July 2007 - Posts
Gonzo Gate :
What has looked like a flat-footed lie by the Attorney General to the Senate, was explained by the Administration -- until dinner-time tonight -- by its catch-all phrase, "sorry, it's classified." Our fifth story on the Countdown: suddenly, tonight, it isn't classified. In a ritual as old as the Bush Presidency itself, it has been declassified. This, after former judges and prosecutors... including former Justice Department staff... all of whom now serve in Congress... unveiled a resolution calling for the House to begin investigating the impeachment of Alberto Gonzales for abuses of the FISA surveillance laws, the "Thursday Night Massacre" of US attorneys, and for lying to Congress. But fortunately we have the explanation for that apparent lie. Fortunately and suddenly. And conveniently. The dispute concerns whether Mr. Gonzales lied when he repeatedly denied any internal disagreements about the government's warrantless, i-e, illegal, surveillance program. This morning, Tony Snow backed Mr. Gonzales-- with perhaps a subconscious caveat. CONTINUED >>
Why the guy up there...
give the guy down here $2,300?
CONTINUED >>
A wise man onece said "He is to propriety what the Marquis de Sade was to chastity. When it comes to money and power, he is carnivorous, all appetite, no taste
He's eating again today.
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Let's see a show of hands of those headed off to summer vacation today ...
and a show of hands for those who are not .
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Gonzo-gate Continues : "I'm a big fan of Al's." Those, the words of Dick Cheney, to CBS radio this afternoon. Our fifth story on the Countdown -- he wasn't talking about Gore. Or Franken. The Vice President and the President, at this hour anyway, the only people left in the White House, perhaps even in Washington, who are willing to defend Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. CONTINUED >>
In the latest "is this guy serious?" moment of the 2008 Primary Campaign, former Massachussetts Governor Mitt Romney apparently isn't a fan of snowmen, and has all but said no to CNN's Republican YouTube debate .
He told CSPAN....
You know, I do think that there is a degree of respectfulness that ought to be associated with the process of selecting a nominee for each party, and I think from what I’ve heard that, that, that level of respectfulness was breached, you know I don’t that it makes sense to have people running for president, answering questions from, posed from snowmen. Uh, so, with things of that nature, I’d look for a format that’s a little more, uh, a little more respectful if possible.
Here he is on CSPAN via YouTube re: CNN and YouTube:
TPMCafe makes the case that Mitt doesn't like the YouTube because, well, YouTube hasn't been bery bery good to him.
This Week in Scandal : Tomorrow morning, Vice President Cheney will undergo surgery to have the battery replaced on his heart defibrillator. Which means in an exact reversal of last weekend's colonoscopy and invocation of the 25th Amendment: For a few hours, at least, George W. Bush will actually get to be president. Our fifth story on the Countdown: Let's hope he uses his "alone time" wisely...because today his administration was again reduced to trying to transform clear reality into foggy myth, with a dedication of language parsing that makes Bill Clinton look like a chronic generalizer. Drinks in Space The cliches of manned space flight all suddenly have new meaning tonight: "Flying High"..."The Right Stuff"... And especially "lift-off, we have lift-off." An independent NASA study suggesting at least twice, American astronauts have been boldly going where no man has gone before - while drunk. ODDBALL Rowling Along To our third story on the Countdown, and new revelations about Harry Potter. Once again, a warning if you are slowly savoring the final book, there are some spoilers ahead. As author JK Rowling tells Meredith Vieira just what the very end of the book was meant to be, and why she changed it. And gives us some insight into why the actor who plays the boy wizard in the movies, Daniel Radcliffe, would have said three weeks ago on "The Today Show" that he thought his character might die, but he wasn't certain, even though he had not yet read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". Simpsonize Me : At number two tonight: our nightly round-up of celebrity and entertainment news, Keeping Tabs 20 years after it debuted as a skit on the Tracey Ullman show 17 years after it became a full-length series...finally the Simpsons have made it on the big screen Opening across the country tonight after what seems like months of wily promotion. Of course, marketing a movie using corporate tie-ins is nothing new. WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD Fully Loaded? Lindsay Lohan's new movie "I Know Who Killed Me" has not been reviewed because no advance screenings were held for critics. Which means, of course, that however bad or good it might be, the film can't possibly be as watchable as her life. But in our number one story on the Countdown, we already know who's killing Lohan's career. That would be her. As eyewitnesses from the night of her arrest tell TMZ.com that Lohan commandeered the vehicle she used to chase her assistant. And that she said she couldn't get into trouble... because she's a celebrity. Well that worked out well.
The Federal Communications Commission is usually busy helping rich people buy up all the media outlets. But lately, they took some time out of their schedule to approve requests from two new TV stations for call letters that would have made Lenny Bruce proud. If a local columnist Wailuku, Maui, would soon be able to get their local news straight from KUNT. And when Arizona TV watchers had any questions about the programming on their new station, they could simply ask KWTF.
Kevin Bae, the man who puts the "vice" in "vice president" at KM Communications, owner of both stations, said he'll file to change the call letters. Spoilsport.
Keith reported on this tonight, but the AP write up is worth a read . This is just brutal.
SAN FRANCISCO -
Army medical examiners were suspicious about the close proximity of the three bullet holes in Pat Tillman's forehead and tried without success to get authorities to investigate whether the former NFL player's death amounted to a crime, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
"The medical evidence did not match up with the, with the scenario as described," a doctor who examined Tillman's body after he was killed on the battlefield in Afghanistan in 2004 told investigators.
The doctors - whose names were blacked out - said that the bullet holes were so close together that it appeared the Army Ranger was cut down by an M-16 fired from a mere 10 yards or so away.
