Obama Quest! McCain's Applesauce Avalanche!

It has indeed been a busy week for both Barack Obama and John McCain. Thankfully, John Stewart puts it all into perspective for us:

McCain On Whether Cheney Might Serve In His Administration: ‘Hell, Yeah’

From ThinkProgress:

As Vice President Dick Cheney makes the rounds on “the GOP’s rubber chicken circuit” these days to raise funds for conservative candidates, he always implores his audiences “to make sure that we elect John McCain the 44th President of the United States.” But worried about being labeled a third Bush term, the McCain campaign has made strides to distance the candidate from Cheney by blasting “Vice President Cheney’s energy bill.”

But before Cheney became a political albatross, McCain overflowed with kind things to say about him. In fact, in July 2004, McCain described Cheney as one of the best vice presidents ever:

At a July 15 appearance in Michigan, McCain dampened the speculation by calling Cheney “one of the most capable, experienced, intelligent and steady vice presidents this country has ever had.”

In interviews for Stephen Hayes’ 2007 biography of Cheney, McCain “strongly” asserted that Cheney “has been of enormous help to this president of the United States.” Politico’s Jonathan Martin reports today that in unpublished comments to Hayes, McCain also said that he would consider Cheney for a post in his administration:

Going further, McCain even told Hayes in comments heretofore unpublished that he’d consider Cheney for an administration post.

Asked whether he’d be interested in Cheney had the vice president not already have served under Bush for two terms, McCain said: “I don’t know if I would want him as vice president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.”

Read the rest of the the post here.

4094 US deaths in Iraq: Let's put a Democrat in the White House and end this madness

For about the past twelve months, we Democrats have allowed ourselves to be distracted by the mainstream media, who has done nothing more than promote and exaggerate minor political points -- all the while ignoring the war, death, poverty and corruption that is "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

I'm sure I'm going to get some angry commenters who question my patriotism for this statement above. But does patriotism mean blind faith in political leaders who have a proven business interest in the outcome of war? Does it honor the men and women in uniform who serve us? Is it justice for the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire?

Two stories caught my eye this morning. First, this from Think Progress:

Bush administration blackmailing Iraq over long-term military agreement

Yesterday, the UK Independent reported that the Bush administration is trying to push a secret deal to “perpetuate the American military occupation of Iraq indefinitely.” Today, the paper has more troubling details about the Bush administration’s shady tactics:

The US is holding hostage some $50bn (£25bn) of Iraq’s money in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to pressure the Iraqi government into signing an agreement seen by many Iraqis as prolonging the US occupation indefinitely, according to information leaked to The Independent.

US negotiators are using the existence of $20bn in outstanding court judgments against Iraq in the US, to pressure their Iraqi counterparts into accepting the terms of the military deal.

The Bush administration is arguing that some of the Iraqi funds would lose immunity protection if the U.N. mandate “is not replaced by the new agreement.” But the Washington Post reports today that the Iraqi government may request an extension of the mandate. Juan Cole and Spencer Ackerman have more.

Next, from antiwar.com, please read

Sunday: 2 US Soldiers, 28 Iraqis Killed; 18 Americans, 58 Iraqis Wounded

A suicide bomber killed a U.S. soldier and wounded 18 more Americans in northern Iraq. Anoother U.S. soldier was killed during a roadside bomb blast in Baghdad yesterday. At least 28 people were killed and 58 were injured across Iraq. Meanwhile, Turkey reported striking suspected Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq.

In al-Rashad, a suicide car bomber attacked a U.S. base, killing one soldier and wounding 18 more. Two Iraqis were wounded as well when the bomber drove a bomb hidden under a pile of animal skins into blast walls protecting the base. Police added five civilians to the tally of wounded. A conflicting report said that more soldiers were killed.

So, while the media tries to distract us with stories about Hillary Clinton's cleavage and Barack Obama's lapel pin, it is our duty as citizens of this most powerful and fortunate nation to filter out this detritus. Already we see shoddy reporting on the rising cost of gas -- stories that address neither our dangerous oil dependence nor the fact that supplies of oil are actually quite high, with the rising cost mostly a reflection of speculators and investors -- have we learned nothing from the housing crisis?

I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am in the outcome of the Democratic primary race. And if you've read this blog much, you know how I feel about how unfair the crowning nominating process in the Democratic Party was this year. But I do believe this debacle will bring about major changes in the DNC rules regarding primaries, caucuses, delegates, and superdelegates. Next time. But at this point, we must all get behind the presumptive nominee Barack Obama and work to end the war in Iraq. The worst case scenario at this point is John McCain in the White House, and you will surely help him get there by either voting for him, or by not voting at all in the fall.

