope his golf game was worth all of us being exposed to horrible, toxins..and god know what! He did not protect we the people ..and that is his damn job! – Arlene

As readers know, I have held Pres. Obama accountable from the start. He and his Administration, especially Salazar, have blown the containment aspect terribly. But the deal made last week with BP was important. There is just no comparison in culpability between Tony Hayward and Pres. Obama, not in any way. I do, however, believe Obama’s energy policy mimics any regular Republican.

More are below, though some are shortened due to length.

Is there anything our president can do that won’t bring criticism??? He’s damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. He cannot win with the wingnuts!! He’s under a lot of stress and if a few holes of golf help him relieve some of that stress on Father’s Day week-end, I say “do it”. It’s not like he’s spending a third of his presidency on vacation!! – GA

obama is in charge of protecting america period. it does not matter from what. the oil spill will wipe out the sea food industry in the gulf and affect millions of people and the fool is doing nothing to protect us from it. [...] – mrks

As far as Obama golfing – where was the howls when GWB went to Crawford to clear brush? I’m not happy with Obama right now. I’m not happy with the entire political scene. As far as I’m concerned we have a bunch of politicians who are totally incompetent and in the game for whatever it can get them. I don’t see them serving the people in anything they do. If I had my way I’d vote them all out and put in new faces. I’m sick of the whole system. Why I’m becoming an independent. – JA

Well, I think Obama golfing is kind of worse. For one thing he’s taken one damned vacation after another all spring throughout this crisis. [...] Obama needs to take control of both the cleanup and the well away from BP, and get some American oilmen in there. Americans might care a little more about getting something done and done right. I know we have some pretty smart people in the oil industry. We have scientists and we have engineers. We can’t do worse than BP has so far. – A.

Pres. Obama’s steely resolve on the McChrystal matter should help his poll numbers, but considering Afghanistan casualties are going to start rising even higher, it all depends on if news and cable focuses on the facts. Right now, however, the White House political team is stuck explaining how they let this happen.

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