Ultimately, the Pentagon did conduct a criminal investigation, and asked Tillman's comrades whether he was disliked by his men and whether they had any reason to believe he was deliberately killed. The Pentagon eventually ruled that Tillman's death at the hands of his comrades was a friendly-fire accident
The Gonzo Investigation : More fascinating than a Senate Subpoena for Karl Rove, or even a possible Justice Department perjury investigation of the man running the Justice Department, Alberto Gonzales, or even the Director of the F-B-I seemingly agreeing that Mr. Gonzales was not truthful...Is the White House response to the dizzying day of scandal and deceit, about what is statistically the least popular administration since Richard Nixon's final week, and empirically the most corrupt since Richard Nixon's last cover-up: That the Democrats are refusing to do the "people's business"...Even if, one might note, defending the people from a rogue President and a lawless Executive Branch, would seem to be business item number one.The Edelman Letter : The Senator asks about troop withdrawal plans...The kind the Pentagon is already war-gaming. The Under Secretary of Defense writes back, saying the Senator is reinforcing "enemy propaganda." Today, his boss says nobody thinks she did that. Somehow, the Under Secretary is still employed. General Wesley Clark joins us.ODDBALL : Dog on the runway, and a basketball backboard that just won't cooperate."Dry Run" Post Mortem : A prominent office building in Washington housing the local headquarters of ABC News was evacuated today after workmen found a suspicious powder in the basement. Aspirin. The airport in Long Beach, California was evacuated today after the discovery of a "suspicious device." A video game. Our third story on the Countdown: you can't do anything but evacuate, and you can't keep it a secret when you do. But once again, if the government finds something initially suspicious in, say, airport baggage, does it have the right to reveal its suspicions, without revealing the later innocent explanations. What was theorized and proclaimed a possible terrorist "dry run" turns out to have been a leaky "cold pack" inside the luggage of a woman in her 60's. And once again we must examine the nexus of politics and terror. Danger Kitty: Part of it makes perfect, rational sense. Part of it, has the makings of an episode of "The Twilight Zone" or M. Night Shyamalan's next movie. Our number two story on the Countdown: if dogs can warn their owners when a seizure is imminent, and helper monkeys can aid their unconscious human masters, why shouldn't a cat in a Rhode Island nursing home, be able to sense when a patient... is about to die. On the other hand, this cat appears to be able to sense when a patient is about to die. WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD : The head of public works for a North Carolina town, Ann Coulter, and a certain large-headed FOX Host breaks his own lifetime record for worsties. Rowling is Talking : It's earned the author an estimated 1 point 12 billion dollars. It's earned the American publishers at least a billion dollars It's earned the movie makers around 4 billion dollars. And in our number one story on the Countdown tonight: Harry Potter is set to earn everybody even more.
Four members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have called on Solicitor General Paul Clement to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on charges of perjury, saying in a letter to Mr. Clement this afternoon that "It has become apparent that the attorney general has provided at a minimum half-truths and misleading statements." Ya think? Oh, and it gets better dear Newshole readers. Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy also announced the subpoena Karl Rove, Turdblossom-in-Chief.
As for whether the Special Counsel investigation ever actually happens, we'd advise you to refer back to the title of this post.
Okay, not really. The Newshole is fully cognizant that Attorney General Gonzales is here to stay, but boy did he stick his foot in it this time… and then put his foot in his mouth. The fallout continues today over the discovery of documents released last year that contradict the AG’s sworn Senate testimony Tuesday. Judiciary Committee member Chuck Schumer calls the memo the smoking gun that Mr. Gonzales was not truthful: "It seemed clear to just about everyone on the committee that the attorney general was deceiving us when he said the dissent was about other intelligence activities and this memo is even more evidence that helps confirm our suspicions." In hindsight, Mr. Schumer’s questioning of the witness will prove to be a particularly important exchange. Here’s just a small sample:CONTINUED >>
Digging a Deeper Hole :
Breaking news at this hour of documentary evidence that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales lied to the Senate yesterday when he repeatedly testified that eight Congressional leaders were not briefed in 2004 about the administration's domestic spying program, but rather about another program. Our fifth story on the Countdown: the dramatic revelation, based on documents from the Bush Administration's own Director of National Intelligence, obscuring what had already been the first vote charging Criminal Contempt of Congress since 1998 against two of the President's other Senior staffers. Tonight, Keith's interview with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman. CONTINUED >>
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee joins Keith to talk about Alberto Gonazales and contempt of congress.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers escalated their battle with the White House on Wednesday by recommending contempt citations against an aide and a former aide of President George W. Bush who refused to cooperate in a probe of the firing of federal prosecutors.
On a 22-17 party-line vote, the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee urged the full House to seek contempt charges against White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers for refusing to comply with subpoenas that demanded information about the dismissals.
If the full House approves contempt citations, the matter would be sent to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia to pursue grand jury indictments. Contempt of Congress carries a penalty of up to $1,000 fine and one year in prison.
Unless a compromise is reached, a court fight seems certain over Bush's claim that his right of executive privilege permits him to withhold documents or testimony from current or former aides.
McClatchy has an interesting article detailing the failed sales efforts of the Bush Presidency:
He's never really sold the country or Congress something it didn't already want. And when he's tried to sell something the people or the politicians didn't want, he's fallen flat.
They cite immigration, social security etc...however we're not sure that Congress and the American people were raring to go into another war in 2003 when Mr. Bush rolled out his Iraq War Plan. That said, the article is an interesting read.
this .
Rough Justice :
"Your credibility," the Senator says to the Attorney General, "has been breached to the point of being actionable." It would be one thing if it were Arlen Specter saying that to Janet Reno... Or even Pat Leahy saying that to Alberto Gonzales. But in our fifth story on the Countdown: our government of the people, by the president, for the president... is so far gone... That that was Republican Arlen Specter today, saying that to Republican Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The good news is, the Attorney General wrote new material. First Casualty of War :
The supposed September deadline to decide for how much longer we stay in Iraq? Apparently the President has already decided. We probably should have double-checked that he meant September 2007...Because he didn't. ODDBALL : A plane makes an emergency landing on highway, rubber dolls and a dam explosion tonight.
Decision 2008 :
It's Jerry Seinfeld's joke. He still remembers when there was no "You Tube" -- only "We Tube." Our third story on the Countdown: perhaps the stand-out problem with the first "You-Tube" debate was that while the questions came from "You-Tubers"... they were still selected by "We-Tubers"... and most of the candidates' answers seemed like they'd already had several thousand "views" apiece. With one particular exception: the answer to the inquiry about whether a new President should be willing to use diplomacy first, instead of force.. whether to meet directly with the leaders of so called "rogue states" like Iran, Venezuela and North Korea..That answer has been answered itself with a charge of naievete and irresponsibility. Rowling Along: J.K.'s first interview since the big release of the big Harry Potter finale. Meredith Vieira does the honors.WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD Lock-up Lindsay Lohan : The ridiculous: Lindsay Lohan's assistant quits. Ms. Lohan, enraged, chases the assistant, and the assistant's mother. The deadly serious: Ms. Lohan gave chase in an S-U-V, while allegedly intoxicated. The ridiculous again: The place she chases them to is about half a block from police headquarters in Santa Monica, California. Our number one story on the Countdown, this, only eleven days after Ms. Lohan left rehab. And only eight weeks after her last alleged drunk driving incident over the Memorial Day weekend. Paris Hilton: move over... that is Lindsay Lohan in your rear view mirror. And I might mean that, literally.