Human Rights Campaign PAC Releases Comprehensive Report on Sen. John McCain’s Record on GLBT Issues

Oh, "my friends." This is a good one ....

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign PAC, the federal political action committee of the nation’s largest gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today announced the release of a comprehensive report – "Senator John McCain: A Record of Opposing the Interests of GLBT Americans."

As the general election nears, Sen. John McCain will tout his reputation as a maverick, an independent and a moderate, but a review of Sen. McCain’s record paints a different picture. The report provides an in-depth view of Sen. John McCain’s record on GLBT issues and the likelihood that a McCain presidency would be similar to that of President George W. Bush. The full report and a summary can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/McCain.

"We’ve witnessed President Bush over the last seven years repeatedly side with ultra-conservatives and the religious right at the expense of protections for GLBT Americans. Judging by his record, a McCain presidency would be another four years of more of the same," said Human Rights Campaign Vice President David Smith. "Similar to Bush, Sen. John McCain opposes equal benefits for same-sex couples; opposes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination against GLBT Americans in the workplace; opposes expanding the hate crimes act to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and supports the military’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy."

Highlights from "Senator John McCain: A Record of Opposing the Interests of GLBT Americans":

• Opposed Ending Discrimination Against GLBT Americans in the Workplace. Senator McCain cast a deciding vote against the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
• Opposed Protecting GLBT Americans from Hate Crimes. Senator McCain voted three times against expanding the federal hate crimes law to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Proponent of Discriminatory Military Policy. Senator McCain
  supports Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and does not believe that gays should serve in the military.
• Opponent of Equal Benefits for Same-Sex Couples. Senator McCain voted for the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal rights and benefits in any state.
• Actively Supported State Ban on Domestic Partnerships. Senator McCain campaigned for a ban on same-sex relationship recognition in his home state of Arizona – even appearing in a campaign television ad.
• Supported the Confirmation of Anti-GLBT Equality Judges. Senator McCain voted to confirm President Bush’s judicial nominees who had taken anti-GLBT positions. He has pointed to Justice Samuel Alito as a role model for future Supreme Court appointments.
• Supported a Discriminatory HIV/AIDS Policy. Senator McCain supported a Jesse Helms strategy to cut off funding for prevention efforts aimed at the gay community and voted to prohibit foreign nationals with HIV from immigrating to the United States.

Coke? Pepsi? McCain? Bush?

Much like the Coke-Pepsi Challenge, it's really better just to swear off the Republicans, along with the soda. They're all bad for your health. But that doesn't mean you should miss out on taking the challenge here.

If you're in the Towson, Maryland, area next week, you may be interested in this message I received today from MoveOn.org:

Thousands of undecided voters who live near you don't yet realize just how much John McCain is like President Bush.

So, on Wednesday, May 28th, MoveOn members in Towson are asking people on the street to take The Bush-McCain Challenge. It works like the old Pepsi-Coke Challenge—we'll set up a sidewalk table and ask passersby to guess whether a quote or position is Bush's or McCain's. It's surprisingly hard to tell the difference!

Polling shows voters will reject John McCain if they realize how similar he is to George Bush. The Bush-Challenge is a persuasive way to make this point.

Next Wednesday, at more than 300 events around the country, we'll let people see the facts for themselves: McCain is just as bad as Bush, if not worse. A good turnout at this event may also attract local media attention, which will help even more people find out about The Bush-McCain Challenge.

Find out where the challenge is being held in your neighborhood.

Things younger than John McCain

As we wait for the results to come in from Oregon and Kentucky, you might like to stroll on over to a blog called Things Younger than John McCain. It does kind of put things into perspective. Now, of course, with age comes wisdom. Of that there is no doubt. However, with parents who are only 10 years older than Senator McCain, I also know that with age comes a few other things -- in terms of health, technology, and culture.

I mean, my parents are very smart people. They have college degrees -- my father has a Masters in Economics from the University of Chicago. No dummy there. (His thesis was reviewed by Kate Turabian, and all she questioned was the use of one semi colon. What?!)

But here's the thing: they write out emails by hand and have my brother go on line and send them. They constantly put the phone receiver down off the hook, so that it's busy for days (their physician even called me once to make sure everything was o.k.). They have a cell phone, which they keep plugged in in the kitchen. It rings sometimes, and they stare at it. They sit at the breakfast table and read the newspaper for hours, and then eat lunch at 4 pm. They take naps.

I love them more than life itself. But dear god, I would not want them in the White House.

