Blogging the Countdown
Fun with Numbers:
Good Evening from New York. As Boss Limbaugh and the Republicans continue to demand that nothing be done by the government to fix the economy... Advocating instedd, the same failed, hands-off, rich-get-richer, everything else goes into the toilet approach, that got us into this mess in the first place... This morning, a very real reminder of what's at stake... and what is being done by President Obama to fix it. Our fifth story on the Countdown: Following the news that the unemployment rate has jumped -- again -- to its worst rate in a quarter century... The President, attending the graduation ceremony of the 25-Ohio police cadets... whose jobs he helped save... by signing the stimulus plan. CONTINUED >>
Party Tricks:
Boss Limbaugh was the first to declare an open desire for President Obama's failure...Making it safe (if not mandatory) for other Republicans to follow suit. In our fifth story on the Countdown: Doctor Ada Fisher has become -- 34 days after his election -- the first member of the Republican National Committee to call for Michael Steele's resignation as that Party's chairman. The question tonight: How long until others follow her? CONTINUED >>
Ditto Heads:
In the parable of the Scorpion and the Frog, it is only after much pleeding -- and a promise from the Scorpion that he will not sting the Frog -- that the amphibian finally consents to carry his poisonous cargo across a river. The Scorpion, as every child learns, stings the Frog anyway, saying, as they both sink, "it is my nature." Conservative Columnist Jonah Goldberg briefly citing the tale today in his defense of Boss Limbaugh and his open desire for President Obama to fail. Quote: "The Scorpion must sting the Frog." Our fifth story on the Countdown: Mr. Goldberg and the Republicans evidently could not be bothered to read through all 489 words of the parable. The lesson is: the Scorpion and the Frog both die. CONTINUED >>
Non-State of the Union Fallout Hey. How about that Bobby Jindal speech, huh? Our fifth story on the Countdown: Now that he's given a Republican Response slammed by apparently all but one Republican, what's he going to do now? He's going... to Disney World. Seriously. Taking the family to Orlando. At least that's his story. And unfortunately, his story last night -- the lynchpin anecdote...Apparently not true.
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Citizen Inane:
Contrary to the popular idiom: Some things do not have to be seen to be believed. I have never personally witnessed nuclear fission -- yet I believe in its capacity for power and or destruction. I have never personally met Irahnian president Ahmedeenijad -- yet I believe he exists. Nor have I ever met Senator Richard Shelby... who -- in our fifth story on the Countdown -- has perpetuated the treasonous, unsubstantiated rumor that President Obama is not a citizen of the United States. On what grounds? Because the Alabama Republican says he has never seen his birth certificate. To be perfectly clear: CONTINUED >>
Post Racial Politics: The non-apology apology from the New York Post... has, appropriately, had a non-impact impact. Our fifth story on the Countdown: The protests continuing tonight both outside the headquarters of the right wing tabloid's parent company, News Corps... And inside the news room... where even the gossip page is distancing itself from the controversy. All this as right-wing wing-nut Alan Keyes is now warning that President Obama is a "radical communist" and a "usurper" who must be stopped... or... the United States will "cease to exist." No, I am not kidding.
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Nigh Crimes and Misdimeanors: While President Obama went to Canada today to get started on the "clean up America's image abroad" part of his to-do list. His bigger problem... And our fifth story...Cleaning up America's image... in America.The President tonight with a new set of provocative quotes from his own party's Speaker of the House about prosecuting the worst abuses, and abusers, of the Bush Administration.
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The Homefront: Only days ago -- when opposing President Obama's stimulus plan -- Republicans in Congress complained that the Stim did not focus sufficient resources... on housing. Tonight, now that President Obama has unveiled his plan to fix the housing crisis... In our fifth story on the Countdown: Congressional Republicans are saying the President has focused too many resources... on housing.
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Now What? Good Evening from New York. Rote complaint number 236 out of the Republican handbook: The Obama Stimulus could not possibly take effect fast enough... In reality, it only took a couple of minutes. Our fifth story on the Countdown: Less than half an hour after the President signed the stimulus package into law this afternoon... Construction crews in Tuscumbia, Missouri... beginning work on a new bridge...The first project in the nation to get started under the $787 Billion dollar plan.
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Q&O: "With the private sector so weakened by this recession," Barack Obama said in the opening remarks of the first news conference of his presidency, "the federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy back to life." Our fifth story on the Countdown: on a day of firsts for the 44th -- first news conference, following first Senate victory, following first Town Hall -- his repeated warning that now could instead be the time of a last... the last chance to ameliorate or reverse the worst economic downturn since the Depression.
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