Some of what we're working on for tonight....
One day after the Dems painted the town blue , President Bush heads to Charleston, SC today where he will make remarks on the war on terror...and, once and for all, explain the difference between Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda in Iraq. This should be good.
Speaking of last night...the Newshole tips its hat to CNN, who kept the questions interesting and the candidates on topic in last night's debate. And if you missed the debate, the candidate's own youtube-style ads were decent with the John Edwards ad stealing the show.
Lastly, today Alberto Gonzales denies former deputy attorney general James Comey's account of that showdown in the hospital in which Comey says Gonzales and Andy Card tried to persuade John Ashcroft (who was laid up in the intensive care unit) to reauthorize Bush's domestic surveillance program, which the Justice Dept. had just determined was illegal. Great stuff from Gonzo today...we'll recount it all tonight.
Dick Cheney and the Deathly Hallows : In the last week alone, he has reportedly all but shoved Secretary of State Rice out of the diplomacy business, if not the cabinet itself...And he's been acting president for 125 minutes...And he's had a lawsuit from Valerie Plame against himself and others, dismissed...And he saw his old friends at Halliburton report that their second-quarter income from last year doubled to one and a half billion dollars. Yet -- in our fifth story on the Countdown: Dick Cheney is newly portrayed as a power-obsessed prophet of doom. And that was by the most sympathetic biographer in the world.Sign Language : It's almost common-place to see dumb people link the names "Obama" and "Osama"...But what happens when the sign making that connection...Is held up by a Republican presidential candidate?
ODDBALL : Sneaky seagull, sneaky raccoon, hula robots.Space Junk : In the eighteen-fifties, pioneers littered the praries with tons of useless junk to lighten their conestoga wagons. In the nineteen-fifties you could toss garbage out the window of your Studebaker onto almost any mile of the brand-new inter-state highway system. So, you expect 21st century space travel should be any different? The third story in the Countdown.. astronauts aboard the international space station doing some light, as in weightless, house-cleaning today..
Bad Sports: Not a good time in pro basketball or pro football. Our number two story on the Countdown: He's already been indicted on dog-fighting charges -- there might yet be worse on the way -- his team is going to decide what to do about him tomorrow. WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD The Trouble with Tom That Tom Cruise the actor, is well-known as Tom Cruise, the scientologist, seems to be how he would have it. But the role of scientology's un-official poster boy has its drawbacks. There are the jokes...But also... serious curiosity about what the heck scientology is. In our number one story on the Countdown, a blunt answer, from the German Protestant Church... that scientology is a -- quote -- "totalitarian organization".
Some of what we're working on for tonight....
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has responded to Senator Hillary Clinton’s response to Under Secretary Eric Edelman’s response to the senator’s initial request for the administration’s plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. (Got that?) In short, Mr. Gates says he is looking into the concerns raised in her letter and will get back to her early this week. While there is no doubt the defense secretary has a loose cannon on his hands in Mr. Edelman (Vice President Cheney never wanted Rummy gone; Edelman is a Cheney flunky) it remains to be seen how much he is able – and willing – to do about it . CONTINUED >>
We're sure the item about Romney's staffer playing dress-up with the phony badges will fly under the radar of the 24 hour newscycle, the pictures shown above will not. Honest
people (Wolf Blitzer's CNN graphics) can make honest
mistakes (Teddy Kennedy flubbing the name) about the unfortunate rhyming of "Osama" and "Obama". But when it's used as a partisan
punch-line or talking point (Roger Ailes takes a veiled poke at Obama) there's going to be a backlash.
TPM Cafe has comfirmed the veracity of the photos, and adds some further info and a response by the Romney Campaign.
*********UPDATE**********
Looks like Romney is not following the lead of the current President and weeding out the non-friendly audience members in his campaign stops. Here's Mitt Romney responding to an audience question regarding said picture.
Underling's Low Blow
: With the war in Iraq in its fifth year, here's evidence that these are toxic times: A straightforward request from a United States Senator, on the Armed Services Committee, to the Pentagon is met with a charge from the Pentagon that the Senator may be aiding the enemy in Iraq. Now, in our fifth story on the Countdown, that senator, Hillary Clinton , says oh yeah. And she wants to know if Defense Secretary Robert Gates agrees with his Under Secretary who made the charge that discussing withdrawal plans for Iraq quote "reinforces enemy propaganda ". The Bush Factor : The Democrats are beating the Republicans in a big way in the '08 money race. Is a backlash against President Bush at the root of the problem? ODDBALL : More Tour de France zaniness, women in bikinis mowing lawns, and the greatest mentos related clip ever.The GOP Horserace : If you think the paparazzi are the result of the multimedia, multiplatform, oversaturared marketplace...not true. Way back in 1958, an Italian photographer snapped an enraged King Farouk of Egypy overturning a table in a restaurant...and the rest is tabloid history. The word paparazzi comes froma fellini film, and is based on a particularly loud buzzing mosquito. And you know what you do to mosquitos? You swat them. So it would follow, that is exactly what some celebrities are doing now the the photographers who follow them everywhere. The latest, bloody example from NBC's Michael Okwu in LA.Harry Time: Keith is live at the Scholastic Book headquarters reading the first guy to ever read the last chapter of the Harry Potter series. Keith's Spoiler (unless he's completely wrong) : Keith's detailed version of what the ending in the Harry Potter series could be. It's a great package...trust us.
It's time for the Friday evening presidential campaign aide dump. This time it's Mitt Romney's guy quitting because...
A published report today says Garrity used fake badges so he and Romney's advance staff could get into closed areas and, at least once, avoid a highway toll.
But a spokeswoman for the law firm retained by Garrity says the campaign staff did not have badges, but a (quote) "round metal disc with the seal of the governor's office."
The AP goes on....
Garrity was already on leave from the campaign for allegedly impersonating a law enforcement officer in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
What else could a "round metal disc witht the seal of the governor's office" be? An ashtray? A bad frisbee? The Newshole guesses the law enforcement shake-down of this Romney aide went something like this . Anyeay...the full AP report after the jump.
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A nice study in contrasts today, offered by two wire-service stories that broke within minutes of each other. First, an example
On the other hand, today, we got an example
BP North America owns the Texas City plant that blowed up real good in September, 2005 . Fiften people died. More than 170 were injured. OSHA's $21.3 million fine back then had such a great impact... that less than two years later, OSHA has found BPP failed to ensure its fractionator conformed to code. "The hazard cited is that the inadequate pressure relief equipment could fail, leading to another catastrophic incident." In other words, more people could get fractionated.