They have seen so much in their lifetimes: they grew up during the Depression, my father fought in WWII, they served in the Foreign Service in exotic and rural places. I don't knock them for not knowing how to operate the DVD player we got them several years ago. They just can't keep up with all the new technology that is constantly coming at them. And there are just so many things younger than my parents (and younger than John McCain):

• Penicillin
• minimum wage
• the Lincoln Tunnel
• Scrabble
• area codes
• nylon
• the Slinky
• Alaska
• the Polio vaccine
• Helvetica (the font)
• ballpoint pen

None of this really has to do with being a good president. I'm just sayin'

McCain Watch: "Elections have consequences"

Hey, he said it, not me:

"Elections have consequences. One of the consequences is the president of the United States gets to name his or her nominees to the bench."

Yeah, let that sink in for a minute. "President" McCain would most likely be nominating one -- if not two -- Supreme Court Justices. From NewsDay:

As models, McCain named Roberts and Alito, both solid conservative votes on rulings, and the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, an Arizona native and for years the most conservative member of the court.

That's in contrast to the type of judges both Obama and Clinton have said they would nominate - jurists who would uphold civil rights, privacy and other social issues opposed by conservatives. McCain attacked both Democrats, but singled out Obama for his sharpest critique, suggesting Obama sounded like a "judicial activist" himself in defending his no vote on Roberts.

Yeah, I'm depressed that Hillary Clinton didn't do better in the primaries yesterday. But I have no doubt of the importance of keeping John McCain out of the White House. No doubt.

McCain Watch: Hypocrisy

From ThinkProgress,

After Voting To Declare English As The National Language, McCain Launches Spanish-Language Website

Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) launched a Spanish-language campaign website, greeting voters with, “Bienvenido! Estamos Unidos con McCain” (Welcome! We are united with McCain).

This new website comes despite the fact that McCain voted in 2006 for Sen. James Inhofe’s (R-OK) amendment to “declare English as the national language of the United States and to promote the patriotic integration of prospective US citizens.” In March, McCain skipped a vote on an amendment by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), aimed at “blocking lawsuits by employees challenging English-only workplace rules.” Both Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL) voted against the measure, but McCain left Washington to attend a fundraiser.

McCain Watch

Lest he think we're not paying attention, I'm starting a new feature here at the Jello Manse, entitled McCain Watch. We all know he's counting on Democrats to be distracted by the unprecedented competition for the nomination this year. But we're not going to do that, are we? We're quire capable of keeping up to date on the Democratic primaries while still staying informed about the Senator from Arizona's continued mistakes and outrageous statements.

Here's what John McCain is up to these days:

McCain Flip-Flops In 30 Seconds: Hagee Endorsement A ‘Mistake,’ But ‘I’m Glad To Have’ It
From ThinkProgress

STEPHANOPOULOS: So was it a mistake to solicit and accept his endorsement?

MCCAIN: Oh, probably, sure. […]

STEPHANOPOULOS: So you no longer want his endorsement?

MCCAIN: I’m glad to have his endorsement. I condemn remarks that are, in any way, viewed as anti-anything. And thanks for asking.

And in case you hadn't heard, the man's got a temper -- a nasty one .... you don't want this guy's finger anywhere near the button. This article is loaded with examples, but this is one description that I find especially worrisome:

From The Washington Post:
McCain: A Question of Temperament

McCain has built much of his appeal, especially with independents, as the fiery maverick willing to defy both parties. His tempestuousness has girded him in high-stakes confrontations, especially against Republican conservatives who regard his occasionally moderate stances as proof that he has sold them out.

"You will damn well do this. You will make this a holiday. You're making us look like fools," he privately exploded two decades ago at a stunned group of Arizona Republicans who opposed creating a state holiday in remembrance of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Early during their days together in the Senate, Smith came to believe that McCain often used his temper as a strategic weapon, that if he "couldn't persuade you, he was going at least to needle you or [sometimes] belittle you or blow up into trying to have you believe you were beneath him, so that you'd be less likely to challenge him. He needed to be the top guy."

Smith admits to not liking McCain, a point he has often made over the years to reporters. "I've witnessed a lot of his temper and outbursts," Smith said. "For me, some of this stuff is relevant. It raises questions about stability. . . . It's more than just temper. It's this need of his to show you that he's above you -- a sneering, condescending attitude. It's hurt his relationships in Congress. . . . I've seen it up-close."

Whatever happens in Pennsylvania and beyond, whoever becomes the Democratic nominee, it's vitally important for the world that John McCain does not become the next president of the United States.