A $21.3 million fine failed to fix things. But a $92,000 fine ought to. If anyone wants to dig up BPP's annual profits, please post them in our comments section.
This just in ...President Bush will undergo a 'routine colonoscopy' at Camp David tomorrow, formally leaving Vice President Cheney as the acting President for at least a few hours. This is the second time this has happened, the first coming in 2002. Here's the AP's recollection of how things went in 2002.
The 2002 procedure began at 7:09 a.m and ended at 7:29 a.m. Bush woke up two minutes later but did not resume his presidential office until 9:24 a.m., after Tubb conducted an overall examination. Tubb said he recommended the additional time to make sure the sedative had no aftereffects.
Here's to a speedy recovery, Mr. President.
Interesting comments from Rudy Giuliani to USA Today . 'America's Mayor' seems to be trying to delicately separate himself with the President's foreign policy...but can it work?
"I said it a long time ago … America is too consumed with Iraq ," he said. "We've got to be patient and committed (in Iraq), but we've got to multitask. We've got to have conversations beyond Iraq. We've got to talk about Iran — Iran is more dangerous than Iraq — and we have to get the job done in Afghanistan and in Pakistan."
And speaking of Rudy's foreign policy, what the heck is this pic all about?
Wonkette has details .
Special Kerry CONTINUED >>
Here's the entire transcript of Keith's 'Scapegoat' Special Comment from tonight...the video can be found here .
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Tonight on Countdown, Keith Olbermann delivers a special comment on the leaked Bush Administration letter that blames Senator Hillary Clinton, and all war dissenters, for this President's failures in Iraq:
Here's a preview...
The selection of the wrong war, in the wrong time, in the wrong place the most disastrous a geo-political tactic since Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia in 1914 and destroyed itself in the process that had nothing to do with the overwhelming crisis Iraq has become it isn't Mr. Bush's fault.
The criminal lack of planning for the war the total "jump-off-a-bridge-and-hope-you-can-fly" tone to the failure to anticipate what would follow the deposing of Saddam Hussein that had nothing to do with the chaos in which Iraq has been envelopped it isn't Mr. Bush's fault.
The utter, blinkered idiocy of "staying the course", of sending Americans to Iraq, and sending them a second time, and a third, and a fourth, until they get killed or maimed the utter de-prioritization of human life, simply so a politician can avoid having to admit a mistake that had nothing to do with the tens of thousand individual tragedies darkening the lives of American families, forever it isn't Mr. Bush's fault.
The continuing, relentless, remorseless, corrupt and cynical insistence that this conflict somehow is defeating, or containing, or just engaging the people who attacked us on 9/11 the total "Alice Through The Looking Glass" quality that ignores that in Iraq, we have made the world safer for Al-Qaeda it isn't Mr. Bush's fault!
The fault, brought down as if a sermon from this mount of hypocrisy and slaughter ,by an nearly anonymous Under-Secretary of Defense the fault has tonight been laid on the doorstep of Senator Hillary Clinton and, by extension, at the doorstep of every American the now vast majority of us who have dared to criticize this war or protest it or merely ask questions about it or simply, plaintively, innocently, honestly, plead "don't take my son; don't take my daughter."
Countdown Tonight, 8pm ET/5pm PT
From the AP:
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday dismissed former CIA operative Valerie Plame's lawsuit against members of the Bush administration in the CIA leak scandal.
Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, had accused Vice President Dick Cheney and others of conspiring to leak her identity in 2003. Plame said that violated her privacy rights and was illegal retribution for her husband's criticism of the administration.
What does this mean for Valerie Plame's search for justice? Keith will have much more on this tonight.
********UPDATE*********
Here's the plaintiff's response:
MELANIE SLOAN, LEGAL COUNSEL FOR JOE AND VALERIE WILSON, RESPONDS TO DISMISSAL OF CIVIL SUIT
Washington, DC -- Earlier today, District of Columbia District Court Judge John D. Bates dismissed Joe and Valerie Wilsons' civil suit against Vice President Dick Cheney, presidential aide Karl Rove, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Richard Armitage. While Judge Bates recognized that the Wilsons' claims "pose important questions relating to the propriety of actions undertaken by our highest government officials," he dismissed their suit on a threshold legal issue: that there is no constitutional remedy available to them.
While the Wilsons' lawyers are reviewing the decision, they anticipate filing an appeal. Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ("CREW"), one of the Wilsons' lawyers, said today, "While we are obviously very disappointed by today's decision, we have always expected that this case would ultimately be decided by a higher court." Sloan continued, "We disagree with the court's holding and intend to pursue this case vigorously to protect all Americans from vindictive government officials who abuse their power for their own political ends."
A new NY Times/CBS News poll reveals that 61% of Americans say “the war should be funded only if there is a timetable for withdrawal” from Iraq .CONTINUED >>
MRAPs don't protect troops from what military officials are calling the newest threat to troops, explosively formed projectiles. A growing number of soldiers have been killed by the weapons, including some thought to be riding in MRAPs.
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All Nighter Day After : Where... if the great Frank Capra had directed it... last night's Senate all-nighter would have been a lot more entertaining. Where... had Francis Ford Coppola been at the helm... "going to the mattresses" would have involved far more than a few folding cots. Instead, tonight... in our fifth story on the Countdown... we are left with yet another Republican filibuster that has blocked an up-or-down vote... on a plan to bring U-S troops home from Iraq. CONTINUED >>
It's tough to see this...
without thinking of this...
CONTINUED >>
Image from SF Chronicle
For all you N-hole baseball fans, the AP has an interesting article reminding us that as the Incredible Bulk, Barry Bonds, mopes towards his record breaking 756th home run his long time buddy and trainer remains in the slammer.
He can get out, of course, should he decide to testify about Bonds' alleged steroid use, but his attorney (Mark Geragos) says that aint gonna happen.
CONTINUED >>
This would be funnier, were it not for the 3,622 Americans who have been killed in Iraq . From Maria Bartiromo's interview with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Business Week magazine :
MB: Would you consider a position in business or on Wall Street?
CR: I don't know what I'll do long term. I'm a terrible long-term planner.
Some of what we're working on for tonight...
Some excellent day two analysis of the National Intelligence Estimate – a startling look at how thoroughly the Bush administration has failed in its war on terrorism... One that the White House is going to find difficult to sweep under the rug. The New York Times says for all intents and purposes it might as well be the summer of 2001 again (the NIE with the recycled title “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.”). The Washington Post raises questions about what the heck we are still doing in Iraq. While Slate’s Fred Kaplan points to the Hezbollah threat and says: "this amounts to a direct warning to the White House: Don't attack Iran." CONTINUED >>
The Newshole gets the distinct feeling that whoever is putting out those Rudy Giuliani ads where the guy driving a car yammers randomly to the camera are a direct descendant of the "Jimmy the Cab Driver" MTV from the early 90's.
Not sure what the heck we're talking about? Take the Pepsi Challenge after the jump.
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If one thing has become clear about the run-up to the run-up to the run-up to the primaries for Decision 2008, it's that the best way to sell your candidate is to have a sexy girl sing about your campaign on the Youtube. There has been Obama Girl , Giuliani Girl vs. Obama Girl , Hot 4 Hill and many more to come, we're sure. They are the darlings of the internets and a dream come true for the cable nets, who get to claim they're doing politics as they titillate viewers with the soft-core song stylings of a pretty young woman.
Well, a decidedly G-rated version of the "Candidate X-Girl" phenomena has emerged...and we think this could take a certain former Arkansas Governor to the head of the class. Ladies and gentleman...the Newhole gives you "Huckabee Girl".
Keith on assignment in LA...he'll be back tomorrow, Alison pinch hits tonight.
Original Al Qaeda Returns : Nearly six years after the 9-11 attacks...After four long years of war in Iraq...And after the many billions of dollars that have been spent on the war on terror...A new intelligence report, the work of all sixteen U-S spy agencies, warns that Al Qaeda is gaining strength... and is still determined to attack the U-S. Our fifth story on the Countdown: How is that even possible?CONTINUED >>
The Dems are keeping the Senate open all night to force a debate on the Levin-Reed amendment, which would bring the majority of troops home by next April. Senator Chuch Schumer will peel himself away from the debate to talk to us.
reports on another exceedingly high bill from a beauty salon that will surely derail a 2008 hopeful's White House bid. Mitt Romney is the victim this time...he used $300 in campaign funds to pay a place called Hidden Beauty to slap some make-up on him before a televised debate. The campaign (in an attempt to obfuscate the absurd payout???) disclosed the payment as "communications consulting" on their campaign finance report...because the payment came from the communications budget.
Ultimately it's really not a big deal...and it shouldn't and probably won't impact Romney;s campaign. That said, it sure is a good thing Romney never took a swipe at John Edwards for his haircut faux pas. Oh, he did ? Oops.
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Surge Defectors : It is one of the most fabled and valued axioms of our history. "You can fool all of the people some of the time..."And you can fool some of the people all of the time..."But you cannot fool all of the people, all of the time." It is seemingly disproved by the fact that while 99% of Americans would probably agree it was Abraham Lincoln who said that, there's no contemporary evidence that he ever did. Yet the truth of those words, outweigh even the myth who said them. Our fifth story on the Countdown: a new poll tonight, and in it, nearly two-thirds of the American public, is no longer being fooled, all the time, by President Bush's... surge in Iraq.CONTINUED >>
Blog software is having trouble with comments...please hang with us while we figure it out.
Washington Post about the grim future for David Patraeus should the surge in Iraq not go as planned. We'd call this one a 'must read', particularly for you, Gen. Patraeus.
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Abysmal poll numbers for President Bush's strategy of having escalated the number of U.S. troops in Iraq: 64% of those surveyed in the new Newsweek poll believe the so-called “surge” has been a failure. Less than a quarter (22%) feel it has been a success. Nearly aCONTINUED >>
in uniform killed , so far, in Iraq and it turns out that President George W. Bush may have used all of them as hitmen to settle a personal vendetta. A progressive talk radio host apparently claimed today that former Senator Tom Daschle told him he'd once heard Mr. Bush say , in private, that the real reason the U.S. needed to go after Saddam Hussein was because "That Mother-F@#(*&! tried to take out my dad."
Ok...here's the post we should have put up on Friday evening, but even we didn't know blogging would be suspended for a few days. That said, thanks to all of you who continuted to patronize 'the n-hole' and left your comments anyway. To those who cursed us and swore off re-visiting the site...if you're reading this, well...you've broken your word. We welcome you back and apologize, deal?
Your silence justifies our point. (HA!)
CONTINUED >>
Fudging the Numbers: Just last month a high school student in Germany, faced with having to repeat his sophomore year because of a bad report card, convinced two friends to break in to his classroom and try to steal the report card from his teacher by threatening her with an iron bar. Our fifth story on the Countdown: that plan collapsed due to its fatal flaw -- it never dawned on the kid that people would realize his motive was so obvious. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way in Washington, where President Bush has metaphorically just done the same thing with his report cards, and managed to change the "F's" he was getting on the war in Iraq... and counter-terrorism. CONTINUED >>
Some of what we're working on for tonight....
sometime this week . Instead of saying whether benchmarks have actually been met – a clear “no” in all cases – the administration claims “progress” has been “satisfactory” in eight out of eighteen benchmarks, seven “not satisfactory,” two too soon tonext draft of the Al Qaeda intelligence assessment is going to look like. CONTINUED >>
The Unsuccessful War on Terror : If, as the Bush administration claims, we are fighting in Iraq so we do not have to face the threat of another terror attack here in the U-S...Why is it that Al Qaeda has been able to regain its strength to a level it has not enjoyed since just before the 9-11 attacks? Our fifth story on the Countdown: U-S Intelligence analysts... reaching a devastating conclusion about the state of the war on terror. Meanwhile, two more Republican senators reaching a conclusion that it is time to get out of the conflict that many believe is distracting us from that fight... the war in Iraq.House of Scandal : The Scandal Beat doesn't take a break for the White House. President Bush's use of executive privilege doesn't exactly go as planned today so now the White House is making sure there will be no Harriet Miers debacle on the Hill tomorrow. And the Libby commutation issue under the microscope as well. David Shuster brings us all the headlines.Lady Bird Johnson 1912-2007: No Oddball tonight as we take a moment to remember the First Lady of the 36th President of the United States. The Myth of "America's Mayor": The image Rudy Giuliani would like voters to have is of Giuliani versus the terrorists. But in our third story tonight, for today anyway, the story is Giuliani versus the firefighters. The International Association of Fire Fighters released an anti-Giuliani video online in which New York Firefighters and relatives of those who died on Septembr 11th offer harsh, emotional critiques of Giuliani's leadership in preparing for the second terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.Death of a Pizza Guy: It was one of the most bizarre and intricate crimes in recent memory. A pizza delivery guy, with a bomb strapped around his neck, robbing a Pennsylvania bank, apparently as a hostage. The bomb eventually detonating - killing him as he sat handcuffed and waiting for the bomb squad to arrive. Now, in our second story on the Countdown, investigators say they have finally pieced together what happened on that afternoon in August 2003. And just who was responsible. Harry Potter Hysteria: "The Order of the Phoenix" is in wide release, and "The Deadly Hallows" is on the way -- which means "Harry Potter Nation" is in full freak-out mode.