Remembering what's at stake here ....

If we Democrats don't get our act together, this could be our future:


If the image isn't scary enough on its own, see Tengrain's take on it over at Mock, Paper, Scissors. Warning: snorting coffee through nose alert on this one!

Why do we elect Senators. No, seriously, why?

The Washington Post did a little calculation recently of who's doing the voting in the Senate, and it ain't John McCain. The only Senator with a higher percentage of missed votes than McCain was the one who had a brain hemorrhage:

Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) 65.2%
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) 56.4%
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) 39.8% (I so did not see that one coming!)
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) 36.7%
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) 35.4%
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) 28.5%
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) 28.3%

And the saddest statistic of all? Out of 100 Senators, only 11 have made 100% of the votes ....

Superdelegates down by one: Joe Lieberman stripped of status

It's kind of like an intervention.

Because he doesn't seem to understand that he doesn't belong in the Democratic Party and the Democratic Party doesn't want him, the Democratic State Chair has decided to strip Lieberman of his "Superdelegate" status.

From Firedoglake:

Thanks to Zell Miller, there is a rule to deal with Joe Lieberman.

Lieberman's endorsement of Republican John McCain disqualifies him as a super-delegate to the Democratic National Convention under what is informally known as the Zell Miller rule, according to Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo.

Miller, then a Democratic senator from Georgia, not only endorsed Republican George Bush four years ago, but he delivered a vitriolic attack on Democrat John Kerry at the Republican National Convention.

The Democrats responded with a rule disqualifying any Democrat who crosses the aisle from being a super delegate. Lieberman will not be replaced, DiNardo said.

Democrats: We must work together as one party to stop McCain

The danger of John McCain is that when compared with the others in the Republican Clown Car, he almost seems almost, meh, o.k. He's not! It is imperative that if you are a Democrat, you support whomever the party nominates, for the good of the country. The worst possible scenario for this country is that Democrats disappointed in their candidate's loss of the nomination simply sit out the election in November.

Think I exaggerate about disastrous effects of a McCain presidency? Here's a glance at some of his voting history:

• Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
• Voted YES on declaring memorial prayers and religious symbols OK at schools. (May 1999)
• Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996)
• Voted YES on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer. (Jul 1994)
• Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
• Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
• Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)
• Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)
• Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
• Voted YES on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals. (May 1994)
• Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
• Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)

In addition, McCain has received the following ratings:

• Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
• Rated 0% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
• Rated 33% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights. (Dec 2006)
• Rated 7% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)
• Rated 45% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education. (Dec 2003)

Please take the time to read John McCain's entry at Wikipedia. Oh, he's a class act, all right.

• In the 1980s, rebuked by the Senate Ethics panel for his involvement in the Keating Savings & Loan scandal.
• 1998 he made the following joke at a Republican fundraiser: "Why is Chelsea Clinton ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno!"
• Until his presidential run in 2000 he regularly used the word "gook" and refused to stop despite repeated requests from the Asian American community.

And if he would please stay out of my bedroom, I would gladly stay out of his. But his anti-gay votes, promoting the conservative spin to "protect the American family" scream with hypocrisy.

No one questions his bravery as a POW during the Vietnam War, and returning to civilian life must have been an incredible challenge. But soon after arriving home, McCain admits to "numerous" extramarital affairs, culminating (I assume) with his affair with a young woman named Cindy. McCain proposed to Cindy, although of course he was already married to Carol. Carol had waited for John while he was a POW, but unfortunately

Carol McCain, once a model, had been badly injured in a car wreck in 1969. The accident "left her 4 inches shorter and on crutches, and she gained a good deal of weight."

So just to get this straight, McCain returns home to find his former beautiful wife now disabled and overweight. So he begins his string of affairs, ending with the lovely Cindy Hensley. Did you know that Hensley just happens to be an heiress to a liquor fortune. How convenient for a young man pondering a run for Congress!

So Democrats, whoever wins the nomination, stay energized!

Obama wins more states, Clinton wins the big ones

So basically we're no closer to having a Democratic nominee yet. And that's a good thing. I think the longer this primary process continues, the more energized the Democratic party becomes. What is most important next fall is that the Democrats take back the White House, whether through President Obama or President Clinton. And I believe that a huge number of people are only slightly in favor of Clinton versus Obama or Obama versus Clinton. They could voter for either candidate.

In other words, the longer we have to campaign and lobby for our candidates, the more energized we, as Democrats, become. If John McCain is indeed the Republican nominee, we're going to need that energy next fall. It's going to be nasty, folks. He's not a nice man. More on that later ...