Breaking news from MSNBC , Ladybird Johnson has died.
turn on the waterworks .
We have the video...
CONTINUED >>
Some of what we're working on for tonight...
Imagine if the Bush administration put the same amount of effort into fixing the war in Iraq or nation building in that state as it does into lobbying Congress or into public relations on the conflict. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley is spending his day on Capitol Hill – described as one of many trips in recent days – as the White House finalizes that progress report in which it will be unable to report any progress. Glad to see he doesn’t have anyCONTINUED >>
The Urge To Surge: 590 Americans, dead...And thousands more, wounded. And 20-thousand more Americans imperiled. And the financial cost: 60 billion dollars -- 10 billion a month. And the reaction: more than 70 percent of us want all of our country-men, rescued by April. And the reported admission, Thursday or Friday, that of the 18 bench-marks the Iraqi government was supposed to reach by now, it has missed -- all eighteen. Our fifth story on the Countdown: all that, in the half a year, since President Bush addressed the nation to announce his new strategy his surge in Iraq... six months ago tonight. And still, in the midst of disaster -- military, strategic, symbolic, and political -- he is undeterred about Iraq, and evidently cannot be stopped. CONTINUED >>
The AP reports that Sen. David Vitter (R, LA) has apologized for his name showing up the infamous DC Madame's phone records (read: list of 'johns'). The report says that the liaison occurred before he was a senator, and that his wife knew about it before his public apology.
"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible," Vitter said in the statement. "Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there — with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way."
He says his family and God knew about whatever infractions occurred...we just wonder if Rudy Giuliani or a certain Christian-right non-profit think tank and lobbying firm knew about it.
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A Big Goose Egg : Breaking news tonight from an unnamed U.S. official quoted by the Associated Press who says that the draft report on the Iraq government shows that of all the benchmarks it was to meet... the number it has actually met... is zero. None. In Bush administration double-speak, what would happen after that oh-fer, would not be referred to as a retreat or a withdrawal... Rather, it would be called a "post-surge redeployment." Of course, the White House being the White House... President Bush and company are not only denying that they are debating even a symbolic announcement of an intended pullback of U-S troops in hopes of pulling back some Republicans who have strayed from the herd...The White House In Crisis: The President stops congressional testimony by Harriet Miers and Sara Taylor... using the oldest trick in the book: Executive Privilege. Analysis from John Dean...And the unveiling of our "Nixon-ification" Clock.ODDBALL : Crazy antics pulling the tarp over a rainy baseball diamond, and wacky dealings in Pamplona...where all the bulls still go to heaven.Katie No Likey : The extraordinary article is entitled "Alas, Poor Couric"... And the quotes from, and on behalf of, the anchor of the CBS Evening News, have already been analogized to career suicide. The piece is so long, and so filled with quotations and stories that it could not have been wholly fabricated, even if somebody were to want to do so. But a caveat up front about our third story on the Countdown: last year, Charles Gibson of ABC's World News claimed the writer, Joe Hagan of New York Magazine, took a joking quote out of context to try to stir up trouble between him and Brian Williams of NBC, and called Mr. Hagan "something of a snake." My own experiences with Hagan suggests Gibson deserves the benefit of the doubt. Presumably, so does Katie Couric. Tabs: A rare truncation of the No.2 story due to the breaking news earlier in the show. We'll bring you the awesome reporting about the new Boeing plane another night, for now...it's Miss New Jersey's blackmailer and Dan Patrick leaving ESPN.WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD : Captian Karl Rove, Congressman Chris Cannon of Utah and a city manager from the state of Oregon make up tonight's roster of worsties...stay tuned to see who wins!Springfield, USA : It's reality, imitating the art, that imitated reality. First, Matt Groening satirized convenience stores by creating the Kwik-E-Mart -- a place where everything costs far too much, where the hot-dogs have been roasting since Eisenhower was president, where the slushies are enough to give you a coronary. Now, 7-11's around the country, like this one in Dallas, have relabelled themselves "Kwik-E-Mart". Stocking Buzz cola, and Krusty-O cereal, and sprinkalicious donuts. And the Kwik-E-7-11 is just one blurring of the lines between fiction and reality celebrating the first full-length Simpsons movie. In addition to real quickie Marts, the hunt is on for the real Springfield too. Countdown's own Monica Novotny is in Springfield with our number one story tonight..
Some of what we're working on for tonight...
The Sunday political talk shows, provided as good an excuse as any to stay indoors this weekend and crank up the A.C. (Shhh, don’t tell Al Gore.) announced their plans to call Patrick Fitzgerald to testify before the Judiciary Committee. Expect partisan lines of questioning if/when he does. While Mr. Leahy wants to learn about the Special Prosecutor’s interviews with President Bush and Vice Presiden Cheney, Mr. Specter says he plans to grill Mr. Fitzgerald about why heABC , House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers was talking impeachment for both Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney. Since no President Bush would mean a President Cheney,CONTINUED >>
Looks like Patrick Leahy (along with Chuck Schumer, and a reluctant Arlen Specter) may want to help Pat Fitzgerald dig some of Scooter Libby's sand out of his eyes during sworn senate testimony.
The idea is the get the idea of the "underlying crime" sorted out...
CONTINUED >>
According to the New York Times , "a dozen current and former military and intelligence officials" say Donald Rumsfeld called off a raid of a 2005 Al Qaeda meeting that may have netted the US the guy on the right, there. Al Qaeda's No. 2 Ayman Al-Zawahiri...
WASHINGTON, July 7 — A secret military operation in early 2005 to capture senior members of Al Qaeda in Pakistan ’s tribal areas was aborted at the last minute after top Bush administration officials decided it was too risky and could jeopardize relations with Pakistan, according to intelligence and military officials.
CONTINUED >>
The Odom Plan It has been thus, on every sinking ship, from Titanic to the S.S. Minnow of Gilligan's Island. A few far-thinking visionairies try to get off first, and get others to leave with them. Then others begin to file off one by one. After them -- the deluge. And so it is, for the Bush administration's Iraq policy. Our fifth story on the Countdown: Conservatve Republican Senator Pete Domenici yesterday; Conservative Republican Congressman John Doolittle today. This, while the top national security officer from the Reagan Administration insisting that the only way to protect the troops in Iraq is to get the Bush Administration to bring them home... and the only way to do that is to threaten the President directly, with impeachment. CONTINUED >>
Some of what we're working on for tonight...
SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? Countdown isn’t alone in waiting to see if Sen. Pete Domenici will live up to his rhetoric on no longer supporting President Bush on Iraq. Minority leader Harry Reid, was cautious about having the New Mexico Republican on board. “Senator Domenici is correct to assess that the Administration’s war strategy is misguided," said Mr. Reid, "But we will not see a much-needed change of course in Iraq until Republicans like Senators Domenici, Lugar and Voinovich are willing to stand up to President Bush and his stubborn clinging to a failed policy — and more importantly, back up their words with action.”CONTINUED >>
The Washington Post has the details on the revelation of an O'Reilly ratings disaster. Click on the fancy blue 'read more' thingy to get the scoop.
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Hey, don't ask us to explain this craziness...Read more at ThinkProgress
Libby Gets A Two-fer : Good Evening from New York. More proof today that President Bush believes he alone is judge, jury and (non)-executioner in the case of U-S versus I. Lewis Libby...The actual judge in the case, Judge Reggie Walton pointing out... in our fifth story on the Countdown... that -- in commuting the sentence -- the president might have made it legally impossible to impose a period of probation on Mister Libby. The White House responding today that the judge does not know the way the law should be.CONTINUED >>
Some of what we're working on for tonight...
Another inaccurate war analogy from President Bush in yesterday’s Independence Day speech : having now equated the conflict in Iraq to America’s own revolutionary war. “Like those revolutionaries who dropped their pitchforks and picked up their musketstroops killed , and counting – take on any real meaning for the White House? And the case could be made that nearly five years would not qualify as “early.”
CONTINUED >>
CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO CONTINUED >>
Insulting Our Intelligence : The reporters who cover the White House... perhaps speaking for the clear majority of Americans who disagree with the President's decision to commute Scooter Libby - including 40% of Republicans - when they told White House Press Secretary Tony Snow this morning, quote: "You are insulting our intelligence." Our fifth story on the Countdown: The day after the President threw away any reason for Americans to assume he is an honest man, or that the laws of the land will be applied fairly to all... bringing absolutely no clarity and plenty of outrage.No Truth, No Consequences : De-bunking the spin. 40% of Republicans saying the commutation was a bad idea. The others say things like, there was no crime because Valerie Plame wasn't covert -- except it was the CIA itself which reported she was, and requested an investigation. And of course the President once wrote he would never "replace the verdict of a jury unless there are new facts or evidence of which a jury was unaware, or evidence that the trial was somehow unfair." Truth-squadding the commuting, and the reaction.Pardon Prediliction : The President had commuted exactly four sentences in his first six-and-a-half years in office. In capitol cases as governor of Texas he had not commuted 152 out of 153 for whom the sentence was not prison, but death. So why Scooter Libby? Was it less to keep him out of jail, but to avoid getting him pardoned now? Because that could have forced Libby to testify against... Dick Cheney?What, Me Worry? Mix in the Libby commutation, and when it comes to historically assessing the presidency of George W. Bush... the ballgame is probably all over, except for the booing
WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD : The Japanese government forcing out a minister who reminded them of the unpleasant realities of World War Two, versus domestic entrants like Congressman Duncan Hunter.Special Comment : When the guys in charge of the casino starts fixing the roulette wheel so their friends can cheat, and never lose... it's time to get new guys to run the casino. A special comment on... resignation.
Tonight on Countdown, Keith Olbermann delivers a special comment just for President Bush and Vice President Cheney: 'resign.'((FULL COMMENT & VIDEO HERE)) Our generation's willingness to state "we didn't vote for him, but he's our president, and we hope he does a good job," was tested in the crucible of history, and earlier than most. And in circumstances more tragic and threatening. And we did.... that with which history tasked us. We enveloped our President in 2001. And those who did not believe he should have been elected -- indeed those who did not believe he had been elected -- willingly lowered their voices and assented to the sacred oath of non-partisanship. And George W. Bush took our assent, and re-configured it, and honed it, and shaped it to a razor-sharp point...and stabbed this nation in the back with it. Were there any remaining lingering doubt otherwise, or any remaining lingering hope, it ended yesterday when Mr. Bush commuted the prison sentence of one of his own staffers. Did so even before the appeals process was complete… Did so without as much as a courtesy consultation with the Department of Justice… Did so despite what James Madison -- at the Constitutional Convention -- said about impeaching any president who pardoned or sheltered those who had committed crimes "advised by" that president… Did so without the slightest concern that even the most detached of citizens must look at the chain of events and wonder: To what degree was Mr. Libby told: break the law however you wish -- the President will keep you out of prison? In that moment, Mr. Bush, you broke that fundamental com-pact between yourself and the majority of this nation's citizens -- the ones who did not cast votes for you. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you ceased to be the President of the United States. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you became merely the President… of a rabid and irresponsible corner of the Republican Party. And this is too important a time, Sir, to have a commander-in-chief who puts party over nation.
Here are a few of clips from this afternoon's contentious White House briefing. Of course, we'll have a whole lot more of this tonight, but we couldn't wait to share some of it with you before the big show.
This first clip is Tony Snow taking on himself to apologize (with tongue planted firmly in cheek) to the American people for the outing of a covert CIA agent...
Q Tony, I want to go back to the issue of an apology, and I want to stay issue-focused and not blaming. Are there -- is the American people owed some kind of apology from someone in this administration for the leaking of a CIA person's name, personnel's name?
MR. SNOW: Yes, it's improper to be leaking those names.
Q You say it's improper, so you're saying someone in this administration owes the American public an apology?
MR. SNOW: I'll apologize. All done.
Q No, it's not. That's flippant, that's a very flippant way of doing something very serious -- it was a very serious matter. That was very flippant.
MR. SNOW: Well, no, I think in some ways the characterization -- because there are so many complex issues involved in this, including the provenance of it, and furthermore, the fact that in the Washington culture things get leaked all the time. And I'm not aware --
Q Does that make it right?
MR. SNOW: How many of you have apologized for a controversial name appearing under tough circumstances in a news story? I daresay the answer is zero.
And in this second clip, Tony Snow just plain runs out of steam...
Q How does the President justify this commutation when there are thousands of others in jail with a similar request?
MR. SNOW: I'm not sure that -- thousands in jail with similar requests?
Q Three thousand.
MR. SNOW: Three thousand in jail with similar -- I'm not sure that you can take anybody who has a perjury count and say that they're all the same. Every count has to be considered differently. The President, as you know, looks very carefully at these things. And furthermore, not every one of these cases comes before a President, as you're well aware. Attorneys quite often petition for these and that is one of the procedures by which they do it.
Q Can I follow on that? There are more than 3,000 current petitions for commutation -- not pardons, but commutation -- in the federal system under President Bush. Will all 3,000 of those be held to the same standard that the President applied to Scooter Libby?
MR. SNOW: I don't know.
Some of what we're working on for tonight...
attempt to justify his commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence, because it was “excessive,” has already been called into question by Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who pointed out last night that "an experienced federal judge …imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws."
Then there is also the cold shower of Mr. Bush’s record as governor of Texas, during which time he rarely even read the clemency petitions of death row inmates (152 executions during his two terms as governor). About that time, Mr. Bush told his presumed ghostwriter in his autobiography A Charge to Keep “I don’t believe my role is to replace the verdict of a jury with my own.” Back to the facts: in the case of Karla Faye Tucker, a killer who became a born-again Christian on death row, he refused clemency requests from Pope John Paul the Second, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell (usually strong death penalty proponents) and apparently even one of his own daughters. To the Pope, it seems he gave false reasons for why he could not grant said clemency, and to his staff, he even joked about Ms. Tucker’s pending execution. All of which raises questions of whether there was some kind of quid pro quo in the Libby case. CONTINUED >>
Scooter & The Commuter : A President who lied us into a war and in so doing needlessly killed 3,584 of our family and friends and neighbors... A President whose administration initially tried to destroy the first man to nail that lie...A President whose hench-men then ruined the career of the Intelligence asset that was his wife -- when Intelligence assets were never more essential to the viability of the Republic... Has tonight freed from the prospect of prison, the only man ever to come to trial for one of the component felonies in what may be the greatest crime of this young century. Our fifth story on the Countdown: President George W. Bush has tonight, via means of a matter-of-fact prepared statement, commuted the prison sentence of Lewis "Scooter" Libby -- the former chief-of-staff to the infamous Vice President, Dick Cheney. Joe Wilson Speaks : In Mr. Bush's statement this evening, he referred to the immense suffering of Mr. Libby's wife and children. And no doubt it was immense. But in our fourth story tonight, the president seems to have forgotten someone else's suffering... the victim's, and her family's, and... their country's. Mr. Libby was not convicted of leaking the identity of covert C-I-A operative Valerie Plame... but he was convicted of obstructing the investigation into who had. She was his victim. Her torpedoed career was a victim, and so, too, were members of her family. She was targeted in the first place, because her husband, former ambassador Joe Wilson, dared expose disingenuous arguments for war. We spoke to Ambassador Wilson shortly after Mr. Bush's commutation announcement. ODDBALL : Due to late breaking Scooter Commuter news, your regularly scheduled Oddball programming has been pre-empted. Treading Water : Politically speaking, you know you're in trouble when the metaphors start writing themselves... metaphorically, that is. Which brings us to our third story on the Countdown tonight... In the commuting tonight of Scooter Libby's prison sentence, there is the kind of political and personal favoritism that could sink a popular President. And this President is not popular.Dana Milbank joins me in a moment to try to assess just how much of his political foot -- and his party's -- the President just shot off. But it is not as if this is his only problem. Even yesterday, Mr. Bush had failed to free his mired ship of state from the muck and slime... literally, that is. London Terror Plot: Apart from the obvious conclusion that whoever tried to unleash car bombs in England and Scotland last week, really -- and fortunately -- weren't that good at it...Comes news tonight in our Number Two Story, of more arrests, and a report from the British newspaper "The Guardian" that police were on the trail of the Glasgo Airport attackers in the hours before they drove into the main entrance, then got out and tried to push the burning vehicle inside. Several hours earlier, police had contacted the agency which had rented a home near the airport to one of the suspects. The news of the additional arrests -- and the disturbing number of physicians among them -- from our Senior Investigative Correspondent Lisa Myers in London. WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD : Senator Joe Lieberman, Comedian Sean Hannity and a very high ranking official makes a very rare appearance at the top of the list tonight.
Famous Fatigue : In some parallel universe, Paris Hilton is known for her biting wit and cultural relevance... And no one begrudges her notoriety, because she's just so dog-goned interesting. But in this world, the Hilton backlash is well underway... Even though, just like Ms. Hilton, it sometimes looks like posing. Our number one story on the Countdown: Passing on Paris. Hilton fatigue surfacing in the latest issue of "US Weekly".
NBC: A White House spokesman says WH Attorney Fred Fielding called one of Libby's attorneys to deliver the news. He says the President didn't consult the Department of Justice. According to the spokesman the President made the decision shortly before boarding Air Force One this afternoon. Melanie Sloan, legal counsel to Joe and Valerie Wilson in their civil suit against Vice President Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Richard Armitage, released the following statement today in response to President Bush's decision to commute Mr. Libby's sentence.
STATEMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
Statement of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald regarding today's decision by President Bush to commute the 30-month prison sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby:
"We fully recognize that the Constitution provides that commutation decisions are a matter of presidential prerogative and we do not comment on the exercise of that prerogative.
We comment only on the statement in which the President termed the sentence imposed by the judge as "excessive." The sentence in this case was imposed pursuant to the laws governing sentencings which occur every day throughout this country. In this case, an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws. It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals. That principle guided the judge during both the trial and the sentencing.
Although the President's decision eliminates Mr. Libby's sentence of imprisonment, Mr. Libby remains convicted by a jury of serious felonies, and we will continue to seek to preserve those convictions through the appeals process."
CONTINUED >>
President Dick Cheney George W. Bush has done it, he's commuted the sentence of convicted felon Scooter Libby ...THE WHITE HOUSE The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today rejected Lewis Libby's request to remain free on bail while pursuing his appeals for the serious convictions of perjury and obstruction of justice. As a result, Mr. Libby will be required to turn himself over to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his prison sentence.
Anchor Gets Stuck on Bush's Boat President George W. Bush watches as fishing guide Billy Bush tries to
pull up the stuck anchor during a fishing trip Sunday, July 1, 2007 in
Kennebunkport, Maine.
